After the mission, I opened a dark portal without a word, stepping through the swirling shadows back to the Guild. But just as I was about to walk inside the guild, Lukas called out behind me.
"Cooner… can we talk for a while?"
I paused and nodded.
We walked quietly to a nearby restaurant. The place was nearly empty, dimly lit, the scent of grilled meat hanging in the air. We sat in a corner booth, far from anyone else.
Lukas didn't speak at first.
He just looked at me. His gaze was heavy. Not with judgment—but with worry.
The silence between us stretched until finally, he spoke.
"I know you were trying to protect us," he said softly. "But Cooner… you can't do that. Not like that."
I looked down, ashamed.
Was I reckless? Did I go too far?
"Cooner," Lukas said again, more firmly this time. "Look at me."
I met his eyes.
He placed a hand on my shoulder. Not to stop me—but to steady me.
"Don't ever reveal your full power like that again," he said. "Not in front of strangers. Not unless there's no other way."
"But…" I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "They were going to hurt you. I couldn't just watch."
"I know," Lukas replied, his voice calm, but serious. "And I'm grateful. Really. But you have to understand something."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
"If word gets out about what you can do… about what you are… the Master, the Guild members, even us—we could all be in danger."
I swallowed hard.
"The Grand Guild," Lukas continued, "they're not like any other force. They've killed gods, Cooner. Actual gods. If they think you're a threat, they won't hesitate."
He let his words hang in the air for a moment before adding, gently:
"I know you're strong. And I know you have a good heart. But strength without control? It attracts fear. And fear turns to execution orders."
I looked away, jaw tight. I hated it. I hated that I had to hide. That people like me were seen as monsters.
But deep down… I knew he was right.
"I didn't mean to lose control," I said quietly. "It's just… when I saw them treat you like that, like garbage… something inside me just broke. I couldn't take it."
Lukas smiled sadly.
"I get it. Really. You have a heart that doesn't know how to watch people suffer. That's rare, Cooner. That's precious. But…"
He took a breath.
"Sometimes, protecting others means protecting yourself first. Be selfish sometimes, okay? Not because you're weak—but because your life matters too."
I nodded slowly, the fire inside me finally cooling. His words sank deep, not as scolding—but as care.
"Okay," I said. "I'll be more careful."
Lukas patted my shoulder again, this time more warmly.
"Good. Now come on. Food's on me."
*******
After parting with Lukas, I returned to my inn, my steps heavy with the weight of everything he had said.
I opened the door to my room—And the shadows stirred.
Something cold pressed against my skin, and before I could react, the air twisted.
A figure emerged from the void.
Nurgle.The God of Chaos.
He smiled faintly, like he always does before saying something I won't want to hear.
"What are you doing here?" I asked sharply.
"I heard your conversation," he said, voice calm. "With Lukas."
My eyes narrowed. "So you were watching."
"Of course. I had to be sure you were still walking the right path. But hearing him speak like that… I can't stay silent."
He stepped closer, the darkness curling around him like smoke.
"He doesn't understand, my lord. You are more than they think. More than they fear."
I clenched my fists. "He's right, Nurgle. I lost control. If the Grand Guild hears what happened today, they'll come after the guild—after my friends."
"They'll come either way," Nurgle said coldly. "The moment you stop hiding, they'll strike."
His eyes darkened.
"But let me remind you of the truth they've buried."
I said nothing, but I didn't stop him.
He took a breath, slow and bitter. "Long ago, it was not the humans who begged the darkness. It was the God of Light."
That caught me off guard.
"…What?"
"Yes. When the world teetered on the edge of ruin, the God of Light knelt before the God of Darkness," Nurgle said, voice low with disdain. "He pleaded for the world to be restored—for the humans he loved. And the God of Darkness agreed."
I felt the chill settle deep into my bones.
"But there was a price," Nurgle continued. "In exchange for saving the world, the God of Light handed over a gift to mankind—the Sword of Light. A divine weapon, forged not as a thank-you... but as a chain."
"…A chain?"
"Yes. The sword was meant to keep the darkness in check. A symbol of power. Of fear." He looked away, jaw tight. "And now, that same sword is wielded by heroes—against you."
"That's not what we were taught," I muttered. "They said the darkness stole the sword. That it tried to overthrow the light."
"Lies," Nurgle snapped. "History rewritten by the victors. The God of Light gave that sword. And now, those same humans—blinded by their worship—call our kind evil. Even though it was the darkness that saved them."
The truth stung more than I expected.
"…Then what does that make me?" I asked. "A mistake? A threat waiting to happen?"
Nurgle turned to me slowly.
"No," he said. "It makes you his successor."
My breath caught.
"I'm human," I whispered. "I bleed. I break. Why would a god choose me?"
Nurgle looked at me with something almost gentle.
"Because you feel. Because you protect. Because, unlike the false heroes who swing the Sword of Light without question… you understand the weight of power."
He stepped back into the shadow.
"And if you ever wonder why you—ask the one who chose you."
Then, just like that, the darkness swallowed him whole.
And I was alone with a truth that changed everything.