92 Chapter 92
Ko and Yoru have left us to be alone, and to now go annoy my sister.
"Rin," I say softly, voice careful, "I don't want to turn this… into a whole relationship. Not yet. Not while everything is still… burning around us."
She tilts her head, expression a little guarded but curious, waiting for more.
"I can't promise peace right now," I continue, eyes locking on hers. "I can't promise I won't get dragged back into hell, or that something I do will hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. Not like this, not ever."
Rin doesn't say anything immediately. Her hands curl slightly into fists at her sides, but there's no anger, no disappointment. Just understanding—stubborn, patient, understanding.
"I… get it," she murmurs finally, voice low. "I'm not asking for forever. I just… wanted you to know. That's it."
I let out a small sigh, shaking my head. "We'll have our time, you know that?"
"Yeah," she replies, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "And you're going to like it."
The quiet didn't last long. I felt it before I heard it—a subtle vibration under my feet, a hum in the air that didn't belong to Plaga's neon chaos. My eyes narrowed, scanning the streets outside the cracked windows.
Then it hit me. The sounds. Not distant, not random. They had weight, intent, authority. Energy pulsing and twisting, like someone—or something—was tearing through the world just to announce their presence.
Five distinct auras flared into existence simultaneously. I recognized them instantly, the way anyone who's been hunted, trained, and pushed to their limits would.
The Lumes. All five. All here.
I felt Rin stiffen beside me, but she didn't need to say anything. She already knew. I could feel Yoru and Ko moving cautiously, hands brushing their weapons, muscles tensing for anything. Serenia, even from the kitchen, stiffened, her senses screaming at the unnatural weight of the energy.
They didn't hide. The auras bled through the walls, the broken glass, the neon haze outside. Sharp, piercing, unrelenting. Each one different. Each one dangerous. And each one filled with that unmistakable authority—the kind that doesn't ask permission.
Finally, the quiet tension broke. One of them spoke, their voice like ice cutting through the warm air of the house, carrying easily to every corner.
"Aruno," the voice said. Calm, measured, yet carrying the weight of uncountable lifetimes. "We've been waiting."
Another joined, tone more deliberate, almost amused. "You've done… remarkably well. But now, the time has come for truth, and for answers. All of you will listen."
I gritted my teeth. I could hear the others' unease, but I didn't flinch. Not yet. Not when I've faced worse.
Five figures finally stepped into view—not entirely corporeal, but not fully intangible either. Their forms shimmered with energy, the same way the Lumes always had, overseeing, observing, judging.
One looked at me with sharp purple eyes. Junyeong. His aura was calm, but lethal. Another's golden eyes pierced the air—Ko's sparring partner, Wonshin. Ryuko, small but lethal energy radiating from her. Zyra, with her usual blinding, chaotic energy, and finally Shin.
All of them here. Five presences I knew well. Five who had seen the worst of me and still stood.
"Stand down?" I muttered to Rin, more to myself than her. "Yeah, right."
But they weren't here to fight. Not yet. They wanted to speak. And finally, after everything, the Lumes had their chance to address us… ME.
The air grew heavier, vibrating with authority and expectation. This was it. Whatever came next, it was going to define everything that followed.
I glanced at Rin, at Ko and Yoru, at Serenia in the kitchen. All tense, all ready. And I felt the familiar weight in my chest—the one that always came before something that could change everything.
"Talk," I said, voice low, almost a challenge. "I'm listening."
And the Lumes began to speak.
Junyeong stepped forward first, the aura around him sharp, disciplined, almost suffocating. His eyes locked onto me, unyielding.
"Aruno," he began, his voice cold but not cruel, carrying the weight of authority only a Lume could possess. "Your actions since leaving the city have not gone unnoticed. The fight with Caelith… the destruction you caused… leaving everyone behind without warning… you've demonstrated a level of power that cannot be allowed to operate unsupervised."
I crossed my arms, leaning back slightly, red eyes glinting faintly. I didn't interrupt, but I felt the tension rise in the room as the others braced themselves.
"From this point forward," Junyeong continued, "you will remain under constant supervision. You will not leave the group. Rin, Yoru, Ko, and Serenia will accompany you at all times. Any attempt to act alone or wander will be considered a violation of this agreement."
I let out a low hum, a faint smirk tugging at my lips. "Sounds… suffocating. But fine. I'll play along… for now."
Junyeong's gaze didn't waver. "This is not a suggestion. Consider it a matter of safety—for everyone, including yourself. Your power has escalated beyond manageable limits. We cannot allow another incident like Nyr city."
Wonshin's golden eyes, Ryuko's green, Zyra's vivid blue, Shin's purple—they all shifted slightly, reaffirming the same silent agreement. The Lumes had made a decision, and there was no room for negotiation.
Zyra stepped forward then, blue energy swirling around her like storm clouds. Her tone was lighter, almost cheerful, but still commanding. "We've prepared a safe location where you can train, strategize, and remain under watch without putting the world at risk. A facility has been built atop Mt. Fino, in the snowy region."
My brow furrowed. "Snowy region? You mean cold, isolated, probably miserable."
Zyra's grin widened. "Exactly. Perfect for keeping an eye on a runaway god-child like you. And for you to stop flattening cities, hopefully." She tapped her hand in the air, and a shimmering portal opened. The swirling energy reflected faint neon patterns from Plaga's skyline, but it shimmered with icy white and blue tones.
"This portal will take you all there. Travel immediately. You will settle in, and this is where your supervision begins," Junyeong added.
I looked over at Rin, who gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Yoru and Ko exchanged glances, already adjusting their stances like this was just another day. Serenia, silent as always, was already mentally calculating distances, exits, and angles.
I exhaled, letting my weight shift to one side. "Fine. We'll go. But don't expect me to act like a child just because a bunch of gods set up rules. I'm not… tameable."
Junyeong's lips twitched, almost a ghost of a smile. "We're aware. That's why we're here."
Zyra's portal shimmered wider, the icy wind of the snowy region brushing through, even within the house. "Move quickly. The facility is ready. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be."
I took a step toward the swirling energy, Durandal already resting against my back, my red eyes catching the faint shimmer of the portal. Rin, Yoru, Ko, and Serenia fell in step beside me.
I glanced at Rin briefly, her expression steady but soft, then to Ko, Yoru, and Serenia, all alert, all ready. This was going to be… interesting.
As I stepped into the portal, the neon chaos of Plaga faded, replaced instantly by biting wind, white snow stretching endlessly, and the faint outline of the Mt. Fino facility above us.