Just as the final sparks of unstable lightning faded from Luca's fingertips, peace returned to the little house.
For about three seconds.
"HUNGRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY—"
Zane blinked like someone just screamed directly into his brain.
"...Oh crap," he muttered.
Sera's head snapped toward him. "No. Don't you dare."
Lyra froze. "What was that noise?! It sounded like a starving demon."
Zane scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Technically... yeah. That was Ace."
A ripple of dark shadow exploded from under Zane's feet, like a puddle of black ink spreading with dramatic flair. From it emerged a very small, very fluffy creature.
Tiny ears. Fluffy cheeks. Glowing violet eyes full of ancient chaos and mischief.
And an intense grudge against all footwear.
With a baby yawn that somehow echoed like a warcry, the Void Lynx kitten stumbled out of the shadow and instantly spotted the enemy.
"...Oh no," Zane whispered. "Incoming."
Ace sprinted full speed at Luca's feet, then leapt like a professional wrestler straight onto one shoe, paws flying, fangs bared—not in rage, but in utter determination.
Ace began ferociously mauling the shoelaces, his tiny claws scratching like he was in a boss fight with a cursed sock.
"IS IT EATING ME?!" Luca shouted.
Zane was doubled over laughing. "No! No, he just hates laces! He thinks they're worms or something!"
"Or sentient," Sera added, wiping tears from her eyes. "He once tried to strangle a curtain because it had tassels."
Lyra was halfway between horrified and fascinated. "THAT'S ACE?!
Ace paused mid-bite, looked up at her with big sparkly anime eyes, tilted his head... then let out the world's tiniest sneeze and fell over like a broken plushie.
"Power incarnate," Zane said proudly, scooping the furball up.
Ace, not to be defeated, immediately wiggled out of Zane's arms, sprinted up Luca's leg like a goblin climbing a tower, and plopped down dramatically across his lap. Purring commenced. Loudly.
Luca froze. "...I'm his bed now, aren't I?"
Zane nodded solemnly. "You've been claimed."
Sera leaned over with a smirk. "Congrats. That means he likes you."
Ace punctuated the moment by nibbling Luca's finger like a rabbit teething on a carrot.
"Affection bite," Zane explained. "You'll get used to it. Probably."
> "The creature is drawn to the Void energy still inside the boy," Nyx's voice echoed in Zane's head. "It recognizes the imbalance. Or maybe it's just weird."
Zane sighed. "You and Ace should talk sometime."
Ace, in the meantime, had rolled over, stolen one of Luca's socks, and was now dragging it under the couch like he just found buried treasure.
Luca blinked. "...Did he just—"
"Yes," Sera confirmed. "Your sock is now part of his hoard."
"Only the left ones," Zane muttered darkly. "We don't ask why."
Ace popped his head out from under the couch, the sock dangling from his mouth like a trophy, and let out a smug chirp that sounded suspiciously like a "meh."
Zane tossed him a piece of dried jerky. "There. Snack on that instead of human laundry."
Ace snatched it midair, did a flip that nobody asked for, and vanished into Zane's shadow with a satisfied burp.
The silence that followed was reverent.
Luca blinked. "That... was the most terrifyingly cute thing I've ever experienced."
Zane smiled. "That's Ace for you."