The days after Arthur woke up settled into something nobody expected.
Normal.
Not completely normal—
this was still Greenmire.
People still had powers.
People still argued.
Rivien still somehow caused problems.
But compared to fighting awakened corruption and collapsing dimensions—
this felt peaceful.
For once.
---
The mornings developed a strange routine.
Sunny woke up first.
Always.
Nobody knew when he slept.
Nobody had proof that he actually did.
He handled repairs around the house, maintained structures he had created, expanded storage, and occasionally disappeared to train.
Tom woke up next.
Though "woke up" wasn't accurate.
He simply emerged somewhere looking mildly disappointed.
Then training started.
Kierran trained like his life depended on it.
Because after seeing Arthur, Alex, and Tom fight—
he realized he had a long way to go.
Lucas trained too—
though his training looked more practical.
Less dramatic.
More controlled.
Alex recovered quickly and returned to light combat drills.
Tom stretched every morning while pretending his entire body didn't still hurt.
Layla split her time between training, helping around the house, and checking on Arthur.
Not too often.
Definitely not suspiciously often.
Absolutely not.
Meanwhile—
Arthur did not train.
Which was horrible.
According to him.
The first week after waking up—
he tried.
Once.
He stood.
Activated fire.
Immediately regretted his decisions.
Tom physically turned him around and sent him back inside.
Alex agreed.
Lucas agreed.
Sunny agreed.
His mother absolutely agreed.
Arthur lost that argument.
So instead—
Arthur did chores.
Very badly.
He helped carry supplies.
Sorted materials.
Read old notes.
Watched training.
Spent time with Alexi.
And occasionally sat outside.
But—
he noticed things.
His body healed strangely fast.
The purified aether remained.
His recovery speed increased.
His control improved.
And every night—
he remembered pieces.
Fragments.
Black ruins.
Crimson eyes.
Training.
But he told nobody.
Not yet.
---
One day—
Rivien tried creating breakfast.
Nobody stopped him.
That was their mistake.
The kitchen survived.
Technically.
Sunny banned him temporarily.
Rivien called it oppression.
Lucas called it justice.
---
Arthur eventually started light movement again.
Walking.
Stretching.
Breathing.
Watching Sunny train.
Sometimes talking.
Sometimes not.
No big conversations.
Just quiet understanding.
One day—
Arthur asked:
"…You always train this much?"
Sunny answered:
"…You always almost die this much?"
Arthur never asked again.
---
Time passed.
Days became weeks.
Weeks became months.
And eventually—
five months passed.
---
Greenmire looked different.
The shelter had grown.
Training grounds existed now.
Storage areas.
Structures.
Paths.
People moved naturally.
Like this had become home.
Everyone changed.
Kierran became sharper.
Lucas became stronger.
Layla became calmer.
Rivien remained Rivien.
Tom recovered.
Alex recovered.
Sunny quietly became stronger.
And Arthur—
Arthur stood outside one morning.
Hands in his pockets.
His wounds gone.
His posture straighter.
His body rebuilt.
He looked healthier.
Older somehow.
More composed.
And as he stood there—
he opened his hand.
A small flame appeared.
Then—
ice.
Then—
both.
Perfectly stable.
No shaking.
No strain.
Arthur stared.
Then slowly closed his hand.
Behind him—
Sunny looked over briefly.
"…Recovered?"
Arthur looked toward him.
A small smile appeared.
"…Yeah."
Sunny nodded once.
Then turned back toward training.
"…Good."
Arthur looked up at Greenmire's strange sky.
Five months.
No major collapse.
No monsters.
No disasters.
Too quiet.
And for some reason—
that made him uneasy.
Because deep down—
he had the feeling—
something was waiting.
Five months.
Five whole months.
No major disasters.
No collapsing dimensions.
No corrupted monsters appearing out of nowhere.
No impossible battles.
Just training.
Recovery.
Routine.
Which, according to Rivien—
was suspicious.
"This is exactly what happens before something terrible happens."
Nobody listened to him.
Mostly because he had said that while eating.
Today though—
the air felt different.
Clear.
Cool.
Training weather.
Outside the shelter—
people moved around naturally.
Kierran was stretching.
Lucas was already doing drills.
Tom looked like he regretted existing.
Alex was doing light warmups.
Layla was pretending she wasn't watching Arthur.
Sunny stood near the edge of the training area quietly maintaining one of his constructs.
Then—
Arthur walked over.
Everyone noticed immediately.
Because Arthur had fully recovered.
Which meant one thing.
Danger.
Arthur stopped near Sunny.
Sunny glanced over.
"…What?"
Arthur folded his arms.
"You remember something?"
Sunny looked at him.
"…Depends."
Arthur nodded.
"Our promise."
Sunny stared.
Silence.
Then—
"…Oh."
Arthur smiled.
"You said recover first."
Sunny looked away.
"…I did say that."
Arthur grinned slightly.
"Well."
He stretched slowly.
Cracked his neck.
"…I recovered."
Nearby—
Kierran immediately stopped moving.
Lucas turned.
Layla looked over instantly.
Alex and Tom noticed.
Rivien appeared from nowhere.
Sunny looked at Arthur quietly.
Then asked:
"…You want to spar?"
Arthur nodded.
Simple.
Sunny stared for a second.
Then shrugged.
"…Sure."
Immediate chaos.
Kierran pointed dramatically.
"WAIT."
Everyone turned.
Kierran looked personally offended.
"YOU TWO WERE GONNA SPAR WITHOUT US?!"
Lucas immediately stepped forward.
"Actually no."
Arthur looked confused.
"…No?"
Lucas crossed his arms.
"No."
Alex cracked his neck.
"No."
Tom opened one eye.
"…Absolutely not."
Arthur blinked.
Sunny looked mildly concerned.
Layla stepped forward too.
Arthur looked at her.
She looked away immediately.
"…I'm not joining."
Pause.
"…But I'm watching."
Everyone understood.
Rivien raised his hand.
"I would also like to participate."
Nobody acknowledged him.
Rivien looked offended.
Arthur looked around.
"…What's happening?"
Kierran pointed.
"We all spar."
Lucas nodded.
Alex agreed.
Tom sighed.
Sunny looked mildly disappointed.
Arthur blinked.
"…Wait all at once?"
Tom looked horrified.
"No."
Sunny actually answered.
"…That sounds terrible."
Arthur nodded.
"That sounded terrible."
Lucas pointed.
"Bracket."
Everyone looked.
Lucas folded his arms.
"We do a tournament."
Silence.
Rivien gasped.
"…Peak entertainment."
Kierran immediately supported it.
Tom sighed.
Alex accepted instantly.
Arthur looked interested.
Sunny looked neutral.
Layla sighed.
"…Why am I surrounded by children?"
Nobody answered.
Ten minutes later—
a bracket existed.
Nobody knew where it came from.
Sunny suspected Rivien.
Rivien denied involvement.
Which confirmed involvement.
Arthur looked at the list.
Round one.
Kierran vs Lucas.
Round two.
Alex vs Tom.
Final round.
Winner vs Arthur.
Sunny's name sat quietly at the end.
Arthur blinked.
"…Why is Sunny directly in semifinals?"
Kierran answered immediately.
"He trains at midnight."
Fair.
Sunny looked annoyed.
Arthur looked over.
Sunny looked back.
A small smile appeared.
Arthur smiled too.
No tension.
No pressure.
Just—
a promise finally being cashed in.
And for some reason—
everyone looked excited.
The moment the words tournament and sparring entered the air—
the entire day was lost.
Training was cancelled.
Productivity disappeared.
Logic left the premises.
And somehow—
everyone accepted this.
Outside the shelter—
people gathered near the open clearing.
What started as a casual challenge had evolved into something far more serious.
Mostly because Rivien got involved.
Which was always dangerous.
Sunny stood quietly near the center of the clearing.
Arthur walked over.
"…You actually doing this?"
Sunny looked at him.
"…You wanted the spar."
Fair.
Sunny raised one hand.
Aether gathered.
Everyone immediately watched.
The ground began shifting.
Black structures emerged.
Stone rose.
Platforms formed.
Walls extended outward.
Smooth steps appeared.
Then—
a massive elevated stage formed.
Circular.
Wide enough for movement.
With reinforced edges.
Simple.
Minimal.
Elegant.
Two entrances.
A spectator section.
Even seating.
Sunny stepped back.
Looked at it.
Nodded once.
"…Done."
Silence.
Rivien stared.
"…Okay that's actually cool."
Lucas looked annoyed.
"I spent thirty minutes making chairs."
Sunny looked at him.
"…You made three."
Lucas looked away.
Arthur smiled slightly.
Meanwhile—
someone had appointed themselves event organizer.
Unfortunately.
That person was Rivien.
He climbed onto the stage dramatically.
Nobody gave him permission.
He stood proudly.
Hands behind his back.
Then loudly announced:
"WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE FIRST EVER GREENMIRE GRAND TOURNAMENT."
No applause.
Rivien ignored that.
He pointed dramatically.
"Today's contestants shall clash in honorable combat!"
Tom looked exhausted already.
Alex rubbed his forehead.
Layla sat down.
Arthur watched with amusement.
Rivien continued.
"And now…"
He pulled out a notebook.
Nobody knew where it came from.
"The rules."
Alexi immediately looked nervous.
Rivien cleared his throat.
"Rule one."
He raised one finger.
"No killing."
Everyone nodded.
Good rule.
Alexi approved.
"Rule two."
Rivien raised another finger.
"No outside interference."
Everyone nodded.
Also good.
Alexi approved.
Then—
"Rule three."
Rivien smiled.
"You win if your opponent surrenders…"
Pause.
"…OR if you knock them out."
Silence.
Alexi stood immediately.
"WHAT."
Rivien looked confused.
"…What?"
Alexi pointed aggressively.
"No!"
Rivien blinked.
"What do you mean no?"
"What do you MEAN knock them out?!"
Rivien looked offended.
"It's combat."
Alexi crossed her arms.
"They are not knocking each other unconscious!"
Kierran immediately raised his hand.
"I support knocking out."
Lucas nodded.
"Same."
Tom shrugged.
Alex agreed.
Arthur looked interested.
Sunny said nothing.
Traitor.
Alexi stared.
"You people are insane."
Rivien opened his notebook.
"It's democratic."
Alexi looked horrified.
"You voted?!"
Rivien nodded proudly.
Alexi looked around.
Everyone avoided eye contact.
Her eyes slowly widened.
"…You all voted."
Arthur raised his hand slightly.
"In my defense I just nodded."
Alexi looked betrayed.
Even Layla quietly raised her hand.
"…I voted too."
Alexi stared.
"…You too?!"
Layla looked away.
"…For realism."
Alexi looked personally attacked.
Rivien slammed the notebook shut.
"The people have spoken."
Alexi narrowed her eyes.
"…This is corrupt."
Rivien pointed.
"You are referee."
Alexi blinked.
"…What?"
Rivien nodded proudly.
"You shall maintain order."
Alexi looked confused.
"…Why me?"
Everyone answered immediately.
"Because you'll stop them."
Fair.
Alexi sighed dramatically.
She walked onto the stage.
Turned.
Pointed.
"…If anyone gets reckless I am ending the match."
Rivien nodded.
"Understood."
Alexi narrowed her eyes.
"…Especially you."
Rivien looked offended.
"I am an athlete."
Lucas nearly fell over laughing.
Alexi stood center stage.
Took a deep breath.
Then announced—
"FIRST MATCH."
Kierran stood immediately.
Lucas stood too.
Both climbed onto the platform.
Arthur sat beside Sunny.
Tom folded his arms.
Alex watched.
Layla leaned forward slightly.
Rivien climbed onto the announcer stand for absolutely no reason.
Alexi raised one hand.
Looked at both fighters.
Then sighed.
"…Please act normal."
Nobody listened.
The tournament officially began.