The New Syllabus

The sun was setting over the Academy. The Ascendance Platform was cracked, but the students standing on it were cheering.

Sect Leader Lin had been dragged away to the dungeons he had built.

Sera sat on the edge of the platform, dangling her legs over the clouds. Ren sat next to her, nursing a split lip.

The blue screen flickered in front of them.

**[Mission Complete. The Academy is saved.]**

**[System Purpose Fulfilled. Initiating Unbind Protocol?]**

**[Do you wish to sever the tether?]**

Ren looked at the screen. Then he looked at Sera.

"Well," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're free. No more ten-meter leash. You can go back to being the Queen of the Jade Courts."

Sera looked at the "Yes" button.

She thought about the silence of her room. She thought about the cold perfection. Then she thought about spicy pork buns, messy braids, and the warmth of a hand in hers.

She reached out and pressed **[No]**.

**[Unbind Cancelled. Eternal Bond Selected.]**

Ren blinked. "You know that means you're stuck with me, right? I snore. I leave crumbs."

"I know," Sera smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I have a lot of new rules to break, Ren. I'm going to need a partner."

Ren laughed, wrapping his arm around her. "Alright then, Partner. What's the first rule we break?"

Sera looked at the darkening sky and the stars beginning to emerge.

"Curfew," she said. "Let's go get some real food."

They jumped off the platform together, not falling, but flying into a future that was messy, loud, and absolutely perfect.