'This damn kid is really starting to piss me off,' Gordon seethed internally, his eyes locked on Liam. 'First, he played me with that helpless act—had me thinking he was just another arrogant brat on his last legs. Then I end up captured by that deranged woman. And now? Now he has the audacity to stand there and call Lord Sylvathar a liar?'
His jaw tensed, a low growl rumbling from his throat. "For that insult… I won't forgive you. Death is the only fate that awaits anyone who slanders my Lord."
"Oh, sure," Dove chimed in with a smirk, arms folded across her chest. "Feel free to try. Just break out of those little chains first. Come on—we're dying to see what happens."
Gordon didn't respond. He lowered his head, staring at the floor in silence.
"Thought so," Dove said mockingly. "All bark, no bite."
"Enough, Dove," Lucy cut in, her voice sharp with authority. She glanced at Dove briefly before shifting her gaze back to Liam, her tone softening with curiosity. "Liam, explain something to me. How did you come to such a conclusion with so little to work with?"
Liam met her gaze, calm and composed. "During the two-week break, I stayed behind at the academy. Found an old book buried deep in the restricted section of the library. It wasn't complete—missing key things like names and rankings—but Sylvathar was mentioned."
He paused, letting his words settle. "According to the text, Sylvathar is the weakest of the ten Demon Lords. Still, his destructive power is enough to annihilate a kingdom."
Then he added, with quiet conviction, "So if he needs Sheila to act as a power source, it means one thing—he still isn't strong enough to take down Amthar on his own."
Lucy's eyes narrowed with interest. "And what about Volgath? The Demon King's name isn't something passed around lightly. Only the highest-ranked officials know it. How did you learn it?"
Liam gave a casual shrug. "From you. Just now."
Lucy blinked, realization dawning. Her eyes widened slightly.
"That question I asked earlier—'Who rules the Demon Realm?'" Liam said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "That was bait."
Lucy stared at him for a moment, momentarily stunned. A flicker of something—amusement, maybe even admiration—passed through her eyes before her regal mask slipped neatly back into place.
"Well played," she murmured. 'Dad… if you were alive to see this, I think even you would've respected him—Dark magic and all,' she thought with the hint of a smile.
"You did well, Liam," Mystica added softly. "If Gordon and Ember were truly deceived, then Sylvathar's actual goal might not be the Fall at all. It could be what that demon Galen fought mentioned—creating a new breed of Gaia demons with human minds and potential."
"Yeah, but what if Sylvathar told that demon a lie too?" Dove said, frowning. "And what Gordon said here is the truth? I mean, using the Fall of Amthar as a cover story seems weird. Sure, I get he's not strong enough to pull it off alone—but creating an army just to waltz back into the Demon Realm and challenge the hierarchy? That's not ambition. That's just… sad."
"You're right," Lucy said, calm but resolute. "We need to prepare for both outcomes. Whichever one it is, neither can be allowed to happen."
"Agreed," Mystica said with a nod. "But if we're taking that route, we'll need transparency with the other two kingdoms." Her gaze shifted to Lucy, then flicked briefly toward Liam. "We can't keep this contained forever."
"That's not happening," Lucy replied flatly—but Mystica cut her off.
"I'm not suggesting we reveal him," she said firmly. "But we need him to agree to Dove's experiment. It'll make things easier—for us and for him."
Liam glanced between the two women, fully aware they were talking about him now.
"What experiment?" Liam asked with cold calm.
Dove beamed—a wide, unfamiliar grin that unsettled him. "Mhm... I'm running a little experiment on you. Trying to figure out how you sniff out hybrids, you know, the whole 'mystic scent detection through your nose' thing. My goal? Make a crystal that does the same. That way, you don't have to get dragged into this whole mess."
"I like the part where I'm free from this crisis," Liam replied evenly, "but I don't trust you."
"What? Why not? I'm trying to help you here, kid," Dove said, her smile twitching.
"Because you're an alchemist. I just did a holographic test—target was an alchemist too. Biant Hue. Smart like you... maybe even smarter."
That name hit like a hammer wrapped in silk. Dove's smile dropped.
"Smarter?" she hissed. "Who the hell do you think I am? I'm nothing like Biant Hue. That sick freak got off poking around inside people like they were puzzles. And smarter? A truly intelligent mind doesn't box itself into one field. I haven't caged my genius like he did."
She stepped closer, her face level with Liam's. "You're safe. If anything goes wrong, I'll let Queen Lucy lop off my head."
Liam studied her for a moment. "Let's make a deal."
"Told you he was gonna say that," Mystica said, a teasing glint in her eye.
"I remember, Empress. No need to rub it in." Dove exhaled. "Alright, kid. Name your terms."
"I'll do your experiment. In return, I get five favors. From you. No limits. I call, you answer."
"Five?" Dove scoffed. "What am I? Your personal supplier? Two."
"Three is fair. Responsible, even."
"Ugh, fine! You little bastard," she muttered, rolling her eyes and turning away. 'I'll just make the experiment last longer anyway,' she thought.
"That was fast," Lucy commented.
"Well, I kinda owe him already," Mystica said, smirking.
"And I'll be next to owe him favors, won't I?" Lucy said with a wry smile.
"Yep," Mystica replied.
"Alright, now that's settled..." Queen Lucy's gaze darkened as it slid to the chained man before her. "There's still something I want to know."
Her voice turned icy. "Where is Sylvathar?"
A stillness settled like fog. For a breath, all was silent—until a low, eerie chuckle escaped Gordon's lips. His head remained bowed, eyes hidden in shadow.
"How pathetic can you all truly be?" he whispered, voice crawling like a blade across stone. "After everything I've said, you still think knowing Lord Sylvathar's location matters?"
He raised his head slightly, the madness in his smile twisting the air around him. "Don't worry... you'll understand soon enough."
"What is he even mumbling about?" Dove scoffed. "Make us understand? Please—"
"Dove," Mystica snapped, her voice steely, "back away from him. Now."
But the warning came too late.
A surge of demonic myst exploded from Gordon's body—raw, volatile, and hateful. The force hurled Dove and the others backward, though Mystica's reflexes flared just in time to summon protective barriers around Liam, Dove, and Queen Lucy.
Chains snapped like twigs.
Gordon's head rose fully now, his once-blue eyes gleaming an unnatural, venomous green. His form convulsed as stone and bark twisted across his flesh. Roots sprouted from his back like jagged thorns. A mask of gnarled wood consumed his face, all but his glowing eyes vanishing behind it.
From his fingers and toes, jagged claws of stone burst forth. He grew taller, broader—until the ceiling of the dungeon trembled beneath his weight. Dust rained from above as his monstrous seven-foot form loomed before them.
"What the hell is that?" Dove muttered, horror anchoring her feet.
"DOVE, MOVE!" Mystica's voice rang like a gunshot as she yanked Dove aside with her telekinesis. Gordon's massive claw came crashing down where she'd stood—obliterating the ground beneath.
"Get the Queen and Liam out of here!" Mystica ordered, already weaving spells of air and lightning, hurling them at Gordon. The blasts staggered him—but barely.
Dove didn't hesitate. She grabbed Lucy and Liam, flung open a portal of gleaming light, and prepared to flee. But the beast moved faster than sight. In a blink, Gordon's clawed hand shot out—seizing Liam by the throat.
"No!" Lucy cried out, hand reaching too late.
With a sickening crash, Gordon slammed Liam against the stone wall. Dust erupted. Dove and Lucy vanished through the portal as it snapped shut.
"I told you," Gordon snarled, eyes glowing like twin hellfires. "Your fate... is death."