Chapter 60 Good Kids

Words : 1176 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

*** {Inside The Projection} "We don't care." Safira stepped closer. Her blue eyes unwavering. "You saved us. You're strong. You know things we don't. That's enough." Jasmine nodded. "Please. We'll learn. We'll work hard. Just... let us learn from you." Malik sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, I'm flattered, but—" "Please." Their voices were quiet but resolute, their eyes both determined and vulnerable. Malik groaned and glanced at the side, spotting Sinbad leaning on a mushroom's stalk. "You should do it, big brother~. Don't you want to replace me?" He shook his head, dispelling the illusion. "Fine... I'll be your... whatever. But master...? You're no slave. Call me teacher." ""Thank—"" "But!" He cut them off, getting back at them like a child. "Only until we're out of here. Once we're in the clear, it's over. Got it?" They nodded eagerly, their faces lighting up. "Good." Malik sighed and looked away, muttering under his breath. "What the hell am I getting myself into..." He took a beat, then glanced at the map again, plotting their next move. "Alright—let's get moving. We've got a long way to go, and I'm not babysitting you forever." They fell into step behind him, their spirits seemingly lifted despite the daunting path ahead. And as they began their trek toward the south dunes, he couldn't help but feel a strange warmth. For better or worse, he wasn't alone anymore. ... "...You still didn't tell us your name." Malik looked at the bathed Safira, who now wore freshly cut male clothes. He was about to reply, but before he could, Jasmine asked: "I-Is it, like, some kinda secret or something?" He shook his head. "What? No, it's fine. Just didn't find the right moment. Anyway, it's Malik." Safira froze. And Malik caught it. A look that screamed absolute, bone-deep fear. It wasn't just that, though. It was disdain. Hate. Fury. Like someone had just killed her family and used their faces as masks. It was so out of place, he almost did a double take. This was Safira—the little one who acted 'carefree' ever since they met. And yet, there she was. For a heartbeat... then—poof. Gone. Just like that. By the time Jasmine turned to ask, "What's up?" Her face was back to her usual demeanor as if nothing happened. "Nothing." Malik almost thought he imagined it. Almost. But no. He'd seen it. Clear as day. '...Why? Does she know me?' He wanted to ask but knew better than to. Digging into that wasn't a can of worms he wanted to open right now. And it wasn't something he liked either. "H-Hey teach..." Safira stammered suddenly, her voice desperate. "Is Malik, like, a super common name where you're from?" He narrowed his eyes just a little. The suspicion meter in his brain ticked up a notch, but he played it cool. "Not really. Can't say I've met anyone else with my name before." Safira looked down, her face tense. Jasmine whispered, her voice filled with awe. Malik nodded. "The Apex... They are Gods, beings who shape reality itself, Magi of Laws. But even they are not the end." "...W-What?" "How can someone be stronger than GOD?!" "Well, this isn't something I'm sure of, but I've heard it from the local preachers... a rank beyond the Rukh... the Araaf. The Diviner of The Book." He paused for a moment, feeling lightheaded just from mentioning the Title. "The True Sultan is supposed to be one. A Cosmic Emperor who governs everything and writes the Laws themselves... but again, I can't say for sure, so don't take my word on that." The girls stared at him, their expressions a mix of awe, fear, and wonder. "Can... can we become one of them?" Safira's question would've been laughed at by anyone else, but Malik? No. He would never. After all... his goal wasn't so different. "...It is possible. If you're brave enough to walk the path. Talented enough to ascend. Lucky enough to live. But remember, every step comes with a cost. Aether is a gift..." His words took pause as he closed his eyes, seemingly remembering something, then continued as he opened them back up: "But it demands much in return... too much at times." Noticing his hurt, Jasmine did the same as earlier, asking about whatever came to mind. She couldn't have the insensitive Safira say anything that'd further ruin his mood. "What about monsters? Do they use Aether too?" His expression darkened slightly. "Yes, but not like us. Monsters are bound to the Cursed Hierarchy. And they don't just have one Aether Core—they have many, which makes them much stronger compared to us, especially later on." He then went on to describe the stages, from the relatively weak Faryad to the Div, the Ṭāghiya, the Simurgh, the Zahhak, and finally, the Godlike Ahriman. 1 The girls listened intently, their faces now showing more fascination than fear. And when he finished, Safira leaned back, grinning. "I think I know what I want to be." Malik raised an eyebrow. "Oh?... And what might that be?" She puffed out her chest. "I want to be a Sahir and master the Life element! That way, I can heal you whenever you get hurt." Malik smiled, his heart warming at her innocence. It seemed that he totally forgot what happened just a few minutes ago. "A noble choice!" Jasmine tugged at his sleeve again, her voice quieter but no less determined. "I want to be like you. A Dune Guardian." Her decision caught him off guard. "...Are you sure? Malik knelt to meet her gaze. "The desert is a harsh path." Jasmine nodded. "But I don't want fire. I want ice. Opposites working together—that'd be cool, right?" "..." For a moment, he said nothing, lost in thought. Then, he placed a hand on her shoulder, tapping it. "Jasmine... You've got the spirit of a true Magi." She beamed at him and her friend as their laughter rang through the forest. 'Safira doesn't seem like it at times, but...' He joined them, letting out a few chuckles of his own. 'They really are kids...' The world remained dull, but these two retained their true colors. Blindingly bright. 'Good kids.' [Faryad] - Youngling (Cry or Call, representing their nascent stage and growing potential.) [Div] - Fiend (Demon or Devil in Persian folklore, embodying chaos and malevolence.) [Ṭāghiya] - Tyrant (Tyrant in the Arabic language, representing overwhelming dominance and destructive power.) [Simurgh] - Behemoth (Legendary Bird of Persian Mythology, symbolizing wisdom, mystery, and commanding presence.) [Zahhak] - Chaos (Commander of Demons in Persian mythology, a snake of chaos embodying the power to warp reality.) [Ahriman] - Mythic (Personification of Destruction and Evil in Persian mythology/Bible, a cosmic force that predates Creation itself.)

Chapter 60 Good Kids

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