Niles' thoughts swirled, a storm brewing inside him, but nothing clear. Just that gnawing feeling, the deep itch in his gut that something was wrong. His mind raced, but his voice slipped out in a way that surprised even him. “My gut says the goddess is in trouble,” he said, not daring to look up at the king.

The room went still, thick with tension, and Niles realized he might’ve just made the worst mistake of his life.

The king was silent, at first. Then, like a shadow spreading across a cold grave, he began his descent from the throne. Each step seemed to draw him closer and make him larger—no, more beast than man. His broad shoulders blocked out the light, and his eyes burned with a wicked gleam. “Your gut feeling?” the king echoed, his voice low, ominous.

The air in the room grew thin, like it had all been sucked out by the king’s presence. The goddess, standing a few feet away, trembled. Her once-proud bearing had wilted like a flower crushed beneath a boot. She’d seemed so confident before, proclaiming her divinity like it meant something. But now, she was a caged bird, her wings clipped, too fragile for this world.

There were others in the room—spectators. Xemera, her presence silent but sharp, eyes watching everything from the shadows. Then two men, both unsettling in their own ways. One tall and lean, carrying a black blade on his back as long as a man, his expression calm but calculating. The other… grotesque. He was a mountain of flesh spilling over a small stool, his grin spread across his face like a wound, eyes gleaming with malicious glee. Both with dark hair and scarlet eyes.

“Am I wrong?” Niles’ voice cracked slightly as he stepped toward the goddess. “Tell me if I’m wrong.” The king’s eyes never left him, and with every step the king took, Niles could feel that pressure growing, pushing him into the floor.

The goddess’ voice was barely more than a whisper. “Thank you,” she murmured, her lips twitching into a smile that never reached her eyes. “But… please. Leave.” The way she smiled, with her eyes squeezed shut and her lips tight, was the face of someone choking back tears.

Niles tried to brush it off with a grin. “Oh, okay! My bad, Mr. King.” His laugh was brittle, like glass about to shatter. “Well, I’ll be off to the training grounds then. Gotta see what this barrier-ish thing can really do!” He began to walk away, the weight of Xemera’s eyes following him, her words cold as ice. “You’re a fool.”

“Yeah, I get that a lot!” Niles chuckled weakly, feeling his skin prickle. “People usually warm up to me after a while, I promise.” But Xemera’s face remained an impenetrable mask, her gaze shifting back to the king.

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Just as he reached the door, there was a sound—soft, but sharp enough to pierce the heavy air. A slap. A sickening smack that seemed to reverberate through Niles’ bones. His body moved before he could think, spinning on his heel to see the goddess standing face to face with the king, her cheek red, head tilted to the side.

The fat man on the stool giggled, his bloated body shaking with perverse glee.

The king was silent again, staring down at her. The goddess lowered her eyes, her hands trembling at her sides. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Forgive me.”

Niles felt something stir in his chest, something that forced him to speak again. “Hey, King!” His voice, too loud, echoed through the room. “Sorry to interrupt, but my gut’s acting up again.” He tried to sound light, to diffuse the situation, but his stomach churned.

The king didn’t answer. He just stared at the goddess, his eyes gleaming with that same dangerous light.

Another slap. This one harder, sending her sprawling onto the cold stone floor.

The fat man let out a loud, ugly laugh, his belly shaking as if the world’s cruelty was nothing more than a joke. “Her? A goddess?” He sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “She’s just a harlot from the boonies! One pathetic skill and she acts like she’s some divine savior. And what does she bring us?” He waved his hands dramatically. “Three useless nobodies!”

Niles’ blood boiled. His fists clenched, knuckles white. “STOP!” The word ripped from his throat before he could think. The room went deadly still.

The king turned, his eyes narrowing, face twisted into something unreadable. “Stop?” he repeated, his voice a low growl. “Who are you to give orders to a king?”

Niles swallowed, feeling the weight of those scarlet eyes on him, but he forced his voice to stay steady. “I challenge you. To a duel.”

For a moment, it felt like the world had frozen in place. Then the fat man burst out laughing, his voice a cruel, shrill sound. Xemera’s blade was drawn, its cold edge resting far too close to Niles’ throat. The lean man in the back focused his sight on Niles, prepared to act. The room waited for the king’s response.

The king didn’t laugh. He didn’t even smile. “A duel,” he mused, his voice thoughtful. “And what do you wager?”

“My phone,” Niles said, holding it up like it was a treasure. “It’s… top of the line, one of the marvels of my world.”

The king’s lips twitched. “And if you win?”

Niles glanced at the goddess, lying crumpled on the floor. “You let her go.”

The king raised an eyebrow. “Anything else?”

Niles blinked. “I can ask for more?” He didn’t wait for the answer. “An island! My own island to become king! And—” he paused, grinning— “I want to marry Xemera.”

“WHAT?!” Xemera shouted, her face going pale.

“I accept,” the king said smoothly.

“WHAT?!” Xemera cried again, her voice rising in disbelief. “FATHER, THIS IS INSANE!”

The king ignored her. “As the challenged, I choose the first duel…”

Niles’ heart pounded. But somehow, he couldn’t stop grinning.

“A straight duel,” the king said, eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Weapons, skills—until one party yields… or dies.”