The infirmary ceiling blurred into focus as Charles blinked awake. Soft monitoring runes glowed above him, checking his pulse, mana flow, and brain activity. His body felt like it had been hammered from the inside—because it had. Overuse of holy mana always left a ringing ache in his bones.
Arianna sat rigidly beside the bed, arms crossed, eyes burning holes through him.
"You're awake," she said flatly.
Lance leaned over the bed, relief in his grin.
"Bro, you scared the LIFE out of us. You fainted like—" he slapped his hands together, "—boom, full ragdoll."
Kyren stood in the corner, silent, studying Charles as if trying to read a puzzle only he could see.
Charles forced a weak smile.
"Sorry… I pushed myself too hard…"
Arianna narrowed her eyes.
"Too hard? You nearly died. Liam carried you out before the rift collapsed. Don't ever make us worry like that again."
Charles choked a laugh, but guilt squeezed his chest.
"I'll be careful. Promise."
After a few more checks, the healers cleared him to go home—strict warning: no strenuous mana use for 24 hours.
He nodded, thanked them, and left.
He stepped outside the academy gates—
"MEOW!"
Midnight barreled into him, leaping from a nearby trash bin like a missile. He scrambled up Charles's shirt and perched on his shoulder, sniffing him frantically.
"Whoa—Midnight! I'm fine—"
Midnight hissed sharply, tail lashing like a whip.
The system pinged:
[PET SKILL: Rift Sense — Triggered]
[Unstable Rift Nearby — 1.2 km east]
[Attribute: DARK]
[Holy Efficiency: EXTREMELY HIGH]
Charles froze.
"So… that's why you came."
Midnight pawed his cheek, urgent. The message was clear:
Now. Danger. Go.
Charles inhaled through his teeth.
"A dark-attributed rift… I'll have the advantage."
He looked toward home—toward safety—then toward the east where the sky pulsed faintly wrong.
He made his choice.
"Lead the way, buddy."
Midnight leapt from his shoulder and sprinted into the alleys.
Charles followed.
---
The Unauthorized Rift
They reached an abandoned construction yard. Metal beams skewed out of the ground like bones. Midnight stopped, fur bristling.
In the center of the site was a crack in the world—thin, shaking, black at its core, glowing purple along its edges. A malformed, unstable dungeon gate.
Charles swallowed.
"An illegal rift…"
The system flashed:
[RIFT DETECTED — GRADE: D]
[ATTRIBUTION: DARKNESS 95%]
[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]
He touched his chest.
His mana was still low. His body still weak.
But for some reason… it didn't scare him.
His Apostle passive hummed quietly under his skin, making him feel calm, radiant—almost fearless.
"Alright," he whispered. "Just one quick cleanup. In and out."
He stepped through the crack.
The world twisted.
---
The Dark Den
The dungeon interior was a cavern of dripping black stone. The air tasted metallic; every surface pulsed with shadow veins. Dark slimes oozed between rocks. Feral shadow imps stalked the walls with glowing red eyes.
Charles raised a hand—
His holy light flickered naturally around his skin.
Advantage confirmed.
"Let's do this."
He took one step—
The dungeon shook.
Imps charged, shrieking.
Charles braced—
But he wasn't alone anymore.
FWOOM!
A single feather of light drifted from above.
The shadows screamed and withered.
Charles froze.
"Wait… is she—?"
The ceiling split open like a curtain of light.
A pillar of gold slammed down, shaking the cavern.
Silence fell.
Every monster froze.
And from that pillar—
She descended.
---
ASTRID — THE FIRST VALKYRIE
She emerged slowly, like a divine blade being unsheathed.
Silver armor, flawless and radiant.
Hair like molten starlight.
Eyes sharp with divine judgment.
Wings unfolding—feathers of sharpened light reflecting gold and white.
She landed softly, one knee touching the stone.
"Commander," Astrid said, her voice calm, resonant, terrifyingly holy.
"You called. I answer. Judgment begins."
Her wings snapped open.
The massacre started.
---
The Divine Slaughter
The imps charged first—dozens, their claws dripping shadow.
Astrid stepped once—just once—
FLASH
A half-circle of light carved the cavern.
Every imp was bisected, turned to ash before their bodies hit the floor.
Shadow wolves lunged next, jaws wide—
FWOOOSH—!
Astrid swiped her arm. Her feathers tore free like homing blades, slicing through necks, skulls, limbs—shredding every beast into ribbons.
Blood sprayed the walls, steaming in the holy air.
A massive guardian beast roared and charged—
Astrid vanished.
Reappeared above its skull.
CRACK—!!!
She stomped down. Its head exploded like a melon under a hammer.
Charles could only stare, breath stolen.
She moved with impossible grace—each step a kill, each swing a verdict. Nothing she struck survived long enough to feel pain.
She was not mercy.
She was war.
Monsters scrambled away, terrified.
Some prayed.
Some hid.
None lived.
Midnight pounced beside her, ripping imps in half with his Darklight Claws, leveling with each strike—his aura swelling.
Astrid didn't smile.
She didn't boast.
She didn't even look joyful.
She was doing her job.
---
The Boss Appears
The ground rumbled.
From the far tunnel emerged a hulking, horned Shadow Goliath—its core exposed and beating like a heart of red lightning.
It roared at Astrid—
And she walked toward it.
Not ran.
Not charged.
Walked.
Steps slow.
Purpose absolute.
Aura suffocating.
The Goliath swung—
Astrid raised a hand.
Light erupted.
The monster's arm disintegrated.
Before it screamed, she thrust her spear downward—
SHUK—!
Straight through its core.
White fire consumed the monster from inside out.
It collapsed, smoking, charred, dead.
The dungeon shuddered.
[BOSS KILLED]
[RIFT COLLAPSING]
Astrid grabbed Charles gently as the world warped around them.
---
They Return to Reality
They exited the rift in a burst of collapsing energy.
Charles fell to his knees, panting, exhausted beyond belief.
Astrid stood over him, wings folded, expression unreadable.
Midnight hopped into Charles's lap and meowed proudly—bloody pawprints and all.
But they were not alone.
Astrid suddenly snapped her head to the treeline.
Her expression hardened.
"Commander," she whispered coldly, "we were watched."
Charles stiffened.
The shadows shifted.
Someone stood there.
A silhouette.
Perfectly still.
Perfectly silent.
Watching.
Astrid raised one wing and released a blade-thin wave of killing intent—silent, invisible, deadly.
The watcher flinched violently.
His knees buckled.
His breath hitched.
The shadows around him trembled.
Astrid spoke, voice chillingly soft:
"You are seen.
You are marked.
Leave."
The watcher swallowed hard—then vanished into the dark.
Astrid lowered her wing.
Her eyes still sharp.
"This world hunts you, Commander," she said quietly.
"But I am here now."
Charles, drained and trembling, whispered:
"…Welcome… Astrid."
Her eyes softened—just barely.
"For you," she said, kneeling, "always."
---