It’s been a week since Nyxis and I settled in this village, protecting it from demons and earning the trust of the villagers. It’s funny how quickly things can change. Nyxis, once the feared Skyrend, now prances around as the village’s beloved “feathery goofball.”

Kids chase her around with giggles, villagers bring fresh vegetables and drinks to thank us for saving them, and Nyxis? She laps it all up like the little attention magnet she is. I’m not jealous, no sir, not at all.

Meanwhile, I’ve been doing my best to master chaos energy. Doing my best is the key phrase here because, after a whole week, I think I’ve managed, what… 1%? Maybe 1.5% on a good day? Yeah, it’s frustrating.

“Chaos energy, huh?” I muttered to myself one day, staring at the swirl of energy I could barely keep in check. “More like chaos headache…”

I found myself thinking about the cursed forest. It was wild, dangerous, and unpredictable, but it was home. It’s where Nyxis was born, where we fought side by side, and where I first learned how to survive. This village is cozy, sure, but there’s no place quite like the cursed forest. I sighed. How much longer is this going to take?

To distract myself, I frequented the library to study elemental magic. If I couldn’t control chaos, I might as well sharpen my other skills. And let me tell you, there’s a lot to learn when it comes to bending fire, water, and everything in between. But hey, knowledge is power, right?

One peaceful morning, I was enjoying the calm at the library reading —something that’s still a bit foreign to me—when I noticed the chief walking off with Edward. At first, I didn’t think much of it. People have errands; I get it.

But the next day, at the exact same time, there they were again. And the day after that.

Now, I’m not saying I’m a paranoid person, but when two people start sneaking off to the same place every day and being all secretive about it? Yeah, my curiosity was piqued.

“Nyxis,” I whispered, crouching down next to her. She was busy gnawing on a chunk of fruit someone had gifted her. “Something’s fishy about those two.”

Nyxis gave me a look that screamed Really, Papa? before going back to her snack.

Ignoring her judgment, I decided to tail them. Was it instinct? Suspicion? Boredom? Probably a mix of all three.

I trailed the chief and Edward through the library, sticking to the shadows like the stealthy hero I… am absolutely not. Still, I was doing a decent job, if I do say so myself.

They led me to a part of the library I hadn’t explored much before. Just as I thought I was about to uncover something juicy…

Poof!

They vanished. Gone. Right in front of me.

“What the—?!” I muttered, blinking in disbelief. I was standing in front of a plain stone wall and a shelf of books. There wasn’t a single sign of them. No hidden doors, no obvious traps, no magical aura I could sense.

“Alright,” I said to myself, crossing my arms. “Where the hell did you two Houdinis go?”

I stared at the wall and bookshelves, running through every trick and spell I could think of. Something was here—something hidden. And if they thought I’d just give up, they clearly didn’t know Alexander Solheart.

“Well, Nyxis,” I said later, recounting the incident to her while she lounged in the sun. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a mystery.”

Nyxis chirped lazily, clearly unbothered by my newfound mission.

“Fine,” I said, standing up dramatically. “I’ll solve it myself. You’ll see. Just don’t come running to me when I uncover a secret treasure trove or an ancient conspiracy.”

Her response was to roll over and fall asleep. Typical Nyxis. But I wasn’t letting this go. The game was afoot.

Time flew by....As I stood there, staring at the suspiciously ordinary wall and the bookshelf that reeked of hidden secrets, I heard a familiar voice call out.

“Papa Alex!” Nyxis chirped, her voice cutting through my intense investigation like a bird's song on a quiet morning.

“Oh, hey, Nyxis!” I turned around, caught off guard, and there she was, waddling over with her adorable charm, a chunk of fruit still clutched in her beak.

Lucy followed behind her, arms crossed and a curious look on her face. “Alex, what are you doing standing here at the wall? Looks a little… odd, if I’m being honest.”

“Oh, you know…” I scratched the back of my head, thinking fast. “Just looking for some books and, uh… I ended up here.” Smooth, Alex. Real smooth.

Lucy raised an eyebrow but let it slide. “Is that so?”

Nyxis chirped in again, wings flapping with excitement. “Papa! Lucy told me about a pond at the outskirts of the village. It’s so pretty! Can we go? Pleeeeease?”

A pond? Oh, she must mean the one where I’ve been sneaking off to train. I pictured it in my mind: the water shimmering in the morning sun, surrounded by wildflowers. Yeah, it was beautiful. But… it was also dangerous. Demons and monsters weren’t exactly pond-friendly neighbors.

“Hmm,” I began cautiously. “It’s not exactly safe, Nyxis. There could be demons—”

Lucy cut me off with a confident smile. “Why don’t you come with us, then? It’ll be safer with you around, right?”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Come on, Papa! Please, please, pleeeease?” Nyxis added, her eyes practically sparkling like a starry night. Lucy wasn’t helping either, giving me the same pleading look. The double-team of cuteness hit me like a freight train.

“Fine, fine!” I sighed in defeat. “If it’s the wish of my daughter, how can I say no?”

Nyxis chirped triumphantly, hopping around in excitement. I reached down to pat her, my hand sinking into her fluffy feathers. As I did, a thought crept into my mind. I’ll never let any harm come to you, Nyxis. Not now, not ever.

“Papa?” Nyxis tilted her head, staring up at me. “Did something happen?”

“Oh, no, I just spaced out for a second,” I said with a reassuring smile. “Alright, why don’t you two meet me at the gate? Bring lunch, and we’ll head out together.”

Lucy beamed. “Lunch is already prepared! I’ll grab it from my place.”

Nyxis chirped again, and the two of them hurried off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I glanced back at the mysterious wall one last time, narrowing my eyes. I’ll figure you out tomorrow. But today? Today is for Nyxis.

After a while of waiting at the gate, Nyxis and Lucy finally arrived, both carrying a basket of lunch. Nyxis was humming a little tune, and Lucy had her usual warm smile plastered on her face.

“Papa, we’re here!” Nyxis chirped, flapping her wings enthusiastically.

“Took you long enough,” I teased. “Let’s get going before the pond decides to dry up.”

With that, we set off. It took about half an hour of walking through the serene countryside before we reached the pond. The sight was breathtaking, as always—the still water reflecting the sky like a mirror, flowers blooming in vibrant colors, and the gentle breeze carrying the faint melody of nature.

I took off my cloak and stretched. “Ah, finally. This place never fails to amaze me.”

Lucy looked around, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “It’s beautiful… almost like a dream.”

Nyxis wasted no time and started exploring, her sharp eyes catching every flower, every fluttering leaf. “Papa, look! Look at this butterfly!” she called out, chasing after a bright yellow butterfly with uncontained glee.

Lucy and I sat down, unpacking the lunch she had brought while watching Nyxis dart around like a ball of energy.

“Nyxis is so cute, isn’t she?” Lucy said with a chuckle, her gaze fixed on my feathered ball of chaos. “She’s so lively, honest, and… lovely. You’re lucky to have her.”

I smiled, following her gaze. “You’re right. She’s been with me for such a short time, yet somehow, I’ve become this overprotective father I never imagined I’d be. Honestly, I’d never trade it for anything.”

Lucy laughed softly. “It suits you, Alex. And… thank you again for choosing to help us. This village is all I’ve ever known, and it means everything to me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, waving her thanks away. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing for rejecting you the first time. I was a fool back then. Coming here… I think it was fate. We’re here now, enjoying this moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Lucy’s expression softened, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice. “This mini war… it’s like a curse. Until the hero’s party defeats the demon general, villages like ours will keep suffering. We’re lucky and unlucky at the same time. Lucky that we’re not at the center of the battle, but unlucky because no one helps us. We’re just… left to fend for ourselves against demon platoons.”

Her words stung, but I knew she wasn’t wrong. “This is war,” I said, my tone somber. “Lives are lost, homes destroyed. But Lucy, remorse won’t help us. We have to rise. Solaris may be the strongest nation, but being the one bordering the demon realm makes this village’s situation… difficult. Still, I’ll protect this place. You have my word.”

Lucy smiled, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Alex.”

As we talked, my mind wandered to my memories of this world—well, game world. If I recalled correctly, the demon army wasn’t fully ready yet. Their leader, the demon lord, was likely still training to grow stronger. Even if they launched a full-scale attack, Solaris, in its current state, wouldn’t survive. But the demon army wouldn’t fare much better, being wiped out by the other nations.

“It’s odd,” I muttered, half to myself. “It seems like rather than relying solely on their army, the demons are using monsters as troops through some controlled mechanism.”

Lucy blinked. “Controlled mechanism? What do you mean?”

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “The monsters in the Cursed Forest under Nyxis and me are unaffected—probably because of the law of the forest.

I thought to myself...The developers must have coded it so the one who rules the forest has full control over it. But outside of that, other monsters are rampaging.”

Lucy looked thoughtful. “That’s… strange. But I suppose it’s better that we’re not dealing with rampaging monsters on top of demons.”

I nodded. “Yeah, for now.”

Time passed like that—calm and reflective—until we were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps.

“Sir Alex! Miss Lucy!” A villager came running towards us, his face pale and voice frantic.

“Looks like peace is over,” I muttered, standing up. Lucy and Nyxis quickly followed suit.

“Papa, what’s happening?” Nyxis asked, tilting her head.

“Let’s find out,” I said, already bracing myself for what was coming.

The air around me suddenly grew tense, and I quickly threw my cloak back on. A sharp noise pierced the calm, followed by the frantic footsteps of a villager.

"Sir Alex! Lucy..." The man staggered toward us, his face bloodied and pale. He collapsed in my arms before I could catch him properly.

"What happened? Tell me!" I demanded, shaking him gently to keep him awake.

"Th-the demon general... He's here...!" The villager gasped, his voice trembling.

Lucy’s face turned ashen, and I felt my stomach tighten. A demon general? What the hell was one of those doing here? The demon generals usually led the full-scale battles, not... harassing villages like this. Something was wrong.

Without wasting another moment, I turned to Nyxis. "Let’s go. Carry him, Nyxis, and Lucy—get on my back. Now!" My voice rang with authority, and Nyxis quickly obeyed, picking up the injured man as I set Lucy on my back with ease.

I summoned my flight magic, feeling the familiar tug of the wind around me. Poof! Nyxis followed, her wings spread wide, her form gliding effortlessly in the air.

The journey didn’t take long, but what I saw when we reached the village almost made me drop everything. The wall had been shattered, pieces of stone scattered across the ground like toys. Villagers lay unconscious or lifeless, and the chief and Edward, the village librarian, were fighting off demons, but they were badly injured.

I didn’t waste time. I landed, my boots hitting the dirt with a heavy thud, and marched straight toward the chief and Edward.

"Chief, fall back! We’ll take care of it from here!" I ordered, my voice loud enough to carry across the chaos. Nyxis was already with me I ordered Carry all the injured to infirmary, Lucy, Chief and Edward went to the infirmary carrying the injured villagers. "Lucy, stay with the chief and help him!"

Without waiting for a response, I turned to face the demon general. His eyes gleamed with madness as he slowly turned toward me, a grin creeping onto his face.

"So, you're here," the demon general laughed maniacally, his voice low and dangerous. "My precious experiment."

I couldn’t help but freeze for a moment. Experiment? What the hell was he talking about?

"What the hell are you talking about, you fucking demon?" I growled. "You’re in my village now. Go back or you’ll pay for this."

The demon’s grin only widened, his eyes narrowing with disgust. "Shut the hell up, you lowly human! You think you can threaten me?" His voice turned cold and mocking. "I will end you, puny creature in an instant. But first, I’ll deal with this Skyrend."

My blood ran cold as he turned toward Nyxis, his eyes full of malice. She was frozen in fear, her small form trembling slightly.

I couldn’t stand it. How dare he threaten my daughter?

My anger flared hotter than I’d ever felt before. I clenched my fists, my body practically vibrating with rage.

"You dare threaten my daughter?" I seethed. "You lowly bastard..."

With a surge of dark energy, I cast my first spell.

[Dark Magic: Shadow Stomper]

The moment the words left my lips, the ground beneath the demon’s feet seemed to warp and distort. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening in confusion. He struggled to move but found his shadow bound to the earth.

"What the hell?!" the demon shouted, unable to advance.

I didn’t wait for him to recover. My hands glowed with radiant solar magic as I raised them high. The air around me shimmered with intense heat as I unleashed my most powerful attack.

[Solar Magic: Helios Ascension]

The moment the spell detonated, a blinding flash of light engulfed the battlefield, leaving everything in a brilliant white haze. The demon general screamed, but his words were drowned by the scorching light. The ground cracked beneath him, collapsing into a molten pit. A wave of solar energy surged outward, creating an intense heatwave that radiated through the area.

The demon general’s form staggered, trying to withstand the intense heat, but his body was seared. The land around us became hazardous, waves of molten rock spreading as the explosion’s aftermath made it nearly impossible to stand.

The village was also impacted by my attack but not too much but the way I hit the attack was a different thing.

Nyxis seemed to destroy all the boulder that went to the village. Well I thank her for that.

I stood tall amidst the chaos, my chest heaving with the aftermath of the spell, but my eyes never left the demon. He had no time to react. The heat was overwhelming, and soon, he was gravely injured.

The demon screamed you, lowly human you pay I will return and tear your body with my own two hands and take that Skyrend you care for.

The demon then retreats with it's troops. Vanishing in thin air.

The battlefield was quiet for a moment, save for the crackling of burning earth. Slowly, I turned to Lucy and the chief, they had returned.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Lucy stepped forward, a relieved smile on her face. "We’re alive, thanks to you, Alex..."

I exhaled deeply, tension leaving my body as I saw Nyxis return, unharmed and looking more than a little curious about what had just happened.

"We’re safe for now," I said, my voice still heavy with the weight of the battle. "But this is far from over."

Lucy nodded. "The demon army is getting more aggressive... and now they’ve sent their generals. We can’t let our guard down."

"I won’t," I promised, looking toward the horizon. "Not as long as I have my daughter to protect."