The announcement hit the academy like a thunderclap.

Mana Heart Realm.

The news spread through Heaven’s Gate Academy faster than wildfire, carried by whispers and shocked expressions and students frantically checking the leaderboard to confirm what they’d heard. In the current set of Heaven’s Gate Academy students, only a handful of students had touched Mana Heart—Karacus Drakmore, Yenna Frostveil, Mason Croft, and most recently Cassian Vale, who had broken through just a week ago.

Now there were two more.

Sage Moonveil. Rue Moonveil.

The twin fox sisters had returned from their clan, and they had returned as monsters.

Kael heard the news third-hand from a passing student while he was strapping on his combat gear in his dormitory. He didn’t react visibly—just continued adjusting the Void Binding Bandages around his forearms, checking the rune-inscribed coins in his pockets, ensuring his short blades sat comfortably in their storage ring’s quick-draw configuration.

Aria sat on the edge of his bed, doing the same.

She’d been assigned as his companion for the mission. George’s message had been clear: two people of his choice. Aria was the obvious pick—she was loyal, competent, and her dual elements gave them flexibility. The second spot had been a debate. Yenna was skilled but annoying to deal with. Cassian was powerful but fundamentally untrustworthy in Kael’s eyes.

He’d been debating who to bring when the fox sisters arrived.

Speaking of—

His door exploded inward.

The reinforced wood splintered, hinges screaming as they tore free from the frame, and two figures surged through the opening with enough force to suggest they’d been waiting for an excuse to make an entrance.

Sage first—golden tails streaming behind her, fox-kin features sharp and predatory, eyes scanning the room. Her cultivation base pressed against Kael’s senses like a weight. Mana Heart Rank 1. Solid. Present. No longer suppressed by clan politics or familial expectations.

Rue followed. Her nine tails were more animated than her sister’s, swishing with barely contained energy, and her expression was already shifting from alert to delighted the moment her eyes found Kael.

"I miss you!"

She launched herself at him.

Kael braced. The impact still nearly drove him back a step—Rue might look delicate, but Mana Heart cultivators hit hard regardless of appearance. Her arms wrapped around his torso, tails coiling around his legs, face pressing into his chest with the particular intensity she brought to everything she did.

"Alright, alright, love." He patted her head, trying to extract himself without actually hurting her. "You might break a few bones in my body before I leave."

Rue tightened her grip. "I don’t mind. You will heal."

Sage didn’t move from the doorway.

Her eyes had found Aria.

Aria met her gaze without flinching. She recognized them—the twin fox sisters.

"You must be the Moonveil sisters," Aria said calmly. "Kael mentioned you."

Sage’s frown deepened. "Who are you?"

"His servant. His partner. His—"

"Come, Rue." Sage’s voice cut through the room like a blade. "You can give him attention later. He’s gotten another girl while we were gone."

Rue didn’t release Kael. If anything, she held tighter. "So? He can have as many girls as he wants."

Sage’s eye twitched.

Kael extracted himself from Rue’s grip—finally—and stepped back, putting some distance between himself and the possessive fox.

"Wait, where are you going?" Sage asked.

Her tone carried an edge.

To meet my lovely Miss Beauty, of course."

The blank looks from both sisters were almost comical.

"You—" Sage’s frustration boiled over. "What? Who? Are you seriously going somewhere right now? We just got back!"

"Just a mission, love." Kael’s voice was casual. "I’ll be back in a few days. Probably."

"What and who are you guys talking about?" Rue interrupted, her head tilting with genuine confusion.

"Alright, ladies." Kael spread his arms, smiling. "Let’s properly introduce ourselves."

"I’m Kael." He gestured to himself. "This is my lovely partner and servant, Aria." Aria inclined her head slightly. "This is my cute little Rue." Rue’s cheeks flushed crimson, tails going rigid. "And this—" He pointed at Sage. "—is the always grumpy Sage."

Sage’s expression could have frozen fire.

"Why is my introduction so cliché?" Her voice was dangerously soft.

"Because it’s accurate?"

"I will claw your eyes out."

"Now, now." Kael raised his hands in surrender. "No need for violence. We’re all friends here."

"We are not friends."

"We’re definitely something, right Sage. Don’t be such a grumpy old lady."

Sage’s eye twitched again.

Aria watched the exchange with something between amusement and resignation. She’d been Kael’s shadow long enough to recognize this dynamic—the fox sisters orbiting him like satellites, Sage with her prickly resistance, Rue with her open adoration, both of them inevitably drawn back no matter how much they pretended otherwise.

"Since I am going on a mission," Kael continued, steering the conversation back on track, "originally Aria and Yenna or Cassian were supposed to come with me."

He paused, nose wrinkling.

"But Yenna is quite annoying to deal with, and Cassian..." He shrugged. "I don’t trust that nigga."

"But now, Aria and Rue can come with me."

Rue’s expression lit up like he’d just offered her the world. "Really?"

"Really."

"What about me?" Sage’s voice was flat.

Kael turned to her about say something.

Rue beat him to it.

"Come on, sis." The smaller fox’s voice was sweet. "You and Kael went on a mission together last year in Athelas. You fought those Crimson people. You got all that quality time together."

Sage’s jaw tightened.

"Now it’s my turn." Rue smiled. "Fair is fair."

The words landed exactly as Rue intended them to.

Sage looked at Rue.

Her shoulders dropped.

"Alright." Her voice was quiet. "Have fun without me."

She turned and walked out of the room without another word. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The silence she left behind felt heavier than it should have.

Rue watched her go, expression flickering with something that might have been guilt—might have been satisfaction—might have been both.

"Should I—" Aria started.

"Don’t." Kael’s voice was firm. "She’ll get over it. She always does."

He checked his gear one final time. Satisfied, he moved toward the destroyed doorway.

"Come on, Rue. Miss Beauty is waiting."

Rue followed, tails swishing, mood already shifting back toward excitement.