For days, she knelt at the place where Rhyzok had been consumed, staring at the ground as if the answer to what had happened might somehow be hidden beneath it. Time moved at an extreme speed in Orynx, so the days that passed for Elara appeared like mere hours to everyone else, but she did not seem to notice. She remained there, refusing to move, refusing to accept that Rhyzok was truly gone.
Eventually, Elara placed one hand against the ground and forced herself to stand. Her body was still, but her demonic energy trembled faintly around her. She looked up at the endless blue sky, her eyes slowly filling with anger as the image of Elarion returned to her mind.
Then she turned away from the place where Rhyzok had died and left.
Crimson Citadel
Xyne and Ryvex sat beside each other in the sitting room, talking and laughing. Their conversation was light, and for a moment, nothing seemed capable of disturbing the peace inside the citadel.
That changed when the door opened.
Elara walked inside.
She moved as though there was no life left in her. Xyne's laughter faded as she studied her sister, immediately noticing the change in Elara's expression and the heavy silence surrounding her. Xyne glanced at Ryvex, then looked back at Elara.
"What's wrong with your sister?" she asked.
Elara stared at them. When she finally spoke, her voice was unstable.
"I hope you're happy."
Xyne slowly stood. "What do you mean?"
Elara lowered her head, allowing her hair to cover her face. She tried to speak, but the words became trapped in her throat. When they finally came out, her voice cracked.
"Your monster killed..."
She could not finish the sentence.
Xyne's expression changed immediately. Something had happened—something far worse than an ordinary argument. "What happened?"
Ryvex stood as well, watching Elara carefully.
Elara turned away from them. "He killed him."
She began walking toward the hallway.
Xyne and Ryvex stared at her, unable to process what she had said. Then Ryvex's eyes widened.
"Wait," he said. "Elarion killed Rhyzok?"
Elara stopped, but she did not turn around.
"Answer me," Ryvex demanded. "I'm talking to you."
Elara slowly curled her feet against the floor before turning her head toward him. Her red eyes narrowed, and her vertically split pupils fixed on him with a predatory stare.
"Yes," she said.
Then she continued down the hallway.
Xyne stood frozen for a moment before rushing after her. She caught up with Elara and held her hands.
"Tell me everything that happened."
Elara pulled her hands away and stared at her. Her voice was quiet, but the pain inside it was unmistakable.
"Didn't you help make Elarion obsessed with power?" she asked. "Now he has consumed not only someone from his own species, but his own friend as well. And it happened because of your advice."
Xyne's face fell. She felt the weight of Elara's words and could not immediately find a way to defend herself.
"Elara, listen—"
"Don't!"
Elara's voice echoed through the hallway. Ryvex immediately hurried toward them to see what was happening.
For a moment, Elara's demonic energy flared around her. Then she forced it down, and her voice became quieter.
"Talk to me."
She turned away and continued toward her room.
Ryvex stared after her, irritation entering his voice. "Don't ever shout at my guest again because of some—" He stopped, searching for the words he wanted. "Because of some being who was never supposed to be here. I'm glad he's gone."
Xyne immediately reached out and held him back before he could say anything more.
Elara continued walking until she reached her room. She climbed onto her bed and looked around at the pillows and the other items surrounding her. Each object carried a memory of Rhyzok, and every memory made the emptiness inside her feel worse.
She lay down and stared at the ceiling. Her eyes remained open, but her thoughts were far away. After a long silence, she whispered the name of the person she had lost.
"Rhyzok."
## Meanwhile...
In the sitting room, Xyne turned toward Ryvex with disappointment in her eyes.
"Why would you talk to her like that?" she asked. "Rhyzok was my friend too."
Ryvex sat down and looked away. "She needs to learn. She keeps acting as if she understands everyone."
Xyne sighed. "That doesn't give you the right to speak to her that way."
Before Ryvex could answer, three people suddenly barged into the room.
Xyne stood up. "What are you three doing here?"
Skye, Xyke, and Draven entered and closed the door behind them. Xyke walked toward Xyne, his expression unusually serious.
"The king..."
He paused, and the change in the room became immediate.
"He wants to wipe out the angels."
Xyne looked at Ryvex. Ryvex's expression had also changed.
"How did you know this?" he asked.
Draven answered, "We are in the Harbinger rank."
Skye sat down and crossed her arms. "At least he wouldn't dare wipe out the demon lineage."
Xyne remembered something. She turned toward Xyke.
"Did you and Draven enter the Harbinger meeting?"
Xyke nodded.
Xyne released a tired sigh. "You are no longer Harbingers, remember? I defeated both of you."
Xyke and Draven's eyes widened.
Skye burst into laughter and struck the sofa. "Damn. You two are finished."
Xyne slowly turned her gaze toward her.
Skye immediately stopped laughing.
Ryvex moved back slightly. "Come on. He can't do anything to you as long as this discussion doesn't spread."
Xyne sighed before turning toward him. "When are you going to wield your blade? I need to get home."
Ryvex was about to answer when the matriarch entered the sitting room. She looked at everyone gathered there, but she did not appear bothered by their presence.
"Ryvex," she said, "we will begin soon. I'm waiting for your brother to arrive."
Ryvex nodded, and the matriarch turned and left the room.
Ryvex looked back at Xyne. "Wait a little longer."
Xyne nodded.
Xyke and Draven sat down as well.
"We'll stay here too," Draven said. "Just in case."
Silence settled over the room again, the message Xyke had delivered remained in everyone's mind. The king wanted to wipe out the angels.
And somewhere inside the Crimson Citadel, Elara lay alone with the memory of the one person Elarion had taken from her.
To be continued...