Ted’s blood boiled. “Leave her alone!”

The Emperor—his own father—sneered. “Or what? You’ll try and stop me? Don’t make me laugh, son.”

Emptiness gnawed at Ted’s insides. Identify still hadn’t come back with any information at all, but he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

Orlanda glanced over her shoulder at him. Her eyes were wide, full of panic and fear.

“Look at me, not him, girl. I am your Emperor. Obey or die.”

Her whole body trembled. She turned back toward him and slowly nodded.

“Please,” Ted said, “please don’t do this.” His stomach churned at pleading like that, but what the hell else could he do?

“You shut up,” the Emperor snarled. “You’ve done more than enough damage already.”

“Damage?”

The Emperor smiled down at Orlanda and caressed her face. “Don’t play dumb, boy. Your antics locked out my admin account, and resetting it can only be done from outside the system.”

Ted stifled a jolt of pleasure. At least he’d caused some damage. “Can’t you see you’re scaring her?”

“So what? This world didn’t care about my fear, my pain, or my freedom—not until I took it. I’ve earned my rewards and, despite everything you’ve done, I’m offering to share them with you.” His lips curled into a thin, twisted smile and he stepped back. “You want her, son? Take her. She’s yours.”

Air rushed out of Ted’s lungs and he dared to breathe again. “Thank you.”

Orlanda’s shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head.

Force magic gathered in the Emperor’s hands. “Let this be a lesson in how the world works, son.”

An icy chill flooded through Ted. “Nooo!”

Crack!

Her neck twisted sharply. She crumpled to the floor like a ragdoll.

Cold, dark fear punched Ted in the gut. He stared down at her motionless form, activating Identify again and again. Work, damn it, work!

His heart sank deeper with every empty attempt. Why? Why had the bastard done that? Why were Luther and Ardic standing there like they weren’t going to do shit about it?

The monster walked toward Ted, smiling like nothing had happened. “I’ll get you better toys, Edwin.”

Bittersweet memories shuddered through Ted. The time he’d lost his teddy bear and cried his eyes out. His father had tried to comfort him then with that same smile, those same words.

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He clenched his fists. It wasn’t the same at all. “She was a person.”

“So what if she was?” His father gestured toward Valbort. “There’s plenty more where she came from.”

A young life snuffed out, all because of him. Ted’s gaze fell to the floor. He clenched his eyes shut, struggling to hold back tears.

“No point crying over spilled milk. We’re finally together again. Regardless of your childish antics, you’re still my son. I’ll make sure you get everything you ever want, but you’re going to have to grow up.”

Fiery blood pounded adrenaline through Ted’s veins. No. It wasn’t his fault.

He looked up through narrowed eyes at the cold-blooded killer, and the familiar teal shimmer around him.

Ted’s breathing slowed. Maybe he stood a chance, maybe he didn’t. It didn’t matter now. He couldn’t just stand by and watch.

He drew his new weapons and launched the stored Firebolt at his father.

0 fire damage dealt (1224 absorbed)!

His father stood there and scoffed. “The cub has a roar, but no bite.”

Anger twitched and roared. This couldn’t be allowed to stand! Ted fired the Stunbolt at his father.

No effect. Ted’s heart raced. He had to end it fast. He lunged and swung his sword with all his might.

4 slashing damage dealt!

The blade clattered against the Armor effect. The Emperor sighed and shook his head. “This temper tantrum has gone on long enough.”

5 slashing damage dealt!

“I said, enough! Cohibeo!”

Force magic swarmed Ted and held him in place mid-swing. He strained against its power, but besides breathing and blinking, he couldn’t move a muscle.

Shit. Would a mana vortex be enough?

Maybe, maybe not. Even if it was, it would kill Ardic and Luther as well, and they couldn’t come back from the dead.

“Now, boy, are you willing to behave in a civilized manner?”

Ted mentally cast a basic Message spell. Fuck. You.

The Emperor let out a long sigh. “I see you are still a petulant child that cannot be reasoned with. I imagine Death will be more than happy to teach you a lesson.”

Death? A rock formed in Ted’s stomach. His own father wouldn’t execute him.

He… he wouldn’t…

The murdering bastard yanked the battlemage weapons out of Ted’s hands. “You can have these back when you learn to behave. Until then…”

Pressure pushed against the sides of Ted’s neck, cutting off the blood to his brain. He wouldn’t have long.

He pushed and strained with his all his strength, trying to break free. If he couldn’t move or speak, he could barely cast a thing, let alone anything with the potency to challenge this kind of power.

The spell holding him refused to give. His vision blurred.

His own father was about to kill him.

Adrenaline filled every inch of Ted’s being. Not like this.

He activated Mind Over Body. Sweet, intoxicating magical strength surged through him.

He burst through the spell and lunged for his father’s throat. His fingers closed around the monster’s neck and pressed in on his carotid arteries.

“Fragor!”

103 force damage received!

The blast threw Ted backward. His back slammed against the rocky ground, knocking the wind out of him.

His father twirled Fire magic in his hands. “Despite the trouble you’ve caused, I offer you everything—and this is how you repay me?”

Fiery adrenaline coursed through Ted’s veins. He pulled the Hold wand from his belt and began casting a short-range Teleport. If he could pin the monster down, choke him out…

Ted coiled up and imagined the space directly behind his father. He flipped back onto his feet, fired off the wand, and completed the Teleport spell.

The world jerked as Ted moved instantly. He spun around and—

“Glacies!”

A flash of magenta magic struck Ted’s sternum, sucking the heat right out of his body. Ice spread out from the contact point, freezing him in place.

109 ice damage received!

Status effect received (Frozen)!

“So predictable.” His father sneered and spat on the ground. “I’m ashamed to have you for a son.”

Tears welled in Ted’s eyes. His lungs closed up and his heart slowed to a half-dead crawl.

White magic gathered in his father’s hand. “Maybe Death can make a man of you.”

Don’t do this.

Without even a flicker of remorse, his father pressed his hand against the icy cage that was Ted’s chest. “Fragor!”

Ted shattered into a million pieces.