Chapter 59: Chapter 59: so soft In the open clearing, sunlight fell harsh and bright across the broken ground.
Nia stood slowly, brushing dust from her clothes as she checked her body. Her mind was still catching up.
The last thing she remembered was jumping to grab Rhian, the two of them dangling from the claws of that monster, and then, nothing. Only a blur of falling darkness.
She glanced sideways.
The only person who could fill in the blanks was still unconscious.
Rhian lay on his side a few feet away, motionless except for the slow rise and fall of his chest. Nia’s eyes lingered on him, taking in the changes she couldn’t ignore.
He was different.
His body, though not bulky, looked tougher now, like every muscle had been compacted into something dense and dangerous.
His skin was pale but healthy, and along his arms, thin black scales traced upward like natural armor.
They weren’t obvious from a distance, but up close, they looked very beautiful and smooth.
She knew he was a Cursed, but honestly not ever seeing any transformation or traits, she just forgot and never thought of him that.
Now, seeing him like this, she realized she hadn’t even scratched the surface of what he was.
Cursed. Mystical. Physical.
It never mattered to her, as long as you were a real friend and had no motives against her, she didn’t care about what type of carrier.
But right now... he was strange.
Another sound tore her attention back. She flinched instinctively, though she had been hearing it for a while now.
The noise was... unnatural.
A sharp shrrkkk, followed by the heavy fwsshh of something spreading through the air.
Nia stared as it happened again.
Large black wings erupted from Rhian’s back, stretching wide and casting long shadows over the clearing.
They were massive, even larger than he was, each feather jagged at the edges like something torn from a different world.
The wings twitched slightly, as if testing the air.
Then they vanished, sinking back into him as if they were never there.
Nia pressed a hand over her mouth. Even after hours of seeing it repeat, it still shook her.
The cycle continued without warning. Sometimes the wings would stretch half open, sometimes fully, sometimes just flutter at the base of his back before pulling back inside.
It wasn’t normal.
Whatever had happened to him in that ravine... it wasn’t done yet.
She knelt down beside him, her hand hesitating over his shoulder.
"Rhian..." she whispered. "Wake up."
There was no response.
Nia didn’t move. She stayed beside him, she was deep down worried about his condition, but she didn’t know a lot about Cursed, so she didn’t know if the wings were causing this.
.
.
.
.
.
Rhian felt a dull throb in his skull as he forced his eyes open, the sunlight stabbing through the haze in his mind.
A soft voice reached him, calling his name.
He turned his head slightly and felt a warm hand on his cheek, the texture so gentle that the first words that slipped out were a low mutter.
"So soft."
Nia, who had been checking his condition, hesitated. A faint blush crossed her face, but it disappeared quickly as she met his gaze.
His green eyes were different now. The color was deeper, and the pupils were thin and vertical, like a serpent or a beast.
It made her instinctively tense, sending a cold shiver running through her back.
Rhian blinked once, seeing her properly. His fogged mind cleared, and a wide grin broke across his face.
Without thinking, he pushed himself forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her.
"You’re finally awake," he said, voice rough but filled with relief.
Nia coughed against his chest, trying to pull away. She noticed the change immediately.
He was not only heavier—he was stronger. It took effort to pry herself free, and even then, she had to use more strength than she expected.
A thought crept into her mind, steady and certain.
’He’s different.’
Rhian let her go with a sheepish smile, then stood up fully, rolling his shoulders and stretching his limbs. His body responded smoothly.
There was no stiffness, no weakness, only a tight, controlled energy running through him.
He glanced back at Nia, noticing that she, too, was standing without trouble.
Her face had regained full color, no longer pale or lifeless like when he fought to keep her breathing. She looked healthy again, almost like nothing had happened.
Rhian smiled again, unable to stop the small sense of pride building in his chest.
Rhian stayed quiet for a second, his mind still trying to catch up.
He was confused how both of them were awake and alive after everything, but fragments of his half-conscious memories floated back.
That voice he had heard, the warmth, the words he barely understood, maybe that had something to do with it.
It was confusing, and Rhian didn’t feel like thinking about it now. He would save that for when he was out of this portal and breathing normal air again.
Nia stepped closer. Her golden eyes stayed on him, not blinking.
"Rhian," she called out.
He turned, locking eyes with her. "Mmmh?" he answered, his voice casual but guarded.
She didn’t speak immediately. Instead, she kept looking him over, head tilting slightly.
Her gaze ran across his bare chest, his arms, lingering longer than made him comfortable.
Rhian shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying not to look as awkward as he felt.
Being shirtless wasn’t something he had thought about before, but now under her stare, it made him sharply aware of how different he must look.
Finally, Nia crossed her arms, her brows furrowing slightly.
"You... look different," she said. "What happened?"
Rhian took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he began to speak. His voice was steady, but he kept it simple, not wanting to get lost in the details.
He told her everything that had happened after they fell, how they had hit the water, how he survived by using [Aquatic Adaptation], how he fought to find her and drag her to safety.
He explained the monsters in the tunnels, how he had carried her while fighting off attacks, how the creatures that could phase through the stone made it nearly impossible to rest.
His hands tightened slightly when he spoke about those fights, but he kept his tone even, just stating facts.
There wasn’t a need to make it sound bigger than it already was.
Of course, there were parts he left out. He didn’t mention how he had swallowed the cores directly in desperation to rank up, replacing it by saying he absorbed them normally like they were taught in class.
He also didn’t bring up the dream-like encounter with the woman’s voice after they escaped the depths.
That was something he couldn’t even explain to himself, let alone someone else.
Nia listened without interrupting, her face serious the entire time.
She stayed still, arms loosely crossed, her golden eyes never leaving him.
When he finished, there was a long moment where neither of them spoke.