"Eia...?"
He seemed to know the sword so well – Maximus wore a look of curiosity mixed with confusion as his eyes kept drifting over to the blade hanging at his right waist.
"...How do you even know about this sword? And more than that, you have to answer me! How in the world did you get past the sword's Invulnerability? I'll –"
His voice cut off in a rush, words tumbling over each other before trailing into mumbled sounds. He shouted at the figure standing right in front of him, then shifted his gaze to Maximus with a stare sharp enough to cut through stone.
"How did you get your hands on this thing...?"
He pressed the question, never once breaking eye contact.
"I found it inside an old abandoned mansion – place was falling apart, walls crumbing to dust all around me..."
Before Maximus could finish speaking, a strong hand clamped down tight on his collar. The man's face was twisted with rage as he spoke.
"You absolute fool! Don't you realize what you've done to that mansion?! It was supposed to stand for ages, all because the sword was keeping it stable! And now you went and pulled it out, didn't you?!"
The sudden outburst caught Maximus off guard, though he managed to keep himself steady despite the tight grip on his shirt.
"I would've died if I'd stayed there much longer. I wasn't even sure I'd make it out alive in the first place – honestly, I don't think you'd be seeing me here right now if I hadn't taken the sword with me."
After a long moment, the man let go of his collar and shoved him back slightly. Maximus stepped away, rubbing at the spot where he'd been grabbed.
"..."
The man let out a heavy sigh before he spoke again. "Hah... that sword was one of the five blades forged by the mythics. Out of all those legendary warriors, Eia was easily the strongest among them."
Maximus stood there wide-eyed, completely mystified by the story behind the weapon he'd taken. It was clear there was so much more to the sword than he'd ever imagined – things that went all the way back to before it was even made.
"...What?"
The man looked over at him, took another slow breath, then finally told him who he was.
"Call me Stargate Stargazer – or just Stargazer, since my family name's the one everyone knows about. My bloodline's supposed to be one of the most powerful among all elves. Some even say we can stand up to the deepest, most ancient beings out there – the kind that could wipe you from existence without breaking a sweat."
"...Stargazer...?"
Maximus's mind raced back to all the time he'd spent in the Prominent Library, buried in stacks of old books looking for anything useful. He remembered coming across an entry titled "Spirit of the Stars: Stargate Stargazer" in a volume called "The Ten Great Spirits."
He had to ask, just to be sure he wasn't imagining things.
"...Are you actually... a living human spirit?"
The man stared back at him with his face wide open in shock. From that look alone, Maximus knew he'd guessed right. Stargazer finally found his voice.
"How... how could you possibly know I'm a living spirit?"
"You're written about in that book – The Ten Great Spirits. Which means..."
Stargazer looked genuinely surprised. He'd been in this land for years, considered a near-absolute power in his domain with the ability to shape things however he pleased. Yet he'd never heard of any library that held records about him.
"...Yes. I am the Spirit of Wishes."
Maximus fell silent for a little while, processing everything he'd just heard before he spoke up again.
"I had no idea... you've done a pretty good job keeping yourself hidden all this time!"
Stargazer gave a small nod, a hint of a smile touching his lips.
"You know more than most – and you're not like anyone I've met before. As a reward for catching my interest, you'll get three wishes from me."
Maximus was caught off guard by the offer, waving his hands quickly as if to push it away.
"No, no... I don't need to use them right now... but I'll definitely take some time to think about what I'd want to ask for..."
Stargazer nodded firmly, seeming pleased with his answer.
"Very well – that's exactly the kind of thinking I like to see."
Maximus's mind drifted back to when he'd died before, and a strange feeling of familiarity washed over him where Stargazer was concerned. He remembered how the Nephilim had given him three choices back then – two wishes, one wish, or none at all. He'd chosen the hardest path, turning down every wish to prove his resolve. But he knew this chance was different, and after all he'd been through – all the friends he'd made along the way – he finally knew what he needed to ask first.
"Will one of my companions... ever betray me?"
It felt less like asking for a wish and more like seeking the truth he desperately needed to know. Stargazer paused for a moment before answering, his voice heavy with honesty.
"...Yes..."
Maximus's hand flew to his chest, fingers curling into his shirt as the weight of those words hit him. He knew what it meant – someone close would turn on him eventually, whether with an ambush or a deep betrayal. But he couldn't bring himself to imagine who it could be. Jyle was his closest, most trusted friend in the world. Ferha had grown to care for him deeply, and he couldn't doubt her feelings. The only ones left were the king and the others he'd met through him.
"I wonder... who could it be...? Is it someone... I met way back when I first arrived here?"
He asked what felt like a second wish, and Stargazer replied with no hesitation and no trace of lies in his voice.
"Yes..."
"What?..."
Maximus tried to think back to when he'd first settled into the forest after being transmigrated here. His memory was clear for the most part, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pinpoint which person from those early days would do such a thing. Then, just as he was about to give up, a face flashed across his mind – clear as day.
"There's... no... way..."