Chapter 3: Save the villain

Amelia’s pov

I clung to the high branches, my heart thumping loudly. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig from below sends a jolt of fear through me.

"Okay, Amelia, you need to get a grip," I muttered, the sound coming out as a soft hoot. "You're an owl. One of the strongest birds."

Systems notification: Host's self pep talk has been noted. Now please proceed toward the quest objective below.

"I'm not proceeding to anywhere below until I stop seeing those skunks' beady little eyes" I hooted back mentally.

The wind whistled past my feathers as I flew aimlessly above the forest huge trees, hooting every few seconds in frustration.

"System," I muttered between fast breaths, "you're telling me I'm supposed to save a villain, but you didn't give me any GPS directions or a villain radar. How am I supposed to find him then? sniff his royal angst out of thin air? Hmph!"

`Navigation unavailable. Fate alignment will guide the host.`

"Oh sure," I hooted sarcastically. "I'll take it that your fate alignment translates to you having no clue either."

My wings wobbled. My energy was fading fast. I'd been flying for hours— well, probably twenty minutes, but that's a lifetime when you've just learned how not to faceplant into trees.

"Are you kidding me?" I complained as a thick, milky white fog begin to creep between the trees. As I glided lower, the fog thickened. It clung to the trees like pale ghosts, and the air grew colder. Even the crickets had stopped singing. A bad sign from where I come from.

"Okay," I whispered nervously. "Either I'm entering the villain zone… or the forest just decided to cosplay as a horror movie set."

"Analyzing atmospheric conditions… fog detected.

Origin: unknown.

Effect: significantly reduces visibility and dampens senses. Proceed with extreme caution." The system beeped.

Just then, a distant sound broke from afar. Metal clashing. A grunt. Then a deep voice, sharp and desperate, muttered.

"Stay back!"

I froze mid-flight, wings stuttering. That voice… low, commanding, and laced with pain felt cartoonishly familiar.

"Wait… no way. Is that… Kaelen?"

I flapped toward the sound, weaving through the fog. Branches whipped past me, and then the clearing opened up. My beady owl eyes widened.

There he was— Prince Kaelen himself. Or, more accurately, a blood-covered, half-conscious version of him. Silver hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat and blood from a gash on his brow. He held a sword, back pressed against a mossy stone but his stance was off, favoring his right leg.

And he looks like he's about to be a dead one because opposite him, a monstrous serpent standing more than eight feet tall reared its head, his scales glinting green and gold through the mist. Its eyes burned like dull coals.

"Oh no. Nope. Big nope. That's a serpent boss if I ever saw one."

Kaelen stumbled, barely dodging as the serpent lunged. The fog made every movement sluggish, and I realized he could hardly see.

He swung his sword again, managing to scratch the creature's jaw. It roared, a horrible screech that rattled the trees.

"System!" I cried. "That's the villain! He's going to die! I'm not dying yet, at least not in here. Do something!"

`Quest objective detected: Protect Kaelen.`

"Yeah, no kidding! Any bright ideas?"

`Combat support mode activated. Choose: Peck of Fury or… Hoot Bomb.`

I blinked. "You've got to be kidding me. Those sound like rejected Pokémon moves."

The serpent whipped its tail, slamming Kaelen against the ground making his sword fly out of reach.

"Okay, fine! Hoot Bomb!" I spat

A pulse of energy shot through me. My chest burned, feathers ruffling as if I had just swallowed a firecracker. I dove down before I could think twice.

"HEY, YOU OVERGROWN EARTHWORM!" I screeched.

The serpent turned its massive head upward, hissing. Then I hooted, as loud and shrill as I could, echoing like hoot thunder. The air rippled. The serpent flinched, disoriented, its hiss breaking into a shriek.

Kaelen blinked up at me, dazed. "What in the gods' name—?"

"Don't ask!" I yelled, though all he could most possibly hear too was "HOOOOT!"

I swooped low and raked at the serpent's eyes with my talons. Sparks flew as I struck its scaly lids.

"Okay, okay—bad idea!" I yelped as the serpent thrashed, nearly sending me spiraling into a tree.

Kaelen, shaking off his dizziness, saw his chance. He scrambled for his sword and drove it into the serpent's throat. A wet roar split the air.

But it wasn't dead yet. Its tail whipped around, slamming into Kaelen's side. He hit a tree and slid down, motionless.

"No!" I screeched, panic rising.

`Adrenaline boost unlocked. Temporary power-up: Avian Rage.`

"Avian what—"

Too late. My body moved on instinct. I dove again, wings cutting through the fog like silver blades. My claws glowed faintly, and I struck the serpent's eye dead-center.

It screamed, convulsed, and finally went still, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud.

Then silence.

I hovered weakly, chest heaving. "Did… did I just kill a fantasy boss monster with bird feet?"

`Confirmed: Host defeats target 'Venomscale Serpent and saves villain.' Experience gained: 120 points.`

"Nice," I whispered, before everything tilted sideways. The world blurred into green and gray.

"System," I croaked, "if I faint now, please tell me he doesn't eat owl stew."

Then darkness swallowed me whole.