Love of a phenex

chapter 1

Riser walked through the forest of Kuoh town, hands in his pockets and eyes fixed on the ground. Eventually, he settled beneath a large tree, pulling something from his backpack before starting to eat.

"Great. First, Riser gets disowned, and then abandoned by Riser's own peerage," he muttered, his voice edged with anger and bitterness. He knew he couldn’t entirely blame them—after all, the Phenex clan held a powerful reputation they wanted to protect. "But did Riser really deserve to be kicked out? To be left all alone?"

After finishing his meal, Riser tucked the trash back into his pockets and stood up, dusting himself off. As he looked around, he spotted a small clearing up ahead. In the middle of it was an abandoned, decaying house, its walls sagging and covered in grime. Curious, he made his way inside, finding that everything was coated in mold and dust, the wood rotting away in places.

Riser summoned his flames, carefully burning away the mold. He tore up some old clothes he’d packed but no longer needed, using the fabric to scrub dirt and dust from the floor. With the help of his flames, he managed to warm and brighten the space, giving it a small semblance of life.

After a few hours, the interior looked surprisingly decent. There were still signs of decay, but the worst of it was cleaned up. Feeling a bit more at home, he went outside to gather sticks, arranging them in a pile. He ignited the wood with a flick of flame, watching the fire crackle and dance. A small smile formed on his face. Though he’d been abandoned and cast out, for reasons he couldn’t quite explain, he felt… at peace.

???'s pov

A girl was running, pursued by a group of fallen angels. They hurled light spears at her, but all of them missed her. As she glanced around, she noticed smoke rising in the distance. Urgently, she headed toward it and soon found a house. In front of the house stood a man with blond hair.

Riser's pov

Riser was about to step back inside for some canned food when he heard a noise behind him. Turning, he saw a girl with pink hair, her clothes torn and her body marked with shallow cuts, standing unsteadily by a tree. Without hesitation, Riser rushed to her, lifting her in a gentle, bridal carry as he headed toward the abandoned house.

Inside, he laid her carefully on the floor and pulled out one of his precious phoenix tears. He only had three, each a rare and significant resource, but if one could heal her, it was worth the risk. As he leaned over her, the girl’s expression softened, gratitude shining through her tired smile.

“Why were you out there, and what happened to you?” Riser asked, watching her face intently. She glanced nervously toward the window, her eyes widening as she noticed a shadowy figure lurking just outside.

“They’re here,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

Riser was about to press her further when a light spear shot through the window, shattering the glass. He blocked it just in time, his eyes narrowing as he glanced outside. There, four fallen angels hovered, their black wings casting ominous shadows. They wore broad, unsettling grins, and their eyes glowed a fierce red.

A flash of irritation crossed Riser’s face—he’d just finished fixing up the house, and now these fuckers were already causing trouble. One of the fallen angels slipped through the broken window, lunging at the girl. But Riser grabbed it by the neck before it could strike, ripping its wings out with a brutal twist. With his hand clamped over its mouth, he unleashed his fire, burning the fallen angel from within.

The creature’s agonized screams filled the room, and it thrashed, pleading for help. The others froze in horror, but when they snapped out of their trance, they charged Riser in a rage, determined to avenge their fallen comrade. Riser, seething at the destruction of his window, raised a finger and summoned a torrent of fire, engulfing them all in a blazing inferno.