Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 345: Grace’s New Admirers

The apartment was quiet, draped in the soft hues of moonlight that filtered through the wide windows overlooking the peaceful, glowing skyline of Starfall Isle.

It had been a long, dreamless sleep for the six warriors - ten uninterrupted hours of unconsciousness after eleven years of never truly resting. Now, one by one, they were stirring from their beds, the soft clinks and muffled groans of waking filling the otherwise silent apartment.

Kael was the first to emerge from his room. His once gaunt figure was already showing signs of recovery thanks to Dr. Kian's healing power, as well as the potion and the peaceful slumber.

The young man raked a hand through his damp and freshly trimmed hair, blinking as he stepped into the softly lit living room.

Rune was already there, sitting on the couch in a plain black shirt and soft trousers. A teapot was steaming gently on the glass coffee table before him.

"You are awake," he said with a warm smile when he noticed Kael.

"Feels like I have woken from a coma," Kael muttered, stretching his shoulders.

Rune handed him a ceramic cup, steam curling into the air. "Dr. Kian prepared this earlier. It's herbal tea, meant to help you guys recover faster."

Kael took it gratefully and settled down on the couch opposite him. "Tastes like grass."

Rune chuckled before saying, "It's healing grass."

Mira and Elandra were next to step out of their rooms and they too seemed to have showered again after waking up. They noticed them in the living area and joined them.

"You look like a man who actually slept," Mira remarked once she got a closer look at Kael.

"You all needed it," Rune said. "Tea?"

He poured cups for each of them as Asher, Dain, and Thorne joined them in the living room. The warm scent of herbs and something lightly citrusy filled the space, and despite the unfamiliar setting, the six warriors looked more at peace than they had in over a decade.

"It's already night outside," Thorne noted as he peered at the soft glow beyond the glass wall. "We slept through an entire day?"

"Just about," Rune confirmed. "Grace will be here in about ten minutes to pick us up. She insisted you all have dinner at the villa tonight. Said the night air and good food would do wonders for your recovery."

That caught their attention.

Dain narrowed his eyes at Rune over his cup. "Speaking of Grace…"

The others turned to look too, not hiding just how interested they were in the said topic.

"Yeah?" Rune said carefully.

"Who is she exactly?" Elandra asked, her tone light but pointed. "We know she's powerful. Not every day you see a woman rip open portals and rescue warriors from a high-security magical prison without breaking a sweat."

Rune's lips tugged into a smile at her words. He cleared his throat before answering, "She's… my girlfriend."

There was a moment of silence. And then...

"Wait," Mira blinked, "you have a girlfriend?"

"And you didn't tell us?" Thorne leaned forward with a mock gasp. "All these years of brooding over honor and justice, and meanwhile, our fearless commander is out there falling in love?"

Dain grinned, sipping his tea. "Color me impressed."

Rune exhaled. "It's… new. But not really. I met her here, on Earth. She's the one who had been by much side ever since I escaped from Magik Realm."

"She seems like a goddess," Mira murmured. "Her presence… it's heavy. Like standing in a divine wind."

The others nodded their heads in agreement. Then Elandra asked what they were all clearly dying to know. "And those two men? They seem to be close to her too."

Rune nodded again. "Davian and Kian. They are Grace's boyfriends."

This time the reaction was less silent, and more… amused.

"Oh," Mira said, blinking. "Well then."

"Well damn," Asher added, laughing. "She's collecting powerhouses, huh?"

"She's got taste," Dain teased.

"Three men?" Mira mused. "Lucky."

Rune exhaled again. He already knew how they would react once they would learn about her relationship with Grace, but it turned out he still wasn't prepared for this.

"Is polyamorous relationship common on Earth now?" Kael asked curiously.

"It wasn't before apocalypse hit this planet. Back then, people would have gone crazy at the mere mention of something like this. But now, with barely 35% of original population left, it's a different story." Rune explained the change in dynamics over the past decade. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

There was silence for a moment before Kael spoke again. "It's really surprising. You were never exactly known for letting anyone into your heart. But now, you got a girlfriend. And looking at you, I can tell you are really serious about her."

Mira tilted her head and fixed her gaze on Rune. "And from the way she looks at you? I would say it's mutual."

Rune gave a small smile. "She's… everything I didn't know I needed."

They sipped their tea in quiet thought, the conversation easing into laughter and teasing again.

"I mean, let's be honest," Asher said, "a woman like that? It'd be a crime if she didn't have a small harem of deadly, handsome men."

Elandra snorted. "Facts."

"She's kind too," Mira added, a bit more seriously. "Even when we looked like half-dead prisoners, she never flinched. Never looked at us with pity."

"She called each of us by name at the dining table," Kael recalled quietly. "She knew us even before she met us."

That silenced them again, but not with discomfort. Instead, it was with something softer. A mix of respect and… hope.

"She must care about you a lot," Dain said finally.

Rune looked at the doorway, as if sensing Grace was already on her way. "She does. And I'll forever be grateful for that."

The moment was broken by the sound of doorbell that filled the apartment. All six warriors flinched at once, their bodies went rigid and their gaze turned sharp.

"Guys, relax. It's Grace."