Day 17 Post-Impact - Afternoon
The convoy rolled through the school gates to cheering.
Word had spread. The nest was destroyed. The threat was eliminated. For the first time in weeks, people had something to celebrate.
Sarnav stepped out of his truck to applause and grateful faces. Hands reached out to shake his, voices called congratulations. He accepted it all with practiced ease, the role of leader sitting more comfortably on his shoulders with each passing day.
[FACTION UPDATE]
[NEST ELIMINATION: COMPLETE]
[COMMUNITY MORALE: HIGH]
[REPUTATION GAINED: +500]
[TERRITORY SECURITY: IMPROVED]
Encik Rahman met him at the courtyard. "Outstanding work. The scouts confirm the nest is completely destroyed. No survivors, no regrowth."
"Good. We should establish patrols in that area. Make sure nothing tries to rebuild."
"Already arranged." The older man smiled. "You've done well, Sarnav. The community owes you a great deal."
"The community fought beside me. The credit belongs to everyone."
"Humble as always." Encik Rahman clapped his shoulder. "There'll be a celebration tonight. Food, music, whatever we can manage. People need this."
"They've earned it."
The crowd slowly dispersed, people returning to duties or seeking rest. Sarnav scanned the courtyard, looking for familiar faces.
Ishani was being helped to the medical station, her energy depleted from the battle. She caught his eye across the distance and smiled, tired but satisfied.
Nisha was nowhere to be seen.
[BOND ALERT - NISHA RAMACHANDRAN]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: DISTRESSED]
[LOCATION: PRIVATE QUARTERS]
[NOTE: RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE ATTENTION]
He'd expected this. Hoped to avoid it, but expected it.
Time to face the consequences.
Their room was quiet.
Nisha sat on the bed, still in her combat gear, staring at the wall. She didn't look up when he entered.
"Hey."
"Hey." Her voice was flat. Empty.
Sarnav closed the door, leaning against it. "You want to talk about it?"
"What's there to talk about?" She still wouldn't look at him. "You fucked her. I knew you would. I told you to go ahead. Nothing to discuss."
"Bullshit."
That got her attention. Her eyes snapped to his, flashing with anger.
"Excuse me?"
"You're sitting here pretending to be fine when you're clearly not. That's bullshit." He pushed off the door, crossing to the bed. "If you're angry, be angry. If you're hurt, say you're hurt. Don't give me this fake acceptance crap."
"You want me to be angry?" Her voice rose. "Fine. I'm angry. I'm furious. I spent the entire battle watching you fight alongside her, watching you two move together like you'd been partners for years. Then you disappeared with her for an hour and came back smelling like sex. So yes, Sarnav, I'm angry."
"Good."
"Good? How is that good?"
"Because angry I can work with. Angry is honest." He sat beside her, not touching. "What else?"
She stared at him. Then something cracked behind her eyes.
"I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm scared that this is just the beginning. That you're going to keep finding women, keep adding them, and eventually I'm going to get lost in the crowd. Just another name on your list."
"That's not going to happen."
"You can't know that. You said yourself, your system wants thirty-two. I'm one out of thirty-two. That's nothing. That's barely three percent."
"Math doesn't work like that when it comes to feelings."
"Doesn't it?" Tears were building in her eyes now. "I've loved you for ten years, Sarnav. Ten years of wondering if you'd ever see me as more than a friend. And now I finally have you, and I have to share you with a woman who's more beautiful, more confident, more everything than me."
"Stop."
"It's true. She's—"
"I said stop." His voice hardened. "You want to compare yourself to Ishani? Fine. She's beautiful. She's confident. She's powerful and experienced and knows exactly what she wants."
Nisha flinched.
"But she's not you." He took her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes. "She didn't know me when I was a scrawny kid who couldn't talk to girls. She didn't sit with me through my father's funeral. She didn't hold my hand through the worst moments of my life."
"That doesn't—"
"She doesn't know my favorite food. She doesn't know about the scar on my knee from when I fell off my bike at twelve. She doesn't know that I have nightmares about the asteroid, about losing everyone I care about." His thumbs wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You know all of that. You know me. The real me. Not the leader, not the cultivator, not whatever image I project to the world. Me."
Nisha's lip trembled. "But you still want her."
"Yes. I want her. I want you. I want the twenty-nine other women my system will eventually lead me to." He didn't soften the truth. "That's my path. That's my reality. I can't change it, and I won't apologize for it."
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"Accept it or leave. Those are your options." His grip on her face gentled. "But know this. If you stay, you'll always have a place with me. Not because the system says so. Because I choose it. Because you're the first woman I ever loved, and that matters."
"And Ishani?"
"Has her own place. Different from yours. Not better, not worse. Different."
Nisha was quiet for a long moment. The tears had stopped, but her eyes were red, her cheeks stained.
"I hate this," she said finally.
"I know."
"I hate sharing you. I hate knowing there are going to be other women. I hate feeling like I'm not enough."
"You are enough. You've always been enough."
"Then why do you need more?"
"Because the system requires it. Because my power requires it." He pulled her closer, pressing his forehead to hers. "But needing more doesn't mean you're not enough. It means the world is complicated, and we're doing our best to navigate it."
She laughed weakly. "That's a terrible answer."
"It's the only honest one I have."
She was silent again. Then she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.
"I'm staying," she said, muffled against his shirt. "Even though it hurts. Even though I hate it. I'm staying."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Just... hold me for a while. Please."
He held her.
They stayed like that for a long time.
Eventually, Nisha pulled back, wiping her face with her sleeve. She looked exhausted. Emotionally drained.
"I need a shower," she said. "I'm still covered in void dust."
"Me too."
"Together?"
"If you want."
She nodded slowly. "I want."
The bathroom was small, the shower barely big enough for two. They undressed in silence, the intimacy familiar but charged with something new. The weight of everything they'd discussed hung between them.
Hot water cascaded over them. Sarnav reached for the soap, but Nisha stopped him.
"Let me."
She washed him slowly. Methodically. Her hands tracing over his muscles, his scars, the places where void energy had burned his skin during the fight. There was nothing sexual about it. Not yet. Just care. Attention.
"You got hurt," she said, touching a mark on his shoulder.
"It's healing."
"You could have died."
"But I didn't."
She pressed her lips to the mark. "Don't die. I can handle sharing you. I can't handle losing you."
"I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."
"Good." She stepped back, letting the water rinse the soap away. "Your turn."
He washed her with the same careful attention. Her smaller body, her softer curves, the familiar landscape of a woman he'd been exploring for weeks now. When his hands lingered on her breasts, she leaned into the touch.
"Sarnav."
"Mm?"
"Make me feel like I matter. Please."
He kissed her.
Not hard. Not claiming. Soft and deep, full of everything he couldn't put into words. She melted against him, her arms wrapping around his neck.
When they broke apart, her eyes were clearer. Some of the hurt had faded, replaced by something warmer.
"Bed," she said. "Now."
They barely made it to the mattress.
Sarnav laid her down gently, taking his time despite her impatience. This wasn't about quick release. This was about reconnection. About proving that she still mattered after everything that had happened.
"I love you," he said, kissing down her neck.
"Show me."
He did.
He worshipped her body with his mouth. Her neck, her collarbones, her breasts. He sucked her nipples until she was gasping, until her back arched off the bed.
"Sarnav... yes... more..."
Lower. Her stomach, her hips, the inside of her thighs. She spread her legs for him, already wet, already wanting.
He licked her slowly. Long, deliberate strokes that made her moan. No rushing. No agenda. Just pleasure given freely.
"Oh god... right there... don't stop..."
He didn't stop. He ate her with focused intensity, learning her responses all over again. When she got close, he backed off. When she relaxed, he built her back up.
"Please," she begged. "Please, I need to come. I need you."
"You have me."
"I need more. I need you inside me. Please, sayang."
The Malay endearment hit different now. A reminder of who she was. Where she came from. The shared culture that Ishani also belonged to.
He crawled up her body, positioning himself at her entrance.
"Look at me."
Her eyes opened, meeting his.
"I love you," he said. "No matter who else joins us, no matter how complicated this gets. I love you."
Tears spilled from her eyes. "I love you too."
He pushed inside.
She cried out, her body welcoming him, her walls clenching around his length. He gave her a moment to adjust, then started to move.
Slow. Deep. Every stroke deliberate.
"Yes," she gasped. "Just like that. I feel you everywhere."
"That's the idea."
He made love to her. Not fucking. Not rutting. Love. Emotional and intense, every thrust carrying the weight of their history.
Nisha wrapped her legs around him, pulling him deeper. Her nails raked down his back, gentler than Ishani's had been. Different. Familiar.
"Harder," she whispered. "I can take it."
He increased his pace, but kept the depth. She moaned louder, her body responding to every movement.
"I'm close," she gasped. "Don't stop. Please don't stop."
He reached between them, rubbing her clit in circles. She shattered, her orgasm crashing through her, her pussy clenching around him.
And she cried.
Not from sadness. From intensity. From the overwhelming emotion of everything they'd been through in the past twenty-four hours.
Sarnav held her through it, still moving, extending her pleasure. When her tears slowed, when her body stopped shaking, he let himself follow.
He came inside her with a groan, filling her, marking her in the most primal way possible. She clung to him, whispering his name, her body trembling with aftershocks.
They lay tangled together for a long time.
"Better?" he asked eventually.
"Better." She pressed a kiss to his chest. "Not fixed. But better."
"It'll take time."
"I know." She looked up at him. "What happens now? With Ishani?"
"We figure it out. The three of us."
"She wants equal status. She told me, that morning in the cafeteria."
"She wants what's fair. So do you." He stroked her hair. "This isn't a competition. There's no winner. There's just us, trying to make something work."
"And if it doesn't work?"
"Then we adjust. We communicate. We figure out what each person needs."
Nisha was quiet. Then she smiled, small but genuine.
"You sound like a relationship counselor."
"I've read a lot of harem novels. You pick things up."
She laughed. Actually laughed, light and surprised. "Of course you have. Genre-savvy even in your love life."
"Especially in my love life." He kissed her forehead. "Now rest. There's a celebration tonight. You'll need energy."
"Will Ishani be there?"
"Probably."
"And you want me to be... okay with that?"
"I want you to try. That's all I'm asking."
She considered. Then nodded.
"I'll try."
Day 17 Post-Impact - Evening
The celebration was modest but heartfelt.
Someone had found speakers. Music played across the courtyard, a mix of Malaysian pop and international hits. Tables had been set up with whatever food could be spared. People laughed, danced, released the tension of weeks of survival.
Sarnav stood near the edge of the crowd, watching his community celebrate.
[FACTION STATUS]
[HARMONY SECT - MORALE: VERY HIGH]
[POPULATION: 194]
[AWAKENED: 26]
[TERRITORY: SECURE]
[REPUTATION: GROWING]
Nisha appeared at his side, clean and dressed in civilian clothes. She looked better. Still tired, still carrying weight, but lighter than before.
"Nice party," she said.
"People needed it."
"So do we." She took his hand. "Dance with me?"
"I'm terrible at dancing."
"I know. Dance with me anyway."
He let her pull him into the crowd.
They moved together, awkward and unpracticed. Nisha didn't seem to care. She pressed close, her head on his shoulder, swaying more than dancing.
"This is nice," she murmured.
"It is."
"I missed this. Normal things. Music and parties and just... being together."
"The world's still ending around us."
"I know. But right now, in this moment, it's okay." She looked up at him. "Thank you for this."
"For what?"
"For not giving up on me. For being patient while I figure things out."
"Always."
They danced through two more songs. Then a familiar figure approached.
Ishani.
She'd cleaned up as well, wearing a dress that showed off her figure. Her hair was loose, her smile careful as she approached them.
"Mind if I cut in?"
Nisha tensed against Sarnav. He felt it, the instinctive resistance.
Then she stepped back.
"Go ahead."
Ishani's eyebrows rose. "Really?"
"Really." Nisha's voice was steady, even if her jaw was tight. "I promised I'd try."
The two women looked at each other. Something passed between them. Not friendship. Not yet. But an acknowledgment.
"Thank you," Ishani said.
"Don't thank me. Just..." Nisha paused. "Don't make me regret it."
"I won't."
Nisha walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
Ishani stepped into Sarnav's arms.
"That was unexpected," she said.
"She's stronger than she looks."
"I'm beginning to see that." They moved together, more gracefully than Sarnav had with Nisha. Ishani actually knew how to dance. "How is she? Really?"
"Hurting. But committed."
"And you? How are you handling all this?"
"I'm fine."
"Liar." She smiled. "You're stretched thin. Leading a community, managing two women, fighting void creatures. Something's going to give eventually."
"Then I'll deal with it when it does."
"Or you could let people help." Her hand squeezed his shoulder. "I'm not just here for sex, Sarnav. I'm here because I believe in what you're building. Let me contribute."
"You already contributed. That light beam in the nest probably saved all our lives."
"I mean more than combat. Strategy. Organization. I managed a modeling career and influencer brand before all this. I know how to build systems, manage people, handle logistics."
He considered her. The intelligence in her eyes, the confidence in her bearing. She was more than just a beautiful body. He'd known that. But hearing her offer so directly made it real.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Let me help run this place. Not as leader. That's your role. But as support. Advisor. Whatever you need."
"You'd be okay with that? Playing second fiddle?"
"I'd be okay with being useful." She leaned closer. "I spent years being valued only for my looks. Here, I have a chance to be valued for more. Don't take that from me."
"I wasn't planning to."
"Good." She kissed his cheek. "Now finish dancing with me, then go find Nisha. She needs you more than I do tonight."
"You're being very understanding."
"I got what I wanted earlier. I can afford to be generous." Her smile turned wicked. "Besides, I know you'll come back to me. Eventually."
"Confident."
"Always."
The song ended. Ishani stepped back with a final squeeze of his hand.
"Go. I'll see you tomorrow."
He went.
Nisha was on the roof.
The same spot where they'd watched sunsets before everything got complicated. She sat with her knees drawn up, looking out over the dark school grounds.
"How was the dance?" she asked without turning.
"Short." He sat beside her. "She sent me to find you."
"Of course she did." Nisha laughed quietly. "She's smart. Playing the long game. Making herself look generous while securing her position."
"Maybe. Or maybe she actually cares."
"Can't it be both?"
"Probably." He leaned back on his hands. "She wants to help manage the community. Use her organizational skills."
"That makes sense. She'd be good at it."
"You're not jealous?"
"About her helping with logistics? No." Nisha finally looked at him. "About you fucking her? Yes. Always. But I'm learning to separate the two."
"That's progress."
"That's survival." She leaned against his shoulder. "I'm not going to be the bitter first wife who sabotages everything. That's not who I want to be."
"So who do you want to be?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"Someone who matters. Someone who contributes. Someone you're proud to have by your side." She met his eyes. "I know I'm not the strongest or the most beautiful or the most skilled. But I'm yours. Completely and totally yours. That has to count for something."
"It counts for everything."
"Then help me be more." She sat up straighter. "Train me. Push me. Make me powerful enough to stand beside you, not behind you."
"You want to fight?"
"I want to not be helpless. I want to protect what's mine." Her expression hardened. "And you're mine, Sarnav. I might have to share you. But you're still mine."
He smiled. The possessiveness in her voice was different from Ishani's confidence. Quieter. Fiercer. Earned through years of patient waiting.
"Tomorrow," he said. "We start training tomorrow."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She kissed him. Soft and sweet, tasting like relief and determination.
When she pulled back, her eyes were brighter than they'd been all day.
"Take me to bed," she said. "I want to fall asleep in your arms."
"Just sleep?"
"Just sleep." She smiled. "We've done enough for one day. Tonight I just want to be held."
"I can do that."
They climbed down from the roof together, hand in hand, walking toward whatever future awaited them.
Two women now. Eventually more.
But tonight, Nisha was enough.
[DAILY CULTIVATION SUMMARY]
[INTIMATE ACTIVITIES - NISHA: +6,500]
[LEADERSHIP/MORALE BONUS: +1,200]
[TOTAL ESSENCE: 66,400 / 100,000 TO NASCENT SOUL]
[BOND STATUS - NISHA RAMACHANDRAN]
[RELATIONSHIP: SOULBOUND]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: HEALING, DETERMINED]
[NEW DEVELOPMENT: REQUESTED COMBAT TRAINING]
[LOYALTY: ABSOLUTE]
[BOND STATUS - ISHANI SUPPIAH]
[RELATIONSHIP: BONDED]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: CONTENT, STRATEGIC]
[NEW DEVELOPMENT: OFFERED ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT]
[BOND STRENGTH: GROWING]
[HAREM DYNAMICS: ESTABLISHING]
[NISHA: ACCEPTING, TERRITORIAL]
[ISHANI: PATIENT, AMBITIOUS]
[CONFLICT LEVEL: LOW (CURRENTLY)]
[NETWORK STATUS: 1 MORE WIFE NEEDED FOR ACTIVATION]