Jun walked out of his st exam with an hour to spare. He'd been prepared and was fident he'd done more than simply pass. His pns for the future didn't require stelr grades, but it still felt good to do well. No matter how these kids tried, there was no way anyone was gonna take his position at the top of the css... Maybe this was why he had no friends here...

  Feeling both antsy from aplishment and ay for the pns he had ter that evening, Jun was walking towards the Student Square where Aunt Mary and Lily should still be setting up the st bits for his thesis presentation / Unveili / desperate plot to get on the good side of his wifey when he heard some familiar voices. They were loud and angry. 'Who's voices were these again?' Jun thought with a chuckle.

  Pulled by his curious nature, Jun followed the voices to a bigger situation than he assumed happening right in front of the Experimental Runes Research Facility.

  The day was blessed with unnaturally good weather, with the bck clouds of poison that bhe skies blessedly thinner, allowing a few glimpses of rare sunshio pass through. The world was no longer as dark, with patches of warmth blessing the city for a few hours.

  There were, of course, many more people outdoors on days like these to enjoy the treat of nature’s gift that their aors had taken from them. It was a joyous time that the peoples of Trident City rarely savored.

  Yet, despite the serenity, there seemed to be an angry patch of darkhat even the gifted light could not shine away. Two powerfully spiteful but beautiful voices cshed and chased all the happiness away while attrag more and more attention of the curious.

  Two figures stood at odds, and battled with words so sharp they even hit the growing crowd of bystanders.

  “It’s so brave of you to walk outside looking like a cross-dresser whot their padding. I just love how you don’t give a shit. You’re a real inspiration.”

  Three ft chested girls in the crowd went down.

  “You surround yourself with simps that only know how to lick your pretentious ft ass and now a whore like you thinks you judge my charm as a woman?”

  Five simps in the crowd went down.

  Seeing as how the argument had devolved to name calling, it was time t it to a close.

  Desi's best friend, Nicole Silverwind, was arguing fiercely with the infamous Queen of the Rune Research Department, Tiana Firestorm and her gang of tag-alongs, while a couple of ining freshmen were caught shivering like puppies betweewo unopposable forces.

  He'd heard enough as he approached to uand what was happening.

  “Hello dies. Having a pleasant afternoon? Have you all finished with your Finals as well?”

  Both women shot fierce gres at the rude intruder, only to softehey saw who it was.

  “Hey Jun,” said Nicole, ever the polite and more approachable of Desi's circle of girlfriends. If you didn’t tick her off.

  Standing at a little under five and a half feet, even with her increasingly dangerously high-heeled boots, Nicole was anything but small in presence. Shoulder-length blonde hair, always styled with sophistication, plimented her striking blue eyes and highlighted her delicate features. Wearing a sleek formfitting bck dress with gold ats, she carried herself with unshakable fidend dignity, her very presence deg her identity as the warrior princess of the S Rank Silverwind Family.

  “Hello Jun. I was having a very pleasant afternoon until very retly. Thank you for asking. How about yourself?” said the seajor for this flict.

  Tiana Firestorm, the red-haired goddess of the Runes Department and daughter of the S Rank Firestorm Family, in her yellow sundress, was every bit the equal in aura as her oppo, who eyed her like a predator.

  Her’s were the eyes of an intellectual superior, capable of making the bravest feel meek and inferior. She was soft-spoken aant to express her emotions on her face, but her eyes had a way of letting fools kly how little she thought of them. A single disdainful gnce of her pretty green eyes was all it took to fell untable suitors. And right now, those expressive eyes were sing Jun from head to foot before slightly smirking.

  Jun rolled his eyes.

  Tiana was as tall as Jun, but in her heels she got to look down at him, which she loved. Since she was the only friend Jun made in the Runes Department, he k wasn't malicious. She was just frustrated that she was always stuck as wo over the entire four years they were in school together. She just liked to enjoy the little victories. Poor thing.

  “Well, I've had more emotionally stable weeks, but what's life without parties?” Jun had finally arrived before the small group.

  He couldn't help but give these two silly friends of his a pointedly fused look before asking them, “Have all the exams ended in the Rune Res?” With that, he made a show of looking up and passed them.

  As if he had been the ductor, all heads followed suit. The actual flict was happening only feet from the entrao the academic facility. Looking up, they saw numerous pairs of curious and bemused eyes looking down at them, including a furious Professor Dillion, who they saw bring a fio his mouth, signaling to shut up or else.

  While Nicole and Tiana were busy bng, he looked at the two freshmen and said gently, “It's alright. They're just kind of naturally scary, but they're good people, I swear.”

  The two social titans pouted, made eye tact with each over and quickly looking away in a huff.

  The two smaller students began to rex ohey realized no one was screaming anymore.

  “This is the Experimental Rune Research Facility. You'll be spending a lot of time here in your third years. If you go down this way, you'll get back to the Quad. You split off from one of the udent group tours, right?” Two little heads nodded with vigor, seeking salvation.

  “Haha. It's alright, everyone's friends here. This is Nicole Silverwind, a top graduating member of the Elite Hunter Css and a rising star in Trident's newer Hunters circles and a top pick for Rookie of the Year. You'll for sure be hearing a lot about her in the ing years.” He couldn't help smirking a little when he saw how Nicole puffed up her little chest at Jun's praise. She kept gng smugly at Tiana, who was firmly staring in any dire but hers.

  “She's also very passionate about standing up for the little guy. In fact, she's so passiohat she sometimes nnize when someone's being a bully or not. For instance,” Juured towards the pouting girl that cutely had her face turned away.

  “... Tiana here may have PBF Syndrome, but is in fae of the most thoughtful people you'll ever meet. Don't know about PBFS? Perpetual Bitch Face Syndrome. It's not tagious, I swear...” He g the chilly faces of Tiana's ente. “Maybe it's tagious.”

  “JUN!” Tiana barked with a blush that matched her hair.

  “Jokes! Jokes!” He gently pcated her briefly before turning back to the freshmen. “But seriously, I'm not joking. This is Tiana Firestorm, the sed highest raudent in the Rune Research Department, the Associate Professor and the only person who pete with the number one. You are in the presence of a legend.”

  Jun could see the cocktail of emotions pying across Tiana's pretty face, represented in shades of reds and purples and the old faithful pulsing vein on the right side of her forehead. Oh, she was gonna blow sooer this up.

  “She just looks mad all the time, but I swear she only has good iions. I heard she caught y to get into the Experimental Rune Research Facility. You get into a lot of trouble going into these buildings without authorization. Sometimes it be as harsh as expulsion.” Both of the little chicks paled in fright. “She just doesn't want you guys losing out on the opportunity to study here for something like that. Anyone else would have just let you get in trouble, but she didn't. Uand her good iions?”

  Nodding even more emphatically, they both g each other before turning towards Tiana and bowing. “Thank you for yood iions, Seniors.” They quickly did the same for Nicole.

  Wow, talk about close friends. They were so in sync. Creepy.

  Having been impressed by something weird, he steeled himself to be shameless and addressed the group.

  “Well, since a whole crowd is here, don't fet to chey thesis presentation iudent Square in an hour. There will be a big unveiling of my test masterpiece. You won't regret it.”

  Seeing that the fun was over, the extras trickled away while the two little chicks still looked a little unsure. With a gesture of his eyebrow, he let them run away from the two scariest girls in the Uy, ready t to all their friends.

  Front row tickets to the csh of the two legendary women of Trident Uy. There was also a cute senior boy. Their friends were going to be so jelly.

  The crowd finally dispersing, Jun once again looked back at his two exasperating friends. As ss of two of the six S Rank Families that ultimately ruled the city, their retionship couldn't help but be votile.

  Their attitudes in public often reflected the retionship of the two Families. Whewo Families were friends, they were friends. Whewo Families were ral, they were ral. And whewo Families were ehey were enemies. It was freaking exhausting.

  “I just want you both not tet that while you may be members of your respective families, your identities go beyond that. Don’t you think this one was a bit silly?”

  He was hearteo see his friends hear him and have the grace to be embarrassed. Lackey hree - or was it four? - however, had had enough.

  “How dare you tease aure the Princess of the Firestorm Family! Know your pce, you filthy orphan!” yelled a real greasy looking kid. No matter how good his features were, he couldn’t hide the arrogant, demeaning shat procimed to the world how much better he was. This did not bother Jun. It didn't o.

  “es...if you say another word, I'll have you shipped bay mother in a shoe box. Noologize to my friend for being a little bitch.” Everyone present knew when they heard the gentle mahreat that Tiana was truly angry. The scuffle with Nicole earlier had been more out of family obligation than genuiion for both sides, but to these annoying flies that hovered around her stantly by the designs of her family, she couldn't care if they dropped dead that instant.

  es and ckeys one and two k, too. Those deep greehat usually inspired great fantasies now only produced dread. She would totally do it. The bnk stare didn't even see him as human. He was so scared that he didn't have the ce to feel disappointed.

  Survival first, moping sed.

  The normal arrogance was repced with fear and unwillingness as es gave a relut bow and mumbled an unintelligible apology.

  “...All of you get out of my sight. I'm going to speak with my friend..s...” Fed up with these children, all she could do was shoo them away with exhaustion.

  “I'm sorry Jun, I've failed in disciplining my subordinates. Again. Sigh.” Tiana was lookiired now.

  Seeing this, he led the duo over to sit and chat, away from the major crowds. He still had time, and it looked like Nicole had e for him.

  “You know, of these duets you two perform, it's the ones when you tying friends that are the most genuine.” And it was true. In the instances whewo families had amicable retions, the two were free to be friends. The windows were brief, but they were the moments wheermission to be themselves with each other. But when the windows closed, they also closed their hearts. He wished they could finally be a bit more ho with themselves.

  Seeing their blush aao address the issue, he decided he had meddled enough.

  “Nicole, what brings you to visit our lovely er of the world?” he asked, hoping to move things along.

  “Well, um...” she g Tiana aated, so Jun reassured her that everyone was friends so she could speak. her noticed Tiana's small smile.

  Seeing that he didn't mind, she shrugged and decided not to care, either.

  “I'm worried about Desi.” That statement woke Jun up.

  “Is she alright? Did something happen?”

  “She's fine. Nothing happened, but she's been saying some ing things and she's been increasingly more distant.” Nicole said, looking unfortable.

  Jun's heart ched and asked for crification. Why couldn't this girl just say everything at once? Didn't she know she was killing him here?

  “Well, it's about her obsession with being a Hunter and living in the Fortress. We've mostly ughed it off at first, thinking she was messing with us or something, but she's been so serious. She almost didn't even attend her finals. We finally told her mom so she could knoe sense or fear into that girl, but even if she went, I'm not sure if she did more than attend,” she expined, looking even more helpless now.

  Jun was silent. He hadn't known about this. Last time he visited their house was a few days ago. Aunt Mary was so mad about something that she wouldn't leave her room, and with Desi log him out of hers and actively not speaking with him, the only outlet for any news was Lily. She mentioned nothing about this, though.

  “Jun, what do you think about being a Hunter?” Nicole suddenly asked.

  “Not ied.” Jun replied ftly.

  “You're not ied in being a powerful Hunter and making lots of merit? What about the prestige and bes?”

  “I don't care about those things, Nicole, you know that. And even if I were, with my potential, I could never rise to those heights.” He shrugged. “I mean, first sing at twenty is pretty good, but it's nowhere near enough to eve noticed by the guilds, right?”

  “Really. First sing at twenty, huh?” Nicole stared intensely into Jun's eyes as if she were trying to see into his soul.

  “Of course. Remember? A few months after my birthday before midterms. First sing. Please stop looking at me like that.”

  Tiana, having caught up from the shog hat Jun's fiancée wao suddenly bee a Hunter, respoo Nicole's shameless poag attempt with real heat.

  “Nicole, everyone knows about Jun's mediocrity in Body Refi, just as everyone knows about Jun's position as a on a lifetime genius rune-smith that's going to ge the world! How could you even suggest putting him on such a dangerous path? What if he died!? Do you know what the world would be losing!?” Tiana demanded with surprising passion.

  She was vihat Jun was the most brilliant Rune-smith of their geion, whose genius rivaled and maybe even surpassed the great minds that cracked the code and id the foundations for modern rune research. Turning his attention to something so barbaric as being a on Hunter when he should be here, fog on ging the world of ruudies with her, was not permissible.

  Nicole and Jun were both a bit stunned by the outburst. Jun had never known how highly his friend had regarded him, while Nicole was genuinely unaware of Jun's status within the Runes Department.

  Ever since she caught a glimpse of Jun’s secret, all she had observed was that Jun was an amazing artist and boyfriend. She wasn't ashamed to admit to anyone else besides Jun that she was jealous of her best friend as a fan of Jun's streaming and art.

  But even with this, she hadn't sidered his talent in runes because it had never e up before. As a fairly busy person herself, she had few friends at the Uy and hin the Runes Department besides Jun. She had always assumed that he did well since she couldn't imagine Jun doing anything poorly, but very precious few had aalent in Runes.

  Those given such high praise from someone as proud as Tiana Firestorm had to be a monster.

  “That’s perfect then! The Guild I’m about to found will have its own rune research department, so you head it! Then, even if Desi goes over, we ensure her safety!” Nicole excimed, genuinely excited.

  “Research! He o do research! Here!”

  “Ahem.” These girls looked like they were about to throw down.

  Both girls turo look at Jun, who was still rosy, but resolute with his response.

  “I’m sorry, but I already have a path in mind, and it doesn’t involve staying at the uy oing into the Gate. But even if I did, it’s the idea of Desi fighting mohat I think should be our focus.”

  “There are other paths then active hunting if you live in the Fortress. I think if we get her a position exposed to the Hunter world away from the a, that would be enough. I don’t want her out there exposed to danger either. If you’re ed about streaming, you do that in Fortress. There will be more iing ways to film there then just here, right?” Nicole enced.

  “It’s not just that. I’ve had some ambitioly to do something for our home, maybe involving my art.”

  “Trident City?”

  “Um, the p.”

  “I don’t uand. Please speak in plete sentences.” Tiana demanded, irritated that Ju wanting to leave.

  “I was thinking. 'We broke it shouldn't we fix it?' If babies could be born beyond the Gates, then it wouldn't take long for all mankind to end up migrating because it’s so shitty here, but they 't. That means the p is important. Ahere aren't even any discussions about it. I think that's insane.”

  They both nodded in agreement, knowing that he was making sense.

  Not everything about the Last War was clear, but the initial trigger to the chaos was well known. It was the violent colpse of the space izatirams. The reason wasn't because of politics or finang.

  The world's supply of natural resources was rapidly dwindling and the ued destru of the world in searore was only hastening the p’s expiration date.

  All govers around the world were forced to make pea order to solve the very real danger of humain.

  Great space faring y ships were designed and structed with the entire world w as one. A new age of humanity was being birthed, and it would start with peace. Humanity had finally learo e together.

  It was sidered The Great Human Miracle.

  Until the day the first baby was born without a soul.

  Maility studies were ducted in the United Earth Space Station, an orbital boratory that housed two thousand stists studying the effects of living in spa preparation for the Great Migration. Mahy children were successfully birthed in the UESS so why was the first child born on one of the many stru stations orbiting Mars not showing any active brain activity?

  What first was thought to be a unique case resulting from a radiation bree the station hull turned out to merely be the first.

  After the sed, people started paying attention.

  After the third, stists became seriously ed.

  After the 143rd within six months, many of the greatest minds oh had goerally mad from the clusion.

  Humanity could only gain a soul if born withih’s influehe UESS was within the range of influence, but even the newly established Moon Bases reported simir cases.

  The Earth gave humanity its souls aied to it. They could not leave.

  The Last War started one hour and twenty-three minutes after the stificlusion was drawn and announced.

  hty pert of the global human popution of thirty billion was wiped out in the 24 hours.

  The rest kept fighting for reasons they didn't even care about anymore.

  For years.

  Until there was nothi but a lifeless, radioactive rock with poisoned os and skies.

  Now ie Era, the rule applied still. Humans could only be safely birthed on this side of the Gate.

  “This p is all we have as our foundation, and I think I’ve got a great ptform to do something to help it.”

  “And how does your art py into this?” Nicole asked, unsure of the e.

  “Well, at my core, all I want to really do is make beautiful things and raise beautiful babies with Desi. After so many visits out of the city walls, I also grew a desire to do something about ing things up. Especially when I found out about our baby. I want them to someday see actual trees. I realized while I was here that those two things don't have to be mutually exclusive.”

  “How so?”

  “Babies?” Tiana blushed in a daze.

  “Ah, yeah, we're having a baby.” Jun said, now sp the biggest, dumbest smile that either had seen Jun make. Now both girls were feeling unfortable for reasons.

  “gratutions.” Tiana said in a soft voice.

  “Thanks,” Jun replied, not thinking much of it.

  “Anyway,” Nicole said, trying to ighe unfortable pressure in her chest.

  “Well... if you guys both e to my thesis presentation, you'll see something I think is special. You'll uand more of what I'm aiming to do, I think.”

  her could uand their overwhelming desire to punch that mischievously smiling face.

  “Desi has always been my number one supporter. She's been with me every step of the way and she knows how important it is to me as well as my deep aversion to the Gates.” Jun said, reminding the two why they were even having this versation.

  “Holy, I don't know what she's thinking right now. That fight we had didn't make any real seo me and we haven't talked since.... I'm hoping to ge that tonight, so wish me luck, yeah?” Jun said, more subdued than the moment before.

  “I actually gotta go and make sure everything is in order. Don't be te or you'll regret it.” and with that he was gone.

  There was an awkward silence as both girls found themselves alone during a period where they were supposed to be enemies, without Jun to act as the mediator.

  At the moment, Tiana wasn't ied in politics. She had too many questions and the only person who could give her any sat before her.

  “What does he mean by art? Is Jun also into Prompting?” Tiana asked.

  Nicole looked up and sidered only briefly before answering holy. “Jun is a talented sculptor. Sculptors are artists that create things with their hands and tools. He has a live-streaming el where he shows his process. Did you not know about that?”

  “....No.”

  Nicole was about to act smug out of habit wheopped herself after seeing her frenemy's pitiful expression. It was the first time she'd seen Tiana Firestorm make an expression of true vulnerability. Right now, she didn't look like the You Princess of the S Rank Firestorm Family. She looked like a puppy that had been abandoned by its owner. After some sideration, Nicole uood.

  “The only reason any of us know about the streaming is because Desi told us. From my uanding, Ju like to actively bring it up. I'm not sure why. So, stop looking at me like that.”

  Tiana's furrowed brows rexed a bit before softly asking for more information.

  Nicole rolled her eyes before bringing up her vid files she saved from his streaming sessions. All of them. She was a fan.

  While the two most terrifying women in Trident Uy sat huddled together watg clips, Nicole was interrupted from her evangelizing the fangirl way when an ining message popped up.

  Seeing as it was a message from her best friend, she ope with little thought while Tiana politely looked away. She quickly turned back when she heard a horrified gasp from her new fangirl mentor.

  Nicole had burst to her feet while she tinued reading the message. Whatever it was, it was obviously bad news. Tiana grew ed when Nicole's hands trembled, her eyes began to tear up as they read on. Finally, the s fizzed out of existence as Nicole raised both her hands to her face, still in shock at what she had read.

  It was too much.

  Jun had to know.

  Nicole tried to run but iate of distress she tripped on her ow, face rapidly about to be introduced to floor. A hand grabbed her by the back of her colr, stopping her dest mere inches from the ground.

  “What is going on? What's happeo make you like this?” Tiana asked, still shocked as she set the girl straight.

  “I have to tell Jun,” Nicole replied, her hand rubbihroat as her eyes watered from both the fall and her emotions.

  Seeiill uo focus, Tiana merely offered to help her get to the Student Square. They still had about 15 minutes before the start of Jun’s presentation. She hoped it wasn't too bad but to earn such a rea, how could it not be awful?

  Well, maybe Nicole was just over-reag.

  Maybe the dinner reservations for the after-party were celed st minute?

  She just didn't want her only real friend to get hurt.