While Harun had challenged his father to a duel, Burhan entered the morgue of the House of Elysium. Amir and Shayan were lying on their beds. Amir looked somewhat lost in thought. At the same time, Shayan looked just like he always does. He seemed worry-free. Both were still in water bubbles. "They still haven't healed," Anika said, as she walked towards Burhan. "It seems they got them good, but the other kid was in worse shape than these two," Burhan said as he looked back at her.
Anika sighed. "If you are here, to tell me that, I should've healed him. Just go away. I don't have time for that." Anika shrugged as she rolled her eyes. Burhan smiled slightly, "Why would I say that? You did the right thing. I came here for something else." Said Burhan as he sat next to Shayan. "Your body is healing even slower than Amir's. I thought you would be special, but you are just like a normal Aurian. But I heard you tried to fight back, even though you were pretty much useless." Burhan said sarcastically.
Shayan pulled his body up. "What are you getting at?"
Burhan looked at Amir. "He is an honorable warrior. He was born into a noble family. He must fight to protect this kingdom. But, you have nothing to do. You are a man with no ambition, just existing and doing what you are told. You can't become a Prodigy Knight or more like you shouldn't. That's what I am here to tell you. Just give up and go back to your world with new memories and start a life there."
"I do follow, and I don't think there is anything wrong with following. I have found something I wanna do." Shayan said in a high-pitched voice. "I will become a Prodigy Knight and destroy this kingdom."
Burhan frowned with anger as soon as he heard those words. "What are you talking about?" He demanded an answer. Shayan looked into his eyes. "You people are sick, just like humans. You look down on others. Those who were born in less fortunate families suffer while you people live in big houses. You hate one of your own, and won't even heal him, even if he is dying. But who did he fight for? Why did he keep standing up to protect this kingdom? To protect people like her," As he pointed his finger toward Anika.
"Rules, laws, and orders are all you care about. What about what's right or wrong? I was happy at first to know that I would be living in a world that is different from mine, but I guess inequality is even worse in this world than mine. We will crush your society, your kingdom, and you, so we can build something better. Now, I understand why he wants to become Prodigy King. It's because he has enough power and authority to destroy and recreate this Kingdom--" Shayan said with fire in his eyes.
"Shut your mouth kid, before I kill you." Anika's eyes filled with wrath, "You don't know the first thing about this great Kingdom, and you just came here. You dare, compare our great Kingdom with Human's society."
Burhan looked at Anika as she continued, "You pointed at me like I'm the bad person here. We punish those who have anything to do with humans, he isn't an Aurian and he isn't a human as well. A half-breed like him has no place in our Kingdom or even in Prodigy Realm. Why do you think they attacked? It was because of you or him because both of you are misfits in here, abominations. Or a better definition would be you are a huge pain in the ass."
Shayan jumped off from his bed, "You people are sick and racist. Half-breed, humans, I don't care. I am going back to Prodigy Academy." He walked past Anika and Burhan. Amir didn't join up in the conversation but, he looked angry, not at Shayan but at himself.
"Oh, you know the way back?"
A man entered through the door. "Master Ihaan," Shayan mumbled. Ihaan looked at Shayan. "Your wounds aren't healed and you can't feel pain in those cuts and bruises but you will die from blood loss. And your hand seems to be broken as well."
Ihaan said, as he grabbed Shayan from his arm and threw him back in the water bubble, "You need to stay there for at least 2 days. Broken bones take more time than you think. When you are healed you can go back to Academy."
Shayan coughed blood as he hit the bed,
Ihaan turned back, "Kid, he is fine. He is healing as well, you will meet him soon. He is a persistent boy, no way is he going down that easily."
Relief fell over Shayan, as he spat more blood out. "I know," He smiled back at Ihaan.
"I have an appointment with someone, I'll be going now." Ihaan cleared his throat, "Open the hole, creep." He said while looking at the roof, as soon as he said that he vanished into thin air with a gust of light.
"What were you trying to do there?" Masir asked as they stood in the middle of nowhere. It looked like a desert. "What are you implying?" Ihaan smiled. Masir clicked his tongue, "Why are you letting him get near that half-breed? And because of you now he has a bad image set of our Kingdom."
"This Kingdom is no sunshine and rainbows, what did he say to upset you? He didn't say a word, wrong. I am amazed by how good he is at looking through stuff. In Quwahar, inequality is so far spread that this time only one or two commoners could pass the first test and get into the Prodigy Knight training section. Just because they weren't provided good resources," Ihaan voiced his thoughts, which made Masir even angrier. "You always take the side of humans and commoners, is it because you are a commoner yourself?" Ihaan smiled at that compliment.
"Well, Masir the day I was born the scales of power were destroyed and when I joined as a Prodigy Knight, I became the strongest in a few days. I climbed up the ranks like no one else, and I am a commoner. So, yes I defend them because I know what it is like to be on the other side of that Lava Lake, the border that is set between Nobles and commoners." Ihaan answered.
Masir looked away, Ihaan continued.
"You lost your family and your House, that's the pain those commoners live through every day. They live there and wait for those monsters to attack and eat their families, while we sit here fighting each other. They don't care about anything, they want a place where their kids can grow and live happily."
Masir clicked his tongue, "Did you read in that book of yours?" Masir asked sarcastically, "You don't feel anything for those commoners or anyone. Just because you have learned how to act in situations, doesn't mean I can't see through you."
Ihaan seemed to be smiling, "Care?" Ihaan chuckled, "I gave away my soul, remember? I know I can't feel empathy, pity, or things like that. But, I do remember how to act. I took notes from most empathic people."
"Notes on how to be empathic, I don't know why that makes me laugh. Think without those notes and you'll find an easy way of life." Masir eyed Ihaan, waiting for his counter.
"I gave my soul that made me soulless, what about you? Who did you sell your soul to?" Ihaan's counter was way stronger than Masir had anticipated. Ihaan pointed his finger to the south, far away a lake was flowing in the middle of the desert. But the liquid flowing in it wasn't water, it was Lava. This Lava Lake worked as a border between other Kingdoms and Quwahar but it also divided the Quwahar Kingdom into two parts—royals on the rich side of Lava Lake and Commoner on the poor and dangerous side of Lake.
"That lake," Ihaan said with a heavy tone, "Was made by the 6th Prodigy King, about 70 years ago. He divided Quwahar into two, even though commoners still are counted as citizens of Quwahar they aren't given same security and other privileges of being the citizens of the strongest Kingdom. I don't have soul so I don't feel what's wrong or right but even I can tell that it's not right. Prodigy Rebel Army attacked yesterday, they were trying to take Shayan. They failed, they will be coming with an army this time and take him away for sure."
Ihaan's sudden turn from topic made Masir curious, "I don't see the connection between both." He voiced his thought.
"Shayan said he would destroy this Kingdom and build a better Kingdom from its ashes. He came to this conclusion because he saw us mistreat Zayan and the way he noticed our behavior towards commoner. Do you know a particular rebel army that has same ideals and same goal? Oh, I know Prodigy Rebel Army. You see the connection, now?"
Masir frowned and snapped his fingers twice. "Do you know why I met you here?" A warp gate opened in front of him. "Those Rebels weren't here to fight yesterday, they came in just to investigate. Zayan attacked them out of nowhere and that's why they had to involve themselves. Not because they came in to take Shayan. Their main objective without a doubt is Shayan, but they weren't here to kidnap him they were here for some other reason, Shayan was just a part of that reason."
Ihaan was confused, Masir walked though the warp gate, "Army's approaching, get ready."
He teleported somewhere in a hurry, leaving Ihaan alone in the desert.
Ihaan looked back as he heard a loud thud, like a bomb had gone off. Hundreds of people were marching toward him. They all were running pretty fast. Their faces were covered with strange masks, same as the ones he had saved Shayan and others from. One of them was riding on an eagle. It seemed like that eagle was made up of lightning.
"I was just talking about you guys, how thoughtful of you to attack without delay." Ihaan's smile widened. "I was feeling tired and bored. I am so up for a bloodbath."
The mysterious army was approaching with hundreds of troupes, and on the other hand, Ihaan stood alone in that desert. Ready to obliterate anything and everyone that may come his way. He stood there like a hungry wolf, ready to tear his prey apart with his fangs and claws with a malicious and creepy smile.