Chapter 5
The cave was quiet now, save for the faint crackle of fading magic where Nyx's chains had shattered.
Kael leaned against the jagged wall, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the woman before him.
"So," he began, his voice calm but edged with curiosity, "before I start regretting setting you free… mind telling me why you were chained like some dangerous artifact?"
Nyx lifted her gaze, her long black hair cascading like liquid night over her shoulders. The strands caught the faint glow of the cave's moss, making her crimson eyes stand out all the more.
"They feared me," she said simply. "As they should. I was a commander in the War of Shadows. And to answer your next question—" her lips curved into a faint smirk, "—yes, I deserved those chains."
Kael raised a brow. "Comforting. Very comforting. And here I thought you'd say it was all a misunderstanding."
A faint laugh escaped her. "Do you really want the truth, or a lie that lets you sleep better?"
He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Alright, next question. Is there a way out of this world?"
Nyx's smirk faded. "If there is, I have not found it. The Dead World is vast… and cruel. But if the stories are true, the heart of this world holds something that can shatter all boundaries."
That was both vague and frustrating. Kael clicked his tongue. "So basically… you're just as lost as I am."
"Not lost," she corrected softly. "Waiting."
They left the cave together, the cold wind biting at their faces. It wasn't long before the silence was broken by the guttural roar of a monster.
"Stay back," Kael said instinctively, stepping forward.
Nyx tilted her head, clearly amused. "Oh? You want to protect me?"
"I just don't want you dying five minutes after pledging your loyalty."
She laughed. "How touching… but unnecessary." Without waiting for permission, she strode toward the sound.
From the trees emerged a hulking beast — black scales glistening, jaws lined with molten fangs. A B-rank Dreadfang Lizard. Its presence alone would make lesser hunters flee in terror.
Kael was about to intervene — until Nyx moved.
No, moved wasn't the right word. One moment she was standing still, the next her blade was buried in the lizard's skull. The air itself seemed to warp around her strike, a flash of shadow and steel that left the monster twitching before collapsing into the dirt.
Kael just stood there, staring. "…You've got to be kidding me."
Nyx wiped her blade clean without a glance back. "What?"
"That was a B-rank monster," he said flatly. "And you killed it like it was… a housefly."
She gave him a faint smile. "Do you regret freeing me now?"
"Regret?" Kael muttered, shaking his head. "No. But if you ever decide to turn on me, I'm going to run so fast the Dead World will have to invent a new speed rank."
Nyx chuckled, sliding her blade back into its sheath. "Relax, Master. You freed me. My blade is yours… until the end."
For some reason, that didn't make him feel any safer.