My (Monster?) Hero Life

Kace glanced at the man with a wary expression on his face. 'Even his voice sounds different. What's going on?'

"Your mother is upstairs. If you focus on your surroundings, you should be able to sense her." Terrell replied with a calm tone as he smiled warmly at the man.

'Don't tell me!' Kace's jaw almost hit the floor when he heard Terrell's response. 'Is that really Rysa's dead child? How?' 

Before anyone could say anything else, the man turned into a flaming bird before flying out of the chamber at high speed. Terrell broke out into a laugh when he saw that before he remembered the situation.

"Forgive me. I should probably explain." Terrell smiled wolfishly at those surrounding him.

"You've probably already guessed it, but that is no longer the Hero known as Phillip." Terrell began in a solemn voice. "When Phillip killed Rysa's child, he absorbed his soul unintentionally. The Soul Cage is one of Rysa's abilities to preserve a Soul's individuality and converse with it using her own soul as a fuel."

Terrell paused for a moment while he gauged everyone's reactions.

"That child's soul has had years to develop whereas his body has not. His only option was to take over Phillip's body for his own use now that Phillip's soul has departed from it." Terrell let out a sad smile while he considered the child's future. "Rysa will take some time to recover from the trauma her soul has gone through all these years. She should be awake by now."

Terrell cast a meaningful glance towards Kace as he said this. Kace sighed in response. He knew what Terrell was getting at. They would not have long to talk to Rysa if they went just now. She would want some time with her son first, and then she would have to isolate herself to recover. 

At that moment, Kace's interface flashed to show him that he had completed the quest to free Rysa from the curse that she had inflicted upon herself. Kace smiled as he received the experience but soon began to frown as he wondered where the Phoenix Feather was.

"How long will it take for Rysa to recover?" Kace asked as he stroked his chin.

"A few weeks to a few months. It all depends on how much damage Rysa has suffered." Terrell responded.

'So it will take at least that long before we can launch another strike against the Heroes. Kace sighed again as he considered their options. 'It's not like we can do anything else just now. Maybe Josh would give us a lift back to Stonefall to see if there's anything else we can do.'

"Tell Lady Rysa that we'll let her rest for a while. She can send word to Stonefall once she's ready to talk to us." Kace nodded to himself while giving voice to his decision.

"Don't worry. Rysa will definitely want to meet the man who saved her family." Terrell grinned at Kace's answer. This was the outcome he had hoped for. "Ah, before you go."

Terrell suddenly extended his hand to show that he was holding a bright blue feather in it. Kace's eyes went wide as he saw it. He could tell that this was most likely the Phoenix Feather that the quest had mentioned.

"Sometimes, when a Phoenix is reborn, they shed a single feather like this. They're extremely rare and precious. I doubt Rysa will mind you taking this one as a reward of sorts." Terrell's expression seemed to hide a more profound meaning as he offered the feather to Kace.

"I'll gladly accept this. I take it you'll be waiting here for a while then?" Kace accepted the feather before hiding it between two of the plates that made up his armour.

"Yes. Rysa and I have a lot of catching up to do. Someone has to fill her in on the state of the world as well." Terrell sighed as he thought about how that job would go. "I guarantee we'll be ready for war once you return."

Kace smiled at Terrell's response and shook his hand as a show of friendship. To be honest, there was only one thing on his mind right now. That was, of course, what the Phoenix Feather could be used for.

"We'll be back soon." Kace nodded towards the Hero before taking the lead in leaving that place.

It was needless to say that the monsters and Sophia were confused about why they were leaving right now. However, before they could question Kace, he turned towards Shadow, who was slightly behind him.

"Shadow, go to the library. I left a book sitting out on a table there. You can't miss it. Bring it to me." Kace's eyes were full of passion as he gave out that order. Shadow smiled in return before disappearing from sight.

"What are you doing!" Sophia hissed through gritted teeth at Kace. "You're honestly stealing from Lady Rysa? Right now?"

"Of course. It's something we need desperately right now. Otherwise, I wouldn't be making this move at all!" Kace chuckled since he was the only one that understood the opportunity that they had been presented with. 

"What could possibly be more important than staying on Rysa's good side?" Sophia's tone sounded frustrated at this point. 

"What if I told you that we could bring someone who could influence the entire war to our side with that book?" Kace gave out an evil-sounding chuckle as his eyes stared straight ahead.

Sophia paused for a moment, taken aback by what Kace had just claimed. "Then I'd say that it might be worth it. But who are you talking about? I don't think there's anyone that fits that description."

"Hm, I guess that's because you've never met them. But believe me when I say the Heroes will have nightmares because of him." Kace could not stop himself from laughing as the excitement began to build up in his mind.

"Seriously! Who are you talking about?" Sophia sounded both frustrated and excited. She knew that Kace was deliberately holding out on telling her.

"Gyn, of course…"