The city of Norn had finally gone quiet.
Not completely.
Norn never truly slept anymore.
Not after the towers appeared.
Not after the world learned monsters could walk out of the sky.
But tonight was calmer than usual.
The streets were painted silver beneath the moonlight, storefronts glowing softly while distant traffic hummed through the city like a heartbeat refusing to die.
Inside the Magna house, warmth filled the air.
The smell of soup, grilled fish, herbs, and fresh bread drifted from the kitchen while Mira and Ellis argued over who got the last roasted mushroom Drax brought home earlier.
"You ate three already!"
"I'm growing!"
"You're greedy!"
"I'm evolving!"
Drax nearly choked laughing while Lyra shook her head.
"Ellis, stop saying evolving every time you eat."
"But Hyung-nim evolves when he eats monsters."
"That's different."
"It's literally not."
Tess laughed softly while placing bowls onto the table.
And Drax noticed it again.
That feeling.
Normalcy.
It felt strange now.
Dangerous even.
Like peace was something temporary.
Something fragile.
Still...
He sat down anyway.
For tonight, he allowed himself to enjoy it.
Dinner passed easier than expected.
Lyra seemed lighter tonight.
Mira kept sneaking glances at Drax like she still couldn't believe her older brother fought monsters that could erase cities.
Ellis kept asking if he could awaken an Inner World that summoned giant wolves.
Tess quietly listened while occasionally smiling at Drax whenever he answered their questions with complete seriousness.
"Yes, wolves are possible."
"What about dragons?!"
"Yes."
"What about dragons riding wolves?!"
"That sounds stupid."
"It sounds awesome."
"It sounds like you'd die immediately."
Ellis gasped dramatically.
"You have no imagination, Hyung-nim."
Tess nearly laughed into her drink.
Drax looked at her.
And for a second...
The noise around him faded.
She looked comfortable here.
Not like an Association member.
Not like someone constantly worrying about disasters and rankers and towers.
Just...
Tess.
And strangely enough—
that made his chest feel calmer.
Later that night, Lyra stretched tiredly.
"I'm heading to bed."
Mira and Ellis had already fallen asleep on the couch halfway through a movie.
Drax carried Ellis to bed while Tess carried Mira.
When they returned downstairs, the house had gone quiet.
Only moonlight remained.
Lyra smiled at the two of them before disappearing upstairs.
"Don't stay out too late."
Tess blinked.
Drax casually replied—
"No promises."
Tess stared at him.
Then Lyra laughed upstairs before closing her bedroom door.
Silence settled afterward.
Awkward silence.
Not uncomfortable.
Just...
new.
Tess looked away first.
"So…"
"So?"
"You're staring."
"You're nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
"You're lying."
"I hate that you can tell."
Drax smirked slightly.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"You'll see."
A few minutes later—
the night sky rippled.
Black essence spread beneath Drax's feet while silver-blue mist gathered around Tess.
The two vanished from the street.
Then reappeared high above Norn.
Wind rushed past them.
Far below, the city lights stretched endlessly.
Tess floated beside him effortlessly, silver-blue essence surrounding her body like quiet moonlight.
Drax walked through the air itself with his hands in his pockets.
Like gravity was merely a suggestion.
Tess glanced at him.
"You know… most people would still find this terrifying."
"Flying?"
"Standing in the sky."
Drax looked down at the city.
"I stopped feeling fear a long time ago."
Tess watched him carefully after he said that.
And for some reason—
that answer bothered her.
Not because it sounded arrogant.
Because it sounded lonely.
They landed near the beach outside the city.
Waves rolled gently beneath the moonlight while cold wind drifted across the shoreline.
The ocean reflected the stars perfectly tonight.
Almost unreal.
Drax walked slowly beside her with his hands in his jacket pockets.
Tess removed her shoes and carried them in one hand while letting the water touch her feet.
"You come here often?" Drax asked.
"When I need to think."
"Does it help?"
"Sometimes."
She looked at him.
"What about you?"
Drax stared toward the horizon.
"I fight things until my thoughts disappear."
Tess sighed softly.
"That's such a Drax answer."
"It works."
"Barely."
He smirked slightly.
Then silence returned again.
But unlike before—
this silence wasn't awkward.
It was peaceful.
The sound of waves.
Cold wind.
The moon overhead.
And two people carrying worlds inside them walking beside each other.
After a while, Tess stopped walking.
Silver-blue essence drifted quietly around her feet.
The air itself became quieter.
The crashing waves softened.
Even the wind felt muted.
Drax looked at her.
And for the first time—
he felt her Inner World clearly.
Not through battle.
Not through pressure.
But naturally.
Calmly.
The world around Tess dimmed slightly.
The ocean became still like glass.
Moonlight spread across the water in silver reflections.
And Drax saw it—
faintly behind her.
An endless night sky.
A pale crescent moon hanging low above silent waters.
White lilies floating endlessly.
Ancient ruined pillars submerged beneath silver-black water.
Her Inner World.
Celestia Nocturne
Drax stared quietly.
"So this is your world."
Tess nodded softly.
"It's called Celestia Nocturne."
The silver-blue essence around her moved smoothly like mist.
No aggression.
No destruction.
Only stillness.
Control.
Protection.
Drax noticed something immediately.
His Abyss wasn't reacting violently to her.
That alone was abnormal.
Most Inner Worlds trembled near the Abyss instinctively.
Some collapsed entirely.
But Tess's world remained calm.
Balanced.
Like moonlight over deep water.
"You're not afraid of me," Drax said quietly.
Tess looked at him like the question itself was strange.
"Should I be?"
"Everyone else is eventually."
She stepped closer.
The silver-blue mist touched the black essence surrounding him.
Neither side rejected the other.
Instead—
they stabilized.
"I don't think your Abyss is evil," Tess said softly.
"It's dangerous."
"That too."
"You're supposed to disagree."
"I've seen what you protect."
Drax went silent.
Tess continued looking toward the ocean.
"My Inner World suppresses things," she said.
"Noise. Essence. Fear. Distortion."
She raised her hand slightly.
Silver-blue threads spread through the air.
The space around them bent subtly.
Like the world itself had softened.
"If you're overwhelming force… then I guess I'm the opposite."
Drax looked at her.
"Battlefield control."
Tess blinked.
"You can tell?"
"You suppress enemy flow naturally."
Drax's black eyes narrowed slightly.
"Spatial distortion too."
"Your perception is annoying."
"It's useful."
She smiled faintly.
Then she looked toward the moon.
"My world protects things."
Drax quietly listened.
"And yours?"
He looked out toward the dark ocean.
"My world devours."
The black sea beneath his feet rippled faintly.
"The Abyss expands endlessly."
Tess nodded slowly.
"Then maybe that's why they work together."
Drax looked at her.
"Our Inner Worlds?"
She nodded again.
"You destroy what threatens."
"And you stabilize everything after."
For some reason—
that answer stayed with him.
Hours passed without either noticing.
They talked about towers.
Inner Worlds.
Childhood memories.
Ellis being ridiculous.
Mira falling asleep during essence training.
Tess admitted she used to think Drax was terrifying.
"You literally dragged an S-rank into another dimension with your eyes."
"He deserved it."
"You're not denying the terrifying part."
"I'm handsome enough to balance it out."
Tess stared at him.
Then laughed unexpectedly.
Actually laughed.
Not politely.
Not carefully.
Real laughter.
Drax blinked once.
"You laugh loudly."
"That's your observation?"
"It caught me off guard."
"You're unbelievable."
"You still came here with me."
Tess looked away slightly after that.
"…Yeah."
Eventually the moon began lowering toward the horizon.
The city lights flickered in the distance.
Tess looked at the time and sighed.
"I should head home."
"Probably."
"If my father realizes I disappeared all night, he'll assume you kidnapped me."
Drax looked offended.
"I'm insulted."
"You should be."
She smiled.
Then she hesitated slightly.
Before stepping closer.
Very close.
Close enough for Drax to smell the faint scent of rain and moon lilies lingering around her essence.
"You know…" Tess said quietly.
"When you go back into the tower…"
Drax looked at her.
"Come back alive."
His expression softened slightly.
"I will."
"No reckless hero nonsense."
"I'm not a hero."
"That somehow worries me more."
Drax chuckled quietly.
Then Tess finally stepped back.
Silver-blue essence surrounded her body.
The world around her became quieter again.
Moonveil Presence.
Even the ocean seemed calmer near her.
"Goodnight, Drax."
"Goodnight, Tess."
And then—
she vanished into silver-blue light.
Leaving only moonlight behind.
Drax stood alone on the beach afterward.
Hands in his pockets.
Looking toward the ocean.
Toward the distant white tower standing beyond the sea.
His expression slowly changed.
The calmness faded.
The Abyss inside him stirred again.
Hungry.
Endless.
Ancient.
Mephilisto manifested beside him silently.
"She likes you."
Drax immediately frowned.
"Disappear."
Mephilisto laughed.
"You're terrible at hiding emotions, Monarch."
"I can erase you."
"No you can't."
"…Fair point."
Drax sighed.
Then turned toward the city.
And began walking home beneath the stars.
Across the world—
the towers suddenly began to vibrate.
Not lightly.
Violently.
The oceans trembled.
The skies distorted.
Ancient essence flooded through reality.
Inside towers across every continent—
monsters began roaring simultaneously.
And deep within the white tower—
something opened its eyes.