"Harmonia, Mama~" a little girl chirped, stepping through the door after school. She kicked off her shoes, tidied her hair, and wandered through the house with a screwdriver in one hand and a tiny pendrive in the other.
She padded quietly into the lab—where her mother sat, carefully adjusting a metallic leg.
"Oh... my cherry blossom. How were your studies today, sweetie?" her mother asked, voice soft but radiant.
"As usual," the girl replied. Then her gaze turned serious. "But Mama?"She sat beside her as the repair finished."One day… when the world falls apart, I’ll be the one who saves you first."
Her mother—red hair, golden eyes—froze for a moment. Then smiled with warmth that made the air gentler.
"I’m sure you will, my sweet blossom," she whispered.
The girl quickly plugged in the pendrive and helped back up the files.
"There. All secure, Lisa Fujiwara. It’s all in, Mama~"
Lisa smiled. "Good. Now go wash up. Melania wants to teach you something."
"Okay!!" the girl beamed and darted off.
Lisa stared into the mirror.
Her hair… now black. Her golden eyes, unchanged.
She touched the glass with trembling fingers—as if she could reach through time itself.
"Ming… Ming…" she whispered.
"MING?!""MING!!"
Maks’s voice jolted her awake.
Her body was shaking.
"Ming… your hair…" Vehra’s voice trembled.
Ming sat up. But her balance faltered. Maks caught her gently.
She stumbled to the mirror. Her hair was normal—but fading. Her eyes shifted, the red dying out, returning to gold.
"You need more rest, Ming," Maks said.
"No." Her voice cracked. "Not after the arena."
Vehra stepped forward, guilt in her voice.
"We can postpone it… if you want."
"No."
"But you almost turned back into—" Maks started.
Vehra’s glare stopped him.
He rephrased:"You almost lost yourself again."
"I don’t care…" Ming snapped."Let me fight… for Valirion." Her eyes brimmed. "Please."
Vehra hesitated. Maks stepped forward. His voice lowered.
"You know you can’t bring your love back."
Ming exploded. "IS IT YOUR POSITION TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I LOST?!"
Silence.
Maks said nothing more.
Vehra took a breath. And then...She heard it again.
The double heartbeat.
She closed her eyes.
"Very well… but just… don’t lose yourself, Ming."
No reply.
No nod.
Only silence.
"Myke… where’s the towel?"Jug stepped out of the Telkha shower room, dripping and shivering slightly. His massive frame glistened with steam—but the towel barely wrapped around his waist.
"I thought you already had one," Myke said, glancing without concern.
"I do. Hennah doesn’t."
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Back inside the showers.
"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY TOWEL, YOU GOONERS!!"Hennah’s voice boomed through the corridor."I’M GONNA WALK OUT NAKED IF I HAVE TO!!"
Back in the forge.Ying sat calmly, stringing her custom bow using delicate energy-weaves—soft, elegant gestures that shimmered as they formed her bowstring.
Jug peeked over and blinked. “Whoa… You really do know how to build a bow.”
Ying smiled softly. “Well, my mom was a bowyer. I learned from her. My first role in combat was actually as a marksman.”
Jug nodded. “Then Ming picked right.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Jug hesitated. “Well… Myke told me to tell you—”
“Not important, Jug,” Myke interrupted without looking up.
“…Okay then.”
Suddenly, chaos.
“YOU FUCKERS!! WHERE’S MY TOWEL?!”
Everyone turned—except Myke, who stayed calm, casually flipping through towels.
Hennah marched in completely nude, dripping wet, tattoos in full chaotic glory.
Ying yelped and covered her eyes.Jug turned away so fast he smacked into a pillar.
Myke? He just kept sorting.
Hennah leaned close to Jug, grinning. “What’s wrong, Juggy boy? Never seen a Paganic witch with full ink before—nipples and all?”
“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN?! WHY ARE YOU EVEN OUT HERE NAKED?! GET SOME CLOTHES!!”
“NOT UNTIL I GET MY TOWEL, SOFT HANDS!!”
With deadpan precision, Myke hurled a towel across the room. It slapped Hennah square in the face and knocked her over.
"There. Dry up. Then get dressed and forge your weapon."
Lying flat on the floor, towel draped over her head, Hennah muttered, “I don’t need a weapon… I need scrolls.” She grinned, wrapping the towel around herself like a cape. “Besides… why build our own anyway?”
“In Telkha,” Myke replied, “it’s required. Especially for friendly bouts.”
“So?”
Vehra stepped forward, quiet as ever—Ming beside her.
“Because your weapon must match you.”
“MING!!”Hennah launched herself at Ming like a missile, the towel flying off in mid-air.
She tackled her, arms around her neck, soaking wet, tears and laughter colliding.
Vehra, unfazed, caught the towel mid-air and draped it over Hennah’s back.
“You’re wet,” Ming said, monotone as ever.
“I don’t care. I was worried about you.”
“…Yet you’re still wet. Dry off.”
Ming turned just in time to see Ying finish stringing her bow.
Her eyes widened faintly. “She…”
“Me too,” Myke said, quietly.
“She’s a marksman,” Ming whispered.
“Yes. And I’ve approved your request,” Myke said. “Make your weapon. You’re back on Vanguard.”
Ming blinked. Slowly, her lips rose.
Her eyes—behind the glass—shimmered with silent tears.
Without a word, she turned and walked toward the scrap metal and forge table… with Hennah still latched onto her.
“Hennah… get off me at least?”
“Nuh uh.”
A few moments later, as Valirion prepared to leave Telkha for a quick training session, Vehra called out from across the plaza.
"Myke," she said calmly, standing with poise. "Where are you taking your Valirion?"
“Training,” Myke replied, casually tightening his gloves. “Same as always.”
“What’s wrong, tall blind girl?!” Hennah called out, waving both arms dramatically.
Vehra remained unfazed. “We have a dedicated training ground here in Telkha.”
“We usually train in the forest,” Ming responded coolly, adjusting her rifle strap.
Vehra tilted her head slightly. “Wouldn’t it be safer to train inside the city?”
“Nahhh,” Jug chimed in with a shrug. “If I were you, I’d rather break trees than Telkha’s overpriced marble.”
Without another word, the team continued walking past her.
Vehra watched them go, then smiled faintly to herself. “Wise.”
Outside Telkha, a small forest grove stretched beyond the city’s edge—serene, shaded, and scattered with old growth. It was quiet, save for the chirping insects and soft brush of wind through leaves.
Here, Valirion began to prepare.
Myke wrapped his chains—no longer rusted, now clean and gleaming.Jug fastened his heavy gauntlets, clicking them into place over his reinforced armor.Ying tuned her bow, carefully stringing the white limbs and checking the tension.And Hennah? She casually drew her pistol, then unslung two curved blades from her back.
Jug raised a brow, eyeing her choice of weapons.
“…Witch, why the gun?”
“What’s wrong with it?” Hennah replied, not even looking up.
“I thought you were a mage.”
“My mana has limits. So does my patience. This?” She flicked the pistol’s safety. “This is my backup.”
Jug frowned. “Doesn’t really fit your—”
“Shut it, Juggy boy. I know what I’m doing.”
“It’s not just about knowing. It’s about whether people understand what you’re doing.”
“Fuck ‘em. They’ll figure it out after I blast their kneecaps.”
Ying chuckled under her breath as Jug shook his head.
Then she turned to Ming—who stood at the forest’s edge, unsheathing her blade. Her eyes shimmered faintly, and her lips moved in a silent chant.
“Myke?” Ying whispered. “Does she… always do that?”
He didn’t look up. “Pretty common.”
“Oh.”
Myke stepped forward. “Alright. Formation starts once we cross the second ridge. No one—”
“SEE YOU IN HELL, MUTHAFAKAS!!” Hennah yelled, sprinting into the woods before he finished speaking.
Jug sighed and followed her in, grumbling. Ming went next, blade low and steady.
Ying looked to Myke, waiting.
He gave her a tired glance… and groaned. “Go.”
She smiled and chased after the others.
Myke stood alone for a brief moment, listening to their fading footsteps.
Then he muttered under his breath, “My Valirion... What a grief,” and walked in last
