Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 348: A Peaceful Day

For the first time in what felt like years, a rare gathering was taking place.

Grace was standing on the wooden deck of the villa in loose, cream-colored pants and a light lavender top while her hair was tied in a messy braid - a craft done by Rune.

A smile lingered on her lips as she watched the people, who had been the core of her world, slowly gather in her home. Laughter echoed off the stone walls as familiar voices greeted each other, and footsteps and light banter filled the space that had once been far too quiet.

"Are you sure we are not dreaming?" Davian asked from beside her, handing her a glass of fruit punch with a slice of citrus floating on top.

"If we are, I don't want to wake up," she said softly, clinking her glass against his.

Rune, who had just come down from the upper floor, was dressed far too casually for someone who was only seen in his warrior gear for past couple of weeks - gray joggers, a black sleeveless shirt, and slippers that made Aleena laugh the moment she saw him.

"Are those fuzzy?" she pointed, squinting.

Rune gave her a deadpan look. "I was forced into comfort. Ask Grace."

Dr. Kian passed by carrying a tray of snacks and added, "He was also forced into a face mask and a twenty-minute skin treatment."

"Self-care," Grace said with a mock-serious nod. "Even galaxy-level warriors need it."

Mira and Elandra were in the back lawn, trying to string fairy lights between two trees, while Kael and Dain debated over grill settings.

Asher and Thorne had taken over music duty, flipping through old Earth playlists provided by 2025, arguing between mellow jazz or pop. And in the kitchen, Valeska, Jasper, and Nina were putting together a salad station that somehow turned into a competition.

Seth was lazily feeding grapes to a very unimpressed Oscar on the couch, while Maven and Silas were playing cards with Sera and Norris at the side table.

Kevin and Ryan had set up a mini-bar, boasting they could recreate any drink in existence, and Rune was already their third victim. His face scrunched as he tasted something horrifyingly blue.

"I think I lost feeling in my tongue," he admitted, turning to Grace and Davian.

"You'll be fine," Aleena laughed at his reaction. "That's just Ryan's love in liquid form."

The villa was buzzing with the kind of warmth they hadn't known they missed until now.

A Moment That Felt Like Home

Lunch was a full-blown collaboration. Each team brought their unique flair under Grace and Davian's strict guidance. Despite the day booked for chilling, Davian was always too protective of his kitchen.

"Where's Jasper?" Grace asked as she refilled her plate.

"Kitchen," Aleena called out. "Arguing with the oven."

"No, no, the timer beeped! I didn't burn the casserole, the oven is just passive-aggressive!" Jasper's voice rang from inside.

Rune chuckled at the clear nonsense. "And this is the team you lead."

"You love them too," Grace shot back with a grin.

"I do," he said while looking around the place, at the mismatched group of all their loved ones sitting together.

They were sitting scattered across the garden, some on picnic blankets, others on benches, lounging on large cushions or leaning against trees. There was laughter, so much laughter. Teasing, storytelling, jokes that made no sense unless you had lived through the same hell as them.

As the sun began to set, the group broke into smaller conversations. Rune's team sat with Grace's warriors, discussing the differences between beast species on Earth versus those across the galaxy. Maven was utterly fascinated by the idea of mutated squirrels - one of the most liked mutants out there.

"They are small, they are fluffy, and they will absolutely steal your boots," Kael warned solemnly.

Elandra and Aleena were trading hairstyles, while Mira taught Nina and Valeska how to use enchanted thread to stitch protective sigils into cloth. Davian watched them from the patio steps, eyes soft, shoulders relaxed in a way rarely seen.

Dr. Kian was sitting beside him, nursing a cup of tea. "You good?"

"Better than I have been in a long time," Davian murmured. "Feels like… the world stopped spinning for a bit."

Kian nodded, sipping his tea. "It's nice. Strange. But nice." freēnovelkiss.com

Just a few feet away, Grace leaned back against Rune, both of them on a large blanket beneath the stars that were just beginning to appear. He had his arms around her waist, chin resting lightly on her shoulder.

Neither spoke much, they didn't need to. The crackling fire pit in the middle of the garden provided enough soundtrack, along with the sound of their friends laughing, playing soft music, and simply… being human again.

For so long, they had all lived on the edge - of battles, of hope, of loss. And today, they had found the edge of peace.

Grace tilted her head and whispered, "We should do this more often."

Rune hummed and then kissed her temple. "Agreed. It's easy to forget that we are allowed to feel joy too."

She nodded, watching as Kevin started to dance awkwardly with Sera while the others cheered them on. Dain joined in seconds later, and before long, a spontaneous dance-off started in the center of the garden.

"I hope Jasper doesn't start singing," Aleena said loudly, and sure enough, Jasper cleared his throat dramatically.

"Ladies and gentlemen-"

"NO!" the entire garden groaned in unison.

As night fell, fairy lights lit the garden in soft golden hues. Some had dozed off on the grass, others huddled in small groups whispering stories, dreams, regrets, and hopes.

Grace was standing once more at the edge of the deck, looking over her people.

The ones who had stayed. The ones who had survived. The ones who had chosen her, again and again.

They had helped her in building this world from the ruins of the last one. This was what made her believe that they had a future worth fighting for... these people, her people.

Her men joined her moments later, Rune and Dr. Kian lacing their fingers with hers while Davian hugged her from behind.

"Whatever comes next… we will face it together."