Chapter 5

"What do you want, brat?" I asked, my voice laced with irritation as I conjured a barrier around the elves and the other humans, ensuring they couldn’t eavesdrop. My current predicament wasn’t something I wanted broadcasted. My enemies would figure it out eventually, but every second they remained in the dark was an advantage.

"I’ve already told you—get me and my friend Mike out of here and save our crew!" Rafael shot back, his voice steadier now, though traces of his earlier nervousness remained.

"Yeah, yeah, I got that," I waved dismissively. "I mean after that. You're no noble, so what’s your grand plan once you're back on your boat and setting sail?"

Rafael squared his shoulders, eyes burning with conviction. "I’ll use you to stop the elves from waging war against humanity, of course."

I let out a dry chuckle. "They wouldn’t attack anyway—not once word gets out that a human holds the amulet. Oh, they’ll send assassins, politicians, and spies to uncover its limits, figure out how to kill you, maybe even steal it. But an outright war? Please." I scoffed. "No one dares wage war on humans while I walk this land."

The boy had no idea who I was. The things I could do. Even before magic, I had been dangerous. Now, I was unstoppable. Not that he needed to know that. I had my own agenda—checking whether the Void God had sent followers to this realm, settling old scores with the Fae Queen, and dealing with both an angel and a demon. Powerful figures, all of them. I could probably defeat them in a fair fight, but fair fights weren’t the issue. If someone killed the fool carrying my amulet, it would be over for me. Breaking its hold required resources beyond my grasp—perhaps an empire and an army of engineers. The true essence of the amulet was hidden even from me, making its unbinding nearly impossible.

"You… You sure?" Rafael murmured after a moment, his earlier confidence wavering. He hadn’t considered that possibility. I studied him closely—he didn’t seem the type to seize power for himself. That was good. If he played along, I might even nudge him onto the throne for a while. With luck, that could buy me the time I needed to break free. Though, considering the craftsmanship of the amulet, I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been forged with the sacrifice of angels and demons alike.

"Then I’ll show everyone that I have the amulet," Rafael continued, his voice regaining its strength. "And after that, I’ll travel the lands. I’ve always wanted to be a hunter, to see the far reaches of the world. The dwarves, the dragons, maybe even the waterfolk in the south." His eyes gleamed with longing.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Would this brat ever stop disappointing me? Traveling the lands? When the whole world would be after him? He wouldn’t last a week without someone trying to slit his throat in his sleep. Maybe I should let him try. After a month of running for his life, he’d learn his lesson, and I could drag him back to the castle like a beaten dog.

"Brilliant idea," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yes, when everyone wants you dead, traveling across the world is definitely the way to go."

"You should have a little more trust," Rafael quipped, flashing me a cheeky grin. "Besides, I don’t have a family—I won’t be leaving anyone behind."

I blinked. What was wrong with this kid? Hello? I just brutally slaughtered elves and temporarily immobilized an angel, and this was the guy who wanted to go on a grand journey with me?

And what was that part about family? If he had a nagging wife back home, I’d get it—maybe then running away made sense. But in his situation? Why not settle down and enjoy a comfortable life?

This kid was a walking disaster. At least, for now, I was bound to an expert in bad decisions. Annoying, but maybe entertaining. Let’s see how long it takes before he realizes traveling the lands is the worst idea he’s ever had.

I’d have made a bet with the angel, but she was currently busy putting her head back on her shoulders.
Anyway, my guess? Three weeks.

He was stubborn, sure, but even stubborn fools learned when death chased them at every turn.
And if he didn’t?

Well… I had plenty of time to educate him.
After all this time in this pyramid without anyone here beside the mad angle it might not be that bad.

Becoming the king of an empire would be difficult—especially if the amulet’s wearer only saw me as a tool for their own advantage. There was no point in deluding myself. I wouldn’t break free from this damn thing anytime soon. Years, maybe even decades, would pass before I had a real chance. And if the rulers of this world ever realized they couldn’t bend me to their will, what then?

The answer was obvious. If they couldn’t use me, they’d ensure no one else could either.
Tossing me into the ocean, sealing me in a vault beneath a mountain, or sending me into the void—that sounded exactly like something one of those royal brats would do. I had seen their kind before. Greedy, short-sighted, clinging to their fragile thrones. The only real question was whether the Void God’s influence had spread too far in this world. If not, things might still be salvageable. If it had… well, then explaining to my new “master” how to open a portal to another realm might be a better use of my time.
Because if this planet fell, escape would be the only option.

And that would be a shame. I had always liked this little rock floating in space. Its unique position in the galaxy made interplanetary travel unusually easy. If you had a strong empire and the wealth to afford a teleportation ring, you could reach countless other worlds. It was rare to find a place like this.
I sighed, forcing my mind back to the present. I needed to get out of here. I had spent far too long trapped within these cursed walls, staring at the same worn-down murals and statues. I would gladly let the elves smash them all to dust.

Wait… hadn’t that angel mentioned elves were her favorite race?
A smirk curled at my lips. Oh, if I let the elves destroy her statues, she would be furious.
That thought alone made my imprisonment a little more bearable.

I let my gaze drift over the gathered elves and humans—the brat’s little band of misfits. Something about one of them felt… off. A human, supposedly, but there was something in his eyes. Something predatory. Like a wolf watching its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

He wasn’t here for Rafael. He was here for the amulet.

"Alright," I said, feigning nonchalance. "You’ll come to your senses in time. More importantly, who’s the human you brought with you?"

Rafael followed my gaze without hesitation. "This is my best friend, Mike. I’ve known him for years. He was the one who helped me find the amulet—and this place."

He said it so casually, like they were chatting over coffee on a lazy morning.
"Aha. Not suspicious at all," I thought dryly.

I probed further. If my suspicions were right, this man wasn’t entirely human. Full-blooded fae couldn’t walk freely in this world—they were bound by ancient laws and could only remain for short periods of time. But half-fae? They were different. They could stay indefinitely, unrestricted by the usual fae rules. They could also lie—a significant advantage over their full-blooded kin.

The downside? They had almost no magical talent. Barely stronger than the average human, except for rare mutations—abilities like glimpsing the future or communicating with animals.
And speaking of animals…

"I was wondering about that," I said, narrowing my eyes. "But tell me—how did you find this place? The amulet is hidden. No one should have been able to sense it."

"Oh, it was all Mike!" Rafael beamed. "You see, he can talk to animals. It took him some time, but eventually, he got the location from a fish."

Silence.
Utter, absolute silence.
I stared at him, my mind blank for several long seconds.
Then, slowly, very slowly, I exhaled.

"He surprised me again. I didn’t think it was possible, but…"
I pinched the bridge of my nose, forcing my voice to remain steady. "Sure. He talked to fish. How convenient." I forced a smile. "Just one question. Why do you think no one has found this place in all these years if all it took was chatting with a damn fish?"

Rafael opened his mouth to answer, but I didn’t let him.
"By the way, you probably don’t know this, so let me enlighten you." I took a slow, deep breath, barely keeping my patience intact.

"FISH CAN’T TALK. THEY ARE FISH "

The last part must have come out a little louder than I intended, because the brat took a step back, blinking in surprise.

That damned angel hadn’t irritated me this much in the entire time we’d been stuck in this room together.
"No, you must be mistaken," Rafael said, completely unfazed. "He really can talk to fish. His talent is special. That’s probably why no one else has found you before."

I could feel my nonexistent blood pressure rising. If I still had a body, my face would have been turning red. It also pained me a little that the brat didn’t seem to fear me at all.
And if he turned out to be a Starborn on top of everything else, I might actually explode from the sheer unfairness
.
Though, if he was, he’d easily be the stupidest one I had ever met. That thought, oddly enough, brought my mood back up.
I smiled at him sweetly and spoke in the gentlest tone I could muster.
"Sure. I can talk to fish, too. That part’s easy."
I leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with him.
"My point is…" I said slowly, deliberately.
"The fish can’t talk BACK."

Oops. That last part had come out a little more aggressive than I intended.
"I don’t think it’s so easy to say," the brat chuckled, completely unfazed. "If you don’t have the talent, you probably couldn’t understand the fish in the first place. You just made a fool of yourself talking to them—while they laughed at you."

He had the audacity to laugh in my face.
I already had a sharp retort on the tip of my tongue when something else caught my attention. Mike.
His movements were subtle, almost imperceptible to the human eye—slow, calculated steps toward Rafael. He was closing the distance carefully, methodically, as if hoping no one would notice. The barrier I had created only blocked sound, not movement. He thought he could take advantage of that.
Unfortunately for him, I was anything but normal.

Feigning irritation, I let out a sigh and casually turned my back on them, as if Rafael’s words had deeply annoyed me. In reality, I wanted Mike to believe I hadn’t noticed his approach.
Fascinating, I mused. A half-fae, without a doubt. But why send someone so weak?
The merfolk lived near this place, yet even they couldn't approach these ruins. The ancient spells woven by angels and demons alike concealed it from their sight. That meant Mike’s presence here wasn’t natural. Someone—or something—had guided him to this place. The Fae Queen, perhaps?

It would explain much. But if she was involved, then why send someone like Mike? He was far too weak to bypass the guardians. Unless…
Unless she lost part of her domain to the outsiders.
That would be a problem. The barriers around her realm should have held, and the last time I encountered the Outsider Princess, patience and subtlety were not among her virtues. If she had gained the upper hand so decisively, I would need to rethink my entire approach.

"You don’t have to be embarrassed," Rafael continued in his usual amused tone. "I mean, you’ve been out of the loop for quite some time, so it’s natural that you wouldn’t know—"
A sickening thud cut him off.

Mike had slammed headfirst into a newly conjured barrier—the moment before he could pounce. The impact echoed through the chamber like a bird crashing into a window at full speed. He staggered backward, blood dripping from his nose.

Rafael spun toward me, eyes wide with outrage. "Did you just attack Mike? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to kill us?"

I rolled my eyes. "Are you blind? Your dear friend Mike is nothing more than a puppet for something far greater. And now that it’s sensed the amulet nearby, it’s pushing him into madness."

For once, I managed not to yell at him. Maybe it was the utterly stunned look on Mike’s face, as if he himself hadn’t expected to hit a wall of magic. The force of his leap had been far stronger than a simple shove—he had meant to end Rafael right then and there. Had my barrier not been in place, it would have been over in seconds.

"You’re lying!" Rafael accused, pointing a trembling finger at me. "You’re an evil creature, and you’re trying to manipulate me from the inside!"
I sighed and raised my hands in mock surrender.
Meanwhile, Mike—now fully consumed by whatever had overtaken him—began clawing at the barrier like a rabid animal.

Interesting.

This wasn’t the work of the Fae Queen. Nor was it the Void God. And it certainly wasn’t an Outsider I recognized.

So the real question was: who had taken control?
And why were they foolish enough to make their puppet act like this?