The sky rumbled above them, ash drifting like snow from the churning storm clouds. Althea and Caelus stood at the center of the shattered plains, still arguing and recovering from their very undignified landing.
But before either of them could finish yelling—
A deafening roar cut the air.
A massive, molten boulder—wreathed in flame and trailing smoke—hurtled down from the sky like a meteor, heading straight for them.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—
Each second thundered louder than the last.
Althea's eyes widened. "By the First Flame! It's a Fire Titan barrage—"
"WHAT?!" Caelus shouted, pointing at the flaming death-rock. "You didn't say anything about space rocks!"
"Well, do something!" Althea shouted, gripping her staff as her divine light flared around her. "You have the crest! Use it!" Caelus panicked, pointing at the golden glyph still faintly glowing under his shirt. "I don't know how it works! You didn't give me a spell list! There was no tutorial! Not even a glowing exclamation mark!"
"Just focus! Clear your mind!"
"I'm in a war zone being pelted by GODFIRE—how do you expect me to clear my mind?!"
"Breathe through your soul!"
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE MY SOUL IS!"
CRRAAAACK-BOOOOOOM—
Just as the fiery boulder was about to crush them both into glowing jelly—
A savage war cry rang out across the battlefield.
"RAAAAGHHH—GET DOWN, YOU DRAMATIC IDIOTS!"
CLANG—SLAM—
A crimson blur slammed into the ground between them and the incoming rock. Sparks flew as steel met stone. The fireball exploded in a blast of smoke and flame, but standing amidst the ash and impact dust—
Was a woman. Short, chopped auburn hair tousled by the wind. A dented breastplate over a crimson tunic. Charred boots planted firm in the ground. One hand gripping the hilt of a beaten-up longsword that had just split a boulder in half.
She rose slowly, cracked knuckles flexing.
Khyla Emberholt – Berserker Knight.
She glanced over her shoulder at Caelus and Althea, scowling.
"What the hell are you two supposed to be, huh? Traveling actors? Or are you just really bad at adventuring?"
Khyla snapped, pointing her sword at them. "You're lucky I got here before you both got turned into barbeque."
Althea was still frozen, mouth slightly open, robes and cape slightly singed at the hem. "How... did she just split a meteor with metal from a trash heap?" she whispered to herself.
Khyla looked Althea up and down and rolled her eyes. "And what are you supposed to be, miss sunbeam? Some rich noble cosplaying as a priestess?"
Althea sputtered, face turning red—not with fear, but offense. "I am not—cosplaying! I am—!"
"Save it," Khyla interrupted, already turning away. "Look, if you two are dumb enough to be standing out here without backup, you're probably lost rookies. Come on—my camp's not far. You can at least not die there."
Caelus raised a hand. "Wait, you think we're—"
"—Yeah," Khyla cut in, waving dismissively. "Fresh meat. Probably wandered out here thinking you'd fight goblins and find treasure. Typical. Come on, let's move before the real monsters show up."
She started walking without waiting for a response.
Althea stood in silence, fists clenched at her sides.
"She thinks I'm a rookie. A noble cosplayer. I am the Flame of the Aether. A goddess."
Caelus shrugged, still grinning. "Well, to be fair, you do have very dramatic robes."
"SILENCE, MORTAL."
Smoke trailed in the air as the three figures sprinted across the shattered plains. Khyla led the charge with the wild confidence of someone who'd been in far too many fights to be cautious. Her longsword flashed in heavy arcs as she cut down corrupted creatures lunging from the ruins—wolves with bone plating, shadow-things with too many eyes, and crawling beasts that twitched like broken dolls.
"Keep up or get eaten!" she yelled over her shoulder, slicing through another monster with a savage grunt. "Camp's just past that ridge!"
Caelus was panting, barely dodging chunks of flaming debris and twitching limbs. "Define 'just'! Because I think my lungs filed for resignation two minutes ago!"
Althea floated just off the ground beside him, her radiant cape trailing like smoke. "If you didn't charge through the portal like a lunatic, we wouldn't be sprinting through a war zone!"
"Well excuse me, miss interdimensional Uber, for not wanting to stand around while meteors drop on our heads!"
"Must you speak every time you breathe?!"
"YES! IT'S HOW I STAY ALIVE!"
As they bickered, they didn't notice the flicker of shadow behind them.
A massive hound-like monster, its body twisted with molten veins and thorny bone spikes, was stalking them from behind—its jaws glowing with ember light, eyes locked on Caelus and Althea like prey.
It coiled like a spring.
Khyla turned just in time to see it.
"WATCH OUT !"
Caelus turned around—eyes wide—as the beast leapt.
He didn't even scream.
"...Welp. I think this is it. Goodbye, laundry. Goodbye, pizza. Goodbye... every single show I left on cliffhangers."
Althea's eyes widened in genuine panic, her hand reaching out toward him.
"Caelus—!"
THWIP—THUNK!
A single glowing arrow sliced through the air.It hit the beast square between the eyes mid-leap. Its body went limp instantly, crashing into the ground inches from Caelus in a spray of dust and black ichor.
He blinked.
"Wait. I'm... not dead?"
Althea looked around sharply, her divine senses flaring. "That shot... it wasn't mine."Both of them turned their heads toward the high ridge to the east. A lone hooded figure stood silhouetted against the storm-lit sky, cloak fluttering in the wind. They were still, bow lowered, eyes obscured beneath the shadow of their hood.
Caelus squinted. "Who's that?"
Althea narrowed her eyes. "I don't know. I can't sense them..."
As quickly as the figure had appeared, they vanished into the mist with a flicker of their cloak.
Gone.
Khyla finished off the last creature with a brutal overhead chop that cracked the earth beneath it. She turned to them, slightly breathless but grinning. "Well?" she shouted. "You two done screaming like it's a festival play? Let's move! Camp's just past the ridge!" Caelus coughed, brushing some soot off his shoulder. "I'm already loving this place," he said, grinning. "Death dogs, flaming meteors, mysterious snipers. Way more exciting than folding laundry."
Althea groaned. "You are the worst chosen one in divine history."
"I try my best."
After what felt like a lifetime of dodging monsters, meteors, and divine lectures, they finally arrived at what Khyla had called "camp." It was, in truth, a worn-down forest shed, half-swallowed by ivy and nestled between the arms of two ancient trees. Though modest in size, it had a warm glow spilling from its windows and the scent of herbs and woodsmoke in the air. A cracked lantern hung by the door, casting golden light across the clearing. "Welcome to the mess," Khyla said, dropping her sword near the steps and wiping sweat from her brow. "It ain't a castle, but it keeps the monsters out and the rain off."
Caelus chuckled, stretching his arms as he looked around. "Honestly? Compared to crashing into burning wastelands, this place is paradise." Khyla grinned. "we were in the village nearby—just grabbing supplies and some potatoes—when I heard the explosions and saw the smoke. Dropped my groceries, followed the fire, and boom. There you two were, flailing like drunk scarecrows."
Althea crossed her arms. "I do not flail."
Khyla smirked. "Sure you don't, princess."
Caelus raised a brow. "Wait—we? Who else is here?"
A soft but firm voice answered from behind them:
"I am."
Both Caelus and Althea spun around as a figure stepped out from the shadows behind the trees. The dying moonlight caught the edge of her cloak, shimmering across silvery embroidery like water over stone. She was still hooded, her presence calm yet commanding.
"Are you two unharmed?" she asked gently, her voice like a breeze through ancient woods.
Althea nodded slowly. "You… You're the one who fired the arrow."
The hooded figure said nothing—only reached up and pulled her hood back.
Lirae Vaelorin, Princess of the Elven Realm, stood before them.
Her silver-gray hair, smooth and adorned with detailed braids, shimmered like river light. Her pale green eyes, ancient and serene, met theirs with soft clarity. Her cloak, mist-like and ethereal, framed armor engraved with curling vines and moonlight patterns.
Khyla walked up beside her with a proud grin. "And that, newbies, is Lirae. Don't let the poetry voice fool you—she can turn a battlefield into an art gallery. Of corpses." Lirae gave a graceful nod, hands folded neatly at her front. "A pleasure. I am relieved to see you both safe."
Caelus was silent for a long beat.
Then:
"…I've never seen an elf before."
He blinked, eyes wide.
"You're… you're beautiful."
Caelus held up a hand defensively. "I mean, she's like… glowing! Did your skin come with soft lighting or something?"
Khyla laughed from behind them. "Great. He's already broken. That didn't take long."
Lirae smiled gently, seemingly unfazed by the compliment.
"You are kind," she said. Khyla clapped her hands once. "Alright, enough flirting, sparking, and posturing. Let's get inside. We've got stew on the fire and a lot to talk about." The inside of the shed was humble but warm—lit by a flickering hearth, with wooden crates stacked into makeshift shelves and old furs thrown over barrels as seating. An iron pot of stew bubbled over the fire, filling the air with the scent of herbs, root vegetables, and something meaty and delicious. Khyla leaned back against a wooden post, arms crossed, sipping something from a dented mug. Caelus sat on an overturned crate.
"So…" Caelus asked, "what happened to the village? You said you were picking up groceries, right?"
Khyla nodded. "Yeah. Was just at the market. Wasn't even planning to swing back here until tomorrow."
Lirae, sitting with perfect posture beside the fire, folded her hands in her lap. "The attack was sudden. But don't worry—the Kingdom's soldiers arrived shortly after. They held the line."
Caelus let out a breath. "Oh. Good. So they're safe, then?"
"For now," Khyla said, her tone dipping into something darker. She stood, walking over to the fire and stirring the stew with a battered ladle. "But the monsters… they're not just random. They're part of something larger." Caelus sat forward. "What do you mean?" Khyla's voice grew serious. "They belong to a growing army. A force being gathered by someone we only know by name."
She paused, letting the tension hang in the air.
"Yoris."
The name sucked the warmth from the room.
Althea went still.
Caelus blinked. "...That sounds like a guy who lives in a volcano and eats metal." "He might," Khyla muttered. "No one's seen him directly. But his influence is growing. Rifts—magical tears—are opening at random. No pattern. No warning. One moment a meadow's peaceful, the next it's crawling with corrupted hounds or shadow fiends. No one's sure how or why... only that it's getting worse."
She sat down and pointed with her spoon. "That's why the Kingdom's always on alert. Scouts, runes, towers—everything's built around responding fast." As Khyla explained, Lirae's gaze slowly shifted to Althea.
Her expression, composed as ever, twitched—just barely—as soon as the name Yoris was spoken.
Her pale green eyes narrowed for a brief second… and then returned to serenity.
She said nothing about it. Instead, she offered a calm smile. "And what about you two? What is it you do, exactly?"
Althea opened her mouth, voice confident and regal. "We—"
"—are performers!" Caelus cut in quickly, standing up and throwing a wide grin at the elf princess.
Althea blinked. "...Pardon?"
"Yup! Performers. Travelers. We do shows from village to village. Bit of storytelling, some illusions, she does the fancy glowy light stuff, and I… mostly fall off things."
Khyla chuckled. "That actually tracks."
Althea shot him a look. A full divine-glare kind of look. "Caelus—" He leaned in, muttering under his breath, "Don't tell them who we are yet." She frowned, clearly unhappy with the idea, but didn't protest aloud. Her pride smoldered behind her golden eyes.
Lirae didn't buy it for a second.
She tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "…I see. Performers. That's lovely. Good for you two." Her voice was polite—but Caelus felt it in his spine: She didn't believe a word of it.
The stars had begun to peek through the fading indigo sky as the last traces of sunlight slipped beneath the forest's edge. The fire in the shed crackled low, casting soft shadows on the wooden walls.
Caelus stretched and let out a satisfied sigh. "Well… I think we should head back. It's almost night."
He turned to Khyla, offering a grateful smile. "Thanks, by the way. For the stew… and for saving our lives from getting turned into lava pancakes." Khyla waved a hand like it was no big deal. "Eh. You get used to it. The stew or the monster dogs—take your pick."
Lirae, still seated near the fire with a calm grace, looked up. "Where will you stay tonight?"
"The inn in the village," Caelus replied casually. "Assuming it's still standing after all that chaos."
"It is," Lirae said with a nod. "Mostly." Khyla stood, crossing her arms. "You sure you don't wanna stay here? We've got room. Safer, too. The woods are quiet now, but that never lasts." Althea, who had been leaning against the wall with arms folded, opened her mouth to politely (and pridefully) decline, but Caelus beat her to it. "Nah. That's kind of you, really, but we'll be fine. I've got a thing for uncomfortable beds and drafty ceilings."
Khyla rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself. Try not to trip over a demon on the way out."
Althea blinked. "…Wait, that's an actual possibility?"
Khyla just grinned.
Lirae rose to her feet in one smooth motion, cloak whispering around her boots. She met Caelus's eyes, serene as moonlight. "Then farewell, travelers," she said with a warm, enigmatic smile. "Until we meet again." Caelus blinked. "Huh. 'Until we meet again.' That's… kinda dramatic, isn't it?"
Althea glanced at her, brow slightly furrowed, picking up on the faint echo of something deeper behind the elf's words. But Caelus just chuckled and gave them both a wave. "Goodnight, you two. Try not to kill each other in your sleep." Althea turned with him, her glowing robes catching the wind as they stepped into the forested path leading back toward the village.
As they disappeared into the trees, Khyla shook her head. "He's got a weird vibe." Lirae's gaze lingered on the direction they had gone, her smile fading ever so slightly.
"…There's more to those two than they let on."
The Village by Moonlight:
The village was quieter than expected—but not silent. As Caelus and Althea stepped through the outer edge of town, they passed buildings scorched by fire and scarred by claw marks. A few structures leaned dangerously, their roofs patched with hurried repairs. Others still flickered with candlelight inside—homes that had survived, barely.
A crooked sign for a tailor's shop dangled by one chain. A fruit vendor had set up a half-damaged stall, still open and serving with a tired smile. Children played with sticks in the dusty road, but their laughter was cautious, restrained.
Life was still here. But it was bruised.
Caelus glanced around at the wreckage, frowning.
"Well... looks like the inn's not quite in."
Althea's expression was unreadable as she floated beside him, golden eyes scanning the street. Caelus turned toward her. "Hey, uh... you wouldn't happen to have money in this world, would you?"
Althea blinked. "...Money?"
Caelus's face fell. "That's a no, isn't it?"
She gave an awkward little laugh and looked away. "Goddesses don't usually carry coin purses." He rubbed his face with both hands. "Great. Now we're divine, and homeless." With nowhere else to go, they made their way to a tree near the village's edge. The lantern light barely reached here. They sat beneath its branches—Caelus slumped against the trunk, Althea sitting cross-legged beside him with her robes tucked beneath her like a blanket of starlight.
Both were quiet. Until they heard it.
A cry.
Muffled, and coming from a narrow alley to their right.
"Please—just leave me be! I don't have much!"
Caelus looked up instantly. Without thinking, he pushed off the ground and ran toward the sound.
"Caelus—wait!" Althea called after him, but he was already turning the corner.
In the dark alley, three rugged-looking men had surrounded an elderly man in worn robes, pressing him against the wall. One of them was holding a knife. The others were grabbing for a cloth pouch at his belt.
"Hand it over, old man," one hissed. "Prices are up. Everyone pays."
"Back off!" Caelus shouted.
They all turned. The leader smirked. "And who's this? Some random tourist playing hero?" Before Caelus could say more, one of them shoved him hard in the chest. He hit the wall and grunted. "Okay—ouch. That's fair."
And then—
A flash of golden light.
From behind them, divine glyphs formed midair, spinning like celestial gears. "Enough." Althea's voice rang out like thunder wrapped in silk. A radiant rope of glowing light snapped forward, binding all three thugs in midair and suspending them inches off the ground. The divine magic burned faintly against their skin—not to harm, but to remind. Althea's expression was cold. Her eyes glowed with judgment.
"Should you choose to prey on the helpless again," she said with deadly calm, "your next punishment will not be so… merciful. The infernal chains of Vael'torr welcome cowards."
"Vael-what—?!" one of the men whimpered. "W-We're sorry! We're sorry!!"
The rope unraveled and dropped them in a heap. They scrambled up and ran like demons were chasing them. Althea turned away, adjusting her cape like nothing had happened. The old man stood slowly, clutching his robe. "Thank you. Both of you."
"You alright?" Caelus asked, helping him steady himself.
"Yes… yes. Just shaken." The man gave them a tired smile. "Times like these… monsters aren't the only things to fear. Whenever the rifts strike, prices go up, tempers flare, and people start turning on each other. You two… you're kind souls."
Caelus scratched the back of his head. "Well, uh, we try." The old man looked them over curiously. "Can I help you with something in return?" Caelus started to decline. "Nah, it's okay, really—"
Then he paused.
Actually…
"Okay, maybe one thing," he said sheepishly. "If it's not too much trouble... is there somewhere we could stay the night? We're, uh... performers. Travelers. We do village-to-village shows, but coin's a little tight right now." The man chuckled, eyes twinkling. "Performers, eh? Well, you saved an old man from being robbed—and I've got an empty house right next to mine. It's not fancy, but it's safe and quiet. You're welcome to it."
Caelus blinked. "Wait… really?"
"Really. Come, follow me."
He led them through the quieter side streets of the village, away from the busy road. They arrived at a small stone-and-wood house tucked behind a flower patch gone wild. The shutters were old, the roof a little crooked, but the warm yellow light inside made it feel like a place that still remembered how to breathe.
The old man opened the door. "Here you go. Spare blankets are in the chest. Don't worry about rent. Just promise me you'll be careful out there." Caelus nodded, eyes soft with gratitude. "Thank you… seriously." Althea gave a rare, quiet nod of respect. "Your kindness is not forgotten."
The man smiled one last time before walking back to his own house. Inside, the place was quiet. Simple. Safe. Caelus flopped onto the old cot and let out a long sigh. "…Well, that was a long day."
Althea stood by the window, watching the stars emerge.
"Yes," she said softly. "And this is only the beginning."