For the first time in years—
Kaien slept peacefully.
No battlefield.
No screaming.
No collapsing cities.
No visions of endless darkness swallowing worlds.
Just silence.
Warm silence.
Rain fell softly outside the apartment windows overlooking lower Novaris. The distant lights of the city shimmered beneath the storm while transport ships moved quietly across the night skies far away.
Inside the apartment though—
the world felt strangely calm.
No military officers.
No emergency summons.
No alarms.
Only the soft hum of the room heater and the quiet sound of breathing.
Kaien slowly opened his eyes afterward.
For several moments he remained still.
Not because he was tired.
Because he didn't want to move.
Nyra slept against his chest beneath one arm while Lyss rested against his shoulder quietly on the other side. Blankets tangled loosely around all three of them across the couch where they apparently fell asleep together sometime during the night.
Kaien stared silently at the ceiling for a moment afterward.
Then quietly sighed.
"…how did this become my life?"
Nyra immediately answered without opening her eyes.
"Stop complaining."
Kaien blinked slightly afterward.
"You were awake?"
"One eye open."
Lyss laughed softly beside him afterward while still half asleep.
"You trained her too well."
Nyra smirked faintly against Kaien's chest afterward.
"Years surviving warzones together will do that."
Kaien quietly shook his head slightly afterward.
Despite everything happening outside…
moments like this still felt unreal to him sometimes.
Peace felt unnatural after so many lives spent fighting endlessly.
Nyra slowly lifted her head afterward before looking directly at him.
The red sun mark between his eyes remained faintly visible even now.
Her fingers lightly brushed against it.
"It's still there."
Kaien nodded quietly.
"It doesn't disappear."
Lyss carefully moved closer afterward while studying the mark too.
"It feels warm."
"It is."
Nyra tilted her head slightly afterward.
"How do you even say that so casually?"
Kaien looked mildly confused.
"…should I panic instead?"
Nyra stared at him for several seconds.
Then immediately buried her face back into his chest dramatically.
"I married an ancient cosmic disaster."
Lyss started laughing again afterward while Kaien quietly looked offended.
"That sounds unnecessarily rude."
Nyra's muffled voice answered instantly.
"You literally glow when emotional now."
Kaien opened his mouth slightly afterward.
Then stopped.
Because unfortunately—
she wasn't wrong.
The red mark reacted noticeably whenever his emotions fluctuated too strongly.
Embarrassment included apparently.
Lyss noticed immediately afterward.
"…it's glowing."
Nyra immediately looked upward again afterward before bursting into laughter seeing the faint crimson light spreading from the mark.
"Oh my god."
Kaien looked away afterward.
"This conversation is over."
Neither twin stopped laughing.
Hours later—
they finally left the apartment together for the first time in weeks without military purpose attached to it.
No missions.
No strategy meetings.
No combat deployment.
Just walking through Novaris normally.
The city itself had changed enormously over the years.
Massive defense towers surrounded the skyline while military drones constantly patrolled overhead. Resonance barriers shimmered faintly across parts of the city protecting civilian districts from possible manifestation attacks.
Yet despite the war—
life still existed.
People still laughed.
Still lived.
Still loved.
Children ran through the streets carrying little golden toy spears modeled after Vijaya while vendors sold food beside crowded evening markets beneath glowing neon lights.
Humanity refused to stop being human.
Kaien quietly watched the city around him while Nyra and Lyss walked beside him.
Then suddenly—
Several teenagers nearby recognized him instantly.
"…wait."
"That's him."
"No way—"
Within seconds more people started noticing too.
Nyra immediately sighed afterward.
"…here we go."
Kaien looked mildly uncomfortable already.
A little girl cautiously approached first afterward holding a small Solar Guard helmet toy.
"Mister Sunborn…"
Kaien visibly winced hearing the nickname again.
Nyra smirked immediately.
The child nervously continued afterward though.
"…thank you."
Kaien froze slightly.
The girl smiled softly afterward.
"My dad came back because of your armor."
Silence followed briefly.
Then Kaien slowly knelt down afterward so their eyes matched.
"…I'm glad."
The girl beamed instantly afterward before running back toward her family excitedly.
Soon others approached too.
Not soldiers.
Not officers.
Ordinary people.
Families thanking him.
Children asking questions.
Workers saluting quietly.
Kaien handled attention terribly as always.
Nyra enjoyed watching it far too much.
"You look like you'd rather fight manifestations right now."
"I would."
Lyss giggled softly beside him afterward.
"You're hopeless."
Kaien quietly sighed afterward while another child handed him a badly drawn picture of someone holding a giant glowing spear.
"…is that supposed to be me?"
The child nodded proudly.
Nyra immediately leaned over afterward.
"No, I think that's clearly a terrifying cosmic disaster."
Kaien gave her the flattest stare imaginable afterward.
The child however looked horrified instantly.
"You're a disaster?"
Kaien immediately pointed toward Nyra.
"She's lying."
Nyra looked incredibly pleased afterward.
Lyss nearly doubled over laughing beside them.
Later that evening they finally escaped the crowds and reached one of the quieter upper districts overlooking the ocean outside Novaris.
The rain had stopped completely now.
Warm lights reflected across the water while distant fleets moved quietly near the horizon beneath dark clouds.
Kaien leaned silently against the railing afterward while the twins stood beside him.
For several minutes—
nobody spoke.
And strangely enough…
the silence felt comfortable.
Then Lyss softly asked,
"What did you see?"
Kaien glanced toward her afterward.
"With Krishna."
The atmosphere shifted gently afterward.
Not tense.
Just quieter.
Kaien looked back toward the ocean afterward before answering softly.
"…I don't fully understand it yet."
His fingers lightly touched the red mark unconsciously.
"But I think…"
He hesitated briefly.
"…I'm becoming something beyond the cycle itself."
Nyra slowly frowned afterward.
"That sounds dangerous."
Kaien gave a faint smile.
"It probably is."
Nyra immediately grabbed the side of his coat afterward.
"Don't say things like that so casually."
Kaien looked slightly surprised seeing genuine fear hidden behind her expression.
Then quietly—
"…sorry."
Nyra looked away afterward while muttering softly,
"I already lost you twice."
Silence followed immediately afterward.
Heavy.
Real.
Kaien slowly wrapped one arm around her afterward while Lyss quietly moved closer too.
"I'm still here."
Nyra pressed herself against him afterward.
"For now."
Kaien had no answer for that.
Because deep down—
he feared the same thing.
The final war was coming.
And despite all his power…
he still didn't know if he would survive it.
Then suddenly Lyss softly smiled afterward trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"Well…"
Both turned toward her.
"…if the world is ending soon…"
Her cheeks turned slightly red afterward.
"…maybe we should spend more time together before that happens."
Nyra immediately realized what she meant afterward.
"…Lyss."
Kaien meanwhile remained completely unaware.
"…we already spend time together."
Nyra stared at him for several seconds afterward.
Then directly facepalmed.
"He genuinely doesn't understand."
Lyss immediately started laughing while Kaien looked more confused than ever.
And beneath the peaceful night sky of Novaris—
for just a little while longer—
war felt far away.