Rubin opened his eyes, though everything was still black. He heard voices—some familiar, some not. One voice stood out among the rest: Himu.

"Himu? Where am I?” Rubin asked.

No one responded. Instead, he heard footsteps approaching before someone grabbed his arm and dragged him forward. He struggled, but their grip was firm.

“Let go of me!” Rubin yelled.

“Shut up,” a voice snapped before throwing him roughly to the ground. The impact sent pain shooting up his arms, but he gritted his teeth, unwilling to show weakness.

Minutes passed in silence before he heard the creak of a door opening.

“Hello, Rubin.”

“Who are you? Why am I here?” Rubin demanded.

“That’s not important right now. Just know that you’re leverage—leverage against your father.”

Rubin clenched his fists and instinctively tried to break free from his restraints. The bindings dug into his skin, refusing to budge.

“At least remove whatever is covering my eyes,” he growled.

The voice chuckled before the footsteps receded, followed by the sound of the door closing. Rubin let out a frustrated sigh, leaning back and twisting his wrists, searching for any weakness in the restraints.

“That won’t work. They’re stronger than you—at the moment.”

Rubin froze. The voice was familiar, but something about it sent a chill through him.

“Himu? Why are you here? Can you untie me?”

A cold laugh filled the room. “You’re more foolish than I thought.”

Rubin’s stomach dropped. “What?”

There was a rustle of fabric, and then the blindfold was yanked away. His eyes blinked against the dim candlelight, adjusting to the shadows that danced along the walls. Standing before him was Himu, a smirk playing on his lips, his silver hair catching the flickering light.

“I’m not here to help you,” Himu said. “I was the one who kidnapped you.”

Rubin stared at him, his chest tightening. “But… we helped you. I helped you!”

Himu tilted his head, his grin widening. “And I appreciate that, truly. But you were always just a means to an end.”

Rubin felt his pulse hammering in his ears. “You’re lying. I don’t believe you.”

Himu chuckled and crouched beside him, his silver eyes glinting with something unreadable. “Believe what you want, Rubin. But the sooner you accept reality, the easier this will be.”

Rubin yanked against his restraints again, fury bubbling in his chest. “Why? Why are you doing this? What does my father have to do with any of this?”

Himu stood and turned toward the door. “All in due time. For now, just sit tight. Things are only just beginning.”

The door creaked shut, leaving Rubin alone in the flickering darkness, his mind racing with betrayal and unanswered questions.

But he wasn’t alone for long.

A soft rustling sound came from the corner of the room, followed by a barely audible whisper. “Rubin.”

He twisted his head toward the sound. “Who’s there?”

A figure emerged from the shadows—a young woman with pale blue eyes that gleamed in the dim light. White markings trailed along her arms, shifting faintly as if responding to her breath.

“Aeloria?” Rubin gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Shh,” she hushed him, crouching beside him. “We don’t have much time. I followed Himu here, but he’s stronger than before. Something’s changed.”

Rubin’s heart pounded. “Stronger? What do you mean?”

Aeloria placed her hands on his restraints, her fingers glowing faintly as she worked to undo them. “His aura… it’s corrupted. I don’t think he’s acting on his own anymore. Someone else is pulling the strings.”

A loud clang echoed from beyond the door, making them both freeze.

“Someone’s coming,” Aeloria whispered, urgency lacing her voice.

Rubin swallowed hard, bracing himself. He didn’t know who would walk through that door next—but he knew one thing for certain.

He wasn’t going to sit back and wait to be used as a pawn.