Chapter 41 – The Sky Trembles
Morning sunlight streamed through the crystalline domes of Skyhaven, scattering a million specks of gold over the horizon. The city's floating gardens swayed gently, perfumed air filling every alleyway. For once, the hum of rune engines and sky trains felt like the rhythm of peace — no battle cries, no divine pressure, no screams of dying beasts.
But peace was always the cruelest illusion.
Shin stood outside a modest but elegant house on the western ridge of Skyhaven. Unlike the sleek towers or floating estates of the elite, this home looked alive — vines coiling across luminous glass walls, wind chimes singing softly in the morning air. He tugged at his collar for the third time, his reflection staring nervously back at him from the polished crystal door.
> Shin (muttering): "Why am I nervous? It's just Nanao… just Nanao…"
He wasn't fooling anyone — not even himself.
The door slid open with a soft hum.
And there she was.
Nanao.
Tall, graceful, and effortlessly beautiful — her long obsidian hair tied loosely, her sapphire dress simple but breathtaking. Her eyes, that same gentle shade of ocean-blue, curved into a soft smile the moment she saw him.
> "Shin-chan… you've grown."
He froze. It was the same voice from his childhood — the one that soothed him when training left him bleeding, the one that scolded him when he broke Professor Akari's drones, the one that never forgot to smile.
> Shin: "You still call me that?"
Nanao (giggling): "You'll always be the kid who used to chase me through Professer Akari's lab."
Her laughter filled the air like spring wind.
For a moment, Shin forgot how to breathe.
They sat together inside, across a small table carved from starwood. The meal was simple — rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and a pot of warm sake. Shin didn't remember the taste of food this clearly in years. Maybe it wasn't the food at all — maybe it was the warmth of being… human again.
> Nanao: "You've changed a lot. Taller, sharper eyes. You've seen too much, haven't you?"
Shin: "Guess so. Turns out 'saving the world' isn't great for skincare."
She laughed again, and his heart twisted — not painfully, but deeply.
They spoke for hours — about the old academy, Professor Akari's experiments, the time Shin short-circuited half the lab just to impress her.
But as the candles burned lower, the air shifted. Shin's tone grew quiet, heavier — his hands trembling slightly as he looked down.
> Shin: "Back then… when I first saw you… I fell in love. I was just five, but I knew I'd follow you anywhere."
Nanao's smile faltered, replaced by a deep, quiet emotion.
She didn't speak — only watched him, as if memorizing his face.
> Shin (continuing): "I know you're leaving for Nethyra soon. Wait for me. For Vyuk, for Alicia. I'll explain later."
Her eyes widened — the soft calm replaced by concern.
> Nanao: "Shin-chan… what are you planning?"
Shin: "Something dangerous. Something stupid. But I can't stop it. Just… promise me you'll wait."
She stared at him for a long moment — then finally smiled, faint but genuine.
> "Alright, Shin-chan. I'll wait."
That night, the heart of Skyhaven glowed like a dream.
Thousands of lanterns floated through the air — drifting lights painting the night in gold and crimson. The Grand Crystal Bridge arched across the lake below, its surface shimmering with spirit runes.
Vaibhav and Alicia arrived first. She wore a soft silver dress, her hair tied with a crescent clip. Vaibhav, dressed in a fitted black jacket, looked… normal for once — which was rare.
Then Shin appeared with Nanao — awkward, fidgeting, trying not to trip over his own feet. The sight made Vaibhav grin instantly.
> Vaibhav: "So, you actually got her to come. Didn't think miracles were your department."
Shin (glaring): "I will stab you."
Nanao (smiling): "Boys never change."
They walked together — the two pairs — under floating lanterns and drifting petals. Music from the nearby plazas filled the air, light and melodic. For a while, they were just people — laughing, teasing, alive.
> Alicia (softly): "It's beautiful."
Vaibhav: "Yeah… it almost feels unreal."
She leaned on his shoulder, her warmth against him steady and calm. Shin caught the sight, groaning under his breath.
> Shin: "Disgusting. Some of us are single, you know."
Nanao (teasing): "Not if you keep looking at me like that."
Shin (choking): "Wh-what—? I wasn't— I mean— okay maybe—"
Vaibhav (grinning): "Dead. He's dead."
Their laughter echoed through the night, genuine and bright.
And for a moment — a fragile, golden moment — they believed the world had finally given them peace.
Then the ground began to shake.
Subtle at first — like a heartbeat in the distance. Then stronger. A low, rolling rumble tore through the floating platforms. The lanterns flickered.
> Vaibhav: "What the hell—?"
The sky darkened. The stars blinked out one by one.
Then came the shadow — vast and terrible, cutting through the clouds like a blade.
A colossal vessel descended from the heavens — black steel wreathed in molten gold, edges serrated like divine fangs. Its sheer size blotted out the moon. Runes carved into its hull pulsed with dark light, each one a whisper of war and ancient power.
> Alicia (staggering back): "Is that—?"
Shin (voice tight): "No way… that's an Asura ship."
Sirens exploded through the city. Rune cannons along the spires activated, glowing blue with spiritual charge. Skyhaven's defense shields flared to life — massive golden barriers rising like domes.
Civilians screamed, rushing through teleport gates as alarms echoed.
The sky opened wider. Dozens — no, hundreds — of smaller vessels spilled from the mothership, like shards of black light.