Taka awoke on the ground. Not dirt, but stone. Wherever he was, it was dark; the only light there was coming from two torches on the wall. There was a buzzing sound that reverberated throughout his bones that made his skin crawl. Looking up, he saw the silhouette of a singular fae standing against the wall, the room barren on three sides, and bars on another... a cage or prison cell of sorts.

  "Are you finally awake?" The fae said as he stepped forward, his green wings catching the light.

  "Daldrus," Taka said, forcing the name out. Speaking felt difficult.

  "A good trick there," Daldrus said coldly. "Transmutation is one of our church's most closely guarded arts. Whoever performed the ritual on you must be quite the mage."

  There was no sign of any of Taka's companions. Taka couldn't see them, nor feel their manner. In fact, Taka couldn't sense anything beyond the room.

  "What do you want?" Taka spit.

  Daldrus waved a finger at him, "That's no way to treat your host."

  Screw this, Taka thought as he activated his FEAR skill and targeted Daldrus; nothing happened. Taka tried again, to no avail. Unlike the other times when we were unable to use a skill, no notification appeared. Taka attempted to conjure the strange Magia he had used to counter Daldrus's attack before, but he didn't feel anything. Taka willed his status window open, but again, nothing. His heart sank as he realized the true peril of his current situation.

  "None of your Magia nor Divine Arts will work here, thanks to our Almighty Lord's blessing," Daldrus said with a wicked grin. "Even that fiend Beja cannot worm her way through a barrier erected by the God of Creation. You will only bring yourself more strife by resisting."

  "What do you want?" Taka repeated.

  As if on cue, footsteps approached his cell. A lizard man dressed in rags brought a tray with a glass box and some dirt to Daldrus, bowing to the fae.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "I don't believe you have formally met," Daldrus said. "This here is Gorran. Gorran, this is the one they call Sir Filo. Gorran has been in my service since the unfortunate accident at Kronkswell. Haven't you, Gorran?"

  Daldrus kicked at the lizard man, causing him to stumble back. Gorran fell to a knee and nodded, keeping his eyes on the ground.

  "How long?" Taka asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

  "From just after our little encounter," Daldrus said coyly. "You can't blame the girl, can you?"

  Taka saw Gorran's body. The lizard man's was splattered by that Aeries monster, so how? It wasn't true -- it couldn't be. If it was, it meant that since the attack, they had been playing right into the Spirit Kingdom's hand. Everything he had done, and Syla...

  Taka racked his brain for anything he could do to get away from Daldrus, but the room gave him nothing, and he couldn't use any Magia or skills. He was completely helpless.

  Gorran left the room, leaving Taka alone with Daldrus again. He had never felt so defeated and alone, and for once, wished for the distant, condescending laugh of Beja to remind him he wasn't alone.

  "What do you want?" Taka said again, his voice dropping off.

  Daldrus placed the tray on the ground and unlocked the glass box. Daldrus gave Taka the toothy smile of a shark.

  "Get in," Daldrus said.

  Taka didn't answer. Daldrus gave him a moment, but only that, before walking over and picking up Taka like he was an ordinary insect and dropping him into the box. He landed on the dirt inside and tried to gather psychic mana to use telekinesis to escape, but he could barely feel the mana around him. Daldrus placed the lid back on the glass box and smiled.

  "From today onward, you are my pet. But you need a new name, one more befitting such a lowly creature... perhaps, Taka?" Daldrus said with a grin.

  He began to cackle at his own joke, "Thanks to you, I received a blessing directly from the Almighty Lord. And now that you've been brought to justice, you can watch as we begin to cleanse this world of filth and restore the glory of the church."

  Taka moved as quickly as he could to inch his way out of the box, but desperation could only do so much for him in this wormy body. Daldrus sealed the box, and Taka knew he was trapped.

  "A cell won't work for a pest as tiny as you," Daldrus said as he picked up the box and headed to the door.

  This was it. There was no way to break free without magic or skills, so all he could do was wait for... what? Taka knew he wasn't a priority to save compared to Syla. He was alone, and any hope of being saved -- no. I am not dead. They will not break me. I can hold on, and I will make them pay.

  As Daldrus opened the door, Taka spotted a small plant flat on the floor in the corner of the room that he hadn't noticed before. As if picked up by the wind, one of its leaflike arms floated upwards and saluted Taka as he was taken away...