CHAPTER 3: The Truth of the Artifact

  The next day...

  Zenos and Edward stand before the towering castle gates. Edward is tense, sweating, while Zenos stays calm, holding a sealed box.

  Edward (whispering):

  "Are you sure this is going to work?"

  Zenos (smirking):

  "I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t."

  Inside the grand hall, Hamstin waits with his signature smug grin, sipping wine as if he owns the world.

  Hamstin:

  "So, little king, you finally found it?"

  Zenos steps forward, placing the box on the table.

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  Zenos:

  "As promised. The Artifact of the Pyramid."

  Hamstin’s eyes widen with greed. He rushes to open the box—only to find a simple, ordinary stone inside.

  Hamstin (confused):

  "What... What is this?"

  Zenos:

  "A piece of history."

  Hamstin (furious):

  "Do you think I’m a fool?! This isn’t the artifact!"

  Edward (shaking):

  "I-It’s true! That’s what was hidden in the deepest chamber…"

  Hamstin:

  "You worthless pawn! You brought me a rock?! That contract still holds—"

  Zenos interrupts, tossing a burned scroll at his feet.

  Zenos:

  "Not anymore. The contract was nullified the moment Edward handed you the ‘artifact.’ You gambled. You lost."

  Hamstin clenches his fists, veins popping on his forehead.

  Hamstin:

  "This was all a lie?!"

  Zenos (coldly):

  "No. This was a legend. The artifact wasn’t power—it was hope. King Ahmed gave his people confidence, not weapons."

  Hamstin lets out a guttural growl but doesn’t move. He knows he’s been played.

  Zenos (turning away):

  "You built your empire on fear. It won’t last."

  ---

  Two Months Later...

  The kingdom has changed.

  Edward gave up the throne, choosing a peaceful life running a small store in the city. He watches his daughters laugh under the sun, finally breathing without chains around his neck.

  A new king now rules—the former right-hand man of Edward. Trustworthy or not, only time will tell.

  Zenos?

  Gone without a trace.

  ---

  Elsewhere…

  In a dimly lit room surrounded by blueprints, relics, and devices not of this era, Zenos prepares for something new. He tightens the strap on his travel bag and stares at a glowing portal slowly forming in front of him.

  He takes one last look at an old photo of King Ahmed before tucking it away.

  Zenos (thinking):

  "The timeline's unstable. If I don’t fix it, someone else will break it beyond repair."

  He walks into the portal. The light swallows him whole.

  To be continued...