The day began like any other, with the party scattered across Valmaris, tending to their errands or indulging in small luxuries from their latest earnings. Ash found himself alone at the inn, finishing a quick breakfast while going over the notes Maelis had given him about the bracelet. The rich aroma of freshly baked bread mixed with the sharper scent of salted meats, filling the air with comforting warmth. A faint crackling came from the hearth nearby, its embers still glowing from the morning fire. The low murmur of patrons downstairs blended with the occasional clatter of plates and mugs being set down, a familiar rhythm of tavern life. He took a slow bite of his meal, the warmth of the food a welcome contrast to the chill still lingering from the early morning. It was a potent artifact, she’d said, capable of shielding the wearer from mental assaults and curses. Useful, but they’d have to wait a while longer for a full appraisal.

  Nel strode into the room, his robes unusually crisp and his staff gleaming as if freshly polished. He carried himself with an air of restless energy, his confidence seemingly overflowing after their last mission.

  “Ash,” Nel called, snapping the party leader out of his thoughts. “I need your help.”

  Ash raised an eyebrow, setting the notes aside. “That’s new. What’s up?”

  “The Spider Queen’s Magic Stone,” Nel said, holding his staff up like a trophy. “I’ve been working on fusing it into this. If I can harness its power, it’ll make me—us—unstoppable.”

  Ash crossed his arms, immediately skeptical. “And?”

  “And it’s… volatile,” Nel admitted, his voice dropping slightly. “I need a controlled space to test it out. Somewhere outside the city where I won’t, you know, accidentally blow up someone’s house.”

  Ash pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “So, you want me to babysit you while you experiment with something that could explode.”

  “Exactly,” Nel said with a grin that bordered on charming. “You’re good at staying calm under pressure. Plus, if something does go wrong, I figure you’ll drag my unconscious body back to town. So, what do you say?”

  Ash groaned but stood, grabbing his sword. This is a terrible idea. He’d seen Nel’s recklessness firsthand, seen how quickly confidence could turn into disaster. But if he said no, Nel would just do it alone, and that was even worse. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

  The pair trekked beyond Valmaris, past the bustling streets and into the outskirts where the forest stretched in rolling waves of green. Nel had chosen a small clearing surrounded by tall trees, their branches forming a natural canopy that dappled the ground with sunlight.

  “Perfect,” Nel declared, planting his staff into the ground. “Now, let’s see what this thing can do.”

  Ash stood off to the side, his arms crossed and his expression wary. “Just don’t get us killed.”

  Nel smirked, already muttering incantations under his breath. The Spider Queen’s Magic Stone, now embedded in the staff’s head, began to glow with a dark, pulsating energy. The air around them grew heavy, charged with an unnatural hum that set Ash’s nerves on edge.

  “Here we go,” Nel said, raising the staff. A surge of energy crackled outward, splitting the ground and scattering debris.

  Ash shielded his face from the dust cloud, coughing. “Was that supposed to happen?”

  “Not exactly,” Nel admitted, glancing at the staff with a flicker of unease. “Let me try again—”

  Before he could finish, the stone flared, releasing a torrent of wild magic. The energy spiraled into the trees, tearing through bark and foliage before condensing into a shadowy form. A low, guttural growl echoed through the clearing, but it wasn’t just a sound—it was a layered distortion, like multiple voices snarling at once. The creature shambled forward, its movements erratic and wrong, as if its limbs were struggling to obey natural laws. Its body twisted and reformed unnaturally, dark tendrils of miasma slithering off its back like living shadows. When it opened its mouth, no fangs were visible—only a yawning void that seemed to pull the very air around it inward, distorting the space near its maw.

  Ash immediately drew his sword, but even the steel in his grip felt off, like the air around them had thickened. Damn! I knew I should have stopped him sooner! "Nel, what did you do?" he asked, his voice barely audible over the low, reverberating hum now surrounding them.

  “Nothing on purpose!” Nel shouted, backing away as the creature advanced. It resembled a wolf, but its body was grotesquely distorted, covered in jagged spikes and leaking miasma from what looked like wounds.

  “Stay behind me,” Ash ordered, stepping between Nel and the beast. “And if you have any magic left, now would be a good time.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The wolf lunged, but its motion was unnatural—one second it was crouched, the next it was inches from Ash, moving in a way that made his stomach churn, as if it had skipped frames in reality itself. Its claws slashed through the air, leaving behind faint distortions, ripples in the space where its strikes should have connected. Ash sidestepped, slashing at its flank. His blade bit deep, but the creature barely flinched, its corrupted form shrugging off the attack.

  “It’s tougher than it looks,” Ash muttered, circling the beast.

  Nel raised his staff, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. “Alright, let’s see if this thing works.”

  The staff glowed as Nel unleashed a burst of fire, the flames striking the beast squarely in the chest. It howled, stumbling back but quickly recovering. Instead of weakening, the magic seemed to agitate it further, its form growing more unstable.

  “You’re making it worse!” Ash shouted, dodging another swipe.

  “I noticed!” Nel snapped, sweat dripping down his face. “Just keep it busy!”

  Ash gritted his teeth, focusing on the creature’s movements. He feinted left, drawing its attention, then pivoted to strike its exposed side. The blade found its mark, and this time the beast roared in pain, ichor spraying from the wound.

  “Now!” Ash yelled.

  Nel summoned a final surge of energy, channeling it into a concentrated blast of light. The beam struck the creature’s chest, piercing through its corrupted heart. With a deafening screech, the beast collapsed, its body dissolving into dark mist.

  The clearing fell silent, save for their ragged breathing. Ash sheathed his sword, glaring at Nel. “That’s it. No more experiments.”

  Nel sank to the ground, his staff clattering beside him. His fingers curled into the dirt, his usual bravado stripped away, leaving only raw frustration and self-loathing. He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I thought power would fix everything. That if I could control it, I’d finally prove—" He cut himself off, his jaw tightening. For a moment, he said nothing, his usual bravado replaced with exhaustion and something deeper: shame.

  “You’re right,” Nel finally said, his voice quiet. He reached for the Spider Queen’s Magic Stone, still glowing faintly, and pulled it free from the staff. He stared at it for a long moment before holding it out to Ash.

  “Here,” Nel said, his voice strained. “Take it. I don’t need it.” He hesitated, staring at the stone with something like resentment. "I thought this thing would make me stronger, but all it’s done is remind me how stupid I am. How I almost got us both killed. I—" He took a breath, forcing himself to meet Ash’s gaze. "I let my arrogance decide for me, and it nearly cost us everything."

  Ash hesitated, then accepted the stone, his expression softening. He’s finally starting to understand. But even as he thought it, a small voice in the back of his mind warned him: Trust has to be earned. “You’re more than the magic, Nel. You don’t need something like this to prove your worth.”

  Nel managed a weak grin, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Thanks, but that doesn’t change the fact that I messed up. Badly." He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "I wanted to prove something. To myself, to everyone. But all I proved is that I wasn’t ready. Maybe I never was."

  Ash chuckled, helping Nel to his feet. “Come on. Let’s get back to Valmaris before you find another way to blow us up.”

  Nel dusted himself off, rolling his shoulders. “You say that like it won’t happen eventually.”

  As the two walked through the forest, the adrenaline faded, leaving space for conversation. Nel broke the silence first, his tone uncharacteristically introspective.

  “You know,” Nel said, glancing at Ash. “I wasn’t always like this.”

  Ash raised an eyebrow. “Like what? Greedy? Arrogant? A walking magical disaster?”

  Nel smirked. “Confident,” he corrected. "And okay, maybe a little arrogant. But confidence keeps you moving forward, right? If I don’t act like I can do anything, how else am I supposed to convince myself I won’t fail? In my family, failure wasn’t an option. My father used to tell me, ‘A Bright does not falter. You carry the legacy of our house.’ Every spell, every test, every moment… it was all about living up to impossible expectations.”

  Ash nodded, his expression thoughtful. “And you wanted to prove them wrong? Or right?”

  Nel’s gaze turned distant. “Both. I wanted to be the best. But the thing about chasing perfection is, when you fail, it feels like the end of the world. So, I started pretending I didn’t care. Easier to act like I’m invincible than admit I’m terrified of falling short.”

  Ash looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in Nel’s words. He could still hear the edge of pride in Nel’s tone, but it was different now—less about proving something to the world and more about proving something to himself. "Confidence is one thing," Ash said, "But I get it. Brighthollow took me in when I was barely more than a kid. They believed in me more than I believed in myself. And when they fell… I ran. I didn’t just fail them. I abandoned them.”

  Nel stopped in his tracks, his expression shifting from curiosity to shock. “Wait. Brighthollow? You were part of that Brighthollow? The heroes?”

  Ash glanced away, guilt etched across his face. “Yeah. For a short time. Until the Night Warden destroyed them. I was the only one who made it out alive.”

  Nel stared, processing the revelation. “I—I had no idea. I mean, everyone knows about Brighthollow. They were legends. And you…”

  “I was a coward,” Ash finished, his voice heavy. “They gave everything to protect me, and I ran. That’s what’s left of their legacy: me.”

  Nel shook his head, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “You survived. If anything, it makes you human. And maybe that’s what the world needs more, rather than another legend.”

  Ash looked at him, and replied back. “Thanks. But I’m still figuring out how to live with it.”

  As they reached the city gates, the tension had eased, replaced by a tentative bond. Ash still wasn’t sure if Nel had truly learned his lesson, but at least now, there was a flicker of awareness in his eyes—an understanding that power wasn’t just about having strength, but knowing when to use it. Together, they returned to their party, carrying not just the Magic Stone but the hard-earned lessons of the day.