Aeris sank into the familiar quiet of her dorm room, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. Her legs trembled from fatigue, and her fingers fumbled as she changed into her pajamas loose, black silk that brushed gently against her soft skin, the events of the day played on repeat in her mind, but for now, she had a moment to herself.

A glowing notification pinged to life in her peripheral vision.

 

______ SYSTEM NOTIFICTION _______

LEVEL UP  29 → 38

10 skill points. She allocated them automatically

3 to Strength, 3 to Dexterity, 2 to Mana, and 2 to Intelligence     HP: 4500 → 8500

    MP: 500 → 800

    SP: 50 → 70

Weapon Evolution

 Necrotic Sickle → Necrotic Scythe

 +15% increased damage on first strike

   Applies both Rot and Poison on contact

Summoning the weapon, a coiled chill slithered up her spine as it materialized. The Necrotic Scythe stood nearly as tall as she was. Its handle was bone-white, etched with black sigils that pulsed with dim, hungry light.

The blade was a crescent of jagged, glimmering metal, veined with sickly green and rust-red along the inside of the blade,  The scent of decay clung to it, and faint whispers echoed from within.

 System Boon Selection — Choose One:

Carrion Worm Cloak:  You become immune to most kinds of poison and the cloak summons three carrion worms to gnaw at the assailant as a counter attack. 

 Cincture of Soul Binding:  Causes your undead thralls to raise again should they fall,  can only be used once every 48 hours. 

Nightbone Armguards:  Halves MP cost of necrotic spells, increases casting speed, reflects light magic.

The last one stood out immediately.

Nightbone Armguards Selected

 They appeared in her hands with a pulse of shadows

The gauntlets were forged from pitch-black bone and sewn together with crimson sinew. 

The surface glinted like fossilized stars, and sharp runes gleamed faintly across their shining surface, slipping them on, Aeris felt a powerful surge ripple across her body,  she could see their buffs in her status window. 

 She removed them and placed them in her inventory,  though she knew she’d be needing them sooner rather than later. 

New Skills Unlocked

   Necromancer:

Ghoul Frenzy, Wailing Curse, Soul Drain, Black Shroud, Necro Sight, Tomb Walker, Grim Aegis

  

  Assassin:

Wall Run, No Witnesses (Passive), Deadly Precision, Red Lotus, Rain of Knives

Thralls Leveled Up

    Melina → 41

    Vergil → 42

A soft knock broke her reverie. "Come in," Aeris called, already knowing who it was.

Talia and Zarena stepped inside. Both looked drained, eyes heavy, movements sluggish. 

Wordlessly, they crawled onto the bed beside her, drawing warmth from the plush covers and each other’s presence.

Aeris sat up slightly. “Okay girls, I’ll go first there’s something I need to show you.”

“Come forth,  Vergil!”

She raised her hand, and black-green mist coalesced in the corner. A towering figure emerged, Vergil, the Obsidian Death Knight, his armor clinking softly. His presence filling the room with a quiet suffocating aura. 

Both girls recoiled instinctively hiding behind Aeris. 

Vergil dropped to one knee in front of the girls and bowed his head

“You called, My Lady”  Vergil said, his voice brimming with diligence. 

Aeris looked at the others. “He’s not here to hurt you. He’s... mine. My newest thrall to be precise.”

She explained everything her class, her system, the Raise Thrall ability, and how it bound Vergil and Melina to her. “Please,” she said softly, 

“I need you both to pretend you never saw any of this. I don’t want my unique skill set becoming public knowledge, lest it gets back to undesirables like my Father for example.’

Vergil bowed again. “My apologies for our... previous encounter.”

Talia and Zarena exchanged glances, still pale but nodded in acceptance of the knights earnest apology. 

“I mean you almost killed us,  but hey almost is the key word right… don’t worry about it.”  

Talia said, forcing a smile across her lips. 

Aeris hesitated, then added, “I’m level thirty-eight now.”

Talia gaped. “Thirty eight?!  That’s literally double everybody in the class. Anything else you’ve been keeping from your best friend?” 

Without another word, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Aeris. “Next time, please don’t hide this stuff from us!”

Aeris stiffened, cheeks blooming red. “I-I... wasn’t doing it maliciously,  I just don’t let information slip easily,  not till I trust people in totality.”

Talia’s heartbeat thudded loudly in Aeris’s ears, and she cursed how warm and soft she felt.

In a panic, she turned to Zarena.

 “You, um, have something you wanted to share too, right?”

Vergil took the cue and vanished with a hiss of mist. Zarena relaxed visibly.

“I’m glad he’s on our side. He’s super scary.”

Talia chuckled. “More like utterly terrifying.”

Zarena looked down, hesitant. “Can I... join the hug?”

Before Aeris could respond, Talia opened one arm with a smile. 

“Get in here.”

The three of them clung to each other, a bundle of warmth and understanding.

After a moment, Zarena leaned back.

 “So... I guess I should just tell you. I’m cursed, well kinda cursed, it’s more of a generational affliction but a curse is the easiest way to explain it.”

Aeris and Talia looked at her.

Zarena continued, 

“I have a second soul within me, called Raphthar, The Burning Sentinel of the Cindered Grove. One of the five guardian beasts of Naerhym.”

Naerhym, the demi-human republic?” Talia asked.

Zarena nodded. 

“When I’m under extreme stress, Raph takes control. That’s... the other me. It’s not like I want to hate humans, but he does. And sometimes... his thoughts become mine.”

Silence lingered.

Aeris smiled softly. “Without him, we wouldn’t have survived. So thank you.”

Talia nodded. “Seriously. You were amazing.”

Zarena flushed. “I was hiding in the corner...”

“Cowards tend to live longer,” Aeris said. “And besides, you did save our asses even if you weren’t completely it control, it counts in my book” 

They all laughed lightly, until Talia’s face turned thoughtful.

“Aeris... What did you talk about with Mary?”

Zarena perked up. “Yeah! I like her. She’s always nice to me, and that’s rare for humans, our kind don’t get along all too well usually..”

Aeris frowned. “That’s part of the problem.”

She explained her suspicion that Mary had pointed out the monolith, conveniently missed the teleportation, and that if not for her thralls, they’d all be dead.

She then added that she’s too nice,  nobody is that nice all of the time it comes off as fake and overly saccharine.  And it always seems like she turns up at the right moment for something unexpected and untoward to transpire.

“I can’t prove anything,” she admitted. “But it doesn’t sit right with me.”

Talia squeezed her shoulder.

“Clever men become fools when they lose themselves to the perils of overthinking and paranoia”  Talia said, her voice calm and determined. 

Aeris tilted her head. “That’s good advice.”

Talia shrugged. “It’s one of my father’s many sayings. He drilled all those Valcrest quotes into me growing up.”

A shadow passed over her face. “Not sure why he bothered when he thinks me a worthless failure”  

Silence fell again.

Aeris reached for her, but Zarena beat her to it, grasping Talia’s hand.

“You’re incredible,” Zarena said firmly. “Your swordplay is spectacular and  I wish I could be brave like you.”

Talia smiled bitterly. “You don’t want to be like me. Rena, trust me.”

Aeris watched her quietly. In that moment, everything else, the system, the academy, the schemes, melted away. Talia’s presence was a balm for her blistered mind. 

Zarena yawned dramatically. “I can read the room,  I’ll catch you guys tomorrow,  Night” 

She slipped out with a wave, leaving the two alone.

Talia leaned back. “You look like there’s something you’re dying to say.”

Aeris swallowed, heart racing.

“We could’ve died today and I was too cocky again, and you got hurt and I couldn’t stop it just like with Vali,  history seems to be repeating itself no matter how much stronger I become”  

“Sure I’m getting sick of being battered  but If it weren’t for you on both occasions I’d be dead,  So I think you’re being to hard on yourself Aeri” 

“Yeah, but…”  Aeris said her words meandering as her cheeks flushed with a rich shade of red and gaze slowly lowered to the floor below. 

Talia inched closer. “Spit it out.”

“Fucking hell,  fine I’ll say it… I…I…”  Aeris stammered tripping over her words 

“You…You… You… What?”  Talia teased closing the distance between them even further. 

“I like you!  Like like you, Like You,  There I said it” 

A blood curdling silence followed as she turned away from Talia and focused her attention on the windowsill,  her face burning with embarrassment at her saccharine love confession 

Talia blinked, eyes wide. “Damn I really wasn’t expecting that,  Talk about catching me off guard”  Talia said her words laced with a tinge of nervousness. 

Aeris risked a glance at her.

Talia smiled awkwardly.

“I’m flattered Aeri really, I appreciate that you see me that way, but I think I need some time to get my head on straight.”  

 Talia said standing up and taking a few short strides away from the bed. 

“You don’t have to reciprocate, Tali,  I just wanted you to know how I feel about you,”  Aeris said shyly. 

“You really need to stop being such a defeatist Aeri,  You’re getting all gloomy when I haven’t even given you an answer yet,  Just wait a bit for me,  okay”   Talia said warmly as cupped Aeris cheek making the necromancer want to melt. 

Aeris sighed before batting Talia’s hand away “I hate waiting... but I’ll wait for you.”

Talia’s smile waned a little. 

“I still want you to come home with me during the Solstice Break. My family situation is complicated and I’d rather not walk into that den of wolves alone.” 

They shared a moment of quiet, where words weren’t needed.

Then Talia moved to leave after taking one more long look in Aeris direction 

“I should give you some time to cool off, wouldn’t want you to go exploding on me.”
She left with a wave, and Aeris collapsed face-first into her pillow, groaning into the fabric.

Two days until the Solstice.  Aeris thought resting her head on her soft feathery pillow. 

She would be stepping foot into House Valcrest,  A family of powerful warriors with a history of valor and chivalry,  though only holding the rank of Viscount they have built up quite the reputation for themselves in this part of the Kingdom.  

Whatever was waiting for her along the path one thing remained absolutely unchanging.

No harm would befall Talia ever again,  and any who dared would meet an end most foul.