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The world was still.
Where once there had been flame and darkness clashing, silence now reigned—not the oppressive silence of death, but something gentler. Like the moment before dawn.
Yuki stood in the crater left behind by the destruction of Vorthyx's core. His body ached. His breath came slow. Around him, his companions began to rise, soot-covered, but alive.
Sylvaeria was the first to speak. "Is… it over?"
Elira coughed, brushing dust from her robes. "If it isn't, I'm charging the next monster rent. That fight was exhausting."
Lumi flopped down beside her, grinning despite the scrapes. "You should've seen your face when I yeeted that shadow clone into the wall!"
"I *saw* your face when you accidentally hit a wall," Elira retorted.
"It dodged!"
Aeiris, her hair tousled and glowing faintly from spiritual residue, knelt beside Seiris, who hadn't spoken yet. "Sister…?"
Seiris finally opened her eyes. "...We're not dead?"
"No," Yuki said softly. "We won."
From where the throne had once stood, the last remnant of Vorthyx's corruption flickered, barely visible—a single floating crystal, humming faintly.
"It's not gone," Sylvaeria said, cautious. "Just shattered."
"But powerless," Yuki added, stepping toward it. "What's left is… something else."
As he reached for it, the crystal pulsed—and from within, a form stepped out.
It was **Aeiris's lost fragment**, the spirit trapped by Vorthyx. She looked at them all, smiling faintly. "Thank you."
And then she walked into Aeiris—merging with her, light spiraling around them both.
When the glow faded, Aeiris had changed. Her presence felt deeper, fuller. Her eyes shimmered with new light.
"I feel whole," she whispered.
Elira blinked. "Well, that's one way to get an upgrade."
Lumi clapped. "Sister fusion! That's gotta come with a power boost!"
> **Aeiris has awakened a new Unique Skill: Soulward Echo.**
> *Allows her to copy and evolve spiritual techniques used nearby, turning enemy attacks into blessings for allies. Grants a passive aura that bolsters nearby soul-based fighters.*
Yuki turned to Aeiris. "You've grown strong."
She flushed slightly, smiling softly. "Only because you all helped me."
Lumi bumped her shoulder playfully. "Careful. Compliments like that might get you promoted to 'favorite girl.'"
"I thought *you* were trying to claim that title," Seiris said, voice dry.
"I *was*, until Sylvaeria showed up with her majestic spirit queen act."
Sylvaeria raised an eyebrow. "I am not competing in such a crude contest."
"Because you're already winning?" Elira smirked.
Yuki chuckled, and in that moment, the tension dissolved completely. The war was over. The shadows had lifted. And as they stood there—bruised, battered, bonded—they felt something they hadn't in a long time.
Peace.
---
### Later That Night – Campfire Scene
The party had set up camp near the edge of the now-collapsed Hollow Core. The stars above shone like silver tears, and a fire crackled in the center of the clearing.
Yuki sat with his back against a tree, surrounded by all five girls. Which, unfortunately, had become a problem.
"So," Lumi began, arms behind her head, "who gets the seat closest to Yuki tonight?"
"We're not children," Elira said, sipping tea. "We can simply rotate."
"I don't share pillows," Seiris deadpanned.
Aeiris looked nervously between them. "Can we maybe—"
"I'm his contracted spirit," Sylvaeria cut in, graceful as always. "I should be closest. For his protection."
"Right," Lumi muttered. "Protection. Totally not just because you want his fluffy tail in your lap again."
Sylvaeria *did* pause. "...It was warm."
Yuki raised his claws. "Ladies, I am technically a dragon. I don't need a cuddle pile."
"You *say* that," Elira muttered, "but you didn't exactly push us away last time."
Lumi leaned in. "C'mon, Yuki. Just admit it. You like it when five beautiful women argue over you."
He flushed slightly. "I'm not made of stone…"
Aeiris looked up shyly. "...Then maybe we all stay close tonight. Just… not argue?"
Seiris sighed. "I suppose one night won't hurt."
Elira smirked. "We'll take turns. For now."
As they all finally settled—some closer than others—Yuki looked up at the stars, his chest warm not just from the fire, but from the souls beside him.
This was more than victory.
This was a family.
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