200 years ago

  Nothing but sand, desert, pyramids, and camels. The camels knew every grain of sand in that region—but they didn’t know what important moment was unfolding inside the great pyramid.

  Inside, a strong man sat on a throne—King Ahmed, ruler of ancient Egypt.

  Ahmed (calmly):

  "So, dear friend Zenos... I wouldn’t have believed in you if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Our kingdom is on the verge of collapse. That’s why I’m entrusting you with our greatest treasure—our future. The Artifact of the Pyramid. As long as this artifact is safe and serving Egypt… we will never fall."

  Zenos (shaken):

  "But Lord Ahmed… it’s too much for me."

  Ahmed (smiling faintly):

  "Don’t worry. I trust you. If you had bad intentions, you would never have warned me in the first place."

  Zenos (resolute):

  "Yes, my lord. I will protect it—even if it costs me my life."

  Ahmed smiles in relief, unaware that this decision would echo across centuries.

  ---

  Now – Present Day

  A dark lab buzzes softly with machinery. Zenos sits silently, deep in thought.

  Zenos (thinking):

  So… he survived. But how? I don’t think this era has the tech to survive that explosion…

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  No… It’s impossible, right? I killed him with my own hands.

  He clenches his jaw. His eyes drift toward the empty spot labeled Cage #267.

  Zenos (thinking):

  The note’s gone with Cage #267. What now? The artifact’s still safe… but if they’ve found that cage, they’re close. Too close. Guess I gotta play by their rules now, huh?

  ---

  Elsewhere – Inside a luxurious castle at sunset

  King Edward sits beside a well-dressed, sinister-looking man: Hamstin.

  Hamstin (smiling):

  "So, Edward... how’s your little game going?"

  Edward (nervously):

  "Sir Hamstin, it’s... not going too well. He—Zenos—hid the artifact deep. But we’ll find it soon."

  Hamstin (leaning forward):

  "Well, I suppose that’s okay… for now. But remember, you only have 14 days left."

  He casually pulls a scroll from the table.

  Hamstin:

  "Just to remind you… I hold the contracts to your life—and your precious little family. Fail to get that artifact from that annoying bitch..."

  Hamstin’s grin turns demonic.

  Hamstin:

  "...and you know what I’ll do to your daughters and wife, right?"

  He lets out a cold, mocking laugh that echoes in the grand hall.

  ---

  Later that night – Edward’s Mansion

  Edward arrives home, only to find it eerily silent. Guards gone. No soldiers. The air is heavy with dread.

  He steps inside and freezes.

  His wife, trembling, is serving tea... to the man he never wanted to see again.

  Zenos (smirking):

  "Heya, little Eddie. How are you doing?"

  Edward (stammering):

  "I... I’m sorry! I got threatened—"

  Zenos (cutting him off):

  "What’s wrong with that? Just betray them. Send an assassin like you did to me."

  Edward (panicked):

  "W-Wait! I swear—I didn’t send anyone!"

  Zenos (pausing):

  "...What?"

  Zenos (thinking):

  Now that I think about it... he wouldn’t have sent just one assassin.

  Zenos (coldly):

  "Then explain."

  Edward takes a deep breath, shame heavy in his voice.

  Edward:

  "I used to be good at gambling. Made a fortune from it. One day, a man came—Hamstin."

  "In the first two rounds, I won. He thought I was lucky. I thought he was an amateur. Then... I lost two in a row."

  He clenches his fists.

  Edward:

  "He asked me what I wanted to bet next. I was confident. Stupid. I... I bet my family."

  Edward (voice cracking):

  "And I lost. He owns me now. Me, my wife, my daughters… he has our slave contracts."

  Zenos looks down at him, disgust and disappointment in his eyes.

  Zenos:

  "So it’s simple. Be his slave. Quit being king."

  Edward (desperate):

  "W-Wait, Zenos! You don’t know what he’ll do to my family!"

  Zenos (cold as ice):

  "It doesn’t matter. You lost. That’s all. You think your family is worth more than your country?"

  Edward collapses to his knees, tears spilling down his cheeks.

  Edward (crying):

  "But Zenos… it’s just an artifact... not my country!"

  Zenos turns away, walking toward the window. He stares out at the night sky.

  Zenos (thinking):

  If I leave now… this kingdom will fall. They’ll find the artifact. They’ll destroy everything we built. And once they do… Egypt dies.

  He glances back at the broken man behind him.

  Zenos (quietly):

  "...But if I don’t stop this... no one will."

  ---

  To be continued...