Ruziel's curiosity give birth to true magic

22.0in

Yelisa sat in the dimly lit room, her voice trembling as she kept muttering the same words over and over again. "We're doomed, we're doomed, we're doomed."

The atmosphere was thick with tension as Jafar, Yelisa, and Gulzum huddled together in the small, gloomy chamber. The only light came from a single flickering candle, casting long shadows across their faces.

Jafar finally broke the silence. "Let's go to him tomorrow," he said, his voice steady.

"We're not going anywhere," Yelisa snapped, her eyes narrowing. "There's no way I'm risking everything for a plan that might just get us killed."

"Trust me when I say I have a plan," Jafar insisted, his tone calm but firm.

"A plan, huh?" Yelisa scoffed, her anger rising. "A plan to faint at the mere illusion of a lion? Some plan that is!"

Jafar sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I know I was afraid. But I'm not afraid of death, Yelisa."

He met her gaze, his eyes unwavering. "Remember when I saw the demon talking about the book? Did I run? No. When the demon came back to close the well, did I run? No. When you were tormenting me, was I afraid to come to you with the matter of the book? And when we came to this castle today, did I run, thinking you would shut me up and keep the book for yourself? No."

Yelisa remained silent, her anger simmering just beneath the surface.

"I am a man of my word. I never deceive myself," Jafar continued. "When I have the instinct to do something, I do it with my whole heart. And when I say I have a plan, trust me—I have a plan."

He stood up, his shadow looming large on the wall behind him. "Even if people say death is lingering, waiting to take anyone who steps inside that well, I—Jafar, the son of Ruziel—must enter it. I drink from the cup of curiosity, and I am never satisfied. That is the true blood of Ruziel. We are never satisfied with what we have. We are greedy for more, hungry for knowledge. That is what gave birth to the '>Records of True Magic<.'"< p>

Yelisa looked at him, her anger slowly giving way to a reluctant respect. She knew Jafar was right, even if she didn't want to admit it. His words carried the weight of truth, the kind of truth that couldn't be ignored.

"Fine," she finally said, her voice softer now. "But if this plan of yours gets us killed, I'm haunting you in the afterlife."

Jafar smiled, a small, confident grin. "You won't have to. We're going to make it through this, together."

Yelisa's voice cut through the quiet room, a mixture of frustration and curiosity. "What plan did you have, Jafar?"

Jafar leaned forward, his expression serious. "I know Magi Jinshen won't snatch the book from us—at least, not yet. If he wanted to, he could've done it already. No, he has a plan of his own. He's keeping us alive for a reason—he wants us to do the dirty work for him."

Yelisa raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but still skeptical. "What are you saying?"

Jafar's eyes narrowed as he thought deeply. "Think about it. He needs us to find the parts, to navigate the dangers. But once we've done all the work... what's to stop him from taking everything from us?"

The room fell silent for a moment as Yelisa considered his words. Then, with a sudden realization, she asked, "How do magicians usually keep track of someone?"

Jafar shrugged. "Something cheap, like a Macam, maybe?"

"Macam?" Yelisa repeated, frowning. "Too cheap."

"Exactly," Jafar said, nodding. "Too cheap. Maybe a Spiritual Cam?"

"Too cheap."

Yelisa listed off several more possibilities, each one dismissed by Jafar as too basic, too easy to counter.

Finally, Yelisa paused, frustration creeping into her voice. "Then... unless you mean some living thing."

Jafar's eyes lit up as he leaned in closer. "Exactly. Something alive. Something that can watch us, follow us, and then snatch the book and everything else from us the moment we've found everything. Or worse, something that will alarm him the second we think we're safe."

Yelisa's face went pale as the realization hit her.

"Nargas!"