[Adversity does not build character, it reveals it.] — James Lane Allen

"Syed, water?" asked a soft voice as Azar emerged from the confines of the room.

"Hm? Have you been waiting for me since the beginning?" Azar asked.

The young girl looked down. "Yes. Khaleb Syed told me to," she replied shyly.

"How long was I inside?" Azar asked, unaware of how much time his trip to the Origin Library had lasted in the physical world.

"A little more than two hours," the girl replied.

"Then I will be considerate of your patience," Azar said, taking the cup of water and smiling warmly.

As was his habit, Azar smelled and gently inspected the contents of the cup before drinking. But this time, he paused, holding the cup away from his mouth, treating its contents with careful attention.

"What is this?" he asked curiously.

"...Fresh water from the well," the girl replied, unsure of what to say. It was obvious to anyone that it was water.

"No, I'm asking what you put in the water," Azar clarified.

"..."

"It doesn’t seem to be the Ebony Venom, but it's definitely not good for health." Azar placed the cup on a nearby table and cornered the girl against the wall as the two guards at the door watched in silence. Azar looked into the girl's eyes with a penetrating gaze. She became tense, unaware that Azar's intentions were purely to invade her mind and uncover any knowledge she had about the water being poisoned.

"Strange, your memories seem to be altered," Azar said after a few seconds, stepping back and allowing the girl to breathe again. "Forgive me, I wasn't going to force myself on you, at least not while I'm so ugly." Azar touched his gaunt face with discomfort. "Who had access to the water you prepared for me?" he asked for inducing more credibility. After all, he couldn't say he just read her mind.

"No one," the girl replied with a trembling voice, realizing that the water might indeed be tainted.

"Go and redo the process of bringing me water exactly as you did before. Use the same jar and follow the same steps. But bring the water to Mohul's resting chamber this time," Azar instructed, taking the poisoned water cup with him as he went to check on Mohul's condition. The two guards followed closely behind him.

"Yes," the girl replied, clutching the plate at her chest and waiting for Azar to pass before she moved to complete her task.

Is someone from the Mirha tribe in possession of a memory altering technique, or an external force is involved in this matter? Azar asked himself. But what outside forces could dare sent someone to poison me in such a short time? The distance between the tribes is quite big, taking the regular practitioners days to travel here.

Why was he so calm if the water was poisoned? the girl wondered, trying to comfort herself and steady her breathing, hoping that Azar's reaction was just a joke.

She could lose her life if people found out she had served poison to someone as important as Azar. They could also blame her for Mohul's condition. If that happened, not only would she lose her life, but her whole family could be exiled to die in the desert.

"Azar Syed," Khaleb said the moment Azar entered the room where Mohul rested.

"How is he?" Azar asked, still holding the cup of water.

"He appears to be better thanks to your and Araumir Syed's help," said the healer kneeling next to the bed.

Azar exchanged glances with Araumir before nodding. "Good," he said. "I managed to find a recipe that can cure Mohul's condition. That is, if you happen to have the required medicine."

"Really?" Kaira asked, squeezing her hands at her chest.

"Yes." Azar gestured for the healer to approach.

After sharing the potion recipe he learned from the Origin Library with the healer and allowing him to think if the Mirha tribe possessed such medicinal herbs, Azar turned to face Khaleb.

"Have you found who poisoned Mohul?" Azar asked.

"Unfortunately, no. At first, we weren't even sure if he was poisoned or if he had contracted a severe disease," Khaleb replied.

"The knowledge you people possess about the world we live in never ceases to amaze me," Azar said, tilting his head. "You should have your people investigate this matter. No. Even better." He turned to Araumir. "Araumir, have your shadow folks deal with this. Someone tried to poison me as well, and I want to find out who."

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"What?" Khaleb asked. "How's that possible?"

Araumir narrowed his eyes, carefully analyzing his master's expression. Kaira and the healer remained silent, left without words.

"Would you like to have a taste?" Azar offered his water cup.

Araumir approached and carefully accepted the cup. He smelled the contents as Azar had previously done, then dipped a finger in it before placing it in his mouth. All under the shocked expressions of those present.

"I can't identify it as my knowledge of the current world is quite shabby. It's not that potent and can easily be ingested by an untrained person without knowledge in poisons. That being said, it's strong enough to kill the current you, master."

"I know," Azar replied seriously.

"Have friends become enemies?" Araumir voiced in a totally different tone than before, his dark eyes looking at Khaleb and Kaira for answers as part of his malevolent aura escaped his body, bringing a searing chill over the room and a deadly pressure over the brother and sister.

"They are not at fault," Azar said. "Behave yourself."

"Master," Araumir insisted.

"Send your shadow folks to follow the girl who will bring me water. Someone wanted to make her the scapegoat," Azar said decisively to Araumir, who slowly retracted his aura. "Do you think you have the ingredients to make that potion?" he said to the healer.

"Yes, I believe so," replied the healer with a trace of tremble in his voice.

"Then go make it before your chief crosses over to the other world," Azar instructed. "And be kind enough to analyze the poison in my cup and report to me if it is something your tribe uses or if it comes from an external source."

The healer swallowed hard. "Yes," he said, accepting the cup from Araumir.

"You should be able to identify it by yourself, right?" Azar asked. "I mean, you don't need to ask other people for their opinion on the matter, right?"

"Syed, I'm the most knowledgeable herbalist in the tribe. If I don't know what it is, nobody in the Mirha tribe knows," the healer replied.

"Good." Azar nodded in satisfaction. "Then please." He gestured for the healer to leave right away. "Araumir, send two shadow folks to watch and protect him if needed," Azar said after the healer left.

Khaleb sat on the floor. "To think that someone from this tribe would not only try to kill my father but also poison you."

"Hm? What’s so strange about that?" Azar asked. "You can't tell me you never believed it possible."

Khaleb raised his head, meeting Azar's gaze.

Azar glanced at Kaira, who seemed to be in a similar state of shock.

"You kids need to learn how to survive in this world," Azar said, shaking his head. "Before the age of twenty, I had so many attempts on my life that I lost count. People tried to poison me, assassinate me, kidnap me, even force the girls I was intimate with to kill me in my sleep. And despite all that, I still found the strength to love, trust, and enjoy the morning sun kissing my skin."

Khaleb listened in silence, as did Kaira, who lowered her head.

"Initially, I planned to train and teach you to become leaders of the force I will create," Azar said with a sigh. "But if you can be brought to your knees by such a minor betrayal, then you're not fit to lead."

Khaleb clenched his jaw in frustration. "Our tribe is like a big family. We all eat together, everyone is our uncle, sister, and aunt. If I can't trust my family, then who can I trust in this world?"

"Yourself," Azar replied. "And the Void System. But mainly yourself. You can enjoy the warmth and support of the people around you when they are willing to give it, and you can kill or let them go their own path when they betray or turn against you. Don't expect others to remain the same all their lives. People change, and you have to accept that. For many of them, you might not see their true colors in a lifetime. So enjoy the happy moments with them, and overcome the moments when they turn their backs on you without becoming sentimental."

"Is that how you do it?" Khaleb asked.

"Yes," Azar replied. "I take things and people as they come, without judging them. It has proven to be the best way. Anyway, since I am here, I will personally deal with clearing your tribe of impurities, so you don't have to worry."

"What do you mean by that?" Kaira asked.

"Do you know what a diamond is?" Azar asked in return, continuing without waiting for an answer. "In order for a diamond to shine, it needs to go through a polishing process. I will do the same with the people of Mirha. And when I'm done, we will know for sure the material from which they are made. Also, the remaining ones will be less inclined to betray us in the future."

"So you will kill our people?" Khaleb asked.

"Just the ones poisoning the community. Those who can betray and those with the heart to betray are not worthy of calling themselves Mirha," Azar explained.

"I have to agree with that," Khaleb replied, looking at his elder sister to gauge her thoughts. Kaira, however, kept her head down, not wanting to involve herself in the men's business.

"Forgive me." A guard stopped at the door. "There's a girl outside saying she came to bring Azar Syed water."

Khaleb looked at Azar for confirmation before nodding to the guard. "Let her come."

After a few seconds, the girl entered the room, holding a plate with a cup of water on it. "Azar Syed, I brought you fresh water," she said timidly.

Khaleb analyzed her complexion with a malicious gaze.

Azar approached her, gently took the cup, lifted it to his nose, and inspected it carefully before gulping the water down to quench his thirst. Everyone observed his condition, fearing something might happen to him. But since he found nothing strange in the water, it meant there was no risk of him being poisoned.

"See, it wasn't that hard to bring me good water," Azar joked, even laughing. "Thank you."

"Abine," Khaleb called the girl who remained still, not even daring to breathe too much. "Tell me, did you try to poison Azar Syed? Did you poisoned my father?"

"No! Khaleb Syed, I swear on the name of my ancestors that I did nothing to the water. I just went to the well and brought cold water to serve Azar Syed when he came out of the room as you had asked me. I don't know how it was poisoned. I have no knowledge about poisons either. Please, you have to believe me." Abine crumbled to the floor, kneeling before Khaleb, who didn't believe a word from what she said.

"Then who else interacted with the water?" Khaleb asked. "Who touched the cup other then you?"

"Enough with this charade," Azar thundered, unable to hold back anymore. "She's innocent, why are you questioning her like this? If she was the culprit, do you think i wouldn't have noticed? And you, girl, don't swear on the names of your ancestors for as long as I walk this world. You have no idea about the repercussions it can bring to me. The Void System is quite unforgiving when it comes to swearing and cursing, so be careful."

"But Azar Syed, we can't be sure about what she knows," Khaleb voiced his opinion. "Even if she wasn't the one who poisoned the water, she has to tell us who she met with, who had access to the cup. We can't let her off that easily."

"Yes, we can," Azar said. "She doesn't know anything because her memories have been altered. If you know how to lift the veil on her memory fragments, then be my guest. I, for one, don't possess such a technique or knowledge and won't spend my spiritual gold just to discover that."