Everyone turned to see who had arrived. Standing in the entrance, as if he owned the place, was the Constellation Peacock, the God of Lust. His robes shimmered in iridescent blues and purples, catching the light with every step. His presence was impossible to ignore, radiating a kind of allure that could charm anyone in the room. Uninvited, but clearly unbothered, he strolled toward them with a smirk.

Nyx, Len, Suli, Ryu, Nabi, and Guerim all exchanged confused looks.

“Who...is that?” Len asked quietly, but his voice carried across the group.

Suli tilted her head, her small wings twitching nervously. “He’s...very shiny,” she whispered.

Ryu blinked, wide-eyed. “Is he supposed to be here?” he added cautiously.

Nyx, too stunned to speak, stood rooted in place, her large eyes locked on the radiant figure approaching them.

Meanwhile, Drac, Griff, and Tiger were already bracing themselves. They knew exactly who it was.

“Of course, he’d show up,” Tiger muttered, rubbing his temples as if this had all just become a headache.

Drac groaned, arms crossed. “I was hoping he wouldn’t find out about this.”

The Peacock God finally reached them, taking in the room with a knowing smile. “Since you all got started without me,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement, “I figured I’d bring something to make up for it.”

With a flourish, he pulled out a tall bottle, the cap still on, but it was unmistakable: alcohol.

Drac's expression darkened. “You can’t bring alcohol here! Nyx is a child!” His voice was sharp, protective.

Peacock blinked, then chuckled sheepishly. “Oh, right. My bad.” He hid the bottle behind his back, waving the matter off like it was nothing. “I’ll save it for later.”

He sauntered over to Nyx, who was still too awestruck to speak. Smiling, he bowed low, taking her hand in his. “Hello, my love,” he said, his voice smooth and honeyed. “I’m the Peacock, God of Lust, and you must be the lovely Nyx. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Nyx’s cheeks flushed, her heart racing. His aura shimmered around him, swirling with pinks and purples, like the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen. She could barely tear her eyes away from the mesmerizing colors.

“You’re...so pretty,” Nyx whispered without realizing it.

The Peacock’s grin widened. “And you, my dear, are quite the beauty yourself. It’s an honor to meet you.” He kissed her hand softly.

Nyx, still flustered, managed a shy smile. “Nice to meet you, Peacock. Welcome to my birthday.”

“Ah, thank you, darling,” Peacock replied smoothly. “And here’s my gift to you.” He reached into his shimmering robes and pulled out a delicate bracelet, crafted from pure, gleaming gold.

The bracelet sparkled in the light, its intricate strands woven together like threads of a golden web. Tiny blue and green gems were embedded throughout the design, twinkling like stars in the night sky. At its center was a radiant sapphire, glowing faintly as if it held some hidden power.

“This bracelet,” Peacock explained as he gently placed it on her wrist, “allows you to understand and speak any language—human,or even ancient.”

Nyx’s eyes widened in awe as she traced her fingers over the gems. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, captivated by the way it shimmered against her skin. “Thank you, Peacock.”

“You’re welcome, my dear,” he said with a wink. “Now you look even more radiant than before.”

At once, Len, Suli, Ryu, Nabi, and Guerim surrounded her, gushing over the new bracelet.

“Look at those gems!” Nabi exclaimed, hovering excitedly around her wrist. “They’re so shiny!”

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Guerim grinned, nodding in approval. “A magic bracelet that helps you understand everyone? That’s an amazing gift, Nyx!”

Ryu’s eyes sparkled with wonder. “You’ll be able to talk to any human now! Just imagine all the stories you could hear.”

Nyx’s excitement was palpable, though a slight frown tugged at her lips. “So… it only works for human languages?”

The Peacock nodded with a shrug, “Sadly, yes. If you want to talk to animals, you’ll need something else for that.”

Suli laughed softly. “Don’t worry, Nyx, you have us for that!”

Nyx laughed, her heart swelling with happiness. “I feel so lucky,” she said, her eyes twinkling as she admired the bracelet with her friends.

Nyx’s smile returned as she admired the bracelet once more. “Even still, this is amazing. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, the Peacock casually walked over to where Drac, Tiger, and Griff were standing, still holding the bottle of alcohol. He took a long, exaggerated sip and gave them a mock salute.

“Well, hello to you too,” he said, voice laced with sarcasm.

Griff, who had been lying lazily on the ground, opened one eye and yawned. “Peacock? I didn’t know you were back,” he mumbled sleepily.

Peacock grinned. “Well, Griff, it’s hard to keep up with anything when you’re always sleeping.”

Tiger, his patience already worn thin, growled low in his throat. “I told you not to come.”

Peacock raised an eyebrow and smirked. “How could I resist? It’s a party for Nyx, and I’d never miss that.”

Tiger jabbed a finger toward the bottle in Peacock’s hand. “This is why. You bring nothing but chaos.”

Peacock waved a dismissive hand, taking another sip from his bottle. “Sorry, old habits die hard,” he said with a sly grin.

Drac, standing apart from the bickering, glanced over at Nyx, watching her laugh with her friends. His normally hard expression softened just a little. Despite the chaos, despite everything, Nyx had brought something new into their lives—a strange sense of warmth.

He cleared his throat, catching the attention of everyone. “Thank you,” he said, his voice low but firm. “For coming. For making this day special for Nyx.”

The silence that followed was palpable. Griff, Tiger, and Peacock stared at him in disbelief, as if the words had come from someone else entirely.

Peacock, ever the dramatist, placed a hand over his chest. “Did the great Dragon God of Wrath just...thank us?” he asked, feigning shock.

Griff let out a quiet chuckle, laying back down. “Guess we can all retire now. The world’s definitely ending.”

Tiger snorted. “I’ve seen everything now.”

But Drac didn’t respond. His eyes were still on Nyx, who was smiling, her wrist gleaming with her new bracelet.

And in that moment, all of them—the gods and Nyx’s friends—felt something unfamiliar but good. This little girl had changed something within them, something that made them want to protect her, to be a part of this fleeting happiness.

***********************************************

As the night deepened, the party began winding down. Nyx, her eyelids heavy, was doing her best to stay awake, but she kept nodding off, her small body swaying with exhaustion.

"Alright, time to call it a night," Drac said firmly, surveying the group. "Party’s over."

"Aww, but I just got here!" the Peacock complained, swirling the bottle of alcohol he had brought.

“Nobody cares,” the Tiger muttered with a grin, not even bothering to look at him.

Nyx, still fighting her exhaustion, rubbed her eyes and tried to stand tall. "Thank you, everyone, for... for coming..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper, before she wobbled forward, nearly falling over.

The others couldn't help but laugh softly at her cuteness.

"She’s adorable," Suli said, fluttering closer with a warm smile.

Drac stepped in. "Nyx, go change and get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day."

Nodding sleepily, Nyx yawned. "Okay..." She turned to the group with her eyes half-closed. “Goodnight, everyone...”

Suli swooped in to help. "Come on, Nyx, let me help you change." Gently, she guided her to her tent, holding her steady as they walked.

Inside the tent, Suli helped Nyx slip into a soft, comfortable outfit—a Moonlitwhisper blouse and Wanderer’s trousers. The blouse glowed faintly like moonlight, and the trousers felt light but sturdy. They fit Nyx perfectly.

Still half-asleep, Nyx smiled as she traced her fingers over the bracelet Peacock had given her, the magical glow softly illuminating the space around her. With a quiet murmur, she curled up on her bedroll, clutching Ariy and Ori close.

"Sleep tight, Nyx," Suli whispered as she tucked her in, brushing a strand of hair away from Nyx’s face.

“Goodnight, Suli,” Nyx mumbled, her voice fading as she drifted off into sleep.

Outside, the Constellations began to take their leave. Griff was already stretching with a wide yawn, scratching at his mane. “I’ll be off... catch me when I’m awake next,” he muttered, eyes half-closed.

Tiger shot him a teasing grin. “You mean we’ll see you in another century, right?”

Griff gave a lazy wave before flying off, his wings barely flapping as he disappeared into the night.

Peacock lingered a bit longer, flashing Drac a sly smile. “Make sure your gift beats mine,” he said with a wink, before twirling around and vanishing in a shimmer of colorful feathers.

With the gods gone, it was just Nyx and her companions left. Len, Suli, Ryu, Nabi, and Guerim all gathered around her, their tiny bodies curling up close, forming a small protective circle. One by one, they dozed off, content to be near her.

Drac remained standing, keeping watch over them all. As the others slept, he quietly tidied up, collecting the scattered dishes and clearing the decorations. His thoughts, however, were elsewhere.

The others had given Nyx such thoughtful gifts, each more impressive than the last. But what could he give her? Something personal, something that would truly mean something to her.

"What could I possibly give that would be enough?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes resting on Nyx’s sleeping form.

Then it hit him. He knew exactly what to give her. A small smile crept onto his face as he thought about it.

Satisfied, Drac finished his work and settled down by the campfire. His gaze softened as he looked over at Nyx and her companions, all asleep under the stars. She was so small, yet she had this incredible ability to bring together some of the most powerful beings in existence.

But what Drac didn’t realize was that they weren’t the only ones watching over her. In the shadows, hidden from view, a figure lingered, eyes glinting in the darkness. Silently, the figure observed the scene, then vanished just as quietly, leaving no trace.