Back in his penthouse, the city lights stretched endlessly outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Yet, Emir's focus remained on the relic, glowing faintly in its corner. The earlier encounter at Uncle Tariq's lingered in his mind. The hushed voices, the guarded object—it all felt too familiar. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. The relic hummed faintly, almost as if it were alive, resonating with the restlessness in his thoughts.
Pulling out his phone, Emir typed a quick message to Kavi: "Ever seen anyone else with something like my relic?" He stared at the screen, waiting for a reply. Minutes passed with no response. "Guess Kavi's too busy plotting world domination," he muttered to himself, tossing the phone aside.
His thoughts drifted back to the skill tree. The glowing branches had become a nightly obsession, a web of possibilities just out of reach. He opened the interface again, scrolling through the locked skills. Each one teased him with vague descriptions: Reality Bender, Omniscient Instinct, Quantum Step. The names alone were enough to spark his imagination, but their steep costs were an ever-present reminder of his limitations.
Yet, something new caught his eye. A faint line at the base of the tree, barely noticeable before, now shimmered with a soft glow. Curious, he tapped it. A pop-up appeared: "Skill Tree Expansion: Unlock additional branches by discovering hidden relics." His eyes narrowed. "Hidden relics?" he whispered. The thought sent a thrill through him, but it also raised more questions. Were there others like his? And if so, where were they?
The mystery deepened when another email notification buzzed on his phone. This time, the subject line read: "You're closer than you think." His heart raced as he opened it, finding nothing but a single image—a blurry photo of what looked like a desert landscape. In the distance, a shadowy figure stood before an object that bore an uncanny resemblance to his relic.
"Who keeps sending these?" Emir muttered, his mind racing. The cryptic emails had become a recurring theme, each one more enigmatic than the last. Was it a warning? A challenge? Or something else entirely?
He saved the photo and closed the email, deciding it was time for a break. His mind needed clarity, and that meant one thing: another visit to Uncle Tariq's.
---
The Desert Shadow
The shadowy figure in the email hinted at a rival—or perhaps an ally—waiting in the distant sands. Their paths were destined to cross, though not in the way Emir might expect.
---
Another Night, Another Mystery
The comforting aroma of shawarma greeted Emir as he stepped into Uncle Tariq's eatery once again. It was quieter this time, the usual crowd having dwindled for the night. Tariq greeted him with his trademark grin. "Back so soon? You're going to spoil me with all this business!"
Emir laughed, taking his usual seat. "What can I say? Your shawarma's addictive."
As Tariq prepared his meal, Emir's attention was drawn to a familiar face in the corner. One of the men from the previous night sat alone, his gaze darting around nervously. Emir's curiosity piqued as he noticed the man clutching a small, cloth-wrapped bundle.
Tariq returned with the shawarma, his expression turning serious when he noticed Emir watching the man. "Careful with that one," he said quietly. "He's been acting strange lately."
"Strange how?" Emir asked, taking a bite of his food.
"Talking about visions, strange symbols… almost like he's lost his mind," Tariq replied.
Emir's grip on his shawarma tightened. Visions? Symbols? Could it be connected to his relic? He considered approaching the man but decided against it. Drawing attention to himself might complicate things. For now, he'd observe from a distance.
As the man left the eatery, Emir's mind raced with possibilities. If others were experiencing something similar, what did it mean? And more importantly, why was he the only one with the cashback power?
---
The Nervous Man's Bundle
The cloth-wrapped bundle carried by the man would later reveal a fragment of a relic, one that held pieces of a puzzle only Emir could solve.