Artificial lights cast a soft golden glow across the rumpled sheets.

  I lay on my side, watching Nebula's silver hair spread across the pillow like moonlight spilled onto silk.

  Her skin was cool against mine as she nestled closer, her head tucked against my shoulder, and her fingers absently tracing patterns on my chest.

  The peaceful silence between us felt sacred somehow. Different from our usual composed behaviour around people or the heated passion of the night before. Her lips curved into a languid smile as she tilted her head up to meet my gaze.

  "How much time do you think we have left?" she asked softly, her blue eyes now crimson thanks to all the blood she drank. "Before we need to head back into that maze?"

  I shrugged, my fingers trailing up and down her spine. "Does it matter? Time feels meaningless in here. I won't mind spending a few years with you alone.”

  "Says the man who is always rushing around doing stuff," she countered. “I appreciate your flirtatious reply, but seriously.”

  I chuckled. "Fair enough. I'd guess we have at least half a day before the rest period ends. Plenty of time to do whatever we want. Not like anyone's gonna find the exit in a day.”

  My words came out relaxed, playful even, but inside my mind raced with thoughts far heavier than our light exchange suggested.

  While I lay with Nebula, the memory of Solara—her phoenix flames, her need for my energy to balance her chaotic power—flashed in my head.

  What had happened between us wasn't just some magical necessity, a ritual that saved her life and extended mine. The emotion and intimacy there had been undeniable.

  Nebula deserved to know. Like how I let Lilian know. But how would she react?

  Vampires were possessive by nature. Unlike werewolves, who were alright giving into a stronger person, Vampires rather wanted multiple ‘servants’ by their nature. They didn't want to be one of the multiple in anyone's life.

  Granted, Nebula was different, more controlled, but still...

  "You've got that look," Nebula murmured, interrupting my thoughts. Her finger traced the furrow between my brows. "The one where you're overthinking something."

  I captured her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. This connection between us was too precious to risk with secrets.

  We'd built something rare in this world of nobles and betrayals—something based on trust, despite all odds.

  "I've got something to tell you," I said finally, my voice more serious than I intended.

  She stiffened slightly, her eyes narrowing with cautious curiosity. "Should I be worried?"

  I took a deep breath. "It's about Solara."

  A brief flicker of understanding crossed her face, but she remained silent, waiting.

  "Remember what I told you about the Highlands? When she absorbed the Phoenix Essence…" I continued, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "The power was too much for her body to handle. She was dying, Nebula. And the only way to save her was... through a form of dual cultivation.”

  The silence that followed felt eternal. Nebula's expression remained perfectly still, her eyes locked onto mine as if searching for something deeper than my words.

  "We didn't plan it," I added, suddenly feeling the need to fill the silence. "It was the only way to balance the chaotic energy tearing her apart. And—"

  "Did you sleep with her?" Nebula interrupted, her voice surprisingly calm.

  She deserved the truth. But as the silence stretched, I couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the moment everything cracked. After a moment, I nodded. "Yes."

  She exhaled slowly, her eyes finally breaking away from mine to stare at the ceiling.

  The tension in her fingers against my chest told me more than her carefully controlled expression.

  "I suspected as much," she said after a long moment. "The way she looks at you has changed. Well, she was looking at you in a romantic manner even before that.”

  I blinked, surprised by her perceptiveness. "You're not... furious?"

  A small, ironic smile touched her lips. "Would you prefer I throw a tantrum? Threaten you? Cry?" She shook her head. "I'm disappointed, yes. But not surprised."

  It hurt to hear the word ‘disappointed,’ but her pragmatism caught me off guard. "I don't understand."

  "I'm a vampire, Iska," she said, propping herself up on one elbow to look down at me. "Half-vampire, technically. While we are possessive by nature, we're not stupid. I knew something would happen between you two sooner or later. You're that type of man, after all. I don't mean any offence by that, since I did fall in love with the same man…”

  I rubbed the back of my head, feeling a lot more awkward than I showed.

  Nebula added, “Actually. Between Solara and Lilian, I actually prefer it's Solara. So since I've accepted that wolf anyway, what's the problem with the phoenix?”

  "What?"

  She rolled her eyes. "If anyone was going to share you with me, I'd pick Solara. She's impressive, intelligent, and she's not constantly glaring at me like she wants to rip my throat out. Rather, I love the way she's changed since the start of the academy. I sympathise with her given her background, and it puts a smile on my face to see her overcome the trauma thanks to us.”

  "I'm… glad to hear that,” I said. Although I felt the urge to defend someone else too. “Lilian doesn't—"

  "Yes, she does," Nebula said with a frown. "Why are you defending her, anyway? I know she doesn’t want to kill me anymore, but she’s still annoying." Her expression softened then, just a little. "Well... I guess she’s improved. A bit. She's more tolerable now." She looked away briefly, almost embarrassed. "But whatever. I’m not here to compliment her. That’s not happening."

  She paused, then added more quietly, “Since the day you told me about Lilian and I accepted it, I knew what I was signing up for. You're not like other people, Iskandaar. This thing between us... it’s messy, but I made peace with that. I think you’re worth it.”

  I reached up, brushing a strand of silver hair from her face. "You're remarkable, you know that?"

  "I am, like two other girls in your life, it turns out," she said dryly, making me open my mouth, but her laughter cut me off. A hint of her usual confidence returned. "But listen carefully, Iskandaar Romani. Solara is a special case. Don't you go around slipping into every girl's pants. That would piss us off, all three of us."

  The sternness in her voice couldn't quite hide the glint of humor in her eyes. Despite the gravity of our conversation, I found myself smiling.

  "I promise," I said solemnly, then leaned forward to plant a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose.

  She blinked in surprise, then scoffed with a smile. "What was that for, mister? You're not getting me into the mood again after this conversation."

  "Nah, I just couldn't hold back," I answered simply. "You looked irresistible for being such an understanding girl."

  "Well," she said, biting her lip in a way that sent heat coursing through me again, "if you're going to pamper me like that, I might have to forgive you more often."

  After saying I can't get her into the mood, look at her. I grinned and shifted, pushing her beneath me in one smooth movement. "Is that right? And here I thought you only liked me for my blood."

  Her eyes darkened, hands sliding up my arms to rest on my shoulders. "That's just a bonus."

  I was glad the talk went well.

  ****

  Walking through the maze after our rest felt a little different. Nebula and I moved with renewed energy, our steps lighter despite the oppressive atmosphere that permeated every stone corridor.

  We'd spent nearly twenty hours in that Rest Dungeon, making the most of the safety it provided. Now, we were back in the shifting labyrinth, and I could feel the subtle changes in the maze’s air. It was thicker, heavier, carrying whispers that brushed against the edge of consciousness.

  "You feel it too, don't you?" Nebula asked, her voice low as we navigated a narrow passage lined with faded murals. "The maze feels angrier somehow."

  I nodded, expanding my Demonic Sphere to scan our surroundings. "The longer we stay, the more it tests us. Not just our strength, but our sanity."

  We'd been tracking our progress meticulously since leaving the Rest Dungeon. Six hours of constant movement, five encounters with minor guardians, and three monster cores collected. Efficient, but exhausting.

  As we turned a corner, my Demonic Sphere pulsed a warning. I raised my hand, signaling Nebula to stop. Ahead, the corridor widened into a chamber where four adventurers waited in poor ambush positions.

  "We know you're there," I called out, not bothering to pretend I hadn't detected them. "If you're considering attacking us for our cores, I strongly suggest reconsidering."

  A tense silence followed before a burly man with a scarred face stepped into view, axe held loosely in his grip. "Just passing through, friend," he claimed, though his eyes betrayed his lie as they flicked to the pouch at my belt where I kept our monster cores.

  "Of course," I replied smoothly. "Then you won't mind stepping aside so we can pass."

  His three companions emerged from their hiding spots—a woman with twin daggers, a thin man clutching a wand, and a younger adventurer who couldn't have been more than eighteen, trembling slightly as he gripped a short sword.

  I assessed them quickly. The leader was Level 60. The others, lower. None of them a real threat to either of us.

  "Maybe we can help each other," the leader suggested, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Share resources, travel together. Safety in numbers, right?"

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "Certainly," Nebula responded with faux sweetness that sent a chill down even my spine. "Though I wonder what resources you're offering. You look hungry. Desperate."

  Her observation struck a nerve. The woman with daggers stepped forward aggressively. "Who are you calling desperate, mask-girl? We've been navigating this hellhole for days!"

  I subtly shifted my stance, ready to move if needed. "Then you should know better than to waste energy on unnecessary conflicts."

  "Just hand over your cores," the leader finally demanded, dropping the pretense. "We need the points more than you do."

  “Really?” I laughed. "Last warning. Walk away."

  They didn't.

  The leader charged first, his axe arcing toward my head in a predictable path.

  I sidestepped easily, my hand shooting out to grip his wrist and redirect his momentum into the wall. The crack of bone was followed by his howl of pain.

  Nebula moved like liquid shadow, appearing behind the dagger-wielding woman. A swift kick sent one of the woman's blades clattering across the floor before Nebula's elbow connected with her temple, dropping her instantly.

  The mage managed to fire off a bolt of energy that singed the edge of my cloak before I closed the distance. One precise strike to his solar plexus left him gasping on the ground, his wand rolling uselessly away.

  Only the young adventurer remained standing, his sword trembling visibly now.

  "I-I don't want to fight," he stammered, dropping his weapon. "Please."

  I studied him for a moment. Unlike the others, fear hadn't twisted into desperation in his eyes—just pure, honest terror.

  "Smart decision," I said. "Take your friends and go. Find another path."

  He nodded frantically, already moving to help the groaning mage to his feet. There was zero reason to kill them, so they were allowed to leave.

  As we left them behind, Nebula's eyes glinted with amusement behind her mask. "I feel like you’re getting soft," she teased. "What do your old memories say? From what you told me, the Murim world is a power jungle. I assumed you killed thousands of people to stay at the peak. Someone who would kill villages for mere inconvenience."

  "I didn’t know you had that sort of image of me, Nebula," I replied with a small smile. Thousands? She can never guess what the Heavenly Demon did. Of course, it didn’t actually matter. These memories weren’t mine; I’d just inherited them somehow. "I’m pure and kind, so naturally I let them go."

  We continued through the maze, our rhythm practiced and fluid. When we encountered a corridor lined with pressure plates, my senses detected the subtle differences in the stones.

  "Third from the left is safe," I murmured, stepping precisely on the indicated tile. "Then second from the right."

  She followed my lead hastily, trusting her vampire abilities to save her in case of a misstep.

  Together, we navigated the trapped passage without triggering a single plate—a feat that would have been impossible for either of us alone. While my Demonic Sphere helped with most traps, her Blood Magic helped out a bunch of times too; threads of blood helped activate traps from a safe distance.

  Hours blended together into days as we pushed deeper into the maze. Occasionally, we glimpsed other participants through distant archways or around corners—some working together, others wandering alone with haunted expressions.

  In one particularly disturbing encounter, we watched from concealment as three adventurers turned on each other. Their argument started quietly but escalated with unnatural speed.

  "It's the Whispering Shadows," I explained to Nebula as we observed the disintegrating alliance. "They don't just mimic voices to lure you away, it seems. They plant doubts, stoke paranoia."

  Sure enough, within minutes, two of the adventurers lay dead, and the third fled down a corridor, hands covered in blood, whispering frantically to himself.

  "This place is breaking people," Nebula observed soberly. "And I don't think it's just the maze's design. Not totally, anyway. There’s something eerie, Iskandaar. The cultists…"

  I nodded, recalling the ritual chamber we'd found earlier. "Those people are taking advantage of the chaos and isolation."

  We pressed on, collecting another guardian core after a brief skirmish with a crystalline construct that shattered beautifully under Nebula's blood magic.

  I was just about to suggest we find a secure location to rest when I heard it—a distant, rhythmic chanting that seemed to vibrate through the very stones beneath our feet.

  Nebula froze, her head tilting slightly as her enhanced hearing picked up the sound. "That's... not the maze's whispers."

  "No," I agreed, a sense of dread settling in my gut. "That's something much worse."

  We exchanged a look of understanding before moving cautiously toward the source, keeping to the shadows as the chanting grew louder with each step.

  The corridor opened into a vast circular chamber unlike any we'd encountered before. Ancient pillars stretched toward a domed ceiling covered in corrupted runes that pulsed with sickly green light.

  But it was what stood at the center that froze my blood.

  Four cultists formed a perfect square around a swirling vortex of chaotic energy. The portal—if that's what it was—crackled with unnatural lightning, its edges fluctuating between existence and nothingness as it tore at the fabric of reality.

  A low, persistent hum emanated from it, vibrating at a frequency that made my teeth ache.

  The cultists themselves were a disturbing sight. One was dressed in the robes of a priest, though the holy symbols had been defaced and replaced with the twisted iconography of the Outer God. The second wore the practical leathers of an adventurer, while the fourth was draped in elaborate purple robes adorned with silver threads that formed complex, nauseating patterns.

  And the third… the third wore the unmistakable uniform of a Waybound Academy student, though the fabric was now stained with ritualistic symbols drawn in what looked horribly like blood.

  Between them, bound and gagged on the stone floor, lay two terrified participants—one a young mage I vaguely recognized from the academy, the other an older adventurer whose eyes darted frantically between his captors.

  The cultists' chanting rose and fell in a disturbing cadence.

  "Flesh to essence, blood to power,

  Breach the veil in this sacred hour.

  O’ Ancient One beyond the stars,

  Accept this offering, break these bars!!"

  "They're going to sacrifice them," Nebula whispered, horror evident in her voice.

  I nodded grimly, my hand already reaching for my sword. "Not if we can help it."

  But before we could move, the ritual reached its crescendo. The purple-robed cultist raised an ornate dagger, its blade reflecting the sickly light of the portal.

  "Xohr'Veskhaa, hear our plea," he intoned. "Accept this mortal essence and draw closer to our realm!"

  The dagger plunged downward, embedding itself in the chest of the young mage. Instead of blood, however, what flowed from the wound was pure energy—a luminous stream of life force that coiled like smoke toward the portal.

  The mage's body seemed to age rapidly, skin withering, hair turning white, then dissolving entirely into particles of light that were sucked into the vortex.

  The portal pulsed, growing slightly larger.

  "We need to move," I hissed, drawing my sword. "Now!"

  We burst from our hiding place simultaneously. Nebula targeted the academy student cultist, her blood magic manifesting as crimson chains that wrapped around him before he could react. I went for the dagger-wielding leader, my Stellar Qi-infused blade slicing through the air.

  “Who dares-!” The priest and adventurer cultists reacted with surprising speed, abandoning their positions in the ritual to confront us.

  Corrupted magic crackled from the priest's fingertips while the adventurer drew twin shortswords that gleamed with an unnatural purple sheen.

  "Heretics!" the priest screamed, his face contorted with fanatical rage. "You dare interrupt the sacred summoning?!"

  I dodged a bolt of corrupted energy, closing the distance with a burst of speed. "Save it," I growled, delivering a precise strike to his shoulder that sent him crumpling to the ground.

  Nebula had already subdued her target, the academy student now unconscious at her feet. She turned her attention to the remaining adventurer, who charged her with wild abandon.

  "The Awakening can't be stopped!" he shrieked, his blades a blur as he attacked. "Xohr'Veskhaa rises!"

  Nebula sidestepped gracefully, her foot catching his ankle and sending him sprawling. Before he could rise, she was on him, a swift strike to the base of his skull neutralizing him.

  Only the leader remained, his face a mask of hatred as he backed toward the portal, dagger still clutched in his hand. The remaining captured adventurer struggled against his bonds, eyes wide with terror as the cultist dragged him closer to the swirling vortex.

  "Stay back," the cultist warned, pressing the dagger to his captive's throat. "Or he dies immediately."

  I held up a hand, signaling Nebula to pause. "You're surrounded and outnumbered," I said calmly. "Release him, and we can talk about this rationally."

  The cultist laughed, a high, unhinged sound that echoed unnaturally in the chamber. "Rationally? There is no rational response to the truth I've seen! Our God… the one true God comes whether you interfere or not. The only choice is whether you're consumed like cattle or ascend as the faithful!"

  "Let him go," I repeated, my voice harder now. "This is your last warning."

  For a moment, I thought he might comply—his grip on the dagger loosened slightly. Then his expression shifted, a terrible certainty replacing the fanaticism.

  "The vessel prepares," he whispered, his eyes fixed on something beyond the portal that only he could see. "We are but the harbingers."

  In one fluid motion, he slit the throat of his captive and shoved the dying man toward us. As Nebula lunged forward to intercept the falling body, the cultist turned and leaped into the swirling vortex.

  There was no scream, no dramatic dissolution—just a brief flash of light as his body vanished into the chaotic energy. No, it didn’t quite vanish. It vaporized into it. The portal pulsed once, twice, then began to stabilize, its edges becoming more defined.

  "What the—" Nebula stared in disbelief.

  I knelt beside the dying adventurer, but it was too late. His eyes had already glazed over, life draining from them as his blood pooled on the ancient stones.

  "We need to secure the others," I said grimly, turning toward the unconscious cultists. "Before they wake up or follow their leader's example."

  But even as the words left my mouth, the remaining cultists began to stir—not waking, but convulsing violently. Before we could reach them, their bodies arched in impossible angles, mouths opening in silent screams as the same energy that had consumed the mage earlier began to pour from their eyes, nose, and mouth.

  "It's a fail-safe," I realized with horror. "They're being sacrificed remotely!"

  We watched, helpless, as their bodies withered and dissolved, streams of energy flowing into the portal just as their leader had. Within moments, nothing remained of them but empty robes and a lingering sense of wrongness.

  Nebula and I stood in stunned silence, the portal's hum the only sound in the chamber.

  "What do we do now?" she finally asked, her voice uncharacteristically small.

  Before I could answer, footsteps echoed from one of the connecting corridors—multiple sets, running fast. I readied my sword again, positioning myself between Nebula and the potential threat.

  But it wasn't cultists or guardians that burst into the chamber. It was Lilian and Solara, their expressions shifting from alert caution to shocked relief as they saw us.

  "YOUNG MASTER!" Lilian cried, launching herself across the distance between us with inhuman speed. She collided with me in a tight embrace that nearly knocked me off my feet. "You're alive! We've been searching everywhere!"

  Solara was only a step behind, her crimson wings flaring slightly in agitation as she approached. "We felt the energy disturbance from three corridors away," she explained, her eyes taking in the scene—the portal, the bloodstains, the empty robes. "What happened here?"

  Despite the grim situation, I couldn't help the wave of relief that washed over me at seeing them both unharmed.

  Nebula stepped forward, removing her mask since we were among allies. "Cult ritual. Human sacrifice. The usual cheerful stuff."

  "I'm glad you're both safe," I said sincerely as I returned Lilian's embrace before reaching out to clasp Solara's shoulder firmly. "We've been trying to find you too."

  It’d been a few days, and I was worried they’d have fallen to the cultists’ tricks by now. But they were safe and strong.

  Lilian nodded vigorously. "Same here! I got excited when I smelled your scent earlier. We’ve been following it for hours, but this place keeps changing. If it wasn't for that massive surge of corrupted power just now, we might never have found you."

  "Well, at least something good came from this mess," Nebula observed dryly.

  Solara's attention had already shifted to the portal, her expression troubled as she approached it cautiously. "This is... wrong. It doesn't feel like any portal I've studied. It's like it's connected to something that shouldn't exist in our reality."

  I joined her, careful not to step too close to the swirling energy. "That's because it probably is. The cultists called it a connection to something named Xohr'Veskhaa."

  “Xohr'Veskhaa?”

  “The deity that the Cultists pray to.”

  Lilian frowned. "So is it a real God? That can't end well.”

  Whatever entity lay beyond that portal, whatever the cultists were trying to bring into our world, it was a threat unlike any we had faced before. We turned to the portal. On the other side of that swirling energy was probably the Outer God himself.

  "Can we destroy it?" Nebula asked as she nudged her chin at the portal.

  Solara observed. "I'm not sure. Portals like this usually have anchors—physical objects that maintain the connection. But without knowing what they used…”

  "The android should be able to find it," I said firmly. "I'm sure she won't be thrilled to know an Outsider God is trying to come to her island. We have to stop it no matter what.”

  The girls exchanged glances and then looked ahead. We stood side by side, staring at the swirling vortex that seemed to pulse in rhythm with our heartbeats.

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