Well, this is different.

  I decided that I should keep my mouth shut and just wait to see what was going to happen. The guard that had put the cuffs on me roughly picked me up and marched me through town to a guard station—one that, quite conveniently, was not where my father worked. It was clear this wasn’t a random choice; the guard seemed intent on keeping this incident out of my father’s sphere of influence, likely hoping to avoid his wrath or interference. The deliberate detour added a layer of tension, making me wonder just how personal this situation had become.

  At the guard station, I was marched to a small cell, where the guard attempted to bodily shove me inside. Unfortunately for him, and hilariously for me, his efforts amounted to absolutely nothing. I barely budged, standing there like an immovable boulder. He grunted, red-faced, clearly trying to save face as he barked, "Get in!" while pushing with all the effectiveness of a toddler trying to move a mountain.

  “So do I get a lawyer, or how does this work?” I asked the still slightly confused guard. Of course, I knew well how it would work. There were no lawyers in this world, and I would stay in this cell until the investigator got here to question me. The guard was just being an ass, so I wanted to be one back.

  “What?” he responded, “What’s a lawyer?”

  “Look man, do you know who my father is?” Yes, I used that line, and yes it felt as cringy as it sounds whenever the cliché noble says it. “You should, he is a guard captain here. Why don’t you go get him and I am sure we can get this all settled nicely.”

  “Don’t try anything stupid, these bars are made of eclipsium and can negate all talents.” He responded tersely and then decided to spit at me and walk away. I guess he did know who my father was, and he thought I was bringing down his good name or something.

  As for his comment about eclipsium, I was honestly surprised that I had never heard of it. My father probably never mentioned it because he was not worried about me getting in trouble with the law, but I would be looking into it whenever I could.

  When no one came for the first twenty minutes I took a seat on the floor and decided to see if I could use my Arcane mana inside the cell. Just because the bars could negate talents did not mean that I couldn’t use my abilities anywhere in the cell.

  Using Arcane Manipulation, I began shaping my Arcane mana, watching as the shimmering purple energy coiled and twisted under my control like living ribbons of light. I started with simple creations—a sturdy staff that solidified in my hands, its surface smooth and cool, or a jagged spike that caught and refracted the dim light like shards of amethyst. Each creation felt alive, pulsing faintly as though the mana itself thrummed with anticipation, eager to take form.

  As my confidence grew, I pushed myself further, crafting intricate designs, twisting patterns that looped and overlapped, creating mesmerizing arcs that seemed to defy gravity. The mana pulsed steadily in my hands, its rhythm acting like a silent guide, encouraging me to mold it into increasingly complex forms. I even began attempting little figures, miniature people brought to life through the shimmering energy. One depicted a girl walking through the woods, her tiny figure slightly crude but still recognizable, the folds of her imagined dress flowing with every small movement of my fingers.

  The limitations were clear, I couldn’t alter the mana’s vibrant purple hue, likely due to its Arcane nature. Still, the single color didn’t diminish the artistry; if anything, it gave the creations a unified, ethereal glow. Each piece felt like a step closer to mastering something vast and untapped, a raw power transformed into beauty with every deliberate motion.

  Hours passed by without me even noticing. It wasn’t until the sharp slam of a door echoed through the space that my attention snapped back to the cell. Startled, I let the mana creation I’d been crafting, a vaguely person-shaped blob that I was generously calling a girl, fizzle out.

  A very rotund man waddled into view, his height barely reaching 5 foot 4. His slicked-back hair gleamed under the dim light, giving him an almost cartoonishly polished appearance. It wasn’t greasy—more like it had been meticulously oiled, adding to his oddly smug demeanor. His beady, jet-black eyes had an unnerving quality, like they were all pupil and no iris, and they gleamed with an intelligence that was overshadowed by his palpable self-importance.

  When he finally spoke, his voice was much higher than I’d expected, almost comically so, yet his tone lacked the snide condescension I had braced myself for. “Jace, correct? Follow me, please.” He turned sharply on his heel, not bothering to check if I was complying, as though my obedience was a given.

  Which, of course I did. It’s not like I had any other choice at the moment. Obviously, this was a farce, and this guy was either a dumb lackey who did not think things through, or he was just dumb and did not know any better. I mean he had to know that as soon as my father found out he would be coming for me.

  I followed along quietly down corridor after corridor. Each one a blank stone wall with nothing on it save for a door here or there. It took us twenty minutes of walking before we arrived at a door that opened up to a very small room.

  Inside was a single table with shackles tied to the table. A dull crystal in the middle of the table, and two chairs. The temperature was surprisingly very warm in the room, but luckily my stats were such that it did not bother me in the least.

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  “Sit.” He said, motioning to the side with the shackles.

  I nodded sitting down and placing my hands on the table. “Are the shackles really necessary? I mean I followed you all the way here no problem.” Looking at the shackles I realized that they too were made of eclipsium.

  “I have been informed that your talent is defensive in nature. Please enable it so that I might get a better idea of how it works.” He said in his weirdly high voice.

  Cocking my head to the side, a habit I had been apparently developing since the skill covered my face, I looked at the man suspecting a trap of some kind. Instead of complying, I put the shackles on my wrists and snapped them shut. I felt the metal surprisingly cool in the very warm room, almost try to seep into me. However, with a quick application of Arcane mana underneath the metal the feeling went away.

  “Shame, that was twice now that you have done the smart thing. Normally people try to run when I leave their cell. Naturally using your ability would have forced me to call for backup or subdue you myself. This may seem like a stupid game to a child like you, however it gives me a better understanding of you.” The investigator stated. “Now, you are an intelligent child so we will skip any more games and get straight to the point. How did you know about the Dungeon?”

  “So, the dumb lackey then.” I responded with a sigh.

  “Maybe not so intelligent. You are in an out of the way room. In an out of the way guard outpost. Not only that, but no one else knows where you are. This building is used to interrogate, more hardened criminals than you, shall we say.” He responded with a sly smile. As though he had everything in hand. “Now you have your talent suppressed and I have all the time in the world to secure the truth about what you know.”

  He was staring at me with a condescending smile, because in his eyes there was nothing that I could do. And, in some respects, he was right. There was no way I could fight my way out of this place. I mean maybe I could, but that would just make me look like a bad guy.

  So, I did the only thing that made sense at the time. I invited my father to join my party. Only a second passed before I received a notification.

  Ralph Obexis has joined your party.

  Dad, sorry for only now trying this. I thought it would be an easy walk home once I made it to the city. However, I am in a bit of, well there is really no way to make this sound better. I’ve been arrested and some fat investigator dude is trying to get me to tell him how I knew all this stuff.

  I went on to explain everything that happened and even where I was taken. I did not bother telling him about my time away, that would be taken care of when I was with him later. His response was filled with rage. Hang on for just a bit Jace, it will take me about 20 minutes to get to you.

  Now I know it may seem like it took a while for all that to happen, but we were speaking at the speed of thought. Which for those who have an inner voice that literally reads everything out to you, it is way faster than that. What would normally take a few minutes to talk about out loud is only a second or two worth of time.

  “Now let us begin with something easy. I have a report here stating that you are only somewhat tall for your age. You have been through a Dungeon solo, so your growth is not impossible. Still, it is better to be sure. Are you Jace Obexis?” Every time he starts to speak, I expect a slimy or nasally sound to come out due to how he is acting, but in all honesty, he is more like a refined British butler with a slightly high voice.

  “The answer to that is actually not as simple as you think. Your stone here lights up if I am being honest, yes? So, I am Jace Obexis now. However, I did not used to be Jace Obexis.” The entire time I spoke the crystal stayed lit. “Also, not that it matters to much, but can I get your name? I keep referring to you as fat investigator in my mind.”

  The suave and confident fa?ade he had maintained finally cracked when I called him fat. His smug smile faltered, his lips pressing into a thin line as his cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. His beady eyes widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing sharply, and his posture stiffened, as if trying to physically hold on to the confidence I had just shattered. He also seemed very confused by the crystal staying white the entire time I responded. I knew that I was pushing my luck by being rude to him, but I just couldn’t resist.

  Clearing his throat the man responded, “Ah yes, I am investigator Felix Droat. When you say that you did not use to be Jace what do you mean?”

  “Well, there was a time that I did not exist. Obviously, I could not be Jace when I did not exist. Mr. Drone, let me ask you something. Why are you doing this? I mean you have to know that there is no way you are going to get away with this. Even if you get away with what you’re doing to me. Just to be clear you won’t I figure you have about ten minutes before everything goes bad for you, but still, what exactly is your thought process?”

  “I will be the one to ask questions, and it is Investigator Droat, not Drone. How did you know that the chicken for prince was poisoned?” The inspector went on. I don’t think that he believed me when I said his time was almost up. Oh well.

  Instead of answering, I decided to play my own game. Seeing how far I could push him before either he snapped, or my dad showed up. “Well Investigator Drought, unlike you who apparently, even though you are an Investigator.” I said investigator while using my fingers to quote the word. “I actually pay attention to my surroundings and, you know, investigate things.”

  At my words Droat’s eyebrow twitched. “I guess when I called you dumb earlier, I wasn’t too far off was I? Did you get your job through nepotism? Was your dad an actual investigator? You should ask him for some pointers, cause this meeting is just not going how you think it is.” As I finished speaking the light from the crystal finally died out. “See even the crystal says I’m telling the truth. You really should have thought this through better.”

  Almost on cue, the door slammed open with a deafening crack, the force of it making the crystal on the table tremble precariously. The room's oppressive silence shattered as my father stormed in, his presence like a thundercloud crashing into a sunny day. "Why would you think, in any circumstance, that arresting, MY SON, was a good idea, Droat?" he growled, his voice low and menacing, each word carrying the weight of unspoken fury. The air in the room felt heavier, the tension so thick it was almost tangible. Droat flinched, his earlier smugness dissolving instantly, leaving him looking like a deer caught in headlights.

  Behind my father, a crowd had gathered, but all I could focus on was my mother, pushing her way through the throng with a single-minded determination. Her gaze locked on me, worry and anger battling for dominance on her face as she approached.

  “Hi Mom.” I said as cheerfully as possible.