Wings of Salvation and the Ominous Knock

A massive tornado of flames melted and incinerated the bugs. Whitey trembled slightly at the sight her owner had created. She couldn't tear her eyes away, not even for a second.

Then it happened.

Thud. "Pii…?!"

Right before her eyes, her owner vomited blood and collapsed. Whitey started to register her owner's condition. She had to help right now. Through the power of her owner's right eye, she saw it.

A blue flame flickering away near her owner's heart. And the moment it vanished completely, her owner would die.

Sizzle— "Pip-!"

As the massive whirlwind of fire faded, Blackie bolted forward. In his hand was something blue that looked like what the owner had packed. "Pip…!"

Whitey followed right after, dashing to her owner. Chomp. Chomp. "Piii?"

Blackie shoved the blue something into Jiha's mouth and slapped her cheeks. But Jiha wouldn't wake. Blackie's face twisted in confusion as he kept slapping—why won't she wake up? But there was no response at all.

Finally, Blackie gave up trying to rouse her. She'll wake up if I wait, he figured, flopping down on Jiha's stomach. "Piii—"

He called over Whitey, who was watching from the side, and patted the spot next to him—lie down with me. But…

"Piii?" …

Whitey didn't move, staring at Jiha with grave eyes. Her gaze wavered unsteadily, her hands shaking violently. Owner's dying. A wave of terror surged in Whitey's heart.

That's when it happened.

Fwaaah—! "Pip?!!"

A brilliant light poured from Whitey. Startled, Blackie rolled off Jiha's stomach. What the hell? The light gradually faded, and Blackie's eyes caught sight of it: massive wings of shimmering light attached to Whitey's back, rippling like they were breathing.

"Pip…!"

With enormous wings sprouted, Whitey approached her owner. She climbed up Jiha's arm, reaching her chest. Then she placed both hands on it.

"Pip-?" What're you doing? Blackie watched curiously.

Shaaa— A soft, warm platinum light seeped from Jiha's chest. In the eyes of its source, she saw the blue flame slowly regaining its vitality, coming back to life.

And… sizzle—

With that, the wings dissolved into particles and vanished. Whitey's body swayed, and she collapsed. But a smile played on her lips. Her owner's breathing had returned, faint as it was.

*Cough-cough-*

"Aigoo… my poor body."

My whole body was numb and tingling. Like I'd slept too deep—my head was a jumbled mess, hard to focus. What was my condition right now?

I shook my foggy head and looked around.

"What the hell is this…?"

A half-destroyed canyon. Sand turned to sparkling glass. The overwhelming scene left my mind blank for a moment. What happened?

I clutched my head, piecing it together, and memories started flooding back.

"Fuck, I almost died?"

I nearly bit it. The Hell's Furnace Fire skill slipped my control. All my mana got sucked out in an instant. I was this close to becoming mana seaweed and high-fiving my ancestors.

"How the hell did I survive?"

But I didn't die. How? It'd been a straight-up death sentence.

"…What're you two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠doing?"

Glancing around in confusion, I spotted two lumps asleep on my stomach. Blackie snoozing all carefree, Whitey looking wiped out and conked.

"You guys sleep while your owner's dying?"

Sleeping through my near-death? Their brains must be missing a few screws.

That's when—sticky.

As I touched my lips while watching them, I felt something gooey. And the scene from before I blacked out flashed in my mind: Blackie and Whitey rushing over with something blue.

"…You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guys?"

The mana condensed jelly I'd packed just in case. Did they feed it to me? I carefully scooped up the sleeping pair in my arms and headed for the cave without waking them.

A bag came into view.

"It's really open…?"

Did they actually open the bag and stuff the jelly in my mouth…? I checked inside, half-disbelieving. Gone. No trace of the mana condensed jelly anywhere.

"…You pretty little shits!"

These smart little geniuses. How'd they time it perfectly to save me? Even sleeping, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they looked adorable.

"C'mere!"

"Piii-?!" "Piing…"

I grabbed them and unleashed a 16-kiss barrage. Blackie freaked, flailing and trying to escape like always. But no dice against me.

"Piii-!"

"It's 'cause you're cute, dude. Don't get so mad."

Every time I leaned in, Blackie blocked with his hands and pushed. But what can ya do? Good deeds deserve sweet rewards.

"Piing…"

"See? Whitey's loving it already."

Whitey was grinning ear-to-ear, soaking it up. Sure, their personalities differ, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that wasn't stopping me.

"Heh heh—c'mere!"

"Piiii—!"

*A bit later.*

After lavishing love on Blackie and Whitey, I approached the target cave.

"Bugs are probably all dead… so clearing once I go in?"

Peering inside, a much larger cave interior came into view. Step in and done, probably.

"Time to go home."

Scanned around—no hidden stuff. Scooped up Whitey and Blackie, headed deeper. Then a blue window popped up.

"Yeah, about what I expected."

Rewards were whatever—I'd figured as much. Snagged the drops quick, shoved 'em in the bag, and warped back to the tower lobby.

"Yeah, I'm out."

Back in the lobby, I mashed the exit button. I was sick of this damn tower for a while. Hugged the two tight and hit Y. Scenery shifted. Familiar mountains, houses, villas came into view.

But something was different from when I entered.

Chirp-chirp-

"Why's it bright?"

"Piii?"

How long was I out? Outside was now a spring morning—birds chirping, flowers blooming.

"…This vibe. Feels like annoying shit's about to go down."

Bad premonition hit. I hugged them tighter and hurried home as fast as I could.

"Sigh—What's up? Nothing?"

My gut was wrong, it seemed. We got home without any hassle or blocks. But still uneasy. My instincts never failed… something felt off.

"Am I just paranoid?"

Screeech—

Inside the house, all normal. Maybe I was on edge from nearly dying. I tilted my head, set the two down.

"Alright, this is your new home."

"Pip!" "Piii…?"

Down on the floor, they poked around. Blackie bouncing everywhere doing parkour like always. Whitey cautiously scouting.

"Careful, don't touch shit."

Let them play while I dropped the bag for settling accounts and pulled up the system window.

"Hmm, got everything."

Fangs, poison sacs, mana stones—all safe. Bag away for now… I turned to the system window.

"Hmm, decent haul."

Considering I almost died, this was fair pay. No shortages, math checks out.

"Save these for now…"

Not climbing the tower yet, so hoard the points. One thing left: check on those two.

"Having fun?"

I dismissed the system and status, looked for them.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Pip…?"

Whitey staring blankly at the Companion Egg. I got close to ask, but she just shook her head like nothing and went back to it. No idea what she wanted, but unlike hyper Blackie, she was chill—so I left her.

"Wonder what my chaos gremlin’s up to."

Shifted from Whitey, spotted Blackie quick. Just turned my head. Slight problem, though.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Blackie was plopped right on my computer desk. Screen playing some NutTube short. I approached the mesmerized slime.

Grab—

"Piii?!"

"How were you watching this?"

Lifted by the scruff, he avoided my eyes.

"Answer me."

"Piik."

Just dodging glances, no reply. Fine. Time for my excellent interrogation tool.

"Answer."

"Piiiik-!"

Flicker-fist formed, he thrashed. I was grilling him like a suspect when—

Thud-thud-thud-thud-

"What?"

Someone pounding the door hard. My heart raced. Who? Nobody I knew would visit. Thought hard—no one.

I crept toward the door.

Thud-thud-thud!!

The closer I got, the more uneasy and off it felt. Pounding got fiercer. Couldn't take it—I gripped the knob.

Who the fuck's smashing my door like they wanna break it? At least check the face.

I flung it open.