The morning light filtered softly through the courtyard window, gently illuminating the spatial ring on his finger.

Dominic sat at the table with only the ring in front of him. The weight of what was inside it now felt different from a week ago, more than just gold, it seemed. He turned the ring once, then set it down softly.

Theresa entered from the kitchen, placing a cup in front of him without a word. She sat across from him, with her own cup. The rising steam between them filled the quiet morning with a warm, peaceful glow.

Neither of them said anything.

The apartment maintains its quietness as it always has. Wobbly was peacefully resting on the main room floor, glowing gently in a steady rhythm, completely unbothered that today was the special day.

"You’ve been up since", Theresa said softly.

"Couldn’t sleep," he replied with a sigh.

She looked at him over her cup, not pressing him but simply observing and mentally noting it, much like she did with everything about him. Outside, the city moved at its usual Tidesday pace, slower, calmer, with a rhythm that didn’t ask for much from anyone. He turned the ring once more.

***

Just two days ago, in the academy courtyard, preparations for the Grand Trials were underway. Instructors were carefully adjusting drills to resemble a competition, while students paired off, eagerly imagining whom they’d face in the upcoming challenge.

Victor approached him with a relaxed confidence, as if he knew precisely how his presence was perceived by everyone watching. He stopped at just the right distance, speaking loud enough for those nearby to hear.

"I’m looking forward to seeing what you bring to the Trials, Kane." His tone was almost friendly, with a hint of encouragement. "It should be very enlightening."

The statement, while not being a threat, was a declaration. The only place still open to Victor, where Frank Castle’s name didn’t act as a barrier between them, was the Grand Trials, their new arena.

Dominic hadn’t said a word, just kept his gaze on Victor until Victor decided to walk away, content with how he’d handled things.

Garrett watched quietly from across the courtyard while Lysandra was somewhere nearby in the background.

Dominic sat with his cup in hand, turning it over once more. Thirty days had passed, and Victor still didn’t know what had shifted. But the Trials would reveal it to him. Dominic was determined to make sure of it.

***

They moved to the courtyard after midday.

The bond amplification session now runs smoothly and naturally. What had required real concentration at first now flows with ease, the thread finding itself effortlessly when he reaches for it. The warmth and steadiness come through clearly, without the earlier fumbles.

Theresa watched his footwork carefully from a short distance. As he practised his pattern and reset, she gently approached, placing two fingers on his wrist to softly correct his hand angle. After a brief, targeted adjustment, she stepped back to give him space.

He then ran the pattern again,

feeling confident as the amplification held smoothly through the entire sequence without slipping. He sensed a change in how his movements felt- each one supported by something greater than himself, adding a new sense of confidence and connection.

"The Trials," she said, watching him reset. "Walk me through the combat event format again."

"Open sparring bracket first involving all the years", he said, settling his stance. "All entrants in 1v1 elimination rounds. Judges score on clean technique, footwork, timing, and overall performance, not just who wins. That narrows the field down."

Theresa nodded once, adjusting her own stance slightly.

"Then a Survival Quest phase. Fighters go into a changing environment with obstacles and threats. It’s about adaptability, efficiency, and how well you perform under pressure. Points for creative problem-solving and sustained technique."

He moved through the footwork pattern again, the bond thread steady under his skin.

"After that, a team format event. Remaining fighters are grouped into balanced teams. Objective-based battles — control points, coordinated combat on specialized maps. Scoring emphasizes teamwork and how well individuals contribute technically within the group."

He completed the pattern cleanly and reset.

"The final phase is the individual rounds. Top performers from previous stages return to pure 1v1 elimination in the main ring. Best-of series or single high-pressure bouts. Judges still score strictly on technique and overall performance."

Theresa was quiet for a moment, processing it with the analytical attention she brought to everything new about this world.

"So it’s not just about winning," she said. "It’s about consistent, high-level execution across every phase."

"Exactly," Dominic said. "The winner is whoever has the highest total score, not whoever wins the most matches."

She looked at him for a moment, something adjacent to a smile moving through her expression without quite arriving.

"Alright, run the sequence again," she said

"Yes, ma’am."

***

As the evening settled over the apartment, the lantern cast a warm glow.

Outside, the city grew quieter, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Theresa sat at the table, engrossed in her notes, while Dominic examined the two artifacts they still hadn’t fully assessed.

He gently turned the smaller one in the light, carefully trying to understand its intricate construction, just as she had shown him. Suddenly, the system fired, breaking the calm moment.

[30 DAY SURVIVAL QUEST COMPLETE]

[YOU SURVIVED!]

[AGAINST CONSIDERABLE ODDS AND WITH CONSIDERABLE HELP.]

[REWARD: 600 GT TOKENS]

[CURRENT GT TOKENS: 1,000]

Both Dominic and Theresa read it together, sitting across from each other by the lantern light. The weight of the moment felt heavy, genuine, and well-earned.

And then, right afterwards.

[LIMITED BANNER: FALLEN CIVILIZATIONS]

[CURRENT SSS RATE: 70%]

[FINAL WARNING — BANNER EXPIRES IN 5 HOURS 12 MINUTES]

[THIS IS NOT A DRILL.]

[NOTE: THE VOID ASSEMBLED THIS BANNER FOR A REASON. THE CLOCK IS RUNNING.]

Theresa gently closed her notes and set them aside, turning her full attention to him across the table.

The details of the math were clear—1,000 tokens, 500 per pull, with a 24-hour cooldown after each one. The banner was about to expire in just over five hours. The pull cooldown remains active even after the banner expires. Once the cooldown resets, the second pull can happen at the usual rate.

The apartment was peaceful and calm, wrapped in a gentle stillness. He looked into her eyes for a brief moment, sharing a quiet connection. Then, softly, he reached for the system.

***

The interface opened fully.

[FALLEN CIVILIZATIONS BANNER — PULLING]

[SSS RATE: 70%]

[COST: 500 GT TOKENS]

[GT TOKENS REMAINING: 500]

[COOLDOWN BEGINS ON COMPLETION]

[RESULT...]

The light didn’t gather; it cracked open instead, shimmering with a sharp, silvery edge that sliced through the warm air of the apartment. The sound was like steel being drawn across stone, chilling the atmosphere immediately. The lantern’s warm glow flickered as if gently nudged by an unseen force, before the room’s atmosphere shifted swiftly to a cooler, electric feel.

Meanwhile, the bond thread between Dominic and Theresa came alive with a sudden burst of heat, a quick, sharp pulse, before easing back into calm.

Wobbly remained perfectly still on the floor, grounding the tense moment.

The light arrived quickly, shining brightly and with a strong presence. It didn’t need to ask for permission; it commanded attention. Unlike the first time, it didn’t drift softly into the room; this time, it came with a clear sense of purpose, as if it had been waiting patiently, was now finished waiting, and had some thoughts about how long it took to appear.

[SSS RANK HEROINE PULLED: FLORENCE MARK]

[THE ANOINTED DEMON OF WAR]

[CIVILIZATION DESIGNATION: THALASSIAN EMPIRE]

[LOYALTY BOUND. LIFE LINK ESTABLISHED.]

[GT TOKENS REMAINING: 500]

[NEXT PULL AVAILABLE IN: 23 HOURS 59 MINUTES]

[FALLEN CIVILIZATIONS BANNER: 4HOURS 30MINUTES REMAINING]

***

She didn’t arrive the way Theresa had.

She appeared already standing, as if she belonged there effortlessly- as if the space had materialised around her, not the other way around.

She was tall and powerfully built from a lifetime of true use, rather than formal training. Her crimson hair was wild, a result of the void’s mysterious transit. Her eyes burned with a restless, hungry energy- bold and restless.

She first glanced at the ceiling, then took in the walls, and finally focused on the lantern. She assessed the space with the quick, confident eye of someone who’s walked into countless unfamiliar places and immediately began noticing all the angles, exits, and potential threats.

Her eyes then settled on Wobbly.

Wobbly looked back at her, perfectly still on the floor. Its glow was at its dimmest since the graveyard.

Florence held her gaze on Wobbly for a moment.

Then she looked at Dominic.

The assessment was swift and carried out with professionalism. It was a quick, thorough evaluation- more about understanding his true capability than just surface impressions. She observed his build, posture, and stance, processing everything with practised efficiency.

Afterwards, she turned her gaze toward Theresa,

holding it just a moment longer, adding a subtle layer of unspoken understanding.

Theresa remained perfectly still, neither shifting her posture nor changing her expression. She met the look with the calmness of someone conducting a deep, quiet assessment. The two SSS rank women from shattered civilizations sat across from each other at a lantern-lit table in a Caldmore apartment.

The atmosphere among the three of them felt charged with something unfamiliar, tense, and crackling with energy.

Florence’s mouth softened into a slow, yet unmistakably mischievous smile.