Solo Panicking

The Prisoners 1

Noon rolled around, and just as you were about to leave your home, an unexpected wave of nerves washed over you. It wasn't the same intense dread you'd felt when Jinwoo went into the Double Dungeon. This was different, more of a low hum of unease, centered around the egg. The very same egg you'd only recently discovered couldn't be stored in your inventory anymore. Apparently, because it was a living creature now, it was stuck outside. You weren't sure why this was the case, since it had literally come from your inventory yesterday. But there was no use dwelling on it now. It was what it was.

"Let's do this, then." You exhaled, shaking off your nerves, and with a flick of your hand, silver and gold sparkles filled the air. Eight silver butterflies and two golden ones appeared, their wings fluttering gently.

"Watch over the egg. If anyone besides me enters, cast an illusion to hide it. And if anything happens, keep me updated," you instructed the silver butterflies first, then addressed the golden ones.

As soon as you spoke, you felt a wave of acknowledgment and determination from your butterflies, surprising you. You hadn't expected such a clear, almost emotional response from your summons. They all took their positions around the egg, glowing faintly but poised and alert, ready to protect it.

You stood there for a moment, stunned. The feeling had been so... real. You gave a small nod of approval before heading out the door, locking it securely behind you.

Once outside, you checked your phone for any messages from Jinwoo. Nothing yet. You might've been a bit early. Shrugging, you decided to text him first.

You: Hey, are you ready yet?

Jinwoo: Walking out the door now.

Just as you read his reply, the door across the hall opened, and Jinwoo stepped out. He was wearing his familiar gray jacket, hands tucked into his pockets. He looked up as he approached you, but his eyebrows furrowed as he got closer, his gaze locking on you.

"Are you... glowing? Or, more like, is your hair glowing?" he asked, a mix of curiosity and confusion in his voice.

"Huh? Jinwoo, what the hell are you talking about—oh my god!" You were about to brush him off when he reached out and gently grabbed a loose strand of your hair.

Sure enough, it was glowing faintly. How had you not noticed this? The soft silver glow reminded you of your Nyxarias butterflies. Scrambling for your phone, you opened the camera and turned it to selfie mode. There it was, a faint silver shimmer, and at the ends of your hair, small golden sparkles glimmered.

"Wah! What the hell! Don't tell me this is a side effect of using the summons!"

Jinwoo raised an eyebrow at your panic. "Summons?"

You blinked. "Uh, yeah, I recently got this new skill that lets me summon butterflies and—"

"Butterflies?" he interrupted, looking at you like he was waiting for the punchline.

"Yes, butterflies, try to keep up" you replied, still distracted by your glowing hair. You waved your hand, and two silver Nyxarias appeared between you. Their wings beat gently as they floated in the air.

As they appeared, your hair glowed a little brighter. You quickly grabbed a handful of it, trying to calm down. Meanwhile, Jinwoo extended his hand, and the two butterflies landed lightly on his fingers, their silver wings glittering softly.

"Huh... butterflies," he muttered, observing them closely. "What do they do?"

"The silver ones can create illusions and help with transportation. The gold ones can heal, spy, and communicate. The red ones are for attacking, but I have to use my blood to summon them," you explained quickly, still trying to process everything yourself. When you met Jinwoo's eyes, you could tell he was absorbing the new information carefully.