The private Aurora shuttle moved quietly through the evening sky while the Capital slowly disappeared behind clouds and distance.
For the first time in days—
there were no alarms.
No inquiry chambers.
No senators trying to classify survival as misconduct.
No instructors shouting over tactical displays while cadets ran themselves into exhaustion trying to prove they deserved to remain standing.
Just the low hum of the engines beneath polished flooring and soft blue cabin lights reflecting faintly across the walls.
Kael sat sideways in one of the private cabin seats with one boot hooked carelessly against the edge of the table while Ryven reviewed messages beside him with the same calm focus he somehow maintained through literally everything.
Outside the panoramic windows, clouds drifted beneath them like silver oceans while mountain ranges slowly emerged ahead.
Home.
The thought settled differently now.
Heavier.
Softer.
Kael watched the distant mountains for another quiet second before finally glancing sideways.
"…you've been messaging Gremlin for twenty minutes."
Ryven didn't look up.
"Yes."
"That sentence concerns me spiritually."
"It should."
Kael narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"…what are you planning?"
"A surprise."
Kael gasped dramatically.
"You're keeping secrets from me now?"
"Yes."
"That's rude."
"It's necessary."
Kael immediately leaned sideways trying to see the datapad.
Ryven smoothly tilted it away without even glancing at him.
Kael looked betrayed.
"Oh my god."
"You lose privacy privileges when you weaponize curiosity."
"That's not a real thing."
"It is now."
Kael pointed accusingly.
"You're becoming funnier."
"That's your fault."
"I knew prolonged exposure would improve you eventually."
Ryven ignored him.
Mostly because it was slightly true.
Kael's datapad chimed softly a second later.
Gremlin.
His expression softened instantly.
Ryven noticed immediately.
"…you got the sibling expression."
"That sentence feels insulting."
"It should."
Kael snorted quietly before opening the thread.
Gremlin: Are the little ones surviving?
Kael smiled.
Kael: Torres spiritually collapsed twice already.
Gremlin: Excellent.
Another message appeared immediately afterward.
Gremlin: Is Little Bean still following him around like an emotional support intern?
Kael physically laughed.
Kael: Worse. Torres started mentoring him.
A pause.
Then—
Gremlin: …oh no.
Kael leaned back laughing softly beneath the dim cabin lights.
Gremlin: Leon and his unit basically live at the dojo now.
Ryven finally glanced over.
"…accurate."
Kael barked out another laugh.
"That sounds EXACTLY like Leon."
Another message appeared immediately.
Gremlin: Uncle Marcus bowed at the koi pond earlier.
Kael folded over laughing instantly.
Ryven closed his eyes briefly.
"…he's committed."
"He's emotionally committed."
Another message appeared.
Gremlin: Also Grandpa John's old maze system is online again.
Kael froze.
"…why?"
Gremlin: Dad said "tradition builds character."
Kael pointed violently at the screen.
"That is absolutely something Grandpa John would say."
Ryven leaned slightly closer.
"…your grandfather built a maze under a mountain."
"He built tunnels too because winter bored him."
"That sentence is insane."
"You bonded into this family."
Ryven accepted this horrifying reality with disturbing calm.
Another message appeared.
Gremlin: Cassian upgraded the AI personality module.
Kael slowly looked alarmed.
"No."
Ryven glanced sideways.
"…what."
Kael silently turned the datapad around.
Ryven read the message.
Stopped.
Actually stopped.
Gremlin: The maze insults people personally now.
Ryven physically sighed once.
"…that feels illegal."
"It IS illegal."
Another message appeared immediately.
Gremlin: Also Dad added moving walls.
Kael dropped his head backward dramatically.
"…we grew up in a death trap."
"A luxurious death trap," Ryven corrected calmly.
"That does not help."
Outside the windows, the clouds slowly began thinning while dark mountain silhouettes stretched beneath fading evening light.
The closer they flew—
the quieter Kael became.
Not sad.
Not tense.
Just thoughtful.
Home did that to him sometimes.
Gremlin: The obstacle forest got upgraded too.
Kael immediately looked suspicious again.
"No."
Ryven glanced sideways.
"…that reaction means suffering."
Kael opened the attached file.
A holographic projection expanded above the datapad.
The old forest course behind the dojo looked significantly more dangerous now. Elevated climbing systems crossed through dense trees while hidden sensor traps blinked faintly beneath foliage. Suspended bridges moved slowly above rushing streams, and several of the old towers were somehow taller now.
Much taller.
Kael stared at the projection.
"…what happened?"
Gremlin: Cassian said the old version lacked "dynamic unpredictability."
Ryven studied the projection once before leaning back.
"…your family builds playgrounds like classified military facilities."
"That's because Grandpa John thought fear was educational."
"Your grandfather was insane."
"A genius insane."
Another message arrived.
Gremlin: We also restored the haunted mansion 😊
Kael immediately looked suspicious.
"…what does restored mean."
Gremlin: Upgraded.
"That's the wrong answer."
Gremlin: Motion-triggered actors.
Kael stared blankly.
Gremlin: Reactive sound systems.
Ryven blinked once.
Gremlin: Environmental scent emitters.
Kael pointed violently at the datapad.
"YOU SEE THIS?"
Ryven remained calm.
"I do."
"She's building psychological warfare."
"She's a Benton."
"That's not reassuring."
Another message appeared beneath it.
Gremlin: Torres is definitely screaming first.
Kael immediately nodded.
"Correct."
"Statistically likely," Ryven agreed.
Gremlin: Little Bean might cry though.
Kael gasped.
"NO."
Ryven remained practical.
"Possible."
"We are NOT traumatizing Little Bean."
"You're discussing haunted architecture."
"That's different."
"It isn't."
Kael ignored him completely and immediately typed back.
Kael: Little Bean is under protection.
Gremlin: Fine. I'll lower the ghost count.
Ryven physically paused.
"…lower?"
Kael slowly lowered the datapad.
"…I hate this family."
"You love this family."
"That's the problem."
Another notification appeared.
This time from Ryven's datapad.
He read it once.
Then visibly looked tired.
Kael noticed immediately.
"…what did Aunt Leona do."
Ryven stayed quiet for one dangerous second too long.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"…Ryven."
Ryven finally turned the screen around silently.
Leona Voss: Please remind Caleb that white and gold would complement his real hair beautifully.
Kael physically recoiled.
"OH SHE'S PLANNING."
Ryven locked the screen immediately.
"She has been planning."
"That's worse."
Another preview appeared immediately beneath it.
Leona Voss: Also tell him lighter colors would look lovely on him.
Kael pointed dramatically.
"YOU'RE ALL CONSPIRING."
"Yes."
"That's toxic."
"It's efficient."
Kael folded against the seat laughing helplessly while Ryven remained calmly resigned to his family's behavior.
Eventually the laughter eased.
The cabin softened afterward.
Warm.
Quiet.
Easy.
Kael leaned back into the seat with a long exhale while the mountains continued growing larger beyond the windows.
The Benton Estate slowly appeared in the distance.
Warm gold lights threaded through forests and cliffsides while illuminated bridges crossed waterfalls like ribbons woven directly into the mountain itself.
Home.
Kael stared quietly for a moment.
Then smiled.
Small.
Real.
"…I missed this."
Ryven looked at him once.
"You laugh more here."
The words landed harder than expected.
Kael blinked once before looking back out the window again.
"…yeah," he admitted softly.
"I think I do."
The shuttle descended smoothly toward one of the upper Aurora landing platforms hidden along the cliffsides.
When the ramp lowered, cool mountain air rushed inside carrying the scent of cedar, pine, rainwater, distant food, and something familiar Kael had never really found anywhere else.
The estate was alive tonight.
Shuttles crossed overhead.
Security drones moved through layered patrol routes.
Warm lights glowed across terraces stretching deep into the mountainside.
And somewhere farther below—
the younger cadets were probably still emotionally collapsing over the size of the estate.
Kael stepped off the shuttle first.
Then stopped.
"…why are there more transports than usual?"
Ryven glanced toward the lower docking sectors.
"Great House arrivals."
"Ah."
That explained the traffic.
Additional escort ships moved steadily through controlled approach routes beyond the eastern ridges while estate personnel coordinated arriving guests from multiple Great Houses and senior command sectors.
From here, Kael could even recognize several fleet signatures.
Forest.
Mercier.
Valerius.
Aurora command escorts.
Not unusual for a Benton gathering.
But definitely larger than normal.
Personnel crossed elevated bridges carrying ceremonial crates while estate staff moved quickly between terraces preparing for the gathering below.
Dinner chaos.
Kael could practically feel it already.
Ryven stepped beside him calmly.
"Rest first."
Kael blinked once.
"…what?"
"You look exhausted."
"That's because Torres exists."
"That is only part of the problem."
Kael opened his mouth to argue.
Then closed it again because unfortunately Ryven was right.
The inquiry had drained all of them.
Ryven adjusted his gloves before glancing toward the lower dojo sectors.
"I'll come up later."
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…where are you going?"
Ryven looked deeply tired suddenly.
"…to find my ancient parents."
Kael nearly choked laughing.
"Oh my god."
Ryven remained completely serious.
"They're wearing traditional robes now."
"That's still funny."
"Your uncle gave my father a sword."
Kael leaned briefly against the railing laughing helplessly.
"Good luck."
"I'll need it."
They separated there.
Ryven heading toward the lower dojo terraces while Kael made his way toward the upper family wing.
The deeper inside the estate he walked, the more familiar everything became.
Warm lighting.
Voices somewhere deeper inside the halls.
The smell of food drifting faintly through the air.
Open terrace doors letting cool mountain wind move softly through the corridors.
Home.
Actual home.
Kael finally reached his room.
The door slid open softly.
And immediately—
he spotted the package waiting neatly at the center table.
Kael stopped moving.
Then a dangerously delighted grin spread slowly across his face.
"Oh," he whispered emotionally.
"It finally came."
The exhaustion vanished instantly.
Actually vanished.
Kael grabbed the package with deeply suspicious excitement before heading straight toward the bathroom.
"Perfect timing."
The bathroom door slid shut behind him.
And somewhere far below the estate—
disaster was rapidly approaching the younger cadets.