CHAPTER 56: OFF TO THE SOUL DESSERT

"That short piece of shit is a fraudulent motherfucker," Stephan muttered once they were back in their hut, his voice dripping with contempt.

Yennefer arched a brow. "Fraudulent how?"

Stephan leaned back against the wall, scoffing. "He told his people that three humans would show up in Magodilin. Three humans. He knew damn well we’d survive the tunnels and stumble into his little kingdom. And when we did..." He let out a bitter laugh. "Suddenly it’s a prophecy fulfilled. His subjects think he’s some kind of seer, a chosen mouthpiece of fate."

Yennefer folded her arms, smirking bitterly. "Ha. He used us to get here, then twisted it to fit into his own agenda."

"Exactly." Stephan’s eyes narrowed, voice low with annoyance. "The bastard manipulated the whole thing just to make himself look divine. And the worst part?" He smirked coldly. "The gnome fools actually buy it."

Yennefer tapped her chin thoughtfully. "He even went as far as to claim we’d bring salvation to their race. I can’t help but wonder what he really meant by that."

Stephan gave a crooked smile. "He’s sketchy as fuck, but I kinda like the guy. Hmm... when’s Olath coming? We should be preparing to leave."

"You think the boy will make a good guide?" Yennefer asked.

"I don’t know," Stephan admitted. "Guess I’ll have to risk it."

King Orak had indeed chosen Olath,his own son, to accompany them. To their surprise, the King’s chief advisor was also his wife, Shiva. With Orak unable to leave Magodilin, he had decided to send his heir in his place.

Stephan had refused immediately.

"I need someone I can trust to go with you," the King insisted. "And my son is the gnome for the job. He must learn what lies beyond these walls. If he is to be king someday, he needs to understand the world."

Stephan shot him a glare. "Just a while ago you were ready to piss yourself over how dangerous the Soul Desert is, how no one returns from it. And now you want to throw your son into the same death trap?"

The King rose slowly from his throne, descending the steps until he stood eye to eye with Stephan. His expression was firm, but not hostile. "I see darkness in you, boy... but I also see warmth. A fire that keeps others alive, even when you think you don’t care. That’s why I trust you. You’ll keep my son safe."

Left with no choice,and knowing the Soul Desert might be his only shot, Stephan agreed. He was down to eight collected souls, far too few to stand a chance against the others. Many of the remaining players were already stronger, some even brushing the edge of S-rank. If he didn’t grow, if he didn’t take risks, they were finished.

That thought alone made the decision for him.

He resolved to leave as soon as possible. That very night, under cover of darkness, he would set out with Olath. The Soul Desert awaited.

Anna Mary, Yennefer, and Grief would remain in Magodilin until his return. Safer there, at least for the time being.

Stephan tightened his grip on his weapon, his mind already racing ahead. Eight souls won’t cut it. I need more... far more.

Just then, the door creaked open. Shiva stepped in, and she wasn’t alone.

Anna Mary.

Stephan froze, his breath catching. She wasn’t fully healed, but she was alive, standing, and that alone was a miracle.

The moment she saw him, she broke into a run. Before he could react, she collided with his chest, arms tight around him. Her warmth, her heartbeat, her very presence, stunned him. For a few seconds, all he could do was stand there, wide-eyed, his heart hammering. Then slowly, almost hesitantly, he returned the embrace.

"I missed you," she whispered against his ear, her breath brushing his skin.

A smile tugged at his lips. "I know."

"Break it up already," Yennefer muttered, her voice sharp with jealousy. "Enough with the romantic bullshit."

Stephan pulled back reluctantly, Anna Mary’s touch still lingering on his chest. His pulse was racing, betraying him.

"I just recovered, and you’re already leaving?" Anna Mary’s voice was soft, almost fragile. It shocked him, this wasn’t the distant, indifferent girl from before. Only a short while ago she hadn’t even known his name. Now... now there was something different in her eyes.

He had admired her from the start, liked her more than he’d ever admit, but she only began to notice him after he started to change, after he began to glow up.

"I have to go," Stephan said at last, forcing steadiness into his tone. "Otherwise, we won’t survive what’s coming."

Her brows furrowed. "What could be so important in the Soul Desert that you’d throw your life away?"

Stephan smiled faintly, a flicker of steel in his eyes. "Don’t worry. I already died once. I won’t die again."

But Anna Mary looked unconvinced. Her eyes lingered on him, as if searching for some guarantee his words couldn’t provide. Stephan realized then, no promise would ever satisfy her. The only way to convince her was to come back alive. If he conquered the Soul Desert, he wouldn’t just survive, he’d be a legend among players.

"I will come back," he said firmly, locking eyes with her. "That I assure you."

Anna Mary lowered her gaze for a moment, then nodded. "I wanted to thank you... for killing the orc that hurt me."

"Don’t mention it," Stephan replied, his voice steady but soft. "I’ll always look out for you, as long as the alliance stands."

For a moment, they lingered in silence, caught in each other’s eyes until the weight of it forced them to look away.

Yennefer cut in, arms crossed tightly. "Now then. Shiva came with the details of your journey, Stephan."

Shiva cleared her throat, her presence commanding. "As you know, there is only one way in and out of Magodilin, the tunnels."

Stephan nodded. "I know the risks. I’m willing to take them."

"Not when my boy is traveling with you," Shiva countered, her eyes narrowing. "You will not risk your necks in those caves. There is... another way."

The room fell silent, every head snapping toward her.

"Another way?" Yennefer asked, disbelief lacing her tone.

"In the King’s palace lies a stone tablet," Shiva explained, her voice steady. "A relic, sacred and heavily guarded. It can teleport anything that touches it directly into the outside world. But understand this, it is one way only. It cannot bring you back. It was crafted by the ancient gnomes for emergencies, a means of escape should our kingdom ever fall." She fixed her gaze on Stephan. "You will go to the palace. Olath will be waiting there. Only you may step forward."

Stephan inclined his head in agreement.

"We’ve prepared supplies for your journey," Shiva continued. Her tone sharpened, cutting like a blade. "And let me be clear: I am against this fool’s quest of yours. But the King... the King believes you are strong, that you will not let harm befall my son." Her eyes hardened, and the room seemed to grow colder. "If he is wrong, if anything does happen to him, you will discover firsthand just how strong I am."

For the first time, Stephan truly believed her. The quiet intensity in her words, the raw certainty, she wasn’t bluffing. Beneath her calm exterior lay power, dangerous and undeniable.

He straightened, meeting her glare without flinching. "I’ll protect him with my life. I will bring your son back in one piece."

A few minutes later, Stephan stood in the palace, the air thick with the hum of gnome magic. The vaulted chamber glowed faintly from veins of crystal etched into the stone, all converging toward the great slab in the center, a massive tablet, its surface alive with ancient runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.

Olath was already there, standing beside his father, the King.

"Remember, my son," Orak said, his voice solemn, but heavy with the weight of a ruler, not just a father. "You are my blood, the Prince of Magodilin. The next in line. Do not squander that birthright by being careless."

Olath bowed his head. "I will not fail you."

Orak’s eyes then shifted to Stephan, hard and measuring. "Human. You walk into dangers my people cannot imagine, but you carry my son with you. He is the heart of this kingdom. I entrust him to you... and I warn you. If he does not return alive, neither will you, wherever you try to hide."

Stephan met the King’s glare without flinching. "I understand. But know this, I won’t let anything happen to him. He’ll return to you, safe. That’s a promise I intend to keep."

Orak studied him for a long moment, then gave a single, grave nod.

Shiva, standing just behind, stepped forward and gestured to the obsidian tablet. The runes flared brighter, illuminating the chamber in a pale blue glow. "When you’re ready, place your hand upon the stone. It will seize you, pull you through the weave of space, and cast you outside. It may feel like dying, but do not resist it. If you fight it, the stone will tear you apart."

Olath swallowed hard, but nodded.

Stephan smirked faintly, masking the tension twisting in his gut. "Dying’s nothing new to me."

They stepped toward the tablet together. The runes flared, racing across the surface like veins of fire. Energy crackled in the air, lifting the hairs on their arms.

"Ready?" Stephan asked, glancing at Olath.

The boy nodded, jaw tight. "Let’s go."

Their palms pressed against the cold stone.

Instantly, the world roared. The tablet erupted with light, engulfing them in searing brilliance. The ground shook, and arcs of raw magic lashed outward, carving deep cracks into the palace floor. Their bodies were pulled forward as if the universe itself had hooked them, ripping them through a tunnel of fire and starlight.

The last thing Stephan heard was Shiva’s voice, sharp and fierce, cutting through the chaos:

"Bring him back alive!"

And then, they were gone.

.