“Hopefully, I’ll get something nice. A noble meal.” Damien whispered to himself.
The sun sank lower in the sky as Damien strolled through the lively streets of the town, his silver hair catching the light and his calm demeanor drawing gazes from every corner.
Word had spread quickly—he was the one who had returned with a dozen captives freed from the clutches of demons, and he bore no visible injuries.
To the townsfolk, he was a mysterious hero, a savior who had somehow emerged unscathed from a mission that would have been suicidal for most.
Of course, none of them knew the truth. Beneath his composed exterior, Damien’s body ached with lingering injuries from his fierce battle with the Grade Three demon.
Each step sent a dull throb through his muscles, but he refused to let it show. He wasn’t about to let the town know how close he had been to breaking.
The scent of roasted meats and freshly baked bread guided Damien to a small restaurant tucked into the corner of the bustling market square.
Damien stepped inside, the chatter of diners softening as they noticed his presence. A waiter approached nervously, his hands trembling slightly as he handed Damien the menu. “How may I be of service, sir?”
Damien skimmed through it quickly and ordered a hearty meal. “I’ll take a spiced lamb stew, roasted vegetables, and a loaf of warm bread.”
“Will that be all, sir?” The waiter asked, curious to know if Damien needed something else.
“Yes, that’ll be all.” Damien added a nod to his answer.
“Understood.” The waiter bowed politely disappeared to the kitchen, and Damien leaned back in his chair, exhaling softly.
As he waited for his food, he couldn’t help but notice the murmurs around him.
“That’s him, yeah?”
“Yup! He’s the one that rescued them.”
“That’s crazy!”
“Heard his name is Damien.”
“Last name?” One of them whispered a question.
People whispered about his exploits, some staring openly while others sneaked glances from behind their cups of ale.
“Don’t think he has a last name.” Another one answered.
“Hmm… I see.”
Damien ignored them, focusing instead on the tantalizing aroma wafting from the kitchen.
When his meal arrived, he ate with deliberate slowness, savoring the flavors while keeping his ears attuned to the conversations around him. It was a hot and spicy meal.
Though he had little interest in the gossip, he couldn’t ignore the subtle tension beneath the town’s otherwise lively atmosphere. Demons were becoming bolder, and fear lingered in every corner.
“The demons have been spotted closer than ever. I think they’ve been coming closer for a while now.” The conversation shifted mid meal which piqued Damien’s interest.
“I heard they move in group now.” Another one stated.
After finishing his meal and leaving a generous payment, Damien stepped back onto the streets. The whispers and stares followed him all the way to his lodge, but he paid them no mind. His focus was on his recovery.
Once inside his room, Damien locked the door and moved to the small table where he’d placed the vials of healing potions he’d purchased earlier. He picked up one of the vials, examining the liquid swirling within.
“Here goes nothing,” he muttered, uncorking the vial and downing it in one gulp. A soothing warmth spread through his body, easing the dull ache in his muscles. “Ahhh…” He exhaled in slight relief.
He waited a moment before taking a second vial, hoping that doubling up would speed up the healing process. As the effects settled in, the sharp pangs in his chest and back began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of relief.
Satisfied, Damien set the empty vial aside and collapsed onto the bed. The day’s events played briefly in his mind before sleep claimed him, pulling him into a deep, dreamless rest.
The next thing Damien knew, a sharp chime echoed in his mind.
Ding!
A familiar panel flashed before his eyes.
«You have received a new mission!»
«Demon Annihilation: Demons have surrounded the area. Annihilate them all before the area is destroyed.»
Damien blinked groggily, his body still heavy with sleep. He was about to dismiss the notification when the next one hit him like a jolt of lightning.
«You have 02:59:57 to complete the mission.»
“What?!” Damien shot upright, his heart pounding.
His mind raced as he processed the details, but the system wasn’t done. Another notification appeared, this one chilling him to the bone.
«Failure: Death!»
Damien’s breath caught in his throat. He had faced high-stakes missions before, but this was the first time failure meant his own demise. The urgency of the situation burned into his mind.
Before he could fully gather his thoughts, the ground shook violently beneath him.
Boooom!!
An earsplitting explosion followed, the sound reverberating through the walls of his room.
Damien leaped to his feet, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he grabbed his sword and strapped it to his back. He flung open the window and scanned the horizon.
Flames licked at the edges of the town, and the faint outlines of figures—too large and twisted to be human—moved in the distance.
“Damn it,” he muttered, summoning Aquila with a flick of his wrist. The portal shimmered to life just outside the building, and the massive griffin stepped through, its eyes gleaming with readiness.
“Aquila, we’ve got work to do,” Damien said, climbing onto its back.
With a powerful beat of its wings, the griffin launched into the sky, carrying Damien toward the source of the explosion.
“Ruuuunn!!”
“Head for the town’s edge!”
Below, panicked townsfolk fled for safety, their screams blending with the guttural roars of demons.
As they approached the outskirts of the town, Damien’s sharp eyes took in the chaos. Demons swarmed through the streets, their grotesque forms illuminated by the glow of the flames they had ignited.
Most were smaller, lower-ranked demons, but he could sense stronger presences lurking among them.
Damien’s grip tightened on the reins. “Let’s end this.”
Aquila let out a piercing cry, diving toward the fray as Damien prepared for another battle that would test the limits of his strength. Even though he wasn’t fully healed, he readied himself to face another battle.