"Concentrate!" 

Echoed Lia's shout as her multicolored fire surrounded two dozen youngsters, meditating or, at least, trying to meditate. Their bodies were glowing in the color of their elements, slowly getting mixed together. Looking at them closer, all of their base color was slightly reddish, signaling that they had fire as their primary element and they were trying to fuse it with a secondary option.

They had been working towards this for the past seven years, and this was their graduation and their last chance to achieve it. Those who managed to do it earlier could finish their studies with Honor and hold their heads high in this new Era. Those who were present now? They were those who had the chance to earn it as part of their last exam, and if they succeeded, they would also be Honorable Graduates. A status that only some students could hope to reach. 

Those who failed, their concentration broken, were teleported out of the training ground before Lia's fire would hurt them. They could blame nobody but themselves as Lia was using her flames as guidance, not just as an oven. She was putting the perfect amount of pressure on them to help them step through the threshold. 

It wasn't just the new wave of students who improved while studying at the Academy, but also Lia herself. By now, her fire could be described as the most dangerous weapon on Meriath. With her proficiency, she could fuse five elements seamlessly, using the characteristics of Fire, Water, Dark, Light, and Wind. A feat that was only known by a selected few. At one sparring session with Erias, her Ancestor could only tie with Lia, yet he was two tiers higher than his young descendant. 

Watching over the first graduates from her Academy, she couldn't help but be proud of herself and everyone coming this far. When the 'exam' ended, Lia made sure to encourage everyone who couldn't accomplish the rarest feat of fusing two elements. They all had the potential; they just needed more time. 

"I say, it was quite successful, Master." Cael smiled, welcoming Lia back into her office and bowing towards her. He was the first student to graduate early, setting an example that wouldn't be matched for decades to come. 

"I think so, too!" Lia answered, sitting down and letting him pour tea for her. "Those who graduated with Honors are going to be collected by the others, and after a second evaluation, they will be informed of the true threat our Realm faces."

"The strike force is almost ready then." Hajna joined in, appearing next to the table, wearing a prim and proper suit, having her hair tied up in a bun. “I also have the weekly reports. Of the established 34 large kingdoms and 52 medium-sized ones. 24 of them are 100% under the control of Paman. Our own agents, with the help of Cael and his influence, have been inducted into their command system and ready to act and eliminate the threat when we make a move."

"Good job." Lia hummed, sipping from her cup, looking at the two with a satisfied smile, listening to their reports.

In past years, they waited slowly, gathering information and making sure what Camyu told them was confirmed before acting on it. On the surface, everything was going along Paman's plans, and Cael was feeding her false pieces of information from time to time. They even managed to replace multiple of her 'followers' with people who joined their side. 

Lia's approach remained the same since the beginning. Whenever they uncovered someone, they first captured them, and then she tried to reason with them. The others were telling her she only strengthened Camyu's side when people decided the same way as Ruri did. But she saw it differently.

"Everyone can be offered a chance to choose their fate freely..."

That was what she always told them as a response, and because Erias also remained silent, supporting her decision, the rest of the leading figures didn't press on the matter. 

"Any news of my Mother?" She asked, looking at Hajna, who nodded her head.

"Your Father sent word that he saw her collapse four times in the past month alone. It seems Paman herself is unaware of these events and fails to realize how long she is out."

"I'm just worried that Mom is killing herself..." Lia whispered, biting her lower lip.

"That mental battle is not easy and not something we can join in, Master." Cael interjected, trying to ease her worries. 

"I know, I know! Haahh... Hajna, when will Koa and the rest arrive?"

"Their ship is arriving in an hour."

"Mhm! Cael, help me prepare the lower levels; having all the Misfits back together is nice!"

...

....

.....

The meeting was now a yearly occasion for the group, and for one day, everyone forgot to worry about the upcoming battle that could decide the final fate of the Realm.

"Auntie, I want two swords for my birthday!" Said a young, sharp little voice belonging to a small boy, barely reaching up to Lia's waist. He was wearing simple shorts and a long shirt, and a pair of huge, black, sharp-looking bunny ears stood tall on the top of his head. 

"Why, Merin?" Lia giggled, rubbing the head of the firstborn son of Koa and Keily, enjoying it just as much as he did.

"Because Dad told me you had two of them, and it sounded cool! Where are they?"

"Ah, they were destroyed!" Lia sighed, "And Uncle Parthorn was right all those years ago. Artifacts are useless after a certain level."

"But I am not at that level! So it would be extra cool!"

"Ahaha, maybe I will tell it to Opparu, hm?"

"Don't!" Koa answered, pulling away her son, "Go, kiddo, find Daddy! He should be with Uncle Raufon and Simbad! The dinner is ready; they should come inside!"

"Okie!" He hopped forward, happily disappearing from the tower in a blink of an eye.

"I am surprised to say this, but you turned out to be a great mother!" Aurora walked next to them, holding a teacup and writing with her hair.

"What did you expect?" Koa grinned, holding her newborn daughter, letting the tiny, tanned baby suckle on her swollen breast. "By the way, this little princess here is weird! When Merin, Joan, and Eli were born, my boobs were not this full! I don't know what happened, but since Iya climbed out of me, I feel like a cow! The milk just doesn't stop, and she keeps drinking it all!"

"Whose kid is she anyway?" Lia asked, watching the calm little baby with shining eyes. 

"She is Jellybean's daughter. I told them each of my husbands would get a turn! Do you know how big of a help to have a harem? Taking care of kids is not easy!"

"You alone are repopulating the branches!" Aurora added with a grin, making her roll her eyes.

"And you two? None of you have a kid yet! Blasphemy!"

"I am not in a rush!" Aurora wrote hastily, looking around, searching for Sion, who was talking with Ceiline and gently rubbing her growing stomach as she and Simbad were finally expecting.

"But as I see, Sion is interested in it, huh?"

"..." Aurora didn't have anything to say to that, only turning a bit redder in the face.

"What about you, pipsqueak?"

"Huh? Who is a pipsqueak?!" Lia harrumphed, pressing out her breasts, "Just so you know, I am bigger than both of you put together! Since Rinzen and the Pervy Fox began massaging them, they became even softer and bouncier! Hah!"

"..." The two couldn't help but look at each other, and even little Iya opened her blue eyes, turning towards Lia's breasts. 

"Fufufufu!" She continued parading around proudly, "And just so you know, I am not pregnant because we are using protection! Rinzen said we should only try for a child after all dangers are gone! The Brushy Foxy also agreed!"

"Both of you will have his kids?" Koa asked with a surprise, "I didn't expect it from Rinzen! Where are they anyway? Having an affair without you?"

"Nope! They will arrive a little late as they went to collect Opparu!" She added with a softer voice, making her sisters realize something was up.

"What is it?" Aurora asked, trying to read her thoughts.

"He is dying. He himself told me last year."

"Is it sickness?" Koa asked hurriedly, but Lia shook her head.

"Age. He says he is feeling it deep within. He resigned from his post in the Academy, and now he just stays home, sometimes forging a few trinkets. I try visiting him often, but he is getting weaker and weaker. It's not visible, but I can see it in his eyes."

None of them knew what to say to that as it was inevitable. Under a certain level, people can't just live forever, and he was already old when they met. 

"Don't bring it up!" Lia warned them, "Don't even try to cater to him; he doesn't want it! He already told me it was fine. It is how it should be! When I talked with him, he said it to me: I am not an Undead nor an Immortal. I'm just Opparu, an old artificer who lived through history's most exciting part. I really enjoyed the conclusion and will look forward to my next life, but this one has to end first." A moment later, it seemed as if Iya realized the change in the mood and became restless, starting to move around and whine a little.

"It's alright!" Koa chuckled, soothing her daughter and making the girls smile.

"I can't wait to do the same!" Ceiline added with a laugh, walking up to them, holding her surprisingly big stomach. 

"Girl, you are still in the middle of it yet this big... Are they twins?"

"Very likely!" She giggled and was so radiant it was dazzling to look at her. 

"Maybe even more than simple twins." Sion chimed in, walking next to Aurora and hugging her.

"Well..." Ceiline giggled, looking at them, "We are way behind Raufon! He is already a great-grandfather!"

That alone made them all laugh, and just on cue, the boys returned with Merin riding on Raufon's shoulders.

When dinner was ready, Lucian and Rinzen also arrived with Opparu in tow, and the Misfits had their annual meeting, sharing their stories from the previous year, feeling like teenagers for a few hours, forgetting all the problems of the world.

...

....

.....

While down in Meriath, the final events were slowly unfolding; out in the Cosmos, the figure of Ren arrived at their doorstep, looking down at the swirling energies and the occasional lightning strikes.

"What do you want to do?" Asked Leinor, standing beside his wife. "Should I clear the way?"

"Mhm, I will wait. The way the clouds are moving, they are slowly calming down and will be gone by themselves. When their sky is back to normal, they can finally come out. We will see what emerges!"

"Should I call for Kyu?"

"No. Don't remind her; she is still salty about it! I will be enough. Even if their old bastards are returning, I will send them back."

"I'll stay. Better to be careful; they were a tough cookie."

"Because of their soul-based attacks. Luckily, we developed our own versions! I didn't know it was this rare out here!"

"Heh! Aren't you lucky? Having a husband and a disciple sister who are versed in the way of the souls?"

"Exactly!" Ren answered with a grin, grabbing Leinor's bottom and squeezing it. "My hubby is firm and sexy! Very well versed in making my soul scream!"

"Eh... I wasn't talking about that, but I am really good at it, yes! You could say I can penetrate soul-deep into you!"

"Ooooh, Touché! That was a 9 out of 10! Nice!"

"Hey, that was at least a perfect 10!"

The two's laughter was spreading far and wide in the cosmos and maybe even down to Meriath itself as in a dark room, isolating herself; Paman couldn't help but shudder, feeling threatened, looking more disheveled than ever before...