Omar sat in one of two leather chairs, his gaze fixed on the sprawling city beyond the large window, the lights flickering against the night sky. In his hand, he cradled a cup of coffee, its warmth seeping into his palm. He looked over his shoulder, then scanned the room briefly.

"Ammarah?" His voice was soft, almost tentative, as if calling out to someone he knew would be there. Silence.

Though he couldn't see her, he knew she was present, watching him. He sighed, setting the cup down on a nearby table. "I know you're here. Show yourself."

Still, nothing. The room felt heavy with her unseen presence, a weight that pressed against him, urging him to speak.

His posture shifted, his back straightening as he placed his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry, Fairy." His tone softened, carrying a sincerity he rarely allowed himself to express. "I got angry earlier. It wasn’t fair."

Ammarah remained invisible, but he could feel her listening, her silence drawing him out further.

"I’m not in love," Omar continued, as though convincing himself as much as her. "I just... I feel drawn to her. Noor’s not a bad person." He looked around, "I'll bring a strawberry cake for you, show up."

Suddenly, the air around him shimmered, and Ammarah appeared in the chair opposite him, her expression unreadable. Omar met her gaze, a faint smile tugging at his lips. She, however, looked away, her brows furrowed.

"I never said she was a bad person," she murmured, her voice tinged with something Omar couldn’t quite place—was it concern, jealousy, or something deeper? "But..." She sighed, shaking her head. "Never mind. I’m just waiting for you to make a mistake."

Omar knew her words came from a place of care, yet they stung all the same.

"You may not be in love today," she continued, her tone growing more distant. "But you will be, eventually. And love... love is a weakness."

Omar leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "And what if I fall in love with you? Would that be a weakness too?"

Ammarah's lips curved into a faint smile. "It would be worse," she whispered.

Omar raised an eyebrow "Worse how? What would you do if I fell for you?"

Ammarah looked at him for a brief moment, before she turned her eyes back to the window, "I could do nothing," her voice barely above a whisper. "Even if I fell in love with you too... it wouldn’t matter. I’d have to sacrifice it before it even began. Because in the end, I’d lose you. We’re too different."

Omar’s playful expression faded, replaced by a growing seriousness as he watched her. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes glistened under the moonlight as she turned back to him. "I’m a Jinnaya. You’re human. We’re made from different things, bound by different fates. You would age, wither, and die while I remained the same. And that... that kind of loss... it would be unbearable." She paused, her breath shallow. "It’s easier to sacrifice love in the beginning, before it grows into something too deep."

Omar slightly smiled. "You’re special," he said softly, leaning back into his chair. "You’re my strength."

Ammarah looked at him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Strength?" she echoed, her lips curving slightly. "Or weakness?"

Omar grinned, his tone turning mischievous as he gestured toward her face. "But you’d better keep hiding that face of yours. Otherwise..."

She shook her head, laughing softly.

Just then, Omar’s eyes shifted back to the window, his smile fading as he noticed something. There, high in the night sky, an octagonal white symbol glowed faintly.

His eyes narrowed, the familiar shape sparking a sense of recognition. "It seems," he said slowly, rising from his seat, "someone wants to meet me."

Ammarah followed his gaze, her expression unreadable, "Be careful," she said quietly, though her voice carried a gravity that hinted at far more than caution.

Omar nodded, looking at her.

Hira sat perched on the edge of the tower, her legs dangling over the abyss, gazing up at the octagonal white symbol glowing in the night sky above her. The symbol pulsed faintly, its edges shimmering against the darkness. A chill wind blew across the tower, ruffling her white robes.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then whispered, "He's near." And she felt a familiar presence behind her.

Axen landed silently, the wind carrying him down like a shadow. His cape fluttered before settling as he approached, stopping just beside her.

“Hello,” Hira said softly, turning her head slightly to glance at him.

“Hello,” Axen replied, his voice calm and distant. As he arrived, the symbol in the sky vanished, "Why did you bring me here?" he asked.

Hira’s eyes glinted with mischief as she looked up at him, her lips curling into a playful smile. “I was bored,” she replied, shrugging casually. “Thought I’d meet you for some company.”

Axen turned his back on her, walking toward the edge. “Escape your boredom with something else.” His tone was indifferent, but his body language hinted at impatience.

Hira stood up swiftly, her movements graceful despite the height. "How rude," she remarked. “I was joking. I actually have some information.”

Axen stopped mid-step, then turned halfway to glance at her. His expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of interest in his eyes. “What information?”

Hira tilted her head, her playful demeanor unchanged. “Weren’t you just leaving?”

He sighed, turning his back again, preparing to walk away. Hira's eyes flashed with a hint of satisfaction as she knew she had him hooked.

“It’s about Robis,” she said, her tone shifting to something more serious.

Axen stopped again, fully turning to face her this time. His voice was sharper now, all business. “Tell me.”

Hira smiled slyly and stepped closer, her eyes catching the moonlight. “Rudeness really doesn’t suit you,” she said, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of flirtation.

Axen closed the distance between them with a single stride, his face inches from hers. His voice was low and serious. “And flirting doesn’t suit you.” He paused for effect, eyes locked on hers. “Now tell me.”

Hira’s lips curved into a soft chuckle. “I’m not flirting,” she said, eyes sparkling mischievously. But when Axen didn’t respond, his intense gaze unwavering, she continued with a sigh. “Alright, listen. Robis or his men are heading to Toran Towers to force Jason Toran over something. I don’t know the details yet.”

Axen raised an eyebrow, suspicion creeping into his voice. “How do you know that? What if this is your trap?”

Hira’s demeanor shifted, her playful tone evaporating as she got furious. “You need to trust me, partner,” she snapped, “And why should I tell you how I know anything when you don’t trust me? Why would I trust you, then?”

For a moment, Axen said nothing, merely staring at her with an inscrutable expression.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Hira softened her tone. “There’s no time for this. Stay here if you think it’s a trap. I’m going.” She brushed past him, deliberately bumping his shoulder as she walked toward the edge of the tower, and leaped.

Axen watched her go for a moment, his mind torn between doubt and the possibility that she was telling the truth. 

The dimly lit corridor in Toran Towers was eerily silent, the kind of silence that made every step sound louder. Hira moved with practiced stealth. She ascended a small flight of stairs, arriving at a heavy, old wooden door. The corridor stretched ahead like a tunnel of shadows, but her focus was on the faint murmurs leaking through the cracks in the door. Pressing her ear against it, she strained to listen.

“Come on, Axen, where are you?” she whispered under her breath, her eyes darting around the empty hallway.

She returned her attention to the voices inside. Jason Toran’s labored breathing was unmistakable, ragged and desperate. Through the door, she could hear the cold voices of Lyn and Alvar, circling their prey like vultures. Jason sat slumped in a chair, his trembling hands barely able to grip the pen they’d forced upon him. Blood trickled down his forehead, staining his collar, and his eyes flickered with fear and exhaustion. Lyn leaned over him, his broad figure imposing, while Alvar stood close, his expression coldly amused.

Jason’s voice broke through, weak and trembling. “Please… I don’t want to do this.”

Lyn smirked, his hand pressing down on Jason’s shoulder. “Sign, or we’ll make sure you won’t have hands left to hold a pen next time.”

Outside the door, Hira’s breath hitched. She was about to move when suddenly a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Instinct took over. Without thinking, she spun around, her reflexes sharp as she unleashed a pulse of white thunder.

The flash of light illuminated the narrow hallway, and Axen was thrown backward with a grunt, crashing against the far end of the corridor. The impact echoed through the hall, rattling the walls.

“Ughhh…” Axen groaned, pushing himself up, his cape settling as the energy dissipated. His eyes narrowed as he brushed the dust from his robe, his expression both annoyed and bemused. “So sorry,” Hira whispered hurriedly, eyes wide with genuine regret.

The noise inside the room fell silent. Hira’s heart raced, realizing her mistake. Lyn and Alvar had heard.

Without hesitation, she ran toward Axen, her movements a blur as she crouched beside him. “We need to hide,” she hissed urgently, her eyes scanning the corridor as she tugged at his arm.

But Axen wasn’t having any of it. He stood tall, brushing her off as if the entire situation were beneath him. "I'm not here to play hide and seek, Hira," he said coldly, his tone calm yet resolute. His eyes were sharp, glowing with intensity, as he turned and strode toward the door without hesitation.

Hira’s heart skipped a beat. Axen’s confidence was unnerving at times, but she couldn't help admiring it. She stood and followed him, casting one last glance down the corridor, knowing they were no longer in stealth mode.

Inside the room, Lyn’s eyes flickered with suspicion, his lips curling into a snarl. Alvar clenched his fists.

Axen reached the door, his hand hovering above the handle. He looked back at Hira, his eyes narrowing. “Change your form. They shouldn't recognize you."

With a nod, Hira’s robes shimmered and shifted to a deep blue, her once gray eyes now a striking shade of sapphire. The transformation was quick, almost invisible to the untrained eye.

Axen pushed the door open.

Lyn and Alvar turned as the door creaked. Lyn’s lips curled into a sinister grin as his eyes fell on the new arrivals. “Uninvited guests,” he sneered. His gaze shifted to Hira, the change in her appearance sparking a flicker of curiosity. “And who’s she, by the way?”

Axen didn’t answer. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Jason. “What are they forcing you to do?” he asked, voice cold but steady.

Jason lowered his gaze, his voice barely a whisper. “They want half of the shares in my company…”

Axen clapped his hands together slowly, a mocking tone creeping into his voice. “Amazing. So I’m guessing those papers are a contract, with all the details laid out?”

Lyn and Alvar exchanged wary glances, realizing Axen wasn’t easily intimidated. Hira stepped in, her body tense, ready for action.

Both sides made their move at once. As Lyn and Alvar reached for the contract, Hira and Axen struck them simultaneously with blasts of white thunder, slamming them against the far wall. In the chaos, Axen snatched the contract from the table. The first page was completely blank.

Lyn, recovering faster than expected, unleashed a blast of purple thunder. Axen dodged it swiftly, but it struck Hira, sending her flying out of the room with a sharp cry.

Axen’s eyes widened as he turned toward Hira’s direction. His muscles tensed, ready to run to her aid, but Lyn’s voice cut through the air, chilling and triumphant.

“If you even try to read those papers, I’ll kill him,” Lyn snarled, his arm coiled around Jason’s neck like a deadly snake.

Axen froze, his eyes darting between Lyn and Jason, assessing the situation. 

Hira, groaning in pain, staggered back to her feet outside the room. “Ow...” she whispered, her body aching from the blow.

Axen turned back to Lyn, his voice like ice. “Let him go.”

Lyn’s cruel smile only deepened. “Hand over those papers, or this man dies because of you.”

Hira, now back in the room, moved cautiously toward Axen. “We can’t take the risk, Axen. Hand them over. They won’t hesitate to kill him.”

Axen’s jaw tightened, his fingers clenched around the papers. With a resigned sigh, he extended them toward Alvar, who snatched them greedily. 

“Step back,” Lyn ordered, dragging Jason toward the shattered glass window behind them.

Axen and Hira stepped back, carefully watching every movement. With a nod to each other, Lyn and Alvar suddenly unleashed a massive beam of purple thunder, their combined strength aimed directly at Axen.

Hira’s body moved on instinct, shoving Axen out of the way just as the attack slammed into her. The force was brutal, sending her crashing through two walls, her body limp as it finally came to a stop.

Axen’s heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the devastation, his breath catching in his throat. In that split second, Lyn and Alvar had vanished.

Without hesitation, Axen ran to where Hira had landed, crouching beside her. Her disguised form had faded, revealing her true appearance once more. Her eyes were closed, her body motionless against the cracked wall.

“Hira… open your eyes. Are you okay?” Axen’s voice was soft, almost pleading as he tapped her cheek gently.

When she didn’t respond, he placed his hand over hers, and a green light began to glow from his palm. He channeled the healing power of the Green Fire into her, absorbing the full extent of her pain. His own vision blurred for a moment, the intensity of the strike leaving him gasping for breath.

After a few agonizing moments, Hira stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open. “They… ran away,” she whispered, her voice weak.

Axen nodded, pushing himself to his feet. “You okay?”

She nodded. Axen helped her to her feet, steadying her as they walked back toward the room. He quickly healed the damage there before turning to Jason, who was still trembling in his seat.

Axen placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder, healing his wounds as well. “Do you know who they are?”

Jason shook his head, still shaken. “No, they didn’t tell me who I was giving half the shares to. They just blackmailed me… they’ll come again.”

Axen offered him a reassuring smile. “They won’t come again. And if they do, we’ll be here to stop them.” He glanced at Hira, who nodded in agreement.

Jason managed a grateful smile. “Thank you… both of you.”

“Anytime,” Hira replied, her voice warm but still laced with the pain she had endured.

With that, they both walked out of the room, leaving Jason to recover from the ordeal.