Deveralna calmed down shortly after.

  Both groups reunited as Libranil and Ophion descended toward the ground below, settling peacefully as they came to rest.

  It took only a few seconds for Stella to leap into her father’s arms the moment her feet touched the ground.

  “Dad!” Her arms wrapped tightly around the back of his coat as she buried her face against his chest, her voice breaking into sobs.

  “It’s alright, Stella. I’m right here,” Orion said softly, gently stroking her hair as his expression softened.

  “Hm…” She nodded weakly, unable to stop her emotions from spilling over.

  “I’m glad to see you’re well, May.” Lifting his head, Orion met his wife’s gaze. She clearly wanted a hug as well.

  “As you can see, I’m a little stuck right now,” he added with a smile, glancing down at the girl clinging to him. He gently shook his left leg, which was tightly wrapped by a familiar white tail a short distance away.

  May frowned slightly, then crossed her arms and turned away with a quiet huff, nodding once as she waited for Stella’s emotions to settle.

  After a few minutes, Orion gently eased Stella back and smiled.

  “We have a lot to talk about. I want to hear everything that happened to you.”

  Stella stepped back, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

  “Alright.”

  She moved around him to rejoin Deveralna, who had released Orion by then and was already speaking with Tetra, Henrietta, and Marie.

  Orion watched Stella walk away before turning back to May, a natural smile returning to his face.

  “Come here.” He extended his hand toward her.

  “…” May hesitated, then slowly uncrossed her arms and reached for him.

  She walked forward in silence, her eyes never leaving his.

  When her hand settled into his, it became a quiet bridge for all the feelings she had been holding back.

  “I missed you…” she said softly, lowering her gaze. “I really tried not to let it affect me.”

  “I know.” Orion pulled her closer. His free hand moved behind her head, guiding her gently until she rested against his chest.

  He began to stroke her hair, holding her as she finally allowed herself to lean into the embrace.

  Her fingers twitched as Orion tightened his grip. Entwined, she responded in kind, holding him just as firmly.

  “With you three back, my heart bleeds a little less,” he said quietly. “I can’t put into words how relieved I am to see you all in one piece.”

  Warmth spread through May’s body as the pain from fighting Var’Lathen began to fade.

  Healing magic… she realized.

  Orion couldn’t bear seeing his family wounded. He had already treated Deveralna and Stella the moment he embraced them. Now it was May’s turn.

  Cuts and bruises vanished. The soreness in her muscles eased. The few broken bones mended quickly, and her breathing steadied.

  “Thank you…” She pressed her forehead lightly against his chest, smiling.

  They separated slowly. Just before turning away, May rose onto her toes and brushed her lips against his.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  She smiled without a word, then let her expression settle back into calm as she rejoined the others.

  For a moment, Orion froze.

  “…Damn.”

  He touched his lower lip, tracing it thoughtfully.

  “She got me.”

  Chuckling softly, he turned toward the rest of the group, ready for the discussion ahead.

  "..."

  As the wind moved through his black hair, he walked forward.

  Settling onto chairs Orion brought from his void storage, the seven of them gathered around a table, allowing themselves a moment to breathe.

  Sirius emerged from Orion’s shadow and immediately settled beside Stella, who absentmindedly ruffled his white fur with both hands.

  “We… haven’t eaten much these past few days. This was refreshing,” Deveralna said, licking the crumbs of bread from her thumb.

  “We haven’t eaten much either. Orion was out cold for three days straight,” Tetra replied, glancing toward Deveralna with a crooked smile.

  Before anyone could react, Orion continued.

  “It’s a long story. The short version is that I expended an extreme amount of magic while also supplying others who depended on me.”

  He lifted the steaming dark beverage and took a small sip.

  “Even with my endless reserves, being the sole source of strength for everyone is… taxing.”

  The others nodded, tension easing from their shoulders. This was expected. They understood.

  “Also…” Orion placed the cup down and turned toward Stella.

  He raised his right hand and opened it.

  FLASH.

  For a brief instant, Stella’s eyes widened as a colorless sphere manifested above his palm.

  “This is—!” She leaned forward instinctively, almost reaching for it.

  Orion closed his hand. The sphere vanished.

  He tapped his fist lightly against his chest.

  “That’s why I was unconscious.”

  When he opened his hand again, two additional spheres appeared beside the first.

  “—!”

  The entire group rose from their seats.

  “Three?!” Henrietta’s voice trembled as understanding struck. “Are those—?!”

  May and Deveralna exchanged a sharp look before turning to Stella.

  “Stella,” May asked carefully, “is that the sigil of your grandmother?”

  “It… it is.” Stella’s hands clenched on the table as she lowered her gaze to her chest. “But how? I already received her power.”

  Orion leaned back in his chair, the Valkyrie sigils retreating back into his soul.

  “First,” he said calmly, “I need to know.”

  All eyes turned to him as they slowly sat again.

  “Did you kill a Devourer?”

  His tone was cold.

  Without hesitation, May and Deveralna nodded.

  “We did,” Deveralna replied, her expression tightening as she began to explain.

  …

  “Var’Lathen… a dragon Devourer,” Tetra murmured, tapping her chin.

  “It called itself an Elder One?” Orion asked in return.

  Marie glanced toward him, who rested his head against his hand, frowning.

  “Master… didn’t Malamiris also use that title?” she asked carefully.

  “Malamiris?” Stella repeated sharply. “You fought a Devourer too?!”

  The three women stiffened as Orion nodded without hesitation.

  “I killed her,” he said simply.

  “Master showed no mercy,” Marie added quietly, eyes closing as the memory resurfaced. “Perhaps it would be best if I explained what happened to us as well.”

  She looked to him for confirmation.

  “Are you alright with that?” Orion asked.

  “That is my duty,” she replied, placing a hand over her heart with a gentle smile.

  “Then please do. I’d like time to think.”

  Marie nodded and began recounting the events.

  “If anything is incorrect, please correct me, Miss Tetra, Miss Henrietta.”

  They both inclined their heads in agreement.

  …

  “No way…” May murmured, staring down at the table.

  “Honestly, I wish I’d seen it,” Deveralna muttered. “I’m a little jealous, Tetra.”

  “Huh… I don’t know about that,” Tetra replied, frowning. “The world flashed white. Everything turned unbearably hot. That wasn’t anything I’d seen Orion do before.”

  Her expression darkened.

  “That was him going all out.”

  A shiver ran down May’s spine. Deveralna stiffened. Even Stella went silent.

  “Master also… protected me during a moment of weakness,” Marie added softly. “He could have ended me, yet he didn’t. I’m deeply grateful for that.”

  She bowed her head slightly toward him.

  Orion said nothing.

  He didn’t need to. Everyone present understood.

  Marie was family. And family was everything.

  As discussion continued, Orion suddenly spoke again.

  “Did you encounter a woman carrying an umbrella?”

  “—!”

  Fear flickered across Stella’s face. May’s jaw tightened. Deveralna’s tail twitched.

  “You don’t need to answer,” Orion said quietly, closing his eyes. “Your reactions tell me enough.”

  The silence confirmed it.

  “As I am now,” he continued, “I am no match for her.”

  The weight of his words settled heavily.

  “Fortunately, she doesn’t appear interested in confronting us directly,” he added.

  “Her presence felt… observational.” Henrietta nodded slowly. “Like something that appears only at the end of a Devourer’s life.”

  “Exactly.” He agreed with her.

  Silence followed.

  “She isn’t an enemy,” Orion said at last, “but she isn’t an ally either. We don’t know what she represents. At best, she may be akin to Nature herself.”

  No one argued.

  “So we acknowledge her existence,” he concluded, standing, “and avoid interaction whenever possible.”

  He turned and walked away.

  “I’m going to check on Ophion and Libranil.”

  "…"

  Sirius rose and padded after him.

  The others remained seated, thoughts heavy.

  Henrietta finally turned to Tetra.

  “Three…”

  Tetra nodded faintly.

  “Another group killed a Devourer,” she whispered.

  “I hope they’re safe…”

  Their eyes closed, a quiet prayer offered to a vast and uncaring world.