The conference room lights hummed softly, an almost invisible sound – the kind that crawls into the back of the skull when fear has nowhere else to go.
A single word broke the silence. "Let's start."
The woman's voice came from the projector – calm, cold, unquestionable. For a few seconds, no one moved. Not a chair. Not a breath.
Fahad straightened before the projector and swallowed.
Fahad: "My lady, I can explain what happened here."
The woman: "I don't want explanations. I know what happened there, Mr. Fahad. What I don't know is the reason for your failure."
The air tightened. Fahad's jaw clenched.
Fahad: "I know I couldn't kill him. But the reason was his eyes – there was something different about them. It was like… he knew the answers already."
A pause.
The woman: "Fahad, you had a job, and you failed. You disappointed all of us. Now you are making excuses and wasting our time."
Fahad said nothing. His silence was louder than any defense.
The woman: "I am giving you one last chance. Either you bring him down… or I will bring you down to the ground. And you know what I can do – without doing anything."
Fahad nodded slowly.
Fahad: "I need an army. Experienced. Loyal. Brutal. And weapons."
The woman: "You'll get what you need in time. But first, find whether he's alone or not."
Fahad: "Who would dare to help him? Alone or not, in our next meeting, I will crush him down."
The woman's gaze pierced the room. She laughed for a moment.
The woman: "You have only seen his upper rage. In this conference room, everyone felt his inner rage. If he is alone – that is far more dangerous."
Fahad: "…Understood, My Lady."
The screen went black. The silence that followed was worse than the call itself.
Wendy: "You have one chance now, Fahad. Prove yourself."
Layla: "Fail this time, and you'll meet her at your own funeral."
One by one, the Spiral Crown leaders left the island. Only Fahad and Noah remained. Fahad dropped into his chair as if his strength had finally abandoned him.
Fahad: "Noah, we don't have much time. Tell Rehan to find my father – immediately. And tell the Governors to trace Siddik's movements. Where does he come from? Who is helping him? He will leave at least one trace of his comeback."
Noah: "Obviously, King. But who was that woman?"
Fahad: "Even I haven't seen her face ever. Only know she is far more dangerous than her voice. She hates Siddik more than anyone on this planet."
Noah: "Why?"
Fahad: "I don't know. She doesn't want this throne, not the control. The only thing she wants is to finish Siddik's name forever."
Noah frowned.
Noah: "You looked… powerless."
Fahad's voice lowered.
Fahad: "That's because her power is more than my magic and tricks."
Noah froze. Fahad stood and left without another word. Noah stayed behind, one thought echoing again and again:
"Who could hate Siddik more than everyone combined?"
Meanwhile, Siddik and Zaber reached the hill that the man showed them. They found only a house covered with snow and ice.
Zaber: "So, this is it. But I don't think he is still there."
Siddik didn't respond. He knocked on the door. The door opened slowly. A young boy stared at them.
Siddik: "Boy, I am here for Master Atiq. Is he there?"
Boy: "Yes, but who are you?"
Siddik: "A man finding his way."
Boy: "You are Prince Siddik, aren't you?"
Siddik: "How do you know me?"
Boy: "Come, you'll find it out."
The boy took them to a room where Atiq was lying on his bed – fragile, defeated by time but not broken. They went near his bed.
Boy: "Grandfather, have a look. Your hero has come to see you."
Atiq turned away and couldn't believe his own eyes. He slowly sat up. Siddik knelt beside his bed.
Siddik: "Master, your monster has come. How are you?"
Atiq: "I knew you'd come, Siddik. But you are late. Look what loyalty did to me."
Siddik: "I am here to take you with me. I won't let you rot in this ice."
Atiq: "Did Galib and his son snatch it from you?"
Siddik: "I willingly gave it to them."
Atiq: "Siddik, his son, is way more powerful than he looks. He killed my only son, Saif."
Siddik: "Why?"
Saif spoke. Siddik didn't interrupt. When the story ended, the room felt smaller.
Siddik: "Let's go, Master. We'll show him what you and I can do together."
Atiq showed him his hands – seven of his fingers were cut. Siddik's eyes filled with tears.
Atiq: "Hey, Siddik! Monsters don't cry. Let them show what I made you. Let them show what you can do when things go out of your hands."
Siddik stood up.
Siddik: "I promise you, Master. I will finish what we started together."
Atiq nodded.
Atiq: "Saif, give him the knife."
Saif handed Siddik a knife wrapped in a cloth.
Atiq: "Siddik, you have to cut his throat in one chance. If you fail, he'll become unstoppable."
Saif: "You cut his throat; he can't say the magical words."
Siddik: "Okay, thanks for this."
Atiq: "Siddik, only you have to do it. Otherwise, it won't work."
Siddik: "Okay, Master. Give me blessings."
Atiq: "I pray for you every single day. And yes, take Saif with you. I trained him for you."
Siddik: "Not today. You need him more than me."
Siddik stepped before Saif.
Siddik: "Saif, I will call you whenever I need you. Be ready."
Saif: "Yes, King."
Siddik and Zaber bade them goodbye and left.
After two days, Siddik and Zaber reached the cave where Samia and Arthur were waiting for them. Samia grabbed Siddik's collar and took him to a corner.
Samia: "You dared to leave me with someone else?"
Siddik: "Oh, shit! You passed the test, and that clone failed."
Samia: "Clone?"
Siddik: "You always keep telling me I don't give you time. So, there will be two Siddik at a time."
Samia: "Mr. Siddik, if you again prank me like this, you know what I can do?"
Siddik: "Yes, my love."
Suddenly, Arthur called Siddik. Siddik came outside.
Siddik: "Hey, Arthur! What's up, man?"
Arthur: "Siddik, Galib is under my custody."
Siddik: "Where is he?"
Arthur: "The cave where we won the tenth war and buried Sophie."
Siddik: "I see. But we can't keep him there for a long time. Because Fahad has tightened his men."
Arthur: "Siddik, I never disobeyed you. Will you tell me something honestly?"
Siddik: "I never lied to you, Arthur."
Arthur: "Then why did you kill Sophie and tell me that she died in the battle?"
Siddik: "Who told you?"
Arthur: "Galib."
Siddik: "I see. He poisoned you with his lies, and you believed him."
Arthur: "Then what's the truth?"
Siddik: "I didn't kill Sophie, Arthur. She was my friend and also my well-wisher. We fought side-by-side."
Arthur: "That's my point, Siddik."
Siddik: "I didn't kill her, Arthur. Why don't you believe? Why would I do that?"
Arthur: "Because she wanted to rescue Jeremy."
Siddik paused for a moment.
Siddik: "Okay, then listen to the truth. When we broke out in the war, I told Sophie to control the battlefield, so I could go after Jeremy and his men. Sophie agreed, but she left me behind. I killed Jeremy's men and was about to kill Jeremy. Then Sophie came and stopped me. She said they were in love. I told her Jeremy was just using her as bait, but she didn't believe."
Siddik took a long breath.
Arthur: "What happened after then?"
Siddik: "They both attacked me. I fought, and then Jeremy was about to kill me from behind. But before that, I behead him with my sword. Sophie broke in anger and punched me several times. I stopped her and explained what Jeremy did. She understood, and we were about to leave the cave. But we were surrounded by enemies. We killed them all, but all of a sudden, two of them threw bombs at us. The explosion separated us. When I went back, she was already dead. Her face was unbearable to see."
Arthur knelt, his hands trembling against the stone. Siddik consoled him by keeping his hand on his shoulder.
Siddik: "Arthur, I didn't tell you the truth because you couldn't take it at that moment. If you still have doubts about me, then here's the gun. Shoot me and take your revenge."
Siddik holds a gun in front of Arthur.
Arthur: "Siddik, I never doubted you. Sophie and I always stood beside you. It was an honor to serve a king like you. I just lost my control to hear that from Galib."
Siddik: "I found Elisa. She is with Fahad. She named herself Noah."
Arthur: "You, I, and Atiq once took an oath to finish the Spiral Crown to ashes. You will do it, whatever we have to do, whoever we have to kill. If you can kill your uncle and cousin, I can fight against my daughter."
Siddik: "No, Arthur. You lost your everything in this war. I don't want you to lose more than this. I give you words, Elisa will be fine, and no one will harm her."
Zaber came to them.
Zaber: "Bad news. No nation is there to help us, Siddik. They fear Fahad more than you."
Siddik: "Then we break their fear. Call the Governors to meet me outside the Spiral Kingdom. We are going to war."
Arthur: "Shouldn't we call the bounty hunter?"
Siddik: "Free Galib."
Arthur: "If we free him, he'll run straight to Fahad."
Siddik: "No, he'll go as far as I allow him."
Arthur: "You sound certain."
Siddik: "Because he won't reach Fahad."
Arthur and Zaber looked at Siddik's cold face. Siddik turned away, pulling out his phone and sending a message to someone:
"He shouldn't be allowed to reach before us."
The cave lights flared brighter. Outside, the storm intensified. Somewhere far away, soldiers were already moving.
And soon –
Siddik would say only one word.
At night, Fahad was sitting alone in his office. He was trying a magic trick, but failed every time. He kept saying the same magical words, but his magic wasn't working. He got so tense. He stood up and went in front of a big mirror. He said, "Fahad, what happened to you? What is bothering you? You are a sorcerer, while Siddik is just a common warrior. You have to defeat him. The throne can't be his. It only belongs to you."
Then he again tried the spell one last time.
Nothing happened.