The battle didn’t end immediately.

  It simply… faded.

  As if the world had grown tired of screaming.

  The demon army was reduced to dust.

  Literally.

  The golems vanished.

  The flames went out.

  The wind fell silent.

  Across the field, about a hundred demons were still running—the last ones, desperate.

  Not charging.

  Fleeing.

  They stumbled, fell, shoved each other—anything to get as far away as possible from the place where the storm had raged.

  From the one who created it.

  From me.

  The humans had lost twelve thousand soldiers.

  Every third one.

  But the South—

  was reclaimed.

  And the troops stood in silence, staring at the battlefield, unable to believe they were alive.

  Among the wounded, among ash and blood—she stood.

  Mira.

  She was sitting beside me while I lay unconscious, covered with a cloak.

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  Mira looked calm… too calm.

  — Eh, little brother… — she sighed and raised a finger.

  BZZZT!

  — OW! — I jerked upright, clutching my chest. — WHAT WAS THAT… AUCH!!

  Mira grinned from ear to ear.

  — Broken again?

  She said it in a tone as if I’d shattered a vase, not nearly wiped out half an army.

  I blinked, trying to understand where I was, why everything hurt, and why it smelled like smoke.

  — Mira?.. Is that you? — my voice cracked, but turned warm. Almost childlike. — I… I’m glad to see you.

  She snorted.

  — Yeah, it’s me. Who else would knock you back into your senses?

  She leaned closer and poked my forehead with her finger.

  — Well, Zen… good job. Broke my seal, almost drove off the demons, and almost destroyed the human army. Bravo. Truly magnificent.

  She said it with such mocking pride that I didn’t know whether to apologize or laugh.

  — You’ve… grown, — she added more softly. — Almost a year since we last met, and you’ve gotten… really big.

  I opened my mouth… then closed it.

  She had changed too.

  Stronger.

  More dangerous.

  But still the same—smile like the sun, voice like a jolt of lightning.

  I tried to recall what had happened in the final moments.

  The image surfaced sharply—

  — Elinia! — I leaned forward. — Is she alive?

  Mira lit up instantly, as if she’d been waiting for that question.

  — Oooh—seriously? Little brother fell for a royal princess?

  I felt my ears flare with heat.

  The words stuck in my throat.

  — I… I d-didn’t… it’s… not like that…

  She burst out laughing.

  — Relax! She’s alive. All of yours are alive.

  I exhaled.

  — Mira… how did you get here? And why… does everything hurt so much?

  She pretended to check an invisible list.

  — So. You want the short version or the detailed one?

  — Short… — I groaned.

  — Alright, listen.

  She waved her hand like an actress before the curtain rises.

  — We found out the kingdom was under attack… well, after a ceeeertain delay. We were a bit late. Happens.

  She shrugged.

  — We rushed to help, BUT—surprise!—that kingdom was under demon attack too. So we had to clean that up first.

  She snapped her fingers.

  — All demons—pshh!—done.

  — And then I felt… that insane surge of mana. Familiar. Very familiar. And I thought, “Oh, who did I have to go and save again?”

  She poked me in the side.

  — So I fly here at phoenix speed. And here…

  She gestured at the field, where the torn earth was still smoking.

  — You’re sitting there. Handsome. Killing everyone. Demons running. Humans terrified. And you broke again.

  She snorted.

  — Good thing I showed up. Your sister—once again—put you back in your place.

  Ahahahahahaha!

  Her laughter was loud, sincere, radiant.

  As if she hadn’t just saved the world…

  but gotten her brother back.