The silence between us stretched uncomfortably. She sat cross-legged near the fire, carefully stacking rocks into a tiny tower, her lips pressed into a focused pout. Cute.
No, stop. What am I even thinking?
I cleared my throat and decided to break the awkwardness. "So… what's your name?"
She froze mid-stack, her blush creeping up to her ears. The rock in her hand slipped and hit the ground with a soft thud. "I-I don't have a name… Master."
Her voice was so small, it almost got swallowed by the crackling fire.
No name? Really? That was hard to believe, but considering she was my system—whatever that even meant—it kind of made sense.
She fiddled with her fingers nervously, glancing up at me with big, mismatched eyes. "Mast—uh, I mean… Fyn. I want you to give me a name."
Before I could respond, she leaned in, far too close for comfort. I could feel the heat from her face.
I leaned back instinctively, my voice cracking as I said, "Y-you're way too close!"
Her eyes went wide as saucers, and she squeaked, jumping back like she'd been scolded. "S-sowwy…"
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. Too cute. No, stop it, brain. She's a system… and I'm a forty-three-year-old man. This is just weird.
"Uh, okay, let's see…" I tried to focus, thinking of a name. If she's going to stick around, it had to be something meaningful. Something that matched her.
She looked at me expectantly, her hands clasped together like she was waiting for a grand announcement.
Hmm… Filla? It had a nice ring to it. Simple, and it matched mine. Fi for Flynn, and Lia, which meant "cute" in this world's language. Fitting.
"How about Filla?" I asked cautiously, gauging her reaction.
Her face lit up like a lantern, and she lunged forward, wrapping me in another rib-crushing hug. "Yes! I love it!"
I gasped, patting her on the back weakly. "T-that's great, Fil, but… can you loosen up? I can't breathe…"
She sprang back, hands flying to her mouth. "S-sowwy, Fyn!" Her blush deepened, making her look even more flustered.
I took a deep breath and waved it off. "It's fine. Really."
But we couldn't stay here forever. The fight with that… thing was behind me, and a new door had appeared on the other side of the cavern. Smaller this time, coated in bluesteel, it stood out like a beacon.
I pointed toward it. "Come on, Fil. We're getting out of here."
She nodded eagerly, scrambling to her feet. "Ok, Fyn!"
I put out the fire with a quick stomp, ignoring the state of my black suit. It was ripped and caked in grime, but that was a problem for later. For now, I focused on the door.
Creaaak…
The door groaned loudly as I pushed it open, revealing a narrow passage that stretched ahead. It was dark and musty, but thankfully, the stench from before was gone.
As we walked, I noticed the air getting lighter and fresher. My heart raced. This had to be the way out.
"There!" I shouted, spotting a faint glimmer of light up ahead. "That's the exit!"
Fil and I broke into a run, sprinting toward freedom. The light grew brighter, spilling warmth into the cold, damp tunnel.
And then, finally, we burst out into the open air.
"YES!" I threw my arms up, laughing as the sun kissed my face. "We're out!"
Fil giggled beside me, her joy infectious.
But my grin turned sly as I imagined the look on Elene's face.
I can't wait to see her reaction when I walk back in alive.
_______________________________________
Foroaline Castle
The grand dining hall was bustling with activity as the royal family sat down for their midday meal. The clink of silverware, soft chatter, and the scent of freshly baked bread filled the air. But amidst the otherwise peaceful atmosphere, tension crackled like a live wire.
Auden's gaze was locked onto Elene, his eyes sharp and full of concern—or was it something else? He leaned forward, his voice low but biting, as if every word was laced with suspicion.
"Elene, Flynn hasn't been back for four days now," Auden said, his tone more accusing than worried. "What if he's dead?"
Elene's face remained calm, though her brow furrowed slightly. She wasn't one to panic. "Don't worry," she said softly, her voice as soothing as ever. "He'll be okay. He's a smart boy."
Auden's hand slammed onto the table, making the silverware clatter in protest. "Elene! Flynn may be smart, but he always forgets to eat! What if something's happened to him?"
At the mention of food, Jane's tail flicked in the air, her expression turning concerned but exasperated. "He won't die from missing a meal, will he? I swear, it's like you two think he's made of glass."
Elene shook her head. "He won't die. Trust me."
The conversation drifted into a series of half-hearted reassurances, but a knot formed in Elene's stomach. She wasn't the type to show worry, but deep down, she knew something wasn't right.
_______________________________________
Above Hell's Pit
The walk back to Foroaline was nothing short of grueling. I had expected the journey from Hell's Pit to be rough, but this? This felt like punishment. Every step burned into my legs, each one heavier than the last. Fil walked beside me, keeping her usual pace, but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes.
"You sure this is the right way?" I asked, my voice hoarse from the ordeal. My throat felt like it was made of sandpaper. But I couldn't complain too much. I had just spent days getting tortured by the worst place on this damned continent. A few more hours wasn't going to break me.
Fil, ever the stoic guide, didn't respond with words. Instead, she nodded her head slightly, that ever-present smirk playing on her lips.
"Yeah. Just don't fall asleep on me Fyn." she said. Her voice was small but carried a sarcastic edge. She wasn't trying to be mean; she just had a knack for making everything sound like a joke. Sometimes, I liked it. Most of the time, I needed it.
It took us five hours to reach the gates of Foroaline. By the time we got there, the city was starting to wind down for the evening. But the guards at the gates weren't exactly expecting two half-dead wanderers, especially not one who looked like he'd just clawed his way out of hell itself.
The left guard stared at me, disbelief written all over his face. "W-Wait, aren't you Flynn?" he stammered, his eyes flickering between me and Fil, as if he thought we were some kind of illusion.
"Yeah," I said, pulling myself straighter, trying to act like I wasn't about to collapse. "Elene sent me to Hell's Pit to train." I couldn't resist throwing in the word 'train,' knowing how it would sound. It wasn't like I'd trained there, but that was a minor detail.
The guard on the right raised an eyebrow, then laughed nervously, his voice cracking. "THAT Hell's Pit?"
I nodded, feeling a dark satisfaction at their reaction. If they'd seen half the shit I had down there, they wouldn't be standing so comfortably. Hell's Pit was exactly what it sounded like—hell. But I was made of tougher stuff now.
"Yeah," I said again, letting the word hang in the air for a second longer than necessary.
The guards exchanged nervous glances and stepped aside. The one on the left even offered a shaky salute, as if he'd just been told to let the Devil himself into the city. But before I could pass through, a new voice interrupted us.
"Stop right there."
I turned to find a man in shining iron armor, his posture rigid and his expression smug. He had that look about him—the type who thought he was better than everyone around him. The type who probably went to bed every night thinking he was the hero in a grand story.
This was about to get annoying.
"What do you want from us, sir?" I asked, forcing the sarcasm into my voice as I sized him up. He was tall, broad-shouldered, but I didn't feel an ounce of fear. If anything, I just wanted to get this over with.
"I know you're a spy from another country!" he proclaimed, pointing a finger at me as if he had just solved the greatest mystery of all time. "I, the Captain of the Royal Knights of Foroaline, will detain you!"
I blinked slowly, trying to process what I'd just heard. Was this guy for real? He had the posture of someone who thought they were important, but the intelligence of a brick wall. What did he think he was going to do? Take me down?
"Hey!" Fil cut in, her voice sharp. "We didn't do anything, you crazed—"
"—FUCK!" She screamed, the expletive startling even me for a second. Her tiny body, hands on her hips, was radiating confidence despite her size. I had to stifle a laugh at her. Since when did my little system learn how to curse like a sailor?
I had to admit, it was amusing, but that didn't change the fact that this guy was still an idiot.
"Pfft!" I managed to cover my mouth as the laugh nearly escaped. I wasn't sure whether I was laughing because of Fil's unexpected outburst or because of how ridiculous this whole situation was.
"You dare mock me?" The knight was red-faced now, clearly not amused by Fil's language. He marched toward her, reaching down and grabbing her wrist with all the force of a bull charging a wall.
"I'll personally take you to my chambers!" he sneered, like it was some kind of victory.
What the fuck? This guy was seriously trying to—?
My blood boiled. There was no way I was going to let some idiot like this get away with that, especially not with Fil. Not her, and certainly not my system. This was where I drew the line.
"Alvron." I muttered the command.
The familiar marks on my body surged to life, wrapping around my skin like a second layer, stronger than before. I could feel the power coursing through me. The same power that made me untouchable.
Before the Captain could blink, I was in motion.
"You lust-crazed son of a bitch!" I roared, my fist connecting with his stomach.
The sound of the impact was deafening. The Captain flew backward, crashing into the stone walls of the city with an explosive crack.
CRASH!
The air around us went still for a moment, and I watched the Captain crumple to the ground, unable to get back up. I didn't need to look at Fil to know she was probably grinning.