(Ashen POV)

The room burst into a mixture of whispers and murmurs between the maids and butlers, and even the four maids that Xylith brought with her. “There’s no way… Y-you were supposed to be the virgin guildmaster… how could you do this to me?” Cloud looked like he was on the verge of tears.

“What’s this about virgin-who-what?” Almost like a comedy act, Aeyrs walked in to hear Cloud.

“Ashen is no longer one of us… He did it with a woman! He betrayed the brotherhood!” Cloud leaped into Aeyrs arms, feigning whimpers.

Aeyrs started to caress Cloud’s head and looked at me. “My brother would never!”

Almost like a family reunion, everyone started walking in, this time Misfortune, Premium, and Planthra. “Lord Aeyrs, what did Ashen do?” Amber asked shyly.

Everyone in the room choked on their words for a moment, it was hard to say it without ruining her innocence. “He... did... the…” Aeyrs started and trailed off unheard.

Lavender spoke in everyone’s stead. “He did the act of reproduction, the creation of a smaller him, to put simply.” I was worried that she would say something bad, but I suppose she would have known how to handle it.

“Smaller Lord Ashens?” I admit, the thought amused me, to see small versions of myself running around the castle.

“In a sense,” Lavender spoke again.

Amber looked star-struck, her eyes no longer looking at the physical plane, but to her imagination. “Does that mean there will be small Aeyrs’ and Clouds as well?” Her eyes shined with a sparkle I’ve yet to see in the world, one of pure bliss.

Not wanting to disappoint or sadden her, I made an illusion of her thoughts, a few small versions of the three of us. “If they ever find someone that returns their love, then of course,” I spoke aloud, the small collection of our miniatures gathering around Amber.

They were all about half a meter tall, and they just played about with her for a few moments. “Adorable,” Misfortune spoke out, her voice was more warm and caring than normal.

Everyone started to eat the pie lightly, Kraken waiting patiently for feedback on his work. “So what’s going on here exactly?” Aeyrs asked, still confused as to why Cloud was so committed to the act.

“Ashen made a child, like… the normal way. Not through magic or anything.” Cloud somehow whipped tears and snot from his face, neither was an illusion, indicating he did this often enough to be able to fake it.

“Oh, you didn’t know? Xylith won't stop telling everyone she comes across about it.” I should have seen that coming, shouldn’t I?

“Wait, so it was Xylith? I guess demon lords attract. Ha, haha…” He started to break down slightly, the reason unclear.

“She is a formidable power in this world, she can keep me entertained in combat at least,” Premium said, half-joking, half-serious.

“It’s not even a fair fight, to begin with, the level gap is way too extreme to make it a challenge.” Planthra pitched in, her voice seemed to soothe everyone into a state of relaxation.

“That still doesn’t mean that she's incompetent, even for us, she has proved time and time again that levels matter little when you have honed skill to back you.” Ember tried to sway Premium and Planthra’s minds on Xylith.

“As true as that may be, levels can simply make up for it. No matter how good of a fighter you are, you can't beat someone that’s 700 levels above you.” Planthra retorted, somehow turning the conversation into an argument.

“Both of you can debate about combat prowess another time, for now, why don’t we just have a good time and relax, yeah?” Olive raised a toast.

“Yes, let’s just have a civil discussion about Lord Ashen and his child, alright?” Cobalt spoke out, her face still flushed red from everything before.

“Or we could discuss the things you’ve been doing while Lord Ashen has been out of the castle,” Lavender spoke before sipping tea.

“Oh? Has she done anything else after the last few?” Everyone looked a little confused and interested in the new topic, everyone but Cobalt, but it serves her right to do things in secret without checking for witnesses.

“Like how she tried to come into your chambers on the night of your birthday? Or how she tried to do it without anything on? Or how she tried to riffle through your room for something private? Or how she tried to make a love potion for you? Or how she-” Cobalt finally interrupted Lavender by pouncing on her and gagged her with her hands.

“Cobalt, you might want to revise your stealth tactics, or just abandon your nightly adventures altogether.” Misfortune said, slightly disappointed by the sheer amount of failed trials she attempted.

“Or what about that time when you were drawing in that book you keep under your pillow, the one of Lord Ashen, and the story you wrote of you two together-” Even Amber wasn’t spared of Cobalt’s pounce-and-gag tactics.

“You don’t just read someone’s diary!” She snapped in anger.

“And you shouldn’t go obsessing over our lord, so it balances out,” Ember said, turning the page in her book.

“We all have our own ways of coping with the intangible. For her, it’s just trying endlessly to get what she wants even if it will never be, but for the rest of us, I’m sure we all have our own secrets we wouldn’t want to be spoiled in front of so many.” Aqua tried to reunite everyone, and it seemed to work.

“We have our highs and lows, our ups and downs, but it’s each other that carries us through those tough times, so why don’t we just come together and share a good time while we can, before we miss the opportunity. “Sunny said, her words reinforcing Aqua’s.

“At this time of year, it’s important to hold dear everything you care for, and to cherish the memories gained, to not lose sight of the good that surrounds us.” Cloud started to contribute a good sentiment to the conversation as well.

“Ignore the negativity, just embrace the good that everyone brings and find bliss in life, especially if that bliss can be shared with others,” Arath spoke for once, my body absorbing the miasma spewing from his mouth, and everyone seemed to share opinions.

“Even if the future turns sour, we can always look back onto the past for fond memories and happy thoughts. While we’re all here, why not make this a joyous occasion, and why not be grateful for those around us.” I added on, the warm cozy feeling of friendship and close bonds nearly glowed throughout the room, even including the maids and butlers in here too.

“Wait, what did you mean by ‘this time of year,’ Cloud?” Aeyrs asked.

“You know, the holidays? New Year? Winter solstice? Hell, even just the snowfall.” Cloud said back, but I haven’t seen any snow so far, not much at least.

“What about the White General’s Army, does that event still happen in this world? Or am I just hopeful?” Aeyrs asked, I suppose not having any real challenge for months has gotten to him.

“I mean, kind of? Not in the traditional sense. There is something similar in this world though, the Winter Tree, on the Noordican Continent, located at the south pole. It produces snow and ice-based monsters, like a dungeon.” Cloud spoke like he hadn't seen it himself.

“Yes, I’ve heard of it once or twice, but does it truly act as a dungeon?” Misfortune confirmed.

“Like I said, it’s like a dungeon. It’s not exactly the same. It’s a tree after all. It has a certain area around it that it absorbs mana from, and can spawn creatures in that range. The creatures tend to be for protection, as it is just a tree. But those monsters have evolved far enough over the years, that they developed a nation spanning the entire continent. Hell, the place is sometimes just referred to as Winter Island or Ice Tree’s Cradle.” That sounds like a fun challenge if I don’t exert too much power at least.

“Do they have a history of attacking visitors or declaring wars on other nations?” Aeyrs was just as interested as I was.

“Well, they have a record for killing trespassers and have declared several wars, at least with the other nations on the continent in the past,” Cloud answered.

“Lord, do you want us to take any actions against them?” Premium looked ready for a battle.

“Not now, at least wait for more information. Misfortune, have you finished your espionage on the Beastland Hordes?” She stood up straight like she was giving her report.

“Yes, I’ve surveyed the country to the same extent as the Bandaranian Empire. Do you want me to take further action?” I’d have to read the reports she made in further detail when I get a chance.

“No, I’d like it if you researched the other two nations on this continent, then when you feel you’re done, you can go scout out this, ‘Winter Tree’.”She nodded, taking mental notes of my words.

“Uh, Lord, if you don’t mind, I’d like to accompany her to this Winter Island. If you’d allow.” Arath asked, his voice nervous somewhat.

“You have my permission, just ask her when the time arises.” Misfortune didn’t seem to object, so I took it as a go-ahead.

“Thank you, Lord, I’ll return to my duties now.” Arath started to get up from the table, having already eaten the slice of pie. “And Kraken, use less salt next time.” I was a little surprised by him actually giving feedback, it wasn’t exactly expected.

“I would, but sadly, the day-crystal wheat is what gives it that salty flavor, I’d have to change the recipe considerably or add something sweet to balance it out.” Wait, wasn’t the stardust sugar said to be salty-sweet too?

“It might be the stardust sugar instead, maybe use a different sugar or less stardust sugar.” I pitched my thoughts to him and he took them graciously.

“Ah, I think you’re right, I’ll experiment a bit on my own time, thank you both,” Kraken said rather humble.

“Shall we go outside for a stroll after we eat?” I asked, getting a positive response from everyone, which solidified the plans for today.

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(Melida Sten)

I started to settle into town as best as I could, most of the demons here gave strange and frightening looks, but I didn’t let it bother me too much. Some were friendlier than I anticipated, more so than people from my old world, but I didn’t think much more of it. I managed to grab a job working as a priestess, mostly performing healing magic on those trapped in the dungeon. Whatever it was that caused the dungeon’s death, it caused all sorts of panic in the town. With the recent descent of the Plane Lords, and now the death of the dungeon that garners adventurers to delve inside, plenty of concerns were plastered all over the town. There were tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands that were injured from the dungeon’s collapse, and all the healing supplies were being stretched thin. Demons rarely have healing magic, most are alternative forms of healing, never being of the Life element.

The demons in Apoctaclass mostly have bandages, medkits, salves, and even potions, with relatively few magic spells that can accomplish a worthwhile result. Over the few days that I’ve been here, I’ve attracted a decent amount of attention, since I focused mostly on Life magic, a resource-scarce to them. I’ve performed healing on countless individuals, and somehow gained a small place to live and perform healing in the center of town. The buildings here were magnificent, a real work of art. I’d never thought this kind of architecture and complexity would come from anyone in this world, especially the demons, but that way of thinking has been proven wrong several times now. The buildings were strong, spacious, and beautiful, like a modern skyscraper, minus the glass and the height.

“Melida, we need your help again!” A female voice rang out, one I’ve familiarized myself with.

“What is it this time Sherillie?” The devilkin female opened the door, behind her were a dozen injured people from the dungeon.

“Nothing too major, lots of scrapes and light cuts. Nothing you can’t handle.” Indeed they looked to have some minor damage.

“Alright let me see.” One of the injured demons brought their bloodied arm over for me to inspect.

It was only flesh deep from what I could tell, so I only used a simple [Healing] spell. “Thank you, miss.” He said, feeling the recently closed wound.

“Of course, who’s next?” Another demon walked towards me, it appeared like her wings were all torn up.

The wings were bloody and mangled, it was pretty serious, but nothing I couldn’t fix. “[Greater Healing].” The wings mended themselves, aided by the green light emitted from my hands.

“Ah! It singes!” After they healed she flapped them twice, feeling them out. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Similar exchanges happened for the rest of the injured in the room.

After I healed the last person’s leg, someone came charging in, another person in their arms. “Help! Please help him!” The man he carried had only one arm and one leg, large gashes across his body, and likely many broken bones by the look of his mutilated skin.

“Set him down over here.” I guided him over to a simple cloth mattress-like place on the floor, slightly higher than my waist.

As he placed him down I started right away. “Can you heal him doc?” The demon that carried him in asked with a worried voice.

“I can’t say for certain, but I’ll see what I can do.” I took a deep breath and held onto it for a long moment. “[Greater Healing], [Greater Cure Wounds], [Greater Mend Wounds].” I overlapped three spells to amplify the healing, which caused the wounds on the remaining limbs and body to slowly morph back into a healthy state, but the missing arm and leg barely recovered. “This is the best I can do at this time, sorry.” Only a small stump formed over the holes that used to connect to the arm and leg. “If you could bring the missing limbs I might be able to reattach them, but with what I have now, I can’t do much more.”

“I-... Thanks, doc…” He said, before picking up his friend and slowly walking out of the room.

“Melida, that’s all the injured for now, why not rest up and recharge for a bit,” Sherillie said, her voice sounding as tired as my own was starting to.

“I’d love to, but I don’t know if I can, I just have too much on my mind at the moment.” She walked over and laid a hand on my shoulder.

“Just relax, there’s no need in losing sanity over this. Ashen will come back and heal up everyone, hell, he’ll probably just resurrect any who died too. He’s strong, and I doubt he will just ignore all the injured, especially when he saved most of them from the dungeon.” I didn’t know if her words should have helped me feel better or were just to reassure me of the situation, perhaps both, but it didn’t stop the thoughts from flooding into my mind.

“Hey, Sherillie?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Why is everyone so accepting of me? It makes me feel like something’s even more wrong.”

“Come now, don’t fret over open-mindedness. We all want to reunite with the other races, some more than others, but we all share that end goal. Perhaps they too feel it off, seeing as most outside races view us demons as undeniable monsters, but we are actively trying to change our perspective. Perhaps if you stop thinking of us demons as ‘demons’, you’ll stop feeling that way. Even if it doesn’t help, just know people like you, even if only for your benefits, it’s still something compared to nothing, right? You can use your healing magic as a two-way bridge between you and the demons, it’ll change both your mindsets.” It didn’t help much, but it did ease the tensions of my mind if only to know that they felt similarly.

“Thanks, Sherillie, really, it means a lot to hear those words.” She patted my back in a friendly way.

“No problem, if you ever feel down, just know that not everything is bleak, hell if it makes you feel any better, just know that there are forces actively trying to make the world a better place, most of which are willing to help you too, to some extent.” We talked for the rest of the day, relaxing and calming our minds over a simple chat.

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(Ashen POV)

Snow began dancing its way to the ground. Tiny crystal stars drifted through the air, glazing the ground with a blanket of cold. I suppose snowfall was to be expected in mountainous regions, but then again, there were no snow caps amongst the Rib-Cage Mountains. Was it just geography? Or perhaps it was something more tangible? Magic perhaps? Whatever the reasoning behind the lack of snow, it didn’t intrude on its significance. The only part that was slightly alarming was the timing of it all. We had just finished talking about winter and the holidays, and how it should be snowing, then all of a sudden it starts? Odd. But not everything is connected, it’s just a coincidence. Unless it was the Frost Plane Lord, Connokku’s doing, it was more than likely just random luck. I didn’t think too hard on it, as it wasn’t worth it.

“It’s kind of cold out here…” Ember said, having finished her book for now, and paying attention.

“We are near the top of a mountain, and it’s nearing the dead of winter soon,” Lavender said aloud, her voice made the reasoning sound reminiscent of scolding.

“Well, even so, it’s colder than normal! Almost the same as Canikkican!” Ah, one of the frost dungeons from Sugarea, that takes me back.

“Oh please, if it was that cold wouldn’t we be icicles by now?” Olive retorted.

“Ugh, whatever. Let’s just warm up, alright?” With her words, Ember ignited a fire between her hands, warming the area slightly.

“Yo, Ashen!” Cloud started to call to me from the doors of the castle. “Couldn’t you just use a fire spell or something or the other to make it not that cold?” Yes, it could also melt a mountain.

“Medium-rare or well-done?” I jested.

“Was hoping for microwaved reheating…”

“But your insides will still be cold and mushy.”

“Alright, fine, just throw us on a low boil and let us simmer… And no salt!” Some were confused, and others were amused at our back and forth.

“I’ll toast your buns golden-brown.” With that said, I lit a small fire under his rear, causing him to jump.

“Ah! Not cool man! Not cool!” He said while rubbing the sore area.

“Some call it hot. Smoking even. I’m sure you’ll warm up to it.” A small collection of sighs and groans came about from my puns, but we collectively laughed it off.

“You’re fired!” Hearing the simple back and forth of playful words brought back a smile from happier times.

“Oh, come now, you can’t fire me, I am your boss after all. Besides, that would be too coal-d of you.” For a second or two, a smile waxed and waned from my face.

“Can we please cease this horrible clown show, and just go out for a walk already?” Aeyrs spoke, his face firmly planted in the thin sheet of snow.

“Since when have you been such a party pooper?” Cloud sighed.

“Since you and Angry Bunny had that week-long argument over what was acceptable behavior for a guild member and what was considered inappropriate.” Aerys picked his face up and started to march over to Cloud.

“Well, it’s not my fault that she thinks having a little fun isn’t worthy of being in a guild. I swear, if I could see her today, oh I would tell her what for.” His words turned the two cogs in my head, and I started to think if there were more members from our guild here.

“She’s right behind you, so go ahead!” Cobalt said, nearly failing to withhold her laughter.

Cloud’s face dropped as he turned around in a heartbeat, but didn’t see anyone. “Oh, real funny! You know, for once I thought you weren’t all that bad, but here you go again, messing with people for no apparent reason!” Was he dumb or just acting?

“Cloud, since when have you been a model citizen?” I asked him.

“Well, never really, I just expected more from Cobalt.”

“Yeah, but at least she has a record of messing with people, and is expected to at all times. You, on the other hand, can’t be predicted at all. Will you cry, laugh, jest, or just do some wicked prank for your own amusement, no one knows.”

“Hey, we both know it’s almost always for my own amusement.”

“Hey, why don’t we enjoy the snow before you two get into a heated debate, yeah?” Aeyrs pulled us out of our minor spat.

“Yes, why don’t we enjoy the weather before it changes into something unfavorable,” I spoke as a cold front set in, noticeably colder than before, shifting a layer of snow towards us.

“You have the power to shift the weather with your words too? Or was that just poor timing?” Either it’s a funny coincidence or my luck is slowly being sapped away.

Over an hour and a half, the snow built up steadily, smoothly covering the flat area at the front of the castle, and haphazardly piling up across the mountains surrounding it. We attempted to create snowmen and snow angels, half succeeding and half failing due to lack of experience. It was still a good time. My hands made any ball of snow turn to a wet mush in a few seconds, so my own joy was limited, but that didn’t stop everyone else from enjoying themselves. After the snow had built significantly, we made forts and had a classic snowball fight. If you get hit, you’re out, Aeyrs and Cloud played as captains, and I played as referee. Amber was the first one out, and although she was saddened by it, she and I shared in a small conversation for the few minutes before another got out. It was Cobalt, likely seeing how cozy Amber was with me, she probably got hit intentionally.

Olive was hit next, then Sunny, both hit by Aeyrs’s barrage of snowballs. Planthra supplied him with plenty, using vines to shape the snow in a second each. Each snowball pelted away the defenses of the other’s fort. Splashes of white flew off the mountain, out of view. Out of surprise, Misfortune was struck out next, her nimble body being struck in the thigh by Lavender’s tiny snowball. She had made it the size of a marble, but it still counted. Aqua was stuck by Aeyrs’s barrage as well, the same as Premium, both took their defeat as a learning experience. The once perfect sheet of snow now resembled a battlefield of old, craters housing disassembled snowballs, and clumps of snow once part of a wall. It was Cloud and Lavender against Aeyrs, Ember, and Planthra. It was almost a stalemate until something happened neither side expected. They ran out of ammo. The snow beneath them dried up, showing the rock below.

That didn’t stop either side though, just a slight pause. Planthra’s vines reached farther to grab snow, but Cloud ripped a part of his fort’s wall off, and hurled it at her vine, striking it. Since it was connected to her body, it counted, she was out. But she gave Aeyrs and Ember enough ammo. As Lavender prepared a chain of bullet-sized snowballs, Aeyrs lobbed a cluster of snow over the top. It was too late for Lavender, she would be out. But before a single snowflake could reach her, Cloud covered her body with himself. Cloud was out. But Lavender had more than enough ammo now. As Cloud walked away, she jumped up high, well above any cover. Hundreds of tiny snowball pellets in her bundled arms. Then, like a timer started to ring, they started to shoot downward. Ember shot some out of the air, but couldn’t get them all, Ember was out. And Lavender shot a hundred more down at Aeyrs, but he shielded himself behind the light cover of the fort.

As Lavender started to fall from her height, Aeyrs started his counter-assault. Snowballs faster than words streaked across the air. Lavender’s body started shifting unsettlingly as she attempted to dodge them. And threw her last snowball. Two snowballs struck their mark, one after the other, just barely. As Lavender’s snow-blanketed body fell, Aeyrs’s snow-marked forehead shifted back slightly from the impact. Aeyrs was out. Lavender had won. And I teleported to catch her drifting body. She was fine, but a little cold, like everyone else. And just like that, what was a one-sided onslaught of snow, turned into a sacrifice for victory. And as for the prize they had fought for. The team who wins gets to pelt me with snowballs, without my resistances.

Aeyrs tried with all his heart, but Cloud played for the tactical advantage, both making err, but only one being rewarded for it. “Fire away,” Cloud said, as they pelted away with the snow.

Hundreds, no, thousands of snowballs fell like rain during a thunderstorm, and I was drowning in it. “Don’t let up, keep firing! If I can’t do it myself, then you’ll have to do it for me!” Aeyrs encouraged their relentless attack.

Although I melted a good portion of the snow, with some of my resistances disabled, I still felt the slightly numbing cold of the snow for the first time in forever. “Keep going until your arms fall off!” Cloud doubled their encouragement.

They pelted harder, but the cold only ran deeper, cooling my insides, clicking something inside again. “Oh no,” Planthra said aloud, having felt something.

As they continued to throw snowball after snowball, Planthra tried to get them to stop. “Something doesn’t feel right. The ground trembles with a sensation of terror. Like the vegetation that’s here is in vile danger. Let’s investigate it first before we miss the chance.” Her warnings went unpaid for, except by Ember, Lavender, Premium, and Misfortune.

“Where’s it coming from?” Misfortune asked, Planthra pointed roughly at the snow heap that was now me.

“From Lord Ashen?” Premium asked to clarify, to which she nodded after a few seconds.

But it was too late, something in me had shifted, and my true for came out again. “Everyone get back.” Misfortune said, trying to check on me, her body stopping the snowballs from being launched anymore.

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(Misfortune POV)

Snow fell like flakes off of the growing stature of Lord Ashen. His armor was gone, and his black skin hardened into slabs like a steel plate. His body morphed and shifted in cruel ways, standing on his arms and legs like a beast. Two more pairs of horns grew from his head as well, one curved like a ram, and the other two split in two halfway. His eyes gleamed with a purple hue, and gnarly spikes started to grow from his back, shoulders, and head. His body resembled that of a demonic horror, only told of to scare children, but his terror was greater than words. It stunned my heart, benign both conflicted by the sight before me and the knowledge that it was my lord. Was this his demon form? Is this his first time showing it to us? But that look in his eyes, it’s not the same as before.

Was it anger? No, I knew his angry eyes, and that wasn’t it. Was it sorrow? No, I knew his grieving eyes, and that wasn’t it either. The one they resembled was not something I saw from him ever before. Was it fear? From what? Snowballs? Too many questions, too little information. I sent a mental ping to Katrina, and called her to come outside, I sent the same ping to Planthra and Rubidia. If he was hurt somehow, we need to make sure he is going to be alright. But as I am now, I don’t think I can help in that regard. My mind went choked for control over my own body. Was I under a spell? A skill maybe? No. Was I... Was I terrified? Of the results of our silly game, or of the realization that we caused this? His gaze drilled through my heart, it stung. Worse than any physical pain could, this was beyond the limits of the body.

“Ashen, that’s an overreaction if I’ve ever seen one. Were those snowballs too cold?” Lord Aeyrs jested.

Pops of blue liquid came from Ashen’s eyes, slowly flowing down his deformed face, pooling into a small puddle. “Ashen…” My lips were the first of my body to move.

His skin rippled in waves of crawling flesh, the spikes on his body quivered and sharpened. “I’m here Misfortune, you needed me?” Katrina spoke as she walked out from the castle, then froze like I did when her eyes landed on Ashen.

Rubidia was behind her when she froze. “Hey! Watch where you’re going next time…” Her eyes landed on Ashen, then complete silence.

As the snow fell in waves, it felt like the sun was dimming in the sky, and an onslaught of winter was underway. “Ashen, you good their buddy?” Aeyrs said, snapping his fingers in an attempt to get his attention, but the only response was the grotesque movements of Ashen’s body.

After a few dreadfully long seconds of silence, the snow danced harder, almost storming the ground like an army. “Ashen…” My lips muttered again, my cold heart growing colder, almost faint.

Then he moved. His body grew tall, standing on his hind legs. A beastly roar echoed outward from his maw and shook the mountains. Our chests were filled with primitive terror, almost alien to us. I thought it was just I who felt this way, but my glancing eyes assured me that everyone here felt the same, even Lord Aeyrs and Lord Cloud. Ashen’s body fell again, back to four legs, then all the misaligned muscles in his body flexed. Sheets of black and purple miasma shattered the purity of the air. It lathered the ground like lard and spread like syrup across the rough ground. Like a tidal wave in slow motion, it reached out with thousands of hands to grip onto us all. Then my skill activated on its own, [Guise of the Lurker]. My body unlocked and went numb, but at least I could move. In a dash, I brought everyone into the castle. My legs strained to lift Aeyrs and Premium, but my mind killed the idea of stopping.

They slowly thawed out of their terror, regaining their minds to think clearly again. “[Hesitant Rage],” Aeyrs spoke, confusing everyone for a moment. “My skill never activated. He wasn’t angry.” Aeyrs looked on the brink of tears. “But I got a new title.” A glob of liquid crawled down his cheek. “Terror of the Gods.” Our minds scrambled as heavy footsteps came closer.

Arath walked right by us, saying nothing.

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(Arath POV)

My mind grew clearer. The tar-like miasma reached out to me. It pulled me close. Closer. Until I was under completely. My body absorbed it constantly. Barely matching the output. I still absorbed a little more. Take it days or decades. I will stand here. By my Lord’s side. To help him for once. To be useful. Though the miasma slowed me. I walked. Slowed through time. I walked. Disconnected from the world. I walked. Nearly frozen. I walked. Miasma clutched me tighter. I walked. It dragged me towards him. Until I could touch his body. It calmed. The pulsations that leaked miasma weakened. He grew calm. So we stood. For time unmarked. We stood. Time not needed to be tracked. Flowed like a river of tar. His miasma slowed in production. Slowed in excretion. It got smoother. He shrunk slightly.

I stood with him in arms. His body massive. But not terribly so. His trembles quieted. His quivers turned into light shakes. Spikes lost their point. His eyes dimmed. Almost losing color. We stood. His miasma smoothed. We stood. His height lowered. We stood. His eyes dimmed. We stood. His grip tightened. We stood. The world outside showed. We stood. The falling of snow barely recognizable. We stood. Time passed. His miasma grew thin. Paper-like. His stature grew short. Normal height. His eyes gained color. Yet we still stood. Hearts in harmony. Beating in tandem. Rarely but together. My miasma leaked. Some time ago it started. Unwitnessed by either of us. Unimportant. His grip weakened. He was ready to let go. Yet we still stood. Arms tight. Locked. But strength fading. Miasma fell to nothingness. Time regaining meaning.

“Thank you.” He said, heart of gold, smile of honesty.

“Always.”

[Title Gained: Fear Eater] [Awarding 35 Attribute and Skill Points]

“Were you always that tall?” He jest.

“I was young once.” I clarified.

“Born taller than me I presume.”

“By a hair’s width.”

“Hair of what, a rodent or a Fur Dragon?”

“Specifications are unneeded.”

“Fur Dragon, I take it?” Perhaps.

“As tall as I may be, I still grow.”

“I know, that’s what I weep at night about.” He jested again.

“I’m only glad you don’t shrink.”

“Don’t sell me short.”

“Of course.”

“Mons might get claustrophobic if you keep gaining size.”

“Mons grows eager for someone to match its size.”

“Mons will only wish for that until you grow taller.”

“Might need a larger bed.”

“Bed? You’ll be sleeping outside at that size. Mons is barely comfortable in the underground chambers. You would cramp the place.”

“Let’s not argue about the future while I’m still short.”

“Short. For you short, for everyone else, we wish you stopped growing.”

“My body does what it wills.”

“Unfortunate.”

“Truly.”

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(Ashen POV)

My defenses went to normal after I returned to my hybrid form. Arath kept by my side through that ordeal. I never thought I’d feel afraid in this world. It just flew over my head. It was like a heart attack for no reason. I had no clue what caused it. But I’m going to be on alert for now. If it spikes up again, I could put everyone at risk again. If I only knew why and what happened, I would be at ease. If only for knowing the reason. Preventable or not, it would ease my racing mind. Arath left to tell everyone what happened, and so I was left in the blizzard by myself. I needed time to think. Maybe I should just rest for a while. Take it easy until I know I’m ready. Xylith would appreciate it too. Maybe I owe it to her, to be around more often. I guess I can start now. So I teleported to my room.

“Xylith?” I said, looking at the bed.

She jumped slightly in bed. “Ah- Yes?” She rolled off of her jump like it was natural.

“You feel like doing anything?”

“Anything?”

“Confined to that bed without extensive physical involvement.”

“Well, now there’s nothing in mind. A game maybe? Read a book?”

“Speaking of, how much have you read?” There was a small stack of books from the shelves that laid on the ground next to the bed.

“A dozen or so. You got some weird yet intriguing books.”

Taking a quick look at the last book on top, I knew what she meant. “Those are just stories, of a land you would only know of in a story.” Sugarea filler text.

“I heard there were bears of jelly. And birds that wear suits, but can’t fly.” Gummy bears and penguins?

“Bizzare, are they not?”

“I’d say. The Monolithies that roam around are much tamer in comparison.” I believe those were the giant beasts that were hunted for food in the Demon Lands.

“They are wildly different creatures, but yes. So, any game, in particular, you feel like playing?”

She gave a look of hard thinking and returned an answer shortly after. “How about something with cards?”

I reached into my pocket dimension and pulled out a deck of unremarkable playing cards. “Go fish? Poker? War?” She gave a look of confusion.

“What? Are those card games or your plans for the future?”

“Probably both, but they are games.”

“Oh. Uh… Go fish?”

“Alright.” We both sat cross-legged on the bed opposing each other. “The rules are simple. You get seven cards from the deck, and the goal will be to rid your hand of all cards. You collect pairs of cards based on their number. Once you have a pair, you place it down, and if you get another card of the same number, you add it to the pile. If you have no more pairs in your hand, you ask the opponent, me, if they have one card you need. For example, if you wanted a four, you’d say: ‘do you have any four’s?’. If they do, they must hand it over, and if they don’t they say: ‘go fish’, in which, you must draw a new card. Understand?” It was a fairly simple game after you’ve played at least a game, but to a complete newbie, it would be a little harder.

“I think I got the idea.” I started dealing out the cards, and the game started. “So if you have the same number cards, you can pair them and place them down?”

“Yes, the same works if you have more than two in your hand.” She gave a smug look, then placed her entire hand down.

Three queens, two jacks, and two kings. “So I won, right?”

“As if.” I placed my hand down, four aces, three nine’s.

“So does this mean it’s a tie?”

“Well, this has never really happened to me before. So I’m unsure. For the sake of argument, yes. So let’s do another round.” I reshuffled the cards and dealt them back out.

We placed our hands down at the same time again. “So another tie?” Different cards, but still enough to place all of them immediately.

“Yes.” What were the odds?

I dealt another hand, and it happened again. “Okay, I get it, you don’t have to tie every time. I can accept a loss, and I hope you can too.” But I wasn’t trying to…

“I guess we’re just too lucky to lose.” I suppose the luck stat applied to gambling.

“Fine, let’s do another game.” We moved to poker, hoping to leave the childish game behind.

After explaining the rules of the game, I dealt five cards, and we both showed royal flushes. “Alright, so is the game always like this?”

“Definitely not. I guess games of chance are too far under our skill to pose a possible loss.

We moved to war, a game without mercy. “This is a game without a tie. It only ends when one army stands victorious.” I explained the rules to her, and she caught on quick.

After splitting the deck and starting the game, things seemed fine. “So it’s a game of attrition and overpowering the enemy? This will be easy.” We played for a few minutes, and nothing seemed off.

Only after an hour of gameplay, did it become apparent. “We’re soft locked.” She gave a bored look of confusion.

“What’s a soft lock?”

“It’s like being suck in a ditch without a ladder to get out of. It's impossible to get out unless you cheat or reintroduce the ladder. Think of it as an artificial end of something.”

“So we tied the game without ties?”

“Yes.” I sighed.

I only asked for one game, just one, to play without a tie. “I guess that means we’re on the same level?”

“Playing field. Given the same rules and advantages, we cannot surpass each other based on the playing field at hand. If that playing field tips in either direction just a little, then a tie would make itself obsolete.”

“Then tip the scale, I’m bored.”

“How about we cease the games, they don’t seem like they want to play nice. Perhaps a book? Any in mind?”

“Hmm, what about ‘Tomb of the Crypt Reaper’?” That wasn’t a half-bad book, a player wrote it, and I decided to buy a copy.

It was nearly three hundred pages, and it was like a full book. “That sounds like a fine pick. Shall we?” We laid next to one another, and I read the book aloud, and as time passed night crawled its way into the sky.

After completing half of the book, we decided sleep was a better option. “Good night, Xylith. Sweet dreams.” It’s been a bit too long since we’ve slept together like this, but it was nice.

Without my armor on, and without much of my general equipment, it felt like I was an astronaut removing his spacesuit. “And pleasant dreams to you as well, my love.” Though I couldn’t see her face, I knew she had blushed.

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(Aeyrs POV)

After confirming that Ashen was asleep with Xylith, I had gathered the entire castle for a meeting. With only Mons, and a few other NPCs left out, for their own reasons. They would be caught up on the affairs later. We all stood in the dining hall, the maids and butlers were the farthest away. The highest level NPCs stood in the front and descended in level as the distance grew. What I saw shocked and shook me deeply. I had to confirm it with Misfortune, Premium, Planthra, and Cloud at least a thousand times. And likely a thousand more. My brother turned into a beast, no. A monster. He was scared of something, but not the snow. From what we collectively gathered, I feel like it wasn’t one thing in particular. I feel like it was several things, be it all of us or just a bad blend of circumstances.

“Misfortune, mind giving the recap to everyone in my stead?” She nodded simply.

“Of course, Lord. Earlier today, Lord Ashen, Aeyrs, and Cloud, along with Premium, Planthra, myself, and the Star-Mates, had gone out to partake in the seasonal weather. Snowfall collected enough to play a game. There were two teams, decided randomly, with Ashen being the referee. The prize for winning was being able to throw snowballs at Lord Ashen without his defenses up. Something none of us thought would have been an issue. After a thrilling game, the winning team claimed their prize and began throwing snowballs at Lord Ashen. After enough were thrown to cover his body, something felt off. Planthra and I felt it. Then he started transforming into a monstrous state. I believe it to be his true demon form, but I have yet to confirm this with him. Regardless, he had a terrified look in his eyes and was scared of something. Then he somehow instilled that same terror onto us, those who were present. Then his body started leaking powerful miasma. Only with the arrival of Arath did we get to safety, and he went alone to console Lord Ashen. Even he knows not of the cause, but he agrees that this is something to be cautious of in the future. After a while, the miasma grew thin and Arath was able to completely absorb what remained of it. All the while, Ashen slowly turned back to his half-demon form. That’s all we know for now." She returned to her position in the crowd after she finished.

“So I called for you all to come here as a collective, to inform you of the situation at hand. I asked Cloud to handle something, so he won’t be able to join us for the time being, but I will catch him up on everything after. For now, I wanted to discuss the plans to come. I know most of you think you mean little to him, but he knows almost all of you by name and has something extensive to say about each of you. Even the maids and butlers. The guards, and even the golems and beasts. He might know you better than you know yourself. As such, you mean a lot to him. You all hold a special place in his heart, something that is fragile at a time like this. Try to comfort him through these times, even if all you can do is to make him smile temporarily or just ask him how he is doing. It helps just a little smidge. I know that I need to be around more often, otherwise more things like this will keep happening, but I’ve had my hands full with my own duties. But no longer will they weigh me down. Misfortune, I’ll discuss some private matters after this, alright.”

“Of course, my lord.”

“As for everyone here. I may not know each of your names as well as Ashen, or even all of you at all. But I am trying. It’s a lot of faces to memorize, and I don’t have the privilege of super-intelligence to assist me through the process. But I hope you will all help me get to know you all, even just your names. Thank you all for coming, I appreciate you all.” I felt distant from the NPCs at first when I was brought into this world, but I can’t keep my mind fooled into thinking they are still NPCs, they are living people now, so I must adapt to that. If only to help me help him…