As Alex shifted back into his human form, he felt the residual traces of the Beast of Bedlam within him, the creature’s chaotic DNA settling into his vast and ever-growing collection. Many of the beast’s traits mirrored Blacklight, but there were nuances that intrigued him. He could feel the new potential simmering in his veins—waiting, useful, yet destined for experimentation another day.
His gaze then fell upon the battlefield, the scattered remains of the chaos beasts strewn around the lab in grim silence. The once chaotic, tumultuous scene now lay still, the silence heavy with the aftermath of violence.
Alex's eyes glowed softly as he searched for the alhoon, but he couldn't see any sign of it. Whatever the creature had used to escape was beyond normal magic. His attempts to stop it had failed, suggesting the use of an arcane art he had never encountered before. It was frustrating, knowing that their enemy had slipped through their grasp, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and an unsettling sense of unfinished business.
He turned to Incognita, taking in her renewed energy, the gleam in her ruby-red eyes. "How do you feel?"
“Amazing,” she replied with a grin, unable to hide her excitement. “I don’t know what you did to me, but I feel like…so attuned to my own body.”
"You would have become like this in a few decades,” Alex explained, watching her closely. “I just…accelerated the process."
Incognita chuckled, brushing a stray strand of dark hair from her face. "Well, I know it might sound odd, but I’m glad I didn’t put a bolt through your head ."
"If you could have hit me," Alex replied with a teasing glint, tapping his forehead.
Incognita blinked, realizing that even with her crossbow aimed point-blank at his forehead, Alex would have dodged effortlessly. She shook her head, her dark hair flowing around her shoulders.
"So, what’s next?” she asked.
Alex's expression hardened, a sense of finality in his eyes as he surveyed the twisted remains of the lab. "I'm going to destroy this place.”
“With what?” she asked, her brow furrowing. “Can you cast a spell powerful enough to wipe this entire facility out?”
A smirk tugged at Alex’s lips. “Let’s just say…I have some little helpers who are very, very good at digging. And they’re ready to start as soon as we leave.”
Incognita raised an eyebrow, catching the glint of mischief in his eyes. “Then what are we waiting for? I can’t wait to breathe some fresh air.”
Without hesitation, Alex stepped forward and extended his arm. She took it, and together they walked, magic gathering around them, spiraling until it was a shimmering arcane shell. The spell’s energy peaked, and in an instant, they stood outside, the cold morning air filling their lungs. Before them lay the ruins of Sunrise Spire, its stone walls silhouetted by the dawn breaking over the horizon.
Beneath them, the hydras began their work, tearing apart the walls of the underground facility with relentless strength. They felt no mercy, no hesitation—only the duty instilled by Alex to obliterate every last trace of the twisted laboratory. The earth quaked as the stone and metal below crumbled, groaning as the facility caved in, a dark legacy buried beneath tons of rubble.
As Alex and Incognita stood at the ruins, the sunlight casting away the shadows of the battle behind them. The dawn felt like a promise, a quiet whisper of things yet to come.
They wandered to a nearby tree, its branches stretching wide and casting cool shadows on the ground beneath. After the intensity of their adventure, the simple comfort of sitting down under its shade felt almost surreal. The grass was soft, and the air held the fresh scent of earth and leaves. Both of them leaned back, letting the calm settle into their bones as they took a quiet moment to breathe.
Incognita, slipped her dark robe back on, masking her features until all that was visible were her ruby-red eyes, gleaming softly from beneath her hood. Her earlier elation had faded, replaced by something deeper, more guarded.
“Are you headed to Baldur’s Gate?” Alex asked, keeping his tone casual, though a hint of curiosity lingered.
“Maybe.” She glanced away, her voice carrying an unspoken hesitation. “And you?”
Alex’s eyes twinkled with a subtle, unreadable mischief as he answered, “I have some unattended business I need to take care of.” His tone was light, but the sly smile tugging at his lips suggested that his path would be as unpredictable as he was.
For a moment, Incognita’s gaze dropped to the ground, her expression veiled. She closed her eyes, perhaps searching her thoughts, before letting out a quiet sigh. Her shoulders tensed slightly, her mind clearly wrestling with something she wasn’t ready to share. Despite her usual confidence, something about this moment felt different, as if she was at a crossroads.
Alex could feel the unease radiating from her, the subtle tension barely concealed. Part of him wanted to reach out, to probe, to offer a kind word or a promise of solidarity. But he knew better. If Incognita wanted to talk, she would—when she was ready. For now, he let the silence linger, respecting her unspoken need for space.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
And so, they sat beneath the tree, the world quiet around them, as shadows danced in the sunlight and a gentle breeze whispered through the leaves. For just that moment, there was peace—fragile, fleeting, but real.
"Alex?" Incognita asked weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Hm?" Alex responded, his eyes closed.
"Can you create a dome of shadows around us?" she asked.
With a wave of his hand, the dome was already around them, enveloping them in a shroud of darkness. The air inside the dome felt cooler, quieter, the chaos of the outside world muted
As they stood within the shadowy dome, an almost otherworldly silence wrapped around them, insulating them from the rest of the world. Alex had his eyes closed, savoring the calm, but then he felt it—her hand, cool and gentle, resting against his cheek. The touch startled him, yet he didn’t pull away. There was something tender, almost reverent, in the way Incognita’s hand lingered on his skin.
He opened his eyes to see her watching him intently, her ruby-red gaze softened, her usual mask of aloof confidence peeled away. She reached up, her fingers brushing lightly as she lowered his hood, her movements slow, savoring every second. Before he could say a word, her lips met his, hesitant but full of a passion that surprised them both.
Alex’s heart raced, but he didn’t pull back. He let himself be drawn into the moment, their kiss deepening as though it was a release of everything they’d held back. Her other hand moved to his chest, feeling the steady beat beneath her palm, grounding them both in this unexpected intimacy.
When she finally pulled away, her eyes shone with an intensity he hadn’t seen before, a gleaming red fire that was unguarded, vulnerable, and fierce all at once. The sight was almost enough to make him lose his composure.
"Are you sure about this?" he whispered, his voice soft but full of concern.
Incognita closed her eyes briefly, gathering her courage, then nodded, her breath trembling as she met his gaze once more. Her cheeks, usually so pale, had flushed with the faintest hint of color, the vulnerability in her expression stunning.
Without another word, Alex cupped her cheek, letting his fingers trace the edge of her jaw, feeling the warmth rising beneath his touch. And then he leaned in, capturing her lips once again, this time with a gentleness that made her melt into him. Their world faded, leaving only each other, the quiet intensity of the moment wrapped in the shadowed dome, two souls connecting amid the darkness and the light.
Alex held her close, his hands gentle yet steady as they rested against her waist. The kiss deepened, and the world outside the dome faded further into nothingness, leaving only the faint rhythm of their breaths and the warmth building between them. Incognita let herself relax completely in his arms, feeling safe in a way she hadn’t expected. For once, she didn’t need to keep up her walls or the hardened exterior she wore like armor. Here, under the cover of shadows, she allowed herself to be vulnerable.
Slowly, Alex pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his hand still brushing tenderly against her cheek. He took in the sight of her flushed face and the faint quiver of her lips as she caught her breath. Her gaze held his, full of unspoken words, emotions she’d kept buried, fears and dreams she’d never voiced. She searched his face, perhaps looking for any hint of hesitation, but found only understanding.
With a soft smile, Alex leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers. His voice was barely a whisper. “I didn’t think… this was what you wanted.”
Her eyes softened, and she reached up to touch his face, her fingers tracing the lines of his jaw. “I didn’t know it myself,” she admitted, her voice a murmur, as though she, too, was afraid of shattering the spell between them. “But you made me feel… something for you, Alex. Something I can't ignore.”
He pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around her in a protective embrace, as if he’d shield her from any harm that dared to approach. “Then let’s stop pretending otherwise,” he said, his voice resolute, though a hint of vulnerability edged his words.
She nodded, feeling warmth flood her chest as she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. In that moment, it felt like the weight of the world lifted, as if they had found a fleeting piece of peace amidst the chaos of their lives. The dome around them pulsed softly, shadows swirling in harmony, as if reflecting the connection that now bound them.
They stayed that way, holding each other under the dome of darkness, where time seemed to stretch, letting them linger in this quiet intimacy, finding solace in the simple presence of each other.
As the dome of darkness dissolved, golden hues of the setting sun filtered through the trees, casting soft, warm light . They sat together in comfortable silence, watching as dusk began to settle, stretching long shadows across the forest floor.
After a long pause, Incognita let out a quiet sigh, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "I guess… it’s time for us to go our separate ways," she murmured, a subtle trace of sadness threading through her voice. She glanced down, her hand resting in his, his fingers laced tightly around hers, reluctant to let go.
Alex’s grip tightened slightly, as if hoping to hold onto this moment, this connection, a little longer. He wanted to say something to make her stay, yet he knew, deep down, that her path had its own direction, as did his. But even so, this goodbye lingered heavy in the air between them.
With a soft smile tinged with melancholy, she rose to her feet, her fingers slipping reluctantly from his. Alex stood up shortly after her, though his gaze never left her face. She hesitated a moment, her eyes searching his for unspoken words, something to carry with her.
Just as she turned to go, she stopped, her expression softening, her voice barely more than a whisper. "My true name," she said, her gaze steady, her voice tinged with a vulnerability he’d never heard from her before, "is Amanita."
The sound of her name hung in the air, a secret she had kept safe, now trusted to him.
Before Alex could respond, she took a step back, her form dissolving into the deep shadows of the forest. The last glint of sunlight caught her dark robes, and in an instant, the shadows swallowed her, leaving only the rustling of leaves and the faint scent of nightfall in her wake.
Alex stood alone under the quiet canopy of trees, the sun slipping beyond the horizon. He felt the emptiness settle in the absence of her presence, but he also felt a quiet certainty. He had a part of her now—a memory, her name, a connection that could not be erased.
He put his hood back on and turned, walking into the forest. His friends were waiting for him.
End of Act 3