Igetis perched silently among the treetops, a sly smile tugging at his lips.
"Why do you avoid me, Anazitis?" he asked, voice calm yet cutting. "You sent a magical bird… and tried to use that mirror to contact me. Did you really think I wouldn't figure out who sent it—or why?"
Anazitis's expression faltered. Where did it go wrong? he thought, his mind racing.
Igetis chuckled softly. "There are still so many things you need to discover," he continued. "But smooth-talking your way out of this won't help."
"I just wanted to explain things first," Anazitis said, hesitantly. "Then we could talk about what happened… and how we could help each other."
"Like always," Igetis replied, smirking. "Smooth talker."
Anazitis' mind spun. But how… how did he figure it out?
The Message
Earlier, in Igetis' office, a bird had appeared out of thin air. Its wings beat slowly, silently, as it perched on his outstretched hand, carrying nothing but an empty piece of parchment.
Igetis raised a brow. "Strange…"
Dark ink bled across the paper, forming words with elegant precision. His expression darkened as he read:
I've discovered the truth about the city, the sages, and all the hidden things you tried to keep from me.
The message bore no signature—but Igetis already knew who was behind it.
A Change of Form
Igetis rose, drawing a golden ring from the folds of his robe. "I need to see who sent this… and I know exactly who can tell me."
As the Shapeless Ring slid onto his finger, his body began to shift. His tall, imposing frame shrank; sunlit hair darkened to the color of night, and his eyes became pools of endless black. His voice dropped to a softer, younger tone.
He pulled a small mirror from his pocket, and two faces flickered into view.
"Theo. Evangeline," he said.
Theo blinked. "That mirror… it belongs to Mister Igetis. But how—?"
"It's me, Theo," Igetis said in the altered voice. "Using the Shapeless Ring."
Theo and Evangeline stepped through the mirror into the office.
"Take my place," Igetis ordered. "Theo, wear the ring. Take my shape. Don't leave the office—I need to go see something."
Evangeline crossed her arms. "I want to go with you. It'll be a great adventure."
"You're staying here," Igetis said firmly. "And please, make sure Theo doesn't mess things up like last time. I trust you for that."
Evangeline smirked. "No worries. Last time I wasn't there. Now I am. Everything will go smoothly."
Theo shot her a glance. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"
"You went to the academy cafeteria wearing the ring… ate for free while Igetis was sick and missed an important meeting. You embarrassed him, remember?"
Theo sighed. "I know. But this time it's different."
"Because I'm here," Evangeline said with a smile.
A knock interrupted them.
"Come in," Theo called, voice now identical to Igetis'.
A middle-aged knight entered, holding a stack of papers. "The report you requested, sir."
Theo nodded. "Leave it on the desk."
As the knight left, his eyes lingered on Evangeline. She wasn't here last time… Something feels off. He thought perhaps selling personal information about the knight could be… profitable.
The Mermaid's Domain
Meanwhile, Igetis emerged on the outskirts of the city, near the shimmering lake. He removed his boots, blindfolded his eyes, and stepped into the cold water, letting it wash over him.
"If you want to reach an unknown destination," he whispered, "you have to get lost first."
Slowly, deliberately, he waded deeper until the water swallowed him.
Beneath the surface, the lake opened into a wondrous underwater world. Blue waters shimmered with gold and sapphire hues; coral reefs twisted across the ocean floor, and ancient ruins lay scattered among them. Fish darted through pillars where statues once stood proud.
In the distance, a bubble pulsed with light—a house resting in the heart of the sea. Igetis entered the bubble, breathing easily within its protective air.
A voice echoed through the water. "Why can't you visit me normally, Igetis?"
From the shadows emerged the mermaid Siren, her dark eyes shining like polished onyx, skin pale as snow, and white hair flowing like silk in the current.
"Where's the joy in normal?" she said, smiling.
Igetis smiled. "Can't I visit a friend… and have some tea?"
She raised an eyebrow. "You're here for joy, in the middle of the day, while the sages watch you."
Igetis chuckled. "Clever as always." He handed her the letter. "I need to know who sent this."
They walked toward the underwater house.
"So, you learned how to walk using your legs?" Igetis asked.
Siren smiled. "Practice."
Igetis thought to himself, After hearing "practice," she must spend her days sleeping and watching fish race… and yet, her feet shake when she moves.
"Did you say something?" Siren asked with a playful tilt of her head.
Inside the house, Siren pressed the letter against a crystal. The water rippled, and a faint voice whispered from within.
"Anazitis," she said calmly.
Igetis sighed. "It's been a while since I last saw him… and now he sends a letter in the shadiest way possible."
"You seem surprised," Siren teased. "You know him well enough to expect this."
"I do," Igetis admitted. "But how could he have discovered so much?"
Siren smirked. "You underestimate how determined a person can be. Luck, persistence… that's all it takes. How do you think I learned the truth about the city?"
"You've had all the time in the world… why didn't you discover it earlier?"
She laughed softly. "And you need to swim more. You're out of practice. Goodbye."
Before Igetis could respond, the water swallowed him again.
He surfaced, gasping. "She could've just… transported me properly," he muttered.
Back in the Forest
At that moment, Anazitis sat in silence, his mind racing. How does he know it was me?
A voice echoed in his thoughts. "I have my ways," Igetis said as he approached. "And the others are waiting for us."
Halfy forced a smile. "You haven't changed a bit, Igetis."
Lion grinned. "We should've just contacted him normally."
Halfy shrugged. "Where's the joy in normal? Not our fault."
Anazitis muttered, "You two didn't even think a bit… just trying to sell me out."