---
As the white moon hung high over the Sunborn Empire, Vorenna stood alone on the balcony of her lavish estate, the pale marble and layered granite of the structure catching the moonlight and reflecting it in soft, clean lines. The air was calm, warm enough that the breeze barely stirred the banners hanging from the distant towers of the capital. She leaned forward against the railing, her gaze drifting upward toward the open sky, where the scar in the heavens shimmered faintly even from this distance.
Her home overlooked the vast valley where the Sunborn Empire flourished, rolling hills of green foliage stretching endlessly beneath the stars, the city lights below glowing like scattered embers. She had changed out of her ceremonial blue dress and now wore a comfortable red velvet nightgown, its fabric pooling loosely around her form. In her right hand rested a half-filled wine glass, and in her left sat a Culling Sphere, smooth and glossy, its silver surface cool against her palm.
She turned the sphere slightly, watching the faint light swirl inside it, and spoke quietly.
"Do you think I made the right decision?"
A male voice answered from within, calm and steady. "I am not sure, but I believe in a woman like you, Vorenna. You have good instincts."
She let out a soft laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. "I hope so, Lykkos."
A chuckle followed from the other side of the sphere. "You will be fine. No matter what the High Court says, I trust you."
"You should have seen them before you came," she replied, swirling the wine in her glass before taking a small sip. "They tore me apart."
"That is a shame," Lykkos said, his tone warm. "I wish I could have been there to defend you. You ought to be treated like a flower."
Vorenna shook her head with a smile, her cheeks warming despite herself. "I truly believe you are incapable of not being cheesy, even for a moment."
"I am who I am," Lykkos replied with a soft laugh.
"You have been the same since we were children," she said, leaning back against the railing. "Are you ever going to grow up, Lykkos O'Keron?"
"You would hate that," he answered gently. "Do not lie to yourself."
She laughed again, shaking her head. "Still cheesy."
There was a brief pause before his voice returned, this time more serious. "Do you trust him? The human?"
Her smile faded slowly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "Yes. I do."
"As a leader?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation. "He is selfish, but he has a good heart. He is intelligent, dangerous, and cunning, and he will know what to do with the others. What he lacks is connection, and I am hoping this gives him that."
Lykkos hummed quietly. "Even death row inmates are not safe from your care, it seems."
"I suppose not," she said with a soft smile. "They deserve a second chance. I do not believe they are all bad. You understand that better than anyone, do you not? That people are capable of good." Her voice lowered slightly. "I just hope they are safe. I hope they are not in danger."
There was a note of mock offense in Lykkos' voice. "You are worried about them, but you do not ask if I am okay? I had to deal with that envoy, after all."
Vorenna laughed loudly. "Idiot. I do not need to ask."
On the other side of the connection, near the grasslands outside the Umberspire State, Lykkos sat atop a hill that was not made of earth or stone, but of bodies. Cloaked forms lay piled beneath him, all five hundred members of the Inquisitors of Godfall's envoy scattered across the field or stacked in unconscious heaps. Some floated suspended in the air, held aloft by bands of golden light, their weapons lying uselessly below.
The burly leader of the envoy hovered directly in front of Lykkos, unconscious, his troll-like mask cracked cleanly down the center. A muffled groan came from somewhere beneath Lykkos' boot, drawing his attention. He glanced down, raised an eyebrow, and chuckled quietly.
His white silk cloak remained pristine, untouched by dirt or blood, and his pale skin showed no sign of struggle. He lifted the Culling Sphere to his lips.
"True," he said softly. "There is no need to ask. Goodnight, beautiful."
The connection faded.
Vorenna shook her head as she stepped back into her room and gently set the Culling Sphere aside. The warm glow of lantern light revealed the many bouquets arranged carefully throughout the space, one hundred and fifteen Evernight Blossoms, each delivered over time from Lykkos. Her expression softened as she glanced at them.
"He never changes," she murmured, her face warming once more. After a moment, her gaze drifted toward the window. "I hope they are okay. The Demon Territory can be frightening."
---
Back in the tunnels, the Deathforged stood facing a massive, ghoul-like creature, its grey skin stretched tight over a warped frame as it slouched forward, knuckles dragging against the stone floor while saliva dripped from its open mouth.
"What in the hell is that thing?" Lorian shouted, his voice echoing off the cavern walls.
"We will be fine, you coward," Ako growled, crouched low on all fours. "After all, we have Atlas on our side—"
Atlas studied the creature in silence, then glanced back at the others before calmly sheathing his dagger and stepping away from the confrontation, taking several measured steps backward.
Ako blinked. "Huh?"
He continued retreating until he reached a stone pillar, where he leaned against it and slowly sat down.
'I already found the weak spot. But I want to see what they can do. I would be lying if I said I was not curious why Vorenna chose these people."
Aloud, he spoke lazily.
"I'll sit back and watch. There's a way to beat this thing. Just—" He yawned. "Just figure it out. I ain't gonna help."
"You cannot be serious," Lorian snapped.
Ako frowned deeply. "I thought I was going to get to fight with him," she muttered.
As the creature roared, Seris stepped forward, calm and focused, drawing her bow with practiced ease and aiming for its head mid-roar. She loosed an arrow, but the creature swatted it aside effortlessly. Her eyes narrowed, and a faint purple glow flickered within them as she snapped her fingers.
A dark, sludge-like portal formed in the air beside her, circular and shifting. Without breaking eye contact with the creature, she twisted her body and fired two arrows into the void. The portal dissolved, only to reappear behind the creature's head, the arrows reemerging and striking true.
Atlas frowned slightly as he watched.
'Veil Resonance—a portal variant. Most likely shadow-walking. Activated by the snapping of her fingers? Not bad."
The arrows shattered against the creature's thick hide.
Seris clicked her tongue as it charged. "That is unfortunate."
The beast's claws came crashing down, but Seris snapped her fingers and vanished into another portal beneath her feet, the impact carving a crater into the stone. She reappeared beside Ako moments later.
"It is tougher than it looks," she warned.
Ako snarled. "I will be fine. Elves are weak anyway." Her muscles tensed as her eyes surged crimson, her form coiled before she launched forward with blinding speed.
Atlas stayed analyzing.
'Wild Resonance. Should've expected that from a beast-kin. She's fast. Not too bad but—'
Ako leapt up, whilst grinning ear to ear, confidently.
"Eat this!"
'I need to impress Atlas. I gotta look cool—huh?'
She was halted.
The creature caught her mid-air, slamming her repeatedly into the stone before hurling her into a pillar, where she landed embedded and groaning.
"Ow..."
Atlas sighed.
'...Too weak.'
The creature turned its attention to Lorian.
"Why me?" Lorian yelled as it charged.
Lorian flicked his wrist and disappeared from sight—leaving the creature confused. Lorian reappeared behind the creature, twin blades in hand and hacked at the creature's achilles.
"Take this and this!"
The strikes did nothing.
"Or this! How about this!"
Atlas knew that wasn't the real Lorian—just a copy.
How?
Because when Atlas glanced to his left he saw the real Lorian—invisible and trembling.
"I can see you," Atlas muttered.
"Shh," Lorian whispered back.
Atlas leaned his head against the stone as the others struggled.
'The dark elf has potential. The beast-kin is fast but fragile. The hybrid—useless."
His gaze shifted to Garruk, who sat off to the side, happily gnawing on a large rat he seemed to have caught during the battle.
'And the Giantblood…'
Atlas sighed.
'Unbelievable. I think my shit and piss has more brain power.'