You Already Won

Caroline blinked.

Then blinked again.

And then slowly, her jaw dropped. "I'm sorry… I'm fucking sorry… what?!"

Jonathan held up both hands. "Okay, okay—look, I know how that sounds."

Sšurtinaui narrowed her eyes, her entire body now alert under the blanket. "You said what about Jafar?"

Caroline rubbed her temples. "And you just talked to Jafar?"

"Yeah. Then he gave me a crash course on Ryun, dropped lore bombs about gods and kingdoms and souls and whatever—and then bam, Hunger Games intro."

Sšurtinaui raised a brow. "And the part where you said you're Jafar—?"

"I am Jafar," he admitted. "Or… will be? Technically. I guess I'm his past self. He let his younger version live as an independent being, and well, that's me.

Sšurtinaui sat there, stunned.

Not just surprised—shattered.

She'd always believed Jafar was a myth. A figurehead, a ceremonial name invoked to justify the terrifying presence of the Jafar Empire. There were temples in his name, yes. Whole sermons of crimson and gold, of wings and void-fire, of an emperor who ruled from behind the curtain of time. But most assumed he was a fabricated symbol. An idea meant to keep even gods in check.

But if Jonathan—North—was telling the truth…

Then Jafar existed. Truly existed.

Which meant the others existed too.

King Nebuchadnezzar, the one whispered to swim through cause and effect.

AllFather Laos, whose breath dictated the rise and fall of bloodlines.

Sovereign Monarch Mobocracy, the Madness Crown itself.

The Four Kings of Ruin.

They weren't myths. They were real.

And Jonathan North was one of them.

Her mind reeled.

The Kings weren't rulers. They were laws.

Walking inevitabilities.

The end of debates. The final page of every prophecy.

And Jonathan… was that?

A fresh Outlander.

Wearing hand-me-down robes and conjuring lightning like a storm with no instruction.

Clumsy, chaotic. Honest.

And yet, he had survived Cawren.

Learned Ryun in hours.

Healed himself through sheer will.

Challenged fate itself—and was starting to win.

Sšurtinaui's pulse slowed.

Her instincts had screamed at her from the moment he opened his mouth in that line. There was something in his aura. Something off, but powerful. She'd assumed it was dumb luck.

But now?

Her gamble wasn't just right. It was perfect.

She was sitting beside the prelude to a King.

Sšurtinaui smiled as Caroline launched into a barrage of questions at Jonathan—each one more frantic and layered than the last.

"Wait, so Jafar just info dumped and sent you here? How did he teleport you? Did he give you a quest? What's it like being the emperor? Do you have access to like… I don't know, universal override commands?!"

Jonathan's face was stuck somewhere between tired, amused, and existential dread. "I don't know," he said, holding his hands up. "I really don't know, okay?"

That made Sšurtinaui laugh.

Not a chuckle. A real, full laugh. Deep and warm and slightly wild. It burst out of her like lightning finally finding the ground.

Caroline blinked. "You good?"

Sšurtinaui wiped her eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I just… never thought I'd see something like this. A King. Or… the echo of one. Sitting across from me. Eating ration bars and whining about being cold."

She shook her head again, still smiling. "It makes so much sense it's funny."

Caroline leaned back, grinning in disbelief. "So let me get this straight. You rag on me for having a UI and some helpful skills, but you're walking around as Emperor Jafar's baby picture?"

"I'm not a clone," Jonathan snapped, suddenly sitting up. His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

"Huh?" both women said at the same time.

"I'm not a copy. Or an echo. I'm not a glitch of some cosmic god. My name is Jonathan North." He tapped his chest. "That's who I am. Jafar—whatever he is—came after."

Sšurtinaui stared at him.

Jonathan's expression softened. "I'm not him. I'll never be him. But I'll beat him."

The fire between them crackled, casting flickering gold across their faces.

"Fair enough," Caroline muttered, impressed despite herself.

Sšurtinaui took another sip from her mug, eyes still locked on Jonathan.

"If that's true… then don't waste it. You've been given something impossible. Make it yours."

Jonathan leaned back into the plush beanbag-sleeping bag hybrid, his newly reformed arm resting lazily across his lap as he stared at the ceiling of the strange little tent. "So… Jafar," he started, voice low but steady, "and these Supreme Families. What's the deal with them? How big are we talking? I didn't get that during my chat with the jerk. Though I can tell they run things around here obviously."

Caroline let out a long breath and lifted her shoulders. "I don't know much. I just know the name Jafar is like, sacred in some realms. Taboo in others. Some say he's a ghost, some say he's a myth, and many religions and cults treat him like a god among gods. Supreme Families though?" She shook her head. "Those I knew were real. And they're terrifying. I try not to go near anything that smells like them."

Jonathan turned his gaze to Sšurtinaui, who had gone uncharacteristically quiet.

She met his eyes and spoke calmly, as if reciting something drilled into her from childhood. "The Supreme Families are the ones who walk above gods. Even divine beings kneel in their presence. Their Family Heads aren't just powerful—they're concepts that shaped the world. And the Kings?" She inhaled slowly. "They dwarf the Supreme Heads in scope. They don't just rule power—they are power. Laws. Ideas that walk and decide fates."

Jonathan nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of her words. Sšurtinaui's brow furrowed, her tone softening slightly. "But I thought they existed since the beginning of time? That's what everyone says. Since the first breath of creation. No one knows how they came to be. They're just… eternal. Infallible. Above questioning."

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Jonathan's lips curled in a dry smirk. "Guess no one told them about the Vantis Quest."

Caroline blinked. "What?"

"Nothing," he muttered, waving it off. But it made sense now. Jafar hadn't lied. He was a myth. Even the natives weren't aware of the whole truth. That made him even more confident that the Vantis stuff—the divine quest Jafar mentioned—was real. And if that was real, then his sister's fate, the future Jafar showed him, probably was too.

That realization brought a rare, genuine smile to his face.

If Elena was okay… if she was safe…

Then he could let go of everything else. He could stop fearing. Stop doubting. Stop hesitating.

All that was left was the path forward.

All that was left… was beating Jafar.

Jonathan leaned back against the cushion, the golden firelight flickering off his half-healed skin and resting eyes. "Hey, before we pass out… can I ask something else?"

Caroline gave him a mock groan. "If it's about sharing my pillow, the answer's still—"

"No," he cut her off with a smirk. "Ryun. I want to learn more. I want you two to teach me."

That made both women pause. Sšurtinaui cocked her head. "You're serious?"

"Dead," he replied. "I've been winging it. Mostly guessing. Exploding my own blood, punching with my aura, healing by accident. If I'm supposed to survive this place—and maybe become something more—I need to learn how to actually use Ryun."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Look at that. A man asking for directions."

He rolled his eyes. "Wow, you're hilarious."

"No, really," she teased, then relented. "Alright, alright. I'll help where I can. My Ryun's based on game systems, but maybe it'll still be useful. Helping a King Jujisn or whatever sounds like good karma for my quest anyway."

He tilted his head. "Wow. I'm helpful. Nice."

She gave a half-smirk. "That's the only reason you're here, North."

Sšurtinaui chuckled softly, brushing her pale fingers through her silver hair. "I have no problem training you. Your form's raw, but adaptable. With refinement, you could be… impressive. Though that's kind of a given now…"

Jonathan sighed and laid back fully on the cushion. "Good to know I'm not just a charity case." He exhaled, voice softer. "But let's talk about something else. I don't want to go to bed thinking about kings and death tournaments."

"Agreed," Caroline said, stretching. "Let's play a word game."

"A what?"

She explained. A simple back-and-forth game from Earth. Sšurtinaui caught on fast, though she often twisted the rules in cheeky ways that made Caroline roll her eyes and Jonathan laugh until his side hurt.

Eventually, Caroline relented and allowed him under her blanket. "But don't get handsy."

"I'm a gentleman," he muttered, crawling in and immediately realizing her in-game avatar body was warm, soft, and—yeah. Definitely designed by someone with great taste.

Sšurtinaui moved closer too, resting nearby, her aura faintly humming with ease.

They all watched one of Caroline's old game cutscenes projected like a short film from her Ryun-screen—high-res, cinematic, and ridiculous in the best way.

For the first time since landing in Requiem, Jonathan felt a small pocket of normal.

He didn't fall asleep thinking of death, gods, or destiny.

Just warmth.

And laughter.

The next morning was a strange kind of fun.

Breakfast was actual breakfast—steaming, pixelated platters of eggs, meat, fruit, and weird purple juice that crackled when you drank it. According to Caroline, her UI gave her a daily morale and stamina boost through "Morning Routine." Another unfair gamer perk.

"Y'all are turning me into a housewife," she said with a smug wink.

Jonathan stared into his mug. "You have a passive buff for brushing your teeth?"

"Yes. And skincare. And stretching."

Sšurtinaui sipped her drink calmly. "You outlanders sure are efficient."

"It's cheating," Jonathan muttered.

After the food and rest, they huddled over their plan. The purple gem was still their prize, but Caroline admitted she had a side quest that had been blinking on her screen since day two. It was on the way to the gem, so she figured the pit stop was harmless.

For nearly two hours, they wandered deeper into the cave system—an ancient lattice of winding tunnels, broken catwalks, and moss-draped stone that pulsed faintly with residual mana. The air was cool but heavy, as if the rock itself exhaled with each step they took. Moisture dripped from stalactites in slow, rhythmic taps that echoed like distant footsteps. Lichen glowed faintly green along the walls, feeding off the ambient energy, while strange violet fungi clustered near the floor, occasionally twitching when they passed too close.

Caroline took the lead for most of it. A translucent UI window hovered before her eyes, flickering with readouts only she could see.

"These mushrooms used to be cultivated by the Erenthi for alchemical dampening rituals," she said, gesturing to a patch with a swipe of her fingers. "They'd mix the spores into their ink so even forbidden scrolls wouldn't trigger."

Sšurtinaui gave a quiet "hmm," seemingly filing it away, while Jonathan raised an eyebrow.

"Are you gonna start reciting cave trivia the whole way?"

Caroline grinned. "It's part of the charm. My 'Insight Lens' perk picks up ambient data. Plant life, energy traces, minor historic imprints—basically Requiem's version of a museum tour."

"Right," Jonathan muttered. "With mushrooms that breathe."

Caroline walked backward for a moment, raising a hand like she was guiding a class. "This whole section used to be a pilgrim route for a native religion called the Riah'tal. They'd walk this tunnel barefoot to let the earth 'taste their regret.'"

Jonathan snorted. "Okay, you're officially a nerd."

She spun back around with a shrug. "Nothing wrong with being informed. This isn't a game now. So any bit of information helps."

They fell quiet for a bit after that. The cave grew darker, but Sšurtinaui's presence lit the way—her body leaking faint spectral light from her cloak. Caroline kept feeding them facts whenever the silence stretched too long. About how certain moss patterns suggested water used to run through these halls, how the ore veins overhead had once pulsed with raw mana, or how the claw marks etched deep into a collapsed archway hinted at a territorial beast long since extinct.

Jonathan found himself strangely comforted by her commentary, even if he rolled his eyes every few minutes. Something about the way Caroline described everything like it mattered made the cave feel… less like a grave.

"It's down that hole," she said, pointing to a jagged break in the cavern floor that looked like the gaping maw of a monster in mid-yawn.

Jonathan took one look and stepped back. "You're insane. We should get the gem. That's the point. That thing is the opposite of the point."

"It's a quest."

"Of death!"

She crossed her arms. "It's marked urgent."

"That could mean indigestion."

They argued, half-serious, half-joking—Caroline waving her map overlay and Jonathan mimicking a horror movie scream any time she pointed toward the hole.

Sšurtinaui cut in before it escalated further. "I'll scout ahead toward the gem," she said. "Map the area. You two complete her quest. The path ahead forks soon anyway, according to Caroline—it's better to move in parallel."

Caroline nodded. "Good idea." She made a sigil appear in her hand and it turned into a small map. Outlining the path to the gem that she saw with her clairvoyance.

Jonathan narrowed his eyes. "You sure? This is literally how people get picked off one by one."

Caroline shrugged. "It's life. And this entire verse is set on hard mode anyway. Maybe ask Jafar to tone it down."

"Screw you," He replied with a grin and then sighed, but relented. "Fine. Just… be safe, alright?" he said to Sšurtinaui.

She gave him a small smile as she took the map. "Try not to get stabbed again." Turning to Caroline. "And you, don't lose your temper with him. He's still a novice."

Caroline smirked. "I expect miracles."

Jonathan cracked his neck. "Give me a week and I'll be spanking both of you."

Sšurtinaui raised a brow, giving him a slow once-over. The look wasn't mocking—it was something else. Something that made his stomach twist in not-unpleasant ways.

Caroline didn't protest either, just gave a sly grin.

Jonathan shook his head. "You guys are a weeb's nightmare."

He turned to the hole. "Let's go diving, Mag."

"Mag?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah. Majesti sounds weird. You've been thuggin it out here way longer than me. And outlanders are hunted, right? I'm not trying to get you caught because of me saying ya name."

Caroline blinked, then smiled. "Aww… That's actually sweet."

Sšurtinaui laughed, already vanishing into the distance.

Caroline gave a mock salute—and without another word, jumped straight into the pit.

Jonathan sighed, stared down after her and then he jumped too.

As they fell, Caroline shouted, "Pose!"

"What?!"

"POSE, NORTH!"

So, with absolutely no coordination and a panicked flail, Jonathan struck a sideways-fist, knees-bent air-punch that might've looked cool—if his face hadn't been twisted in mid-scream. Caroline, however, floated down in a perfect three-point landing pose, glowing sigils flickering around her, laughing like a Saturday morning cartoon villain.

They hit the bottom with a soft thud. It was pitch-black.

Jonathan blinked. "I can't see shit."

"I can," Caroline said, brushing dust off her shoulder. "Low-light vision perk. Got it from a stealth side tree. Everything's outlined like neon."

Jonathan squinted, slowly adjusting to the dimness. Shapes formed—jagged walls, bone piles, and something slithering just out of reach. "So," he asked, cautiously, "what's this stupid quest of yours anyway?"

Caroline pulled up a glowing interface only she could see, then read off with mock theatrics:

[Side Quest: Black Bloom Alchemy]

Quest Chain: Path of the Embersoul Alchemist

Stage 1: Cleanse the Feral Hollow.

Slay 99 Umbra-wolves and gather their scorched ashes.

Umbra-wolves must be burned with fire-element Ryun.

Combine ashes with Moon-Glass Shards and Vervain Spores to create Ember Tincture.

Deliver to the Whispering Tree for judgment.

Reward: Unlock Black Bloom Alchemy Skill Tree.

Bonus: Complete quest by slaying all wolves in one session. To unlock a new element and progress Fortune Holder Path with more insight.

Warning: Failure to slay wolves in one session will reset kill count to zero and abandon bonus quest.

Jonathan stared at her blankly. "…You have a literal MMO fetch and grind quest."

"Yup." She sounded proud.

"You dragged me down here to kill 99 shadow puppies and do DIY potion class?"

"Yes, and it resets if we stop or leave, so hope you packed snacks."

Jonathan groaned.

"Think of it this way," she said, summoning two buffing sigils, "you get to train your powers. Test that spooky aura and lightning combo of yours. Try new builds."

Jonathan cracked his knuckles. "Guess that's true. Practice makes perfect. And if I get impaled, you're healing me."

"No promises," Caroline smirked. "Now let's go grind."

A low growl echoed from the dark beyond the stalagmites.

Jonathan sighed and let Ryun gather in his hands.

"99 death wolves. Cool. Totally normal Friday."