As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, Silas trudged alongside Emma through a dense forest, already regretting his decision to help.
"You know," he grumbled, swatting at a particularly persistent mosquito, "when I imagined my future, somehow skipping through monster-infested woods with an assassin wasn't part of the plan."
Emma, for her part, seemed far too chipper for someone on a dangerous rescue mission. "Oh, come on! It's not so bad. The fresh air, the adventure, the noble quest—isn't this what being a hero is all about?"
Silas snorted. "I'm no hero. Just a normal guy who got dragged into a nightmare fantasy."
"Come now, hero, don't be so modest, it's okay I won't tell anyone, I can keep a secret," Emma replied.
As they walked, Emma filled Silas in on more details about their target. "Malachar the Vile has been terrorising the region for years. He's obsessed with extending his lifespan and increasing his magical power."
"Yeah, I just assumed it was something like that," Silas muttered. "Necromancers aren't known for their subtlety."
Emma continued, either missing or ignoring Silas's sarcasm. "He kidnapped my sister, Lyra, because of her rare bloodline. The Shadowblade family has traces of ancient celestial magic in our veins."
"Yep, we covered that par- Wait! Celestial magic? Seriously!?" Silas groaned. "Did your great-great-grandmother have a fling with an angel or something?"
"Close," Emma replied with a grin. "It was actually our great-great-grandfather and a star nymph."
Silas pinched the bridge of his nose. "Silly me for not guessing that one."
As they continued their journey, Emma described the defences they might encounter at Malachar's fortress.
With each new detail, Silas felt his chances of surviving this adventure plummeting.
"So, he's got an army of undead at his disposal," Silas summarised, ticking off points on his fingers. "Skeletal warriors, zombies, and even some kind of undead shadow beast. Plus, he's got dark magic that can rot flesh and melt bones. Am I missing anything?"
Emma thought for a moment. "Well, there are the flesh golems he creates from the bodies of his victims. Oh, and the shadow beast that's rumoured to lurk in the darker corners of his fortress."
"Brilliant," Silas muttered.
Emma looked at him quizzically. "I'm not sure I understand, hero. You have seemed less than enthused about our quest. With your ability, you won't feel pain during the fight, right?"
Silas laughed bitterly. "Oh, sweet, Emma. The pain always comes. It just waits until later to hit me all at once." He paused, a wistful look crossing his face. "I really miss Universal Healthcare."
Emma's brow furrowed. "Universal what now?"
"Back where I'm from, there's this amazing system where everyone chips in a bit of money, and then when you get sick or hurt," Silas continued. ", you can just go to the doctor without worrying about going bankrupt."
"That sounds... nice?" Emma offered, clearly confused.
"Nice? It's freaking fantastic!" Silas exclaimed. "Do you have any idea how much easier my life would be with a good insurance plan and some quality painkillers? But I'm stuck with herbal remedies and 'healing magic' that tastes like feet."
He sighed, his mind wandering to the life he'd left behind. "Sometimes I dream about living in the suburbs. Just a nice, boring house, maybe a small yard to mow on weekends. No monsters, no evil wizards, just... normal stuff."
"That sounds terribly dull," Emma said, her voice tinged with amusement.
"Dull is underrated," Silas retorted. "There are even recreation clubs for salarymen, back home. Guys with boring office jobs join these clubs after work. Maybe play some golf, go fishing, or just hang out and complain about their bosses over a few beers."
"You want to complain about bosses? You can do that here though, if you want." said Emma, slightly bewildered.
Silas laughed, a rare sound.
Emma's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Silas. So, is it a curse then? This power of yours? Is there a cure?"
"Unless you've got a way to turn off pain receptors or maybe swap my body with someone else's, not really," Silas replied with a shrug.
As the day wore on, they encountered various obstacles that only served to darken Silas's mood further.
A pack of dire wolves that seemed to think Silas would make a great chew toy. A swamp filled with leeches that apparently found his body irresistible, even though they couldn't drain his blood. And, just to top it all off, a surprise rainstorm left them both soaked to the bone.
"You know what?" Silas said as they huddled under a large tree, water dripping from his hair. "I'm starting to think this world has it out for me personally. What's next? A stampede of fire-breathing cows?"
Emma chuckled. "Come on, that's ridiculous. Fire-breathing cows aren't even native to this region, silly. Look, there's a clearing up ahead. We can make camp there for the night."
As they set up camp, Silas couldn't help but notice the ominous-looking mountain range looming in the distance.
Dark clouds swirled around the highest peaks, occasionally lit by flashes of unnatural purple lightning.
"Let me guess," Silas sighed, pointing at the mountains. "That's where we're headed, isn't it?"
Emma nodded. "The Blighted Peaks. Malachar's fortress is nestled in the heart of those mountains."
"Awesome," Silas muttered. "Heaven forbid he set up shop in a nice, sunny meadow or something."
As they sat around the campfire, eating a meagre dinner of dried rations, Emma turned to Silas with a curious expression. "Can I ask you something? Why did you agree to help me? I mean, I'm grateful. But from everything you've said, it seems like you'd rather be anywhere but here."
Silas was quiet for a long moment, staring into the flames. Finally, he sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just an idiot with a death wish. Or maybe..." He trailed off, his expression distant.
"Maybe what?" Emma prompted gently.
"Maybe I'm tired of running away," Silas admitted reluctantly. "Don't get me wrong, I still think this whole hero business is overrated and painful as hell. But... I guess sometimes you've got to stand up and do something, even if it sucks."
Emma smiled. "That's very noble of you, Silas."
Silas snorted. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. I'm still planning on complaining the entire way."
As they settled in for the night, Silas found himself staring up at the star-filled sky, his mind racing with thoughts of the challenges that lay ahead.