Zaine Part 1

As Dagrol and Eldrin just vanished in front of me, a strange unease settled over me. The oppressive silence Dragol left didn't last long—my thoughts were overtaken by a vivid memory, a flashback so sharp it felt like I was living it again.

My battle with Duke Vanth.

I remembered the cold chill of that moment when Vanth's dark beam came hurtling toward me while I was held by one of his monsters without being able to move, a monstrous wave of energy with no chance of escape. The despair, the certainty of ****, the agonizing realization that I couldn't move fast enough. And then, the inexplicable. I disappeared—vanished from where I stood—and reappeared high in the sky, narrowly avoiding the dark beam.

At the time, I hadn't stopped to think about how or why it had happened. I had been too focused on survival. But now, seeing Eldrin's teleportation, the pieces were falling into place. My heartbeat quickened, my breath growing shallow as a chilling thought took hold.

Space-time magic...

Dagrol's words echoed in my mind. Only the Zrephia royalty lineage, descendants of the goddess [Imris] herself, could wield such power.

Could it be true? Could I be connected to the Zrephian royals after all?

For a long time, I spent the time believing that the color of my eyes was just a coincidence. There was no way that someone like me, a simple boy from a small village, would be linked in one way or another to a dynasty so impressive that it seemed to be taken from a fairy tale. Yet, my eyes, my encounter with the goddess Imris and the power she gave me, and now how I disappeared and appeared elsewhere in my fight against Vanth. The thought made my stomach churn. I had spent so much of my life questioning who—or what—I really was. Was this the answer? And if it was, what did it mean for me? There is no more way to deny to myself that I have a bond with Zrephia, and now I just have to discover what it is.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the present. This wasn't the time to unravel the mysteries of my bloodline. Zaine needed me.

I turned to my left to see Zaine, who was on the ground, finally free of his chains. I stood up and took a couple of steps to reach her. Gently, I lowered myself to the ground; I grabbed her fragile body, laying her down as carefully as I could. I placed her head on my thighs, cradling it with one hand while brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face with the other.

Her pale skin, tired expression, and the faint rise and fall of her chest made her seem fragile—too fragile.

"Zaine," I whispered, my voice soft but urgent, "Can you hear me? It's me, Darx."

There was no response. Her breathing was shallow, her body limp. I pressed two fingers to the side of her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was weak but steady, giving me a faint reassurance.

"Zaine," I murmured, "You're free now."

Her eyelids fluttered slightly, but they didn't open. A small groan escaped her lips, more like a reflex than a sign of awareness. A faint sigh escaped me as I studied Zaine's face. She was alive, but barely. Her body had been through unimaginable torment.

As I struggled to decide what to do next, I felt a faint warmth from the medallion around my neck, and a familiar, high-pitched voice whispered nervously.

"D-Dox? Is it... safe now?"

I touched the medallion gently, letting its glow intensify. In a flash of light, Sunshine emerged.

"They're gone," I said, attempting to reassure her, "Both Dagrol and Eldrin. I can't sense them anywhere nearby."

Her nervous fluttering slowed as she cautiously looked around and landed on my shoulder, "A-Are you sure? Those two are terrifying! Especially that creepy guy with red eyes!"

"I'm sure," I replied, my voice steady, "We're safe now."

Sunshine let out a small sigh of relief, though her tiny frame still trembled slightly, "Good. Because if I have to see them again, I might just go back into the medallion forever!" She paused, tilting her head as her gaze fell on Zaine, "This is Zaine, right!? She is prettier than I thought. When you told me that Zaine used to be the Demon Queen, I imagined she would be an intimidating demon with ten horns and scales and even more of a whore than Namy," Sunshine left my shoulder to fly over Zaine, "On the contrary, she is very pretty and has tremendous melons, yet she looks very fragile."

"Yeah, she is Zaine," I said softly, brushing a lock of hair from Zaine's face again, "I... I managed to rescue her, but she's in bad shape, as you can see."

Sunshine flitted closer, hovering over Zaine as she studied her with wide, curious eyes, "She really doesn't look good at all. Did you already try waking her up?"

"Of course I did," I admitted, "I tried to wake her up, but she didn't react. She had a horrible time, after all. It seems that much of Zaine's power has been extracted, and her soul was separated from her body for a long time," I continued, "Sunshine, is there anything you can do to help her? Anything at all?"

The fairy hesitated, her tiny face scrunching up in concentration. She hovered lower, her delicate hands glowing faintly as she inspected Zaine more closely. After a moment, she landed lightly on Zaine's chest, her wings folding as she placed both hands on the **** woman. A faint, golden light spread from Sunshine's hands, but it quickly flickered and faded.

"I'm sorry, Dox," She said, looking up at me with a solemn expression, "There's nothing I can do. Whatever's wrong with her, it's too deep for my magic to fix. If her soul really is back in her body, like you said, then she should wake up on her own... eventually."

I clenched my jaw, frustration gnawing at me. It wasn't the answer I'd been hoping for, but at least it was something.

"She'll recover," I muttered, more to convince myself than anyone else, "She has to."

Sunshine fluttered back onto my shoulder, her tiny hand resting lightly against my neck, "So, what do we do now?" She asked hesitantly, "Should we try to find Namy and Usofra?"

The mention of the two sisters gave me pause. My first instinct was to reunite with them since they were waiting for us, and I trusted them. They probably know what to do to heal Zaine. But the thought of moving Zaine in her current state, especially when I don't know precisely where Namy and Usofra went to hide, didn't seem like the best idea.

"No," I said after a moment, "It's too dangerous to leave the ruins right now. Outside these ruins, there are too many demons, and Zaine's face should be easily recognizable. If things go wrong, and considering Zaine's condition, it won't be easy to keep her safe. At least in this place, we are sure that demons cannot get close."

"You have a point," Sunshine replied, "But then what? We can't just stay here! This tower feels like the worst place to be!"

"Yeah, you are right about that," I confirmed, "Once the Demon King finds out about Dagrol's betrayal and that we rescue Zaine, he'll surely send someone—or come himself, so let's remain in these ruins but far from this tower. The area covered by the ruins is huge, so we will surely be able to find a safe place. Most demons can't enter this place, which means it's the safest option we have. We'll stay hidden, away from the tower itself, until Zaine recovers enough to move."

"But what about Namy and Usofra? They're still out there somewhere, right? Do you think they're okay?" Sunshine asked.

"They're resourceful," I said, though my voice lacked the confidence I wished it had. "They know how to stay out of trouble. For now, we focus on ourselves, meanwhile I think about what to do."

Having said that, I looked at the surroundings. This room was full of many things. Maybe there's something useful here that we can use. We should take a look before leaving.

"Sunshine, take a look around. There might be something here that can help Zaine or be useful." I said.

Sunshine nodded hesitantly before darting into the dimly lit space, "Fine, but if I find something creepy, I'm not touching it!" She called over her shoulder.

Carefully, I eased Zaine onto the floor, using my cloak as a makeshift cushion to keep her comfortable.

The room was cloaked in a dim, eerie glow, the faint light casting strange shadows on the walls. The air was heavy with the scent of old parchment and metallic tangs, mingled with something acrid and bitter. It was unmistakably a laboratory, though far removed from anything I'd seen before. Dusty books with cracked spines lay scattered across wooden tables, their titles written in jagged runes I couldn't read. Strange alchemical devices buzzed faintly, their glass chambers filled with glowing liquids that shifted color when touched by the faintest light. I ran my hand along the edge of a table, careful not to disturb anything too much. A heavy tome caught my eye, its thick leather cover embossed with a symbol I vaguely recognized—a claw gripping a broken crown. Weird.

Sunshine zipped past me, muttering to herself as she peered into a small cabinet, "Weird powders, creepy jars, and... what is this thing?!" She hovered in front of a shriveled object in a jar that looked uncomfortably like a severed claw, "Nope, not useful," She declared, shutting the cabinet with a shudder.

As I moved toward the far side of the room, my gaze fell on something that made my breath hitch. Along the curved walls stood several large glass tubes, each filled with a viscous green liquid that seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive. Inside the tubes, shadowy shapes floated, indistinct but vaguely humanoid. A chill ran down my spine as I stepped closer. Intricate networks of small tubes and glowing magic runes wove their way around each container.

I couldn't shake the knot of unease tightening in my chest as I approached one of the ominous tubes. The greenish glow from the liquid inside cast a sickly hue on the figure suspended within—a naked demon woman, completely still. Her body, though seemingly untouched by decay, lacked the vitality of life. I couldn't tell if she was **** or... dead.

Beneath the tube, a plaque gleamed faintly. My eyes focused on the words carved into the metal:

Name: Lilithar

Rank: General

Age of Capture: 37 Years

Date: @#%#

Shock rippled through me. A demon general, preserved here for two centuries? Why?

The room seemed colder as I moved to another tube, this one holding the figure of a naked ...human man. Why is a human in a place like this? His body was lean but muscular, covered in jagged scars that told stories of ****—or worse, experiments.

I leaned closer to read the inscription beneath this one:

Name: Alaric Velin

Rank: S-Rank Adventurer

Age of Capture: 21

Date: @##$

The date is from 150 Years Ago... But an S-Rank? I can't believe it. I swallowed hard, and my throat suddenly dried. If it is really an S-Rank, it is someone I don't know, but I suppose it is normal since the capture date says it was more than a hundred years ago. What had happened to him? What did Dagrol do to him?

My mind raced with questions, each darker than the last. I stepped back, my gaze darting frantically toward the other tubes. A Beast-Kind with fur as white as snow. A Dwarf with thick arms etched with runes I didn't recognize. A beautiful Elf woman, her long blonde hair floating like strands of silk in the liquid. Each one had a name. Each one had a high rank. And each one bore a date, some recent, others centuries old.

A sickening realization clawed its way into my mind. This wasn't just a laboratory—it was a chamber of horrors. Dagrol had been conducting experiments on beings from every race for centuries.

I turned away from the tubes, but the images burned in my mind, "We need to leave soon," I muttered, "There's nothing good here. Just... nightmares."

Just at that moment, I noticed that to my right was the body of the demon General, the one Dagrol claimed to have slain just days ago. The body was unrecognizable, twisted, and mangled in a way that defied nature itself. The demon's form was barely discernible beneath the layers of blood and shredded flesh. It was impossible to tell if the demon had been male or female. What troubled me more than the disfigurement, though, was the ease with which Dagrol, aided by Eldrin, seemed to have defeated such a formidable foe. Neither of them bore so much as a scratch, not a mark to show for their battle. In my fight against Vanth, I was seriously injured, and it took me quite a while to recover. If what remains of this demon is really a General, that means that its power is similar to that of Vanth.

The idea that Dagrol and Eldrin had so effortlessly killed one of the Demon King's generals was unsettling. I knew firsthand the kind of strength those generals wielded. To think that they had faced such an opponent and come out without a trace of injury… was terrifying. However, after seeing Eldrin, I do not doubt that he is capable of achieving something like that. Never in my life until I saw Eldrin did I feel that there was someone so exaggeratedly stronger than me that the only thing left for me was to surrender. I never felt that feeling before, not even with Kase.

I turned away from the body and resumed my search of the room, but most of the objects I found were either incomprehensible or of no use to me. Eventually, my eyes landed on a set of heavy curtains. I knew the cold outside the tower would be unbearable, and Zaine needed protection. Her white nightgown was barely enough to cover her intimate parts and would not be enough to shield her from the bitter winds. Without a second thought, I decided to take the curtains.

Suddenly, a loud cracking noise broke the silence, echoing through the tower's stone walls. My body tensed instinctively as I spun around, my heart hammering in my chest. Sunshine was standing near a section of the wall, her eyes wide with surprise. I followed her gaze and saw that a portion of the wall had shifted, revealing a hidden closet or compartment.

"Sunshine, what did you find?" I asked, stepping toward her.

She grinned mischievously, eyes gleaming, "I think we've stumbled onto something interesting," She said, voice barely above a whisper, "I was pulling this thing, and then "puff" a secret door opened. Do you think Dagrol hid his porn there?"

I approached cautiously, drawn by both curiosity and the nagging feeling that this might be yet another of Dagrol's dark secrets. Sunshine was already peeking inside, her small form almost disappearing into the narrow space.

"Careful," I muttered as I crouched beside her, glancing into the darkened closet.

Inside, my eyes were immediately drawn to a small, ornately carved ring resting on a wooden pedestal. Beside the ring lay two dusty, leather-bound books. The covers were worn, and the pages within looked brittle with age.

I reached inside, taking the ring gently between my fingers. It felt cold to the touch, but not in the way normal metal did. There was something strange about its weight, an unsettling heaviness. Sunshine leaned in closer, her eyes catching the faint glow of the ring.

"Is it... magic?" She asked, her voice full of wonder.

"I don't know," I replied, feeling the ring pulse faintly in my hand, "But it's definitely not ordinary."

After a moment of hesitation, I turned my attention to the books. I opened the first one carefully, the dry pages crackling under my fingers. They were filled with tiny, cramped writing—Dagrol's handwriting, perchance? I skimmed through the pages, but the text was too dense and chaotic to make much sense at the moment.

"Dagrol's personal diaries?" I murmured.

I tucked both books under my arm, slipping the ring into my pocket. With nothing else of value in sight, I returned to Zaine. I began to wrap Zaine in the curtain. However, it was impossible not to notice that under the thin, torn, and tiny nightgown that Zaine was wearing, she was not wearing underwear, so it was easy to notice her nipples and pubic hair. I tried my best to stay focused, but Sunshine didn't make things easier for me.

"She has a bush down there," Sunshine said through a mischievous curl.

"S-Shut up!" I replied, "It's time to go."

Having said that, I picked up Zaine, and we left the tower.

Sunshine and I get as far away from the tower as possible. I walked for hours through the ruins, trying to keep Zaine covered from the cold wind. In this place, it is always dark because of the black clouds that cover the crater, so I have no idea if it is day or night, but when I saw Sunshine dozing while flying, I realized that it was time to stop for the night. Fortunately, shortly after, I found a room that was not so destroyed. I improvised a bed for Zaine while trying to cover the ceiling and cover the walls with the debris that was around.

"D-DOX, HURRY UP AND COME HERE!" Sunshine screamed.

Thinking the worst, I rushed back to where Sunshine and Zaine were, and to my surprise, what I saw was Zaine sitting on the bed.

"Z-Zaine..."