Dawn found me in the same chair as always, my neck twisted, my back
protesting, and a strange sensation of warmth in my chest. I opened one eye. Error.
Elyra was on top of me, asleep, in pajamas... and drooling.
Every now and then she mumbled something in her sleep about "hot meat", which was
enough to put my survival reflexes on red alert.
—What the hell are you doing on top of me?! —I yelled as I jumped.
The result: we both ended up on the floor, her on top of me again, in a pose so
awkward it would have made hell itself blush.
Elyra, her face the color of pink ash, tried to apologize. I was just trying to recover my
dignity... or my breath, whichever came first.
Then, the laughter.
Sharp. Mocking. Damned.
Hella was in the doorway, leaning with the air of a queen of chaos.
—Well, well... —she said in an amused tone—. In some kingdoms that's not illegal, you know?
—Not in this one either —Elyra replied softly, while covering herself with
the blanket. I just sighed.
—I need coffee. And an exorcism. In that order.
Hella, without losing her bored predator smile, snapped her
fingers. —First breakfast, mortal. Your goddess is hungry.
Sighing, I went down to prepare something. Between the generator humming and the
smell of the previous day's skewers, I managed to improvise some eggs with bread and
an infusion that I hoped wouldn't kill anyone.
We took turns showering —finally without incidents or invasions of the
bathroom— and sat down to eat.
Elyra seemed more animated, although she still gave me furtive glances.
Hella, on the other hand, was focused on the emblem I had found.
—So you had it… —she said finally, with a serious expression that I hadn't seen before.
—I found it in the house —I replied—. What's so special about it?
—
She turned it between her fingers, observing the runes. —
It's not an ornament. It is a seal of the Nexus . Ancient, powerful… and dangerous. This town is
called Eldervale. It was the first settlement destroyed by the undead plague.
Elyra dropped her cup.
The sound of the metal echoed like a distant echo.
Eldervale… —she whispered, her eyes wide open—. I… I used to live here.
Silence fell over the table, heavy, unreal.
For the first time, not even Hella had anything sarcastic to say.
And then, as if something inside her mind came undone, the expression
vanished. She blinked a couple of times, picked up her cup again, and
smiled. —This breakfast is delicious, Zeke!
Hella raised an eyebrow.
I just looked at her in silence, not knowing whether to worry or be grateful that she wasn't
crying blood or levitating.
The goddess took the emblem and placed it on the table, her tone changing
to something almost… didactic. —This symbol is not just a seal. It is a key to the Nexus , one of the pieces that maintain
the balance between the worlds. Each emblem is linked to a function of the
system: creation, corruption, memory, or void.
—And which one is this? —I asked, more out of curiosity than a desire to
know. —The one o. f— RHeeblliar tshmiled wryly—. The one they used to bring back to life… or
something like it, to what was already dead.
I stared at Elyra, who was distractedly chewing on a toast as if she had nothing to do with
the conversation.
Sure, "life or something like it." Wonderful.
Hella continued, her voice lowering in tone.
—If it falls into the wrong hands, it can open portals… or rewrite existence. Like a
Pandora's box, but with a better interface.
—Fantastic —I sighed—. I have a magic bomb in the inventory. — And
without a manual —Hella added with a sly smile.
After that, we collected the plates. Elyra hummed something while washing, Hella
dried with an old blanket she found, and I… well, I did what any sensible mortal would
do in the middle of the apocalypse: pretend I had everything under control.
The generator's emergency battery started flashing. I
sighed.
—Time to install the solar panel. Otherwise, we'll be sleeping with the crickets
tonight... or with the zombies.
[CMD Interface — Installation Tool Activated.]
Compact solar panel deployed.
Synchronization with generator in progress…
Energy efficiency: 82%.
It wasn't perfect, but it worked.
While I was fighting with the cables and planks on the roof, the girls were dedicated to
cleaning the house. Elyra removed the remains of dust and ash, humming an old tune. Hella,
on the other hand, complained every two minutes.
—Do I really have to use a broom? —she grumbled, raising a gray cloud. —
Welcome to the mortal world —I replied from the roof. —I hate this world.
—The world hates you too, so you're even —I replied.
After a few hours, the house finally looked less like a tomb and more like a refuge.
Elyra smiled satisfied, covered in dust, and Hella rested in her new bed, pretending that she had
worked just like everyone else.
But there was no time for rest.
Supplies were running out quickly, and the credits were barely enough for coffee since I hadn't
had a cup since I arrived.
—Okay —I said, closing the inventory—. Time to look for more
treasures. Hella raised an eyebrow, intrigued. —Treasures or shiny
junk?
—Depends on how much they pay us for it —I replied, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.
Elyra adjusted her jacket, with that smile that I didn't know if it was tender or
dangerous. —So… we're going back to town.
And so, under the sun of a strange noon, the three of us ventured into the ruins of
Eldervale, looking for gold, jewels…
and, perhaps, answers that none of us were ready to find.
_________________________________________________________________________
We searched house to house for those that were not about to collapse.
There wasn't much, but we found enough to survive another week. Even so, Hella told me
there was a temple nearby.
My curiosity got the better of me.
I guess it was all Hella's plan. The damn
woman knew what that place was hiding.
But it doesn't matter anymore.
It's too late when a person succumbs to the impulse of idiocy.
I opened the door confidently.
The stench was unbearable, so I stepped back to put on my gas mask. It was then
that I realized: there was a magic seal on the door. One that I broke
unintentionally.
The moans came from inside.
The sound was thick, wet, as if the stone itself exhaled rot. Elyra
approached cautiously, her steps almost silent. She had that disturbing
look, between hunger and nostalgia. Hella, on the other hand, was smiling.
A smile that only anticipated problems.
"How curious," she said. "That seal kept the priests of the plague cult locked up."
"Oh, great," I replied. "And you're telling me this now?"
"I preferred to see you learn from experience," she replied with feigned innocence.
A growl echoed from the depths of the temple. Not
human. Not animal. Something in between.
[Interfaz CMD — Alerta
ambiental.] Hostile entity
detected. Corruption level: 48%.
Recommendation: running is still a viable option.
"Go to hell," I muttered to the system. "We're
already there," Hella added, smiling.
Elyra took a step forward. Her
voice trembled slightly.
"I... I remember them. They were priests. They prayed for us before the plague arrived."
Hella raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, don't tell me you're going to get sentimental."
The bodies began to emerge from the darkness.
Dry corpses wrapped in robes, moving as if the threads of faith still held them.
The stench was so strong that even the mask seemed useless.
Elyra took another step forward, her eyes burning a deep red. I knew
it.
That glow always meant trouble.
—Don't do it… —I whispered, but it was too late.
The air burst into a dry roar.
The corpses turned to dust, scattered like ash under an invisible sun.
Elyra was breathing heavily, trembling. —
I… didn't want to do it.
—I know —I said, lowering the weapon—. But I prefer holy dust to a rotten monk's
embrace.
Hella applauded slowly.
—Brilliant. Although next time, try not to redecorate with human remains.
Then I saw it.
Among the rubble, at the foot of the altar,
something was shining. An emblem.
Not the same as mine, but
similar. Older. Pulsating.
—Don't touch it —Hella said immediately, the joking tone disappearing from her voice.
—Why?
—Because that one isn't from the Nexus. It's from the Void.
[CMD Interface — Anomaly detected.]
Warning: contact with the object may alter local reality. Proceed with
extreme caution.
I looked at her.
Then I looked at the
emblem. And I sighed.
—Yeah, right. What could go wrong this time?
Hella shouted:
—We have to get out of here, now!
And when the goddess of death says that, you don't ask questions. You just run.
By the time I turned around, she was already about a hundred and fifty meters away,
running down the main street as if her immortality had an expiration date. I grabbed
Elyra's arm and pulled her without looking back.
—What's wrong? —she asked with that soft, trembling voice. —I
don't know, but when your heart tells you "here it comes". , don't ask. what's coming. , just run,
because something is coming!*
Then I heard it. A
roar.
Not of a lion, or a bear, or even Godzilla in heat.
No, this was worse. It was like someone was giving a dead whale sandpaper and making
it sing opera.
The temple doors exploded outward, thrown by a titanic blow. A golden staff shot
out through the dust, and behind it appeared a gigantic shadow: a corpse covered in
bishop's robes, hanging flesh, and eyes glowing like old embers. He walked slowly,
heavily, as if my stupidity had awakened him from a sacred and very pleasant dream.
—Hella! —I shouted—. Do something, you used to be the goddess of death!
She looked at me with a mixture of fear and resignation.
—I was. Past. Important verb tense, Zeke. Now I'm a stylish mortal with no
powers.
—And what do I do, give him confession?
—If you can, but I don't think divine forgiveness works with that breath —she scoffed, stepping back.
The monster roared again, making the ground tremble.
Elyra stepped forward, her hair floating with static, her red eyes
glowing. —My prince, let me help you.
—Quick plan —I said—. Hella, distract him. Elyra, when you get the chance, go for the
pendant he's wearing on his chest.
—Distract him how? —Hella shouted.
—I don't know, do something shiny! Or shout taxes at him, that scares anyone.
She scoffed, raised a hand, and a violet sphere emerged from the air. The monster turned
towards her, roaring.
I took the opportunity to run to the side, grab a piece of rusty iron and throw it into the creature's eye. It
didn't hurt him, but it achieved something important: I earned his attention and his.
future nightmares.
Then Elyra moved.
It was like seeing a white bullet crossing the air. She lunged at the monster's chest, dodging
its rotten mace, and with a scream, she tore the golden pendant that hung from its neck.
The air froze.
The bishop roared one last time before collapsing, raising a cloud of dust and
entrails.
Hella approached, trembling, looking at the pendant seriously.
—That symbol... was not just an ornament. It is the Seal of the Bishop of the Void.
An ancient evil, sealed in this temple.
Elyra dropped it as if it burned her. The pendant began to glow with its own
pulse, breathing like something alive.
I swallowed.
—Tell me that's not what I think it is.
Hella sighed.
—Zeke... you just broke the cage of a dead god.
I said sarcastically:
—Well... apparently it wasn't that strong.
Hella gave me a look that would freeze even the core of the
Nexus. —This is not a joke, Zeke.
Her voice carried an ancient weight, as if she knew all too well what we had
just faced.
She knew that the emblem, rather, the pendant, was not just a simple sacred ornament.
It was pure, contained, twisted evil. Something the bishop had done before dying...
something that still breathed among the ruins.
—Centuries ago —she murmured—, this temple held a secret that should
never have been broken. And now... I don't remember what it was.
The wind blew ash over the broken steps, and for a moment no one said anything.
Elyra walked a few steps behind, holding a bag with the little we managed to save:
dust-covered jewels, an oil lamp, a few coins that were barely worth anything. Her
gaze was lost, as if the weight of death around her felt familiar.
—Let's go —I finally said.
The way back was silent.
The shadows of the sunset stretched over the empty streets, and the sound of our
footsteps was the only thing left alive in that forgotten town.
Every so often, the wind would blow from the temple... bringing with it a
murmur that no one wanted to acknowledge.
When we finally arrived at the house, the sky had turned red and gray.
I started the generator. The familiar hum filled the silence, and the lights flickered until
they stabilized.
Elyra took care of the fire, Hella collapsed into a chair, exhausted, and I simply stared
at the wall for a moment.
Finally, a quiet night. Or at least
that's what I wanted to believe.
We cleaned up and had dinner in silence.
No one felt like arguing. No jokes, no sarcasm, no grunts. Only the
sound of the fire and the clinking of cutlery.
That night, I finally decided to take my bed out of inventory.
After everything we went through, I trusted my companions a
little less... or maybe I was just too tired to stay paranoid. I
needed to sleep. Really sleep.
I unfolded it in a corner, between the generator and the wall, and dropped onto it like a sack of
nuts.
My body was heavy, my head was buzzing, and the last image I had before falling
asleep was the dim light of the candles dancing on the ceiling.
I guess it was seven, maybe eight at night. The
Nexus, for once, seemed quiet. Too quiet.
A few hours passed.
Then my instincts went off like alarms in the dark.
Elyra woke me up with a start, whispering in a trembling voice that there was
someone outside. Her red eyes glowed like burning coals, and although I barely
understood what she was saying, the tone was enough to put me on alert.
Still half asleep, I tried to sit up... and felt something soft but firm next to me.
Something warm.
Something that was breathing.
I carefully removed the blankets, and there was Hella.
Naked, curled up on herself, with an expression between placidity and mischief,
murmuring something unintelligible in her sleep—Zeke, yes, more, you are my master.
Her voice was low, husky, and had that dangerous musicality that makes you forget you're
in the middle of an apocalypse.
For a second, I seriously considered pretending I hadn't heard
anything. For my mental health, mainly.
Then I heard it.
A guttural, wet sound, behind the house.
I jumped up, grabbed my greatsword, and without a word, went out with
Elyra. The night was still, too still.
We advanced through the patio, the air smelled of wet earth and rust.
A staggering figure crossed the shadows, growling like a wounded animal. Elyra
shot off before I could stop her.
I thought it was one of the undead from the temple, but then... a scream.
A female voice.
I ran after her, my heart hammering in my chest.
Under the double light of the moons, I saw her: an elf, unconscious on the
ground, her pale skin covered in dust and leaves.
And behind me, a noise.
I turned just in time to see Hella jump out the window, still naked, with disheveled hair
and a look of dormant fury.
Her posture was perfect, ready to kill or die, although her situation... was not exactly
intimidating.
The elf weighed less than she looked. Her skin was cold, and her clothes, torn. Elyra held
her carefully, murmuring words I didn't understand, while I tried not to look back too
much.
Hella was still there, still with her "improvised battle attire", arms crossed and an
expression between sleepy and annoyed.
—For the love of… Hella, could you please get dressed? —I said, unable to hide the
tiredness in my voice.
—And why? —she replied, with that little smile of superiority—. I don't think the
newcomer is in a position to comment on fashion.
—Because you're distracting —Elyra replied, crossing her arms, almost
hissing. —Oh, jealous? —Hella raised an eyebrow, amused.
—Stop provoking her! —I sighed—. At least put something on before the zombies come
back asking for autographs.
He snorted, but obeyed, disappearing inside the house. Elyra and I left the elf on the
sofa, covering her with a clean blanket. She had a couple of scratches, nothing
serious, although her breathing was irregular.
Silence filled the room, broken only by the faint hum of the generator and the creaking
of the wood under our feet.
"Another sleepless night..." I murmured, rubbing my eyes. "At
least we didn't die," Elyra replied, with a weak smile.
"Not yet," Hella added, reappearing now in a robe too elegant
to have come from the common inventory. "Where...?"
"Private collection," she said proudly.
The three of us stood around the elf, watching her chest rise and fall
slowly. The light of dawn filtered through the cracks in the ceiling, tingeing the room
with a soft golden hue.
For a moment, everything seemed calm. Almost... normal.
"Who do you think she is?" Elyra asked in a low voice.
"I don't know," I replied. "But with our luck, she's probably just another thing trying to
kill us." "Or something worse..." Hella added, turning her gaze towards the door.
The generator vibrated, the coffee cold on the table, and my eyelids weighed like lead.
"Great," I thought. "Another sleepless night and now we have an elf on the sofa.
What could go wrong?"
Then, a faint moan broke the silence.
The elf moved her head, barely opening her eyes, her dry lips murmuring a single
word:
"water...?"
Elyra, with that sweetness that she seemed to retain even among corpses, brought a
bowl of boiled water.
"Little by little... don't choke," she murmured, holding the elf's head carefully. The
stranger drank clumsily, her lips trembling until the color returned, barely, to her
cheeks.
Meanwhile, Hella, with the elegance of someone who doesn't know
what empastahviyor iosf, lohsat enlvdeesd me a"s phei esacide woitfh dvernyo mboruesa sdar.c a "smH.e "Greive y ito tuo y gouor,
new pet before she disintegrates."
"Hella, just... give it to me," I sighed.
"Tch..." she snorted, crossing her arms. "Elves, sacred creatures of the forest,
guardians of purity... and look at her, crying on a sofa, drinking water like a cat.
sick.
—You could show a little compassion —I said, now without strength.
—Oh, sure —she replied, tilting her head with a mocking smile—. Compassion is just what
someone needs who will soon join the ranks of my beloved undead. Don't you think it's
adorable?
But then, before I could reply, the elf opened her eyes completely. First
came confusion. Then fear. And finally, absolute panic.
Her pupils dilated when she saw them—Elyra and Hella—and she jumped up, frantically feeling
her waist.
—No… no, no, no! —she murmured between sobs—. My bow! My insignia! My… life…!
She fell to her knees, her hands trembling. Tears ran down her face as she babbled
between hiccups:
—I will be their feast… the undead… they will devour me…
I tried to approach her, to speak to her calmly.
—Calm down, they won't hurt you. You are safe here.
And just then, Hella decided to be herself.
She approached slowly, took an elven dagger from the table—the same one we had removed from
the newcomer—and began to run her tongue along the edge with a distracted air.
—Mmm… interesting steel —she whispered in a playful voice—. I didn't know the elves
still made anything worthwhile.
The elf let out a choked cry, her eyes widened… and she fainted instantly, falling
to the ground with a dull thud.
Silence.
Only the sound of the wind seeping through the poorly nailed boards of the roof.
I sighed.
—Perfect… —I murmured, bringing my hand to my face—. Another unconscious woman
in my house.
Elyra sighed too, shrugging her shoulders. —At
least this one doesn't drool, prince.
A few hours later, I decided to take her to the clearing in the forest behind the house.
The place was quiet, covered by dry leaves and the soft murmur of the nearby stream.
There I had set up a small makeshift tent with tarps from the inventory; nothing luxurious,
but comfortable enough for someone who had just escaped death.
I opened the system menu and sighed before accepting the purchase.
[CMD Interface — System menu open…]
Purchase made: single bed (x1), portable bedside table (x1) Total cost: 135
credits Remaining balance: 80 credits [Confirmation: Automatic delivery
completed.]
—Ouch… that hurt —I murmured, as I watched the objects appear in front of me with a
soft bluish flash—. Goodbye, emergency budget.
I set up the bed under the shed and left the elven dagger on the bedside table. It
had cost me almost as much to take it from Hella as it had to defeat the cursed
bishop of the temple. The forest was silent, broken only by the distant hum of the
generator and the occasional chirping of an insect.
I stayed by her side while she slept. Her breathing was irregular, her lips dry, her face dirty
with dust and ash.
An hour passed, maybe more, until her eyelids trembled and her green eyes opened slowly,
reflecting the light of dawn filtered through the trees.
—Easy —I said, raising my hands—. You're not in danger.
She sat up clumsily, clutching the blanket as if it were her
shield. Her voice was barely a whisper. —Where… am I?
—In the forest, behind the house —I replied in a calm tone—. It's the safest place we have
for now. I'm Zeke, human… or the closest thing to one in this world.
She watched me suspiciously.
—Sylvia… —she whispered at last—. My name is Sylvia.
—Nice name —I said—. Although somewhat ironic for someone who just fainted in front
of a semi-naked goddess.
She blinked, confused.
—A goddess?
—Yes, long story. —I ran my hand over the back of my neck, uncomfortable—. Let's just say
we had a… peculiar night. But you're safe. Elyra and I are taking care of you.
—Elyra? —she repeated, frowning—. The undead… with red eyes.
I nodded.
—That's the one. Don't worry, she doesn't bite… without permission.
Her lips barely curved into a fragile smile. —You
don't look like a soldier.
—Neither are you a victim. —I glanced at her—. Although here, we all are a little.
She looked away towards the stream, where the sun reflected like liquid gold. Her
fingers brushed the dagger on the table, with a mixture of fear and relief.
—Thank you —she whispered at last, barely audible.
The wind blew through the trees, moving the leaves like whispers of ghosts. For an
instant, everything stopped: the air, the time, the distrust.
Only we remained, the murmur of the forest… and the uncertain promise that, for one
more night, we would stay alive.
The forest had returned to silence, only the crackling of the broken fire and the
murmur of the wind among the leaves.
Sylvia rested wrapped in a blanket, her breathing already more stable, although her brow was
still furrowed… as if even in dreams she was running away from something.
I stayed watching her for a while, trying to guess where the hell she had come
from. She didn't look like a villager or an explorer. There was
something… different about her. Too clean for this rotten world. Too alive.
—When you wake up —I murmured, more to myself than to her—, I'll ask you just one
question. Where did you come from?
Then, her lips moved slightly, as if she had heard.
Her eyes opened slightly, reflecting the bluish light of the moon, and with a soft voice, almost
a whisper, she replied:
—Do… you also hear the Nexus?
I froze.
Before I could say anything, her eyes closed again, and the forest fell silent again.
Only the wind answered.
_______________________________________________________________________
—Perfect… an undead with a pet complex, an ex-goddess who charges for breathing,
and now an elf who hears whispers from beyond. Just what I needed.
I just hope the Nexus doesn't start charging me maintenance for hosting so much
madness under one roof.
Echoes of the Nexus will continue… if the forest doesn't bill me first.