Markus lies on the couch, trembling as if freezing despite the heat of the summer night. His skin is clammy, breath shallow. Then—

  a gentle hand rests against his forehead, warm and steady. It slides softly down his cheek, bringing with it a whisper of comfort.

  Markus slips deeper into unconsciousness. The pain, the heat, the world around him—all fade.

  He opens his eyes and finds himself drifting in a vast, endless void. Stars shimmer like distant fireflies, suspended in the deep silence of space.

  A voice echoes through the void—smooth and calm, impossibly vast.

  “So, we meet again.”

  Markus turns, but there is no one in sight—only darkness, and the feeling that something ancient is watching.

  “It seems,” the voice continues, “that it’s finally time to introduce myself properly.”

  A figure begins to emerge from the starlight, radiant and ethereal.

  “I am Sapientia, the Arbiter of Wisdom.”

  “Oh no— I was dying and now I am dead,” Markus blurts, more bewildered than afraid.

  “Oh, you should be,” a new voice rumbles—rougher, more direct. “I respect the bravery, sure, but jumping off that bird to close the portal? That was just foolish, if you ask me.”

  As the voice echoes, the stars around Markus pulse green—briefly—then fade back to blue.

  “Pay him no mind,” Sapientia says, amusement warm in her tone. “That’s Fortitudo, the Arbiter of Courage. Subtlety has never been one of his strengths.”

  “I didn’t have much time,” Markus mutters, glancing at the green-tinged stars. “Cut me some slack.”

  Fortitudo’s gruff chuckle rumbles through the void. “Oh, I’ll give you my respect, kid—but not my slack, and definitely not my life insurance.”

  The stars shift again—this time burning a deep, furious red.

  A third voice rumbles through the void, low and commanding.

  “You should be proud,” it says. “I am Potentia, Arbiter of Power. I never thought I would witness someone defy the Morgi Dragon.”

  Markus lets out a dry breath, eyes still fixed on the endless space around him.

  “But the dragon’s still alive,” he says quietly. “And I’m… not.”

  The stars turn blue again, soft and gentle, as Sapientia’s voice returns.

  “Now, now… you’ve done your part. It’s time to trust your friends to do theirs.”

  Markus feels something—warm and real—press against his forehead. A kiss.

  “You mean Liddle,” he whispers. “But not just her. Alexia… Lemres… even Demono.”

  “You’ve earned their loyalty through action, not words,” Sapientia says gently. “You’ve made powerful allies. It’s okay to let them carry some of the weight.”

  There is a pause, then she adds, “Here. Let me show you something.”

  A vision shimmers into focus—someone gently placing their hand on the Life-Giving Blade. As their fingers brush the hilt, a powerful spell surges forward—not through the wielder, but through the blade itself.

  “Oh… I get it,” Markus breathes, eyes widening. “If someone touches the blade, they can cast spells through it without channeling the magic themselves. No mana sickness.”

  “You’re quick,” Potentia rumbles, faintly impressed. “You’re going to make a fine wielder, kid.”

  “Thank you,” Markus says, his voice steadier now. “But I think it’s time I get back to my body. There’s a girl I need to be with.”

  The stars shimmer in response.

  “Very well,” Sapientia says, warm with approval.

  Markus slowly opens one eye… then the other.

  The world returns in fragments—the dim light of the room, the ache in his bones… and Liddle.

  She sits beside him, tears streaming silently down her cheeks, her hand still resting on his.

  Without a word, Markus reaches up and pulls her into a gentle, shaky hug.

  Liddle leans in, trying to wrap her arms around him—

  but she flinches the moment her hand brushes his exposed ribs.

  “You’re hurting,” she whispers, her voice cracking. “You’ve become so frail, it’s…”

  Her words crumble into silence as fresh tears spill freely down her cheeks.

  Markus lifts a trembling arm, using his sleeve to gently wipe them away.

  “I’m in a constant state of pain,” he admits softly. “And I can’t move most of my body.”

  He pauses, voice growing quieter.

  “I know this is hard on you too, and… I’m sorry. For everything I’ve put you through. I know I’ve caused you a lot of pain.”

  His hand finds hers, weak but steady.

  “But thank you. For being here with me. It makes me feel like… everything’s going to be okay.”

  Liddle leans in, gently rubbing her nose against his.

  “A lot of people have caused me pain,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “But you never have.”

  She stands quickly and crosses the room, grabbing a health potion from the table.

  “Here,” she says, kneeling beside him again. “Drink this. It’ll keep you alive—no matter how much your body’s falling apart.”

  Markus reaches for the vial, but his arm trembles, fingers barely managing to graze the glass. His strength gives out, and the potion slips from his grasp.

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  “Hey, hey—take it easy,” Liddle says gently, catching the bottle before it can fall. She steadies his hand with both of hers and brings it to his lips, tilting it carefully.

  Markus forces the liquid down, grimacing as the bitter burn lances through every nerve in his body. His teeth clench, but he drinks.

  When the vial is empty, he exhales shakily.

  “Thank you,” he breathes. His eyes find hers, soft and steady despite the pain.

  “I love you.”

  Liddle’s eyes soften, though the worry doesn’t leave them. Markus tries to ignore the fire running through his nerves—the pain screaming from everything broken inside him.

  “I love you too,” Liddle says softly, brushing her hand along his cheek. “So get better soon, okay?”

  Markus uses the last of his strength to lean in and press a weak, trembling kiss to her lips.

  “Don’t worry,” he murmurs, a faint smile flickering at the corners of his mouth. “I know I have to marry you when all this is over.”

  Liddle’s cheeks flush. She smirks and gives his nose a playful tap.

  “You touched my horns,” she teases. “Aren’t we already married?”

  “It’s traditional for humans to have a party,” Markus explains, still catching his breath. “We call it a wedding. It’s how we show the world we’re in love.”

  “We have that in Hehl too,” Liddle says thoughtfully. “Is that the one where you put a collar on me and walk me around on all fours?”

  Markus blinks. “…No. That’s… something else.”

  He lets out a tired sigh, his thoughts drifting.

  “With you being a demon, I’m sure no church would agree to marry us,” he says softly. “But maybe… if this whole dragon thing earns us enough favors, we could—”

  Liddle gently presses a finger to his lips.

  “This sounds nice,” she whispers, “but how about this instead?”

  She leans closer, her voice low and playful, like a promise.

  “You, me, cuddling on a couch. Watching TV. You not fighting. Just your arm around my waist… and your lips kissing my—”

  She pauses, smirking.

  “Kiss your what? All fours?” Markus asks, raising an eyebrow.

  Liddle giggles, shifting until her waist brushes against his mouth.

  “Here,” she says, amused.

  Markus sighs, kissing her waist with a faint smile.

  “I’ll do the other three when I’m feeling better, okay?”

  “You promise?” Liddle asks, giggling again. Then her expression softens as she cups his cheek with both hands. “You promise you’ll get better?”

  Before Markus can answer, a portal shimmers open beside the bed, casting soft golden light across the room.

  Alexia and Lemres step through.

  “Thanks for not forgetting the potion,” Lemres says, giving Liddle a casual high five.

  “I told you,” Alexia adds with a proud smile, walking over. “When it comes to Markus, there’s no one better for the job.”

  She reaches down to ruffle Liddle’s hair—then tries to sneak a playful grab at one of her horns.

  Liddle catches her hand mid-air with a smirk. “Sorry. The horns are for Markus.”

  Alexia sighs dramatically, waving her hand. “Fine. I’ll write you a letter, Lemres. For when the two lovebirds aren’t in the same room.”

  Lemres gives her a flat look. “You can just text me. That’s fine.”

  Alexia snorts and reaches into her pocket, pulling out her Mahoishi. The soft glow pulses gently between her fingers.

  Beside her, Markus raises a trembling hand. The Life-Giving Blade shimmers into existence, hovering for a moment before dropping softly onto the bed.

  “Alexia,” he says, his voice weak but steady, “hold onto it.”

  She blinks. “You sure?”

  He nods. “Just… trust me.”

  Alexia steps closer and carefully picks up the Life-Giving Blade. The moment her fingers close around the hilt, her eyes widen.

  A surge of energy rushes through her—not overwhelming, but alive. Warm. Steady. Familiar.

  “Oh,” Alexia whispers. “This feels… different.”

  Lemres tilts his head, studying her. “You’re channeling through the blade.”

  Her eyes widen. “It’s like it’s doing the work for me.”

  She kneels beside Markus and presses her glowing hand to his chest. The spell pours through her, flowing from the Life-Giving Blade itself—warm, steady, alive.

  Then her breath catches.

  “Markus…” her voice trembles. “Why didn’t you tell us how bad it was?”

  She sets the blade aside for a moment and carefully lifts his shirt—then freezes.

  Half of his chest is wasted, sunken and frail. His ribcage juts sharply beneath torn skin.

  “I wasn’t even feeling your legs,” Alexia whispers, horror rising in her throat. “How did you break them this badly…?”

  Her face drains of color. Markus isn’t just hurt.

  He’s barely holding on.

  He doesn’t have the strength to answer. His eyes flick from Liddle to Alexia, silent but trusting.

  Liddle squeezes his hand, her voice breaking. “Can you save him?”

  “I’ll try,” Alexia says, gripping the Life-Giving Blade again.

  She channels everything she has. Light surges from her hands, golden and relentless, flooding through Markus’s body. The power leaves her gasping, her shoulders trembling with effort. She keeps going anyway—pushing until the edges of her vision blur.

  At last, the glow fades.

  “How are you feeling?” she asks, wiping sweat from her brow.

  Markus blinks slowly, then nods. “More stable. The pain’s still there… but it’s not screaming anymore.”

  Markus pushes himself up on shaking arms, trying to stand—only for his legs to buckle beneath him.

  He collapses with a grunt, but Liddle is there instantly, catching him before he hits the floor. She cradles him gently and helps him sit back on the bed.

  Lemres wheels in a chair and sets the brakes.

  “Here you go,” he says, patting the armrest. “I talked the president into building you a house. No more crashing at Alexia’s.”

  “And you’ll be living with Liddle,” Alexia adds with a snarky grin. “So maybe you’ll stop crushing on me.”

  Markus glances from the chair to Liddle.

  “Oh, I’m gonna miss that old setup,” he says with a crooked smile. “Maybe we should just move back into that hotel room.”

  Liddle helps him into the chair with careful hands—then climbs right into his lap, curling up like she belongs there.

  Alexia leans against the doorway, arms crossed but smiling.

  “Aww, miss me already? Don’t worry. I’ll visit. Just don’t burn down the new place before I get there.”

  “Oh, ha ha,” Markus mutters, rolling his eyes.

  Before the banter can continue, Lemres steps in, arms crossed.

  “Hey, Markus. Can you check your bank account real quick?”

  Markus blinks. “My phone’s broken.”

  Without missing a beat, Lemres waves his hand. A shimmering magical window opens in the air, displaying Markus’s bank account in glowing numbers.

  Lemres smirks. “What do you see?”

  Markus squints, then frowns. “…That I need to change my password.”

  “Wait…”

  Markus’s eyes widen as he stares at the glowing number on the magical bank display.

  “That ten grand… that wasn’t in my account before.”

  Lemres nods. “While you’re the wielder, you’ll find ten thousand dollars deposited every month. Consider it… hazard pay.”

  “You hear that, Markus?” Alexia beams, throwing her arms around him in a hug. “You don’t have to work two jobs anymore!”

  Markus manages a tired smile, but his gaze drifts toward the Life-Giving Blade resting beside him.

  “This is great, but…” he murmurs, “I still have a lot of jobs left to do.”

  Alexia leans back, raising an eyebrow. “Classic Markus. How exactly are you planning to do all that… in a wheelchair?”

  Liddle cuddles against him, her head nestled on his shoulder.

  “Mind if we focus on us for a while?” she asks softly. “Especially while you’re still healing… and can’t walk.”

  Before Markus can answer, a low hum fills the room.

  Lemres raises his hand, and a swirling golden portal blossoms into existence, casting warm light across the floor.

  “I figured you two could use a proper place,” he says. “Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere yours.”

  Through the portal, a cozy house stands beneath the shade of tall trees. Its windows glow with gentle light. A porch swing sways in the breeze. Flowers line the path leading to the front door.

  Markus stares, his voice caught in his throat.

  “My… new house?”

  Lemres gives a single nod, calm and certain.

  “Your new life.”