[Guild/quiet alleyway]
The icy stone of the guild building hummed with dark energy as Charlie crept its halls, driving dagger after dagger into the cracks and crevices. His panting came ragged, his trembling hands, but his gaze never faltered.
If I fail once more… she dies once more.
The final dagger found its niche. Its pale rune glowed for a moment before fading into the shadows.
The guildhall doors burst open, the sound ringing through the vacant room.
Charlie entered, staff at his side, daggers concealed in the darkness behind him. His chest was gasping, but his eyes blazed.
Four robed men turned, their very presence stifling the air. The girl was unconscious within a ring of light.
"Ah… the stray mutt returns," one cultist sneered.
Charlie gave a twisted grin.
"Mutt? Flattering me. I like 'stray businessmen more.'"
The leader sneered. "You think jokes will save you?"
Charlie thumped his staff on the ground.
"No. But this might—Phoenix Barrier!"
A wall of searing fire erupted up about the girl, the circle's light sputtering as the barrier interacted with it.
One cultist spat. "He protects the vessel—!"
Charlie grinned. "First rule of business: protect your assets." he said as he augmented himself with mana.
The battle broke out.
Dark lances of darkness tore through the corridor. Charlie turned, his shield flashing as he deflected each bolt. He retaliated with a blast of flame, sending the cultists scattering.
"Pathetic," one growled, materializing behind him in an instant. A dagger licked Charlie's shoulder.
Charlie cursed, spinning. "Thanks for the haircut, but I didn't request it." He blazed mana into an illusory double, and the cultist stabbed thin air.
Another shadow bolt struck his side and he fell to his knees. The leader's laughter.
"Cornered already. What a disappointment."
Charlie raised his head, blood on his lips but a sly smile in his face.
"if you're so smart then, check the walls, genius."
All concealed daggers glowed, strings of blue mana flashing across the room. Chains erupted, ethereal and weighty, ensnaring three cultists. They screamed, magic fizzling as Chains of Valhalla pulled them down.
The leader managed to escape, his robe flying like smoke. "Clever. But not clever enough."
A burst of energy knocked Charlie into the wall. He hacked up blood, vision blurring.
The leader held up his hand. "Die nameless."
Then the wall blew.
Stone and dust poured as a red-haired woman burst into the room, sword at the ready. She charged into the cult leader, slamming him off his feet.
Charlie blinked, stunned. "W-why would you come?"
She didn't look at him, just swiped blood from her cheek, her eyes burning.
"Because I already suspected something fishy was happening."
The leader bellowed, regaining his footing. "Two rats in one trap. Fine. You both die."
Charlie stumbled up alongside her, staff shaking.
"Name's Charlie. I'm a mage. Whats your name and can you fight?"
Shira cracked her neck.
"you speak too much 'Charlie' but name Shira."
And they advanced.
Charlie flung a fireball, making the leader jump left—right into Shira's blade. Steel flashed off his barrier, and Charlie quickly built an illusion behind her swing, so it seemed like she'd doubled herself into two attackers.
The leader growled, dispelling one myth, but that left him vulnerable to Charlie's true blow: a rune trap which exploded under his feet.
Smoke and debris erupted upward.
Shira snarled ruthlessly. "Not bad, sly con artist."
Charlie smiled back, chest panting. "Not bad, berserker."
The leader came out of the smoke, robe ripped, eyes blazing crimson. "Games are over." He shot a volley of black spears.
Shira spun, deflecting two with her sword, but one grazed her arm. She hissed. Charlie staggered, throwing up a last-ditch barrier that cracked under the impact.
"We're not gonna make it," Charlie muttered, voice shaking.
Shira spat blood, grinning like a wolf. "Then make it count."
Charlie pushed himself up, muttering words of power under his breath, piling feeble illusions atop each other. His frame shook, mana all but depleted, but the case was exactly the same with the other one.
The leader growled, lifting his staff to deliver the deathblow—then plunged it into his own heart.
Blood spattered the circle. The runes blazed like fire.
Charlie's eyes went wide. "No—he's—"
The voice of the leader distorted as his body incinerated. "If I can't win… then I will be the vessel."
The room shook with thunder.
And then—nothing.
Charlie blinked, too late realizing that he was no longer inside the guild hall.
***
[The Other Side/???]
A void. Colorless, endless, choking.
And a figure stood there: tall, smirking, eyes glinting with a sadistic amusement.
Charlie's breath caught. "You… you're the one I saw when I died. Wha-whats your name?"
??? smiled. "Surprise. Miss me?"
???: "I'm Kittler Huz. I used to be a pretty powerful demon king, i conquered entire continents, but I got killed by a hero. roughly 2000 years ago. And now, I'm just a dude on a relaxed planet called earth, but my powers still persist."
Charlie's voice trembled. "Why me? Why bring me into this?"
Kittler snorted, waving lazily.
"Why you? No offense, kid, but it's because you're nobody. Can't use a king, might start a war. Can't use a hero, too suspicious. But you? You're perfect. You are literally nobody, invisible."
Charlie's fists shook. "Then what the hell was the point of rescuing her? Why me?!"
Kittler leaned in close, voice sounding like poisoned honey.
"You want the lore? Fine, you've done a good job till now, so I think you kind of deserve it. Ok so, if she dies, I die. You die. The whole timeline dies. Because she isn't just some kid—she's the Demon Queen."
Charlie froze, blood draining from his face.
Kittler chuckled.
"And if she dies, the Daughter of Fate wakes up. And trust me—if that brat takes the stage, creation itself shatters."
Kittler: "and if you happen to mention anything of this to anyone, don't forget I'll be watching."
Charlie breathed softly, shattered. "What the devil am I getting myself into…"
Kittler smiled even wider.
"Time's up, kiddo. Go."
[Guild/quiet alleyway]
Charlie's body slammed onto the stone ground, eyes glassy, lips spouting gibberish. The massive jolt of magic that was used to pull his mind to another plane wasn't at all normal for him.
Shira knelt next to him, shaking him vigorously. "Hey. Hold on- are you dead?".
Footsteps were heard. Shira stood stock still, eyes flicking towards the sound. She caught her lip between her teeth, and then ran into the shadows, dropping her bloodied sword behind.
The door groaned open.
Betty entered, catching her breath.
Charlie huddled in the wreckage, covered in blood, delirious, speaking words that sounded like nothing. The blind girl was lying unconscious next to him, protected by charred runes.
Betty's complexion turned white.
"…Oh gods, Charlie… what have you done?"