A Night in Captivity
Liam sat on the cold stone floor of his cell, staring at the ceiling. The air smelled of damp stone, iron, and faint traces of burning incense from the torches lining the hallway outside.
The conversation with Lady Evelyn still lingered in his mind.
She was sharp—too sharp. She hadn’t immediately dismissed his cims, but she also wasn’t convinced. He wasn’t a prisoner, but he wasn’t free either. A guest under watch.
"I need more information," he muttered.
Seraphis spoke first.
"Patience, Liam. You are in a secure pce now. Use this time to gather knowledge before making reckless decisions."
Then came Nyx’s mocking ughter.
"Hah! Secure? You’re locked in a cage like an obedient dog. If it were me, I’d have slit that noblewoman’s throat and walked out of here by now."
Liam sighed. These two never stopped.
But before he could reply, footsteps echoed outside. A guard approached, unlocking his cell door.
"You. Come with me."
---
The Grand Hall of Eris
Liam was led through towering stone corridors, past grand chandeliers and tapestries depicting battles from centuries past. The castle was ancient, yet well-preserved, its design a blend of medieval grandeur and faint magical traces that lingered in the air.
Finally, they entered a massive hall.
A long, dark wooden table stretched across the room, adorned with candlelight. Several high-ranking figures were seated—nobles in embroidered robes, knights cd in pristine armor, and schors with aged tomes.
At the head of the table sat Lady Evelyn.
She gestured to an empty seat.
"Sit."
Liam complied, keeping his posture rexed but alert. This was an interrogation.
---
The Pyers of This World
Evelyn spoke first.
"You cim to be an outsider, found unconscious on the battlefield. That alone is suspicious. But what interests me most is that… you were the only survivor."
Murmurs spread across the table.
An older man, draped in deep blue robes and carrying a staff, leaned forward. His eyes, though tired, were sharp with wisdom.
"The battlefield was cursed," the old man muttered. "Dark magic had taken root there. No one should have survived."
A knight in bck armor scoffed.
"He could be a heretic. A spy for the rebels."
Liam’s fingers tensed beneath the table. They were testing him.
---
System Prompt – The Lie or The Truth?
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Would you like to:
[1] Tell the truth – Cim ignorance and ask about this world.
[2] Lie – Say you were caught in the battle and barely escaped.
[3] Stay silent – Let them reveal more information first.
Nyx purred in his mind.
"Option two. Lie. It’s safer, and they’ll be more likely to trust you."
Seraphis countered.
"Honesty might gain allies. Lies build walls of suspicion."
Liam ignored both of them. He was making his own choices.
---
Liam’s Choice: Deflection
Instead of answering directly, he leaned forward and met Evelyn’s gaze.
"You said the battlefield was cursed. What kind of curse are we talking about?"
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
The old schor hummed.
"The Curse of Hollowing," he said. "A forbidden spell that consumes the souls of the fallen, preventing their return to the cycle of rebirth. No one touched by it should have survived."
Liam filed that information away.
"Then why am I still alive?" he asked, feigning curiosity. "If you believe I should be dead, shouldn’t you be asking what makes me different?"
The room fell silent.
The knight in bck armor crossed his arms.
"He’s deflecting."
Evelyn sighed.
"Perhaps. But I’ve met enough liars in my life to know when someone is truly lost." She turned back to Liam. "Very well. For now, you will remain under watch. But tell me this—if we let you walk free, what will you do?"
---
A Future Unwritten
Liam considered his answer carefully.
He had no allegiance in this world.
He had no idea who the real enemies were.
And his system was still malfunctioning.
Nyx whispered.
"Say you’ll carve your own path. Let them know you are a power they cannot control."
Seraphis countered.
"Tell them you will seek truth. Let them believe you are a man of reason, not chaos."
Liam smirked.
"I’ll figure that out when I understand what’s really going on."
Evelyn studied him before nodding.
"A wise answer. But wisdom alone does not protect a man in this world."
She stood.
"You will remain in Eris under my watch. Consider yourself an outsider with no privileges—but also no chains. If you wish to survive, prove you are worth keeping alive."
The meeting was over.
---
A New Path Begins
Liam was escorted out of the hall, this time not back to his cell, but to a small chamber.
It had a bed, a table, and a window overlooking the city. A vast improvement from the cold stone dungeon.
"Hah!" Nyx ughed. "You’re climbing up the ranks already. From prisoner to guest."
Seraphis sighed.
"At least you have time to think. Use it well, Liam."
Liam walked over to the window.
Below, Eris stretched out before him—a city on the brink of war, where tensions brewed in the shadows.
He still didn’t know who the true enemy was.
But one thing was certain: he wasn’t going to py by anyone’s rules.
Not Seraphis. Not Nyx. Not even the system itself.
Because in the end—he would write his own fate.
---
End of Chapter 3
