Waking up the next morning felt…weirdly normal. Callie was with me, as per usual, though she was already awake, an abnormality in the morning for my usually grumpy girlfriend. I paused. I guessed the term was fiancee now. Damn, that was weird. Still mornings were not usually her jam. Today though, she was up before me, though still in bed, staring at her hand, or more specifically, the glittering ring that now sat on her third finger.

“It’s not going to disappear, you know.” I said with a laugh. “That thing might not be D-ranked, but it’s basically the most expensive E-ranked enchanted ring I could find.”

“I guess I didn’t ask about it last night, huh?” She said with interest. “So, what exactly does it do? If it’s peak E-rank it must be impressive. Does it summon a swarm of meteors? Turn me into a lion? Give me wings?”

I laughed. “No, no, and if you want wings you can make them out of shadows. It’s a shield. It drains excess energy from you when you’re in peak condition, just overflow that would go to waste, and stockpiles it for a single use defensive charge. The shield itself will stop a single blow from a Master, though it’ll break right after.”

“Shane, that must have cost a fortune!” She said in shock. “I love it, but you didn’t need to spend so much.”

Shrugging, I gave her a sappy grin. “It’s self defense. Had to make sure that shield was strong enough. My heart is in there, after all.” I felt the love and contentment through the bond as she threw herself at me, pinning me to the bed and kissing me senseless. I finally managed to pull away, laughing breathlessly. “Alright enough of that. We’ve got big plans today. Meetings with the city planner and the workmen.”

Laughing, she sat up, stretching expansively. Standing, she snapped her fingers and her costume was suddenly wrapped around her. It was one of the more useful tricks that a spatial ring allowed for. Callie’s was still on her left ring finger, opposite the engagement ring. “Fine.” She said grumpily. “But if you’re going to make me get up I want breakfast.”

“You know.” I said, climbing out of bed and letting my armor cover me with the same snap. “When we’re married, your pouting is probably going to get less effective.”

She grinned widely at me. “And YOU know that the bond lets me feel it when you lie. Now mush, go make us breakfast. I’m in the mood for crepes.” She made a shooing motion with her fingers and I laughed, rolling my eyes as I headed downstairs to the kitchen.

Cooking this morning was even more relaxing than yesterday. I just felt so…happy. Like nothing could bring me down. This was the happiest I’d ever been in my life. Getting stronger was great, and I’d had some impressive victories, but this…this was a new level of joy. It was like I’d taken a bath in contentment.

Callie came into the room, plopping down on a stool to watch me cook, and didn’t say a word, just kind of smiled, playing with her ring absently. I could feel everything she was feeling, and vice versa, neither of us wanted to hide something like this from the other.

“Wow, you two are even more sappy than usual-” Came Jessie’s voice as she entered the kitchen, but she cut off, the sound of breaking glass drawing my gaze to where she stood frozen, staring at Callie’s hand. “Is that?” Smirking, my fiancee nodded and Jessie squealed in excitement, hurling herself across the room at us.

I fumbled, yelping in panic. “Hot pan, hot PAN.” I managed to save the crepe from burning without lighting myself on fire with F-ranked stove flames, tossing it to the plate next to the frying pan as Jessie squeezed us both hard enough to make our ribs creak. “Yes, we’re super happy about it too, but it’ll be tough for you to be in the wedding if you crush us like soda cans.”

She released us both immediately, wheeling on Callie. “Tell me everything. I want reenactments. Benny is going to be so jealous I found out first.”

“Found out what?” Came my best friend’s voice as he walked into the room. “Because I told you last time, Shane’s love of otters is not a secret and I doubt whatever you’re talking about this time is either.” Jessie just grinned, grabbing Callie’s hand and holding it up triumphantly. He wheeled on me. “Rat bastard! I had next year in the pool!”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Celine breezed in past him, stopping to hold out her hand as he grudgingly dropped a few F-ranked chits into her waiting palm. “That, my love, is because you’re almost as dense as he is about matters of the heart.” She smiled at us both brilliantly. “Congratulations, to both of you. It’s been a long time coming.”

“She’s right.” Said Benny with a shrug. “You’re basically married already. Maybe this will stop all the sickening cuteness.”

Rolling my eyes, I gestured to the table. “Benny, why don’t you put out plates, Cal, you and Jessie go tell everyone else. I’ve only been through the reveal twice and I’m already getting exhausted.”

Callie snickered, popping to her feet and planting a kiss on my maskless cheek. I was wearing my armor but I’d left the crown and mask off. I was home, so it was alright to walk around without it. That felt pretty good to think. “Alright, I’ll let you cook. I’d like mine with blueberries, please.”

I just laughed as the two of them took off, anxious to tell everyone else, including probably my sister. For now though, I just enjoyed the cooking process as my best friend sat beside me, silent for a minute before he finally figured out what to say.

“You’re getting married.” He said simply. His tone was disbelieving, but happy, and I knew he approved. “That’s…damn, Shane. Holy shit. I mean, I get it, you love her, but still, that’s a lot. Was it hard to ask?”

I snorted. “I felt like I was going to throw up all day. I’d like to say I thought it out, planned it meticulously but…I kind of just decided it was time and went with it.”

“Of course you did.” He said with an eye roll. “It’s what you do. But it doesn’t sound like you regret it at all. Which is a good sign I’d say. Did you figure out who’s going to be in the wedding yet? Or where you’re having it?”

It was my turn for an eye roll. “I mean, I obviously already have my best man picked out, dipshit. But the wedding won’t be right away. We have the conclave coming up, and that’ll be a whole big mess. We’re thinking after that. As for where…probably Callus. Callie’s mom is there, and I want Maria to come of course, and Stella and Ian.”

“Mom and dad will want to be there.” He said with a nod. Then paused. “Well, dad will want to be there. Mom will find out what rank you are and how much influence you have and probably try to spin it into some kind of business expansion.”

That got a laugh out of me. “I’m sure, but I don’t mind. Besides, you’re E-rank too. She doesn’t need my influence to be sitting pretty. Don’t forget we’re already top of the charts for Callus, and that’s assuming we don’t manage D-rank before we show up. I think Callie might do it out of sheer spite so she can lord it over her dad.”

“That does sound like her.” He chuckled. “You’re going to have to work your ass off to keep up with your godslayer girlfriend.”

I just shook my head. “We have to get through this shitshow first.” I said with a sigh. “Spencer is going to try to kill us, and I’m definitely going to do the same.” My voice hardened. “He’s too dangerous to leave alive. I won’t feel safe leaving this planet unless he’s dead.” The way he’d looked at Callie, hell the way he’d looked at me. One of us wasn’t getting off this rock.

“Agreed.” Said Benny coldly. And we shared a brief look, acknowledging how much things had changed. We’d just been talking about my wedding and now we were planning to kill someone. Sure, he definitely deserved it, but it was still a bit surreal. “I’m working on procuring the enhancement artifacts I need. Should have them by the time the month long protections end.”

That was good. I’d been a bit worried, though I was sure Benny had benefited from the giant stone golem thing we’d pulled off. It was damned impressive. I had to check my stats actually, I hadn’t bothered but I was sure they’d gone up. It would be nice to see after the whole mess with the battle. I was starting to feel weak again.

Tricks aside, I wasn’t even close to a power player in the E-rank community. My powerful soul let me pull of some serious bullshit, but it didn’t mean I wouldn’t be capable of way more with the stats to back it up. Stats were the most important thing an Ascendant could have. More than Skills or anything but abilities honestly.

There was some noise and I turned to see a small stampede of people coming into the kitchen. Bethy,Chelsea, Gabe, Cark and Cass, (who I guessed had made their way over with Zeke) all tumbled in grinning and congratulating and clapping me on the back. My uncle caught my eye and smiled, nodding slightly as he headed to the table to sit and wait for the crepes.

I was just finishing them up, so I plated some for everyone (only one or two because I hadn’t been cooking for the whole inn) and sat down to eat myself, grinning at all the excited chattering.

This was almost as amazing as Callie saying yes. Being here together, with my family and friends, talking about the wedding. It was…perfect.

Which was of course when the city planner and the work crew showed up. Callie hopped up, devouring her last crepe like a taco and kissing me on the cheek (I had to wipe syrup off my face) as she ran out to meet them with Celine.

I finished eating and headed out to find them all clustered up in the front yard, listening to a small, round bellied man with a warm smile and a close cropped black beard point out important landmarks and fill them in on his thoughts about where everything should go. Stopping a few feet away I waited and listened, interested to hear his thoughts on things.

When I realized those thoughts were boring, I tuned them out and turned to run my eyes over the valley, taking in the amazing idyllic scenery.

Zeke stepped up next to me. “Congrats kid.” He said with a soft smile. “Your mom is going to flip her lid.” His cheek twitched as the mark on his forehead flared and he rolled his eyes, but the geas didn’t actually manifest. “You’re having it back on Callus?”

“Of course.” I said with a smile. “Anyone who wants to come can drag their happy ass to my neck of the woods. Not that I assume everyone will make it.” My smile wilted a bit. “People are busy.” Neither of us said anything else after that, we both knew I was right, and we just stood and watched the scenery.

Somehow, it all looked different today. I wasn’t sure why, but I could feel a sort of hum of destiny around it. That was part of why I’d proposed here. Fate sense, divination, who knew. I’d just gotten a feeling. I didn’t know what caused that, but I was betting the place could become special. I couldn’t wait to help turn it into something amazing. A month would be plenty of time. Spencer wouldn’t know what hit him.