Waking up in the morning is often taken for granted, but it's truly a blessing. Yet, what's even better is waking up with someone else by your side.
It's a widely held belief that sharing those first moments of the day with a loved one adds an extra layer of warmth and comfort to the morning routine.
"Help!"
"Ahhh!!"
"They're coming!"'
Cries for help echoed through the air, followed by panicked screams. The sound roused a man with striking white and black hair from his slumber. His crimson red eyes flickered open, and his cherry lips stretched wide in a yawn, though he seemed reluctant to leave the comfort of his bed, despite the urgency in the air.
With a swift motion, he leaped out of bed, causing the floorboards to creak beneath his feet. Yet, there was something peculiar. His body felt weak, as if he had been exerting himself all night. However, he noticed that his toned muscles seemed to be in good shape, so the feeling didn't bother him much.
As he stepped away from the bed, he expected it to creak under his weight, but it remained silent. His attention was drawn back to the bed where he noticed something unusual.
There was someone else in his bed, hidden under the blanket. Ignoring his own state of undress and the morning wood, he approached the figure, intent on unraveling their identity.
As he gingerly pulled the blanket away, his heart racing, he revealed the female figure lying beneath, her skin bathed in the morning light. A moment of disbelief washed over him.
"Huh?!" he muttered, his mind reeling at the unexpected sight. There, in his bed, lay a woman he'd never met before, completely naked.
Despite the shock, he mustered courage, climbing the bed to approach her, ignoring his own state of undress. His only thought was to wake her up and unravel the mystery of how she came to be there.
As he cautiously approached, his mind raced with a flurry of questions, each one more urgent than the last.
Had he brought her here? The memory of the previous night eluded him, lost in a haze of uncertainty.
Did anything happen during the night? He searched his memory, but it was as if a veil had been drawn over the events of the evening.
Was she dead? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, though his heightened hearing reassured him with the sound of her pounding heart. Yet, as he looked at her still form, he struggled to discern the rise and fall of her chest amidst the tangled sheets.
Despite his relief at her evident vitality, he found himself momentarily distracted by the sight before him. His gaze lingered on the two twin mountains, unable to tear his eyes away from the curve of her body beneath the blanket.
"Somebody, please help!" Another cry for help made him rethink his decision.
He moved back. "I'll just do this after I get back." With those words, he jumped off the oversized bed and picked up his dark grey pants, doing quick work with his clothes. Soon enough, he was dressed in dark grey pants, a crisp white shirt, and a black coat with thin stripes of grey.
Taking a short glimpse through the window, he saw people, old and young, running away from the east direction. It led him to believe that whatever was happening, it was unfolding towards the east.
Opening the door seconds later, he made his way out of the room, the oversized bed dominating nearly half of its space.
Emerging into a small hallway that led to various similar rooms on the left and right, he walked through, heading towards the exit which also served as the entrance to the hallway.
The exit led to another room which seemed more like a shabby reception rather than a normal sitting room, with worn-out furniture and faded wallpaper giving it a tired appearance.
The receptionist had vacated his position at the counter, likely due to the ongoing disaster that kept making others scream.
With a sigh, he walked past the counter, which also had a bar just behind it. "Nah, I shouldn't," he shook his head as he stood just after the counter. He had considered getting a drink before leaving, but now he thought it wouldn't be wise to start the day with alcohol.
As another cry for help pierced the air, he pushed the door open and stepped outside, only to find the streets deserted. He spotted individuals not too far away, running toward the south. "Hmm," he murmured as he adjusted his course, walking toward the east.
"One, two… four beasts, huh?" he murmured, his senses honing in on several formidable auras.
As he continued scanning, he detected another group of auras. "Six mercenaries? And they're still struggling this much?" he thought to himself. While not as imposing as the four beasts he had first noticed, their presence was still significant enough to catch his attention. "On second thought they feel weaker than the beasts." He noticed as he further scanned.
Although the mercenaries had the higher number, they were weaker as a whole, only possessing the capacity to hold back three of the beasts while the fourth ran rampage through the streets, devouring and destroying.
"Well, I better hurry up before things get out of hand," he muttered to himself. Even as he spoke, he continued to stroll through the streets, seemingly unfazed by the chaos around him, his attention solely focused on the panel that remained in front of his eyes.
{New mission!}
{Eliminate the four beasts attacking the town.}
{Reward:...}
"Dismiss," the young man muttered lazily, his voice carrying a hint of annoyance as he waved his hand, dismissing the holographic display of the mission details. He had been planning to deal with the beasts regardless, and going through the entire briefing seemed like too much effort.
"Good thing I'm a mercenary with a heart of gold, isn't it?" he asked no one in particular, though he half expected an answer. Despite his nonchalant demeanor, there was a sense of pride in his words. He prided himself on being a mercenary with a sense of morality, even in the midst of chaos.
After walking for a few more seconds, he let out another sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Aegon, you suck," he muttered to himself, addressing himself by name. With a flicker of energy, he vanished from the spot.
No!
He ran! With a burst of adrenaline, he sprinted through the streets at an insane speed as he prepared to face the beasts and whatever other things awaited him.