"Wow… it's so beautiful."
Jean stood on the highest peak in the world, her breath catching in her throat.
Her cheeks were flushed, not from the cold, but from excitement.
"This is the first time I've seen a view like this!"
The sun gleamed over endless snow-covered ridges, casting golden light across the mountains cape below. The clouds stretched like a sea beneath them.
Soren watched her with a gentle smile. Her awe was genuine, radiant. "It never gets old, does it?"
Jean turned, her hair rippling in the breeze, eyes wide with wonder. "I can't believe how peaceful it is up here… all that training, all the chaos, and now this."
Then, grinning, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Soren."
"For bringing me here."
The contrast between her fiery Phoenix aura and the vast white snowcap made her seem otherworldly, like a spirit of flame dancing in a land of ice.
In that moment, she didn't look like a mutant or a magician. She looked like freedom itself.
Enveloped in Soren's space barrier, the cold no longer touched them.
They stood in silence, arms around each other, letting the view fill the quiet. Even the winds seemed to hush in reverence.
Then Soren glanced sideways with a mischievous glint.
"So." He said casually.
"How do you feel about a hot spring?"
Jean blinked. "A hot spring? Up here? On Mount Everest?"
"Why not? We've already done the impossible once today."
"I mean… that actually sounds amazing after all that climbing." She admitted, rubbing her shoulders.
"But I don't see any springs bubbling out of the snow."
Soren winked. "We'll make one."
With a smooth motion, he extended his hand. The space around a nearby slab of ice and rock shimmered, then suddenly folded inward.
A neat, bowl-shaped depression formed in the earth, a perfect natural tub.
Jean raised a brow. "You're just casually reshaping mountains now?"
"Only the parts that won't mind." He said with a chuckle.
Then he lifted both hands, drawing in the surrounding snow with psychokinetic force and piling it into the hollow. "Alright, fire goddess. You're up."
Realization dawned on her, and she grinned. "You want me to melt the snow?"
"Yep. I handle the space, you handle the heat. Teamwork." He gave her a playful salute.
Jean stepped forward and summoned a small orb of phoenix flame in her palm. The crimson fire glowed softly, the heat intense but controlled.
She guided it carefully into the snow-filled basin. Steam hissed and rose immediately.
"Keep the temperature just right." Soren advised, shielding his eyes from the steam.
"I don't want to get boiled alive."
Jean smirked, adjusting the flame with finesse. "Relax."
"I've mostly mastered not incinerating people I like."
As the snow melted, a steaming pool of crystal-clear water emerged. Soren enhanced the space barrier, sealing in warmth and keeping the cold winds at bay.
Jean dipped a finger into the water and gasped. "Oh my God, it's perfect."
He held out a hand. "Shall we?"
They quickly jumped in.
"Not bad." He said, giving Jean a nod of approval.
"You're getting better at controlling that flame."
Jean grinned, brushing a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "Still burning hot, just... less destructive."
They soaked for a while longer, basking in the warmth atop the highest peak in the world. But eventually, the time came to leave.
Soren climbed out first, drying off with a casual flick of his spatial energy. "You ready to head back?"
Jean hesitated, eyes scanning the horizon one last time. "Yeah... Just give me a moment."
After another warm embrace, they stepped onto the snow.
Jean summoned a Sling Ring with a wave of her hand, opening a golden portal with swift precision.
Soren chuckled. "Showing off for me, huh?"
"Maybe a little." She winked. "I want you to know your girlfriend's no slouch."
They stepped through the portal and emerged in the calm, incense-scented halls of Kamar-Taj. Night had fallen, casting long shadows over the ancient stones.
"It's getting late,." Soren said softly, not letting go of her hand just yet.
"I won't bother the Ancient One. Will you let her know I stopped by?"
Jean nodded. "Of course. And if anything happens, I'll call you."
He smiled, brushing a thumb over her cheek. "Good. And when you speak with the professors back at the school... let them know you're alright."
"I will. They'll probably want to know why I've been gone so long." She said with a chuckle, then looked down, suddenly somber.
"I don't want to say goodbye just yet."
"You don't have to." He replied gently. "It's just 'see you soon.'"
Jean stood on her toes and kissed him again, slower this time. "Once I finish my training... I'll come find you."
"I'll be waiting."
With a final smile, Soren stepped back through the Sling Ring portal and vanished.
Everlife
Soren reappeared in his private chambers, but made no move to resume operations. His clinic had grown too popular, most visitors now were either agents of major factions or people seeking political leverage.
His mission point system had reached a bottleneck, and healing common ailments no longer yielded any rewards.
"I guess that part of the grind is over." He muttered, slipping out of his coat and glancing at the quiet, empty hall.
Bored and restless, he decided to visit Macaluso Island.
Macaluso Island
The moment he arrived, the warm ocean breeze greeted him like an old friend. The dense forests and wide beaches were just as he remembered.
Zilant, his monstrous companion, came bounding through the trees with surprising grace for something his size.
Zilant roared joyfully.
Soren smiled. "Still guarding the herb garden?"
Zilant thumped his chest proudly, as if saying. 'I've kept everything safe and I haven't eaten any of it, I swear!'
"Good. I didn't want to rebuild that thing for the third time." Soren joked
Zilant offered him a ride across the island, and together they toured the wild, untouched terrain. The island was home to countless beasts, but at the mere sight of Zilant, most of them scattered in panic.
"Looks like you've got a reputation," Soren remarked as a panther-sized lizard bolted into the undergrowth.
But the peaceful ride didn't last long.
"Huh?" Soren stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing.
The Infinity Gem gave a sharp pulse, one he hadn't felt in a long time.