THE CALM BEFORE THE LAST STORM

In the darkness of a sealed training room, the only sound was the hiss of a blade slicing through the air. Asimil, drenched in sweat and shirtless, moved with a speed and precision that was not his own. In his hand, the Broken Echo Dagger glowed with a faint emerald light.

He had been training in secret every night. The power of the weapon still drained him, but he had improved quite a bit. He was now enduring longer in combat, and the side effects, the headache and the chill in his soul, were no longer as severe. He was beginning to master the ghost that lived in the steel.

Meanwhile, the next morning, Tenshi and Luce strolled through the citadel, which was bustling with activity as reconstruction teams repaired the damage from the battle against Morwen. — It's amazing how everyone pulls together when the going gets tough, isn't it? — Luce commented, her optimism a beacon of light.

She stopped in front of a gun store. Its doors were open, but its stock was scarce. Among the little that remained, a sleek new dagger caught Luce's eye.

Tenshi noticed her look and smiled mischievously.  — Oh, a little gift for someone special? —

— No! It's just that... Asimil's dagger broke in the last battle.... — said Luce, her cheeks turning pink.

 —Of course, of course.  Tactical concern — Tenshi joked. — Come on, I'll help you pay for it. —

Once purchased, Tenshi handed it to Luce with a wink. — Now, go and take that new weapon to your boyfriend. — 

— HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND! — Luce exclaimed, completely blushing. 

Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of bells. Not of alarm, but of welcome. A tide of warriors was entering through the main gate: elves, humans, dwarves, beastmen, all the races of the Altverse, united under the same banner of the Alliance.

The army had arrived.

And among all the faces, Luce saw a familiar one, imposing and serene. It was Sacres. His face was the same as always, but this time, behind him marched hundreds of warriors under his command. And further back, mixed with the troops but not part of them, were Ikel and Mitsu. They had encountered the army on their way and had decided to join in. But from their distance, Luce did not catch a glimpse of them.

That afternoon, Luce found Asimil just as he was leaving his secret training. Steam was still rising from his skin, his naked torso covered in sweat and scars from past battles. Seeing him like this, Luce blushed violently, her mind suddenly blank.

He, seeing her, also felt self-conscious, reaching for a shirt. But Luce, in an act at odds with her usual shyness in these matters, approached him slowly. She touched his chest with her fingertips, feeling the warmth of his skin. — You look... — she whispered, her voice barely audible — ... much stronger. —

The act, so intimate and sudden, left Asimil speechless. — OH, OH! AM I INTERRUPTING SOMETHING? — Ikel was standing in the doorway, with his shark-like grin.

Surprise and nerves caused Luce to react on pure instinct. She spun around and hit Ikel with an unconscious punch that sent him crashing into the hallway wall.

— Oh — complained Ikel from the ground, — I was just saying hello! —

Luce, realizing her mistake, ran to help him, frantically apologizing. Asimil came out as well and saw Mitsu leaning against the wall, watching the scene with amusement. The two greeted each other with a slight nod, a gesture of mutual respect earned in battle. It was a reunion of friends as chaotic as it was touching.

— it's great to see you all — said Luce, after helping a sore Ikel up. —  Where's Lyra? — The mood changed instantly. Ikel's face darkened. Mitsu looked at the ground.
— She was kidnapped — Mitsu said, his voice a steely edge. — Kaelus took her. The news was true. —

In the distance, hidden in a watchtower, Sacres watched the scene. A sad but proud smile came across his face. They were alive. They were together. In spite of everything. But he couldn't greet them. Not yet. He had too much homework to do.

In a secret room, the Alliance's top commanders were discussing. 

— Attacking the castle is suicide! We don't know what we're up against! — argued a dwarf general.

— But to do nothing is to doom Lyra and the entire Altverse! — Tenshi replied. 
The door opened and Sacres entered.

— The Void army is on the move — he said, his voice silencing the room. — The horde that Mitsu and Ikel saw is heading this way. If we wait for them to arrive, we will be crushed against the walls of our last city. — His gaze fell on each of the leaders. — Attacking is not the best option. It is the only one we have left. —

A somber silence filled the room. The decision had been made. The last war was about to begin.