Souls Online: Mythic Ascension
Chapter 161: Crash Landing

Chapter 161: Crash Landing

Luna pulled the front door open and blinked at the sight before her. The sleek and elegant sports car sat perfectly within the driveway lines, but the trail leading up to it told another story. Faint, curling skidmarks marred the edge of the street, proof of a last-second turn taken with far too much enthusiasm.

"That’s... definitely her,"

Adam said with a resigned sigh as he stepped beside Luna.

The car door groaned open. Penny emerged in a staggered motion, as if her body had only just remembered it needed to stand. Her hoodie hung lopsided over one shoulder and her baggy pants looked like they had seen better days.

Her messy bun was held up by a single pencil jammed in sideways. She had dark circles under both eyes and the faint, twitchy energy of someone who had recently consumed too much caffeine or none at all.

Adam frowned as he stepped out of the house and growled with a clearly displeased look on his face.

"You look like a faint breeze could knock you over! You should have not driven here. It’s a miracle you didn’t kill someone or even yourself!"

"Calm down Uncle...I am fine. I just had a few....dozen energy drinks is all. Plus it’s your fault I am like this!"

Adam crossed his arms, clearly trying to keep his temper in check.

"My fault? You nearly turned the street into a racetrack and you could have died behind the wheel.

Penny blinked at him, slowly.

"You didn’t pick up your phone. I called. I texted but still no response."

"Over a 100 times too"

Crystal added commentary quietly which caused Aria and Luna to snort as they tried to hold back their laughter.

Adam flinched, while what she did was a bit unreasonable, he was also partially to blame.

Penny looked around, noticing Crystal and Luna but they did not look like the idol that her uncle had claimed was here.

"So my Uncle is a liar huh?"

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression strained.

"Penny. Just go inside."

She started to respond, but his tone stopped her. There wasn’t anger in his voice, not exactly. Just something worn out and quiet, like he had explained himself one too many times and didn’t see the point in doing it again.

Penny gave him a skeptical look but didn’t push. She muttered under her breath as she shuffled toward the door, tugging her hoodie tighter around her.

Inside, the house was calm and warm. Soft lighting spilled across polished wood floors, and something floral lingered faintly in the air. She kicked her shoes off carelessly and rubbed one eye with the heel of her hand.

She turned a corner and froze mid-step.

Standing near the sitting room, with a small cup in her hand and a gentle expression on her face, was Aria.

Penny’s heart stopped.

She knew that face. She knew that voice. That presence. The music that had carried her through sleepless nights, the lyrics she had memorized to the last word, the haunting clarity of those notes.

Aria was really here.She was real. Not in a video or a poster or a dream. Here.

And she had wings.

Graceful, feathered, and glowing slightly in the soft light, they flexed slightly as Aria shifted her weight. The sight hit Penny like a truck.

"You’re real," she whispered. "You’re really real."

Aria smiled gently.

Penny staggered forward, still staring. Her breath caught somewhere between a gasp and a laugh, her eyes glassy with shock. She opened her mouth to say more, but nothing coherent made it out.

Her legs gave out.

She collapsed onto the rug like a sack of potatoes, snoring before her head fully settled.

A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened with a faint hiss of steam, and Leo stepped out, towel-drying his hair. Freshly changed into a soft T-shirt and comfortable shorts, he yawned and stretched, still shaking off the heat of the long shower as his cat ears twitched and his tail peeked out from a pant leg.

Noticing the unknown figure near the front door and Aria’s confused expression, he got closer to find out what was going on. However, even after he got closer, Leo had no idea what was going on.

"Aria...who’s this?"

"Adam’s Niece I think?"

As soon as she said those words, Luna, Adam and Crystal returned from outside and saw Penny collapsed. Luna and Crystal looked concerned while Adam merely sighed.

"Again...Really?"

"What do you mean by again?"

"She hates sleep. She will be go go go for 3 days and then just collapse for a day. It’s super unhealthy."

"Oh is everyone gathering for some sort of secret meeting~?"

Lily’s voice rang from around the corner as she entered with Rachel, who was still fiddling with the sleeves of her new outfit.

"What did we miss?"

Rachel spotted Penny instantly.

"Why is there a girl unconscious in the hallway?"

"She passed out,"

Leo said simply.

Rachel nudged Penny’s side lightly with the tip of her shoe, raising a brow.

"Should we move her to the couch or just leave her here as a new hallway decoration?"

"She’ll be fine right there,"

Adam muttered, already heading toward the kitchen.

"Less likely to roll off anything that way."

Lily blinked, then lit up with mischief.

"I vote we draw something on her face. Just a little cat whisker action—"

"No," Leo said immediately.

"Yes," Rachel said simultaneously.

Luna cut in firmly,

"Not on my watch."

Rachel smirked, clearly amused but backed down.

"Fine, fine. But seriously, she’s out cold, no need to move her now. Let her sleep."

Adam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She’s stubborn, but she’ll wake up soon enough. For now, we’ve got bigger things to focus on."

Lily nodded her head and cheerfully remarked

"Today is the day our Chaos Pantheon becomes official! Though I would like to suggest we add Squad to the Guild name."

Luna tilted her head slightly with a puzzled expression on her face

"Chaos Pantheon Squad? That doesn’t really flow all that well."

Lily grinned

"But the initials will be CPS as in Child Protective Services~!"

Everyone let out a loud annoyed groan at the stupid joke. Luna furrowed her brow and growled at her best friend.

"You can be quiet now. Go get your headset. We are going to log back in."

It was time for another adventure in the VR world.

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