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Venerable readers, this is a good read.
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As the light faded, Gwen's eyes were drawn to a delicate flower lying on the ground, its petals shimmering faintly in the moonlight. It resembled the ones her grandmother had often left at the tree she and Max Tennyson had claimed as their own.
"I know where this needs to be," Gwen said softly, picking up the flower with a determined expression.
Kevin called his car with a thought, the sleek, black vehicle purring to life as it approached them. Gwen and Ben climbed inside, while her parents followed in their car. The journey to the tree was quiet, the atmosphere tinged with the weight of recent events.
Once they arrived, Gwen carefully placed the flower next to the tree, a silent tribute to the connection she and Max had shared. As she straightened up, her father cleared his throat, his expression serious.
"Gwen, would you care to introduce us to this young man?" he asked, his tone indicating that this was more than a casual request. They had overheard Gwen's conversation with her grandmother, catching snippets about how she felt towards Kevin. Now, seeing the young man who had flirted so boldly with Verdona, they were understandably curious.
Gwen introduced Kevin, and her parents immediately sensed the aura of authority and responsibility that seemed to radiate from him. Despite his youth, there was something undeniably commanding about him, and though they intended to question him thoroughly, they were nothing but polite in his presence.
"I won't lie; I was scared for a moment that you were going to kill my grandma, and I would have had to fight you," Gwen admitted as she leaned against the window of Kevin's car, her voice soft as they drove back home.
"I was gaining the upper hand for a while, but her experience and abilities nearly ended me. She punished me for letting my guard down twice," Kevin replied, his tone reflective as he stared out at the road ahead.
"Really? It looked like you had it covered with all the explosions and shockwaves I heard. But still, why did you attack our grandma?" Ben asked from the backseat, his curiosity evident.
"You know, she didn't exactly have 'Grandma of the Tennysons' written on her forehead. I just followed someone with an immense amount of energy I could use, that's all," Kevin explained, the memory of his battle with Verdona replaying in his mind.
"I'd gotten stronger before meeting her, and now I'm even stronger after. But I didn't win that fight. She had too many tricks up her sleeve—some I'm sure she didn't even reveal."
"They're not magic tricks, Kevin! I still think you shouldn't have fought Grandma. She might have tested you, but she wouldn't have threatened your life like she did," Gwen said firmly, her voice quivering slightly as she met Kevin's gaze, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"You made a major breakthrough in your spiritual journey as an Anodite because of the emotional stress you went through. That's a win for you—don't focus on the negative. I survived. If I didn't, then I wouldn't be able to survive what's to come," Kevin said, his voice steady as he reached out to cup Gwen's face. With a telepathic command, he switched the car to auto-drive mode, allowing himself to focus entirely on her.
"At least you didn't have to shed your body like your grandma did. That's a plus!" Kevin added with a teasing smile, gently pushing Gwen back as she blushed.
'What does he mean by what's to come?' Ben thought to himself, frowning as he considered Kevin's words.
"I was really scared that you would die. Your life energy just kept dropping so fast! And Grandma just stood there—I couldn't stand it!" Gwen confessed, turning fully in her seat to face Kevin, her worry etched deeply in her expression.
"Yeah… but hey, I think we've tortured Ben enough. I don't think his single heart can handle any more of our cheesiness," Kevin quipped, quickly lightening the mood with a jab at Ben, causing Gwen to raise an eyebrow in amusement.
"Don't you know?" Gwen asked, catching the playful tone.
"I'm dating!" Ben declared loudly, a broad grin spreading across his face.
"Oh, look at that! Where are my manners? I forgot to bring my teacups and tiara to honour this moment, Princess Ben," Kevin teased, his smile widening as he met Ben's challenge with equal enthusiasm.
"Is that so? I didn't know you had tea parties like a little girl," Ben shot back, his tone playful but with a hint of rivalry.
"Given that I have to look after a little girl like you in the car, I at least have to buy your teacups for playtime, Princess Ben," Kevin continued, his wide smile refusing to fade.
Kevin dropped off the Tennysons at their home before heading back to his own place, the night growing quieter as the engines hummed softly against the backdrop of a world that had briefly tasted the chaos of power beyond comprehension.
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