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At **13 years old**, Aethonix was officially a teenager—and wow, puberty hit like a comet. He was now **5 feet tall**, And now more muscular, with the kind of build that says,
*"I've been doing sword training and drinking weird ancient smoothies."*
His voice cracked sometimes, but he had the confidence of a mini king with a kingdom.
Speaking of kingdoms, his city—**Aethonix**—had changed too. it now looked like something out of a fantasy tale. Marble buildings, glass domes, glowing lights, golden statues, and even a giant palace were built in just two years. It looked like the 1300s collided with a magic scroll.
**One morning**, while Aethonix was casually training—summoning ice swords and doing cool flips for no reason—he suddenly felt *heat*. Like serious,
"I left my food in the fire too long" heat.
Then—**SHHHHHHBOOM!**
From the sky came a blazing figure crashing down like a meteor made of fire and attitude.
It was **Firehair**.
Before Aethonix could say anything, his dad **Kraelos** burst onto the scene like a gladiator with perfect timing, wearing golden armor, a vibranium shield, and his favorite sword.
"**WHO DARES TO APPROACH THE KINGDOM OF AURORIANS?!**" he shouted.
Aethonix rushed forward. "**Father, wait! Chill—like literally, you're sweating.**"
Then, turning to the mysterious figure: "Hello… Phoenix Force, right? May I ask why you've come here?"
Firehair didn't respond at first. She just stared.
Aethonix quickly use he's appraisal .
**Name: Firehair**
**Race: Human**
**Age: Unknown**
**Abilities: Host of the Phoenix Force**
His eyes widened. *Bro… I'm in the middle of training and a literal cosmic goddess shows up?!*
Trying not to freak out
he offered, "**Would you like some tea? It's kind of our thing.**"
Surprised, Firehair gave a slight nod. "Lead the way."
**They entered the city**, walking under a huge glass dome that protected the kingdom. People whispered and pointed.
"Who's that?"
"She's glowing…"
"She must be his chosen queen!"
Aethonix turned to his dad. "**Father, please don't say anything weird. She's a literal goddess. She can blow us up. And you always talk rude around women.**"
Kraelos grumbled. "Fine, fine."
At the palace, Aethonix asked a maid to bring tea, then sat across from Firehair.
"May I ask why you're here? I know you're from Earth. To you, I may look young—but by your time, I'm about 54 years old."
Firehair looked thoughtful. "You're not like Asgardians… but I can sense divine energy in you. Something different. I felt life coming from this world while flying through the galaxy."
She paused, then smiled. "Also, your eyes… I've never seen a race like yours. It's like you were carved from stars."
Aethonix blushed a bit. "**We're called Aurorians. We're similar to humans, but also very different.**"
They talked more. He explained the history of his people, how they rose from caves to a kingdom in just a few years, thanks to hard work, glowing stones, and teamwork.
Then he said, "**You're welcome to stay here. I can sense you've been through a lot. You can rest, no pressure. We'll give you a place to stay.**"
**That evening**, Firehair sat by the window in her guest room, watching the peaceful city. Children were playing, people were laughing, and for once—there were no wars or
end-of-the-world disasters.
*"This place… it's so calm. So different from Earth,"* she thought.
Aethonix walked in quietly. "**We're not gods. Not hypocrites either. We just want to live in peace. That's all.**"
Firehair smiled softly. She started flying around the city, quietly watching the people and their simple, happy lives.
**Meanwhile, in the Council Hall…**
The governors and generals were in a panic.
"She's dangerous!"
"She's too powerful!"
"What if she burns our goats?!"
Kraelos stood up. "**Enough! We are not warmongers. She's a guest. And a god. Besides, Aethonix invited her himself. We cannot interfere. That's final.**"
The room fell silent.
**Later, in the training field…**
Aethonix was practicing again when Firehair appeared beside him.
"You're different. You control ice. I've never seen that in your kind."
Aethonix smiled. "**I'm full of surprises. What's your story? Maybe I can help.**"
Firehair sat on a rock. Aethonix summoned an ice chair and sat beside her.
She stared ahead. "My friends died… in battle. We fought to protect Earth. Now, he's gone."
Aethonix looked at her gently. "**Sometimes friends leave. But their memory never does. We carry them with us… in our stories, in who we become.**"
She looked at him, then chuckled. "You're too wise for your age."
He shrugged. "**I read a lot of scrolls. Also, I already told you Im quite old in Earth years.**"
They both laughed.
They kept talking, laughing about old battles, weird food, and how annoying Odin was.
"He tried to marry me once," Firehair said, rolling her eyes.
"Wait—*what?!*"
"Yup. No proposal. Just showed up with a ring, a crown, and said 'Surprise wedding.' I punched a moon afterward."
Aethonix laughed so hard he fell off his chair. "**That's messed up and also... legendary.**"
As the stars rose, the two sat side by side—ice and fire, laughing under the same sky.
A spark of friendship (and maybe more?) had begun.
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