As everybody struggled to fight this monster, the white dove explained to Nina what it was.

Hydrapurge. One of the earliest Night Demons to exist. The popular myth was that Heracles killed it. It was a long time ago, and just regarded as myth. The fight between Light Guardians and Night Demons were a constant struggle, although the shopkeepers weren't around to cover up everybody's memories. They were eventually written off as myths and legends in time. Hydrapurge was just one of them counted off as just a simple legend. When it was born, it was very simple. It had no sophisticated desires or reasons. It was just an animal. But like all animals, it had the urge to eat. To consume. It absorbed the essence of those unfortunate enough to come across it. It eventually grew into what they referred to as a Hydra.

However, some could theorize that Hydrapurge was made from the soul of Heracles after he perished taking on the form of what he fought.

The creature itself was thought to have been destroyed. It was a threat to not only humans, but the entire universe itself. As it grew, it consumed more and more. However, it wasn't strong enough to absorb other Night Demons or Light Guardians as they seemed to be shielded by a cosmic force. The Light Guardians of that archaic time figured that over time it eventually would. And if they weren't able to stop it, it would begin to eat entire solar systems, galaxies, universes, and beyond.

But it had grown so much, that even the Light Guardians were dying left and right facing it. Even an army of a thousand guardians couldn't stop it at that point.

It regenerated and continued to absorb all life around it.

But one was able to stop it. It was either Heracles or some other Light Guardian. But whoever did was able to defeat it at the cost of one's own soul.

However, even the beings of light and dark were unaware that it was alive. They all believed it to be dead.

Yet, in those times, they should have suspected something wrong. A black coin was never found after the battle. The white dove that stood next to Nina's shoulder could only guess that a piece of Hydrapurge survived and lived on, where it hid and waited until now, where it rode the storms to this city.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Then, Nina asked him, "Why did Hydrapurge come here? Why was Hydrapurge here in Janken City?"

The obvious answer would have been that the city was overpopulated and a perfect place to feed. But there was another answer. The dove began to tell Nina about the Dark Stars. The three girls she knew as Yune, Jack, and Mary. When Nina looked at them, they didn't even look human anymore. She could only recognize them by their weapons and fighting style.

The dove continued his tale.

"Hydrapurge is only here because it was attracted by the Dark Stars," he said, "You must have noticed the surge of Night Demons that came here. It was because of them. Although, it wasn't their intention, their presence brought them here - brought danger to this city. And the end result is ruins."

Nina couldn't believe it. She wasn't on the greatest terms with those three girls, but didn't feel like they could be responsible for what was happening.

"How was Hydrapurge beaten before?" Nina asked.

"To defeat this star-eating monster, I can give you the power to do it," he said, "But it will cost something of value greater than anything else."

"A soul?"

"You have already sold your body to fight for the Light. What you will need to give is your mind and soul. That is what it will take to destroy Hydrapurge. It is a necessary sacrifice at this point."

Nina hesitated and replied, "My soul... my mind... Then, I will lose who I am. I'll basically be sacrificing everything about me. Will my whole life will vanish before my eyes? Will I no longer be Nina?"

"You will vanish. You will probably die. But there is no other way. As I see it, you are the most capable Light Guardian to do it."

Nina couldn't decide. She struggled with it.

"If I defeat that thing, will my parents live? Will all the people absorbed by that monster come back?" she asked.

The bird paused for a moment and lied, "Yes."

And even with that, Nina still struggled on whether she should go through with it, so the white dove continued, "I know it's hard. So, I will sweeten the deal. If you go through with it, I will show you who killed Kira."

"What do you mean? Kira was killed by Night Demons. Are you saying there were others."

But the dove didn't speak. It gave no hints or indications.

Nonetheless, Nina knew that she had to go through with it, anyways. As the dove told her, nobody else would be suitable for it. She believed that it was her duty. And with only the price of her mind and soul, she could save everybody.

With one word, Nina's mind began to fade away.

"Yes."