NOVEL NEXT Chapter 100: Nox [1]
As the sun began to dip behind the treetops, its orange rays filtered through the forest canopy, casting long shadows across the mossy ground.
Birds chirped their final songs before retreating to their nests, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves above.
Kai glanced at the fading light, then stood and dusted his hands. "Time to move," he said simply.
Elina groaned. "Again? My legs are jelly…"
Lina chuckled, ruffling her hair. "You're the one who said you were full of energy a while ago."
Elina pouted but didn't argue.
The three of them exited the town and followed the forest trail, their footsteps soft against the dirt path blanketed in dried leaves.
"Feels good without monsters popping out every few minutes," Lina muttered.
"Don't jinx it," Kai replied.
By the time night fully fell, stars began twinkling like silver dust.
The trio had already stopped at a clearing deeper in the woods. A soft patch of grass and flat stones made it ideal for resting.
Kai pulled out the makeshift tent from his bracelet and set it up with practiced hands.
Lina gathered dry sticks while Elina, trailing behind Vex, kept trying to find the "perfect" rock to sit on.
Little later, a small campfire crackled in the middle, casting flickering shadows across their faces.
Kai sat cross-legged, biting into a strip of dried meat.
Lina prepared some wildroot soup she'd boiled earlier, and Elina proudly presented a couple of forest berries she hadn't eaten yet—somehow miraculously unpoisoned this time.
Lina blew on her portion, then looked at the fire quietly. "It's a nice night."
Kai nodded but didn't speak.
Elina leaned against Lina's side, still chewing. "Today was fun," she mumbled.
"Yeah?" Lina smiled, brushing a hand through her hair.
"Mhm. I want a Leaf Hare of my own one day."
Kai snorted lightly. "You'd need to feed it three times a day and clean up after it."
"I can do that!" she protested, puffing her cheeks again.
Lina laughed softly. "Well, one day. When it's safe."
The night deepened.
Vael returned to his silent patrol duty and landed gracefully on a nearby branch, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond
Kai finally leaned back, arms supporting him as he gazed up through the trees at the stars.
After a while, Lina looked up. "You think we'll reach the city in two days?"
"Maybe one and a half if nothing slows us down," Kai replied.
She nodded, then looked at him sideways.
Elina had already begun to nod off, half-eaten bread still in hand.
Lina gently pulled it away and tucked a blanket around her.
The girl mumbled something incoherent and curled up beside her.
Kai stood and did a quick sweep around the perimeter, his senses sharp despite the calm.
He placed a few faint markers made of beast repellent herbs at the camp's edges—just in case.
When he came back, Lina was staring at the stars now too.
"You ever stop to just… enjoy stuff?" she asked quietly.
Kai looked at her. "Rarely."
"Why?"
"…Because it never lasts."
The fire crackled again, louder this time.
Lina didn't reply. She just gave a slow nod, understanding something in his voice that he hadn't said out loud.
They sat in silence after that.
But then—a sudden, sharp flicker at Kai's wrist.
His eyes snapped wide.
Kai's hand instinctively reached for the storage bracelet.
Something was off. He glanced down and froze.
There, inside the bracelet, the shape of something pulsed faintly with blue streaks of light.
"What the—?" Kai muttered, his voice low and sharp.
Without thinking, he hurriedly drew the item from his bracelet.
His breath caught in his throat as the egg, now glowing with soft, blue veins, rested in his hands.
Lina leaned forward, her eyes wide. "What is that?"
Elina, who had fell asleep looked up, rubbing her eyes, and just as her eyes fell upon the egg in Kai's hand, she jerked up straight, all her sleepiness vanished, and she bolted to his side.
She said, her voice full of awe, barely a whisper. "It's... so pretty."
The egg trembled slightly in Kai's hands, and they all held their breath.
Crack!
With a soft crack, the shell split open, revealing what was inside.
A small creature, no bigger than a fist, slowly emerged.
It had black skin, almost shimmering under the moonlight.
Its scales were a deep shade of blue, tracing patterns along its back and tail, like faint streaks of lightning.
The little creature blinked its large, curious eyes. They were a soft shade of violet, glowing faintly in the firelight.
Lina's mouth dropped open. "It's... it's adorable."
Elina gasped, her small hands clasped in excitement. "It's like a tiny snake!"
The little creature's little tail flicked, and then it turned its head, staring directly at Kai.
A soft, knowing smile spread across its face—like it had recognized him instantly.
Kai blinked.
Lina snickered. "I think it likes you."
Elina giggled, eyes sparkling. "It's so cute!"
The little creature tilted its head at the sound of her voice, then let out a tiny chirp, almost like a greeting.
Vael came down from the branch and perched on Kai's head.
Vex walked and settled beside Elina.
'You know who this little guy is? I never seen or heard about it before?'
[<Brat you should feel incredibly lucky to get your hands on this little one. It's an Abyssal Wyrm. And yes, they are the creatures of the Abyss.>]
'Abyss?'
[<Yes. There are three realms in this world. >]
[<First is the one we live in—this physical realm. Second is the Soul Plane. I'm sure you've heard of that one too. And then comes the third… the Abyss. It's completely different from the other two.>]
[<Nothing exists there—no light, no matter, no time—nothing... except for the creatures born from its depths. And don't ask me about that if nothing exists there, how come the abyssal creatures exists. I'm not your tutor.>]
'Then what is it doing here?'
[<Unlike the Soul Plane, the Abyss isn't sealed or stable. Dimensional rifts can open within it due to the chaotic turbulence of space and void energy colliding at random points.>]
[<Sometimes, those rifts tear through reality and connect to our realm. This egg probably slipped through one of them.>]
'Then ain't it dangerous?'