I returned to Abor with the ships trailing behind me, their formation steady as they entered the planet’s orbit. The sight of them following my lead felt... fitting. I had considered simply taking control of that planet and handing it over to Vivi, letting her expand her influence, but in the end I chose otherwise.
I needed to destroy it.
The Crimson Zone lingered in my thoughts. Theras. Amun. Even the System itself. None of them were things I could fully trust yet, and that uncertainty sat deep within me. If I was going to step into whatever lay ahead, then I needed to make one thing absolutely clear to them, and to anyone watching.
I was not someone who would hesitate. I would go as far as necessary.
By the time I arrived back, the situation on Abor had already been handled. The invaders were gone. Those who had been captured were transported to the prison island, the one still surrounded by the Blood Guards I had created earlier. It was secure, isolated, and more than capable of holding anything we threw into it.
My summons had already extracted everything from them. There was nothing left to learn.
I went straight to meet Primus.
"The ships I brought back," I said, getting directly to the point, "they contain recordings of what happened. I want that spread. Every corner of the galaxy should see what happens to anyone who tries something like this."
Primus nodded slowly, a faint grin appearing on his face.
"And keep those ships," I added. "We’ll integrate them into our forces. That’s why I brought them."
He let out a small chuckle.
"I’ll take care of it," he said. "But honestly, if you wanted ships, you should have taken the entire fleet that attacked us instead of wiping them out completely."
I shrugged lightly.
"I was really angry," I replied. "Didn’t feel like leaving anything behind."
He shook his head with a faint smile.
"Fair enough."
I continued.
"Let me know when the Nagas reach out. Once the meeting with the other races is arranged, we move on the Grade 4 rifts."
He nodded.
"I’ll inform you."
I paused for a moment before asking,
"And the others? How is the hunt going?"
Primus’s expression turned serious.
"Intense," he said. "Honestly... a bit too intense. I think when you get like this, it affects your summons as well. They’re not holding back at all. Anywhere there’s even a hint of those organizations, they go there and wipe everything out."
I nodded slowly. I already knew.
The link between me and my summons wasn’t just about power or commands. It ran deeper than that. Emotions carried through it as well, and right now, they were reflecting exactly what I felt.
And I wasn’t calm.
We spoke for a while longer, going over logistics. I made it clear that we needed stricter control over who was allowed to work with us. No more blind acceptance. Every person entering Abor, every worker, every helper, each one had to be verified, checked, filtered properly. What had happened today could not happen again.
Primus understood.
Once everything was settled, I stepped away and left the command center.
For the first time since the attack, I allowed myself to slow down.
I made my way toward my place on the planet.
As North and I had planned earlier, we had built something simple for ourselves, a private space away from everything else. It was on a small island near the ocean, surrounded by calm water and open sky.
It wasn’t massive. But it wasn’t small either. Not a palace but close enough.
I stepped onto the island and walked toward the house, the sound of waves gently brushing against the shore filling the quiet around me.
Just calm.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
North was there.
She was lying back on the sofa, one leg folded slightly, a light, relaxed dress draped around her as she held a book in her hands. Her hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and the soft light from the windows made the entire scene feel... peaceful.
She looked up the moment I entered. For a second, she just stared at me.
Then she stood.
And in the next instant, she was in front of me. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me, pressing herself into my chest as I stood there at the doorway.
I smiled faintly and held her back, my arms settling around her naturally.
Neither of us spoke for a few seconds.
We just stayed like that. Then she leaned back slightly, just enough to look up at me, her eyes searching mine.
"Are you feeling okay now?" she asked softly.
I nodded.
"Yeah," I replied. "I am."
She held my gaze for a moment longer, as if confirming it for herself, then gave a small nod.
"Good."
She took my hand gently and pulled me along, leading me back toward the sofa. We sat down together, close enough that our shoulders touched, her hand still loosely holding mine.
I glanced at the book she had been reading.
"What are you reading?" I asked.
She smiled, a hint of amusement in her expression.
"It’s your story," she said. "The Journey of Guardian... from Vaythos."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?" I said with a small chuckle. "They’ve already turned that into something people read?"
She laughed softly.
"It’s more than that," she added. "There are copies everywhere. Stories, retellings... even small items inspired by it."
I shook my head slightly, smiling.
"So I have merchandise now?" I said.
"Seems like it," she replied, her eyes still on me.
We sat there quietly for a moment, the conversation easing into something softer.
Then I looked at her again.
"You didn’t go out with the others?" I asked. "For the hunt?"
She shook her head.
"No," she said. "I just... wanted to rest for a bit. After everything, I didn’t feel like fighting again right away."
I nodded.
"That’s fair."
I lifted my hand and gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, then leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes briefly.
When she opened them again, I leaned in once more and kissed her lips, slow and unhurried.
She responded without hesitation. I pulled back slightly, then slid one arm beneath her and lifted her up easily. She let out a quiet laugh, her arms wrapping around my neck as I stood.
Without saying anything else, I carried her toward the bedroom.