You ever have that moment where you wake up and instantly regret being alive?
Yeah. That was me this morning.
The guild inn bed was made of pure disappointment. The pillow felt like someone folded a towel and called it "comfort." My back sounded like it was trying to perform Morse code in bone cracks.
I sat up and groaned.
"Why does my spine feel like it got tax-audited?"
Tessa was already up, somehow looking like she had slept perfectly fine on the same bed, which honestly should be illegal.
She was shining her boots.
Shining. Boots.
At sunrise.
"Morning!" she chirped, way too happy. "Ready for our journey?"
"No," I said. "I am not ready for anything except dying again."
Lune, who was by the window sharpening her sword, didn't look up.
"You'll live."
"I don't want to live! I want to lie face down and emotionally dissolve!"
Silence.
Lune: "…Pathetic."
Tessa: pats my shoulder comfortingly "He's still growing."
Me: "I am nineteen."
---
Where We're Going
So, apparently, we have to travel to Aurelia.
Which, according to Tessa, is:
> "A peaceful city by the mountains 😊✨"
And according to Lune:
> "A nest of political nightmares and divine surveillance."
So… great. Perfect vacation spot.
The reason we're going?
Because apparently the only people who can teach me how to not explode reality by accident are there.
Which is nice.
You know. Helpful.
I'd like to not obliterate a village by sneezing.
---
Packing, If You Can Call It That
Tessa brought:
actual camping supplies
first aid kits
rations
maps
a kettle for tea
Lune brought:
a sword
two coins
murderous energy
I brought:
vibes
a snack bread that I forgot about until halfway through packing and now it was stiff enough to be a weapon
Tessa looked at my bag and stared.
"…Rei. That's all?"
"Yes."
"Where are your spare clothes?"
"I'll wash these with magic."
"Where's your canteen?"
"I'll drink water from rivers."
"Where's—"
"Tessa. I have infinite mana. If we need a house, I'll just build one out of air."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Looked at Lune.
Lune shrugged. "Let the fool learn pain."
---
We Start Walking
The road out of town stretched to the horizon, dust curling around our steps.
The sun was out but not hot. Birds chirped. Leaves rustled. It would've been… peaceful.
Except for him.
The thing inside me.
Not talking.
Just watching.
Like someone leaning over your shoulder while you write an email.
Except they're a cosmic being who could turn your atoms into interpretive art.
Fun.
Totally fine.
Definitely not stressing.
So naturally, I blurted:
"So hey haha funny question—what happens if I accidentally use too much mana and tear open space-time?"
Lune didn't even turn around. "Don't."
"Oh, wow, thank you, very actionable advice—"
Tessa squeezed my sleeve. "We'll help. Okay?"
Her voice was soft. A little shaky.
She was… worried.
For me.
That did something weird and uncomfortable in my chest area.
Not in a romance way. In a I am not used to people caring if I die way.
I nodded.
"…Yeah. Okay."
We walked.
Wind blowing.
Leaves falling.
Pretty quiet.
Too quiet.
Like nature was waiting for something.
---
Guess What? Ambush. Because Of Course.
There was rustling in the bushes.
I immediately pointed. "No—no—do NOT. Every time bushes move it's a monster—"
A wolf the size of a refrigerator lunged out.
Tessa screamed.
Lune didn't.
Lune just casually uppercutted it with the flat of her sword.
It flew.
Like actually flew.
It hit a tree so hard the tree flinched.
I stood frozen.
Tessa was shaking.
Lune dusted her hands. "Weak."
The wolf lay on the ground wheezing.
And then—
My mana reacted.
Not me.
Not my intent.
It did.
The god inside me stirred like a sleeper turning over.
The air rippled.
I felt my body shift — warmth, pressure — like I was standing in the center of a storm gearing up to break.
Lune's eyes widened.
"Rei. Control. Now."
Tessa grabbed my sleeve again. "Hey. Hey. Focus. You're here. You're with us. Don't fade, okay?"
My vision flickered—
Stars Blackness A voice
> "Don't be afraid of them. They should be afraid of you."
I dug my heels into the dirt.
"No."
The void laughed.
> "We'll talk later, little spark."
The pressure vanished.
Just like that.
I collapsed to my knees, gasping like I'd just run for miles.
Lune knelt in front of me, for once not looking annoyed. Her voice was low. Quiet.
"You did well."
Tessa gave me a water flask even though I literally told her I could drink from rivers.
I took it anyway.
We sat together, breathing, letting the forest settle.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then—
Tessa: "…Should we skin the wolf for rations?"
Me: "Tessa, it is still breathing."
Wolf: weak whine
Tessa: "…so no?"
---