Location: NT Village - Nova Concordia Nexus (NT Village) | NT District:
A full year had passed since the Vault's weird 3-year-event (about 1 week for everyone inside) happened.
The scars of agony, illusions, and fractured timelines had slowly faded beneath the rising towers of progress. What was once a broken village clinging to survival had now grown into a thriving settlement--alive, bustling, and expanding into something far greater.
Two figures trudged up a slope toward one of the newly-built large houses, carrying crates stacked with supplies.
"Heavy stuff," Rikushi muttered, adjusting his grip on the box.
Glonk grunted beside him, barely fazed by the weight as he hoisted his own load. "You're too used to the flames, not labor."
Rikushi chuckled softly, but his smile faded when Glonk slowed his pace and glanced over, his tone more somber.
"Hey, Rikushi..." Glonk said, voice low, "I never really got to say it last year... after everything that happened during the Vault."
Rikushi paused, sensing the weight behind the words.
"I'm sorry," Glonk continued. "For all of it. I know we've moved on, but it still doesn't get off my mind. What I did back then... what Blaidd and I almost became."
Rikushi set the crate down gently, meeting Glonk's gaze with a steady yet soft expression. "We were all pulled into something none of us understood. But you chose to stand here now. That's what matters."
Glonk gave a small, grateful nod. "Still... thank you."
The large house behind them was one of several newly constructed lodges — built for the incoming waves of adventurers now calling NT Village their training grounds. These weren't simple travelers; they were students--trained under the best.
Location: Nova Concordia Nexus | IC District - The Training Grounds:
Blaidd -- overseeing the newly formed Magic Academy, guiding mages with precision and cold discipline ((Writer's note: 'cold' pun intended)).
Toku -- leading brutal, yet clumsy, melee sparring sessions, shaping front-line warriors into heroic knights and executioners.
Valentine -- developing fierce hand-to-hand combat specialists, blending power with control, while being the wall that stands between your enemies and your allies.
Reiku -- commanding the art of ranged combat, teaching sharp-shooters and scouts alike.
Their combined efforts had turned what was once NT Village into something far beyond a simple refuge. It was becoming a center of strength.
Across the main plaza, the scene buzzed with activity.
Location: Nova Concordia Nexus | NT District - Air-Hangars:
Faust, Abstra, Beau, and Tyrant stood beside four towering airships--sleek, armored, and gleaming in the morning light, each with their own specialty--their newest engineering marvels. Each airship bore the insignia of its section it was made for, designed to serve the growing village's expanding sections:
The NT (NTG) Section -- Where the town hall was located, filled with construction sites, storage hubs, and a meeting area where everyone coordinated village operations.
The TT (Tyrannical/Tenebris) Section -- Fortified with newly built defensive walls surrounding the outer edges of the Nexus, defending those whom are living within while also being the military and hunters of the Nexus.
The RJC (RJ&Co) Section -- Soaring skyscrapers rising like metallic spires, housing Research Labs, Tech-Firms, and Innovation Centers.
The IC (Iustitia Clan) Section -- Home to the Adventurer's Guild, where adventurers from all over come to stay, complete with bustling taverns, clubs, and training grounds where new bonds were forged nightly.
And in the center of it all stood Section Five--the thriving heart where market stalls overflowed with food and crafts, small buildings stuffed with cafes and shops everyday life for residents who lived outside of the original 33.
The NT Village was no longer a collection of groups and clans.
It was becoming a city, a large one at that.
As evening settled, preparations for a new expedition gathered momentum. The soft hum of airships filled the air as supplies were loaded.
A team assembled near the northern gate--their destination: Gelu Hallow--one of the still-uncharted dungeon regions beyond the floating isles.
Toku
Yunoi
Kaide
LuLu
Rez
Rumoto
Rikushi
Valentine
Blaidd
Para
Ina
Mek
Each of them ready, armored-up, and determined.
As the final checks were made, quiet moments of tenderness rippled among the group:
Hoshina gently brushed Rikushi's cheek, leaning in for a soft kiss. "Be safe. Come back to me, K?"
Rikushi smirked, his fiery eyes steady. "Always."
Nearby, Para wrapped his arms around Vee, squeezing tightly. "Promise me you'll behave while I'm gone."
Vee snorted, "I always behave. You're the troublemaker."
And Vera approached Rumoto, smiling warmly. "When you return, I'll have a full meal waiting. And yes--" she winked, "--your favorite dish too."
Rumoto grinned. "You spoil me, you know that? But don't stop."
As the gates slowly opened, the expedition team marched forward, the wind carrying the scent of expedition and quests from Gelu Hallow.
The flames of Nova Terra burned bright as a new Quest opened its doors.
But beyond the horizon...
New dangers awaited.