94 Chapter 94
Serenia didn't let go of him right away.
When she finally did, she stayed close, sitting back on her heels, studying his face like she was checking for cracks that hadn't been there before.
"The Shade," she said quietly. "You were staring at it earlier."
I exhaled through my nose. "Yeah."
I leaned back against the bed frame, arms resting on my knees. "I want to kill it. Badly. Whatever chased me back then, whatever forced me to become what I am now… it feels unfinished."
Her eyes softened, but she didn't interrupt.
"But," I continued, "the fact that the Lumes have it? Preserved. Studied. Locked away like some trophy?" My jaw tightened. "That doesn't sit right with me. I don't think it was alone. And I don't think it was the worst thing they've caught."
Serenia nodded slowly. "You think they know more than they're saying."
"I know they do."
For a moment, the anger started creeping back in. That familiar heat in my chest. The urge to move. To dig. To tear answers out of something that couldn't hide behind divine silence.
Serenia saw it immediately.
She reached out and flicked my forehead.
Harder than necessary.
"Ow," I muttered, blinking. "What was that for?"
"For that look," she said flatly. "The one that says you're about to spiral again."
I sighed. "…Sorry."
She stood and stretched, rolling her shoulders like she'd made a decision. "We'll deal with the Shade later. And the Lumes. And whatever secrets they're hoarding."
She turned back to me, a small smile forming. "Right now? You need a fresh start."
I frowned. "A what?"
"Clothes," she said simply. "You look like hell. Powerful hell, sure, but still hell."
I snorted despite myself. "You're really not pulling punches today."
"Never have," she replied, already heading for the door. "Come on. I'm picking them out."
"That's dangerous," I said, standing. "You know that, right?"
She glanced back over her shoulder, smirking. "You're my little brother. You lost that argument years ago."
The armory and storage wing was massive, carved deep into the mountain. Racks of weapons lined one side, sealed cases stacked with unfamiliar materials, artifacts humming faintly behind layered containment glass. I felt it again—the pull toward the Shade's chamber somewhere deeper in the facility—but I ignored it.
For now.
The clothing section was cleaner. Organized. Almost sterile. Rows of reinforced fabric, combat gear, civilian wear adapted for extreme climates. Everything labeled. Everything monitored.
Serenia walked with purpose.
She scanned racks, pulled things free, discarded them without hesitation. "No. Too heavy. Too tactical. You're not going to look like a walking threat all the time."
"Kind of unavoidable," I muttered.
She shot me a look. "You're allowed to exist without intimidating everyone, Aruno."
She stopped at one rack and tugged something free.
A long-sleeve black shirt. Simple, fitted, durable without looking armored.
Then a vest—dark, flexible, reinforced at the core without bulking the shoulders.
She crouched and grabbed boots next. Black. Shorter than the ones I'd been wearing. Practical. Quiet.
Finally, she paused.
Her eyes landed on a jacket hanging slightly apart from the rest.
She pulled it free.
Black, like the rest—but the hood was lined with fur, thick and muted, tinted a dim, smoky purple that caught the light without glowing. The material felt heavier than it looked, warm without being stiff.
Serenia held it up, studying it against me.
"This," she said.
I raised an eyebrow. "You planned that."
She smiled. "Obviously."
I took the jacket from her, fingers brushing the fabric. It felt… right. Not ceremonial. Not monstrous. Just mine.
"A fresh start," she repeated softly. "Doesn't erase what happened. But it reminds you that you're still allowed to move forward."
I nodded, throat tight again. "Thanks… big sis."
She reached up and tugged the collar straight like she used to when we were kids. "Anytime."
And for the first time since NYR, since Plaga, since Caelith—
I felt like maybe starting over didn't mean running away.
"Aruno.. I've been thinking about mom. Where do you think she is now, within all the mess that has happened?"
"That is a good question sis, I know wherever she is right now she'll be fine. She's our mother after all!" She's a strong woman, I just know she's alive somewhere.
"Azazel, Kaigor. The two of you trust me rightfully enough to see this out don't you?"
Kaigor moved forward jesting his hands. "Of course Liege, why wouldn't we? Caelith is dead… Aruno is under control, and the Lumes have no idea of what we are doing."
"That's right, including the fact that we are in a sealed dimension nobody can get in our way." Azazel uttered.
These two are amazing, Caelith failed them so. "Thank you two for your loyalty, now we focus on taking Aruno. It's going to be a long road to get there, but we'll have him by our side." Lysrael spoke confidently long black hair moving with his head.
"Nearly everyone on the list so far has been killed so far.. Ash, Aldena, Takamura, Lyndon, Caelith.. my brother Ryū. I need Aruno to fight by my side, he needs family not some group of people from Japan! Serenia isn't nearly as strong as him, but maybe I can give her a little push."
"Azazel! I'm going to send you to the storage section of where the Lumes and Aruno's group are. I need you to retrieve something for me."
"Yes sir."
"The Lumes collect many things, weapons, bodies, creatures, and so on. I need you to find the motri orb. That should have knowledge about Daiha, she is a beautiful lady but so very dangerous. I need to see what the Lumes have on her."
"Understood sir, I'll release breaker level four when I'm on the way."
"Isn't it dangerous to send Azazel alone? I know he is capable and strong, but five Lumes along with Aruno's group are all in that building."
"Kaigor, he will be perfectly fine I gave him some upgrades in power so he's about the same level as you currently. Please don't question me on this matter again."
"Azazel stand straight, I'm rifting you now."
A dark purple rift formed all around Azazel, like swirling glass and diamonds slowly pulling Azazel in. "I'll see you in no time team."
"See you soon kid."