Chapter 2: Safe Zones and Side Quests

  I didn’t even get a second to breathe before the system started spamming my vision again.

  \ [Quest: Find a Safe Zone. Time Remaining: 27:42\]

  \ [Optional Quest: Rescue a Civilian (Reward: ???) \]

  \ [Status: Magical Girl. Transformation Locked.\]

  My hands—tiny, glittery, shaking—tightened around the Heart Rod. The world smelled like burnt rubber, asphalt, and something sickly-sweet. My skirt swished with every step, a constant reminder that yes, this was real, and yes, those were my knees.

  Somewhere nearby, a car alarm wailed. Broken glass crunched under my boots.

  Then—a movement.

  A little kid, maybe eight, huddled under a busted traffic light. His eyes were huge. He stared at my hair, my skirt, and the blood and feathers everywhere.

  “Are you… a hero?” he whispered.

  I almost laughed. Or cried. Maybe both. “I’m—yeah. Sure, kid.”

  The Heart Rod pulsed in my hand, warm and insistent, almost like it was alive.

  \[Quest Updated: Escort Civilian to Safe Zone.\]

  Because, of course. Apparently, saving the world came with side quests now. And I was doing it in a skirt.

  The timer kept ticking. Somewhere down the street, another monster shrieked. I swallowed, squared my shoulders, and tried to remember how to walk like I still had dignity left.

  “C’mon,” I said. “Let’s get out of here before my magical boots run out of luck.”

  The city was a war zone, the sky was glitching, and somewhere in the chaos, I was supposed to be the hero.

  Yeah. This was definitely happening.

  The kid’s hand was clammy in mine. “I’m Ethan,” he whispered, clutching a battered Pokémon backpack tight against his chest. A little Pikachu keychain dangled from the zipper, bouncing every time his hand trembled.

  He kept sneaking glances at me—like I was a superhero, or maybe just the least terrifying thing left on the street. If only he knew. My knees were shaking worse than his.

  The timer in my vision ticked down with every breath.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  \ [Time Remaining: 26:19\]

  We ducked behind a burned-out SUV just as something huge crashed down the street—a lizard-thing, all scales, and teeth, tearing through a mailbox like it was paper.

  My new heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest. Heat radiated off the monster as it roared, the sound splitting the air. My skin prickled with sweat. I could feel the skirt swishing around my thighs, the boots pinching my toes; every part of this body felt alien and wrong.

  “Stay down,” I whispered. My voice still sounded unfamiliar, way too high.

  The lizard’s head snapped our way. Its eyes glowed blue, and for a second, I caught my reflection—pink hair, glitter-streaked cheeks, and terror in my eyes.

  The thing charged, claws gouging asphalt, jaws opening wide. Its breath hit me—a wave of hot, rotten stink.

  My boots pinched. My balance was all wrong—too much ankle, not enough muscle memory in these legs. I stumbled, nearly dropping the rod.

  Instinct took over. The Heart Rod felt heavier than before, almost humming in my grip. I flung my arm out, the rod leading, awkward but desperate.

  “LOVE BLAST!”

  The words were pure reflex. Power surged through my arm—wild and hot, tingling from my shoulder down to my fingers. The rod vibrated, almost singing, as a beam of pink light punched the monster square in the snout.

  It exploded in a spray of confetti and smoke.

  The blast of heat knocked me flat on my ass. Grit scraped my legs. My hand stung from the aftershock, a buzz of leftover magic. For a moment, the world spun and all I could hear was the ringing in my ears.

  Ethan ducked behind the SUV, eyes wide. He started to say something—a squeak, a question, my maybe name—but all that came out was a shaky, “Whoa.”

  He fiddled with the Pikachu keychain, twisting it around his finger until his knuckles turned white.

  I lay there, stunned, skirt bunched up, vision swimming.

  The system chimed:

  \ [+50 XP. Combo Bonus! Achievement Unlocked: “First Escort.” \]

  Ethan was staring at me. “That was—are you okay?”

  I wanted to say yes. Instead, my mouth went dry. I hesitated, trying to steady my breathing.

  I was a guy in a magical girl’s body, fighting monsters with sparkles and hope, trying not to lose my mind. My chest was tight. Every movement reminded me I didn’t fit—like my skin was a costume and I’d forgotten my lines, like I was stuck playing a hero in someone else’s story.

  For a second, I missed my old life—my mom’s voice in the kitchen, Jay’s dumb jokes, even my stupid, greasy apron at the diner. I’d give anything to go back, just for a minute.

  But the world wasn’t going to wait for me to figure it out. Somewhere nearby, another roar echoed. The timer ticked lower, relentlessly.

  Ethan nodded, but his lip trembled. “Will there be more monsters?”

  He looked away, squeezing his backpack tighter.

  I forced a grin I didn’t feel. “Probably. But I’ve got your back, okay?”

  He nodded again, tighter this time, and I hoped he believed me. I wished I did, too.

  I forced myself up, brushing grit off my skirt with shaking hands. The rod still tingled in my palm, the magic slow to fade. “We’re not safe yet. Let’s go.”

  With every monster I blasted, every step dragging us closer to the safe zone, I felt something shifting inside. The old Tyler was slipping—bit by bit—replaced by someone I barely recognized. If I survived this—if either of us did—would I ever find my way back to who I was? Or was I just leveling up into a stranger?

  But, just maybe, I was also leveling up into someone stronger. Someone who could keep going. Who could protect a scared kid, even when everything felt wrong?

  Glass crunched. Sirens wailed. I squeezed Ethan’s hand and ran.

  The game wasn’t letting up—and neither was I.