Under the endless sky of the Lunar World, the training grounds rumbled with power.
At the center of it all stood Jin — his long white hair dancing in the wind, his black robe fluttering as he commanded the space with quiet authority.
Facing him were his familiars:
Eres, now achieved his true form, his form a fearsome hybrid — a massive crimson-pink lion with serrated draconic wings, sharp fangs gleaming under the moonlight, and his crimson mane bristling with primal energy.
Beside him towered Nyxses, the red-scaled dragon, his body sleek yet massive, a living force of destruction wrapped in beauty.
Jin's voice was calm but unyielding.
"Again."
he ordered.
Eres let out a roar that shook the ground and lunged forward with ferocious speed. Nyxses followed, his wings slicing through the air, a blur of burning red.
Each strike, each movement, was polished with relentless discipline.
Jin trained them not just for battle — but for survival.
From a distance, the others watched, awe-struck.
Lia, sitting under a silver-bloom tree, couldn't help but voice her thoughts.
She turned to Nyreth, who stood beside her like a silent guardian.
"Nyreth... why is Jin pushing them so hard?"
she asked, worry threading her voice.
Nyreth's golden eyes gleamed softly.
"Because..."
he said gravely,
"after 99 years pass, Master will fight Zhel-Vorah. The final battle that will determine everything."
Lia's heart skipped a beat, her fingers tightening around the folds of her dress.
"So that's why... he's preparing them. Preparing himself."
she thought, biting her lip.
The air grew heavier with the weight of those words.
As Lia sat in silence, processing, another figure approached — footsteps light as feathers.
Velka.
Her cloth shimmered subtly under the moonlight, but her face was softer than usual, lacking her normal teasing edge.
Velka stopped beside Lia, folding her arms and looking out at the training ground where Jin drilled his familiars with unwavering patience.
"How are you feeling?"
Velka asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.
Lia looked up at her, surprised by the warmth.
"I'm... fine. Just... overwhelmed, I guess."
she admitted, her eyes drifting back to Jin.
There was a beat of silence between them — not uncomfortable, but filled with unspoken emotions.
Then Lia, unable to hold back anymore, turned fully to Velka, her voice hesitant.
"Velka... back then..."
"When you said you were Jin's partner... what did you mean?"
Velka blinked, then gave a small, almost sad smile.
For once, she didn't dodge or deflect.
Instead, she sat down beside Lia, her golden hair falling over one shoulder.
"At first... I meant it in battle."
"We fought together. Laughed together. Bled together. He trusted me when I had nothing. And somewhere..."
Velka's voice faltered slightly,
"...somewhere along the way, I realized it wasn't just loyalty. It was love."
Lia froze, her breath catching.
Velka continued, her voice barely above a whisper now, but firm.
"I love him, Lia. I have for a long, long time."
"Even if he never returns my feelings... even if he only sees me as a comrade..."
"I'll still stand by him. Always."
The wind stirred again, carrying the scent of silver blossoms across the training ground.
Lia stared at Velka — at the honesty in her eyes, the vulnerability.
There was no jealousy, no demand, no anger.
Just quiet, unwavering love.
And in that moment, Lia understood —
Velka wasn't trying to take anything from her.
She was just... someone who had loved Jin quietly, patiently, selflessly — just like she herself had.
In the distance, Jin called out to Eres and Nyxses, praising their progress with a rare, radiant smile.
Velka and Lia watched him — two hearts beating painfully in the same rhythm.
"He doesn't know, does he?"
Lia said softly.
Velka chuckled, a wistful sound.
"Of course not. He's too busy carrying the whole world on his shoulders."
she murmured.
They sat in silence, watching the man they both loved, training under the endless, starry sky — preparing for a future neither could predict.