I stepped into my apartment, every muscle aching. My clothes were still damp with sweat and alley grime, sticking uncomfortably to my skin.
The place smelled like old wood and dust—familiar. Safe. I hadn't realized how much I needed that.
On the couch, Cat was curled into a tight ball. She lifted her head when I came in and let out a soft purr.
"Hey," I muttered.
I dropped to my knees and scratched behind her ears. The purring vibrated through my fingers, steady and calm.
I pulled out one of the premium pâtés I'd grabbed from the bodega downstairs and set it in front of her. She sniffed it like a critic, then ate slowly, delicately.
Watching her, something in my chest loosened.
At least you're doing okay, I thought. At least one of us is.
Being home felt like a relief I hadn't known I was holding back. No monsters. No shadows. No contracts. Just walls and silence and a cat who didn't care if I lived or died—as long as I fed her.
I kicked off my shoes and peeled off my soaked clothes, leaving them in a heap on the floor. The shower came on, and warm water poured over me. My shoulders sagged. My muscles started to relax.
For a few seconds, I almost felt human again.
Then my thoughts crept back in.
My sister. Her face. The way everything had gone wrong so fast. The monsters. The dungeons. Hades—always there, always watching, hiding behind rules and rewards.
The system, cold and mechanical, keeping score like my life was just another game.
I didn't ask for this, I thought, resting my forehead against the tile. I just wanted a normal life.
I wanted to breathe. To leave. To go somewhere boring. Somewhere without blood, or shadows, or gods pulling strings.
Somewhere real.
The system didn't care.
Its voice cut through the sound of the water.
[New Contract:
Destroy Shadow Revenant.
Location: County General Hospital
(Dungeon entrance already found)
Rewards:
50 XP
$500
1st Hades Mythic Spell]
I stared at the words through the steam.
"Shadow Revenant…?" I whispered.
No answer.
Not a wraith. Something worse. Something new.
Great, I thought bitterly. Because what I really needed was another nightmare with a different name.
Should I ask Aria? The idea made my chest tighten. I didn't want her seeing how little I understood. How close I felt to falling behind.
I shut off the water, wrapped a towel around myself, and went to bed.
Cat jumped up beside me, pressing against my side, purring like nothing in the world was wrong. I ran my fingers through her fur, focusing on the sound, the warmth.
Just sleep, I told myself. Just one night.
The world shifted.
The air was cold and heavy. Damp. I knew instantly I wasn't home.
I was underground.
The ground beneath my feet was uneven, sharp stones digging into my soles. Shadows clung to the walls, swallowing what little light came from a few distant torches.
The warmth of the surface was gone, replaced by a chill that sank straight into my bones.
I walked forward without knowing why.
Something was pulling me. Not physically—more like pressure, deep in my chest.
The cavern walls were rough, ancient, scarred by time. My footsteps echoed, each one sounding too loud, like the place was listening.
At the end of the corridor stood a massive door.
Ο
Gold and obsidian twisted together across its surface, forming patterns that hurt to look at for too long. It felt old. Powerful. Wrong.
A voice filled the cavern.
"You are doing well. I shall give you a blessing if you complete the next mission."
Hades.
My body locked up. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might crack my ribs. His presence wasn't just sound—it was weight. Pressure. Like the air itself was judging me.
Even here, I thought. I can't escape him.
I woke up gasping.
Sunlight spilled through the blinds, painting the floor in gold. My sheets were soaked with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to my skin. For a moment, I just sat there, breathing, trying to convince myself I was awake.
The cat batted at a loose string on the bed.
That helped.
I checked my phone. My bank account: almost $500.
"…Okay," I muttered. "At least that's something."
Money was one problem I didn't have to think about—today.
I fed Cat, got dressed, and tried to shake off the lingering unease. Half an hour later, my phone buzzed again. Aria.
"Meet me at the training room in half an hour. Prepare for some actual training today."
I sighed, rubbing my sore shoulders.
Of course.
My body hurt. Every muscle reminded me of yesterday's fights. But under the exhaustion, something else stirred—anticipation. Fear mixed with excitement.
"I guess I'm not getting a break," I said quietly.
Cat brushed against my leg as I grabbed my gear. I paused, then headed out.
As I closed the door behind me, the image of the underground lingered in my mind—the jagged stone, the crushing air, the massive door. Hades' words echoed like a promise and a threat.
Whatever the Shadow Revenant was, it was waiting.