I climbed the stairs that rose right in front of me, like a gray bridge leading to an inevitable fate. Each step creaked under my boots, as if the stone itself wanted to warn me of something that I—foolish, stubborn, pigheaded like a newly crowned demon—chose to ignore. The wind from the cemetery filtered through broken columns, carrying the smell of old dampness and secrets buried underground.
At the end of the path she appeared:
the Church.
A silent mass, a dark temple that rose like the open throat of an ancient monster. Its door was gigantic, towering, almost alive, as if it breathed a faith that had been rotting for centuries.
Without thinking too much—because thinking always slows me down—I pushed the door. They creaked like ancient giants, complaining while letting me in.
Inside, the air was so still it seemed imprisoned.
A faint bluish light fell from broken stained-glass windows, casting shadows that moved as if they had a will of their own.
I walked between the statues lined up on both sides. All in prayer poses, frozen in white marble. Their beauty was cold, sharp.
It seemed they were watching me, judging every one of my steps as I advanced between them as if walking through a spiritual labyrinth… one designed so sinners would get lost.
I kept walking until I reached the area where the pews should be where people listen to the priest… but the place had long ceased to be sacred.
Blood.
A lot.
Too much.
Dark pools and mutilated bodies scattered like wilted flowers.
The walls were scratched, marked by huge claws. The smell of death was so strong it burned my nose. I forced myself to breathe slowly.
I had seen death before, but never one so… desperate. Here there was pain, terror, flight. And no escape.
Then I heard it.
A trembling, broken voice.
—Patrasche… It's me. Nello, see? You can recognize me, right? It's okay. It's all over. There's no one left to restrain us…
Boldly, I moved forward through the shadows to see where it was coming from.
And there he was: a frail-looking boy, almost transparent from blood loss. He stood in front of a giant three-headed dog, a monstrous beast that radiated heat and hunger.
The jaws of its three faces dripped red saliva. It was hell's guardian with the skin of a domestic animal.
The boy kept talking, as if his heart could still save the creature.
—Even if you turned into a demonbeast… you're still my dear friend. I believe in you, Patrasche. Don't tremble. We'll live together… far away, very far away, at the edge of the world. And we'll find a place fo…
He didn't get to finish.
The dog devoured him.
Just like that.
One single movement.
One perfect bite.
The boy's head disappeared between fangs, and the rest of the body fell like a puppet with its strings cut. I stood still, watching from afar like an idiot.
Yes, I knew it. I knew it was going to happen, yet I still stood there with my arms crossed. Maybe out of fear, maybe out of habit from watching tragedy repeat itself… or maybe because of that part of me that still didn't understand what it meant to be a "hero".
The monster let out a low whimper.
—N-nello… Grrrr…
The three heads shook, as if fighting among themselves over guilt, hunger, pain. That beast was suffering. I noticed it immediately. It suffered for a companion it had loved more than its own life.
And yet…
I drew my sword.
I couldn't let it keep destroying everything it loved.
The metallic sound alerted the dog. Its three heads turned toward me, eyes blazing with a mix of rage, sadness and madness.
It took one step forward, then another, stalking me slowly. The side heads watched every flank, nullifying any surprise attack. It was a perfect hunter.
There was no time for strategies.
No time for regrets.
Only fighting remained.
I ran toward it, sword raised high. When the blade grazed its skin, the cut multiplied. And that's when I understood:
Rampuzer's ring was working.
Every cut I made duplicated itself a few centimeters higher, repeating the damage like a deadly echo.
The dog growled, wounded, yet still swiped a paw that sent me flying. My back crashed against a column. I felt my ribs tremble like freshly cut branches. My vision blurred for an instant.
—Tss… —I spat blood—. Alright, big guy… if you want to play like that, we'll play.
I activated a skill from the Dragon Sword. The blade began to emit an intense red glow. Every cut I made now would be covered in flames and burn the enemy from the inside.
But even so, fighting alone was still madness.
Three heads, six eyes, perfect battle vision.
Every time I got close, it slammed me against a wall, as if I were an annoying insect.
I wasn't going to win alone.
So I shouted:
—Leaf, I summon you!
A green light enveloped the air and she appeared. Small, radiant, with her typically playful expression.
—Oooooh —she said upon seeing the beast—. I don't even want to ask why this demonbeast has three heads… but wow, it's ugly.
She let out a mischievous laugh.
Even in moments like this, that little goblin knew how to lift my spirits a bit.
Without wasting time she began to dance.
A circular, elegant movement, like a whirlwind of petals. Magic burst from her in the form of green sparks.
—Fairy Dance —she sang—. And… Fairy Kiss, so you don't die so fast ♡
The energy enveloped me. Suddenly my body became tougher, faster, stronger.
A strange feeling, as if my muscles had awakened after years of sleep.
And I went.
Moving like a shadow between columns.
Cutting like sharp wind.
Jumping between the claws that wanted to tear me in two.
I cut off the first head.
A jet of hot blood bathed my face.
I cut off the second head.
The beast howled in pain, trying to defend what was left.
The third head moved desperately, but my feet no longer touched the ground: I was propelled by magic, fire and fury.
One single movement.
One perfect cut.
And the monster fell, slowly, as if the world itself weighed upon it.
Its paws hit the floor with a thud that silenced the entire church.
From the corpse emerged a pink-covered book.
"The Dog of Elixir".
I picked it up and put it in my bag. Then I climbed to the altar, where there was a destroyed table and, on the floor, another book: one of sorcery.
"Soul Glow".
I opened it, read it, and the magic engraved itself in my mind as if it had always been mine.
I turned to leave.
Leaf was waiting on one of the statues, swinging her legs while smiling like a girl keeping a sinister secret.
—You know? —she began—. A boy and a dog were always together. They slept together, ate together, ran everywhere… inseparable. But one day, some strange cultists separated them. The boy cried for days. The dog did too.
The boy searched for his friend until he bled.
And the dog, enduring horrible experiments, thought of his master every day… about that sweet fruit they always shared.
Its reason slowly faded.
And one day… when it saw the boy again… it devoured him.
With love, devotion… and.
And they all lived happily… ever after. Hehehe… that's what the book you found says… ♡
I stayed silent for a few seconds.
—That… sounds way too sad —I said, looking toward the exit, unable to hold her gaze, the silence of the place could be felt.
I left the church.
The echo of our footsteps remained trapped inside the temple, along with the last lament of a broken friendship.
And the silence stayed kept there… forever.