Suddenly, the Bloodstream Cave began to crumble. Was it because the beast had been killed?
Rocks from the cave's ceiling rained down, sealing the entrance, trapping them inside.
Arion, without hesitation, urged Amara and the others to escape first while he braced himself to hold things together.
"Is he crazy? How could someone risk their life so selflessly?" Amara thought as she looked at Arion with an astonished glance.
Darian, Merrick, and Caelum exchanged surprised glances as well, wondering how the once indifferent Arion now cared for their safety. But, most importantly, Darian urged Arion to abandon this foolish sacrifice and escape with them.
"We can still escape together! Stop trying to stay behind!" Darian shouted, urging him seriously.
However, Arion activated his magic, and an eerie calmness descended. The destruction seemed to slow down, and it was as if time itself held its breath.
"I can't hold this for long, so muster your courage and get out of here!" Arion shouted, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
As the rocks threatened to crush those on the ground, Arion urgently cautioned them to escape quickly.
"We must go!" Amara said to others.
It was true, but they couldn't just abandon Arion to his fate.
Yet, they had no choice but to dash out through falling debris and Merrick carried Liora out as she was unconscious.
Darian, being reluctant to leave a friend to die, was dragged by Caelum. Nonetheless, Caelum's eyes were clouded with regret and sorrow as they got outside of the cave.
This was the first time Arion had shown such concern for others' safety. He had accepted the role of the sacrificial protector, but in his mind, it should have been him, not Liora, destined for such a fate.
Putting his hands down, the magic retreated. Then rocks fell at greater speed to the surface; still, Arion remained in his spot.
A gentle smirk curled on his lips as he closed his eyes.
Meanwhile, at the Gnostic sect...
"My lord, I know who killed Kaelen. It's another boy, the one rumored to have eliminated the Enthralled Shadows previously."
What? He even killed Kaelen?
Initially, the Gnostic sect leader hadn't taken this news seriously. But now, he found himself oddly intrigued.
"The boy is becoming interesting," he mused silently, a sly smirk playing on his lips.
"But he's dead now. He got trapped inside the cave while others escaped."
The leader's interest seemed to grow.
"Really? Then I don't have to be fond of a dead boy anymore. But I am impressed by his ability to have killed my favorite shadow." He smirked again, sipping his wine. His thoughts wandered unpleasantly to the fact that Arion had died in place of Lysander's daughter, Liora.
"If not for his death, I should have appointed him as my right-hand man. Well, too bad." He cackle.
Back in Heka sect at night, Liora was lain on the bed in her room, undergoing treatment by a doctor. She was put through various treatments to counteract the effects of the poison, slipping into a deep slumber. And her acquaintances were led to some rooms for them to pass the night.
The next day, Liora's eyes fluttered open, and she woke up in her own room, dressed in different clothes.
The haunting memories of the incident in the Bloodstream Cave flooded her mind, and slowly, she remembered how she had lost consciousness.
She had questions, and there was one person who held the answers – Arion.
"He's probably the only one who knows," Liora muttered to herself. "I must find him."
Not acknowledging her troubled condition, she made way out of her room to look for the Stable worker.
She assumed that others wouldn't be at their sect, but to her surprise, when she ventured outside, she found Merrick, Darian, Caelum, and Princess Amara instead of Arion.
"Princess?" Liora said, her eyes slightly opened wide, and Merrick approached her. "Why are you here so early?"
"Are you feeling better now?" Merrick inquired.
She nodded, curiosity swirling in her mind.
"Where's Arion?" Liora asked. Silence greeted her, and she started to assume that he had left. "Has he left the sect? Probably, he left before reaching Golangane?" Still, no one answered. "Is he in the stables?"
The uncertainty gnawed at her.
Later on, she was informed of everything, but she expressed doubt, her determination to uncover the truth unwavering. She changed her attire, determined to seek answers herself, and as she prepared to leave the sect, Lysander's commanding voice halted her.
"Chen Liora," he began, "where are you headed?"
She turned to her father. Her eyes had reddened and tears lined up her lacrimal lake.
"I don't believe whatever they tell me," Liora retorted. "I am my own person, not just a puppet. I'll see with my own eyes if Arion is truly gone."
"Why... did you take him along in the first place?" Lysander questioned, and Liora was stunned that her father could utter such words when someone was said to have died. Lysander continued, his face clear and distant, "You broke the rules by including him in the mission, and, frankly, it was you who caused his death. We can't turn back time, and what's done is done."
Liora swallowed hard, enduring the anger welling up in her. Every breath she took in seemed like fire and her breath-out heightened.
"That's why I'm going to save him from the mess I created! You taught me that no one should suffer due to another's mistakes... Father."
Lysander commanded the guards to restrain her. She struggled, but they held her firmly.
"Lock her up," Lysander ordered.
With force, they pushed her back into her room and locked the door. Inside, Liora made a vehement fuss. No matter how she tried to break the lock with her magic, it resisted her efforts.
"Open the door right now! Father, you aren't really doing this! Why can't you allow me go?! He died because of me!" Her voice hollered to outside, and she banged the door repeatedly.
Amara whispered to Darian, "I've heard Immortal Lysander is invincible and immensely powerful, but I never expected him to be so cold-hearted toward his own daughter."
Darian smiled, a smile of understanding and satisfaction. "No, he's the best father one could have. This is all to protect her from the dangers outside Golangane. In fact, I'm glad he did it."
Darian shifted the conversation, "My father told me that the emperor plans to reward us with magical power at the Ten Billion Magical Closet. Aren't you coming?"
Amara nodded in agreement, her thoughts still lingering on Arion's fate.
Meanwhile, in the Silver Land, a region within the demon realm controlled by a demon king known as the Lord of Silver Land, or the Silver King, his dark and opulent palace gleamed with black polished silver.
A soldier knelt before him, bearing good news.
"Speak," commanded the Silver King.
"Someone has reported spotting a blue meteorite fall within our kingdom. What shall I do?"
A wicked smile spread across the Silver King's face. He was known for his lust for power, and the stone within a mountain god could significantly increase his strength.
"A blue meteorite is the sign of Golangane's mountain god," he said, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "Ok, fetch him here by all means."
The soldier bowed and left, and the Silver King chuckled.
"A lost mountain god has found his way into my kingdom? What a fortuitous discovery! Once I have that internal stone brimming with magic, I shall be unstoppable!"
His laughter echoed through the dark palace. He couldn't contain his excitement at the prospect of gaining new power.