The few hours that Khan managed to spend with Liiza felt terrific. The couple had to experience that separation after almost cohabitating for months. One week wasn't long at all, but it had hurt nonetheless. Their attachment wasn't completely natural in the end.
Khan and Liiza exchanged tight hugs, sweet words whispered in each other's ears, and long kisses that often ended in meaningful stares. They couldn't go any further with Azni and Doku in the tent, but they couldn't remain alone either since the two Niqols were their alibi. Still, their eyes told everything they needed to say.
Doku never fully got over the issue. He had managed to suppress his thoughts for a long time, and Liiza's boyfriend wasn't an important matter either, but his identity could cause serious issues. The Niqols were investing a lot of trust in Khan, but his relationship with the daughter of their main ambassador could create reasonable doubts about his actual motives.
Now, Khan was a human who had approached the Niqols' ways honestly, but his relationship with Liiza could make him appear as a soldier hungry for political merits. The situation was simply too coincidental not to raise suspicion.
Those who saw Liiza and Khan together would never think that they were faking their feelings. Still, appearances could affect politics a lot, especially when it came to two different species that already failed to trust each other. It was very likely that the higher-ups from both sides would force the couple to separate to prevent the eventual leak of information or similar events if they were to uncover that relationship.
Azni, Doku, and Liiza eventually had to leave. The encampment grew too crowded as the various hunting teams and students returned, and the absence of a few famous members of the usual parties wouldn't go unnoticed.
Khan had to join the parties too. He had to celebrate the successful hunt with Kozh and the others, and he wanted to see how the others had fared in those important missions. After all, most of those Niqols were good acquaintances with whom he had often exchanged laughs in the last period. Khan cared about their well-being.
It turned out that all the hunts had gone well. The Niqols had studied everything carefully before assigning those important tasks to the students. Some had suffered injuries, and a few monsters had managed to escape once the situation had become too harsh. Still, the missions had remained a success.
The Niqols had finally taken the first step toward Nitis' retrieval, and everyone knew that the higher-ups had also been busy. They didn't say anything to the students, but it felt obvious how the aliens didn't deploy only their weaker troops that day.
The party progressed nicely and continued to be loud even as morning approached. The voices that filled the encampment changed nature. They went from happy shouts and chaotic chants to whispers, moans, angry arguments, and slow songs more fitting for the tired atmosphere.
Khan checked his phone and heaved a tired sigh when he calculated how little time had left before the usual morning gathering. He wouldn't be able to sleep for long, but that was fine. The forceful separation from Liiza was allowing him to rest more than usual. His days were simply busier.
Khan reached his tent and lifted the entrance's fabric, but he shook his head when he found two naked Niqols on the bed. The couple didn't even bother to use the simple lock of the habitation. The smell of booze filled its insides and explained how the two aliens could forget something like that.
Khan quickly went looking for a new tent, but a familiar figure appeared in his vision during his search. He found Doku sitting on the ground, near a cauldron that still released some sweet smoke.
"[Is everything okay]?" Khan asked while nearing Doku and picking one of the seemingly clean cups near the cauldron.
"[I made Azni blush tonight]," Doku revealed before taking a sip from his cup.
"[It feels strangely good, right]?" Khan laughed while bending inside the almost empty cauldron to get his drink.
"[I've never seen her sleeping so peacefully]," Doku scoffed while Khan sat next to him. "[She didn't even wake up when I left the tent]."
"[I found Zaur and Zezag in my tent]," Khan commented while changing the topic. "[She finally got over me]."
"[It's surprising that she stuck with you for so long]," Doku replied while raising his cup. "[She isn't exactly known for her patience with men]."
"[I know. Liiza told me about that]," Khan sighed before performing the usual Niqols' toast.
The two drank as their empty eyes stared at the encampment. Everything was peaceful, but the bright sky shining above them made them unable to relax completely. The sun had yet to appear, but they couldn't forget about the crisis anyway.
"[How long have you two been together]?" Doku eventually asked.
"[Since I stepped on Nitis basically]," Khan replied.
"[How did it even happen]?" Doku chuckled.
"[I don't really know]," Khan sighed. "[I stared, she stared. She kissed me, and I kissed her]."
"[Did you learn about her position before or after the kisses]?" Doku continued.
"[Don't insult my love]," Khan warned while shooting a cold glance at Doku.
Khan almost didn't control that reaction. It had been an instinctive gesture caused by the sole idea that someone could question his feelings.
Doku remained surprised, but he quickly lowered his gaze and shook his head. A helpless sigh escaped his mouth before he explained himself. "[Sorry, I didn't mean to. I can't stop worrying about my species with everything happening around us]."
"[I know]," Khan uttered while lightly poking his forehead to relax. "[I'm also sorry. My mind gets messy when Liiza is involved]."
"[Every Niqols on the planet would be proud of you]," Doku joked. "[Well, maybe Yeza and Ilman might have something to say on the matter]."
"[Ilman is strangely fine about that]," Khan reveled, and Doku's shot an astonished glance at him.
"[Did you tell him]?" Doku asked.
"[Please]," Khan sneered. "[That guy is making everything up in his mind. He just happens to be right]."
"[He has crazy instincts]," Doku said in disbelief.
"[Indeed]," Khan laughed. "[I took longer to realize what I felt]."
Doku laughed with him, but the two eventually sighed again. They felt tired after such a busy day, but talking like that felt nice. The only issue was the light that shone on the planet.
"[Is the stuff about mana true]?" Doku asked. "[Azni couldn't stop talking about that after we left]."
"[How do you expect me to explain that]?" Khan responded. "[I didn't even know that mana could affect feelings before coming to Nitis]."
"[Isn't that obvious]?" Doku frowned. "[What did you think would have happened after putting mana in your brain]?"
"[Humans are dumb]," Khan admitted.
"[I know one who isn't]," Doku announced while patting Khan's shoulder.
Khan groaned before taking a long sip from his cup. He felt a bit annoyed that he couldn't just jump in Liiza's bed and sleep with her, but it felt good to talk about the situation with Doku.
"[It hit us suddenly]," Khan explained. "[I wasn't in a good place when I arrived here, but my eyes kept falling on her. I wanted to feel bad about it, but everything just vanished whenever I saw her. Then, she kissed me, and I gave up]."
"[It must feel good since you share those emotions]," Doku guessed.
"[It's the best thing in the world when everything is going well]," Khan replied, "[But it's awful when something happens]."
"[I bet that the life in the camp is killing you]," Doku mocked.
"[I'm keeping myself busy]," Khan whined before showing an awkward smile. "[I guess I'm sleeping more than usual at least]."
"[No wonder]," Doku laughed while showing a proud expression. "[I now know what you had to do to keep that blush on her face]."
"[I think it's easier for us]," Khan stated as a hand reached his chin. "[It's almost craving for us. I don't see it as effort]."
"[I saw the craving today]," Doku winked. "[I should feel lucky that you didn't start doing it right in front of us]."
"[Oh, trust me, I considered doing that more than once]," Khan joked.
The two laughed before falling silent and losing themselves in their thoughts. The morning gathering continued to draw close, but they had silently decided to remain up until their cups became empty.
Doku and Khan eventually turned toward one of the tents near them when they sensed a presence approaching its entrance. Azni peeked out of the opening while making sure that the fabric covered the rest of her body, and her sleepy voice soon reached the duo. "[Hi, Khan. Doku, come back to bed]."
Khan couldn't help but smile when he saw Azni's blushing cheeks. The girl appeared a bit shy about that, and Doku didn't hesitate to stand up to reach her.
Doku and Khan didn't exchange salutes. They had gone through that scene many times already. It felt almost normal for Khan to see Doku disappearing with Azni somewhere. The couple only waved at him before sealing the entrance of the tent.
Khan didn't immediately stand up to resume his search for a tent. His cup still had some booze, and the camp had finally gone silent. All the students were trying to sleep for a couple of hours before going back to the mess. That peace felt almost magical when he thought about how deeply Nitis had transformed.
It almost felt like a waste to use the few hours left before his return into the mess to sleep. The peace that Khan was experiencing now was the reward that everyone was fighting so hard to obtain. He wanted to enjoy it, even if his mind would curse him later on.
.
.
.
The following days didn't involve any special hunt, but more special meetings happened throughout the entire week. The Chiefs and the other higher-ups kept Khan and the prominent students updated on how the crisis was evolving, so everyone felt prepared when another mission arrived.
Ilman turned out to be correct. The boy joined Khan's group in the hunts that followed, and the two seized success after success even if their teammates changed from time to time.
The chaotic swarms of Tainted animals and monsters that had spread on Nitis slowly showed signs of losing power. Khan could see the crisis relaxing its grip on the planet on a daily basis. His battles never became easier since the Niqols kept assigning him to challenging missions, but he could study how his friends began to appear happier during the usual parties.
The special role that the Niqols had given to Khan didn't even bother him. He actually liked how he always had the chance to give his best during the hunts.
His expertise with the Divine Reaper improved at high speed due to the various challenging situations he faced. No training area could force Khan to experience the same amount of danger. He grew used to blood, battles, and struggles, and his new abilities became somewhat reliable.
Still, a major player had yet to step into the battlefield. Khan and the other recruits knew that the Global Army was doing something during the crisis. They weren't aware of its actual tasks, but it felt obvious that the humans were actively cooperating with the Niqols. The students simply couldn't learn anything since they couldn't contact anyone from the camp.
That confusion transformed into surprise when an announcement hit the camp. The students had fared relatively well during the last period. Deaths didn't happen anymore, and it almost felt as if everything could go back to normal in no time, but the two Chiefs made sure to remind them how serious the situation still was.
"[A formal meeting with the human troops stationed on Nitis will happen at the end of the week]," Chief Alu announced to the horde of students that had gathered right outside the encampment.
"[Everyone will have to fly there that day]," Chief Nazyr continued. "[We will abandon this camp, enjoy the meeting, and move toward another secure location ready to face the new surge in the monsters' power. You have my compliments for surviving the first part of the crisis]."
****
Author's notes: You can expect 2 more in the following hours.