The first rays of sunlight filtered gently through the silk curtains, caressing Nolan's face with a warm, golden light. A light breeze drifted through the half-open window, making the hanging veils sway with an almost unreal grace.
Nolan slowly opened his eyes, his vision still blurred between dream and reality. His eyelids fluttered gently, allowing his mind to fully recover. He first felt a gentle warmth on his chest, a light breath... then a weight.
His gaze settled, and he frowned slightly.
Two young girls were there, lying beside him. One of them, visibly mischievous, was straddling him, placing her hand on his chest, staring straight into his eyes with a mischievous smile.
— "But look at this handsome young man, still drowsy..." she said in a honeyed voice, her head tilted, as if examining a rare jewel.
Nolan, still halfway between surprise and calm, slowly raised a hand to rub his eyes, then let out a soft sigh as he sat up gently. The young woman gracefully lowered herself from his chest, still looking at him, an amused twinkle in her eyes.
"What the..." he muttered, his eyes darting from one to the other. He glanced furtively at Tempest, curled up on the edge of the bed, clearly too sound asleep to be concerned about the scene.
"Who are you two?" he asked calmly, but with a subtle alertness in his voice.
The girl who had previously been curled up against Nolan's chest gave a mischievous smile, her scarlet eyes shining with a playful glint.
"We're Azaria's sisters, in case you hadn't guessed. My name is Lucia, and the beautiful, silent one over there is Esmeralda."
She sat up lightly, tucking a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear, then crossed her arms under her chest, staring at him intensely.
"So? You had a wild night, huh?" she added teasingly, leaning toward him, a smirk on her lips.
Nolan, still sitting up in bed with the sheets halfway over him, raised an eyebrow, both amused and slightly suspicious.
"Not the night a girl could dream of, no." I was mostly absorbed... in my sleep."
He punctuated his sentence with a slight smirk, his eyes then turning to Esmeralda.
She, standing back, observed the scene in silence, her deep green eyes like jewels concealing a thousand thoughts. Her upright, elegant posture betrayed a noble upbringing, but her peaceful, detached gaze contrasted with her sister's boundless energy.
Her long, dazzling black hair, similar to Azaria's, fell gracefully over her shoulders. She merely nodded discreetly in greeting, without saying a word.
Lucia, for her part, came closer, leaning on the bed like an overly curious old friend.
— "Too bad, I would have loved to hear Azaria shout your name in the hallways this morning. She hates anyone touching her little treasures." »
Nolan narrowed his eyes slightly, a smirk on his lips.
"And you? Do you often come to wake guests like this?"
Lucia winked provocatively.
"Only those who deserve our attention."
Nolan sighed, amused but inwardly wary.
"I see the dawn here is as unpredictable as your manners."
The door burst open, almost slamming against the wall, revealing Azaria, slightly out of breath, wearing a deep red dress that accentuated her graceful figure. Her incendiary gaze swept the room, landing first on Lucia, then on Esmeralda, and finally on Nolan, still standing beside the bed, looking guilty but amused.
"What are you doing here, you little brats?" she snapped, her cheeks slightly reddened.
Lucia, lazily leaning on the dresser, raised her hands in the air innocently.
"Calm down, big sister, we were just watching over your... charming guest. Nothing more," she said with a mischievous smile, emphasizing the word "charming."
Esmeralda, ever so discreet, let out a small, stifled laugh behind her silk fan, her eyes sparkling.
"Looks like someone's jealous..." she murmured softly.
Azaria, her face growing increasingly red, pointed authoritatively at the door.
"Out! Go now before I turn you into fragrant frogs!"
Lucia burst out laughing as she passed Nolan, giving him a provocative wink.
"Nice to see you again, handsome," she said before leaving, followed by Esmeralda, who gave Nolan a small, graceful bow before closing the door.
The room quieted down, but Azaria remained frozen, arms crossed, carefully avoiding Nolan's gaze, her cheeks still tinged with pink.
"Don't listen to them." "They're both born harpies," she said finally, turning her head away.
Nolan, amused, approached with a slight smile.
"You didn't tell me you were so popular in your own house."
Azaria: They woke you up from a good sleep, didn't they? You must not be a morning person.
Nolan (stretching slightly): Actually, I did. I tend to get up very early, especially to go to the dungeons and make the most of the day.
His gaze then fell on the bed, where Stormfly was still fast asleep, wrapped in the blanket.
Nolan: The lazy bastard hasn't even woken up yet...
Without waiting, he grabbed the blanket and yanked it off. Stormfly, surprised, slipped and landed in a ball at Nolan's feet. The animal slowly opened one eye, half-groaning, still numb from sleep.
Azaria (looking at Stormfly with a tender expression): Poor Stormfly... woken up so suddenly. You could have let him sleep a little longer.
Nolan (shrugging, a wry smile): You shouldn't get him too used to this kind of comfort. He'd become a real lazybones.
Azaria gently settles down on the edge of the bed and welcomes Stormfly onto her lap. She strokes him tenderly, while the little creature lets out a soft moan of contentment.
Azaria: So? Are you planning on staying for breakfast, or are you leaving already?
Nolan (putting his t-shirt back on before grabbing his coat): I'm going to get some fresh air, and I have other things to do today. I don't like to stay in one place for too long.
Azaria (kissing Stormfly on the head): I didn't mind you two staying, you and that little snowball...
Nolan (smiling gently): You've already done a lot for us. We really appreciate it. But I'd rather stretch my legs... staying indoors isn't really my thing.
Stormfly jumps quickly onto Nolan's shoulder, ready for a new adventure. Azaria gets up to see them out, and opens the door for them.
Nolan (stopping at the threshold, mischievous): Azaria... tell me, what's over there, to your left?
Azaria innocently turns her head to the left. Nolan takes the moment to gently grab her chin with his fingertips and turn her face towards him, a charming smile on his lips.
Azaria (blushing brightly): I-Idiot! Go away now!
Nolan bursts out laughing, backing away quietly into the hallway while Azaria closes the door, half annoyed, half smiling. Stormfly, perched proudly on his shoulder, lets out a small, joyful squeal as they walk away down the hallway bathed in the morning light.
As he descends the steps of the manor, Nolan pauses for a brief moment. His gaze drifts toward the horizon, then he whispers, almost to himself:
Nolan: It's time to move forward a little.
He then raises his right hand, two fingers raised in the air. The atmosphere around him suddenly changes, the air becoming denser, as if sucked in by an invisible force. Shadows ripple across the ground, slowly converging toward his feet. In a few seconds, a vortex of darkness opens beneath him, swirling silently, like a gaping maw leading into the unknown.
[Activated Skill: Spectral Shift]
Nolan's body is slowly swallowed by the shadows. Stormfly, on his shoulder, lets out a small, surprised cry, but doesn't flinch: this isn't the first time they've taken this passage. In the blink of an eye, the vortex closes in on itself with an ethereal rustle... and no trace remains.
---
A split second later, at the entrance to his hometown...
A black fissure forms in the air above the dusty floor of an alley, then rapidly widens, pouring out dark wisps like liquid smoke. Nolan slowly reappears, his cape billowing behind him. He lands softly, his feet touching the ground with a soft, dull thud. The vortex closes behind him as if it had never existed.
Around him, the streets of his town come back to life: shopkeepers open their stalls, children run between the cobblestones, and the familiar hum of everyday life hangs in the air.
Nolan (adjusting his coat): There's no place like home.
Stormfly jumps off his shoulder to land beside him, sniffing the ground excitedly. Nolan then begins walking down Main Street, staring straight ahead.
A worn, half-torn poster caught Nolan's eye as he passed an old corner store. Stuck crookedly against the stone wall, it almost seemed as if it would fall off with every gust of wind. Intrigued, he approached slowly, his eyes scanning the lines of red letters written in black ink.
The poster promoted a clandestine event carefully hidden from the authorities:
secret fights, organized in the depths of privatized dungeons—dungeons once purified, then legally registered in the names of certain influential or wealthy individuals, allowing them to do with them as they wished. And some… had turned them into arenas of blood.
> CLANDESTINE FIGHTS – ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVE
🛡️ Unique rewards: rare artifacts, forbidden potions, lost equipment, and massive gold prizes.
📍 Secret location — access via the Black Dog Tavern.
💀 No rules. No referee. Just survival of the fittest.
Nolan narrowed his eyes. The hastily scribbled text oozed danger... but also opportunity.
He stood there for a moment, thinking. This kind of combat attracted reckless adventurers and hardened criminals alike... And the rewards advertised could be the stuff of dreams for many a dungeon hunter. He knew it wasn't legal, but a part of him was... curious.
And maybe even tempted.
A few meters from the grocery store, a small, rudimentary stand was set up in the shade of a decrepit porch. A worn wooden table covered with papers and a dusty lantern served as the focal point. Sitting behind it, a man whose face was masked by a patched-up mob hood scrutinized the passersby with cold eyes. Two burly guards, arms crossed and threatening gazes, flanked the stand like living statues.
Nolan approached calmly, hands in his pockets, and stood facing the masked individual.
The man slowly raised his eyes and, in a deep, raspy voice, asked,
"Are you here to sign up for the underground duels?"
Nolan raised an eyebrow, a mocking sneer playing on his lips.
"Since that's the only reason you're standing here, the question is pretty pointless, isn't it?"
The man didn't react, accustomed to curt answers.
"Very well. But you should know one thing: this is illegal. If law enforcement catches you, you'll end up behind bars... or worse. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Nolan stared at the two giants next to the booth for a moment, then returned his gaze to the ATM.
"I'm aware. Sign me up."
The man nodded slowly, took out a blackened piece of paper, carved a number on it, and handed it to Nolan.
"Here's your number. The fight will be held in a disused dungeon connected to the Black Dog Tavern."
"Entry code?" Nolan asked, narrowing his eyes.
The man replied, almost in a whisper, "Just say 'Silence and Blood.' We'll clear the way for you."
Nolan took the paper, slipped it into his jacket without a word, and turned on his heel.
He walked away, his steps steady and his mind sharp.
A thrill of excitement rose within him.
He was ready to plunge into the depths of the forbidden.