Klaus opened his eye as he arrived in Higher World and began strolling through the streets of the Exalted City. The empty paths made it easy for him to get lost in his thoughts.
He recalled Shade's warning about the risks of addressing a god at such a critical time, a risk he'd been aware of, which is why he had initially headed straight to Earth. But after considering that it might seem odd not to report back to his father, he convinced himself that coming back to thank him was a less risky move. At least, that was the explanation he told himself for his quick departure from Earth.
Noticing a hint of agitation within himself, Klaus pressed on without dwelling on it. Upon arriving at the Arena of Valor, he searched until he found XVII, the instructor standing by and ready to assist.
Moving closer, Klaus caught XVII's attention. "Greetings, Klaus Walker," XVII began.
"Hey," Klaus replied. "I'm trying to connect with my father, Sol. Is that possible right now?"
"Of course," XVII responded. "I'll inform him of your arrival immediately. You can proceed to the transportation podiums to depart for the Domain of the gods."
Before Klaus could depart, he hesitated. "Actually…" he interrupted XVII, "I think it would be better if you relay some specific information for me instead. Can you do that?"
XVII, slightly confused by the sudden change, said, "That would be possible."
Klaus then relayed the message he wanted Sol to hear, making sure to thank his father for his help with the trial of Xhin and all his efforts regarding the matter. He apologized for not going there in person, explaining that he didn't want to bother him, an explanation he hoped would justify his lack of confrontation with Sol.
XVII absorbed every word and assured Klaus that he would relay the message swiftly and precisely. With that, Klaus's business in Higher World was complete.
Klaus left the arena after finishing his task, but a nagging feeling told him he wasn't ready to return. He walked toward the transportation podium, but after a few steps, he abruptly stopped and changed direction.
He made his way to a bench near the Apartment Building and sat with his head bowed, lost in thought. Klaus placed his right hand on his head, frustration and uncertainty overwhelming him. He wasn't sure why, only that he didn't want to return to Earth just yet.
Perhaps it was the fear of the situation finally catching up to him. His encounter with Nekro had been one of the most terrifying experiences of his life, even more so than facing death itself. That experience had shown him just how horrifying it could be for a god to betray the pantheon. Yet, despite that, there was still something else making him uneasy.
As Klaus sat immersed in his thoughts, he suddenly heard footsteps. He lifted his head to see two individuals approaching: two girls. Klaus recognized Mia immediately, but the girl with her, with medium-length, wavy auburn hair, was unfamiliar at first.
Focusing as they drew nearer, Klaus's eye widened in shock. It was Piper, or Siren, walking beside Mia without her usual signature suit.
"Piper?" Klaus asked, rising to his feet in shock as the two girls approached him.
Realizing he had spoken loudly and aware of the risk of sound affecting Piper, Klaus reactively covered his mouth with his right palm.
Recognizing the reason for Klaus's reaction, Piper immediately raised her hands in concern. "O-Oh, it's fine," she said calmly. "You don't have to worry about that."
"What the hell happened to you?" Mia immediately questioned, placing her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow in surprise at Klaus's disheveled state.
Klaus let his worries ease and dropped his hand from his mouth. "Long story," he replied.
Klaus immediately turned his attention to Piper. "More importantly, what happened to you?" he asked. "You're..."
"Out of my suit and not reacting in agony to vibrations?" Piper finished his sentence with a smile. "Haha, yeah. Long story, but you can thank Link for it."
"Link?" Klaus questioned. "How so?"
At Klaus's curiosity, Piper smiled even wider, tilted her head back, and placed her palms by her ears. She brushed her hair away, revealing small devices embedded in the center of each ear.
"Hearing aids?" Klaus asked.
"Well... sort of," Piper replied. "They work just like the Anti-Vibration Gear I used to have."
Then, she rolled up her left sleeve to reveal a strange fabric beneath her clothes. "That, and the material I'm wearing underneath," she explained.
Klaus could hardly believe what he was hearing. Somehow, Link had managed to develop materials that protected Piper from even the faintest sound vibrations, a reality she'd struggled with since she was younger. Moreover, Klaus recognized that it was even more impressive given that Link had crafted a superior alternative to her previous suit, the one Sonar, a god, had originally made for his daughter.
While the technical details intrigued Klaus slightly, his focus drifted instead to watching Piper without her suit, her smile warming him in a way he hadn't expected.
"Uhh... Hello?" Mia suddenly called out to Klaus as she leaned in with a raised eyebrow and tilted head. "Earth to Light Boy?"
Klaus snapped back to the moment. "Sorry," he muttered. "I'm just surprised."
"Yeah, so was I," Piper said. "After I revealed myself to everyone months ago, Link told me he was going to work on something to help me out. He said he realized how hard life was for me in that suit and wanted to do all he could. At first, I thought he was just being nice. But one day, he called me over and asked if I'd be willing to try out one of his inventions. Who would've thought it would actually work?"
"Of course it did," Mia interjected with a smile. "I mean, he worked on it for months, so he must really care about you."
Piper's cheeks flushed as she shot Mia a reproachful glance. "Mia!" she chided softly, then looked away. "You don't... know that."
Klaus was taken aback by Mia's comment about Link working on the gear for months. Soon enough, his single eye widened as he remembered that before the human extinction crisis, Link had told him he was working on something important. That was also why Link hadn't gone to Higher World before the monsters appeared.
Everything made sense to Klaus once he put the pieces together, and he couldn't help but smile. "That's amazing," he eventually said. "I'm glad he could help you so much."
Piper was surprised by Klaus's reaction but smiled in return as well. "Me too," she murmured.
Mia glanced at Klaus in mild confusion. "Look at you, all happy for someone else," she teased. "You've changed a lot, you know."
"I've changed a lot because I care?" Klaus asked.
"That's exactly what I said, isn't it?" Mia added. "And FYI, considering you only have one eye, you look more terrifying than happy, I can assure you."
Klaus sighed and returned to his seat, joined by Mia and Piper.
The group began catching up on everything that had happened over the past few months. Mia explained that they were in Higher World waiting for some other demigods, which made sense. Soon enough, footsteps and murmurs echoed down the pathway from the direction of the transportation podium.
Klaus turned to see Link and Trent approaching. "Finally!" Mia exclaimed, revealing that these were the demigods they had been waiting for.
Klaus then glanced at Piper and noticed a shy expression on her face as she recognized the presence of the two demigods. Her gaze fixed on Link, and her face turned slightly red before she got up from the bench and walked closer.
When Link locked eyes with Piper, a digitalized smile spread across his mask. He stretched his hand out in a friendly wave as she approached.
"Hey, Piper," Link said softly.
"Hi," Piper replied with a smile as she stopped a few feet from him.
"How're you feeling?" Link continued, his voice a whisper and laced with concern. "Any issues with the new gear?"
"As I keep telling you every time you ask," Piper answered with a smile, "everything's fine, and I'm fine as well."
"I'm just worried," Link explained. "I don't want to accidentally cause you any harm."
"Don't worry," Piper assured him. "I trust you."
Hearing her words of assurance, Link's digital eyes lit up with a smile. Shortly after, Mia coughed loudly, catching Link's attention.
Link's gaze shifted to Klaus and Mia, who were sitting on the bench, watching their interaction in silence. "Oh, hey, guys," Link greeted immediately.
"Oh, so you do see us?" Mia teased with a taunting smile. "And here I thought Piper was the only one who wasn't invisible."
"Oh, shut up," Link retorted, his digital eyes briefly turning into lines as Mia giggled teasingly.
From their interaction, Klaus could tell that Piper and Link were clearly fond of each other, which he found amusing.
After Mia's teasing, Link and Piper continued talking while Trent took the opportunity to walk closer to Klaus and her. But instead of stopping in front of them, Trent walked to the back of the bench, then slouched forward, shocking Klaus with his first words.
"Hey, babe," Trent suddenly said.
"Babe?" Klaus questioned in astonishment.
When Klaus turned his eye toward his side, he was stunned to see Trent wrap his arms around Mia's shoulders, their gazes locking as Mia turned back to him. Klaus's eye widened in disbelief as he watched Trent seal a kiss with Mia warmly.
"What the hell is going on?" Klaus asked softly, in utter confusion.
After a few seconds, Mia pulled away from the kiss, her eyes still closed. "You really love doing that, don't you?" she whispered to Trent, their faces still close together.
Shortly after, Mia turned her attention back to Klaus, noticing the shock in his eye and his jaw hanging in disbelief. "I told him not to do it all the time when we're in public," she explained.
Trent, still with his arms around Mia, then turned his gaze to Klaus. "Oh, apologies," Trent said with a smile before he quickly noticed Klaus's damaged state. "Wow. You... don't look so good, friend."
Klaus was stunned, his expression frozen in disbelief at what he had witnessed. "When? Why? How?" he questioned.
Mia raised an eyebrow, eventually understanding his shock. "Dude, we've been dating for months now," she explained. "You would've known that if you were actually around more."
Hearing the truth in her words, Klaus's shock slowly subsided. He realized that he had been isolated in his room for a full month after the crisis and had barely interacted with the other demigods since then.
"I guess that's fair," he finally said.
"Yo, Trent?" Link suddenly called from where he stood with Piper. "Come over here for a bit. We wanna confirm something."
"Sure thing, friend," Trent replied with a smile. Then, turning to Mia, he whispered, "I'll be back in a moment."
"No problem," Mia said, sharing another kiss with Trent before he departed.
As Trent walked over to Link and Piper, Mia turned her attention back to a slightly shocked Klaus. "You do realize you have a funny look on your face, don't you?" she teased.
Klaus still couldn't believe everything he had seen over the past half hour. "I'm just... surprised by it all," he muttered, glancing at Trent as he conversed with the others.
"Why?" Mia asked, her gaze turning to Trent as well. "I mean, what's not to like about him? He's hot, he's sweet, he's genuine... he's hot."
"Fair enough... I guess," Klaus replied softly.
After a moment, Klaus remembered something he felt the need to point out to Mia. "But regarding Trent, you do know..."
"...that he's not human?" Mia cut in, turning to Klaus. "That he's actually a divine artifact, like Lance's spear? Yeah, I do."
Mia's knowledge of Trent's true nature surprised Klaus, but her genuine look as she turned back toward Trent was unmistakable. "But I don't care about that," she explained. "He makes me happy, and seeing him smile all the time gives me comfort."
Klaus could sense the truth in her words as she fixed her warm gaze on Trent. He knew she was right about him not spending much time with the other demigods, a criticism he had directed at Ash during their time in Under World. Still, he was glad to see they found solace in each other.
"I'm glad to hear that," Klaus said sincerely. "Truly."
Mia turned back toward Klaus. "Aww, look at you, caring about others again," she said with a grin. "I know I said it before, but you've really come a long way from the antisocial emo you used to be."
Klaus grinned in return. "Well, that makes one of us," he replied. "You're still the brat you've always been."
"Wow, Light Boy," Mia teased after a giggle.
Soon, Mia's smile softened. "Though, I'm kinda glad I'm a bit different from how I was back then," she said quietly.
"Yeah," Klaus agreed, his smile lingering. "Your weird idolization of your brother was definitely unhealthy."
"I mean... you're right," Mia said with a more serious tone. "But I'm past that now."
Klaus's expression softened as he listened to Mia continue her words. "I remember a few months ago, when I kept hearing about him on the news; a mercenary who, within months, became a global threat, his name cursed in every media outlet. But what most people around the world didn't know about the 'victims' of his actions, I was aware of them because of my family's status. I was aware of the true villains these people truly were behind closed doors."
Klaus's gaze softened completely as he listened, realizing how deeply Mia felt. "I idolized his ideals and motives, even though I knew they weren't right. And when I first met him face to face here in Higher World, I felt an inexplicable connection. But over time... I realized that feeling was one-sided and would never change. That's why I stopped caring. I no longer care what he thinks of me or if he even sees me as his sister. We share a last name... but I guess that's all we'll ever share."
Klaus felt the weight of Mia's words. He understood how hard it was for her to say such things aloud, and her depth moved him unexpectedly.
He had always been opposed to murder, regardless of motive; he rejected the ideals X stood for. But after hearing Mia's words on her admiration for his ideals as a genuine form of justice, Klaus began to question whether X's actions were truly unjust, especially given her claim of knowing the true villains behind the scenes.
Klaus wondered if sacrificing a family member was truly justified if it meant saving other lives from suffering or death at the hands of that same person, especially recalling the situation with Xhin and the human extinction crisis.
Klaus felt Mia's words deeply, but when he turned his attention back to her, he noticed her gaze fixed on him. "There you go, overthinking again," she teased, knowing him well.
"Sorry," Klaus replied softly.
"It's fine," Mia said with a smile. "I've learned that it just means you care, even if you look a bit like a weirdo when you zone out."
Klaus returned her smile, sharing a warm glance with her.
Shortly after their brief conversation, Link walked up to the bench where Klaus and Mia were sitting. "Yo," he said. "The rest of us are heading into the building now."
Turning his attention toward Klaus, Link's digital expression shifted. "Damn, you look kinda different, Klaus," he teased, noticing Klaus's damaged state. "New hairstyle?"
Klaus sighed and rose to his feet. "Well, it was nice seeing you guys again," he said.
"You're not following us in?" Piper asked.
"I have something important I need to deal with on Earth right now," Klaus explained. "Also, I don't really want to be a fifth wheel."
"Fifth wheel?" Mia teased, smiling and raising her voice. "I mean... it's not like Link and Piper are dating, right?"
"Mia!" Piper exclaimed shyly.
"I've never wanted to punch a girl so badly," Link added, frustration evident on his face as Mia giggled.
After a brief moment, Klaus waved goodbye to the group and began toward the transportation podium. But before he could leave, he noticed that Piper had stayed behind.
"Do you have a minute, Klaus?" Piper asked.
"Sure," Klaus replied, turning his attention to her.
After a moment, Piper stood shyly before saying, "I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what?" Klaus asked, confused.
"Well," Piper began, "you were the first person to see me out of my suit, and you kept my secret safe until I was ready to reveal myself to others. I was in a pretty bad place mentally before then, which was why I had impersonated being a guy most of the time, but after our encounter at the medical facility, you gave me the courage to be myself. I really appreciate that."
Klaus was silent for a moment. "Honestly, I didn't do much of anything," he said earnestly.
"Even so," Piper added with a smile, "just being you was enough, and I'm glad you figured it out that day."
"On that note, I'm glad to see you out of your suit and doing fine," Klaus replied, his usual expression intact.
Piper smiled. "You say that with such an emotionless look," she teased.
Before Klaus could respond, she quickly continued, "But I know your words are genuine. I can tell by the sound of your voice."
Klaus realized that now that Piper was out of her suit, her powers were even more elevated, which made her last statement all the more meaningful. He understood then that his words were true, a truth he might have doubted later if not for her confirmation.
"That being said," Piper continued with a smile, "I know you don't get to smile often, but I hope you find happiness like I did from Link. N-Not that... I like him... or anything... Haha."
Klaus's mind lingered on her last words, and he wondered if he could ever feel the same warmth he once had with Avalon. His thoughts drifted to a certain place briefly, but he quickly dismissed them.
"I'm not so sure about that," Klaus finally said.
Hearing this, Piper's smile widened. "You're lying," she said, her expression contradicting her words and surprising Klaus. "For a moment, your heart skipped a beat before accelerating, and your muscles twitched a bit."
Klaus was silent, unsure of what to say, but Piper's smile remained.
"It's fine, though," she added. "You don't have to tell me what's going on, as long as you're trying to be happy."
After a while, Piper turned toward the apartment building. "Well, I better get back to the others," she said. "I'll see you around." Her expression changed slightly before she added, "I swear, that wasn't a pun on your eye."
"I know," Klaus replied with a smile. "See you around."
After a wave, Piper departed. Klaus stood quietly, his mind heavy with thoughts about everything that had happened over the past few months. Despite his frustration, hearing the other demigods share about themselves made him feel a little better.
Klaus wondered if the others felt the same about him or not, but deep down, he could tell that he recognized them as his friends, something he hadn't had in a long time until meeting Rose. He cared about them, and it seemed they cared about him, too.
After a while, Klaus finally decided to head back to Earth. He made his way to the transportation podium and teleported back.
Once he materialized on Earth, Klaus immediately arrived at his home's front door. The sun was beginning to rise, but after everything he had experienced with his capabilities, this no longer affected his use of Burst Speed.
Walking past the door, Klaus climbed the stairs and entered his room. There, he saw Riley seated on a chair by the bed; she had been using her phone but put it down when she noticed his return.
"You're back... again," Riley said.
"I guess," Klaus replied.
Looking around, Klaus noticed that Ace had finally fallen asleep on another chair, and Shade was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Shade?" he asked Riley.
"He had to go shower," Riley explained. "I was waiting for him so I could head home and shower as well."
Riley moved closer to Klaus, a grin forming on her face. "How about you?" she asked softly. "Any other plans or places to run to again?"
Klaus met her warm gaze but quickly looked away. "Not really," he answered, his tone emotionless.
Riley's expression immediately shifted. "What's going on with you?" she asked. "You've been kind of a wet noodle lately."
Klaus fell silent for a moment. "You think so?" he asked, still avoiding her gaze.
Riley's face fell further as she wondered why Klaus was acting this way. "Is it because of what happened between us at Ace's apartment the other day?" she asked.
Klaus's silence spoke volumes and it was almost like he didn't seem confident enough to discuss the topic.
With a frustrated sigh, Riley spoke. "Look, Klaus," she began calmly, "if it isn't obvious already, I like you. And after the time we've spent together these past few weeks, I probably like you a lot. But I'm not exactly head over heels, and if you feel like this is all too soon or if you just don't feel the same way, the least you could do is let me know."
Klaus remained silent for a few more moments, his mind swirling with unfamiliar emotions.
"I'm sorry," he finally said after a sigh. "It's not... that. It's just... it's hard for me to trust the emotions others have for me anymore."
"Why is that?" Riley asked. "Because you think they're all fabricated by this... Dominion... over... whatever?"
Riley's frustration was clear, and before either could continue, Shade entered the room.
"Hey, Riles, I'm done," Shade said. "You can head... Oh, Klaus. You're back."
Shade immediately noticed the tension between Klaus and Riley, and the sour mood on her face. "Uhh... did I miss something?" he asked, slightly confused.
Riley briefly looked at Klaus before returning her gaze to Shade. "No," she snapped with a hint of anger. "I was just about to leave."
Riley then walked back to her chair to collect her things, but before she left, she stopped beside Klaus. "By the way," she muttered softly but bluntly, "if there's any single female in all of reality who could be the most resistant to whatever charm you have, it would be me, and you know why."
After a few moments of standing in silence, Riley finally left Klaus's room, closing the door behind her.
Klaus remained silent as he stared at the closed door, while Shade also stood, confused about what had set Riley off. Klaus walked over and sat in the chair where Riley had been, his head tilted upward and towards the ceiling as he let out a deep, heavy sigh. He wasn't sure what to think, but he knew he had mishandled his response to Riley's words. Shade, still puzzled, let the moment settle down a bit.
They sat quietly for several minutes, with Klaus's gaze still fixed on the ceiling in thought.
"So... what was that about?" Shade finally asked.
"I… don't know," Klaus replied softly, his head still raised.
"She seemed really angry about something," Shade pressed. "Any idea why?"
"I don't know," Klaus repeated, his gaze unchanged.
Shade began to grow annoyed. "Dude, you don't have to put on an attitude about it," he said, his tone softening.
Klaus finally lowered his head, glancing at Shade. "What attitude?" he asked. "I just don't know."
"Uh-huh," Shade said, clearly frustrated. "Sure you don't. Then why did she leave?"
"I don't know!" Klaus chanted, his voice rising in annoyance.
"See?" Shade snapped. "That's probably why she left. You're being so hard-headed, despite leaving us to deal with all this while you go off to Under World for a whole day."
"You know that's not fair," Klaus countered as he rose to his feet. "I had to be there."
"Did you also have to risk everything we've done by meeting with Sol?" Shade asked, standing up as well. "Or were you just frightened you may or may not have feelings for someone else other than Avalon?"
Klaus's eye widened. "Do not speak her name right now," he spat.
"Dude, you don't even realize that your lack of communication affects everyone who actually tries to care about you," Shade said. "I can handle it, but you need to know not everyone else can."
"Well, I'm sorry I'm not the greatest communicator of all time," Klaus said, his voice growing louder as they faced each other. "I'm sorry I can't just smile whenever anyone talks to me like you do."
Shade's eyes widened in shock as he looked aside. "Dude?" he said softly.
"Or I'm sorry I can't make jokes or be entertaining like most of the other demigods," Klaus continued.
"Dude?" Shade repeated in the same tone.
Klaus's gaze softened slightly. "Or maybe I'm just not cut out to have people who genuinely care about me since I'm clearly broken and incapable of love."
"Klaus!" Shade immediately shouted.
"What?" Klaus asked before noticing Shade's fixed gaze behind him.
Slowly, Klaus turned his attention back to where Shade was looking, and his eye widened in shock, mirroring his brother's expression.
"Uhh… where am I?" the girl in white said softly, her voice gentle like a lullaby, as she sat up on Klaus's bed, holding her head, finally conscious.