Misunderstood Hero: My Family Are All Villains

"You..."

A child’s voice took over the world.

"You have come here to find the Truth."

They... she spoke directly into Malik’s mind.

"I will take you to what it is you desire."

Blink.

***

A young Malik stood before trees, or rather, a set of towering mushrooms.

"Familiar, isn’t it? You’ve saved someone from here before."

Beneath those mushrooms, he saw cages.

Cages surrounded by many dead.

Slavers that he killed.

Now, he produced a key.

"I-I-I don’t want to die..."

And walked closer.

"...save us."

Blink.

***

"If you can walk, help me search this place—weapons, food, anything useful. If you’re too tired or hurt, find a spot to sit and rest. I’ll take care of the rest."

Malik spoke softly to the poor girls.

And they listened.

"You’re handsome."

Some for the wrong reasons.

Blink.

***

"Unfortunately... these relics don’t work that way. Once activated, they bind to the user for a day. You can’t just swap them around mid-use, and you can’t carry another person either... I-it deactivates. I know... I... I t-tried it before. Unless we somehow avoid the Faraja and find a way to get back, these two are staying here."

Panic set in once a black-haired girl said her piece.

"We’ll stay."

But the same panic was handled by her.

"You can take ours. The rest of you can go."

The ginger-haired little one alongside her agreed.

"You know, Sir, you really are handsome."

Though again, not for the right reasons.

They were Jasmine and Safira.

Blink.

***

"For everything he carries. For everything he can’t let go."

Please comfort the man who bore the burden of our lives...

Bless this man, who stood when no one else would.

And grant him mercy—your pity, your compassion—

For he has given us everything.

Malik was their single light.

Knelt to by all of them.

Their only way of thanks...

To the one who saved them.

Blink.

***

"Master, can we ask something?"

Malik blinked at her.

"Master? What? I’m not—"

"We want to be your disciples."

Jasmine cut through his protests before they could even form.

"Disciples? What are you even talking about?"

Malik stared at them both like they’d just lost their minds.

"I’m not a master—Hell, I’m barely a Magi."

Blink.

***

They became just that.

"...Teach teach."

Safira’s voice was brimming with excitement.

"What’s Aether really like? Is it like magic from those novels?"

Malik chuckled.

"Aether is much more than magic. It’s the very essence of what is and isn’t. The flow that binds the cosmos together. Everything you see, touch, breathe, and feel carries Aether within it."

Jasmine tilted her head curiously.

"Even us?"

"Especially us."

He ruffled her hair.

"We Magi are unique because we can harness it, shape it, and make it our own."

The girls exchanged glances, their curiosity ignited.

Safira tugged on his hand.

"Tell us more! Like... how does it work?"

Malik gestured for them to follow and stepped into a small clearing. One where shafts of starlight just began to dance on the forest floor.

"Aether starts as a neutral energy like the breeze that stirs these trees."

He crouched, drawing in the dirt with his finger.

"But we Magi transform it into something personal. These are like a reflection of what our path is, a combination of abilities."

"Can... can we become as strong as... them?"

Safira’s question would’ve been laughed at by anyone else, but Malik?

No.

He would never.

After all... his goal wasn’t so different.

"...It is possible. If you’re brave enough to walk the path. Talented enough to Ascend. Lucky enough to live. But remember, every step comes with a cost. Aether is a gift..."

His words took pause as he closed his eyes, seemingly remembering something, then continued as he opened them back up:

"But it demands much in return... too much at times."

Blink.

***

"This... ends... now."

With a final surge of strength, Malik charged.

The massive bird-like monster before him lunged, and they met in the middle.

Its beak shot forward.

He did so as well.

It snapped shut, aiming to clamp him within.

Malik slid under it, the beak mere inches from his face.

"Rah!"

He rolled onto his feet, took a step, and then jumped.

"Fall, ROC!"

Like a spear, he pierced its throat.

The dagger went deep, severing arteries and sending a torrent of blood over him.

Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaww... www...

The Roc gurgled as its lifeblood drained away.

Yet, even then, when victory seemed cemented, Malik didn’t stop.

He grabbed onto its feathers and struck again.

"Die..."

And again.

"Die."

And again.

"Die."

And again.

"Die!"

And again.

"Die!"

And again.

"Die!"

And again.

"DIE!"

Blink.

***

"Close your eyes."

"Clear your thoughts."

"Entertain no distractions."

"Just focus on your breathing and your body."

The girls muttered something under their breath, but closed their eyes anyway.

Soon, the cave fell into silence except for the occasional drip of water echoing from deeper inside.

"Breathe in. Breathe out. Slow and steady."

His instructions came like a metronome.

"Feel every muscle in your body."

"Every twitch, every movement."

"Feel your heart pumping."

"Feel your lungs expanding."

"Focus."

"Don’t think about anything else."

Blink.

***

The moment it hit their brains, it was like flipping a switch.

Pain exploded through their skulls like their minds were being torn apart and stitched back together at the same time.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Both of them screamed, their hands flying to their heads as they writhed in place.

"Keep going!"

They did, and their screams had only gotten louder.

"Don’t stop!"

"Push through it!"

Blink.

***

Jasmine’s right hand trembled as she held it up to her face.

"What... what is this?"

Safira let out a shaky laugh, tears streaming down her face.

"We did it. We... we did it. We’re Magi now!"

Jasmine’s shock turned to excitement, then to pure joy.

She jumped to her feet, her laugh echoing off the cave walls.

"We did it! We actually did it!"

"Hell yeah, we did!"

Blink.

***

Malik deemed it an unspoken universal law that calm always preceded calamity. He was sure that now it wouldn’t be any different.

For a few minutes, it was just more of the same. Empty corridors, the drip of water echoing in the stillness.

But then, just when he entered a large open space, a bad smell came, hitting a level that could’ve dropped a lesser man. Even Malik, who thought he’d gone through it all, found himself gagging.

"Ah..."

That was when he saw it.

A Hell had unveiled itself before him.

Corpses.

Tens of them.

All scattered across the cavern floor.

It wasn’t just the number; it was how wrong they looked.

Skin peeled back in strips, exposing raw muscle and bone.

Some bodies were so decomposed that they were basically skeletons.

But others?

They looked freakishly fresh, almost preserved, like they’d only just stopped breathing.

Blink.

***

[To all staff, I regret to inform you that our worst fears have been realized.

We’ve Fallen till our last man.

This camp will be gone in a day.

As I’m sure you understand, exfiltration transport is not available. We are out of Holy Relics and are so far from the South.

If you wish to abandon the camp and try your luck on foot, you may do so.

I have neither the power nor the will to stop you.

The barrier will unveil at 0800 hours and remain so for 15 minutes.

Godspeed.

For those who’d rather not Fall Into Depravity, there will be a gathering in the community room, and our nurse will make multiple means for an end available.

I want to underscore how proud I am of each and every person who decided to stay.

Our choice is the right one.

I just hope... that makes this a little easier.]

Malik, done reading a note in the corpse-filled cave, turned to Jasmine, who snuck after him, curious if she could make sense of it.

"Hey, do you—"

But the question died on his lips when he saw her face.