Kano lay on his back, staring up at the sky flickering with stars. The night was deep, and the crackling fire next to them cast trembling shadows on the rocky walls surrounding their camp.
He wasn't asleep. His consciousness seemed suspended between reality and something else. Inside, a strange feeling lingered — as if someone had touched the very roots of his soul.
His body felt foreign. He could feel the energy flowing through him, like invisible currents connecting him to the world. His legs still pulsed with the power awakened by his boots. The sensation was so odd that he instinctively ran his hand over his skin, almost as if trying to reassure himself that all of this was real.
— "What's happening to me?" — he whispered.
Everyone else was asleep. Elgot lay a little farther away, quietly snoring. Rudgard, gripping his enormous hammer, sat by the fire, his head slightly tilted to the side. And there was Revena…
Kano shifted his gaze and saw the demoness standing a bit to the side, staring into the darkness. She was playing with her hair, and her eyes glowed faintly with a red gleam.
She wasn't afraid. But for some reason, she couldn't take her eyes off of Kano.
It seemed to him that her lips moved ever so slightly, as if she were whispering something to herself.
— "What are you doing over there?" — Kano broke the silence, propping himself up on his elbows.
Revena startled, as if she'd been caught doing something forbidden. She slowly turned, measured him with a glance, and with a faint smile, said:
— "Just thinking."
— "Thinking? About what?"
Revena stepped closer, stopping right in front of him.
— "About you," — she said softly.
Kano raised an eyebrow in surprise.
— "And what about me?"
— "Oh, boy," — the demoness leaned in a little closer, her voice soft. — "You have no idea what's happening around you."
Kano wanted to reply, but suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a feeling... coldness. No, not physical cold. Something was wrong.
He felt it, far away, there in the city, something bad was happening. His heart suddenly began to race faster, and his breath grew heavier.
— "The city..." — it slipped out of him before he had time to think.
Kano fell silent. He didn't know for sure. But something inside him screamed.
He jumped to his feet.
— "Something's wrong... I feel it."
Revena stared at him, her eyes turning colder.
— "What exactly do you feel?"
Kano clenched his fists.
— "Trouble."
Revena watched him in silence for a few more seconds, then slowly nodded.
— "Hmm... You don't even realize who you really are, do you?"
— "What are you talking about?"
She smiled, but there was no mockery in her smile.
— "Nothing. Sleep, chieftain. Tomorrow will be a long day."
Kano watched her disappear deeper into the cave. But he couldn't sleep anymore.
The night was quiet, the starry sky hung above, and the fire crackled, casting light on the stone walls of the ruins. In the darkness, near the exit of the camp, stood Revena's figure.
She stretched out her hand, and from the shadows, a bat flew out. The demoness leaned closer to it, whispered words, and the tiny creature froze, as if listening.
— "It didn't work..." — her voice was tense. — "The contract through the kiss didn't work. He... he didn't give in. And forcing him to take me as a woman... it's like forcing him to jump into a deadly trap. He fears that more than death... I don't know what to do."
The bat twitched its ears, and Revena gently ran her fingers over its little head.
— "Tell the queen. Maybe she has another plan."
The bat flapped its wings sharply and disappeared into the night sky.
Revena held her breath and ran her palm over her lips, recalling the moment. She had never faced anything like this before. All men desired her, all dreamed of the touch of the demoness... But this boy wouldn't even let her get close.
Her thoughts were interrupted by laughter.
— "Alright, boys, listen up!" — Elgot stood before a group of dwarven warriors who were accompanying their party. His eyes gleamed mischievously. — "Let's make a little bet."
— "Another one of your foolish bets, old man?" — grumbled one of the dwarves, gnawing on his pipe.
— "If Kano clears the entire first suburb of the ruins in less than 5 minutes, you'll give me your ale."
— "And what if not?" — grunted another dwarf.
Elgot theatrically sighed and spread his hands.
— "If not, I'll personally carry all your luggage."
The dwarves exchanged glances and burst out laughing.
— "That's impossible! Are you serious, old man?" — one of them almost choked on his ale.
Elgot only grinned slyly.
— "So, you agree?"
— "Of course! Get your old back ready, mate!"
Elgot rubbed his hands together in satisfaction and approached Kano, who had just woken up, rubbing his eyes.
— "Kano, grab your sword and clear the suburbs of the ruins. Completely. Leave nothing behind."
— "Oh, can I run freely?" — the boy smiled.
— "You sure can. But do it fast."
Elgot leaned in closer.
— "And one more thing... Try pouring your mana into the sword, create some flames. That way, we'll know where you're heading."
Kano's eyes lit up with excitement.
— "Done deal!"
He pulled out his sword, and before anyone could blink, he shot forward with such speed that the dust rose like a storm.
The dwarves stood stunned.
In the darkness of the ruins, only flashes of light could be seen darting back and forth, along with the dull thuds of metal against flesh. The ground trembled with heavy steps, and distant monster cries were cut off faster than anyone could hear them.
Some time later...
Kano slammed into a rock near the dwarves!
He spun in mid-air, barely staying on his feet, and muttered loudly:
— "What a hit!"
Elgot laughed, while the dwarves were at a loss for words.
— "That was definitely under 5 minutes, right, guys?"
The dwarves grumbled.
— "Let's go check. If there's no one left, we'll give you the ale."
Kano stretched, loosening his shoulders.
— "You don't need to worry. There's no one left."
Elgot immediately frowned.
— "What do you mean 'there's no one left'?"
Kano looked at him honestly.
— "I cleared it all."
Silence.
— "ALL?" — Rudgard asked, blinking.
— "Well, almost..." — Kano scratched the back of his head. — "Except for the throne room."
Revena froze, her eyes widening in shock.
— "How is... that possible?"
Rudgard barely held his hammer.
— "You're joking?"
Kano answered with an innocent look on his face:
— "Nah, it was just a lot of skeletons, but they didn't even move. I just chopped them, that's all."
Elgot grabbed his head.
— "Boy, I don't know what's going to happen to you next, but I think I'm losing my mind!"
Revena slowly turned to Kano.
— "Tell me honestly… are you even human? Or some kind of deity? Or an ancient demon reincarnated?"
Kano simply shrugged.
— "Nah, just a human."
Elgot squinted and said:
— "And pretty dumb, from what I can tell…"