The city still smelled of rain and chaos, but the morning sun was weak behind clouds, barely lighting the cobblestone streets. Rumi rubbed her temples, trying to calm her racing heart. Last night's encounter with Jinu replayed in her mind—the way he had saved her, the way their chests had brushed, the way his hand had lingered just slightly too long.
Liyo and Nessa fussed behind her, oblivious to the tension she couldn't shake.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Liyo asked nervously, pointing at the warehouse across the street. "Because last night's monsters didn't exactly scream 'friendly.'"
Rumi's lips curved into a smirk. "We have to stop them before more people get hurt."
Nessa glanced at her. "And you trust… him?"
Before Rumi could answer, a shadow flickered across the rooftop. Her chest tightened. Jinu.
He landed silently, crouched like a predator, eyes scanning. As he rose, their gazes met. Even through the distance, she felt it—the pull, the unexplainable connection that made her knees weak.
"You're late," he said, voice low, teasing, but something in his eyes made her forget every warning her mind tried to give.
"Traffic," she shot back, but her voice faltered as the air between them seemed to spark.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. From the warehouse, monsters emerged—creatures with jagged claws, glowing eyes, and twisted forms that made even Liyo squeal.
Rumi felt it first: a surge of heat in her chest, a tingling in her hands. Her palms flared with silver energy, light crackling like lightning. She glanced at Jinu—his eyes glowed gold, his hands sparking with power.
They moved together without thinking, a perfect unspoken rhythm. Rumi lunged, sending a shockwave that threw a creature backward. Jinu spun, his energy slicing the air, taking down another with a blinding strike.
One monster jumped between them. Rumi dodged but stumbled; Jinu caught her instantly. Their chests pressed together—heat, danger, and something else—and for a heartbeat, the world froze.
"Careful," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. "I don't plan on letting anything happen to you."
Rumi's breath hitched. Her pulse throbbed not just from fear, but from the proximity—the closeness of him, the electricity between them.
The monster roared and attacked again. Energy crackled, light blinded them, shadows twisted. Together, they moved like one force, their powers complementing each other, striking, dodging, and surviving where alone they might have fallen.
Finally, as the last monster fell into a smoking crater, Rumi and Jinu stumbled back, still pressed together, breaths ragged, hearts racing. Neither moved away immediately. Their eyes locked, holding more than just gratitude—desire, longing, something cosmic.
"You… you're amazing," Rumi said softly, almost too softly.
Jinu's smirk returned, playful yet heavy with meaning. "So are you. Don't think I didn't feel that… spark just now."
Rumi flushed. "That… was just energy."
"Right," he murmured, voice low, teasing. "Energy."
Somewhere deep inside, they both knew it wasn't just energy. This was the beginning of seven lifetimes, seven dimensions, seven lives where they would always find each other—even through death, betrayal, and chaos.
And somewhere, Aeyra and Kumandrah watched, plotting. Their enemies' powers weren't just dangerous—they were a threat to everything the clans had ever controlled.
But for Rumi and Jinu, the fight had just begun.