The Baron's laughter rang through the air like a triumphant bell. He leaned forward in his lavish chair, a golden goblet in one hand, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"Well, well," the Baron mused. "You nearly fooled me, hunter. Selling out your little partner, bringing me one of the most dangerous rebels in the land? I almost believed you were on my side."
Agastya gritted his teeth, his breath shallow. He clutched the dagger's hilt, feeling the slickness of his own blood coating his fingers. But he didn't pull it out. Not yet.
The Baron continued, his tone dripping with amusement. "But tell me, if you were truly loyal, wouldn't that mean… you know the location of the Ujjain rebel corps' headquarters?" He smirked. "Now that is information worth far more than the bounty on that little girl."
The guards chuckled. The girl trembled beside him, still gripping the dagger. Her hands shook violently, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
Agastya forced himself to lift his gaze, ignoring the burning pain. He locked eyes with the girl, his voice barely above a whisper.
"…Did you do this of your own will?" he asked. His words were calm—no hatred, no anger. Just a simple question.
Her lips quivered. She looked away, unable to meet his gaze.
"…I'm sorry," she whispered. "He promised me… freedom."
Agastya exhaled slowly. So that was it.
Not fear. Not coercion. Just desperation.
She was willing to trade his life for a sliver of hope.
He couldn't even blame her.
He had seen it before—slaves who had spent their lives in chains, ready to betray anyone for the illusion of freedom. It was the world they lived in. The strong ruled, and the weak had no choice but to survive.
His jaw clenched. His body screamed in pain, but his mind was sharper than ever.
The Baron grinned, swirling his drink lazily. "You understand, don't you? This is just business. I'll have my men patch you up, of course. After all, I can't have you dying before you tell me everything I need to know."
Agastya closed his eyes for a moment and smiled. As he lost his consciousness, the Baron looked at the girl and said, "I fulfill my promises. You are free to leave."
After a while;
Agastya's body felt unbearably heavy, his limbs sluggish as he stirred back to consciousness. A dull, throbbing pain radiated from his stomach, and for a moment, he couldn't remember where he was. His vision blurred, adjusting slowly to the dim lighting.
Cold stone. Iron bars. The scent of damp air and dried blood.
A prison.
His head lolled to the side, and then—he saw her.
Kiara sat against the opposite wall of the cell, her wrists bound in anti-elemental cuffs, her body slumped forward in exhaustion. Strands of her silver-blue hair stuck to her face, sweat glistening on her brow. She was awake, but barely.
The moment their eyes met, her expression shifted—from exhaustion to fury.
"You absolute bastard," she hissed.
Agastya groaned as he tried to sit up, pain flaring from his wound. "Good morning to you too," he muttered, voice hoarse.
Kiara's fingers dug into Agastya's collar as she pulled him closer, her fury radiating off her in waves. Her eyes, usually sharp with confidence, burned with something far more volatile—betrayal.
"You sold me out for some scrolls?" she snarled, shaking him. "For some dusty old papers?! After everything—"
"Kiara," Agastya interrupted, wincing as pain flared in his abdomen. "Calm down."
Kiara let out a bitter laugh. "Calm down? Calm down?! You walked me straight into a trap, watched them slap cuffs on me, and now I'm supposed to calm down?"
Agastya sighed. "Listen to me—I never planned on betraying you."
Kiara's grip on his collar tightened.
"Bullshit."
Agastya met her gaze head-on. "I had a plan to get you out."
Kiara scoffed. "Oh? Great plan. I especially loved the part where you got stabbed and thrown into a cell right next to me."
Agastya exhaled through his nose. "I didn't expect the girl to betray me, alright?" His voice was level, but there was an edge of frustration in it. "I thought I could free her, get you out in the confusion, and deal with the Baron afterward. But things didn't go as planned."
Kiara narrowed her eyes.
"Nevertheless," Agastya continued, "I am getting us out of here."
Kiara let out another humorless laugh. "Oh yeah? And how exactly do you plan to do that?" She gestured toward the cuffs binding her wrists. "Our powers are sealed. Even if we break out of this cell, we'd be helpless."
Agastya smirked. "You would be helpless, not we."
Kiara frowned. "What?"
Agastya leaned back against the wall, rolling his shoulders. His movements were stiff, but the confidence in his eyes was unmistakable.
"These cuffs suppress mana and elemental energy," he said. "But what I have isn't mana."
Kiara's breath hitched as she realized what he meant.
The Divine Core.
As she watched, Agastya raised his hand—and a golden glow flickered to life around his fingers. It wasn't mana, wasn't any elemental energy she had ever seen before.
It was different.
And then—Sharanga appeared in his grasp.
Kiara's eyes widened.
"That's… impossible."
Agastya smirked. "Anti-elemental cuffs don't work on divine energy."
For the first time since she woke up in the cell, Kiara's anger wavered.
She had underestimated him.
She had believed that he was nothing more than a fool with a powerful weapon. But now—she realized that he might be far more dangerous than she ever expected.
Agastya rose to his feet, gripping Sharanga tightly. "Now, will you listen to my plan?"
Kiara's face hardened.
After a while;
Agastya and Kiara sat in their dimly lit cell, their backs against the cold stone wall, following the plan. The heavy iron bars that imprisoned them gleamed under the weak torchlight, casting long shadows on the dirt floor. Outside, the echoes of distant cries and muffled conversations of other prisoners filled the silence.
It was late evening when the Baron finally arrived, his boots clicking against the stone as he leisurely strolled past the cells. His entourage of heavily armed guards followed him, but his attention was focused on one person—Kiara.
The Baron stopped before their cell, his lips curling into a smirk as his eyes raked over Kiara's form.
"Well, well," he purred, gripping the bars. "What a sight. The infamous rebel commander, reduced to a mere prisoner." His voice was thick with arrogance. "You've been a very troublesome woman, Kiara. But don't worry… soon, you'll learn your place."
Kiara remained still, sitting in a meditative pose with her eyes closed. She didn't even acknowledge him.
The Baron's smirk widened. "Still acting strong? Don't worry, darling, I enjoy a good challenge. After we're done selling this boy to the raiders—" he nudged his chin toward Agastya "—you and I will have plenty of fun together. I have so many ideas."
Agastya clenched his jaw but didn't react outwardly. He simply cast a glance at Kiara. She didn't move an inch.
The Baron chuckled, clearly entertained by her unshaken demeanor. "Oh? Not even a response? How boring." He straightened, stretching his arms before turning away. "No matter. You'll break soon enough."
And with that, he and his guards continued their round, disappearing down the corridor.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Kiara exhaled softly, her meditative state breaking.
"That bastard," she muttered.
Agastya's grip tightened around Sharanga. "Stick to the plan," he reminded her.
She gave him a sharp look. "I should be the one telling you that."
Agastya smirked. "Fair enough."
Hours later—
The Baron lounged in his lavish chamber, surrounded by luxury. Gold ornaments decorated the walls, expensive silks covered the furniture, and a dozen perfumed candles flickered softly, casting an intimate glow over the room.
A young maid lay beneath him, moaning as she tried to keep up with his appetite. He gripped her hair, pulling her closer, his mind drunk on both pleasure and the power he wielded.
Then—a wisp of pink mist drifted into the room.
It slipped through the cracks of the window, curling and weaving through the air like a living entity. The mist moved silently, unseen, until it sank into the skin of the maid.
Her moans faltered.
Then, she collapsed.
The Baron barely had time to react before he felt it—a sudden wave of dizziness. His vision swayed, and his breathing turned shallow. His muscles tensed as an unnatural numbness crept into his limbs.
Poison.
But he wasn't just any noble. He was a high-ranking Elemental.
With a grunt, he summoned his mana, a golden aura flaring around him. He forced the foreign toxin out of his body, purging it before it could take full effect.
Then, he conjured a barrier around himself—an impenetrable dome of energy.
His eyes darted around the room.
"Who's there?!" he barked, his voice echoing.
Silence. There's nothing but silence…