Chapter 400: The Morning After

For the first time in days, Kai woke up without an alarm.

He lay there staring at the ceiling. Nothing exploded, no ancient voice spoke, and no System window appeared. There was no giant monster trying to kill him, only soft sunlight coming through the curtains and a quiet room.

Then it all came back to him, the seven ruins, the Seventh Gate, the worlds beyond it, and the message glowing on the floor.

The Candidate may now choose.

Kai sighed. “So much for a normal morning.”

He sat up. The guest room Gabriel had arranged for him looked almost painfully ordinary, with a bed, a desk, a television on the wall, a small refrigerator, and a window overlooking Nexus. He walked over and pulled the curtains open.

The city was already awake. Cars moved along the streets, people walked to work, airships drifted between the towers, restaurants were opening, and construction crews were already working on the damaged buildings. Above all of it, the seven ancient lights were still hanging in the sky. They were much dimmer than they had been the night before, but they were still there.

Kai watched them for a moment. The city hadn’t collapsed, and the world hadn’t ended. People were still going to work, and somewhere below, someone was probably complaining about traffic. For some reason, that made him smile.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” he said.

Sera stepped inside, and she looked terrible. Her hair was a mess, there were dark circles under her eyes, and she was holding a cup of coffee with both hands.

Kai stared at her. “Didn’t sleep?”

“I slept,” Sera said, walking past him.

“How long?”

She took a drink. “Twenty minutes.”

Kai blinked. “That’s not sleeping.”

“It was a very efficient twenty minutes.”

“You look dead.”

“Thank you.”

“I wasn’t complimenting you.”

“I know.”

She went to the window and looked out, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Then she pointed at the sky. “Still there.”

“Yeah.”

“You think that’s normal?”

“No.”

“Good.” She took another drink. “I was worried you’d say yes.”

Kai smiled.

Sera looked at him. “Did you sleep?”

“Seven hours.”

She stared at him. “Seriously? How?”

Kai shrugged. “I’m good at sleeping.”

“That’s not a skill.”

“It is if you can do it.”

Sera looked back at the seven lights. “You know, after everything we’ve been through, I thought I’d wake up feeling different.”

“Do you?”

“No.” She looked down at her coffee. “I’m hungry.”

“That’s normal.”

“Good.” She turned to him. “Breakfast?”

“Breakfast.”

The hotel restaurant downstairs was surprisingly busy. Kai had expected the city to feel tense after everything that had happened, but it looked almost normal. Almost. There were more Hunters than usual, some of them eating in full armor, security guards stood by the entrances, and news screens covered the walls, replaying the same footage every few minutes. The seven lights, the ancient towers, the underground structures, and Kai’s press conference, with the same words printed beneath it.

NOT IMMEDIATELY.

The phrase had apparently become every news station’s favorite headline.

Sera stopped in front of one of the screens. “You’re on another one.”

Kai glanced at it. “I’d rather eat.”

A news anchor appeared on the screen. “Mythal’s City Leader Kai has refused to classify the situation as a Disaster, stating only that Nexus is not in immediate danger.”

Sera looked at Kai. “They really like that sentence.”

Kai sighed. “I noticed.”

They found an empty table by the window, and Kai picked up the menu. For the first time in what felt like weeks, he didn’t have to fight, investigate, or save anyone. He only had to decide what to eat.

“What do you want?” he asked.

Sera leaned over. “Anything with eggs.”

“That’s specific.”

“I haven’t eaten properly in two days.”

“Why?”

“Ruins.”

“Fair.”

They ordered eggs, bread, fruit, coffee, and pancakes, and after the waiter walked away, Sera called him back to add another plate.

Kai noticed. “You said you weren’t that hungry.”

“I lied.”

“Clearly.”

Sera smiled. “This is why I like you.”

Kai looked at her. “You like me because I let you order food?”

“Among other things.”

She said it so casually that Kai paused, and Sera immediately took another sip of coffee. Kai looked away, and neither of them mentioned it.

When the food arrived, Sera dove in, and Kai took his time. For a while, they simply ate, with no ancient civilizations, no Candidates, and no System, and Kai realized how strange that felt. He couldn’t remember the last time he had sat down to a meal without thinking about the next thing he had to do.

Sera noticed him staring at his plate. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“You look like you’re thinking.”

“I am.”

“About?”

Kai looked around the restaurant. “Nothing important.”

Sera smiled. “That’s probably good for once.”

The peace lasted about eight minutes, until Lily appeared carrying six ancient records under one arm and a tablet under the other, walking straight toward their table without looking up.

Sera slowly lowered her fork. “No.”

Lily stopped. “What?”

“You’re not sitting here with those. It’s breakfast.”

“I’m aware.”

“Those don’t belong at breakfast.”

Lily looked genuinely confused. “They’re not dangerous.”

“You said that before the last one activated.”

Lily hesitated. “That was different.”

Kai looked at her. “Have you slept?”

Lily smiled. “Yes.”

Sera immediately looked suspicious. “When?”

Lily thought about it. “Yesterday.”

“How long?”

Lily looked down at her tablet. “I don’t remember.”

Sera turned to Kai. “See?”

“You need sleep,” Kai said.

Lily pulled out a chair. “I’ll sleep after I finish organizing the records.”

“How long will that take?”

Lily glanced at the stack. “Maybe twelve hours.”

Sera sighed. “You need help.”

“I have help.”

“Who?”

Lily pointed at herself.

Sera stared at her. “That’s not how that works.”

Lily ignored her and set the records on the table.

Kai looked at the ancient pages. “You’re working on the seven ruins?”

“Yes, and I’ve found several things.” Lily’s energy came right back. “The Aegis symbols appear at three of the sites, and the Seventh Gate’s energy pattern appears at two others. And one of the ruins has a transportation network that might connect to the structure beneath Nexus.”

Sera slowly pushed the records away from her plate. “No ancient ruins during breakfast.”

Lily frowned. “But…”

“No.”

“I agree,” Kai said.

Lily looked betrayed. “You too?”

“Yes.”

She sighed. “Fine.” She moved the records to the empty chair beside her and picked up a piece of toast.

Sera smiled. “See? Normal.”

Lily took one bite, then turned straight to Kai. “Actually, there’s one thing I need to ask.”

Sera closed her eyes. “Here we go.”

“Did you see anything strange when the Seventh Gate opened?”

Kai paused as the worlds beyond the gate flashed through his mind, the impossible structures, the broken planets, something vast moving between the stars, and the voice.

Now decide whether you wish to leave.

He looked at Lily. “Yes.”

Her eyes sharpened. “What?”

Kai took another bite. “A lot. And I’m still trying to understand it.”

Lily stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded. “Fair.”

She didn’t push, which was unusual, and both Kai and Sera noticed.

“That was surprisingly mature,” Sera said.

Lily frowned. “I can be mature.”

“Sometimes.”

“Often.”

“Rarely.”

Lily looked at Kai. “She does this all the time.”

“I know.”

“You’re supposed to defend me.”

Kai looked between them. “No.”

Sera laughed.

The restaurant door opened again, and Gabriel walked in with a tablet in her hand. She looked much better than Lily, but only slightly.

Kai looked at the tablet. “How many meetings?”

Gabriel stopped. “Twenty.”

Kai stared at her. “Twenty? You need sleep too.”

Gabriel smiled. “I’m an Archbishop.”

“That’s not an answer.”

Sera laughed as Gabriel sat down with them. “I’ve already attended four.”

Kai glanced at the clock. “It’s barely nine.”

“I know. Everyone wants answers.” Gabriel set the tablet on the table, its screen full of messages from government officials, Church representatives, Hunter organizations, researchers, foreign cities, and even private companies.

“Everyone wants the ruins,” Kai said.

“Everyone wants something from them,” Gabriel corrected.

“What’s the Church’s position?”

“Preserve them, study them, and keep dangerous technology away from people who don’t understand it.”

“Agreed,” Lily said immediately.

Gabriel smiled. “I assumed you would.”

Sera looked at the tablet. “How many meetings are left?”

“Sixteen.”

Sera nearly choked on her coffee. “You’re joking.”

“No.”

“That’s terrible,” Kai said.

Gabriel smiled. “Welcome to my morning.”

The restaurant grew louder around them. News reports played across the screens, Hunters traded opinions about the ancient structures, and a few civilians argued about whether the ruins were dangerous. At the next table, a group of young Hunters compared theories, one convinced the ruins held weapons, another that they were ancient cities, and a third insisting the seven lights were portals.

Sera listened quietly. “They’re going to come up with a thousand theories before lunch.”

“Probably more,” Lily said.

Kai looked around the room. Despite the fear, people were eating, talking, working, and living, and that mattered. Yesterday, the entire city had stared up at the sky, and today, it had gone back to breakfast.

He smiled, and Sera noticed. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“You’ve said that twice this morning. You’re definitely thinking about something.”

Kai looked out the window. “Nexus is adapting quickly.”

“It has to,” Gabriel said.

“People aren’t panicking.”

“Some are,” Gabriel said, looking around the restaurant. “But not everyone.”

Kai leaned back and thought about Mythal and the three Disasters. Mythal had learned to keep moving after every catastrophe, and now Nexus was doing the same. Maybe that was what civilization really meant. It wasn’t about never being afraid or never being hurt. It was about carrying on anyway.

Sera nudged his arm. “You disappeared again.”

“Sorry.”

“Were you thinking about Mythal?”

“Yeah.”

“Miss it?”

Kai thought about it. “Already.”

Sera smiled. “You’ve only been gone a few days.”

“Still.”

Aren finally showed up almost an hour later, carrying a bag and wearing the look of someone who had been awake far too long. He looked at the table, then at Lily, then at the ancient records, and his eyes locked onto them. “I need those.”

Lily didn’t even look up. “No.”

Aren pulled out a chair. “I’m a licensed ruin hunter.”

“I’m holding them.”

Aren blinked. “That doesn’t explain anything.”

“It explains everything.”

Sera laughed, and Aren turned to Kai. “Can you control her?”

“No.”

“Can anyone?”

“No.”

Lily smiled. “Good.”

Aren sat down. “I’ve explored thirty-two ruins.”

Lily finally looked at him. “I’ve explored more than that.”

“You’ve been exploring for less than a year.”

“I learn quickly.”

Aren smiled. “That’s what I like about you.”

Lily narrowed her eyes. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll accept it.”

Sera leaned toward Kai as she watched them. “They’re going to become unbearable.”

“I know,” Kai said.

“Seriously, I need access,” Aren said, pointing at the records.

Lily pulled them closer. “No. You’re going to touch everything.”

“I’m a professional.”

“Exactly.”

Aren looked offended, and Kai couldn’t help smiling. For the first time since arriving in Nexus, the group looked almost normal, just five exhausted people arguing over breakfast. Kai decided he liked it.

Then his tablet buzzed, once, twice, and then a third time. The messages were from the Hunter Association.

EMERGENCY NEXUS COUNCIL.

ATTENDANCE REQUESTED.

SUBJECT: ANCIENT NETWORK / SEVEN RUINS.

Kai sighed.

Sera leaned over. “Meeting?”

“Yeah.”

“Mine says the same,” Gabriel said, looking at her own tablet.

Lily gathered up her records, and Aren stood. “Finally.”

Sera stared at him. “You’ve been waiting for this?”

“Obviously.”

Everyone was already getting ready to leave. Kai looked at his unfinished breakfast, then at the ancient lights outside the window. Apparently, normal wasn’t going to last very long.

He stood. “Let’s go.”

Sera grabbed the last piece of bread from his plate. “Thanks.”

Kai stared at her. “That was mine.”

“You weren’t eating it.”

“I was.”

“Too late,” she said, already walking away.

Kai shook his head and followed her out. Outside, Nexus kept moving beneath the seven lights. The city was afraid, and it was curious, but it was adapting, and somewhere beneath its streets, something ancient was still waking up.

But for one morning, Kai had eaten breakfast, and that was enough.