Morning in Fortress Cong came slow — like everything else in this world.
The sunlight crept lazily across the walls of the Brass Horn Inn, slipping through the cracks in the curtains and landing across my face.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Reginleif was already awake, sitting by the window polishing her dagger.
"Morning," I muttered.
She glanced over her shoulder. "You're up late. We've got work today."
Right — the Guild.
We'd registered yesterday. Low-rank, of course — Bronze Class. The only quest we were allowed to take was a simple extermination job.
Eliminate the Kobolds in the eastern quarry.
Payment: six silver coins.
"Let's get it done," I said, stretching. "The faster we do, the faster I can afford a better blade."
The eastern quarry was half a day's walk from the fortress.
By the time we arrived, the sun was still hovering stubbornly near the same spot it had been hours ago.
Kobolds weren't exactly terrifying — dog-faced, half the size of a human, and armed with rusted tools and chipped blades. But they were fast, and there were a lot of them.
When the first one lunged, Reginleif's dagger flashed. She moved like wind itself — precise, fluid.
I, on the other hand, had to wrestle with the weight of my greatsword. It was a monster's weapon, heavy and slow, better suited for breaking bones than killing efficiently.
By the time the last Kobold dropped, I was panting, shoulder sore.
Reginleif wiped her blade clean on a patch of grass. "You fight well, but that sword doesn't suit you."
"Tell me about it." I looked down at the jagged blade. "Feels like I'm swinging a damn door."
Back in the city, I went straight to the blacksmith.
The man eyed the greatsword with interest. "Dark steel, huh? Heavy piece. I'll buy it off you."
"How much?"
"Ten silvers."
"Deal."
I used half to buy a new longsword — practical, lighter, and perfectly balanced. The rest went to a set of new clothes: a black shirt, durable trousers, and a cloak that actually fit.
When I came back to the inn, Reginleif was sitting on the bed, inspecting something small in her hands.
It was a necklace — with royal sigil of Mornareth,silver, with a faint emerald stone in the center.
"Where'd you get that?" I asked.
She looked up, her expression unreadable. "This? From a princess's corpse."
I froze mid-step. "...You're serious?"
She nodded. "She died during the siege I told you about. I took it because it's... valuable. and this one is a rapier I was hiding it in the cloth— it's from the royal vault. It's actually an artifact weapon. Enhances speed and precision."
She let the fabric slip from her hand; faint patterns glowed on its surface before fading.
"That's... something," I said, sitting on the chair across from her. "Guess I shouldn't ask too much, huh?"
"Probably not." She smiled faintly.
For a while, we just sat there in quiet. The kind of silence that didn't feel awkward — just... calm.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "You ever think about what you'll do after all this?"
Reginleif thought for a moment. "Maybe find a place where no one recognizes me. Live quietly."
"Yeah," I said softly. "That doesn't sound bad."
The city outside hummed faintly, the slow sun still hanging just above the horizon. For now, there was no war, no danger — just two wanderers sharing a quiet moment in a world that refused to rush for anyone.
The kobold hunt was easy money, but it left me with more questions than satisfaction.
The guild clerk handed over six silvers and smiled that fake guild smile. "Good work, adventurers. Come again soon."
Outside, the air smelled like iron and smoke — Fortress Cong never stopped buzzing.
Reginleif stretched. "Not bad for our first quest together. You handled yourself well, Azazel."
"I'm getting used to this place," I replied. "Though the time here still feels weird. Like the sun barely moves."
"That's how the flow works here. This world moves slower than yours."
I froze. "What?"
She caught herself and shook her head quickly. "Forget it. Just something I heard from an old mage."
I narrowed my eyes but let it slide. "...Right."
That night, we camped near the city's outskirts. I practiced with my new longsword, cutting through the cool air. Every swing left trails of black mist that curled and disappeared.
Reginleif watched me from a rock nearby. "You're leaking Mythic energy again."
I stopped. "Still can't control it. It just... happens."
She stood, brushing dust off her cloak. "You used your Mythic before, didn't you? Against that bandit boss."
"Yeah," I said. 'Everything went dark, and it felt like the world itself slowed down. My body moved on its own, but I could feel something... eating away at me."
"That's the nature of Darkness Mythic," she explained. "It consumes what it touches — including you, if you're careless."
She stepped closer, her hair catching the moonlight. "Let me show you something."
Wind swirled around her feet, faint and controlled, tracing glowing runes in the dirt.
"Every Mythic comes from balance — two forces. Power and control. Yours is power. Mine is control. You need both."
She lifted her dagger. "Now focus. Don't summon the darkness. Feel it."
I closed my eyes.
The air felt heavy. Cold. The world dimmed. Shadows stretched from my feet like living smoke. For a moment, I felt something vast — whispering, watching.
Then I lost focus. The darkness exploded outward in a pulse of raw pressure, knocking me back.
Reginleif caught me by the wrist, steadying me. "Too much force. Try again, slower."
I clenched my teeth. "This thing doesn't listen."
"It's not supposed to. Mythic isn't something you command. It's something you negotiate with."
She guided my stance, her hand on my shoulder. Her Mythic energy — the faint whisper of wind — blended with mine, tempering it. The shadows around us began to swirl in rhythm with the breeze.
For the first time, the darkness didn't fight back. It moved. Flowed. Obeyed.
Reginleif smiled. "There. That's the beginning."
I looked at my hand — the black aura coiling gently around my fingers. "Feels... alive."
"It is," she said. "And it's dangerous. But if you can learn to control it, nothing in this world will be able to stop you."
We trained until the slow sun dipped again — though hours felt like minutes.
Eventually, I collapsed on the grass, exhausted.
Reginleif sat beside me, quietly watching the stars.
"You're a fast learner," she said softly.
She smiled faintly, looking up at the unmoving night sky. "We'll take another quest tomorrow. Something stronger — maybe you'll get to test that darkness properly."
I smirked. "Can't wait."
And just like that, the wind carried the smell of distant smoke again — the world moving slowly, but fate moving faster than either of us realized.
The next morning came slower than usual.
Then again, time itself was lazy in this world — even the sun looked half-asleep.
Reginleif was already up, tying her boots and adjusting her cloak.
"You sure you're ready for another quest?" she asked, glancing over.
"You barely survived yesterday's training. You screamed like a dying goose."
"I did not scream," I said, pulling my shirt over my head. "I was... breathing aggressively."
'Right," she replied, smirking. "Like this? 'HUUUAAAHHHH—"
I glared at her. "I see someone wants to get their breakfast stolen."
"You wouldn't dare."
I grabbed the bread from her plate. "Watch me."
We headed back to the Adventurer's Guild in Fortress Cong.
The same bored receptionist greeted us with the same fake enthusiasm.
"Welcome back, brave adventurers! Looking for another easy kobold extermination?"
Reginleif rolled her eyes. "Please, something that doesn't smell like wet dog."
The clerk flipped through papers. "Hmm... a caravan escort heading to the nearby ruins. Bandits have been sighted, but the pay's double."
"Double?" I asked, leaning in. "Say no more."
Reginleif sighed. "Fine, but if you get stabbed again, I'm not carrying you this time."
The job was simple — protect a merchant, his cart, and a mule that looked like it wanted to die.
The merchant was a short, round man with a mustache so big it looked like it had its own Mythic.
"Please, kind adventurers, make sure my goods arrive safely! There are rumors of kobolds in these woods!"
"Didn't we just kill a bunch of those?" I muttered.
Halfway through the road, the bushes rustled.
Then — out came a mob of kobolds, barking and waving rusty knives.
"Great," I groaned. "Round two."
I drew my longsword. "Reginleif, you take the right. I'll—"
"Already on it!" she shouted, her dagger glowing green. A gust of wind sliced through the first few kobolds like paper.
I grinned. "Show-off."
Then the darkness stirred around my arm. I let it out — carefully this time. Shadows swirled up my blade, humming with energy. I dashed forward, cutting through the kobolds with precise, flowing strikes.
The last one tried to run.
Not today.
I flicked my wrist, and a tendril of darkness snatched it by the leg.
The kobold yelped — and then bonk! — hit a tree face-first.
"...That was satisfying," I said, brushing dust off my coat.
Reginleif landed beside me, panting lightly. "You're learning to control it faster than I expected."
I smirked. "Guess I'm a natural."
She crossed her arms. "Or you're just lucky the darkness hasn't eaten your face yet."
"Optimistic as always."
We returned to the caravan with only a few scratches and a slightly traumatized mule.
The merchant clapped his hands, beaming.
"Marvelous! Simply marvelous! My goods are safe! I shall tell everyone of your greatness!"
"Make sure they spell my name right this time," I said.
"What, Azeal?" Reginleif teased.
"Don't start."
By the time we reached the inn that evening, exhaustion hit me like a hammer.
I threw myself on the bed. "Finally. Peace and quiet."
Reginleif leaned against the wall. "You know, for someone who acts tough, you nap more than anyone I've ever met."
"Power naps," I said, eyes half-closed. "That's how I keep my Mythic strong."
"Right. And snoring is part of your training too?"
I cracked one eye open. "You heard that?"
She smirked. "The whole inn did."
I groaned, pulling the pillow over my face. "Wake me up when the world stops trying to kill us."
"Sure thing," she said, chuckling softly.
Her tone was teasing,
The candlelight flickered, the wind rustled outside, and for the first time since I fell into this world...
I actually felt at peace.