———Red———

As the helicopter glides toward the sleek, glass-cut tower, its sharp edges catching the fading light, Alyse bounces in her seat, her excitement barely contained.

"Okay, that was amazing!" she exclaims, her grin lighting up the cabin. "I always wondered what it'd be like to be a bird, flying over everything. It's so—so freeing!"

Her enthusiasm makes me glance her way, and for a second, I almost smile. Almost. I wish I could share her excitement, but the weight in my chest is too heavy.

"Where are we, anyway?" Alyse continues, her words spilling out in rapid succession. "I mean, I know you said Earth, but where on Earth? Unless Earth is the name of the city, which would be weird, because this place is made of glass, not stone, and—"

"Indianapolis," Kylen interrupts, smirking as he maneuvers the helicopter into its landing. "We picked it because it's close to the bridge and way cheaper than Chicago. You wouldn't believe what it costs just to maintain a few warehouses there. I kept the warehouses, but no way am I paying to live there." He chuckles to himself, clearly entertained by his budgeting brilliance.

Claire lets out a quiet laugh and steps out of the helicopter as soon as we land, heading toward a door on the rooftop.

I climb out and offer Alyse a hand. She takes it, hopping down gracefully. Kylen joins Claire by the rooftop door, gesturing for us to follow.

"This is the elevator down. I've got to handle some business real quick, but Claire will take you around and get you settled. I'll catch up in a bit," Kylen says, already turning to leave.

"Fine," I reply, trying to sound casual as I glance at Alyse, who's still marveling at the city below. I look back to Claire and force a polite smile. "Let's get going, then."

Claire nods and leads the way, opening the rooftop door with ease. As we step into the elevator, I can't help but glance back at Kylen. For a moment, I wonder what he's really thinking—about us, about this whole situation—but then the doors slide shut, and the cityscape disappears.

The elevator hums softly as it begins its descent. Claire stands to one side, her posture calm and composed, while Alyse presses herself against the glass wall, watching the city blur beneath us. Her awe is almost contagious.

"Look at it all," Alyse murmurs, her breath fogging the glass slightly. "It's so alive... so different."

I lean back against the railing, arms crossed. "Yeah, it's different, all right."

Claire glances at me, her expression unreadable. "You'll get used to it. Earth has its own charm once you settle in."

"Not planning on settling," I mutter.

Alyse turns, shooting me a glare. "Red, can you try to be positive for once? We're alive, we're together, and we've got Kylen back. That's a lot better than where we were a few hours ago."

I open my mouth to argue but stop. She's right—not that I'll admit it. I just shrug and look away.

The elevator dings softly as it comes to a stop. The doors slide open, revealing a spacious lobby bathed in warm, ambient lighting. The floors are polished marble, and the walls are lined with sleek screens displaying rotating images of what must be Smith Inc.'s achievements—spacecrafts, high-tech labs, futuristic cityscapes.

"Welcome to the heart of Smith Inc.," Claire says, stepping out first.

Alyse and I follow, taking in the sight. The lobby buzzes with quiet activity as employees, dressed sharply in suits and lab coats, move with purpose. They barely glance at us, too focused on their own tasks.

"This way," Claire says, leading us toward a hallway on the left. As we walk, she gestures around. "This building serves as both headquarters and a research hub. We've been working on projects to advance space travel, sustainable energy, and, of course, bridging the gap between universes."

"Bridging the gap?" Alyse asks, curiosity piqued.

Claire nods. "Well like he said earlier, Kylen's been obsessed with it since we got here. He never stopped looking for a way back to Naurus."

"And yet here we are," I mutter, half to myself.

Claire gives me a sideways glance but doesn't comment. Instead, she stops in front of a set of double doors. "These are your rooms for now. Temporary, but comfortable." She opens the doors, revealing a suite with two separate bedrooms, a shared living space, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. "You'll be able to move into the penthouse with Kylen as soon as he's done cleaning out the spare rooms up there."

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Alyse gasps. "This is... wow."

"Make yourselves at home," Claire says. "There's food in the fridge, and I'll have someone bring up clean clothes. If you need anything, just call the front desk." She pauses, looking directly at me. "It's that button on the wall over there." She smiles faintly. "Rest, Red. You'll need your strength."

I narrow my eyes at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Claire takes a step back. "I just mean—it's been a long day for all of us, but especially you. We'll see you in the morning." She turns and walks away, leaving Alyse and me alone in the suite.

Alyse flops onto the couch, letting out a deep sigh. "Okay, maybe this isn't so bad after all."

I walk to the window, staring out at the sprawling city below. The lights stretch on endlessly, a far cry from the familiar forests and mountains of home.

"It's not home," I say quietly.

"No," Alyse agrees, her voice softer now. "But it's a start."

I don't respond, I just keep my eyes fixed on the city below. It may be a start, but it's far from the end.

"Well, I really am tired. I'm going to head to bed. See you in the morning," Alyse says, her voice softer now, as she heads toward one of the side doors.

I nod, barely glancing her way. "Yeah, see you in the morning."

The door clicks shut behind her, no creak, no hesitation. It's too quiet. Too smooth. Everything here is pristine, polished to perfection. It's unsettling.

With a sigh, I turn toward my own door and push it open. The room waiting for me is... extravagant, to say the least. It's easily twice the size of anything I've slept in before, the kind of place I'd expect for a king or the Empress, not me. The walls are sleek, the lighting warm and dim, and the bed looks like it could swallow me whole.

I step inside and let the door close behind me, the soft thud barely registering.

The room feels foreign, sterile even, despite its luxury. I wander around, touching the smooth surfaces of the furniture, the edge of the bedframe, the cool glass of the massive window that overlooks the glowing cityscape.

It's all beautiful. But it's not home.

I sit down on the edge of the bed, my fingers brushing over the quilted comforter. My eyes drift to that strange brace around my ankle, the hilt of DragonsBreath now fused with it. It's a stark reminder of everything we've lost—and everything we still have to face.

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and close my eyes. The weight of it all presses down on me, heavier than the luxurious trappings of this place could ever hope to alleviate.

"Get some sleep," I mutter to myself. "You'll need it."

But deep down, I know rest won't come easily tonight. Not when my mind is still back on Naurus, with Domnik, Draco, and the chaos we left behind.

———Kylen———

I finish vacuuming the last of the dust from the spare rooms in the penthouse when I hear a soft knock at the door. Turning, I see Claire standing there, a faint smile on her face.

"Well?" I ask, leaning on the wall as I switch off the vacuum. "How'd they do?"

She lets out a quiet laugh. "Alyse was smitten with the edgeless screen in the elevator. She thought it was an actual window looking out over the city."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Figures. And Red?"

Claire's smile falters, and she shakes her head gently. "He'll come around, Kylen. It's just... a lot to process. Remember how disorienting it was for us? The difference is, we didn't have anyone to help us settle in like we're doing for them."

I sigh, nodding slowly. "Yeah, you're right."

"Just give them time," she says, her voice steady and reassuring.

"Alright," I say, wheeling the vacuum out as I step past her into the living room. "I'll have them move in here tomorrow. I've cleaned out the rest of the rooms. Honestly, I hated the idea of them being stuck three floors down, but—"

"I know," she cuts in, her tone soft but understanding. "I can tell this is as overwhelming for you as it is for them."

I pause, running a hand through my hair. "I never thought I'd see them again."

Claire nods, resting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's a lot. For all of you. But they're here now." She squeezes lightly before turning toward the elevator.

"Get some rest, Kylen. Tomorrow, there's work to do." She steps into the elevator, and the doors slide shut, leaving me alone in the quiet penthouse.

The soft hum of the vacuum fades into the stillness of the penthouse as I lean back against the wall. The weight of the day lingers, pulling at my chest like an anchor. They're here. After all this time, Red and Alyse are here. But instead of relief, I feel the gnawing edge of worry creeping in.

I glance around the penthouse, spotless now, a stark contrast to the chaos I feel inside. The memories of Naurus—of the family we were, the battles I fought, and the choices I made—press against the edges of my mind. What would they think if they knew the whole truth?

I step into the living room and look out through the massive glass windows. The city sprawls out below me, a sea of twinkling lights and bustling life. Earth feels like a completely different world—and it is. But now that Red and Alyse are here, I realize how much I've changed. I don't belong to Naurus anymore, but I don't quite belong to Earth either.

The faint buzz of the elevator door draws my attention. Claire's words echo in my mind: "Just give them time." But time isn't something we've ever had in abundance, is it? Not on Naurus. Not in this world.

With a sigh, I walk to the window and place my palm against the glass. Somewhere out there, the remnants of the Celestial Gate still hum with unstable energy. Red's reaction earlier—his anger, his grief—was a reminder of what's at stake. Ogre and whoever else is left unchecked are still out there, and our home hangs in the balance.

I pull my hand away and walk toward the couch, sitting heavily on the edge. My mind races with questions I don't have answers to.

How do I explain to them what I've done? What I've become?

How do I help them adapt to this world while we figure out a way back?

And if we can't go back... how do I tell them that this, right here, might be all we have left?

The silence stretches on, broken only by the faint hum of the city outside. Tomorrow will bring more questions, more challenges. But for now, I let the quiet settle over me, unsure of what the next step will be—and hoping that, somehow, I'll find the answers we all need.