As the village finally quieted and lanterns dimmed, one by one the adventurers and villagers retired for the night. Exhaustion settled like a heavy blanket over everyone, and the soft chorus of night insects replaced the sounds of battle and celebration. Drathan stretched out on his cot, hands behind his head, eyes half-lidded as the warmth of the room and the distant crackle of the bonfire lulled him toward sleep.
The moment his eyes shut, the world around him twisted. His surroundings faded into the endless black expanse of his mind space—the same void where he'd first encountered him. A familiar pressure filled the air, heavy yet oddly calm. A figure emerged from the swirling shadows: the Demon Lord.
Drathan crossed his arms. "Tch, here we go again. Didn't think we'd have another little midnight hangout so soon."
The Demon Lord's crimson eyes glowed faintly. "Time is short, so I'll be direct. The power you wield—your 'void' abilities—are not truly demonic. They are the original form of the energy you humans call 'demonic energy.' I was once the right hand of the Goddess Aria. I served beside her before… she changed."
Drathan's cocky expression faltered slightly. "You're sayin' you used to work for her?"
"Yes," the Demon Lord replied, his tone carrying both pride and bitterness. "I was her blade, her shadow, and her strategist. But when she began stealing souls from other realms to bolster her faith… I could not stand by. She called it 'salvation.' I called it conquest. When I refused to kneel, she branded me a traitor. My void energy—once pure—was twisted into what you now call 'demonic energy.' She could not destroy it, so she vilified it."
The air around them shimmered, and suddenly Drathan saw a vivid memory play out like a vision: a grand celestial hall, Aria seated on a throne of light. The Demon Lord—once robed in divine colors—stood beside her as they debated. Her voice was soft, full of conviction.
"If I gather enough faith, I will ascend beyond all others," Aria said. "I will become the head of the gods. No one will ever challenge our rule again."
"And what of those you steal?" the Demon Lord had replied. "They are not your tools. You take their homes, their lives, their futures—"
"They are my chosen, and through me, they will find purpose. Their faith will make us strong."
The memory shattered like glass, returning them to the void.
The Demon Lord's gaze locked with Drathan's. "Because of your mastery of the void, we can communicate. But only for brief moments. If I linger too long, she will notice. Her fanatics will come for you without hesitation."
Drathan tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "So what, you're playin' informant now?"
"Think of it as… aligning interests. You walk a path between light and darkness. If she rises unchecked, this world—and yours—will kneel beneath her. I intend to stop that."
Before Drathan could respond, the void around them began to crack like fragile glass under pressure. The Demon Lord's form flickered. "Our time is up. Remember what I said. The void is not your curse. It is your weapon."
The world snapped back. Drathan jolted awake, the first rays of dawn painting the ceiling gold. He rubbed his temples, muttering, "Man… I can't even get one normal night's sleep."
—
The group gathered in the village square for a brief farewell. The village chief met them with warm eyes and a humble bow. "You have our deepest thanks. Without you, we would have been lost."
Drathan waved it off. "No problem, old man. Just keep the place safe."
Kenshin yawned and cracked his neck. "Man, I'm still full from last night. Let's get movin' before I fall asleep standing up."
As they set off on the road back to the city, morning light spilled over the landscape. Birds chirped in the trees, and the wind carried the fresh scent of earth after battle. The atmosphere was relaxed compared to the night before. Kenshin and Seme launched into their usual banter, while Mira rode alongside quietly, lost in thought. Random conversations flowed between bursts of laughter and the occasional clash with wandering beasts.
At one point, while fending off a pack of oversized boars, Kenshin shouted between lightning strikes, "Yo, if one of these porkers hits me, I'm makin' bacon tonight!"
Seme blocked a charge with a heavy swing, smirking. "You're always thinkin' about food."
Drathan sliced through the air, his movements lazy yet precise. "Y'all too loud. You're gonna scare the forest into runnin' away."
Laughter echoed down the road, blending with the sounds of steel and magic. Despite the strange revelations of the night, the morning carried a sense of ease—a brief calm before the next storm.
—
As the sun reached its zenith, the group paused to drink and rest under the shade of tall trees. Mira pointed to a plume of smoke in the distance, her expression tightening. "That looks like a campfire. Maybe monsters—or worse, bandits."
When they crept closer, they realized it was neither. A goblin encampment sprawled across the clearing, rough tents and sharpened stakes forming a crude perimeter. The stench of smoke and rot hung thick in the air, and small green figures darted between the shadows, clattering weapons while a few larger hobgoblins barked orders.
Kenshin wrinkled his nose. "Man, this smell could kill a man before the goblins even touch him."
Drathan smirked. "You sure that's not your cologne mixin' with swamp air?"
Before Seme could jump in, Mira frowned. "This isn't far from the city. If they're this close, that's bad news."
Drathan rubbed his chin, eyes scanning the camp. "Question is—do we get paid for takin' out side quests like this?"
Velra crossed her arms, smirking. "You would ask that. And yes—if you bring back monster tokens, the guild will pay according to rank. Consider it extra credit."
Kenshin chuckled. "Ohhh, so that's what this is about. You tryna build that jacuzzi in the villa, huh?"
Drathan shrugged. "Hey, comfort matters. You'll thank me when your back stops hurtin' after trainin'."
Seme groaned, "Ain't no damn jacuzzi in the middle of monster country, bro."
"Not with that attitude," Drathan replied, a grin curling his lips.
After their back-and-forth banter, the group geared up. Kenshin's body sparked with arcs of blue lightning, dancing along his arms and crackling in the air. Seme loosened her shoulders, her massive blade glinting in the filtered sunlight. Drathan drew his daggers, their edges reflecting faint ripples of void energy.
When they moved, it was like shadows and lightning cutting through the trees. Kenshin's lightning lanced across the clearing, frying goblins where they stood, the smell of ozone thick in the air. Seme charged through the chaos, every swing of her sword splitting the ground and sending shockwaves rippling outward. Drathan slipped through the chaos, striking weak points and collapsing tents to confuse the enemy.
The goblin camp turned into a maelstrom of screams and smoke. Hobgoblins tried rallying, but Kenshin's storm cut them down before they could organize. Seme's blade danced, carving through resistance like it was paper. In moments, the battle was over.
Kenshin wiped his forehead and let out a laugh. "Guess that's one less problem for the city."
Drathan crouched beside a fallen hobgoblin, pulling a small token from its neck. "And one step closer to that jacuzzi."
As night fell, they made camp near the ruins of the goblin camp. The firelight flickered across their faces as the sound of distant crickets filled the air. Mira and Velra cooked a quick meal while Kenshin and Seme argued over who had the higher kill count.
By the time they finished eating, the tension of the past few days began to fade. The fire crackled softly, its warmth casting gentle shadows around the group. Drathan leaned back, hands behind his head, and stared at the night sky.
"Man," he said quietly, "for once, I hope tomorrow's boring."
The group laughed softly, their voices fading into the calm rhythm of the wilderness as they drifted toward sleep beneath the stars.