My eyelids fluttered open slowly, the weight of exhaustion pulling at them like heavy curtains.
A faint sobbing echoed in my ears, soft and heartbreaking, drawing me from the fog of unconsciousness.
It sounded so familiar, so achingly close to a voice I'd longed to hear in my old life.
'Nyxiana?' I murmured, my voice hoarse and barely above a whisper, the name slipping out before I could catch it.
But as the haze cleared, I realized my mistake.
This wasn't her.
The woman beside my bed, her white hair cascading like moonlight over her shoulders, those amber eyes rimmed with tears.
It was Leyina, my fiancée.
Her elegant horns, twin spirals of ivory grace, caught the dim light of the room, and her face, usually so composed, was etched with raw worry.
I blinked fully now, taking in the surroundings around me. Silk drapes in deep midnight blues framed tall windows, and the bed beneath me was a sea of plush feathers and embroidered linens, the air scented with rose and something faintly metallic, perhaps just the remnants of healing herbs.
Two women hovered at my bedside, their presence a mix of relief and lingering fear.
Leyina's hand trembled as she reached for me, her touch gentle on my arm.
'Noah,' she whispered, her voice breaking as she helped me sit up, propping pillows behind my back with careful precision.
The movement sent a sharp pain lancing through my skull, and I clenched my head, fingers digging into my scalp as if I could hold the fragments of my mind together.
'Here, Master,' came a softer voice, laced with concern.
Nyami, my personal maid, leaned in with a small crystal vial in her hand, the liquid inside shimmering like liquid starlight.
Her pink hair was tied back neatly, her own horns curving elegantly from her forehead.
She tilted the vial to my lips, her touch tender, almost reverent, as the cool potion slid down my throat.
It tasted of honey, soothing the fire in my head almost instantly.
'What... what happened?' I rasped, my thoughts a jumbled mess. Flashes of green cloaks, arrows whistling through the air, a scream...hers? but nothing more.
'I can't remember much.'
Leyina's arms wrapped around me in an instant, pulling me into her embrace.
Her body pressed against mine, warm and trembling, her scent of jasmine enveloping me.
'Those filthy elves ambushed you in the market street, Noah,' she said, her voice muffled against my shoulder, laced with a fierce edge.
'You fought them off, protected me like the fool you are, and then... you collapsed. Stupid,' she added, the word half-sob, half-scold, her grip tightening as if she could fuse us together.
'What would I do if you died? Do you want to leave me widowed before we're even wed?'
Her words pierced deeper than any pain in my head, stirring something warm and unfamiliar in my chest.
I lifted a hand, patting her back gently, feeling the subtle curve of her spine through her gown.
'I'm fine now, Leyina,' I said softly, my voice steadier. 'See? Still here.'
She pulled back just enough to search my face, her amber eyes glistening, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
I glanced past her to Nyami, who stood a step away, her elegant features softened by a tender smile as she watched us.
There was jealousy in her gaze but also quiet affection, like a guardian approving of her child's heart.
'Nyami,' I said, turning to her,
'how long have I been out?'
'A week, Master,' she replied, her tone light but her eyes serious.
A week. The word hung heavy, and I sighed, rubbing my temple.
'Why did the elves attack me like that? I thought they had nothing to do with the Mooncrest Empire after they broke away years ago.'
As I spoke, I felt Leyina shift in my arms, her hug deepening.
The soft press of her breasts against my chest grew firmer, her body molding to mine.
Her breathing quickened too, hot against my neck, a subtle tremor running through her.
What's wrong with her now?
Nyami's expression turned thoughtful, her pink-tipped fingers folding neatly in front of her.
'It seems the elves received a prophecy, Master. One claiming that you will lead to their downfall, bringing destruction over their land. '
Prophecy? The words jolted me, but I kept my face neutral, piecing together the implications.
Leyina's head snapped up, her eyes blazing with an obsessive fire that both unnerved and drew me in.
'From now on, no one comes near you, Noah,' she declared, her voice low and possessive, fingers tracing my jawline as if marking her territory.
'I'll always stay with you. Protect you. No one else.'
Nyami inclined her head gracefully.
'That won't be needed, Lady Leyina. I'm here for Master.' She paused, her gaze sharpening.
'But before that you should contact your master. It's important.'
Leyina's lips thinned, her hold on me unyielding.
'Sister Elysiana can wait. Noah comes first for me. Always.'
'It's related to 'that',' Nyami pressed gently, her voice a subtle warning.
What were they talking about?
The cryptic exchange tugged at my curiosity. 'Leyina, what-'
Her mouth sealed mine before I could finish, a soft, tender kiss that stole my breath.
Her lips were warm silk, tasting faintly of salt from her earlier tears, and she lingered just long enough to convey a depth of feeling that words couldn't touch, vulnerability wrapped in fierce devotion.
When she pulled away, her cheeks flushed, she brushed a strand of black hair from my forehead.
'Rest now. I'll come back at dinner.' With that, she rose, casting one last lingering look before gliding from the room, her white gown whispering against the floor.
The door clicked shut, leaving a hush in its wake. Nyami turned to me, her mischievous smile returning.
'You should rest a little more, Master, until your food arrives.'
I nodded, sinking back into the pillows, the softness cradling my aching body.
Nyami moved across the room to tidy the side table... straightening vials, fluffing linens... my mind wandered,
Transmigration.
The word echoed in my thoughts. I'd been playing Divinity's Will, that immersive RPG with its sprawling world of gods and cataclysms, when everything went black.
And now, I was here, in the skin of Nyxus Noah Evernight, crown prince of the Mooncrest Empire.
Coincidentally, my name in my past life had been Noah too...
Hyasss what a cruel twist of fate...
I closed my eyes, willing the memories to surface.
The game began right after the Third Cataclysm, a cataclysmic battle of gods spilling into the mortal realm, unleashing chaos.
Monsters roamed freely, order shattered, and the protagonists— a ragtag group of heroes —enrolled at Luminary Nexus University to train, fight alongside divine allies, and restore the world.
But me?
Nyxus?
I strained to recall any mention of the prince. Nothing. A blank slate, or worse, a forgotten side character.
Leyina, though... she flickered in my mind's eye.
The core villainess of the endgame, Empress of Mooncrest, her obsessive love twisting into tyranny.
In the game, she was a force of unyielding ambition, but here, in this moment, her protectiveness felt raw & genuine.
Had I died before the Third Cataclysm in the story?
Erased from the narrative? The thought sent a chill through me. Red flags everywhere —the prophecy, the ambush, all of these screams danger.
I needed to prepare, to navigate this world without becoming collateral in its apocalypse.
'Your stew is here, Master,' Nyami's voice pulled me back, soft and melodic.
I pushed myself up, the bed shifting under me. She stood by a tray-laden cart, bending slightly to arrange the silverware with elegance of a polished maid.
Her black maid uniform hugged her form, the neckline dipping just enough that gravity tugged at her full breasts, the soft swell visible in the low light.
Her hips swayed subtly, a sensual curve that spoke of quiet confidence. Heat flushed through me, a spark low in my belly, but I shoved it aside, focusing on the steaming bowl she presented.
Nyami scooped a spoonful of stew, her lips pursing as she blew gently to cool it, the motion caringly intimate.
She offered it to me, and I leaned forward, letting the savory broth touch my tongue. Warmth spread, but then...
'Ugggh!!!'
Bitter. Acrid, like someone had put ink in it.
I spat it back, coughing.
'Why is it so bitter?'
She smiled, a tender curve of her lips that lit her eyes.
'For your health, Master. You need the nutrients to recover.' Her tone was coaxing, affectionate, as if feeding me was a cherished duty.
I grimaced but nodded, forcing down spoonful after spoonful under her watchful gaze.
The bitterness faded into reluctant acceptance, each swallow a step toward strength. As I ate, questions bubbled up again.
'Nyami, do you know anything about the Third Cataclysm?'
Her spoon paused mid-air, confusion furrowing her brow.
'Third? But There's only two Cataclysms, Master. The second one was seventeen years ago which almost destroyed this continent.'
Of course. No one knew yet. The game's timeline hadn't advanced that far. '
Ah, right,' I said, masking my slip with a weak laugh.
'My bad, the Memories are still a bit blurry.'
She tilted her head, concern deepening.
Her eyes widened slightly. 'Yes, and you had your crown prince announcement ceremony just months ago. Have you truly forgotten?'
I chuckled, though it felt hollow.
'No, but everything's kind of fuzzy. And... I feel weird. Unpleasant, deep inside, like something's shifting at my core.'
Shock rippled across her face, her playful demeanor vanishing.
'Let me see.' Before I could protest, her hand slipped beneath the loose robe draped over my chest, palm pressing warm against my bare skin.
Her touch was electric, sending a shiver through me. Pink mana flowed from her fingers, a gentle sweep that probed delicately, intimately.
In that instant, I felt it —a flare of lust, hers or mine? It coiled hot in the air between us, her breath hitching. I held back, clenching my jaw, but my eyes locked on her lips, curved in a maddening smile.
'Nyami?' I said, my voice rougher than intended.
She blinked, composure snapping back like a veil, though the happiness lingered in her gaze, bright and unmissable.
'You've awakened, Master,' she whispered, her hand lingering a moment longer before withdrawing, leaving my skin tingling.
'Awakened?' I echoed, heart pounding. 'Is it true?'
'Yes,' she confirmed, her voice laced with awe and caution.
'Its a good news but do not use your power yet. The Evernight royal family's awakenings are always complicated and dangerous if forced too soon.'
I nodded, the weight of it settling like a crown of thorns and stars. We finished the meal in quieter tones, her feeding me the last bites with a gentleness that spoke of deep loyalty. When the bowl was empty, she set it aside and stood.
'Now, up you get, Master. I'll help you bathe.'
'I can manage alone,' I protested, swinging my legs over the bed's edge.
But as I stood, the world tilted, my balance crumbling like sand. I tripped forward, arms flailing.
Nyami caught me effortlessly, her arms wrapping around my waist, steady and warm.
'You're still weak,' she murmured, her breath against my ear, a tender rebuke.
'Do as I say.'