After having been essentially kicked out of the room by John, Prota was at a loss. She stared down the hall blankly as if waiting for someone to tell her what to do.

She wasn't sure how to feel. There was a mild sense of betrayal about the situation, but at the same time, she couldn't deny that there was no point in her being there. It did seem like John was just trying to save her from a boring situation. The king had permitted her to wander around as long as no guards stopped her, so she wandered off.

The inside of the palace was fascinating. She'd never seen anything like it. Marble pillars, stained glass windows sitting at the top of high ceiling corridors, fragments of light spilling all over smooth stone floors… this was somewhere most people would never see, let alone think of seeing. And yet, here she was.

Soon, though, it started getting repetitive. She had no idea where she was going, and the architecture wasn't changing.

Outside. She could go outside.

She tried to find her way out but ended up getting lost again. She tried wandering around aimlessly, only to get even more lost than she'd been before. Ultimately, she remembered she had a personal map and used it. It couldn't direct her to where she wanted to go, but it would at least tell her where she'd already been.

She found herself in the palace garden. Once again, it was a scenery unlike anything she'd ever seen. The blooming bushes and flowers were adequately taken care of and trimmed, the path perfect, without a single blemish. She stared in interest as she hopped from stone to stone, making her way toward a fountain in the centre of the area. Once there, she just stared, unsure of what to do next.

"Ah, so you were here."

Prota flinched. Who could be calling out to her?

"You're Prota, right? It's nice to meet you. I'm Hart. We met earlier, when you first got out of the carriage?"

Prota turned to see Destiny's sister looking at her with a pleasant smile. Despite being only thirteen or fourteen, she seemed strangely mature. She wore a simple black dress, carrying a case on her back. It looked innocent, but Prota knew better. There was a giant hammer hiding inside that case.

Thus, despite Hart's kind smile, Prota couldn't help but feel a little anxious. This was the girl who could discipline Destiny, whom she considered to be strong. What did she want with her? What did Prota have that Hart would approach her?

"The queen asked if I could show you around. You looked a little lost inside the castle, you know," Hart said with a little giggle. "Would you like a tour?"

"...yes," Prota said in a quiet voice. It'd taken her a lot to get that word out.

"Sounds good! Well, as you can already see, we're in the garden…"

For the next half hour, Hart led Prota around the castle. It was much better with a guide this time, and she was able to see things she'd never seen the first time she'd wandered around. The library in particular caught her interest. Beams of sunlight poured through the windows, the smell of aged wood and old paper filling her senses. It was comforting.

"Do you like it?" Hart smiled. "Des used to come here all the time as a child. He was especially interested in magic books… I'm getting ahead of myself. Anything in this place is open for you to read. Just try not to break anything, ok?"

"...expensive?"

"What was that? Oh, are these expensive?" Hart slowly took a book off a shelf and wiped the cover. "No, not really. The precious books are kept under lock, in a separate area. But still, even if something is expendable, shouldn't we try to keep them safe?"

Prota looked at the book with a troubled expression, although it wasn't visible to Hart. Regardless, the older girl sensed something was off.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'm not saying not to read them. What's the point in a book you can't read? If it breaks, it breaks. All I'm saying is that you should do your best to keep them safe. I don't think we'll have to worry about that, though."

Prota looked up at Hart with a new perspective. Was this really the same girl she'd seen earlier?

"Come on, the tour of the palace is almost done."

Prota followed Hart out of the library and through the halls. She would've had no idea where she was if it hadn't been for her map system. She was grateful Hart was showing her around. This way, she could come back to the library as much as she wanted.

"Here, the training grounds."

Hart opened a set of heavy doors to reveal a large outdoor area. In one corner were a set of training dummies, while another corner had stashes of swords, shields, and other various weapons for soldiers.

"Des's letter said you were pretty strong. So…"

Behind her, Hart's case began to expand and reform, slowly changing into a giant black hammer lined with gold. It landed on the ground with an audible thump, a small crater forming in the ground. Prota shrank back in fear.

"How about we end this with a friendly sparring session?"

~~~

"What do you mean by that?" the king frowned.

John shrugged. "I mean, what if I'm not comfortable sharing everything?"

"...just start by telling me what you know."

John leaned back in his chair, grateful that the king had let Prota leave. It wasn't that he was trying to hide things from her. This was just something she didn't need to be involved in. Besides, it was possible things would start to get messy, and he had no plans to involve his sister in politics.

Put simply, there would be lying—a lot of lying. And Prota was not a good liar.

The conversation had started with describing the process of what'd happened, leaving out a few key details, namely those about souls and Doctor. The king had listened patiently, nodding and asking questions when appropriate. As John finished, the room fell silent.

"There's still more, isn't there?" the king said quietly.

John took a sip of tea. The king wasn't stupid.

"Sir," John said, his tone unusually serious.

The king was probably taken aback, but he wasn't an amateur. If he felt any different, he didn't show it.

"Are you sure you want to know everything?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you sure you want all the details? Because sometimes it's best if we don't know about some things. You know what I mean?"

The king nodded solemnly. "If it threatens our nation, then yes, I need to know. Please, continue."

John sighed. Well, it wouldn't make sense if it ended that easily, right?

"In this world, there's the realm of mortals, and then there's the realm of gods. Right?"

The king nodded again. "Indeed. We exist in a world below that of Mystics and gods. We could never hope to reach their plane of existence."

"Well, Mystics- that's not the point. Look, you said "in a world," right? I know you're talking metaphorically, but what if there were things outside of this world?"

"What… what are you trying to imply?"

"I'm saying that there are other worlds. And if there are other worlds, worlds your gods don't rule over, then there are things even the gods don't know."

The statement hung in the air with a heavy silence.

"Are you implying that this is one of those things?" the king said, his smile frozen on his face.

John had started the game rather abruptly, but now that both parties were in play, the masks were up. Words meant nothing now. They were simply covers for one's true intent. The trick was deciphering what the other truly meant, deciding whether or not the opponent was lying or telling the truth.

John shook his head ever so slightly. "It might be one of those things, yeah. My point is, are you ready to deal with what could come next?"

"As king of this country, I've seen a lot. The wisdom of my predecessors has guided me a long way," the man said. "And I do not know how trustworthy your word is. You may be Destiny's friend and companion, but that is not enough. I have seen people fall to those they thought were family, friends betrayed by lifelong companions, for all sorts of reasons. I have no reason to trust you."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Well, yeah," John nodded. "Makes sense. You don't look like an idiot. But having some intelligence isn't gonna help you when even the gods don't know how to deal with what's going on here. Like I said, not of this world. You think you're ready for this?"

The king frowned. "You speak as if you, too, are not of this world."

John just smiled.

"What do you think?"

He stared deep into the king's eyes, his gaze unwavering. The king stared back with equal determination, trying to decipher what he could. Suddenly, with a slight motion of his hand, three women leapt out of the shadows, knives instantly at John's throat.

"I could've had you killed at any moment," the king said quietly. "Your life is in my hands. I've been kind up to this point, but any other royalty would not have tolerated your attitude for even a moment. I would suggest you proceed carefully."

"Ok, fair enough. We're pulling out the big guns," John nodded, clearly unconcerned. "Right, I could just be insane. Maybe the voices in my head are a little too loud, right? But you don't really have a choice. If I'm wrong and you listen, you look like a fool, lose some credibility. But if I'm right and you ignore me, your entire world is fucked."

"I'm sure you are not the only one with the information you have."

John's smile never left his face.

"And what if I am?"

Another moment of silence.

"Honestly, I did not want to resort to this," the king said, breaking the stand off. "But if I must, I will resort to-"

John started moving, and the women tensed, their blades touching John's neck, drawing a thin line of blood. He didn't stop, though. His movements were slow and deliberate. Reaching into his pocket, he secretly went into his pocket dimension and withdrew something. When his arm came up, there was a small orb in it.

"Do you know what this is?" John put the orb on the table, away from the king. "This is soul energy."

The king showed a split second of surprise. It was just a fleeting expression, but it was more than enough to let John know he currently had the upper hand.

"Doctor, the man we were hunting, figured out how to extract this."

"Destiny mentioned this-"

"Yeah, I'm sure he did. And did he tell you where he got all his information from?"

"...he did."

"Right. You've never heard of me," John continued. "You don't recognize me, meaning I'm either from an enemy organization, or… I know something you don't. So, what's it gonna be?"

There was no movement from the weapons at John's throat. He was incredibly uncomfortable. But he couldn't show any hesitation, any sign of weakness. He was holding the upper hand ever so slightly, and he needed things to stay that way.

They were playing politics. Normally, John wouldn't have minded giving the other party a little slack. He was especially good at playing the underdog. But not now. Not here. John didn't have anything. No prestige. No power. Nothing to give him the upper hand. The king, on the other hand, had everything. If he decided John wasn't necessary, it was over. In this scenario, giving any ground meant losing.

"Look, what's your name?" John said, leaning forward.

It was time to be a little bold.

"Aegnor. Aegnor Elvus, king of the elves," the man said hesitantly.

"Listen… Aegnor. I'm gonna call you that, ok? I'm manaless. I'm not a threat. So, given that, would you mind if we spoke in private?"

"...what?"

"Hey, this is sensitive information. Do you just let state secrets loose in front of everyone? No? It's the same thing. I don't mind being held at knifepoint, but either you call in a deaf guard, or you get these fellas to leave."

The king frowned, showing the first crack in his defences. John let out a slow, controlled breath. Everything was going according to plan. Well, it had to go according to plan. There were no more [Resets]. No second chances.

This had to work, first try.

"Very well. You may leave."

"But sir-"

"He is manaless. Do you think me to be that weak?"

The women left without another word, but John couldn't relax. Not yet.

The king cleared his throat, keeping a close eye on the boy in front of him. "Very well. What is it you have to tell me?"

"Alright. For starters, how much do you know about Quaesitor Veritatis?" John said.

Jinae had told him the name of her organization carried a lot of weight. They'd existed for centuries, filled with only the most powerful of people. After all, only those with enough weight to shift the balance of the world could search for the "truth." John sincerely hoped they'd never find that truth, but for now, he was fine with using them to his advantage.

"You- don't tell me, you're-"

"No, I'm not in their little cult," John said. "But I'm familiar with one of them. What, do you know any of them?"

"No," the king said. "I'm afraid not. But my father would tell me stories of them. Their organization has enough power to take over the world, and yet they do not. If you are acquainted with them-"

"Good, good," John nodded. "Now, do you know what their little group's purpose is?"

"They seek the truth," the king said slowly. "I do not know what this means, but I know they have yet to find it, even with all their members."

"Very good," John said, clapping. "Gold star for you. Now, what if I told you that I know the truth they're looking for?"

"Ha!" the king laughed. "You? A child? You're-"

The king was about to continue, but stopped as he looked at John.

There was no smile on the boy's face. Nothing to indicate he was joking.

Aegnor wanted to believe it was a bluff. It had to be. How could the manaless boy in front of him know something as powerful as the truth of the world? Something a group such as Quaesitor Veritatis was still searching for?

The king was still doubtful.

But that was ok with John. He didn't need the king to trust him just yet. He just needed to plant the idea that he was more than he seemed. Just a little seed of doubt, one that would grow into the plant of faith.

The seed was planted. All he had to do was water it.

"Do you think I approached them?" John said, clasping his hands together on the table. "No. They approached me. I didn't even know who they were. Wanna guess why they approached me?"

The king's voice was but a whisper. "Impossible."

He still doubted John. But thoughts began to swim in his mind. What if this boy was telling the truth? What if he was serious? If that were the case, then one of the most extraordinary beings in the world was sitting in this room.

"Look, it boils down to this. We defeated a man named Doctor in the Town of Beginnings. That man had an ability that defied the natural laws of this world. An ability that exists outside of its rules."

Aegnor frowned. "But you beat him."

"Well, yeah. Obviously," John nodded. "But there are probably more people like him. And as a result, this world is going to be flipped on its head, do you understand?"

"...in what way?"

"I don't know."

The king stared. What? All this, just to say that he didn't know? Was John messing with him?

John shrugged. "Well, if I had to guess… the Demon King is gonna come soon. The hero, too. Well, the hero might already be here, you know?"

"I- what?"

"But that's not all. What if… what if the hero loses to the Demon King? Then what? That's not supposed to happen, right? But what if I told you it could? I'm just saying, that whole fiasco in the Town of Beginnings was just the start."

John's words were heavy. The implications were enormous. The king wanted to believe this was all a joke. The ramblings of someone insane, maybe. But Destiny's letter had to be considered. If the reports were true, then the boy before him had some kind of intuition that rivalled future sight. And if that was true, then maybe, just maybe, everything else he was saying was true as well.

John saw the hesitation in the king's face. To believe, or not to believe? Aegnor was on the fence. He just needed a little nudge. John couldn't guarantee the nudge would push him in the right direction.

But that was a gamble he was willing to take.

"Let's make a deal," John said, breaking the silence.

"...what?" the king said warily.

"Let's say the world is like a train. It's going down a track. But right now, the train is being derailed. Luckily, I will do my best to put it back on the right track."

"You? I still have no reason to trust you. If what you are saying is true, then the world is headed for disaster, but… well, I will give you one chance. Say something. Anything. Prove yourself."

John laughed. "What? Why should I do that?"

"You just said-"

"I'm not proving anything. In the end, the decision is up to you. Do you want to have a hand in saving the world? Or will you let it be destroyed?"

The king frowned, deeply conflicted. He wanted to just have John put in jail. The words being said were utterly ridiculous. But on the off chance that they were true…

"Let's say this is possible. Let's say I believe you. Then what do you want in return?"

"Your backing."

"My… backing?"

"If I need to take drastic action, then I just need your word that you'll stand up for me. You don't need to bail me out. I just need your support. I need you to tell the courts that you know me, that I'm not a bad guy. Do you understand?"

"And in return… how can I trust you?"

"Don't," John said. "You should never trust me. That would be the logical thing to do. But logic went out the window the moment you refused to kill me, so I don't think that matters too much, right?"

The king rubbed his chin. What was he supposed to do? He had no reason to trust that this boy could fix anything. This talk about unknown threats, strange worlds… what did it all mean?

But then again, he wasn't asking for much. And if he was truly acquainted with Quaesitor Veritatis…

"...fine," he said quietly. "I'll do it."

"Very good!" John grinned, getting up.

"You trust I will hold my end of the deal?"

"Well, sure," John shrugged.

His serious demeanor was gone. He was back to his old self, aloof and careless. The king was having a hard time believing this was the boy who'd just navigated such a conversation.

"Look," John explained. "I don't need to trust you. If I hold up my end of the deal, then that means I have the power to do a lot more than you might think. And if you don't hold up your end of the deal, who knows what might happen? You betrayed the one guy who can help save the world."

He turned around, heading for the door, when the king called his name one last time.

"John. What are your plans for this world? You're clearly more than you let on," Aegnor said. "Let's say you are as powerful as you say. A god in a child's body, perhaps. Do you plan on saving this world? Or dooming it?"

"Me?" John snorted. "Does it look like I can do either?"

The silence was more than enough for an answer.

"Very well," Aegnor sighed. "You are dismissed. Oh, a word of advice? Don't try this with any other form of royalty. It will not end well for you."

"Yeah, thanks," John shrugged. It seemed he didn't really care. "I'll keep that in mind."

The king nodded once more, sending John out. He watched as the door closed, staring long after John had left.

"What a dangerous boy," Aegnor sighed. He could feel the tension in his body melting away. "What do you think, Haze?"

The king's bodyguard stepped out from the shadows, bowing. "He noticed me, sire."

"Did he now?"

"I believe his claims of being manaless are true. Despite this, he was unusually skilled in many ways. He noticed our assassins before they moved and then acted surprised and afraid until it no longer suited his purposes. I, too, was likely noticed, even though I hid my presence. The way he took control of the conversation was masterful. After all, even you were caught off guard, were you not? The only true side of him was likely his arrogance."

The king nodded, smiling as he closed his eyes. "Thank you, Haze. I thought I noticed it, too, but sometimes my eyes fail me. Helpful as always."

"I serve you to the best of my ability, my lord."

"How is Destiny?"

She coughed. "I have not yet had the opportunity to speak with him, sire."

"Go home, then. Spend time with your son," Aegnor said, shooing her away. "I'll be fine."

"Thank you, sir. If I may provide one more piece of advice, then."

"Speak."

Haze looked out at the door John had gone through. "That boy was wearing a mask."

"Yes, I could tell. The way he changed at the end was unusually unnerving. It was as if he were an entirely different person."

Haze cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Yes, sir. The thing is, though, I'm not quite sure which version of him was the mask."

Aegnor frowned. "Elaborate."

"Neither version of that boy felt genuine. If I may be honest… that boy is incredibly skilled at getting what he wants. Neither version of himself might have been the real him. In fact, a maskless version of him may not even exist."

The king nodded slowly, rubbing his chin.

"We've gotten ourselves quite the troublesome ally, haven't we?"

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