Nova had settled into a rhythm. Mornings were spent talking with Cassidy, slowly catching up due to the time they had spent apart. Evenings were dedicated to training—mostly with the sword, though he didn't forget to work with arrays in between. He understood their power and utility too well to let his array knowledge slowly fade away. Night after night, he pushed himself until exhaustion took over him, stealing only a few hours of sleep before starting the cycle anew.

By the afternoon of the third day, Nova and Cassidy were, once again, seated across from each other in one of the many rooms of the complex. As with the past few afternoons, their voices were the only sounds filling the quiet space.

After some light conversation, Cassidy finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind.

"Do you always stay cooped up in here training?"

Nova raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She gave a slight shrug, her voice calm but direct. "You haven't stepped outside in three days. And I'm pretty sure if I wasn't around, you'd spend the entire day training without pause. Tell me I'm wrong."

Shaking his head, Nova said, "You're wrong. There are specific reasons I'm staying here."

Cassidy raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharpening slightly as she fell into brief thought. "Are you waiting for that group to show up?"

Nova gave a silent nod.

"But what if they never do?" she asked, concern threading her voice. "Are you planning to stay here indefinitely, just waiting? That could turn into weeks… even months."

She wasn't sure if he was making the right call. Sitting in one place, with the constant thought that someone might appear, felt like a gamble that could drag on far too long.

Nova let out a quiet sigh, the tension in his shoulders briefly easing. "I know what you're saying. You're not wrong. But if they come and I'm not here... then it's just Alaric. He's the only one strong enough to hold his own against them. Without me, things could spiral—fast. That's not a risk I can take."

He hadn't taken the three hostages on a whim. The goal was simple: earn Gold coins and use them to strengthen his people. It was a calculated move, not a reckless one. After subduing Ren, Colin, and Micah with ease, he figured their allies couldn't be much stronger. Even if they were a notch higher, he was confident he could handle them.

The desire to expand his strength—and his forces—had only grown. The timing had been too perfect: three enemies practically delivered to him, and rumors of a larger group backing them. It felt like the right moment to take a risk, to demand money in exchange for their lives.

"I get it… but!" Cassidy interrupted, a sudden glint of mischief flashing in her eyes. "It's been three days and no one's shown up. I think stepping out for a thirty-minute walk in the city wouldn't hurt, don't you?"

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze locking onto Nova's. There was a challenge in her eyes—subtle but unmistakable—as if daring him to refuse.

Instead of answering, Nova simply smiled—like he'd been expecting this all along.

"Already tired of being here?" he asked, a teasing note in his voice. "I did warn you not to agree so quickly to join me. Luckily for you, this is still your trial period. You're free to leave anytime."

Cassidy's expression twisted with irritation as she grit her teeth. "Who said I'm tired of being here? I just want to go out with you and see the city. Is that really too much to ask?"

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The playful energy she had just moments ago was gone, replaced by sharp frustration.

'Why is she getting so worked up over a simple walk?' Nova wondered, confused. But he didn't let it show. His voice remained steady.

"We can go," he said, "but we're not going far, and I can only spare thirty minutes. If something happens, I may need to leave immediately. If you're fine with that, then let's go."

Cassidy's mood shifted as quickly as it had soured. Her eyes lit up again.

"Deal!" she blurted, a bit louder than she'd intended, breaking the calm atmosphere that had settled between them over the past few days.

With a small nod, Nova pulled out the Distance Token and contacted a few people within the complex to notify them. Once that was done, he turned to her and said, "Alright. Let's go."

The two chatted as they made their way out of the complex—though it was mostly Cassidy doing the talking.

As soon as they stepped outside, Nova's thoughts shifted. 'I should set up a couple of Alarm arrays here, just in case.'

With each step, subtle flashes of light shimmered behind him on the ground—brief pulses of energy that vanished as quickly as they appeared. Cassidy, oblivious and cheerful, continued walking beside him, her voice animated with curiosity and excitement.

They soon reached one of the main streets of Quarath. The area was bustling, alive with energy. Crowds filled the road, weaving between open-air stalls and shopfronts that lined both sides. There was something for everyone—food vendors shouting out deals, clothing boutiques displaying new styles, and even stalls offering strange, otherworldly items brought through the portals.

In less than a year, the world had already begun reshaping itself to fit this new era.

"Do you have anywhere in mind you want to visit?" Nova asked, glancing at her as they walked through the crowd.

Cassidy smiled and shook her head. "Nope."

"Then…"

Before Nova could say anything more, Cassidy cut in.

"Just walk," she said, a quiet insistence in her voice. "I just want to walk—don't think about anything else. Okay?"

Nova gave a small nod, accepting her request without question. He didn't mind walking, after wall it was true that he had only trained for the past days and a bit of a break was needed.

They continued down the bustling street, occasionally weaving through clusters of people gathered outside popular shops. Despite the noise and movement around them, a comfortable silence settled between the two. Neither spoke, as if by unspoken agreement. They simply moved forward, side by side, taking in the city.

Time slipped by unnoticed. The half hour they'd agreed on was nearly up when Nova caught sight of a familiar figure approaching from the opposite direction. The man's head was slightly bowed, his expression distant, as though lost in thought.

'Erevan?' Nova narrowed his eyes as the man drew closer, only confirming the familiar face when he was just a few meters away. 'What are the chances?'

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he called out, "Erevan!"

Erevan snapped out of his thoughts, lifting his gaze. It took a second for recognition to register, but then a grin spread across his face. "Nova? What are you doing here?"

Cassidy, who had been walking just behind, stepped up beside Nova without a word. Her curious gaze settled on Erevan, studying him. She hadn't expected Nova to run into anyone he knew—especially someone who clearly wasn't one of his subordinates snf he'd never mentioned this man before.

"I was just walking with my friend," Nova said, shifting his gaze to Cassidy. "This is Cassidy." Then, gesturing toward Erevan, he added, "And this is Erevan — someone I met in what you might call a twist of fate."

Cassidy and Erevan exchanged polite nods before Erevan turned back to Nova with a raised brow.

"'Twist of fate'? You mean the time you barged on my table by pretending I was your friend so you could cut the line at that restaurant? I never thought fate would be so cheap."

Nova waved a hand dismissively. "Minor details. I thought we settled that over dinner, there's no need to bring up past topics anymore."

From the side, Cassidy's eyelid gave a subtle twitch. She couldn't understand how someone could be so utterly shameless just for a table at a restaurant.

Then Nova spoke up again. "By the way, where are you headed?"

"I'm meeting up with some friends," Erevan replied with a light smile. "Just stepped out for a bit of fresh air before that."

He glanced at the time. "Actually, I should get going, they're probably waiting on me."

Before Nova could respond, Erevan gave a casual wave "See you" and strode past him, disappearing through the crowd.

Cassidy watched him go, then muttered just loud enough for Nova to hear, "Well, your friend seemed to be in quite the hurry."

Nova nodded. "Yeah. We should head back too—it's already been thirty minutes."

Cassidy gave a quiet nod, and the two began making their way back to the base. When they arrived, everything was exactly as they had left it.

"See?" Cassidy said with a smirk. "Nothing happened."

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