UNMEI: Pantheon's Game-Chapter 102: Twisted World

Magma sat alone in the grand hall of his temporary residence, a lavish, sprawling palace given to him during his stay. The walls gleamed with golden accents, the floors polished to perfection, and the sheer space of the place screamed power and wealth.

Yet, none of it brought him any satisfaction. His mind was elsewhere, consumed by the absurdity of today's events.

Aramir... Lucky bastard.

"Stay out of this, you're just a guest."

Magma's grip tightened around the glass. A guest? Is that all he saw him as?

He took a slow sip of the wine, but it tasted bitter on his tongue. No, he wouldn't just let this slide. The world needed to know what was happening here. If Aramir wouldn't see reason, then perhaps the other rulers would. He needed to spread the word, make sure they understood the reckless decision Aramir had made today.

Dune, Ned, Atlas... Nely, Ezra, Liam, Elijah, Gambelio... Enren and Omen. All ten. All cursed by the gods and favored by fate. His own blessed, Enren and Omen, hidden in Sarodenly.

You did well, Aramir. I expected him to cull them quietly. But no... the old wolf chose to shelter them, let them roam the palace grounds like pampered dogs. Even worse, he dares to seat them near the heart of power. Near his sons, near the throne itself.

Magma's jaw tightened. If I strike here in Rendely... the entire kingdom will rise against me. Aramir's hand may be weak, but his sons, and other higher ups, they will not allow me to bleed their precious Blessed in plain sight.

And still, there are three more, Nely, and the twin brats, Ezra and Liam, scattered somewhere in Sanatria. Their whereabouts unknown, even to me. That gnaws at me more than anything else. Are they hiding? Or has Aramir placed them somewhere beyond my reach, tucked safely under some loyal house's skirts?

So what then? Assassins? Poison? Too risky. Too loud. And they will soon be guarded like kings.

No... it must be something else. A trap. A hunt.

I need them out of Rendely. Away from Aramir's eye, away from the Murderthrones. Perhaps I can stir up something within Sanatria. Force the Blessed to scatter... pick them off in shadows rather than in court.

Just as Magma was about to rise, a sound interrupted his thoughts. Soft, deliberate footsteps echoed through the vast chamber.

Magma turned, his expression darkening as his eyes locked onto the figure stepping into view. Damion... For a moment, silence stretched between them.

Magma studied Damion with sharp, wary eyes as the young man stepped further into the room.

"You seem troubled," Damion tone was smooth, almost amused.

Magma scoffed, swirling the wine in his glass before setting it down. "And what makes you think that?"

Damion didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a few slow steps forward, hands casually tucked behind his back, his crimson gaze never leaving Magma's. Then, he spoke, his words deliberate.

"I imagine it must be frustrating, being dismissed so easily, having your warnings ignored." He tilted his head slightly. "Aramir is playing a dangerous game, don't you think? Keeping Zetens alive. Letting them roam freely."

Magma's fingers twitched. "What do you want, boy?" he asked coldly.

Damion's lips curled slightly at the word boy, but he let it slide. "I want to make you an offer."

Magma raised an eyebrow, skepticism thick in his gaze. "An offer?"

Damion nodded. "I'll let you do as you please. Kill the Zetens. Spread the word to the other rulers. I won't stop you."

Magma leaned forward slightly, his suspicion deepening. "And why would you allow that?"

"Because," Damion's red eyes gleamed, "right now, you're already marked for death."

The room fell silent. Magma's expression didn't change, but something in his posture shifted.

"You're saying Aramir plans to kill me?" Magma's voice was low, controlled.

Damion shrugged. "It makes sense, doesn't it? You questioned his rule. You made it clear that you wouldn't stay silent. Do you really think he's just going to let you leave?"

The boy's right. Even if i stayed, even if i played along, the moment he became a liability, Aramir would eliminate me. It's only a matter of time.

Damion took another step forward. "But I can help you."

Magma narrowed his eyes. "How are you going to do that? And what do you want in return?"

For the first time, Damion's smile widened slightly. He leaned in just a bit, his voice dropping to something almost playful.

"I need a potion." Magma stiffened. A potion?

Then, Damion's next words sent a chill down his spine.

"Specifically, I want you to make the Ability Enhancement Potion."

Magma's eyes widened.

"The Ability Enhancement Potion?" He repeated the words slowly, his mind racing.

"That's one of the rarest and hardest potions to make. Even among alchemists, only a handful have the knowledge to craft it." His gaze darkened.

"You'd need absurdly rare ingredients, ones that most people couldn't even dream of getting their hands on. And even then, the success rate—"

Damion cut him off smoothly.

"You're talking to a prince." He smiled. "Success rate? That's why I'm asking you, Master of Potions."

Magma's breath hitched slightly. He knows that name. Only a few people in the world referred to him that way. This brat isn't normal.

Magma's thoughts churned as he stared at the young man before him. Why? Why would he need such a potion? Ability Enhancement wasn't just a simple power boost, it could only be used once, it would strengthen a person's abilities, pushing them beyond their natural limits. But it was a nightmare to make, requiring knowledge, skill, and most importantly, time.

"You realize what you're asking for isn't something that can be made overnight," Magma said, his voice measured.

"I do," Damion said. "And that's why I'm offering you something equally valuable." His red eyes gleamed. "I will help you escape this continent."

Magma went still.

Even if he killed the three Zetens, even if he somehow fought his way through and defeated Aramir, Cassius and other higher ups, he wouldn't be able to leave.

But if Damion was telling the truth...

Magma leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. His mind was calculating every possible angle, every risk. This deal... it was dangerous. But refusing it? That might be even worse.

Magma scoffed, his sharp mind already analyzing the situation. "Even if I agreed... why should I trust you? How do you even know about the state of the other continents? About the dangers outside of this kingdom?"

"Yes, i know what lies beyond," Damion said, his voice carrying a weight of certainty. "The reason why no one crosses continents isn't just because it's difficult, it's because it's impossible without the right method. Millions of creatures, unkillable, unrelenting, surround every continent. They do not sleep. They do not die. They attack the moment anyone tries to leave. Even if you defeat Aramir and Cassius, you won't have enough power left to survive the crossing mist."

Magma clenched his fists. He hated to admit it, but Damion was right. No matter how strong he was, he wasn't unstoppable. If he burned through his Neba before reaching the border, he would be as good as dead.

Damion took another step forward. "But I can get you out."

Magma exhaled slowly, his mind a whirlwind of calculations.

"You're offering me a way to escape... and in exchange, you want an Ability Enhancement Potion." His eyes narrowed.

"What exactly are you planning, Damion?"

Damion simply smiled. "That's not important. What is important is that our interests align. You want freedom. I want power. You get to leave and spread the truth. I get my potion. It's a fair trade."

Magma remained silent for a long moment. Then, he chuckled.

"You really are an interesting one, aren't you?" He crossed his arms.

"Fine. You have a deal."

Damion's smile widened. "Excellent." But as the two shook hands, a single thought echoed in Magma's mind.

Just who the hell is this guy?

Damion stepped out of the grand estate, the night air cool against his skin. His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dim moonlight as he walked, his pace unhurried.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

Whoever created the monster barrier was a genius.

It was a system so perfect, so absolute, it kept the continents trapped, each one isolated, incapable of invading the other. A world at peace, or at least an illusion of it. No ruler could dream of conquest when they couldn't even step beyond their own lands.

But peace is nothing more than stagnation. And now, he had taken another step toward his goal.

He exhaled, stretching his arms casually as he walked through the streets.

That's why I need Azrael to do something for me. And not only him... Magma, Aramir, Cassius, even the Zetens, each one is a piece on my board.

Each one unknowingly being pushed toward an inevitable fate.

"Well, well. Done weaving your little web, puppet master?"

Damion turned his head slightly.

There, leaning against the stone wall, arms crossed, was Cel.

His black hair glowed faintly under the moonlight, his sharp, amused eyes locked onto Damion. He pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward, his usual smirk playing on his lips.

"So?" Cel asked, tilting his head. "How did it go?"

"What do you think?"

Cel let out a short laugh. "I figured. He looked pissed as hell earlier. I bet his blood's boiling at the thought of getting played."

Damion merely shrugged. "It doesn't matter. As long as he believes he has a choice, he'll dance to my tune."

Cel narrowed his eyes slightly, his smirk never fading. "You're a scary guy, Damion. Twisting everyone around your fingers like that."

Damion let out a soft sigh, looking up at the night sky.

"This world is already twisted, Cel. I'm just moving the pieces in the right direction."

Cel's smirk grew. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that."

The two walked side by side into the night, the air filled with unspoken schemes and hidden agendas.