SILVER'S POV
We were finally ready to leave.
I could hardly believe everything had worked out.
Even now, it was difficult to comprehend how close I had come to dying during the Herb D mission.
Natasha hadn't left my side for a single moment after my escape. Somehow, despite all the pain and horror we had endured, Herb D had changed many things in my life.
I was now dating Zoah.
And the bond between Natasha and me had grown into something I never imagined possible.
At the beginning of this journey, who would have believed that we would become like sisters? We had started as rivals, each of us determined to win Zoah's heart.
Now there was no longer any competition.
I had won.
A smile spread across my face as we prepared to leave this cursed land behind. Our mission had been successful. We had obtained Herb D.
Just one more herb...
One final mission...
Then everything would be over.
I didn't know what would happen after that.
Truthfully, I didn't even want to think about what would become of Zoah and me once this mission ended.
The future was too uncertain.
So, for now...
I would simply cherish the present.
My thoughts drifted to our captor, the man I had come to know as Nicholas.
I still couldn't believe he had risked everything to help rescue me.
Why?
We had kidnapped him.
He should have hated us.
He should have reported our infiltration to his tribe the moment he escaped.
As the guardian of the temple, protecting it was his duty.
Yet...
He had done the exact opposite.
Instead, he had helped save my life.
Perhaps...
Not every member of the cannibal tribe was truly evil.
"Ready?" Zoah asked, his deep voice pulling me back to reality.
I smiled and nodded.
We were finally leaving this isolated, uncivilized region, with Herb D safely in our possession.
Turning to Natasha, I saw relief written all over her face.
"I'm more than ready to leave this horrible place," she muttered. "I still can't believe I almost lost you."
"But you didn't." I smiled warmly. "And maybe... this place wasn't entirely bad."
She stared at me as though I had lost my mind.
"What do you mean? This is the worst place I've ever been."
I chuckled.
"Isn't that almost the same thing you said about Herb C?"
"Herb C was much better than this," she replied without hesitation.
"No one got kidnapped there."
I couldn't help laughing.
"But someone took an arrow for me... and even revealed his dragon form just to save both of us."
Natasha rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. Herb C is still better. This was practically a suicide mission. I'd rather solve impossible riddle games than go through this again."
She wasn't wrong.
Herb C had been difficult.
But this...
This had been a death sentence.
A chill crept down my spine as my thoughts wandered to the final mission.
Herb E.
I desperately hoped it wouldn't be as dangerous as this one.
Who was I trying to fool?
If anything, Herb E would be even worse.
Ever since this journey began, each herb had proven deadlier than the last.
Herb E would be no exception.
"Before you all leave,"
Nicholas suddenly spoke, "I'd like to have a word with Silver."
My eyes widened.
Oh my God...
I had almost forgotten he was still here.
He had come to see us off.
Zoah immediately looked at me, silent concern flickering across his face.
I smiled reassuringly and gave him a small nod.
He was only trying to protect me.
But everything was fine.
It was just a conversation.
At least...
That's what I believed.
I turned toward Nicholas, curiosity stirring inside me.
What could he possibly want to tell me?
Surely...
Nothing could go wrong with a simple conversation.
...Right?
We walked to a secluded area, far from Zoah and Natasha's eyes and ears.
"Alright," I began. "I've been wondering... why did you decide to help me?"
Nicholas looked at me calmly.
"Because of your aura," he replied. "There's something extraordinary about you."
"Aww... thanks." I beamed. "I know I'm a good person. My only crimes are telling a few lies, drinking alcohol... and, well... kidnapping you during this mission."
He scoffed.
"You think that's why your aura is different?"
I blinked.
"Oh... you're right." I grinned.
"My beauty must also be part of it."
"I wasn't talking about your beauty." His expression turned serious. "That necklace around your neck...
who gave it to you?"
My smile vanished.
Not again.
Why was everyone so interested in my necklace?
First Lydia.
Then the Water God.
Now Nicholas, the guardian of the temple.
This wasn't an ordinary necklace.
I already knew that.
It had proven its power during my escape, freeing me from the enchanted chains after the carnivorous Herb D plant swallowed Zoah's ring when it accidentally slipped from my hand.
Maybe they all knew something about the necklace.
Maybe they recognized its power.
But Lydia...
She was only human.
Or...
At least, that was what I believed.
Why would she be interested in it?
Unless...
She wasn't who she claimed to be.
A chill crawled through me.
I knew her story.
She had told me everything about her family.
But...
What if she had lied?
What if the girl I trusted wasn't an ordinary human at all?
It suddenly made sense.
No normal person would have believed my story about Zoah being a dragon so easily.
Then again...
Some people believed in myths, legends, and the supernatural.
Maybe Lydia was simply one of them.
I sighed inwardly.
What was I thinking?
She had only been curious about my necklace.
There was probably nothing more to it...
Right?
"It's a gift from my late grandmother," I answered.
"Before she died, she wanted me to inherit it."
Nicholas narrowed his eyes.
"And who exactly was your grandmother?"
"My grandmother... was my grandmother." My patience was beginning to wear thin.
"Why are you so interested in my necklace and my grandmother?"
"You don't realize it's an heirloom, do you?"
"I don't know, and honestly, I don't care." I folded my arms.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to return to my friends."
I turned to leave.
His voice stopped me.
"You don't understand the power that necklace contains... do you?"
"I know enough," I replied without looking back. "It helped me escape. That's all that matters. Besides, we'll probably never meet again."
I had heard enough.
I refused to let his words make me question who I was.
The longer we stayed here, the greater the risk that the remaining members of the cannibal tribe would discover my escape and organize a search party.
We had to leave.
Immediately.
"Have a nice day," I said before walking away.
Then his final words reached my ears.
"You're not human, Silver."
My footsteps froze.
"No human can awaken the power of that necklace."
I kept walking.
I refused to acknowledge what he had said.
It was ridiculous.
How could I not be human?
For twenty years...
Everyone had known me as one.
Besides...
If I truly wasn't human...
Wouldn't Zoah have discovered it by now?
None of Nicholas' words made any sense.
I returned to the group, forcing a smile onto my face.
"Alright," I announced. "Let's get out of here before it's too late."
Everyone nodded.
We turned and began walking.
One step...
Two...
Three...
Before we could take another
A familiar voice echoed behind us.
"If it isn't the infiltrators."
We froze.
Turning around, I saw the Water God standing a short distance away.
Oh no.
I frowned.
Just when I thought our escape would be easy.
"Hello, Zoah," he greeted casually.
Recognition flashed across Zoah's face.
"Ariel?" he said. "What are you doing here?"
So...
His name really was Ariel.
"I live here," Ariel replied with a shrug.
Natasha leaned closer to me.
"Who is he?" she whispered.
"He's the genius behind the cannibal tribe," I whispered back. "Zoah's rival during the Herb B competition. The Water God who won five consecutive tournaments before finally losing to Zoah."
Natasha's eyes widened.
"So you're the genius my father always talks about."
Ariel raised an eyebrow.
"And who exactly is your father?"
"The owner of Herb B."
Natasha folded her arms confidently. "The one whose herb you could never stop anyone from obtaining."
I almost smiled.
Natasha was still as bold as ever.
"Are you here to stop us from leaving?" Zoah asked coldly.
Ariel laughed.
"No."
"I'm here to guide you to your next destination."
"Herb E."
"I've done a little research on you, Zoah."
Natasha stepped forward.
"And why should we trust you?"
"Because I know exactly what Herb E is."
His smile disappeared.
"It's far more dangerous than this place."
"And reaching it will take several days."
Great.
As if I needed another reminder that the final mission would probably kill us.
Ariel's gaze shifted toward me.
"And..."
"I'd also like to know Silver better."
I frowned.
What did he mean by that?
"You saw me rescue her, didn't you?" Zoah asked.
His words caught me off guard.
No one had been inside that chamber except Zoah and me...
Or...
Had Ariel been watching without us noticing?
Ariel scoffed.
"You think you rescued her?"
"You only helped her disappear."
"She rescued herself."
Silence fell over the group.
Natasha stared at me, disbelief written across her face.
Zoah's golden eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"How?" Natasha asked.
"Those enchanted chains were specifically created by the cannibal tribe to stop prisoners from escaping.
How did you break them?"
My heart skipped a beat.
"I..." I forced a smile.
"I used Zoah's ring."
"The one he gave me after I saved him on his first day on Earth, when he was still in his dragon form."
"The carnivorous Herb D plant swallowed it after I used its power to neutralize the last chain."
The lie slipped out effortlessly.
Please...
Believe me.
More importantly...
Please don't let Ariel expose the truth.
To my relief...
No one questioned me.
Satisfied, everyone turned and resumed walking.
I quietly released the breath I had been holding.
Before leaving completely, I glanced back at Ariel.
He was already looking at me.
There was something hidden behind his eyes.
A silent understanding.
As though he knew a secret...
One that even I didn't know about myself.
Maybe...
One day...
We would become friends.
And when that day came...
I would finally ask him what this necklace truly was...
And why, from the moment he saw it glowing, he had questioned whether I was really human.