TICONIC

That night, the palace was alive with warmth and unity. Tribal elders, citizens, and warriors from across Terra gathered in a large hall, sharing food and stories under flickering lanterns. Laughter echoed, and hope lingered in every voice. But Kael stood slightly apart from it all, his thoughts elsewhere.

He slowly walked toward Elian—his father—who was standing alone, staring silently at a solid stone wall that had witnessed countless battles. Elian's face was heavy, burdened by regret and choices that couldn't be undone.

"So… this is what it feels like?" Kael said quietly, a mix of frustration and uncertainty in his voice. "Being here. After everything."

Elian turned slowly, his eyes filled with remorse, but also the faintest glimmer of hope. "Kael, I… I don't know if I deserve to be called your father after all that's happened. I was one of them… but I tried to fix my mistakes. I just… I want to help Terra now."

Kael stared into his father's eyes, searching for answers. "You want to fix everything now, huh?" he muttered. "What about our past? What about what we fought for?"

Elian fell silent, pain flashing across his face. "I was trapped in the wrong side, Kael. And now I just want redemption. Even if it's too late."

Suddenly, footsteps approached. Kael turned to see his sister, Rana, walking over with a gentle smile. Though tired, she looked brighter than she had in days. "Kael. Father. Come eat with us," she said softly. "Everyone's waiting."

Kael glanced at Rana, then back to Elian, who still looked broken. Without a word, Kael gave a small nod. He wasn't sure where this road would lead, but tonight was a moment of peace—maybe even healing.

Rana stepped closer and gently took Kael's hand. "We need to be together," she said warmly. "No matter what's happened, we're family."

Kael let out a quiet sigh. "I'll try, Rana. I really will."

The three of them made their way to the table, joining the others. Conversations paused briefly as people noticed the reunited family, a subtle ripple of warmth spreading across the hall. Though the wounds of war remained, this simple moment of unity meant something.

Among the food, laughter, and stories, Kael felt a flicker of hope. The fight for Terra wasn't over, and many truths still waited to be revealed. But tonight, surrounded by those he loved, he allowed himself to believe—just for a moment—that healing was possible.

And whatever came next, they'd face it together.

From a distance, Kael stood near a stone pillar, quietly watching the warm gathering of the night. His gaze eventually settled on one particular figure—Teresa—sitting by the fire among some of the tribe's people. She was engaged in light conversation, her face softly illuminated by the dancing flames.

Kael let out a small, silent laugh and looked down briefly.

As if sensing it, Teresa lifted her eyes. Their gazes locked across the firelit space. Teresa frowned slightly but then gave a faint smile, as if to say, "What?"

Kael shrugged lightly, still smiling, then looked up at the starry sky. Teresa shook her head subtly and returned to her conversation—but the smile lingered on her lips.

Elsewhere, laughter echoed from a lively corner of the celebration. Mira, Teren, Darren, Arek, Tama, and Parker sat in a circle on woven mats, joined by a few young tribe members. Teren was in the middle of telling a wildly exaggerated story, his arms flailing dramatically as he mimicked strange sounds.

"And then... when I opened the bush, guess what—it was just a chicken!" Teren shouted, causing everyone to burst out laughing.

Arek nearly choked on his drink while Darren patted his back, laughing hard. Mira covered her face in a mix of embarrassment and amusement, and Parker nearly fell backward trying to catch his breath.

"And you screamed like you saw a dragon!" Tama teased, pointing at Teren.

"Hey, that chicken was huge, seriously! Like—a monster chicken!" Teren defended himself, which only made the group laugh harder.

In that moment of togetherness, the burdens seemed to fade. They were no longer just fighters or war refugees. That night, they were a family. And while tomorrow still held uncertainty, tonight was about laughter, warmth, and the fragile but powerful hope that somehow, they could reclaim their world.

As the festive atmosphere began to wind down and laughter faded into soft murmurs, Kael quietly rose from his seat. He stepped away from the warmth of the crowd, heading toward a quieter spot behind the main tent, where Dominus—the large, rare white wolf-like creature—lay peacefully on the soft grass.

Dominus was fast asleep, his massive body rising and falling steadily with each breath. His shimmering white fur caught the faint light of the moon.

Kael knelt beside him, reaching out to gently stroke his head.

"Hey, big guy..." he whispered softly, almost as if not to wake him. "You were amazing today."

Dominus twitched an ear slightly but didn't open his eyes. Instead, he let out a quiet huff, seemingly comforted by Kael's touch.

Kael smiled faintly, watching the peaceful face of the creature that had come to trust him so deeply. He knew their bond went beyond chance. Since the day they met, there had been something unspoken—an instinctual connection, like they were meant to find each other.

"Tomorrow, we might have to fight again," Kael murmured. "But tonight… let's just rest. The world's already crazy enough."

He ran his hand once more through the fur on Dominus's neck, then leaned gently against the warm body beside him. For the first time in a while, Kael closed his eyes, letting himself feel safe... even if just for a moment.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a twig snapping. Kael opened his eyes to find Mira standing in front of him with her hands on her hips, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Talking to Dominus again?" Mira teased, nudging Kael with her knee.

Kael shot her a small glare before chuckling softly. "You... seriously, you almost gave me a heart attack."

"That's all it takes to scare you? Come on, let's go back. The others are asking for you."

Without waiting for a reply, Kael stood up and, with enthusiasm, threw his arm around his old friend's shoulder. "You really show up at the weirdest times."

Mira chuckled. "It's a natural talent."

They walked back toward the fire and the crowd, mixing in with the laughter and warm chatter. From a distance, Teresa watched them—Kael and Mira—walking and laughing, with Kael even leaning slightly on Mira's shoulder in a playful manner.

Teresa furrowed her brow. Her expression was hard to read, a mix of confusion, annoyance, and... for some reason, a little bit of jealousy.

Kael, noticing that Teresa was watching, only made it worse. He purposely laughed louder and exaggerated their conversation, occasionally winking at Teresa in a teasing manner.

But Teresa simply turned her head slightly away, pretending not to care, even though her ears were turning red.

Mira glanced at Kael, then chuckled softly. "You're such a tease."

Kael grinned widely. "Well, if she doesn't get the hint... might as well give her a little push, right?"

Terren was the most excited when he heard that Kael liked Teresa and couldn't stop laughing. "Wow, Kael! You like Teresa? This is a major plot twist!"

Darren, who overheard the conversation, smirked and said casually, "Watch out, Parker. Kael and Liana aren't going to happen. Because... Kael, apparently, likes Teresa, a human from Earth."

Kael, who heard this, suddenly went silent. His expression changed—serious and distant. There was a feeling that he couldn't quite explain on his face, as though he was reminded of something long buried. That feeling was repressed, and Kael tried to hide it with a faint smile, but deep down, old wounds resurfaced.

He remembered the past—a time when he had been in a relationship with a girl named Liana. It wasn't just who she was, but the status difference between them. Kael, who was once poor, felt unworthy of being with someone like her. He clearly remembered how he felt he couldn't offer her anything but his sincere love. That's why they broke up. Kael, afraid of their status difference, ultimately ended things. But no one knew about this. Everyone thought Kael and Liana had simply drifted apart, but the truth was far deeper, and Kael had chosen to keep it to himself.

Now, with Teresa, Kael felt something more natural. Something that didn't carry the same weight he felt with Liana. It felt like something he could accept without the burden of past fears.

Kael turned toward Darren and Parker, who were still chatting, oblivious to Kael's changed mood. But Kael knew, no one truly understood what he was feeling—especially not about his past with Liana, which still haunted his thoughts.

Arek, who had been listening to the conversation, suddenly dropped a bombshell. "Hey, you guys went to the palace, right? Was Princess Liana there? She's Kael's ex, didn't you know?"

His words instantly shattered the silence, and all eyes turned to Kael. A mix of surprise, confusion, and even curiosity appeared on their faces. Terren, in particular, looked overly excited, stepping closer to Kael.

"Kael, you didn't tell us you were with Princess Liana!" Terren teased, a grin spreading across his face.

Kael remained silent for a moment, looking at Arek and then down at the ground. The atmosphere grew awkward as the others watched Kael, waiting for him to respond. Despite trying to maintain a calm expression, there was a noticeable tension in his demeanor.

"Don't get too surprised, guys," Kael finally spoke, trying to sound casual, though his voice was a little strained. "That was a long time ago. It's not worth discussing anymore."

Parker, still trying to wrap his head around the information, asked, "So, you broke up with Liana because...?"

He didn't get to finish his question as Kael quickly gestured for the conversation to end.

Darren, who understood Kael better than anyone, gave him a knowing look. He could tell there was a personal reason behind the breakup, something Kael didn't want to talk about.

"Yeah, it's over," Kael added more quietly, his voice softening. "It's part of the past, and I'd rather leave it there."

But even though Kael said that, there was something deeper stirring within him. Particularly when he saw Teresa from a distance, smiling and looking in their direction. Kael knew this could be the beginning of something new, but the shadow of his past still loomed over him, and he couldn't escape it.

"So, let's focus on the plan now," Kael continued, trying to steer the conversation back to their mission. "There are more important things than personal matters."

However, deep inside, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that his past with Liana wasn't just something he could leave behind. It was something that still haunted him, and he wondered how it would affect his future, especially with Teresa.

That night, after the confusing conversation and the secrets that were revealed, Kael stood up quickly, feeling uneasy and not wanting to talk about his past any further. It was as if a heavier burden had been placed on him. Without saying a word, Kael walked toward the tent where he planned to rest. Behind him, Darren and Arek exchanged glances, as if they understood what was going on. They chose not to follow Kael, knowing that moments like these were when Kael needed to be alone.

Tama, usually cheerful, adopted a serious demeanor. He gently patted Darren's shoulder and said, "He'll be fine. We need to focus on our mission." Darren simply nodded, knowing that Kael didn't want to discuss the matter further.

Terren, still taken aback by the revelation about Kael and Princess Liana, looked at Parker with a mischievous grin. "Come on, Parker, let's sleep! Enough with the talks for tonight. Tomorrow, there's more to do." Without waiting for a response, Terren pulled Parker toward their tent. Parker, still somewhat confused, reluctantly followed, although he couldn't shake off his curiosity about Kael's past.

They all entered their respective tents. Kael lay in silence, reflecting on everything. Teresa, Liana, and the uncertain future. Sometimes, it felt hard to find direction in the midst of all the chaos, but one thing was certain—he had to keep going, no matter what happened.

Teresa, in the tent next to him, seemed to sense the shift in Kael. Though no words were exchanged, they connected through the silence, giving each other the space to reflect. Tomorrow was a new day, and they all knew that their struggle was far from over.

Kael pulled the blanket closer, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep, though the weight of his feelings still lingered.