The Citadel felt too quiet after Kaelis's revelation. The plan was set, but it was a plan built on smoke and whispers. They needed hard facts, the kind only Reia's team could get from Helios. So, they waited. The air in the command center was thick with a restless energy.

Lucian stood by the viewport, watching the silent stars. The weight of what they had to do—breaking their own father's spirit—sat heavily on him.

Vyn's calm voice broke the silence. "While we wait, I will return to the Academy. I wish to see my father."

Lucian turned, nodding. "I'll come with you. There's something I need to tell Dean Garos." His eyes shifted to Kael, who stood like a obsidian statue near the doorway. "Kael. Bring one of your commanders. Someone you trust. It's time we made a proper introduction."

Kael gave a low, rumbling assent and spoke a single word into the comms device on his wrist. A moment later, another monster, slightly smaller than Kael but radiating a similar aura of ancient power, stepped through a temporary portal. His name was Torvin, and his loyalty to Kael was absolute.

A few heartbeats later, the air in the Academy's central courtyard shimmered. Lucian, Vyn, Kael, and Torvin appeared without fanfare. The reaction was immediate.

Students training nearby froze. Weapons were drawn in a chorus of singing metal. Dozens of young cadets formed a defensive perimeter with sharp, practiced movements, their eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination at the sight of two full-grown monsters.

Kael observed them, his crimson eyes scanning the formation. "Sharp reflexes," he noted, his voice a calm rumble that seemed to vibrate through the cobblestones. "But we are not enemies here."

Before the tension could snap, a voice rang out. "Stand down! It's Lucian Black! And Vyn! They're friends!"

The cadets hesitated, then slowly lowered their weapons, creating a path. Lucian didn't even acknowledge the commotion. His focus was already ahead, his stride eating up the distance to the main administrative building. The others fell in behind him.

They reached the polished oak door of Dean Garos Thorne's office. Before Lucian could raise his hand to knock, the door swung inward.

Athena stood there, her arms crossed, a familiar, sharp-edged smirk on her face. Her gaze swept over them, lingering for a moment on the two hulking monsters before landing on Lucian.

"Well, well," she said, her tone dry as dust. "Guess what the cat dragged back. The infamous Class Zero." Her eyes scanned the group. "Where are the others? Where's my loud-mouthed problem child, Silas? And where's Evelyn? And don't tell me Reia finally got bored of you all."

Inside the office, Dean Garos heard his daughter's voice and the name 'Class Zero.' His head snapped up from his work. He was out of his chair in an instant, his distinguished demeanor forgotten. He reached the door just as Lucian was about to answer Athena.

But Garos only had eyes for one person. "Vyn," he breathed, his voice thick with emotion.

He stepped past everyone, ignoring his title, the monsters, everything, and pulled his daughter into a tight, heartfelt hug. Vyn, usually so reserved, allowed it, her hands coming up to gently pat his back.

"It is good to see you too, Father," she said softly.

The group gave them a moment, the hallway silent save for the distant sounds of the Academy. Karl, who had been walking down the corridor, stopped and let out a low whistle. "Talk about a warm welcome. You guys gonna start a band or something?"

Athena, meanwhile, had turned her analytical gaze back to Kael and Torvin. Her expression was wary. "Alright, Lucian. Who's the welcoming committee? He wasn't in Class Zero, and I'm pretty sure we're not on 'bring your pet monster to work' day terms with their kind yet."

Lucian didn't smile. "This is Kael. He's a friend. He helped us deal with his father, the previous Dragon King—the one who sent the monsters to invade Earth in the first place. We killed him. Kael is the new ruler of the Monster Realm."

The blunt delivery left no room for argument. Athena's eyebrows shot up. She looked at Kael, truly seeing him now not as a beast, but as a king. She gave a slow, respectful nod.

Karl, ever the one to lighten a heavy moment, chuckled. "So, what's the plan? A school dance? I hear monsters have killer moves."

Athena's stern expression finally broke into a genuine, proud smile as she looked back at Lucian. She missed her star student. The scrawny, determined boy was gone, replaced by this weary, formidable man who commanded reality and treated monster kings as allies. He had gone so far beyond her classroom it was almost dizzying.

Dean Garos, finally releasing Vyn, turned to the group, his composure returning though his eyes were still bright. "Lucian. It's good to see you." His gaze then fell on Kael, taking in his powerful presence. "And you must be… the new management."

Kael inclined his head. "Dean Thorne. My forces are now stationed at the edge of your system. We are here as guardians."

Garos blinked, processing this. The greatest threat to Earth was now its first line of defense. He looked at Lucian, a world of questions in his eyes.

"That's part of why I'm here, Dean," Lucian said, his voice low and serious. "The situation has changed. Drastically. We're facing a threat that makes the monster invasion look like a playground scuffle. Kael's alliance is the only reason Earth has a chance. I need you to know that. The Academy needs to be ready."

"Ready for what, son?" Garos asked, his voice grave.

Lucian met his gaze. "For a storm that's older than humanity. We're going to find its source, but you need to hold the line here."

The easy reunion was over. The weight of the future settled back onto their shoulders, right there in the familiar hallway of the Academy. The hunt was on, and the whole world was now the stake.

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