Siren's debt

Price of a Meal

[Previously on Siren's Debt...]

After being separated from his loved ones at the Indore fair and nearly dying at the hands of his uncle, Alex stumbled upon the shores of that mysterious sea. There, he found an ancient, living shell, which gripped his wrist. The pain was unbearable, and a resounding, mechanical sound pierced his soul. Alex thought he was dying, but in reality, this was the beginning of his rebirth...

"Ahhhh!"

My scream was drowned out by the sound of the ocean waves. The purple and black shell was sinking into my wrist like a hot iron piercing through flesh and reaching the bones. It wasn't just sticking; it was crawling into my veins.

I felt something alive and ancient swimming rapidly within my veins. Just then, right before my eyes, a transparent digital screen flashed in midair. The blue and red light emanating from it blinded my eyes.

[System Synchronization: 100%]

[Welcome host... The Driva has been activated.]

"Who... who are you?" I asked, my tongue faltering. I was out of breath and my body was drenched in sweat.

Suddenly, a woman's voice echoed in my mind. The voice was neither entirely human nor mechanical. It had a strange drawl, as if someone was calling from the depths of the ocean.

"Hello Alex... or should I call you 'Little Prince'?" Driva's voice had a mischievous tone.

"You... how are you speaking in my mind? And what is all this?" I looked at my wrist, where the conch had now disappeared, replaced by a strange black mark.

Driva sighed, "Oh! I'm so sorry to hear your story, Alex. Your own people betrayed you, took away your mother and sister, and left you here to die in the mud... Ts-ts! The world is truly cruel."

Her voice echoed around me now. "What do you want?" I shouted.

"I have an idea, Alex. I can get you everything you want. Power, money, your father's legacy... and yes, even that bastard uncle's head! But in exchange... you must surrender yourself to me. I will have the right to your soul, your body, your every heartbeat."

My heart began to pound. "But how can I trust you? You could be a devil or a delusion!"

Driva laughed lightly, "Trust? That has to be earned. Come on, let me show you a little demo. Just go out of this alley, there's a police station. Go there and slap the inspector there with all your might."

The ground slipped from under my feet. "What? Have you gone mad? Slap the police? I don't want to go to jail, I want to save my mother!"

Driva's voice suddenly turned cold and deadly, "Just do what I say, Alex. If you don't obey me, I won't be harmed. But I can torture you to death right here, this very moment. Would you like to choose death or revenge?"

I had no choice. I gave up and got up. My head was still heavy, but I felt a strange energy in my body. I ran out of that alley. Right in front was an old Indore police station. With a pounding heart, I entered. There a heavyset inspector was sitting on his chair looking at the file.

My hand was shaking, but Driva's voice echoed in my ears.

"Hit!"

I closed my eyes and, mustering all my strength, slapped the inspector hard on the cheek.

Slap!

The sound was so loud it reverberated through the room. I went numb with fear. "I'm finished now," I thought, and turned to run. But then something strange happened.

The inspector jerked up from his chair, rubbed his reddening cheek, and frantically looked around. "Who is it? Who dared? Who was that?"

The constable sitting next to him was stunned. "What happened, sir? There's no one here."

"Are you blind? Someone just pulled me and slapped me!" the inspector yelled, his eyes bulging with anger. He was looking right at me, but his gaze held no recognition for me. He couldn't even see me!

I was stunned. I waved my hand in the air, right in front of the inspector's nose, but he didn't notice.

"Driva... what is this? How did I... disappear?" I asked myself.

"It's called 'Voidable Invisibility,' my friend," Dreva said proudly. "As long as I want, you're a shadow to this world. Now do you understand what I can do?"

A terrifying smile appeared on my face. If I could become invisible, I could infiltrate Uncle Vikram's palace. I could disturb his sleep. I could eliminate them one by one.

"I'm ready," I said firmly. "Tell me what to do."

There was a sense of satisfaction in Driva's voice, "Good boy! Now I will give you the complete blueprint with which you will not only take your revenge but also become the 'undeclared king' of entire Indore. Do as I say. From today, Alex Dane is dead... From today, you are the heir of 'Driva'."

This was just a peek. The real game begins now. Driva said. The screen flashed again in red letters, and my first official mission appeared.

[Mission 1: Obtain the 'Big Red Cherry Diamond'.]

[Location: Indore Ancient Museum]

My eyes widened. "What? Stealing from the Indore Museum? Are you crazy? It's one of the most secure places in the city. And this diamond... what does it have to do with my revenge?"

Driva's laughter echoed through my mind like a waterfall, "Be patient, little prince. There's a right time for everything. This diamond has a deep connection to your past and my existence. You'll discover its connection with time. For now, just do as you're told." Don't you care about your mother and Liama?"

As soon as Liama's name was mentioned, my anger subsided. My helplessness was my greatest weakness, and Driva knew it well.

"Okay," I said, giving up. "I'll go to the museum. But there's one problem... I'm very hungry. I haven't eaten a single meal since last night. My body is failing."

I looked at the mark on my wrist with hopeful eyes. "You make me disappear, and I'll go to some expensive restaurant and eat my fill. No one will see me anyway."

Driva's voice suddenly became stern and slightly sarcastic. "Alex, don't misunderstand me. I'm not some Aladdin's lamp that will fulfill your every little whim. I'm your partner, not your maid. The power to disappear will only be used during missions. You'll have to arrange for food yourself."

"But how? I don't have a single penny!" I shouted.

"Work hard, Alex! I'll give you small tasks. When you complete them, you'll get a reward. With that reward, you can buy the things you need. "If you want to fill your stomach, you have to sweat," Driva reminded me of my place.

I took a deep breath. This 'system' was as helpful as it was ruthless. "Okay, tell me what to do?"

Driva flashed a new update on the screen:

[Side task: Complete a 5-kilometer run before reaching the museum.]

[Reward: 1 'Energy Bar' and a 10-minute recharge of the 'Invisibility' ability.]

I was in bad shape, with a head injury, but the fire in my stomach and the thirst for revenge forced me to flee. I ran through the streets of Indore, caught between my fate and the mysterious Driva.

As I headed towards the museum, many questions raced through my mind. What exactly was this 'Driva'? Was she really helping me or using me as a pawn? Would stealing a diamond lead me to my mother, or push me into a quagmire from which there was no return? Not possible?

The high walls of the museum now lay before me. The night was growing darker, and the real test was about to begin.

Who is Driva? Will this ancient power shield Alex or destroy him completely? Will Alex become a criminal to save his mother and sister? Stay Synced with siren's Debt to know....