Reunited again

After a while of resting, Lumi and Amber finally woke up, their energy seemingly fully restored as they dashed around the camp, laughing and playing. The sound startled Summer and Raven awake, both having dozed off with their heads resting on the table. Summer blinked the sleep from her eyes and let out a sigh, realizing the time—it was already the middle of the afternoon. She hadn't contacted Taiyang yet, and knowing him, he was probably worrying himself sick about the kids.

She stood up and began gathering their things.

"Pack your things now. We're going home," Summer said, looking at Raven.

Raven tilted her head, a bit puzzled. "Including me?"

"Of course, silly. We're in Anima—literally another continent. It would take days or weeks to return to Patch Island," Summer said, placing both hands on her hips. Then, with a softer tone, she added, "And besides, did I ever say you weren't going back home?"

Raven's eyes shimmered at those words—the idea of finally going back to where her family was. She hesitated, uncertainty flashing across her face, but she quickly gathered her resolve. Standing up, she quietly made her way back to her guild, intending to inform them of her departure and urge them to take a well-earned rest.

Meanwhile, Summer waited with Lumi and Amber just outside the tent. The two girls beamed with bright smiles, their excitement clear. They were finally going back home.

Raven soon returned, her expression calm but her eyes betraying a quiet anticipation. As she approached, she saw the joy radiating from the three waiting for her. A small smile tugged at her lips as she raised her hand and opened a swirling portal—its glowing edges humming gently in the afternoon light.

At Patch Island, Taiyang sat on the front steps of his home, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together, and a deep frown etched into his tired face. The morning had started with dread—he had gone to check on Lumi and Amber, only to find their beds empty. At first, he thought they might be in the bathroom, but after knocking and getting no response, he opened the door to find it empty. Panic immediately set in.

He scoured the entire house, then the neighborhood, asking everyone he knew—locals, shopkeepers, hunters—but no one had seen them. It was as if the girls had vanished overnight.

Yang and Ruby sat silently on the bench in the veranda. The breakfast Taiyang had prepared earlier sat untouched on the table inside. The usually lively home was now weighed down by anxiety and fear.

Then, without warning, a portal shimmered into existence right in front of the house.

Taiyang stood up, eyes wide with shock. He knew that portal. Before he could take another breath, Summer stepped out, holding Lumi and Amber by their hands. The girls looked safe—unharmed. Taiyang dropped to his knees, overwhelmed with relief. His daughters were home.

He opened his arms, but his eyes were drawn to the shifting glow of the portal again. Another figure stepped through.

She was familiar.

Long, dark hair. Sharp red eyes. Dressed in her signature outfit that hadn't changed much over the years. Taiyang's breath caught in his throat.

It was Raven.

His first wife. The woman who had left so long ago… was standing before him once more.

Taiyang stared at Raven, confusion clouding his expression. He couldn't make sense of what he was seeing—why Raven was here, why she was with Summer, and why Summer had returned holding the girls in her hands . The heavy silence lingering in the air was suddenly broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.

Ruby and Yang rushed out from the veranda, tears welling in their eyes as they cried out and embraced Lumi and Amber. The girls giggled, wrapped tightly in their older sisters' arms.

"We told you we were gonna save Mom, right? So why are you crying?" Amber said with a playful grin.

"Yeah! And look at the two of us—we got strong!" Lumi added proudly, summoning her P90 in a flash of light.

Amber followed suit, manifesting her gleaming shield. Ruby and Yang stared in awe at the weapons, stunned by the transformation and strength radiating from their younger sisters.

Taiyang remained still, his gaze drifting between the girls, then shifting back to Summer and Raven. His eyes searched theirs for answers.

"We'll explain everything," Summer said, letting out a tired sigh. "But let's do it over lunch. I'm starving after clearing that S-rank dungeon."

Taiyang's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape. Before he could speak, Summer and Raven walked past him and into the house as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Still stunned, he followed them inside moments later.

At the table, the four girls sat together, laughing and enjoying the warm meal Taiyang had prepared earlier. Their plates clinked with utensils, the sound of joy filling the room. Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Summer, Raven, and Taiyang sat in quiet conversation, their voices low and heavy with truth.

They told him everything.

From Summer's supposed death and how fate had been rewritten, to Lumi and Amber's awakening and their ascension as Monarchs, and finally, to the reason why Raven had left all those years ago.

Taiyang sat frozen, his mind struggling to absorb the weight of it all. His eyes eventually drifted toward Raven, his expression softening with a mixture of pain and understanding.

"So it's true… all of it. You left us… because you didn't want us to be in danger?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Raven nodded. "Yes. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd try to stop me… or worse, help me. I never wanted to belittle you for being an A-rank, Taiyang, but even ten S-ranks together couldn't land a scratch on him. I was being hunted. And the only way I could protect you—and the kids—was to disappear."

She stared down at her plate, unable to meet his eyes, guilt clinging to every word. But then, something warm wrapped around her left arm. She looked down to see Taiyang's hand gently holding hers.

When she looked up, she was met with a familiar smile—gentle, kind, and filled with the same warmth that once made her feel like home.

"Welcome home," Taiyang said softly.

Raven's eyes welled with tears. Her lips trembled as emotion overwhelmed her, and she whispered back,

"I'm home."

After a heartwarming reunion between Raven and Taiyang, Summer turned her gaze to the children and smiled as she leaned back in her seat.

"So, kids… why don't you introduce yourselves to your second mother?" Summer said with a teasing tone, her eyes glinting with amusement as she glanced at Raven.

Raven blinked, caught off guard. Her expression shifted into confusion, clearly unsure what Summer meant by "second mother." Taiyang, sitting beside her, chuckled softly at her reaction before stepping in with a warm voice.

"Kids, this is your second mother—Raven," Taiyang said. "She's the one we've always mentioned in our stories, the one we told you about growing up."

Lumi, Amber, Yang, and Ruby turned their attention to Raven, eyes wide with admiration. The room went quiet for a moment as they took her in.

"She looks a lot cooler in person," Yang said, staring at Raven's red eyes, sleek black hair, and calm yet commanding aura.

"She really does," Lumi added, her voice filled with awe.

"She's got this powerful vibe…" Amber murmured, nodding in agreement.

Ruby gave a small smile, still holding onto her food, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Raven looked between the girls, then slowly turned her eyes toward Taiyang and Summer, seeking answers. Her lips parted slightly as if to speak, but Summer was already one step ahead.

"We've always been honest with them," Summer said, her tone softening. "We told Lumi and Yang that you're their real mother. We didn't want to hide the truth from them."

She reached over and gently patted Ruby's head, her voice still steady.

"They deserve to know who you are, and I never wanted them to feel like you were some stranger to them."

Taiyang nodded in agreement. "I knew you had your reasons for leaving. I never held that against you. What mattered to me was that the girls could still carry your name with pride… even if they didn't know everything yet."

Raven lowered her gaze for a moment, processing their words. The silence stretched, but there was no tension—only emotion. She finally lifted her head, her voice low and steady, tinged with gratitude.

"Thank you… That means more to me than I can say."

And so, they returned to their lunch. The table was filled with the sound of quiet chatter and laughter as the reunited family shared a meal—smiles blooming around the table

like flowers warmed by the sun.