The road west was quieter than usual.
Too quiet.
For the first time since Jax had known her…
Nyxian wasn't herself.
She had faced S-Ranked beasts.
Walked into dungeons without hesitation.
Smiled in the face of danger.
But now—
She was quiet.
Withdrawn.
Worried.
And that worried everyone else.
The first day of travel passed normally.
At least on the surface.
The Vixens played their usual games—laughing, teasing, turning even simple moments into competitions that somehow always spiraled into chaos.
But Nyxian didn't join.
She watched.
Smiled when expected.
But didn't engage.
Even Jax noticed. Especially at night.
The second day wasn't better.
If anything—
It was worse.
Nyxian stayed to herself.
Didn't participate.
Didn't tease.
Didn't flirt.
Didn't push Jax like she normally would.
And that…
That wasn't Nyxian.
They had traveled through a portal from Solmere into a smaller trade town, then taken the road west.
Their destination lay beyond—
A place few outsiders had ever seen.
A place Nyxian had not spoken of much.
The Succubus lands.
A town whispered about in passing—
Known by several names across different regions:
Moondrip.
Noctyra Hollow.
The Veil of Sins.
A city of demonfolk—succubi and incubi alike—where desire, power, and hierarchy intertwined.
Trade there was… different.
Information.
Influence.
Emotion.
And things far more personal than gold.
Outsiders were tolerated.
But not trusted.
Not easily.
Not ever fully.
By the third day, Jax had seen enough.
He pulled Nyxian aside while the others rested near the caravan.
"You've been off," he said simply.
She didn't deny it.
"I'm fine."
He gave her a look.
She sighed.
"…I'm not fine."
That was better.
Jax leaned against the carriage.
"Then talk to me."
She hesitated.
And that alone told him everything.
"You know," Jax said casually, "we don't have to do this."
She looked up.
"We can turn around right now. Go back to Solmere. Get married there. I'll throw the biggest celebration this world's ever seen."
He smirked slightly.
"You'd love it."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
But then she shook her head.
"No."
Firm.
Certain.
"I want to do this right."
That meant something to her.
So Jax didn't push that part.
Instead—
"Then tell me what I'm walking into."
Nyxian looked away.
Toward the horizon.
Toward home.
"…It's going to be weird."
Jax let out a quiet laugh.
"Nyx… I've killed a dragon with my bare hands. I think I can handle weird."
She didn't laugh.
That's when he knew—
This wasn't normal weird.
"There's a trial," she said finally.
Jax nodded.
"Okay. Trial. Strength? Magic? Mind games?"
"…No."
That pause stretched too long.
Jax narrowed his eyes.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Jax softened his voice.
"Hey… I'm not going to judge you. Just tell me."
Nyxian took a breath.
Then another.
Then finally—
"…You have to sleep with my mom."
Jax blinked.
"…I'm sorry, what?"
She didn't look at him.
"And possibly my sister."
Jax stared.
Waiting for the punchline.
It didn't come.
"…Say that again."
Nyxian turned to him, clearly annoyed now.
"You have to sleep with my mother to prove you're worthy. It's the trial. Anyone from outside the clan has to do it."
She crossed her arms.
"I know you'll pass. It's just… weird."
Weird.
That was one way to put it.
Jax's brain stalled.
Then restarted.
Then immediately regretted restarting.
This is insane.
Is this cheating?
Is this not cheating?
Is this a cultural loophole?
What if they're—
He stopped that thought immediately.
Then a worse one hit him.
What are the Vixens going to think?
Meanwhile—
Nyxian was spiraling in her own direction.
"…and I've imprinted on you so maybe that helps and maybe it doesn't and what if they—"
Jax stepped forward.
Grabbed her arms gently.
Pulled her into him.
She resisted for half a second—
Then melted.
Completely.
"We'll figure it out," he said quietly.
She didn't respond.
So he continued.
"We tell the others. We deal with it together."
A pause.
"And if you don't want this—if it feels wrong—then we walk away."
She tightened her grip on him.
"We go back. We do it our way. Or we don't marry at all and just stay like this."
He leaned his head lightly against hers.
"But I'm not letting you go."
That did it.
She exhaled.
Tension breaking.
Just a little.
But her mind wasn't done.
Not even close.
Because her fear wasn't what Jax thought.
Not really.
It wasn't that he wouldn't pass.
It was that—
He would.
What if he's too good?
What if they like him too much?
What if they imprint on him?
What if they try to keep him?
What if they're better than me?
Her thoughts twisted tighter.
What if… he chooses them?
By the time the town came into view—
She was barely holding it together.
They stopped the caravan.
Just outside.
Hundreds of yards away.
This was it.
Last chance to turn back.
Jax gathered the group.
"We need to talk."
Nyxian explained.
Everything.
The trial.
The expectation.
The tradition.
The silence that followed…
Was deafening.
Bunny spoke first.
"I mean…"
She looked at Jax.
Then at Nyxian.
Then back at Jax.
"I know he'll pass."
Everyone nodded.
That wasn't in question.
At all.
Then Bunny tilted her head.
"…Do we still get iPoints if it's outside the team?"
Silence.
Total.
Absolute.
Silence.
Nyxian blinked.
Llandra blinked.
Zee blinked.
Even Jax blinked.
"…That's your concern?" Jax asked slowly.
Bunny shrugged.
"I'm just thinking long-term."
And just like that—
The mood shifted.
"Well…" Pixelle chimed in, floating slightly higher, "technically, if the system recognizes it—"
"That's a good point," Lexi added thoughtfully.
Zee crossed her arms.
"…It might count."
Llandra didn't say anything.
But she was clearly thinking about it.
Jax stood off to the side.
Hand on his temple.
"…I'm about to be sacrificed to tradition…"
He looked at them.
"…and you're all theory-crafting stat gains."
Nyxian slowly turned.
Looking at each of them.
"…You're all seriously okay with this?"
No one answered immediately.
But none of them said no.
That didn't comfort her.
At all.
Jax sighed.
"…I'm just a piece of meat to you people."
Pixelle smiled sweetly.
"Well… a very valuable and delicious piece."
Jax closed his eyes.
"…I hate it here."
And ahead of them—
The gates of Moondrip stood waiting.
Where tradition didn't care about logic.
And trials…
Were unlike anything Jax had ever faced.