Chapter 182 ~The Genie's Bargain~

Chapter 182 ~The Genie's Bargain~
(Xander’s POV)

“What the fuck!” Atlas exclaimed, and now, overcome with curiosity, I opened my eyes slowly.

My mouth fell open as the light reflecting from all the gold nearly blinded me.

“Where is this place?” Atlas asked as he walked down.

I couldn't answer because I had never seen anything like it before.

I gulped nervously.

Apparently, the tunnel had taken us to a realm filled with all sorts of jewels, gold, gems, anything you could think of. Bright light was reflecting off them, and I could barely process anything past all the jingling.

A red ruby was staring directly into my face, bright, and it seemed as though it was calling my name.

“This is crazy!” Atlas exclaimed. “We could be filthy rich. Heck, we could be multi-billionaires. What am I saying? Trillionaires!”

He was right. There was a chest of jewels on my way; on top of it were bars of pure, unadulterated gold. Even one of those bars could be worth millions.

“Is this some sort of forgotten pirate paradise or something?” I muttered to myself, but as I walked further in, I realized it was much more than that.

Atlas, who was still daydreaming, bent low to stare at the very large diamond that was the same size as a toddler. “I could escape from Wintercrest, retire from my hockey career, even before I start, build a life somewhere with a penthouse, and Russian models twerking for me on a yacht I bought for billions of dollars.”

I resisted rolling my eyes. “We don't even know who owns all of this.”

“Who cares?” he said absent-mindedly. “Finders keepers!”

He walked up to me, holding my shoulder excitedly.  “Why can't you see it? Maybe this is the answer to our prayers. The moon goddess has finally blessed us for joining the light side.”

I doubted the quest had been solved for us to get a reward. We hadn't even retrieved the Horn of Vielor yet.

Something instantly caught my eye. It was a full set of hockey gear—helmet, puck, hockey stick, and gloves that seemed basic at first glance, only this one was made of the shiniest jewels that nearly blinded my eyes, but I managed to look away.

“Atlas,” I called. “I think this is all meant to be a temptation trial. What if the moon goddess wants to see if we're greedy?”

Atlas chuckled incredulously. “Oh, I'm greedy all right. I'm not even going to pretend that I'm not.”

He moved to the red ruby and bent down as if to pick it up, but I instantly lurched at him, tackling him till he fell to the ground and grunted painfully. He stared at me from the ground. “What was that for?”

“Remember, Queen Athaliah told us not to touch anything!” How could Atlas forget the only instruction we were given when embarking on this journey?

“Okay, okay, fine,” he looked annoyed as he stood up. “Jeez. Was that why you attacked me like that?”

“Sorry,” I muttered under my breath. “Just be careful.”

We moved through the place for a while, until I felt a stirring.

“Do you hear that?” I asked Atlas, but before he could answer, we came face to face with a creature. Large, almost 8 feet tall, and green-coloured with the lower half of his body tapering into a thin stream of smoke.

“Is that a Genie?” I asked no one in particular.

“Correct. I am Thaddus, the last surviving genie from the great war, and this,” he gestured around himself. “This is my home.”

Atlas looked incredulous. “Your home?”

“Yes,” the genie nodded. “Now, who are you and why have you come to disrupt my peace?”

“Wait, do you grant wishes?” Atlas asked before I could speak.

“Yes, I grant wishes, and I can tell you your greatest desires.”

Atlas gasped.

“Not only that, I can make them come true.” he raised his brows suggestively.

“What is my greatest dream?” Atlas asked, seeming to indulge the genie.

I was simply dumbfounded. I had read about genies, watched them in movies, but never seen one in real life. Goosebumps spread across my skin.

“I can make you a world-star hockey player,” the genie said, gliding closer to Atlas, who seemed entranced. “I can give you money, lots of it. Women. Make you never have to work a day in your life, you name it.”

“Wow,” Atlas was dumbfounded.

I knew I needed to step in now, or else…

“That is not what we are here for,” I said immediately.

The genie turned its attention to me. “Really? What then are you here for?”

“We're on a quest,” I said, ignoring Atlas's loud protests. “To retrieve the lost Horn of Vielor from Black Hollow.”

“Ah.” The genie grew quiet, instantly gliding back to the chair. He eyed Atlas and me suspiciously. “And you both think I can help?”

“I believe so,” I said firmly. “We've been led to you.”

He tapped his chin like he was thinking for a while, then, finally taking a deep breath, sighed. “I can help you, but I need something in return.”

“Something in return?” I repeated, confused.

“Precisely,” he confirmed. “You see, I'm a man with immense wealth, jewels, gold, and gems, but I'm never satisfied. If this is the price I have to pay for being caged here forever, then I'd like to bath in my gold, so if you have something valuable, it would do you good to give it to me in exchange for my help with Black Hollow.”

Atlas and I locked eyes. 

I had nothing valuable on me right now. Nothing except for torches, packs of protein bars, water bottles, ropes, a map, some history books and… oh, the small stone.

I dug my hand into my pocket hoping the stone wasn't lost. Thankfully, it wasn't. 

“Here,” I raised the stone. “It was given to me on my first trial. I guess it's precious.”

The genie looked ashen—if that was even possible for a genie—and recoiled away from the stone. “Put that away! Put that away!”

Huh? “Why?”

It seemed pretty harmless, but it had clearly upset the genie, and I needed his help, so I put it away. 

“Fine! I'll help!” the genie said as soon as I put it away.

“You!” he pointed at me. “Follow me.”

Why just me? “Don't you need something in exchange anymore?”

“Oh, I've taken what I need already.”

With a snap of his fingers, the genie had Atlas bound in ropes and duct tape over his mouth. “Him.”

“What the hell!” I grew furious at the sight of Atlas tied up. “Why tie him up like a common criminal? He's done nothing!”

The genie smirked. “I wouldn't vouch for the fact that he's done nothing.”

What does that even mean? “You have to stop with all these tricks.”

“You don't believe me.” The genie chuckled, muttering to himself, “He doesn't trust me.”

“As a matter of fact, I don't!” I watched as Atlas remained bound, squirming on the ground.

“Dig your hand into his pocket,” The genie said. I grew flummoxed. “Go on, don't be shy."

With slow strides, I walked toward Atlas and dug my hand into his left pocket. I saw nothing. I dug my hand into his right pocket and my hand connected with something solid.

Groaning in frustration, I raised a bar of gold.

Atlas, what have you done? How did he manage to steal the gold without me noticing?

“Oh no.” I exhaled roughly.

“Oh yes.” By now, all traces of a smile had been wiped from the genie's face, and he wore a stoic expression.

“Did no one tell you that once you steal from me,” the genie said, “you become my slave forever?”