After leaving the tragic battlefield, Henry made his way to a secret cave deep within an ancient forest, a place utterly isolated from the outside world. This was the location Socrost and Will had designated for him, a safe place for him to carry out the next step of his challenging journey.

The cave was not dark or damp as he had imagined. On the contrary, the air was unusually fresh and cool. The entire cave had been set up for a magical ritual.

In the center of the cave, a figure was waiting, dressed in a seductive deep purple cloak with her long black hair braided intricately. It was Selena, the Rank 6 sorceress of the Cabal, whom Laurent had sent to help Henry perform the Ascension ritual.

Henry approached and bowed respectfully. "Hello, Selena. Thank you for coming."

Selena turned. She looked at Henry with a completely blank expression, but he could feel an immensely powerful energy radiating from her.

"No need to be so formal," she said, her voice clear and sweet yet somewhat distant. "This is a mission assigned by Sir Laurent. Shall we begin? We don't have much time."

She pointed to a precious wooden chest placed neatly beside a magic circle that had been drawn on the cave floor with special magical powders. Henry walked over and opened the chest.

Inside were countless valuable items, resources that any Ranker would covet: pure energy crystals, letting off a stellar sparkle; the horn of a Rank 4 monster; and rare herbs. Everything had been prepared according to a precise formula, perfectly suited to his energy and potential.

"Remove your armor and sit in the center of the magic circle," Selena commanded, her voice allowing for no delay.

Henry followed her instructions. He sat down, crossed his legs, and tried to keep his mind clear, even though his heart was still a tangled mess of thoughts. Selena began to chant ancient, complex spells in a language Henry had never heard before. Her voice echoed in the silent space, creating a mystical melody.

The magic circle beneath Henry's feet began to glow brightly, and the ancient symbols spun at a dizzying speed. The items in the wooden chest also slowly floated up, then melted, transforming into pure, multicolored streams of energy. The horn emitted tiny energy rays, the energy crystals radiated a brilliant light, and the special herbs became faint green smoke. All of them merged together, forming a flood of aether that swirled before slowly seeping into Henry's body.

He felt the change, the regeneration happening deep within every cell, every blood vessel. His body was being reforged in a crucible, becoming tougher, more resilient. The aether within him, which had been almost completely depleted after the life-or-death battle, was now being replenished quickly, becoming much purer.

His Mystic Sense was also amplified to a new level. He could now perceive all life and energy flows in a much wider range than before. And the Sanctuary Seal on his left chest vibrated violently, resonating with the cave's Lifestream and absorbing energy frantically.

The pain of regeneration subsided, giving way to a feeling of exhilaration, a new strength surging through his veins. When the magic circle finally faded and the last streams of energy had fused with his body, Henry slowly opened his eyes. A strange aura of a Rank 4 Ranker emanated from him, causing the entire cave to tremble slightly. He had succeeded. He had reached Rank 4.

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"My mission is complete. You have been personally assisted by Sir Laurent. Do not disappoint him."

With that, she walked out of the cave, disappearing without a trace, leaving Henry alone with his new power, a new responsibility, and a future full of challenges but also new opportunities. He looked at his hands, feeling the power surging through his body. He was stronger, yet he understood this was just the beginning.

It was late at night. Outside, the city of Aerion had fallen into a weary sleep, with only the faint yellow light from the streetlights cast onto the empty streets. In their small apartment, Sophia had finished cleaning up after dinner, while "Henry" still lay motionless on the bed in the corner of the room.

She saw little Luna sitting alone on the white bear-skin rug in front of the unlit fireplace, clutching a cloth doll. It was the last gift Brena had made for her. Luna wasn't crying, but her small shoulders trembled. She stared into the imaginary fire, her big, black eyes filled with a sadness too great for her age.

Sophia gently walked over, sat down beside Luna, and wrapped her arms around the little girl.

"What's wrong, my Luna?" she asked gently.

Luna looked up, her eyes welling with tears. "Aunt Sophia..." her voice was choked. "I miss Daddy... I miss Aunt Brena too."

Sophia's heart ached. She held Luna tighter. "I miss them too, Luna. I miss them very, much."

"Why did everyone leave me?" Luna burst into tears, hot tears rolling down her chubby cheeks. "Mommy is gone, and now both Daddy and Aunt Brena aren't coming back... Is it because I wasn't good?"

Sophia shook her head, gently wiping away the little girl's tears with her thumb. "No, silly. You're the best and bravest little girl I've ever known."

She pointed out the window to where the starry night sky was twinkling.

"Look," she said, her voice warm and full of faith. "Your daddy and Aunt Brena didn't leave you. They have become the brightest, most beautiful stars in that sky. From up there, they are watching over and protecting our Luna every day, every hour."

Luna stopped crying, her tearful eyes looking up at the sky. "Really?"

"Really," Sophia smiled. "When we love someone much, Luna, that love never goes away, even when they're no longer with us. That love turns into light, an eternal light that always guides and warms us. Your daddy loves you, Aunt Brena loves you, and I love you very, much. The love of all of us will become the brightest stars."

The little girl didn't say anything else, just looked up at the sky through the window, contemplating Sophia's words. The sadness was still there, but the fear of being abandoned seemed to have lessened.

Sophia hugged Luna, gently kissing the little girl's soft hair. "And now, you have me here. I will always be with you, will love you, will protect you, for your daddy and Aunt Brena too. We're a family, aren't we?"

Luna nodded, burying her face in Sophia's chest, her small arms wrapping tightly around her. In Sophia's warmth and embrace, the little girl slowly felt a sense of peace return.

That night, two wounded souls, one big and one small, leaned on each other for comfort and strength, two resilient little stars against the vast, dark sky, even with a storm waiting ahead.

Every day, Sophia woke up early. After gently wiping down and changing "Henry" she would prepare breakfast and wake up Luna. Their life went on like this. Every day, Sophia took Luna to the Abbey, then busied herself with work at the Cathedral, all while watching over and caring for Henry.

After dinner, Sophia often sat by the bed, holding "Henry's" motionless hand, while Luna sat next to her, chattering away.

"Uncle Henry, today at the Abbey I learned to draw! I drew a picture with Aunt Sophia, me, and you too! We were in a field of sunflowers," the little girl said, then pouted. "But... why do you sleep all the time, Auntie? Don't you want to wake up and play with me?"

Sophia smiled sadly, patting the little girl's head. "Uncle Henry is badly injured, so he needs a lot of rest to get better quickly. We have to stay by his side and talk to him a lot, so he doesn't feel lonely, okay? That's the only way he can wake up faster."

"Okay!" Luna nodded obediently.

And so, Sophia bore everything herself, being a devoted wife and a gentle mother. She cared for "Henry" with all her love and patience, and she raised Luna with all her kindness. The road ahead stretched out before her, promising incredible difficulty. Still, her resolve was absolute: she would never give up. She would wait, even in vain, for a miracle to happen one day.

They were a family built from broken pieces, yet their love was whole and immortal. They were a small, resilient candle burning brightly in the cold winter night of Aerion.

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