Nahan – POV

  When we finally got home, my mother wasted no time telling my father what had happened that morning. Predictably, he exploded with anger, fists clenched, ready to storm back into town and confront Bret and his men. But the moment Mother told him Bret was already dead, his fury cooled.

  Instead, their concern shifted to the so?called “demon.” Would it come after us next? Was it still lurking somewhere nearby? Their hushed voices carried a mix of fear and uncertainty, but I tuned them out. I had more pressing matters to think about.

  I needed to understand my stats; and more importantly, what they meant in the real world. I still had no clear benchmark. How strong is Strength 10? Could I lift a boulder? Or is that just enough to carry a sack of grain without breaking my back? And what about Agility 20? Does that mean I can dodge arrows, or just run a little faster than the average villager?

  I could wait until I was older and ask my parents, but from what I’d gathered, the system only revealed a person’s status at the age of ten, during the awakening ceremony. That was far too long to wait.

  Should I tell them I already had access to the system? The thought gnawed at me. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d lied...or rather, omitted the truth. Back on Earth, I’d made a habit of it. Even my family and girlfriend never knew I was Delta. National security demanded silence, and I obeyed. But the guilt of those omissions had always lingered.

  One of my greatest regrets in my previous life was never being fully honest with the people I loved. Now, in this second chance I’d been given, I didn’t want to repeat that mistake. If I ever fell in love again, if I ever built a family here, I would tell them everything. No more lies. No more secrets. And it would start with this family.

  For now, though, I decided to keep my questions about stats to myself until I was older. One way or another, I’d get answers.

  Later that night, as expected, I was jolted awake by the familiar ding of system notifications. Krizek had eliminated the three remaining targets. My eyelids were heavy, my body cranky from being pulled out of sleep. I didn’t even bother to read the details. With a groggy wave, I dismissed the prompts and pulled up my Status screen instead.

  Status:

  Name: Nathan

  Class: Shadow Mage, Warlock Demonologist

  Title: Otherworldly Knowledge

  Level: 15

  HP: 160

  MP: 3350

  Strength: 11+5 =16

  Stamina: 11+5 =16

  Agility: 11+5 =16

  Dexterity: 11+5 -18

  Intelligence: 285 + 50 = 335

  Constitution: 11+5 =16

  Affinity: Shadow SSS+, Fel Energy SSS+

  Active Skills: Shadow Bolt 2, Demon Skin 2, Immolate 2, Summon Imp, Shadow Tendrils 1, Corruption 1, Curse of Weakness 1, Life Tap 1, Curse of Agony 1, Fear 1, Summon Voidwalker 1, Drain Soul 1, Create Healthstone (minor)

  Passive Skills: Mana Sense 2

  Pretty damn impressive for a one?year?old baby, I was already level 15. I doubted anyone else in this world had managed what I just did. Another point worth noting: every time I cast a new spell, the system rewarded me with +5 Intelligence. So far, I’d unlocked three spells, netting me a total of +15 Intelligence. If I kept conjuring more, my Intelligence stat would skyrocket.

  Of course, that would have to wait. Some spells weren’t exactly… people?friendly.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  I could feel Krizek drawing closer, his presence like a faint ember in the back of my mind. I reached out to him.

  “Krizek, good job,” I said.

  “Thank you, Master,” came his guttural reply, tinged with satisfaction.

  “I can sense you’re on your way back. My order still stands, don’t let anyone see you. Protect my family, and me.”

  “As you wish, Master.”

  “By the way, how are you feeding?” I asked, curious.

  “The mana around me sustains me, Master. But occasionally, I consume flesh. Especially the flesh of our enemies. Like Bret’s brains, where I...”

  “I get it. I get it,” I cut him off quickly. “Just don’t let anyone see you.”

  “As you wish, Master.”

  “Another question...what happens when I unsummon you?”

  “I return to the Nether, where I slumber until you call me again,” Krizek explained.

  “Do you want to be unsummoned, so you can rest?”

  “Either way, it matters not. I exist only to serve.”

  I smirked. “Alright then. Hang around for now. When you get here, keep watch over the place.”

  “As you command, Master.”

  His voice faded back into the shadows of my mind.

  I couldn’t tell what time it was anymore, but exhaustion was pulling me under. My eyelids grew heavy, and I let myself drift off, comforted by the thought that I had a guardian watching over me. Well… not an angel. A demon. But close enough.

  Jakob – POV

  I was suddenly awoken, my body slick with sweat. My heart hammered in my chest as if I had been running for miles. Instinct took over before thought—I sat up, grabbed my bow, and slung my quiver of arrows across my shoulder. Something was wrong.

  The night was still, unnaturally so. The moonlight barely filtered through the cracks in our shutters, and I guessed it was well past midnight. Yet what jolted me awake wasn’t sound or movement...it was a presence. A familiar, suffocating pressure that I had felt once before.

  Demons.

  The memory hit me like a hammer: me, Dianne, and our old party, cornered in a dungeon, fighting against a pack of hellhounds. That same oppressive aura, that same taste of malice in the air...it was here.

  I shook Dianne awake, my voice low but urgent. “Wake up. I sense demons.”

  Her eyes widened instantly. “What? Here?”

  “Yes. It’s unmistakable. I don’t know where, but it’s close. Grab the kids, we’re running to town.”

  “It’s still dark,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

  “We move now, before it’s too late. I can feel its malice pressing against us.”

  She nodded quickly, already reaching for Nathan. “Go wake the others. I’ll take the baby.”

  I was halfway to the door when the feeling vanished. Just like that. The suffocating weight lifted, replaced by the ordinary sounds of the night. Crickets chirped. An owl hooted in the distance. The air felt lighter, almost mocking me.

  I froze, bow still in hand. “It’s gone.”

  Dianne clutched Nathan tighter. “Should we still go to town?”

  I shook my head slowly, straining my senses. “No. I think we’re safe. The demon must have passed us by.”

  “Are you sure?” she pressed, her voice tight with fear.

  “Yes. I can hear the night creatures again. If it wanted to attack us, it would have done so already.”

  Relief flickered across her face, though it didn’t erase the worry in her eyes. “I’m glad… but why now? Why here?”

  I lowered my bow, my jaw tightening. “The same thing happened back in Shaxaian. First came the demons. Then the empire crumbled. Dianne… we may have to move again.”

  She fell silent, her gaze dropping to the floor. I knew what she was thinking. We had fled once before, leaving everything behind. To do it again would break her heart. But she also knew the truth: once demons start appearing, the world burns. Just like before.

  I pulled her close, whispering into her hair. “We don’t have to leave right away. We still have time. But if these appearances continue, we must be ready. We can’t risk the children.”

  She nodded against my chest, silent but resolute.

  Nathan – POV

  Fuck. Shit. Balls.

  How the hell did I miss that? Jakob can sense demons! Of course he can; he’s a hunter, a seasoned one at that. I should have known better. If I’m not careful, their panic could draw unwanted attention straight to me.

  I was lucky this time. Krizek had warned me the moment Jakob’s senses brushed against him. The imp’s voice had hissed in my mind, urgent: Your vessel’s mate has noticed me. That was enough to jolt me awake. I immediately apologized to Krizek and unsummoned him before Jakob could pinpoint the source.

  Good thing the little bastard didn’t mind. He almost sounded amused, as if being dismissed back to the Nether was nothing more than a nap break.

  Still, the close call rattled me. I had to be more careful with my summons. Jakob’s instincts were sharper than I’d given him credit for. If he ever caught sight of Krizek; or worse, if Dianne did; there would be no explaining it away. They’d think I was cursed, or possessed, or worse.

  I rubbed my tiny fists against my eyes, frustration boiling inside me. Being a warlock and a shadow mage was harder than I thought. In the game, it was simple: cast spells, summon demons, kill mobs, collect loot. Here, every decision carried weight. Every slip could expose me.

  And unlike in the game, there was no respawn.

  I sighed inwardly. This was the price of power. If I wanted to protect my family, I had to walk this razor’s edge...balancing secrecy with strength, hiding my demons while using them to destroy our enemies.

  One mistake, and everything could come crashing down.