Milly listened to the crackle of the fire as she gazed at the starry sky above her, thinking back on how much her life had changed in a single week. Thousands upon thousands of pinpoint lights stared back from the darkness. They stretched from horizon to horizon in a beautiful cosmic symphony, with only the faint light of the dying flames to quell their brilliance. They seemed to dance as she watched, shooting stars and faint flickers of light giving life to the sky above.

Movement from the tall grasses beyond the fire drew her attention. She snapped her head towards the sound, and saw a small scraggly rabbit bound out of the grass. It hesitated for the briefest of moments, sniffing the air before spotting Milly. It darted back into the prairie, hidden once again.

“Should I try to catch it?” Milly asked herself, before dismissing the notion. She could use her earth magic to freeze it in place or use her telekinesis to lift it into her arms. But she had seen it wiggle its cute little nose, and Milly did not have the heart for what would happen next.

Telekinesis. Earth Magic. Listen to yourself, Milly. A week ago I was worried about being alone. Now, I’m thinking about magic.

She sighed and leaned back against the fallen log Calista had dragged beside the fire to use as a bench. They had set up camp only two hours away from the Castle of Glass, nestled in the same copse of willows where she and Xavier had stopped after their first battle. The babbling brook melded with the crackling fire in a gentle rhythm that threatened to put her to sleep, and she struggled to suppress another yawn.

She glanced back at the tiny tent, hidden beneath the long, drooping leaves of the willows. Rain and Calista were asleep inside, laying in their sleeping bags with the third bag opened flat on the bottom of the tent to provide padding against the hard ground. It was just large enough to fit two people inside, pressed shoulder to shoulder, their sleeping bags pressed against the side of the tent.

Milly turned back to the fire and felt her heart flutter as her thoughts strayed. Calista had taken the first watch, while Milly and Rain had rested inside. After a few hours, Milly had exchanged places with her. Rain was on watch next, which meant…

“It’ll just be me and Calista. Pressed tightly together,” Milly whispered nervously, her mind racing. Milly had no idea how to act. What did new couples do when they were first alone together? Were they a couple?

“I could just climb into my sleeping bag and fall asleep, as if it is not a big deal,” Milly muttered to herself, trying to reason it out, “But she might think I am not interested something more intimate. Am I interested in that? I could take the lead. But what if she doesn’t want more? I could just ask her, but what if it is awkward?”

Milly lost herself in anxious thoughts. Two more rabbits shuffled out of the grass to investigate the fire before darting away, but Milly overlooked them both. She was traveling down a spiral of relationship what-ifs, each thought ending in disaster. There was no right answer. Only wrong choices.

A gentle hand on Milly’s shoulder caused her to jump in surprise. She twisted around and saw Rain’s sleepy grin aglow in the residual light from the fire, looking down at her. “Rain, you scared me,” Milly said, feeling embarrassed.

“You look deep in thought,” Rain said, sitting down next to Milly and watching the dying coals of the fire. “What were you thinking about?”

Milly glanced back at the tent, feeling a heat rise in her cheeks that did not come from any flame. “I… I don’t want to screw this up, Rain. I have no idea what I am doing. I’m not ready for this.”

Rain looked into Milly’s eyes, then chuckled. “Milly, take a deep breath. What you are feeling is perfectly normal. It is your first relationship. This is all part of the excitement that comes from new love.”

“Is it…is it a relationship?” Milly said, her anxiety multiplying, “We only had our first kiss two nights ago. I love her kisses and the feeling of her hand stroking my back. But are we moving too fast? Or too slow? Why does it feel like it is both at the same time? Rain, I’ve only ever known how to be alone. I don’t know what I am doing.”

Rain leaned over and pulled Milly into a hug. “It is whatever you and Calista want it to be, Mils. There is no one in this world, or in the world we came from, who can tell you what it must be or what it must feel like. There is no right way.”

Milly hugged her back, head buried in Rain’s shoulder.

“Calista likes you, Mils. You know that. I know that. Anyone with two eyes knows that. And you like her. Don’t overthink it. Just remember that you care for each other, and the rest will take care of itself,” Rain advised, holding her tight.

Rain threw a twig into the fire and laughed. “Besides, don’t you think you have bigger things to worry about?”

Milly leaned back, her anxiety slightly diminished. “Thanks Rain,” Milly whispered, glancing over at the tent. “I… I’ll try to remember that.”

Rain nudged her with her toe, coaxing her to stand up. “I’ve got next watch, Milly. Get some rest.”

Milly took two steps towards the tent, before turning towards Rain. “But what if…”

Rain glowered at her playfully, “Be brave, Mils. But if it eases your mind, it is obvious what Calista wants right now.” Rain gave her a suggestive wink, then returned to staring at the fire.

Milly shuffled over to the tent, her heart racing. What did Rain mean? Could it be…did Calista…oh god…

Milly gulped and unzipped the entrance to the tent.

Calista was wrapped tightly in her sleeping bag, fast asleep, her deep rhythmic snores overpowering every other sound around her. Lost so deep in slumber that it would take a hurricane to wake her.

Milly glared back at Rain, and she saw Rain’s shoulders shaking with laughter, her gaze fixed on the fire.

“Oh, you little…,” Milly whispered, filled with relief. She climbed into the tent and closed the entrance, then shuffled carefully into the sleeping bag next to Calista. She lay on her back, listening to the sound of Calista’s snoring with a smile across her face. She wondered if she would grow used to her snores, and hoped she would have the chance to find out.

Then, just as exhaustion threatened to claim Milly’s consciousness, Calista’s arm fell across Milly’s chest, pulling her into a tight embrace. Milly’s heart and mind began to race once more, and she slowly turned towards Calista.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Calista was still fast asleep, at peace and gently snoring. Milly gave a quiet laugh as she let her anxious thoughts fade away. She turned on her side and placed her own arm around Calista, snuggling close, her head resting beneath Calista’s chin.

A few moments later, Milly drifted off to sleep in the arms of the woman she liked, her worries forgotten.

* * *

Calista bolted upright, a cold sweat soaking her back and her arm hair standing on end. Gripped with intense fear, she started scrambling across Milly, trying to escape the confines of her sleeping bag. She was disoriented and desperate.

“Milly! Rain!” she shouted, fighting through her grogginess, “Put out the fire! For the love of God, put out the fire!”

Milly awoke with a start, feeling Calista crawling across her legs. “Calista, what’s wrong? Did you have a night…” Milly saw the glow of Calista’s crescent moon pendant, the centerpiece glowing brightly in the darkness of the night.

Calista reached for the zipper of the entrance, but Rain got there first. The tent opened and Rain poked her head inside. “Calista, what’s gotten into you?” Rain asked, confused.

Calista scrambled out of her sleeping bag, her legs flailing as she pushed forward. Her right leg connected with Milly’s side, and Milly gasped in surprise and pain. “Calista, that hurt,” said Milly, rubbing her skin where Calista had connected, the pain cascading across her stomach. She could feel the bruise already forming where Calista’ s foot had struck. “What’s wrong?”

Calista did not answer. She finally pushed free of the sleeping bag and dashed across the campsite to the fire, kicking dirt over the coals with her bare feet to snuff out even the faintest trace of remaining light. Her hand was clasped around her pendant, trying to hide its light from view. The look of panic on Calista’s face sent shivers down Milly’s spine.

Rain extended her hand and drew on her fire magic to quell the coals, extinguishing the fire without even a trace of residual smoke.

Milly climbed out of the tent, feeling the cold ground beneath her bare feet. “The fire is out, Calista. Will you just tell us…”

Calista grabbed Rain and Milly and dragged them to the ground. Calista was shivering in fear, her hands shaking as she tried to conceal the light from her pendant. “I need something to cover it,” Calista said desperately.

Rain opened her inventory and handed over her apron. Calista grabbed it and wrapped it around the centerpiece over and over, until not a single fragment of light could be seen.

Milly started to scold Calista, her side still smarting from Calista’s errant kick, when a nightmarish roar echoed across the prairie. A deep, primal roar that silenced the wind itself and caused the world around them to quiver. And suddenly Milly knew why Calista was scared.

Lying flat on her stomach, she lifted her head up just enough to stare into the star-lit darkness, just as the massive creature soared past the moon. The world was silent, no creature willing to draw the attention of the monstrosity high above. From teeth to tail, its size dwarfed even the Castle of Glass. Bright red eyes shone against absolute darkness, its shadowy scales consuming any light that touched it.

Its shadowy leathery wings shook the world beneath it with every beat. A branch in the tree above snapped and fell across their tent. Milly suddenly understood Calista’s terror. She had seen into its eyes and could feel the power of darkness itself.

Milly kept herself pressed against the ground as the creature flew i over the horizon. They waited like that until the prairie wind returned and the world around them came to life once more. Calista slowly unwrapped her crescent moon pendant, sighing with relief as she saw the centerpiece dormant once more.

Rain pushed herself up to her feet, brushing the dirt and dry grass from her clothes. “Calista, what was that?” she inquired curiously, a slight quiver of fear in her voice.

Calista said upright, cupping her pendant in her palms, her hands shaking. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

“Unique Beast, The Dragon of Endless Shadows,” Calista said, her voice hardly above a whisper, “It circles the world at night, devouring light in the darkness. I could feel its power in my head, once it got into range. I… I could not let it find us. The light from the fire would have brought it here. I…”

Calista suddenly remembered her frantic flailing and her foot striking Milly’s side. “I’m so sorry, Milly. Did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to,” she asked, feeling ashamed.

Milly smiled and pressed her hand to her side, calling forth her healing magics. “I’m okay, Calista,” Milly said, feeling the soothing energy begin to heal her developing bruise, “I’m tougher than I look. It will take more than one kick to keep me down, even if the kick is one of yours.”

Calista still looked mortified, her eyes fixed on the bruise.

Milly placed her free hand comfortingly on Calista’s knee. “Calista, I am fine,” she said comfortingly, showing Calista the quickly healing bruise. “See, almost back to normal.”

“You did the right thing, Calista,” Rain said, staring towards where the dragon had disappeared over the horizon. She placed a comforting hand on Calista’s shoulder. “I think we just discovered how dangerous this contest really is. We are going to get injured and cannot fall apart each time one of us does, or we will put the others at risk.”

Calista looked up at Rain and saw the truth in her words. She pulled Milly into a gentle hug and whispered, “I’m sorry, Milly.”

Milly finished her healing and hugged her back. “It’s nice having someone who cares when they hurt me,” she whispered back. She sat back and gave Calista a mischievous smile, “But if you want to make it up to me, you can move those fallen branches and pack up the tent. I don’t think any of us will be sleeping any more tonight.”

* * *

The trio walked across the prairie as the first light of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, the dew of the morning dampening Milly’s dress. The world had started to awaken around them. Flocks of sparrows soared out of the grassland into the sky above, occasionally dipping back down when they spotted a hawk gliding high above. Blue herons were fishing for minnows in the streams and dragonflies were fluttering just above the tips of the grasses, the terror in the night forgotten.

Milly laughed as a dragonfly landed on Calista’s shoulder, and she leaned in closer to gaze at the rippling colors across its body and wings. “It’s beautiful,” Milly said when it finally flew away.

“And useful in a number of potions,” chimed in Rain, her eyes following the dragonfly’s path. “Including one that can grant temporary flight, though it requires far rarer ingredients than dragonfly wings.”

Milly looked over at the dragonfly protectively. Rain laughed, “Don’t worry Milly, I won’t grab that one.”

“It’s okay,” Milly said with a sigh, tearing her gaze away from the shimmering insect. “We need every advantage we can get. I thought we had all grown so powerful, but I feel weak again after last night.”

“Do you think we will need to fight it?” asked Rain, kneeling and carefully plucking a wild thistle from the dirt for her growing collection.

“Yes,” answered Calista without hesitation. She stopped for a moment and opened a special screen labeled ‘Bestiary’. Calista selected the entry for the monster they had encountered last night.

Unique Beast, The Dragon of Endless Shadows

Fear the light, for it shall attract the darkness.

The Dragon of Endless Shadows circles the world at night, devouring any light it comes across. Immensely powerful, Endless Shadows commands darkness itself. It wields powerfully dark magics and can create armies of shadow creatures that do its bidding. During the day, it rests deep underground in the mountains.

The Dragon of Endless Shadows is one of the four harbingers of the Cataclysm Phase of The God Contest.

Weaknesses: None yet identified

Recommended Player Level: 250

“Cataclysm Phase?” Milly asked, and a shiver ran down her spine.

“An event so disruptive that it threatens to destroy civilization in its entirety,” answered Rain. “The ultimate test of a civilization’s ability to survive. War, disease, famine, natural disaster. It could be anything.”

“So we need to get stronger,” Calista jumped in, looking determined. “Much stronger, if we want to survive whatever that is. We have a long time to go.”

“No time like the present to get started, right?” Milly asked, feeling drawn to Calista’s determination. “We’ll win this contest together.”

“Together,” agreed Calista and Rain.

As the first rays of light arched across the sky from the east, the trio sprinted through the grasses towards their destination far off in the distance.

Ready for adventure.

Determined to win.