The cottage finally quieted down after Ember and Sylas got dragged upstairs like two exhausted parents who just survived six toddlers with knives.
Nyxar and Vespera were left downstairs on the big wooden couch, both staring into space like two confused raccoons who just learned what taxes are.
The cottage owner walked over gently, placing two cups of water in front of them.
"Here. You two… need this."
Bug and Spirit gave weak thumbs-ups before stumbling upstairs, practically sleepwalking.
Vespera accepted the drink politely.
"Thank you."
She took a sip, then slid the second cup in front of Nyxar — who wasn't even looking up. He was bent over the Grimmwar, squinting at it as if the thing owed him rent.
Vespera raised a brow.
"What's up?"
Nyxar didn't look away.
"The book says I have new abilities."
That got her attention.
She scooted over, still sipping her water, and leaned over the open pages.
There it was:
NEW SKILL UNLOCKED — SHADOW EMINENCE
NEW SKILL UNLOCKED — SHADOW CLOAK
Vespera blinked at the letters.
"…Huh."
Another sip.
"I can actually read it. Wonder why."
A moment of foreshadowing so subtle the universe probably winked.
Nyxar scratched his head.
"When did I even get these?"
The Grimmwar wrote across the page:
"Mid battle between you and Vespera."
Vespera froze.
"…Did it just reply… by writing?"
Nyxar shrugged.
"Yeah. It does that. But seriously — why?"
The book scribbled back:
¯_(ツ)_/¯
Some reason you overflowed with a lot of "stuff" which made you get these abilities
Vespera drank again.
"What is 'stuff'?"
The book wrote:
"can't say."
Nyxar: "Why?"
The book:
"idk myself."
Nyxar slammed the page lightly.
"Okay that was useless. Then how do I use these new abilities?"
The book cheerfully answered:
"idk try fighting again to enter a frenzy and maybe you can do it again"
Nyxar glared.
"You're useless."
The book smugly wrote:
" ;) "
Nyxar snapped it closed and desummoned it like he was done arguing with a sarcastic encyclopedia.
He looked at Vespera, who was still drinking calmly like none of this was weird.
"…Wanna do it again?"
Nyxar blinked.
"I… don't know? Anyway—what was that?"
Vespera paused mid-sip.
"What was what?"
"Your eyes going completely red. That's the last thing I remember. After that my memory kinda stops."
Vespera shrugged.
"Same, dude. I don't know myself. Hell, I can't really remember much."
Another sip.
"I can remember uhh—slamming through a deer head."
Nyxar sighed.
"Okay wait a minute—"
He summoned the Grimmwar again and flipped rapidly through the pages until he found the deer entry.
Yup.
DEER — STATUS: DEAD (CAUSE: IMPALED)
He sighed deeply.
"Yeah. You killed it."
Vespera rubbed the back of her neck.
"Yeah sorry. I think. I dunno. That's what Sylas said I should say."
Nyxar closed the book with a loud thunk.
"Of course he did. Continue."
Vespera took another sip, thinking.
"Okay… I remember the jaguar jumping on me… me stabbing through your chest… the jaguar throwing me back…"
Nyxar stared at her.
"Great memories."
She shrugged.
"Then your eyes kinda went black."
Nyxar paused.
"…What?"
She tapped her temple.
"I think the white part went black, and your eyes glowed red. But my memory gets foggy. Like—hurts foggy."
She rubbed her head.
"Then your body started emitting black smoke, I think. And the jaguar turned black too. Then you two ran at me."
She winced.
"That's as far as I can remember without my head actually killing me."
Nyxar, holding his water, took a long sip.
"…We need to do that again."
Vespera nodded immediately.
"Yep."
Then both of them casually sat back on the couch, sipping water peacefully.
Like they didn't just agree to nearly kill each other again.
"Yeah," Nyxar muttered, "that's enough talking for today."
Vespera raised her cup.
"Agreed."
And the scene faded out on two monsters politely hydrating after almost murdering each other.