Arden gasped for air as if his entire body had been deflated. He felt like that was actually the case, but considering the lack of a horrified expression on Nux, he felt that it was much more mundane.

  He looked around and saw the familiar cramped space that was his room. The small room felt even smaller with four people in it.

  The presence of Nux and Bellum standing nearby wasn't surprising, but the presence of an unknown person was. The unknown man spoke.

  “He’s through the worst of it. I've reduced his symptoms from what they were to symptoms of a strong sickness. He'll be feverish, experience chills, nausea, aches, and exhaustion.”

  Nux hugged the doctor and gave his thanks.

  “Thank you Barnos. I don't know what I would do if he died. The fact that he is stable is enough.”

  Barnos laughed.

  “Don't worry about it, young master. I just did what any healer should do.”

  Nux shook his head.

  “No, not all would. I've seen it myself in the past. Some healers only heal the wealthy to line their own pockets. You being here to heal a servant like him is proof that you are one of the good ones. When we get back to the estate, you can expect a grand bonus.”

  Barnos laughed again and began towards the exit.

  “In that case, you have my thanks in advance. I'll head out so he can rest in peace.”

  With that, the only ones left in the carriage were Nux, Bellum, and Arden.

  Arden watched the interaction with interest. He hadn’t heard Nux when he was with the people. He had seen conversations from afar, and Nux looked normal and kind in those. Now that Arden had seen Nux up close with someone of much lower standing, he was able to see why everyone believed in him.

  Arden heard the rumors, both back at the estate and here on the road. Nux’s supplicants all loved him. He was kind to them, regardless of who they were or where they came from.

  And it was real.

  Nux genuinely cared for the people under his command. Arden knew that from the beginning Nux didn’t want to be the chosen one, but he accepted the role anyway. He didn’t go after Arden because he thought that Arden would take the power that was rightfully his, it was because he believed that Arden would use the power for himself instead of for the people.

  Arden shuddered.

  For the first time in his trial, he was genuinely afraid. Not of the scenario itself, but of the man called the hero. Nothing that he showed was a facade.

  He genuinely believed that Arden was an agent of evil.

  Bellum looked between the two of them and spoke.

  “Young master, please forgive me. I didn’t think that the boy would be affected that quickly by potion fatigue. I thought he was stronger.”

  That last sentence irked Arden.

  “What part of my violent and needlessly cruel bleating gave you the idea that I was in any way strong?”

  Nux sighed.

  “Rise, Bellum. The fault is as much mine as it is yours. I also thought that this villain would hold out longer, considering earlier. Perhaps it was due to earlier proceedings that he was as broken as he was.”

  ‘Villain…’

  “Earlier, you two almost killed me!”

  Nux continued, ignoring Arden.

  “Regardless, this ruins part of the journey. The plan was for our little demon to be let out long enough to ward off suspicions, then keep him here the rest of the time. Now, everyone will be keeping an eye out for him for the rest of the trip. If he continues to suffer from potion fatigue, the rest will grow suspicious. Even if my servant is a vile demon, the others won’t believe it, and they’ll think that I've been abusing an innocent man.”

  “We can’t oust him as a demon without any evidence,” Bellum muttered.

  Nux shook his head.

  “That’s correct. And even if we did, it would be difficult to convince them that someone they’ve known for years is actually the enemy. And even if we did, the family’s reputation would fall.”

  Nux became thoughtful and silent. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, and Bellum didn't interrupt him. He knew when Nux needed input, and this was not one of those times.

  Finally, Nux turned around to look at Arden.

  “Ideally, we would be able to rid ourselves of him without consequences. That's not possible, so we'll do the next best thing. We keep him here, where no one will be able to see him. We'll keep him in line, and alive. For now.”

  He looked at Bellum and gave an order

  “Get me a map.”

  Bellum obliged and approached a bookshelf where he pulled out a book with a cover that looked like a compass.

  Nux took the book out of Bellum's hands and nodded to himself.

  “Good choice. This one shows a map relative to our current position, right?”

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  “Yes sir.”

  Nux placed his hand over the compass on the cover and began chanting in an unknown language. Arden realized he was casting a spell, much like Aldren had done, and forced himself not to scowl.

  ‘If he's a mage as well, that makes this a lot more difficult.’

  A dim golden light shone from Nux’s hand, and the book reacted. With a small flash, a translucent map appeared over the book.

  From his lower position, Arden couldn't see what the map was showing Nux.

  “We are here,” he said, pointing to a point on the map. “We should be able to reach the town of Silverbrook by tomorrow afternoon. Here's the plan. I make a big show out of bringing our guy to the town clinic, and I tell everyone that he'll stay there until we return so that he has better medical attention. In reality, we'll pay off someone with similar features to play the role. Maybe use a disguise spell to make it more real.”

  Nux closed the book and the map disappeared into wisps of golden light. He gave the book back to Bellum and approached Arden, looking at him with disgust.

  “The demon will stay with us, until we get what we need. Everyone else will think that he's gone, and we'll be able to keep a close eye on him. Tomorrow night will end with the demon contained, and if we're lucky, we'll celebrate with a couple of women. Any questions?”

  Bellum placed the book back on the shelf and answered.

  “I'll use my best judgment to determine a suitable candidate. Is that alright?”

  Nux nodded.

  “I'd prefer to get a homeless man to improve his circumstances, but as the man on the ground, you’d have the final say.”

  “I was referring to the women, but understood. What about our previous intention for Silverbrook and your would-be assassin?”

  “We’ll take care of it on our way back. It’ll be easier with divinity on my side.”

  Bellum nodded.

  “Just like Lady Rin suggested,” he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

  “Why does everyone think I’m going to abuse my powers?”

  Arden answered for him.

  “Because you already are abusing your power?”

  In one fluid motion, Nux’s arm thrust towards Arden's left arm. He was fast, too fast for Arden to react.

  Arden expected to feel pain from such a fast and sudden attack, but he only felt the sensation of cold metal around his wrist.

  He immediately recognized the feeling of handcuffs. It had only been a few hours since he had last been restrained by them, after all.

  Arden looked at his wrist that was handcuffed to the knob of his bed's headboard. He tried to pull free, but it was futile.

  “Kinky.”

  He stared daggers at Nux and continued to struggle as Nux watched on.

  “It's hopeless, hell spawn. You won't be freed anytime soon. Those manacles were created to restrain seasoned knights. A possessed servant such as yourself won't be able to break through. Be grateful that you are at least chained to your bed.”

  Arden had enough.

  “I’m not a demon! Quit twisting the narrative! I am a human, just like you, and Bellum, and everyone here in this world! I don’t want your goddamn Godstone! I want to go home! I want to see Sya and Vera again! I want to live in a world where I am something better than just a victim of reality’s cruel machinations!”

  “No one cares about the desires of a demon.”

  “I’m a human!” Arden repeated. “How can you not see that!? And you do care about what I want! You asked me earlier, and were so scared about what my answer meant that you came to believe that I was evil! You chose to see me as evil because it makes what you’re doing seem justified. You chose to make me evil to make it easier for yourself.”

  “Quiet.”

  “Or what? You’ll beat me again? Feed me another healing potion? Here’s the thing about good and evil: People don’t commit evil because they are driven by some cosmic force commanding them to do bad. They do bad because doing good is too hard. Apparently, it's too hard for you to admit to yourself that I am not a threat, and it's easier to paint me as some corrupting influence. But people don’t need a corrupting influence. People corrupt themselves. Because it's easy.”

  Nux glared at Arden hard, like he was thinking about castrating him again. Eventually, he walked out of Arden’s room and swung the door shut. The small room shook, as if everything in the room was terrified of the prince.

  Arden heaved a sigh and shook slightly, unable to tell if he was shaking from potion fatigue or fear. He said what he did in a heated moment, but he couldn’t deny that he was terrified of Nux.

  He turned his attention to the magic-sealing handcuffs that he once again found himself locked in. He didn’t have the chance earlier while he was being beaten, so he would take the time to understand it now. If it had a chance to improve his situation, he would take it.

  Arden immediately noticed a difference between the cuffs here and the ones back home. The size of the keyhole was much bigger than the pinprick ones and the small keyhole used by the ones on earth. No longer was the keyhole a tiny hole that would only fit the key. Now, the keyhole was a little bit larger than a centimeter.

  He wondered for a moment if the handcuffs were forged with magic. He knew that the science in this world was a bit backwards thanks to the prevalence of magic. Arden surmised that it was possible that the more fine aspects of craftsmanship were lacking here because they used magic instead of improving the tools of science, hence the larger hole.

  ‘Wouldn't that make it easier to break out? Who makes handcuffs like that?

  Arden shook his head.

  ‘Why am I complaining about this being made easier?’

  He looked around his room for anything that could be used as a makeshift key, but found nothing. He sighed and gave up for the night. It wasn’t like he’d be able to make it far if he busted out of his handcuffs.

  That, and he began to feel sick again. Nausea started making its presence known as he laid down. He began taking deep breaths to calm his stomach with only minor effects.

  ‘This potion fatigue is no joke.’

  Arden sincerely hoped that this wasn't what Sya experienced every moment with her Blighted nature. If it was, he didn’t know how she was able to function, much less complete a stargate and fight the doppelganger.

  With his head on the pillow, he held his free hand in front of his face. He looked at the calluses that now decorated it, thanks to the rigorous use of swords and the Bone Talons. Proof of his struggle.

  From the moment he and his sister escaped to the slums, struggle was all he knew. Scrounging the food for Sya to live. The constant and incessant attacks from Yaan. The Mausoleum of the Maverick. The Doppelganger.

  One by one, a new obstacle blocked his way, and one by one, he broke through. Looking back, he noticed how lucky he was that Sya and Vera had stood by him every step of the way.

  Vera could have left them.

  Sya could have gotten killed.

  But they were still alive.

  Arden clenched his fist and lowered it to his side.

  This trial was exactly that. A trial. Just another obstacle for him to overcome. A chance for him to continue struggling.

  He wasn’t going to stop.

  Arden felt exhaustion creep up on him. Between the softness of the comfortable bed, and the exhaustion of the hectic day he had, the prospect of sleep was very appealing to Arden.

  It didn’t take long for sleep to come to the aspirant.