Seraphelle had been many things.
A guardian of the Dark Forest. The Clockwork Ancient One. A powerhouse of temporal secrets woven through the trees of her domain.
But all of that began to unravel the moment Achilles discovered the true nature of her existence- piercing through the tall trees as his spores flowed into every corner of her being.
He didn't just defeat her.
His crystalline vines tore through the Dark Forest and funneled spores into its roots, flooding the shattered sea of purple clocks that composed her soul.
He reached into the very blueprint of her being and infected it with his own dominion. The effect was immediate!
Her once-radiant body began to mutate. A jagged, gold-rimmed horn broke through her forehead, branding her as another Hybrid under his control.
Her skin shimmered faintly, now layered in draconic, scale-like armor. Long strands of dark gold hair floated unnaturally, charged by the latent energy of the Qualities being woven into her.
Even her mastery of time, once fluid and flawless, faltered. Illusory clocks stuttered and misfired around her, as though her very nature was changing too much, too fast.
Her mind was dazed, disoriented. Not long ago, she had spoken with confidence and roared in defiance, screaming—"What are you?!"
Now she knelt in midair, arms slack, her Primordial authority trembling beneath his will.
She was no longer Seraphelle the Eidolarch.
"From now on, you are the Draconic Eidolarch."
Achilles' voice rang out, commanding and cold. Seraphelle—the Draconic Eidolarch—lifted her head as if still unable to believe what had just transpired.
"I left your mind intact so you can better serve me," he continued. "The only reason you're still alive is because I'm curious to see your utility—how you might interact with Evolutius Beasts and other Ancient Ones. But make no mistake—if you fail to be useful, I'll devour your existence without hesitation. Do you see these other Hybrids?"
He gestured toward the tens of thousands of Evolutius Beasts, transformed by Draconian Pathogenicity V into fierce Draconic Hybrids.
A small army, and growing rapidly.
Their obsidian and purple scales glistened. Bioluminescent crystals in hues of violet and gold lined their spines, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
As if even his existence was feeding from them, and the seas of assimilation within him was steadily expanding.
Achilles pointed toward the Hybrids and added, "I didn't turn you into a mindless beast like them. Don't give me a reason to."
His tone was decisive. Final.
Her expression twisted—rage, defiance, reluctant awe—until finally, she exhaled and replied.
"First of all—fuck you for growing a horn on my head. Do you know how much I prized my beauty? And now—now there's a horn! I look like a—… wait. Wait! Wait!"
Her voice faltered as Achilles lifted his hand. Her consciousness flickered.
She straightened in the sky, suddenly alert. What he had done… made her feel like an amateur. And she was a powerful Ancient One who hadn't even regained her full strength.
But she couldn't fight it now.
She felt it—deep within.
Her existence was now bound by intricate lines of glowing purple and gold. They could alter her at will.
All her bodies. Even the three hidden across distant lands.
Then, reluctantly, she crossed her arms over her chest and barely bowed her head toward the man who had bested her.
"The Clockwork Ancient One—Seraphelle, now the Draconic Eidolarch—greets her new Master. I was just about to begin enslaving the humans, starting with Virelux Ascendria of the Lunaris Throne... but it seems I was the one enslaved instead."
Her voice was both heavy and oddly casual as she shook her head and asked, raising her gaze.
"What do you wish of me? Your threats are clear, and I'd very much like to keep my consciousness."
Achilles regarded her carefully. He knew he had her fully bound, but still—she was an Ancient One. A schemer. A powerhouse. He answered coldly.
"What I want from you is subjective. Your usefulness guarantees your survival. So you tell me, what do you think I want?"
She floated in silence for a breath, touching the horn on her forehead. Then, with a sigh, she looked around at the Hybrids below.
"I'll pull back the Beast Swarm immediately. Instead of attacking the little city you came from, I'll make them defend it. No intrusions. As for what else I can do for you... I'll need to know your purpose and what you seek."
Achilles nodded—just once—with a cold edge, then turned to look at the hundreds of thousands of Evolutius Beasts. Tens of thousands already converted into Hybrids.
"Pull the swarm back—but keep it close. I'll make more Mindless Beasts from them. And you… you can preserve your consciousness and sanity as long as you bring me Ancient Ones to devour, and knowledge of Aeonic Treasures or anything else of value."
He wanted to use her well. Make his intentions unmistakably clear.
A king should be an effective communicator.
Someone who outlines expectations so there's no room for misunderstanding.
So, he did just that.
The Draconic Eidolarch blinked. Nodded. A long, resigned sigh escaping her lips, like she still couldn't believe someone had managed to bind her.
"A human swallowing Ancient Ones... I'm sure none of the old ones rising from their tombs expected this."
She murmured more to herself than him, then inhaled deeply as if bracing herself.
And finally, she said.
"If it's information you seek, then here's something critical—I think you'd want to know…the time has come. The Ancient Ones are rising from their tombs in the Evolutius Catacombs in the coming day or two at most. You caught me a day before I could fully reawaken in the Dharma Manifestation Realm. The Aeonic Chains binding us have started to loosen—faster than ever. As if something is consuming the very power of this world."
The newly bound Draconic Eidolarch—Seraphelle—spoke these words with a distant, chilling calm.
And Achilles' expression hardened!