Chapter 20 - Chapter 20 - Dinner, Ar Spirits, and Promises

Riley tore off the headset, blinking as the dim light of his bedroom rushed back into focus. For a moment, he lay still, mind caught between two worlds — the fading echo of the cavern's magic and the warmth of home. Someone knocked once, twice, then pushed the door open without waiting. Aria. Naturally. Her hair was a mess, her cheeks flushed, and she pointed aggressively at him like he was late to his own birthday party. "DINNER. NOW. Also, I need to brag to Mum." Sofia peeked around her shoulder, expression soft but amused. "She means share our experience. Nicely." "Nope," Aria said. "I definitely mean brag." Riley didn't even get the chance to groan — Aria grabbed his wrist and dragged him down the hall with the enthusiasm of a caffeinated bulldozer. The smell hit first — garlic butter, herbs, toasted bread. His stomach growled, loudly enough that Aria cackled. "Someone's hungry." "Someone carried the team's DPS," Riley muttered. "You carried nothing!" Aria shot back. "Dot carried everything! Emotionally and legally." Sofia laughed, light and warm. "Dot wasn't even conscious by the end…" Aria scooped Dot's AR bracelet out of her pocket and clipped it on. "She was spiritually present." Even though she tried to hide it, Riley could still see the glow in Sofia's eyes — not from magic, but from pride. It hit him sharp in the chest. He'd forgotten how little she smiled in the last timeline. They entered the kitchen. Warm light spilled across the countertops. Mum was stirring something in a pot, humming quietly to herself, her hair tied up in a messy bun. She turned when she heard them. "There you are," she said. "Dinner's almost ready." Aria slid across the tiles in her socks like a gremlin. "Mum! You will NOT believe the DAY we just had!" Sofia tried to hush her, but Mum laughed, clearly enjoying the energy. "Oh? Did you make friends with any digital dragons yet?" "…yes," Riley muttered under his breath. Aria smacked the table dramatically. "Mum. Sit down. Prepare your heart." Mum raised a brow but sat, humoring her. "Alright. Show me what's got you vibrating." Aria whipped out her phone. "NEXUS APP — AR MODE!" Three blue rings flashed above the dining table. Light crackled. And suddenly— Lumi appeared, a tiny hologram, curled in a sleepy ballDot plopped into existence with eight legs and immediate judgmentEcho sat delicately, wagging her tail Mum gasped so loudly it startled even Aria. "Oh my god!" she cried. "They're… adorable!" She leaned in, hands hovering like she wanted to pet them — even though they were holograms. Lumi chirped and tilted his head. "Oh my—HE'S ALIVE," Mum whispered. "It's AR, Mum," Riley said, trying not to laugh. "He can't actually chew on your hand." "Thank god," Mum said. "Because he absolutely looks like he wants pasta." Lumi did lean toward the plate. Dot scuttled across the table, making Aria yelp. "DOT! Manners!" Dot clicked pointedly. Echo, meanwhile, backed away from a spoon, tail fluffed. Sofia gently tapped her screen. Echo barked holographically. Mum clutched her chest."This is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life." "And this—" Aria pointed proudly at Dot "—is mine." Dot clicked like a gremlin creature claiming dominance. "This one's Riley's," Sofia said softly, letting Lumi drift toward Mum's side of the table. Mum leaned back, smiling. "He's precious." Riley's heart tightened unexpectedly.Precious.Someone had said that about Lumi. Not "weak."Not "trash-tier."Not "why would anyone pick that." Precious. Aria poked Riley's arm. "Show her the bow too!" "No—" But too late. Aria tapped her phone and a new hologram flickered above the table: the Starsear Bow. Plain. Wood. Humble. Mum tilted her head. "Aw. That one's cute too." Aria shrieked."NO. Mum. It's not cute. It's SECRET. And legendary. And life-changing." Mum blinked. "It's a stick," she concluded. Riley buried his face in his hands while Aria made dramatic choking noises. Sofia giggled into her sleeve. "It is… sealed." "Sealed," Mum repeated. "Like a jar?" Riley sighed. "Not a jar. Just… dormant." "Well," Mum said, "I like it. Very rustic." Aria fell onto the table like she'd been personally betrayed. Sofia reached over and rubbed her back sympathetically. "It's okay, Aria. Mum still loves your weapon." Mum blinked. "You have a weapon?" Aria tapped the table. Her Trap Gauntlets appeared in AR, sparking faintly. Mum leaned back. "Oh wow. That looks—dangerous." Aria beamed proudly. "It is." Dinner was served minutes later — creamy garlic pasta, roasted vegetables, warm bread. The kind of meal Riley hadn't realised he'd missed so badly. They ate. They talked. Aria reenacted the boss fight using her fork as Dot. Sofia explained her staff's abilities to Mum in surprising detail, hands moving with soft confidence. Mum kept dabbing at her eyes during Sofia's excited rambling. "You look so happy," she murmured to her. "It suits you." Sofia flushed bright pink. Riley watched all of it quietly, a tight feeling growing behind his ribs.He'd forgotten this.Forgotten how the house felt when they were all in the same room — loud and silly and warm and utterly alive. Aria eventually pointed a fork at him. "And Riley saved the day with teamwork and emotionally bonding with his star lizard!" "Aria," Riley said, "you sound like a cartoon recap." "She's not wrong," Sofia whispered, smiling. Mum listened to every detail, eyes softening each time Riley spoke. When the conversation dipped, she placed a hand on his wrist. "I'm glad you're doing something with them," she said quietly. "It's been a while since I've seen you… this present." Riley froze. Aria and Sofia looked up at the same time. Mum added gently, "Just… don't lose yourselves. Games are fun, but family comes first." Riley's heart clenched. "I know," he whispered. "I promise." Sofia reached under the table and squeezed his hand.Aria pretended not to see… but she smiled anyway. The rest of dinner was messy and chaotic. Dot tried to steal garlic bread.Echo chased a holographic crumb.Lumi attempted to climb into Mum's pasta again.Mum panicked, muttering "no hologram can stop me from loving you" as she lifted the plate. It was perfect. After dishes were done, Aria flopped onto the couch with the dramatic grace of a fainting goat. "Okay," she declared. "Break's over. We log in for a bit, right?" Sofia nodded. "We should head back to the village." "Yeah," Riley said quietly. "Let me grab water." He slipped into his room and closed the door. Alone. His heart still racing. The room felt too quiet after laughter.Too dim after Lumi's glow. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the AR version of the bow projected on his desk. It pulsed faintly — slow, steady, like a heartbeat. Riley picked up his phone. Lumi's projection popped up, curled on its side on his pillow, looking peaceful. "You changed everything," Riley whispered. "You really did." Lumi chirped in AR, tilting his head. Riley swallowed. In the first life… I lost all of this.I lost my sisters. I lost Mum. I lost myself.I won't let it happen again.Not this time. He exhaled shakily, wiping at his eyes before anyone could see. He picked up the headset. Stood. And slid it on. For them, he thought. Always for them. As the world dissolved into shimmering light, he felt Lumi's glow — faint, warm, familiar — echo softly from the other side.