I left the tavern and made my way quickly towards headquarters. The streets were bustling with activity, but I weaved through the crowd with purpose. The elf delegation wasn't set to arrive for at least another hour, and I knew I wasn’t high-ranking enough to be part of the welcoming committee. Still, their every word would be overheard, transcribed, and dissected by our team back at base. This was a crucial moment, and I wanted to be there to catch every piece of information as it came in.

Random thoughts and scenarios kept looping in my mind, distracting me—a whirlwind of possible futures with him that I just couldn’t seem to rein in. Each scenario ended badly, with someone inevitably suffering—and more often than not, I saw myself as the one paying the price.

The simplest solution would be to disappear with him, start fresh in a different city, maybe even a different kingdom. We could live quietly, away from the tangled politics and expectations. Sure, staying in touch with my family would be limited to letters and the occasional secret visit, but the real problem loomed in the back of my mind: I couldn’t abandon everything so easily.

Tensions with Celestria were reaching a boiling point despite all our diplomatic efforts and the more off-the books ones.

War was on the horizon, and even now, raids from the trolls were becoming more frequent and daring. Leaving the kingdom at a time like this, only to hear later of its collapse or conquest, felt like betrayal. It was selfish, but I kept finding ways to justify nudging him towards my line of work. With his unique talents and immunity to precognition, he’d be an incredible asset as an intelligence agent. True, he had a tendency to draw attention to himself, but the missions could be tailored to suit his unpredictable nature.

In my head, I imagined him as the key to preventing the impending war—turning the tide and saving countless lives. Yet, instead of using his abilities to help the Mage Guild or aid the kingdom, he was making chocolate, of all things, and playing the role of a merchant. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated with him, even if I didn’t want to admit it. A part of me blamed him for not stepping up, for not doing more to help when he clearly had the skills. But then guilt washed over me. If our roles were reversed and he tried to pressure me into something against my will, I’d be furious.

The off-worlder stigma didn’t help either. He was painfully aware of the restrictions placed on him simply because of his origins. He even joked about moving to Celestria, where he might be treated better. And while I understood his reasoning, even sympathized with it, I knew I could never leave. My loyalty to this kingdom wouldn’t allow it; abandoning my home would feel like treason.

So, I felt like a hypocrite, asking him to contribute to a country that treated him as an outsider. But war was a different beast. If being a hypocrite meant I could give us a chance to stop it, I’d gladly bear that burden.

I realized I was falling back into my old habit of nitpicking small flaws and letting those tiny details overshadow everything else. So, I made an effort to focus on the positives instead. Like how effortlessly he could make me smile, even when I least expected it.

Seriously, turning lead into gold? where did he come up with this stuff? I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.

I entered the palace and hurried toward our little office, the makeshift base for this visit. Inside, Lyrelle was already scribbling furiously.

"Hey, what are you up to?" I asked, trying to ignore her new platinum blonde hair. She was absolutely obsessed with that enchanted dye, but honestly, it made her look more washed out than younger.

"The elves arrived early. We just got the first batch of transcripts," she replied excitedly.

I raised an eyebrow. "Early? I thought they were supposed to be punctual to a fault. I should've been here sooner."

"Don't worry, you didn’t miss much," she reassured me. "They’ve only been here for about half an hour, and it’s all been pleasantries and protocol so far."

Just as I was about to respond, the door swung open. Our boss entered, his gaze locking onto mine immediately. "Alira, thank Otravos you’re here. I was worried you might have left already."

"What’s going on? Shouldn't you be with the delegation?" I asked, noting the unusual urgency in his expression.

He sighed, looking both exasperated and slightly out of breath. "They specifically requested you, and the king pretty much ordered me to fetch you, so we need to move fast."

"Me? Why me?" I glanced at Lyrelle, who was our resident expert on elves. "Shouldn’t they be talking to her?"

"They asked for you by name," he replied, glancing between us with a shrug.

Without wasting any time, we made our way to the meeting room where the king usually held his diplomatic sessions. As we entered, I couldn’t help but notice the five elves were dressed in elaborate, finely woven garments clearly meant to impress. Despite their elegant appearance, they looked visibly uncomfortable. I couldn’t stop my gaze from lingering on the dress worn by a striking dark-skinned elf—it was absolutely stunning, and I found myself momentarily distracted.

I mentally shook myself and refocused, scanning the room. My eyes widened when I recognized one of the elves—Isla. That explained a few things. As soon as she saw me, she stood up with a graceful smile.

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"Alira, it’s wonderful to see you again," she greeted warmly.

I gave a polite nod, masking my surprise. "Isla, the feeling is mutual."

She stepped forward, gesturing away from the table. "Let’s leave the politicians to their discussions. I have something I need to speak with you about."

As soon as we left the room, I guided her toward a nearby balcony, a discreet spot away from prying eyes.

"How was the trip back home?" I asked as we reached the edge, looking out over the city.

"Long," she sighed, leaning against the railing. "It's good to be back in civilization."

I raised an eyebrow. "So I take it you're not here to discuss establishing diplomatic ties?"

A faint smile tugged at her lips. "I convinced them that it was a small price to pay for what we might gain in return."

"And what exactly is that?" I pressed.

Her expression turned serious. "We need Tiberius—specifically, we need his ability to make a scouting party immune to precognition."

I frowned, genuinely puzzled. "How do you even know he made it back?"

She gave me a knowing look. "We have spies everywhere, and with our illusions, there are very few who can detect us."

I nodded slowly. At least she was being straightforward. "So what's so important that you're willing to reestablish diplomatic relations with us now?"

She let out a weary sigh. "Let's just say we’re going to need every ally we can get in the near future. The diplomacy angle is just a bonus."

I stayed silent, sensing there was more she needed to say. She studied me intently for a moment, as if searching for answers. "Somehow you succeeded," she finally said. "I don't understand how, but you did."

I blinked, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

She lowered her voice to a whisper. "The gods... they’re either dead or missing."

My pulse quickened. "How do you know that?"

"As I mentioned, we have ears everywhere. About three months ago, the reports started coming in. At first, we thought it was just coincidence, but it became undeniable. Multiple religions have experienced their gods suddenly going silent, no longer answering prayers."

Her face betrayed a flicker of fear.

"People will say it's a test from the gods," she continued. "And many will resort to the one thing they believe will prove their devotion."

"War," I whispered, the weight of it sinking in. "Then we need to form alliances, try to stop the chaos that's coming."

She shook her head, cutting me off. "No, we have bigger problems."

"I'm listening," I said carefully, trying to keep my face neutral.

She gave me a quick smile, the kind that signals trouble. "Not even your superiors will believe this next part, so you might want to skip it from your report."

I already had my family thinking I was crazy; the last thing I needed was for my coworkers to join them.

"We started losing contacts in random locations," she continued, her tone shifting to something more serious. "At first, we thought it was just bad luck or coincidence, but the more it happened, the more it worried us. We tried to find a pattern, but there was none. What little information we gathered suggested that individuals of immense power had appeared in these places, taking over villages or towns, often through violent means."

I frowned. "I get that it's strange for this to happen in so many places, but I'm not seeing the 'crazy' part yet."

Her expression darkened. "We sent an expedition—several thousand strong—to confront the closest of these so-called warlords. Fewer than a hundred returned."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "They’re already that powerful?"

"The survivors' stories were... unsettling," she said. "The warlord was leading a force half the size of ours. And yet, the tales describe him as a demi-god. His power alone was enough to tip the scales and rout our forces."

I took a deep breath, trying to process this. "So the question is: are all the gods truly dead?" Her gaze sharpened. "Or did you miss some?"

The memory of the goddess’s sacrifice flashed through my mind. I saw that god die before my eyes, felt the void it left behind. If any gods were still around, they would have hunted us down by now, taken revenge.

"They're all dead," I said, conviction ringing in my voice. "But..."

"But?" She leaned in, listening intently.

"We didn’t exactly kill them," I admitted. "We made their realm uninhabitable. That’s where they drew their power from—at least, that’s how I understood it. We disrupted their source, shattered their connection."

Her eyes widened slightly. "So some could have abandoned ship before it was destroyed?"

I hesitated. "I’m not the expert on this. You should ask Tiberius. He understands this far better than I do."

"Maybe we could meet tomorrow?" Isla suggested, her eyes searching mine.

"He’ll be glad to see familiar faces," I replied, though I wasn’t so sure about the rest. "But convincing him to jump back into the adventuring life? That might be a tougher sell. He’s trying to keep a low profile these days."

She smirked. "We’ll see about that."

As we walked back to the meeting area, I felt a nagging unease. Isla always seemed to have a plan, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was really after. When we arrived, the room fell silent. Every eye turned toward us, even the kings, as if they waiting for us.

The king looked at Isla, raising an eyebrow. "So, how do you know Alira already?"

Isla’s response was casual, almost dismissive. "She and her companion saved me from the orcs"

The king's interest piqued immediately. "Is that so? I do recall a report involving orcs..."

I felt my chest tighten. Isla had just dropped that tidbit like a casual remark, but it felt like she was baiting him.

"Yes, they were incredible," she continued, effortlessly spinning her tale. "They managed to rescue a group of orc refugees from a native race of bear men and even befriended them. I must say, Tiberius is a natural diplomat. We’d be lucky to have someone like him as an ambassador." Her smile was polite, but I knew her well enough to sense the maneuver behind it. She was pushing the king’s hand, subtly cornering him into endorsing her mission.

I could feel the king’s attention shift sharply to me, and I forced a smile, trying not to let my irritation show. "I’ve never heard of this companion of yours. Tiberius, is it?" he asked, his tone curious.

"Yes," I answered, keeping my tone flat. "He was a bounty hunter I partnered with on a mission in the southern continent."

I tried to make it sound as unremarkable as possible, but from the way the king’s eyes glazed over, I might have overdone it.

"Orcs, elves, bear people... and you survived them all? I’d very much like to meet your companion," the king said, sounding almost excited.

I forced a chuckle. What else could I say? "Of course, Your Highness. He’ll be ready whenever you wish to meet."

"Tomorrow, then," the king decided swiftly, already turning his attention to the other diplomats in the room.

Even though I was still annoyed at Isla for her meddling, I couldn't help but have a small smile on my lips...so much for his career in the chocolate business.