Edward's face turned scarlet. He spun around, hands covering his eyes like his life depended on it.
"What are you looking away for?" Ashel asked, confused.
"You're… you're naked," he stammered.
"Oh, come on! I just turned into a five-year-old! Don't make this weird," she groaned.
"You can talk? Or are you using telepathy?"
"Are you deaf?" she shot back, glaring.
When he dared to look again, she was already dressed in a sleek black outfit that shimmered faintly—straight out of a magical transformation scene.
"It's a game, remember?" Ashel smirked. "Auto costume. Instant upgrade."
Before Edward could reply, a soft blorp echoed nearby. A small glowing blue slime bounced out from the grass and slammed into her side.
"Wha—hey!" she squeaked, tumbling backward. Her hands hit the ground hard, scraping against a rough rock.
"Ow! What was that thing!?" she hissed, staring at her bleeding palms.
Edward froze. His body stiffened. The scent of her blood hit him like lightning—sharp, sweet, intoxicating. His pupils shrank to slits.
"Are you okay?" he asked, voice uneven, already stepping closer. His breath quickened, the air around him vibrating with restrained hunger.
"Edward?" Ashel frowned. "What's wrong with—"
He crouched before her, hand trembling as it reached out. The world narrowed to the crimson streaks on her skin, his instincts roaring in his head.
"Edward!"
Her shout cracked through the haze. His eyes snapped open wide—horror flashing through them. He stumbled back, gasping, then tore at his collar with shaking hands.
Without another word, he ripped a strip from his shirt and knelt again, carefully wrapping it around her bleeding palms.
Ashel stared, caught between shock and confusion. "What… what are you doing?"
His voice came out low, strained. "I'm… stopping it. The smell. Before I do something I'll regret."
The silence between them thickened. Even the faint hum of the game world felt distant now.
Ashel looked down at the makeshift bandage, then back at him. "You're weird, you know that?"
"Trust me," he muttered, forcing a faint, broken smile, "you don't want to see me when I'm really weird."
Ashel grabbed him suddenly and rolled to the side.
But there was no time to think-a shadow loomed over them, and a scream cut through the darkness.
A white screen appeared
SYSTEM: MONSTER DETECTED LEVEL 6
"We're in danger" she told Edward. "A monster's here we have to run"
She pulled Edward to his feet and sprinted through the darkness. Edward stared at her, eyes wide with admiration. She's protecting me...
Ashel blinked, glancing at Edward. He was acting strange, eyes glazed, smiling dreamily.
"Oh, crap," she muttered.
A volley of darts shot through the air-she dodged gracefully, but Edward wasn't as lucky. Darts pierced his body, leaving him wobbling like a drunk man.
"Edward! Snap out of it!"
Behind them, the ground trembled. A monster was closing in.
"Give me a break!" Ashel groaned, leaping away.
Thankfully, the system granted her just enough power to escape.
Why did I save that weirdo? she thought bitterly. I should've just left him there...
In her haste, Edward slipped from her grasp, tumbling a short distance away. She froze, instinctively wanting to move toward him-but a sudden thought stopped her.
Above them, the monstrous figure loomed-a twisted, almost human form, its presence sending a chill down her spine.
It had the face of a woman, a flower blooming where its head should be, a tongue flicking beneath the petals. Eyes covered its chest, and a massive mouth gaped from its stomach. Its arms were lined with jagged teeth, firing darts like venomous arrows.
Ashel froze. "How am I supposed to fight that?"
A white screen appeared.
SYSTEM DATA: LOVE CHARM
A CONDITION THAT CAN TURN A PERSON INTO A DRUNKEN, LOVE-SICK FOOL...
AND SOMETIMES, INTO SOMETHING MUCH WORSE.
ORIGIN:
LONG AGO, THERE LIVED A WITCH WHO CREATED A POTION CALLED LOVE CHARM - A BREW THAT COULD MAKE ANYONE FALL IN LOVE.
PEOPLE ADORED HER GIFT, BUT GREED AND JEALOUSY TWISTED ITS PURPOSE. THE POTION WAS USED FOR LIES, CONTROL, AND BETRAYAL.
THE WITCH HERSELF WAS DECEIVED BY A MAN SHE LOVED, HER SPELL BOOK STOLEN, AND SHE WAS HUNTED BY THOSE SHE ONCE HELPED.
WITH HER LAST BREATH, SHE CURSED THE TOWN.
BECAUSE OF THAT CURSE, EVERYONE WHO EVER CONSUMED THE POTION TURNED INTO A MONSTER - AND EVERY MAN WHO DID, TURNED TO MONSTER'S.
NOW, HER CURSED CREATION LIVES ON AS THE LOVE CHARM DARTS, A SPELL THAT TWISTS LOVE INTO MADNESS, OBSESSION, AND DEATH.
Edward suddenly stirred, his movements sluggish and unsteady. "Don't leave me..." he whispered, his voice dreamy as he staggered to his feet.
"Edward? What's wrong with you!?" Ashel ran toward him, shaking his shoulders. "Edward! Get yourself together!" she shouted, worry and shock lacing her voice.
"Come back me," he declared, taking a slow, almost hypnotic step toward her.
"What the-?! Get yourself together!" she yelled, slapping him hard across the face.
I didn't know if I would survive this. But... why are you so useless, Edward? This is the end. Ashel whispered, tearful.
"I'm just a little girl, gosh. I don't even know kung fu," Ashel exclaimed, voice cracking.
She crouched in a pitiful stance and wondered through her sobs, How do I fight this? This isn't some comedy where the main character suddenly learns to fight after five minutes of training.
The monster charged. Darts shot from its maw; she dodged and ran, tripping over a root and tumbling to the ground. Lying on her back, she looked up and began to cry like a baby - "Aaaah!" The world felt unbearably unfair. Anger flared inside her.
"You stupid monster!" she screamed. She scrambled to her feet and raised her tiny hands. The monster, momentarily confused by the tiny, furious child, lunged forward - and Ashel slapped it full across the face.
For a heartbeat everything was stunned; then the monster's head cracked against the earth and went still.
"Phew... that was close-"
But before she could relax, another monster lunged from behind, sinking its teeth into her shoulder.
"Ahh!" Ashel screamed, blood dripping down her arm. "Edward! Wake up-I need your help!"