Nahum was thinking.
One of the first times in his life.
Something he was never meant to be able to do.
But since the incident with the Pied Piper, everything had changed.
A voice rose within him.
Defend yourself. Do not be Samuel's tool.
Nahum flinched.
That was not his voice.
He took a slow breath.
The voice returned.
Internalize the chaos.
Then — familiar. Heavy. Ever-present.
You remain beneath me.
Samuel's voice.
It had always been there.
Every time Nahum had tried to think.
He sat down on the bed and closed his eyes, focusing —
not on Samuel.
On the new voice.
She appeared in his mind.
The Pied Piper.
"What are you doing here?" Nahum asked.
"And how did you get inside my head?"
Mad laughter echoed through his mind.
"You absorbed my magic," she said with a grin.
"Did you really think that motorcycle hit me — unless I wanted it to?"
More laughter.
"Everything is proceeding according to my plan."
Another voice cut in.
Get lost. He is my avatar.
The Pied Piper laughed softly.
"Always so angry."
She stepped closer.
"And no — I'm not leaving. Especially since I'm stronger."
"Samuel is nothing more than a simple conscience spell."
"I am fully present. With my entire mind."
She leaned toward Nahum.
"And you will belong to me."
Samuel's voice trembled with rage.
He belongs to me. And he will remain mine.
The voices clashed.
Nahum's eyes snapped open he is shaking and his Nose is bleeding.
"SHUT UP!"
Silence.
The door opened.
Samuel entered the room.
"Nahum," he said coldly.
"Why are you shouting?"
He looked around.
Nothing unusual.
"Keep it together," Samuel added.
"And don't you dare lose your mind. You still have a job to do."
one houre before:
Ben was thinking.
The tracker Nahum had carried had revealed everything.
The direct connection to the H.U.M.A.N party.
But without proof, they couldn't simply walk in.
For a brief moment, Ben realized something unsettling.
He was happy.
His life finally had meaning.
It was exciting.
And he was the hero.
A knock at the door shattered the thought.
He opened it.
Samuel.
Ben immediately went on guard.
Samuel raised his hands calmly and smiled.
"Hey. No need to get aggressive."
He walked inside without invitation.
"What do you want?" Ben snarled, grabbing a knife.
Samuel shook his head.
"Talk. That's all."
Ben hesitated — then lowered the knife.
"You're our enemy," he said.
"Why would I talk to you?"
Samuel sat down at the kitchen table.
"Are you sure I'm your enemy?"
"From where I stand, things look different."
He leaned back.
"How about a little exchange?"
"You ask questions. I answer honestly."
"Then I ask questions. And you answer honestly."
Ben scoffed.
"Why would I play your game?"
Samuel shrugged and stood up.
"Then don't."
"But it's a unique opportunity."
"Why does Nahum help H.U.M.A.N?" Ben asked suddenly.
"Why would a magical being support the enslavement of magic?"
Samuel smiled.
He had him.
"Nahum has no choice," Samuel said calmly.
"He is my avatar."
"More precisely — the avatar of H.U.M.A.N that's why his name is Nahum"
Ben frowned.
"What do you mean — that's why his name is Nahum?"
Samuel chuckled.
"Think about it."
"Nahum is Human."
"Just rearranged."
Ben froze.
It was obvious.
Samuel continued.
"My turn."
"Who was the girl on the motorcycle?"
Ben didn't want to answer.
But something inside him forced the words out.
"Roxie Yakudatsu."
Samuel wrote it down.
"Good."
"Second question."
"Why do you fight?"
"And why are you telling me the truth?"
The question hit Ben like a blow.
He knew the answer.
He just hated it.
Samuel smiled.
"You don't fight for good."
"You fight for yourself."
"For excitement."
Tears filled Ben's eyes.
"Aww," Samuel said softly.
"Are you crying?"
He stood up.
"Do you really think you're a hero?"
Ben collapsed.
Samuel walked out.
"One last thing," he said.
"You're nothing more than a miserable rat."
The door closed.
Ben fell to the floor and cried.
Samuel sat in his car.
And he was satisfied.
He had removed one of his enemies' greatest tactical assets.
Ben was broken.
He now possessed one of the most dangerous weapons of the modern age:
the Magic flute.
His party was growing steadily.
And he still had Nahum.
Nearly unstoppable.
Now he only needed to deal with the next ones.
After that, nothing would stand in his way.
They would worship him.
He would not be a leader.
He would be a god.
A god of a new generation.
One they would kneel before.
Samuel looked at his list.
Henri.
Heinrich.
He had plans for them too.
No direct attack.
Just a little pressure from the outside.
People destroyed themselves best that way.
For this, he needed Nahum.
And the flute.
He drove back to the H.U.M.A.N headquarters.
As he arrived, a scream echoed through the halls.
"SHUT UP!"
Samuel sighed and entered Nahum's room.
"Nahum," he said coldly.
"Why are you shouting?"
He looked around.
Nothing unusual.
"Keep it together," Samuel added.
"And don't you dare lose your mind. You still have a job to do."
He paused.
"You will cast an invisibility spell on both of us."
"We're breaking into Henri and Heinrich's castle."
Nahum looked at him, confused.
"Why? Did something happen?"
Samuel snapped.
"YOU DARE QUESTION ME?!"
Inside Nahum, the other voice stirred.
Hit him.
He ignored it.
"Of course, Master," Nahum said quietly.
"I'm sorry."
They left the room.
Got into the car.
When they arrived, Nahum whispered:
"Unsichtbarkeit. Deckung."
Reality blurred.
And they slipped inside.
Henri was sleeping deeply.
Then he heard footsteps.
A bad feeling crawled up his spine.
He knew that kind of step.
Nahum.
And someone else.
Henri called Ben.
No answer.
His breathing grew heavy.
He followed the sound.
The hallway was empty.
Nothing.
Then something grabbed him from behind.
He tried to fight —
but flute music filled the air.
His body froze.
He couldn't move.
They appeared before him.
Nahum.
And Samuel.
Nahum played the Magic flute of the Pied Piper.
Samuel smiled.
"You feel weak," he said calmly.
"Tomorrow, you'll listen to your inner voice."
Henri's heart pounded.
"It will make you ask your father
what happened to your mother."
Samuel leaned closer.
"And you will find the truth."
"Even if you have to walk over corpses."
Henri dropped to his knees.
Darkness.
He woke up.
Morning light.
"Shit," he whispered.
"Just a nightmare."
He went to the dining room.
His father was there.
And suddenly, the words left his mouth.
"Dad… what actually happened to Mom?"
Heinrich froze.
"Henri," he said carefully.
"Not now."
But Henri pressed on.
"Yes. Now."
Confusion filled Heinrich's eyes.
"Why is this suddenly so important?"
"I told you — you'll know when you're eighteen."
Henri didn't know why he kept going.
"You're going to tell me now."
His body moved.
Against his will.
His hand grabbed a knife.
"Henri! Drop the knife!" Heinrich shouted.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO MOM?!"
Henri pushed him into a corner.
Raised the knife.
BONK.
Henri collapsed unconscious.
Lovran stood behind him, holding a metal tray.
Heinrich exhaled shakily.
"Thank you, Lovran."
Lovran knelt and showed him his phone.
A photo.
Nahum.
Samuel.
A flute.
He typed:
"Was awake.
Heard footsteps.
Took photo.
Saw flute.
Covered ears."
Heinrich closed his eyes.
"So my son isn't insane…"
He looked at Henri.
"But we tie him up."
"Just to be safe."
Henri woke up.
It was the next day.
The memories of the night before hit him all at once.
"Dad!" he shouted.
Heinrich rushed into the room.
"How are you feeling, Henri?" he asked, worried.
Henri broke down crying.
"Dad… I'm sorry…"
Heinrich pulled him into a tight embrace.
"It's not your fault," he said softly.
"It was the flute."
Henri shook his head.
"I should have been stronger. I should have noticed sooner."
"But I was helpless… I let myself be hypnotized… I'm useless."
Heinrich held him tighter.
"No," he said firmly.
"You are perfect the way you are."
"That could have happened to anyone."
Henri slowly calmed down.
But even knowing it wasn't his fault —
the guilt remained.
Somewhere else, a celebration was taking place.
Samuel smiled.
The enemy team was destabilized.
Separated. Uncertain.
Almost no one could oppose him now.
It was time to resume the extermination of fairy tales.
In a bathroom, Nahum stood trembling.
He took a deep breath.
The voices were back.
Arguing. Fighting. Screaming.
It hurt.
Blood ran from his nose.
He smashed the mirror.
Then a stall door.
Moments later, he forced a false smile
and sat down beside Samuel.
"What's next?" he asked.
Samuel smiled calmly.
"We use the time while they're divided."
"We travel into a fairy tale."
He leaned closer.
"You will increase your combat power by absorbing
the magic of humans and creatures alike."
A pause.
"And maybe then, you'll finally be useful while yuo that i will Attack there last 100% funktioning member Roxie Yakudatsu."
Nahum nodded.
Elsewhere, Ben lay on the floor.
Tears soaked the carpet.
After a long moment, he grabbed his phone
and sent Henri a message:
Meet tomorrow. My place.
A reply came shortly after.
👍
Ben took a deep breath.
He wanted to speak honestly with his friend.