The night settled over the ruined outskirts, dim moonlight spilling across broken buildings and flickering rifts. The trio found a half-collapsed courtyard sheltered from most of the wind, the safest resting spot they'd seen all day.
Isaac slumped against a cracked wall, exhaustion weighing on him like lead. Helena immediately knelt beside him, touching his shoulder gently as warm golden healing energy seeped into his wounds.
Helena: "Hold still. You're stitched together, but not stable yet."
Isaac (wincing): "Feels like I got hit by a truck. Multiple times."
From the corner of the courtyard came a loud clang, followed by a muttered curse.
Kael: "Cooking, they said. Simple, they said. How hard can it be, they said!"
Isaac watched Kael with growing concern.
The young demon had gathered rubble, broken metal rods, and some half-charred rift-creatures he insisted were "edible if cooked enough." He stood proudly over the mess, his giant broadsword planted in the ground like a flag of confidence he absolutely did not deserve.
Isaac: "Uh… Kael? What exactly are you doing?"
Kael (with absolute certainty): "Cooking, obviously! This is gourmet demon cuisine. You humans don't understand the art."
Helena raised an eyebrow, voice dry.
Helena: "Kael… do you even know how to cook?"
Kael (offended): "Of course I do! Fire magic, heat, meat, that's all you need! Watch and learn!"
He pointed at the pile of ingredients with both hands extended dramatically.
Kael: "Inferno….."
Helena (eyes widening): "Kael, WAIT!!!!!"
Kael: "BURST!"
The explosion that followed shook the entire courtyard.
A roaring column of crimson flame erupted, blasting the ingredients, the stones, and most of Kael's pride into the air. Isaac barely dove aside in time. Helena shielded them with a shimmering barrier as a fireball whizzed past her head.
When the flames settled, the entire area was scorched black. Smoke rose in lazy spirals.
Kael stood in the center of a smoldering crater, covered in soot from horns to tail.
Kael (coughing): "A… slight miscalculation."
Isaac stared at him, slack-jawed.
Isaac: "…You burned the ground."
Kael: "Y-Yes. Yes I did."
Helena (sighing, utterly done): "Give me five minutes. I'll fix dinner before he sets the atmosphere on fire too."
Kael looked ashamed for only three seconds before clearing his throat confidently.
Kael: "…Cooking was overrated anyway."
⸻⸻⸻⸻
HELENA SAVES DINNER
Helena took over effortlessly.
She scavenged real supplies, edible plants, preserved food from Isaac's bag, clean water from a ruptured pipe, then set up a small wind-shielded fire using simple magic.
Isaac watched, half impressed and half relieved that the world might survive the evening.
The smell of warm stew soon filled the courtyard, rich and savory. Isaac felt his stomach growl.
Kael hovered nearby, eyes sparkling as if witnessing divine magic.
Kael: "Human food… smells amazing. Why doesn't demon food smell like this? Why does ours smell like burnt ashes?"
Isaac: "Probably because you burn everything to ashes."
Kael pointed dramatically at Isaac.
Kael: "Slander!"
Helena giggled lightly… a rare, soft sound Isaac had never heard from her. It eased some of the weight crushing his heart.
Helena: "Here. Eat before Kael steals your bowl."
Kael had already grabbed his third bowl.
Kael (mouth full): "It's not stealing if you're hungry!"
Isaac flicked a stray pebble at him.
Isaac: "Then chew faster."
Kael flinched exaggeratedly.
Kael: "Physical abuse! I demand compensation!"
Helena rolled her eyes fondly.
⸻⸻⸻⸻
A MOMENT OF PEACE
For the first time since the invasion, Isaac felt his shoulders relax.
Helena sat beside him, leaning her head against the wall. Kael sprawled on the ground, tail twitching contentedly as he sipped the last of the stew.
The fire crackled warmly. The sky above, though cracked with faint rifts, looked almost peaceful.
Isaac (quietly): "Thanks… both of you. I don't think I would've made it this far alone."
Kael grinned, showing pointed teeth but unmistakable warmth.
Kael: "Of course you wouldn't! You humans are squishy! But don't worry — you have a demon warrior in training by your side."
Isaac: "You're still terrible with that sword."
Kael: "Confidence, Isaac. Confidence."
Helena smoothed her cloak around her shoulders, smiling faintly.
Helena: "We'll get stronger. Together."
Isaac nodded, feeling the truth of it — and feeling Irithel's echo inside him stir, acknowledging Kael, Helena, and the path ahead.
For tonight, there was warmth.
There was food.
There was laughter.
And for the first time…
There was hope.