"I kind of always saw myself as the villain everyone wished would die but never did. It's nice to have a change of pace for once." She smiled softly, leaping off. "But I will need a serious manicure after this. I think I might have,chipped a nail." She pouted, free-falling before landing on another crumbling rock.
She shook her head, her ash-black hair swaying behind her. Lightly patting her flushed cheeks, she panted. "Let's stay alive first. Okay? Okay!"
Moving as fast as a dragonfly in a summer storm, Alexia darted from rock to rock like a phantom. "I wish I had a higher rank," she muttered, wincing as some of her scales chipped and pain throbbed through her body.
"At least I'm going to rest soon." Her gaze locked onto the circular marble platform below. With a final burst of speed, she leaped off, flipping midair before landing gracefully. "Yeah, just like that scene from my favorite book," she panted, chest rising and falling as she trembled.
Coughing, she dropped to her knees before collapsing onto her front. "It was nice while it lasted," she hummed, pressing her cheek against the cool marble.
"Congratulations, fated one. You have escaped a cruel demise."
Alexia's mouth fell open. Slowly, she lifted her head to stare at the talking marble statue.
She rubbed her eyes. It was still there.
"Come, challenger, and receive your reward."
Smack.
"Ow—nope, still awake," she groaned, pushing herself up while rubbing her stinging cheek.
The statue's head moved. Alexia froze, holding her breath as it turned toward her.
Then, it knelt.
Its blindfolded face tilted slightly before a smile curved its lips.
"Oh. My. Lugus." Alexia gasped. A strange warmth coiled in her chest, an unfamiliar weight pressing against her ribs. For some reason, she felt that the statue—despite its lifeless form—was looking at her with... reverence.
"A worthy heir."
The words sent a shiver down her spine. The statue struck its staff against the ground, and Alexia's eyes locked onto the shining blue star atop it.
"Do not be afraid," the statue said.
"This will only pain you for the meantime."
Pain me? What does that mean?
Alexia barely had time to process the words before the blue star flared, its light expanding into a swirling vortex of deep, electric blue. The energy surged toward her, slamming into her chest like a battering ram.
Her breath hitched. Then—
Agony.
A scream tore from her throat, raw and guttural, as an invisible force wrenched at her very being. A sickening crack echoed in the cavern as something deep inside her twisted unnaturally. Blood exploded from her nose and ears, pouring down her face in thick, hot streams.
She clawed at her own skin as fire—no, something worse than fire—seeped into her veins, turning her body into a battlefield of pain. Her muscles spasmed uncontrollably, limbs jerking like a puppet with its strings yanked too hard. She collapsed onto her side, her nails digging into the marble as her body convulsed.
"Prove yourself or join the forgotten."
The statue's voice was void of emotion, an unfeeling judge to her suffering.
Alexia's vision blurred, but she could still see the pools of crimson spreading beneath her. Her ears rang, the sound warping in and out, a static-filled void swallowing everything. Then, a new sensation—her eyes burned. The pain was sharp, stabbing from the inside out. She gasped, but her throat felt thick, clogged. She tasted copper.
No, not just copper.
Bloody foam dripped from her lips, her lungs squeezing as if hands wrapped around her ribs, pressing, crushing. Her breath hitched, then stilled for a terrifying second before she inhaled in sharp, shallow bursts.
Her body refused to obey. She was drowning in her own blood.
Her consciousness flickered like a dying ember, the cavern's lights dimming around her.
Was this it? Was this where she fell?
No.
Somewhere in the haze of suffering, something deep within her—something primal—snarled.
Alexia gritted her teeth, her lips splitting from the force, but she refused to let go. If this was her trial, then she would endure. She would survive.
Even if it meant dragging herself back from the brink of death itself.
***
"Ugh. My head feels like it got split by a sword, then smashed by a hammer, then tossed into a forge for good measure.
A flicker of orange danced beside her. Alexia turned to see the little flame staring at her, unblinking.
She looked away, grumbling. "Fine. I don't actually know what that feels like. My arm though—different story." She muttered, dragging herself upright.
The moment she sat up, pain ripped through her skull. A sharp, lingering echo of agony lanced through her nerves, like invisible claws still raking down her skin. Her ears rang with phantom screams—her screams. Her muscles twitched involuntarily, as if her body still remembered the torment it had just endured.
"What…happened to me?" She breathed, then—
"AH!"
The scream tore from her throat the moment her eyes locked onto the statue.
Memories surged in a violent flood. The searing pain. The blood pouring from her eyes. The suffocating pressure, like her bones were about to shatter. Dying. She was dying. She scrambled backward on shaking limbs, heart pounding so hard she swore her ribs would crack.
She reached up, expecting to feel warm blood coating her face. Nothing.
She froze.
Her fingers trembled as they traced over smooth, unblemished skin. Her breath came out in short, erratic pants.
"I… I was dying."
She turned her hands over, staring at her palms. Perfectly fine. No blood. No burns. No signs of what she had just suffered.
Her lips parted as an eerie thought crept in. Was that real? Or was it all in my head?
The little flame tilted slightly, as if questioning her. Alexia swallowed hard.
"…You would think with all this blood pumping, I'd look like a cherry," she mumbled, forcing out a weak chuckle. But even her own voice sounded distant, like she wasn't quite inside her own body.
Then she looked down.
The platform she sat on was suspended over an endless abyss.
"…Curse my mangled body! Oh wait—I'm actually fine?"
Her voice cracked as disbelief filled her eyes. She clenched and unclenched her hand, testing her limbs. No pain. No stiffness. No injuries.
"But I clearly felt blood." She pressed her palms against her cheeks, then ran her hands through her hair, pulling slightly. Still here. Still real.
"For Lugus' sake… I swear I saw the white light a second ago. I was dying. So how—"
Her gaze snapped back to the statue.
"Hello?" She waved a hand at it cautiously. "So… I passed the challenge? You did speak, right?"
Silence.
The statue remained still, blindfolded, hands resting on its staff as if nothing had happened.
A cold shiver crawled down Alexia's spine.
"You did speak. Right?" Her voice wavered slightly. She stepped closer, stomach twisting. "I heard you. Why aren't you saying anything?!"
Still no response.
Her breath quickened.
"This doesn't make sense." She gritted her teeth, yanking on her braid hard enough to sting her scalp. "The trial! The place was collapsing!" She spun around, her eyes wild.
But the cavern was perfectly intact.
No crumbling bridge. No falling stalactites. No molten waves of death. Just smooth marble and silent, blood-red crystals glistening overhead.
Alexia felt her stomach drop.
"The sky was falling. The bridge was crumbling into lava! You believe me, right?" She turned desperately to the little flame. It just flickered, unbothered.
None of it was real.
Or worse—it was real, but only for her.
[Greetings, host. You have passed the Trial of Destiny. I am Hermes. Your reward and system.]
Alexia flinched.
Her entire body went rigid, heart slamming against her ribs.
A voice. In her head.
She inhaled sharply, fists clenched.
"What. Host? Are you a parasite?! And what are you doing in my body?!"
[Host, I am not a parasite. I am a system designed by Astra, the goddess of destiny, to aid you in your quest to defeat the Demon King.]
"Wait. Stop." Alexia held her head, her temple throbbing. System? Host? Defeat the Demon King? When had she ever signed up for this?
"Look, I came here for the Fire Heart Stone—which, in retrospect, was probably a bad idea. Just pretend you never knew me and let me go."
[The host cannot escape. You bear the Mark of Destiny. Fate can neither be controlled nor prevented.]
Her fingers tangled in her braids as she let out a groan, loosening them. Her ash-black hair cascaded down her shoulders like an ink-stained waterfall, framing her face. "I can see you don't understand me," she muttered, "but I don't care. Do whatever makes you happy, and I'll do what pleases me." She smiled, feigning indifference, then turned her attention to the little flame.
[If the host defeats the Demon King, she will gain the acceptance she has always desired.]
Alexia froze.
Her breath hitched, fingers curling into fists at her sides.
Gritting her teeth, she turned sharply to the little flame. "Where is the Fire Heart Stone? Don't tell me all this was for nothing."
The flame wriggled before flashing forward, leading the way.
Alexia exhaled, following after it. Her voice was quiet, almost bitter.
"Cheer up," she murmured to herself. "What's all this compared to Father's approval? If I have that... I wouldn't need to be a host to a demon parasite."
[Hermes shall wait for you to comply. I am an all-powerful system, not a parasite.]
Alexia rolled her eyes. "No one ever admits to what they truly are. Especially if it isn't pleasant." She huffed, running a hand down her face. "Why am I even talking to you?"
Trying to distract herself, her gaze landed on the statue she was passing. Its golden crown, long curls of marble hair, and elegant gown made its identity obvious. "Goddess Astra, huh? I hope we never meet." She muttered before looking forward.
Another door.
A massive set of onyx double doors loomed before her, blocking her path. She let out a long, suffering groan.
"Another door? Seriously?" She threw up her hands as the little flame zipped through the obstacle effortlessly.
"Favoritism at its finest."
[Host need not worry. I shall assist you.]
At its words, the onyx doors swung open without resistance. Alexia scoffed, stepping through. "Yeah, I didn't need your help, parasite." But this time, her tone was more teasing than hostile.
[Host, please refrain from calling me that.]
Alexia smirked. "You said it yourself. I'm your host. That makes you the parasite, no?"
[That is merely system etiquette.]
She shrugged. "Not my problem… Parasite."
[System mission issued: Retrieve Fire Heart Stone and free mission target.]
[Mission target: Last Phoenix.]
[Mission rewards: Advancement by a rank.]
Alexia crossed her arms. "Okay, I'm already getting the Fire Heart Stone, but what's a Phoenix, and why do I have to save it?"
[Mission failure: Demotion to F rank.]
Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."
[Mission failure: Demotion to F rank.]
She gasped. "Wait—Stop! I don't agree to this, you—"
[Mission failure: Demotion to F rank.]
"Ugh. Fine!" She clenched her fists, her entire body screaming injustice. 'Dumb parasitic demon spawn.'
[Mission timer: Two hours.]
"You son of a goblin!"
[Mission timer: One and a half hours.]
She froze. "Wait. Are you eavesdropping on my thoughts? PRIVACY!"
[Mission timer: One hour.]
[Host, I suggest you refrain from complaining and focus on your mission. A responsible Host should not curse… especially at the System.]
Alexia inhaled sharply through her nose. "This isn't over."
[Go, Host! Go! :D]
Her eye twitched. "I swear to Lugus, I am going to throw hands with a voice in my head."
Alexia let out a hot breath. Happy thoughts! She took a step forward—then froze.
"What in Lugus' name…?"
Her mouth gaped as she took in the massive scarlet castle looming ahead, its jagged black spires piercing the sky like obsidian fangs. The entire fortress seemed to pulse with an eerie, crimson glow, as though it were alive, breathing in sync with the monstrous blood moon hanging just above it. That moon was too large, too red—watching. A chill ran down her spine, but she shook it off, shifting her gaze to the little flame hovering beside her.
"How come it looks so… new?" Her voice wavered slightly. "And what's up with the ominous moon?"
The tiny fire puffed up its chest, floating forward with exaggerated swagger.
She huffed out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she stepped onto the vermillion bridge. The icy metal railing sent a shiver up her arms. Glancing down, she found her reflection staring back at her from the still, inky black water below.
Her fingers instinctively reached for the pendant resting against her chest.
A twisted cage of blackened silver encased the gemstone, tendrils of dark metal curling around the fiery crystal within. The stone itself burned with an otherworldly glow—embers and galaxies swirling in its depths, as if it held a dying star trapped inside.
Her gaze darkened.
It's for the best.
She turned away from her reflection in the moat and pressed forward, each step echoing against the glossy scarlet staircase leading to the castle entrance. Running her fingers along the smooth railings, she kept the little flame in her line of sight. It flitted toward the grand golden doors at the castle's front, their surface engraved with ancient symbols that shimmered faintly in the dim light.
Alexia rolled her eyes. "Can deities be more original?"
[Do not fret, Host. These are normal doors.]
"Finally." She sighed, looking up at them. Without hesitation, she pushed them open and stepped inside.
A shiver ran through her the moment she crossed the threshold.
"For a second, I felt… weird," she murmured, rubbing her arms. "But… familiar weird."
She hesitated. Then, shaking her head, she forced a smirk.
"Nah. Maybe I'm just overthinking."