Three minutes ago, before the heated atmosphere brewed between Arion and Seraphis, while Liora found herself fuming in her bathroom's bathtub.
She was deeply troubled by her father's inexplicable decision to restrict her from leaving the sect.
It became apparent to her that her father's intentions were to prevent her from joining Arion on his quest.
"Goodness, how can someone be so heartless, sending another person on such a perilous quest?" She muttered, rubbing water across her skin.
Her personal maid, who was standing near the bathroom door, interjected in a gentle, persuasive tone.
"My lady, please consider that the sect leader is only trying to protect you."
Liora sighed, saying, "He should protect not only me though."
Later, she resolved to escape the sect without using the main entrance.
While stealthily seeking an alternative exit, she spotted someone attempting to break into Arion's dorm.
The person was a man dressed in skintight black dress and about seven feets tall.
"No Heka disciple would dress this way. The man is an intruder!"
This marked the beginning of Liora's confrontation with Seraphis, unaware that the room in question was Arion's.
****
Arion told Liora softly, "You don't have to worry, Liora. I will handle this."
The two men exchanged glances, with the sword in the other one's hand gleaming brightly.
Arion couldn't comprehend how he had arrived at the scene, but he sensed that Liora might be in danger.
"What's happening? Why did my powers activate involuntarily?" he pondered. "Could it be fate that brought us together? I'm clueless."
Seraphis lowered his sword, maintaining an unwavering focus on his target.
He said aloud, "Maybe I'll be rewarded by the leader if I eliminate you."
With a swift, determined movement, he advanced toward Arion, his sword emitting intense red crimson fumes.
Arion managed to evade his attack.
In response to Arion's incantation, an invisible force emerged from the ground below Seraphis, propelling him backward.
Undeterred, Seraphis rose again, seemingly impervious to pain. Moments later, three men and a woman arrived behind Arion and Liora.
They were clearly Heka disciples.
One of them called out to Liora, 'Lady Liora,' and they moved into the middle, brandishing their swords at the unknown intruder.
They reassured Liora, saying, 'We will protect you.'
The four disciples advanced toward Seraphis, but he unleashed a powerful lightning discharge by striking his iron sword into the ground, rendering the guards unconscious.
Arion shook his head, remarking, "I suspected they were just time-wasters from the beginning."
Suddenly, Arion found himself in the path of a fireball launched by Seraphis. Panic set in, and his heart raced as he saw the fireball approaching.
Liora, unable to intervene, shouted a warning, "Arion, watch out!"
The fireball struck Arion, sending him hurtling through the air and crashing through a wall. In the aftermath, he groaned, feeling a sharp pain in his abdomen.
Arion's attention shifted to Liora, who was unaware of another approaching danger launched by the black dressed guy.
He screamed a spell, pointing at the assailant,
"Thundra!" An array of lightning materialized above Seraphis, striking him simultaneously.
Liora noticed the bright light and observed Seraphis sprawled on the ground some meters away.
Liora declared in frustration, "I must stop being kind to this man and also stop relying on Arion."
Her magic flared, resembling water droplets orbiting within the confines of her palm.
As she prepared a potentially deadly spell, Seraphis abruptly vanished from the ground and reappeared with a piece of cloth and disappeared in the next second.
Liora was momentarily perplexed. "Did he come all the way here to steal cloth?"
Her confusion was short-lived as she remembered Arion's critical condition. She rushed to his side.
Meanwhile, Valerian, Caelum, and Darian stood before the emperor in the royal palace. Caelum reported to the emperor that the balance of power seemed uneven, and there were concerns regarding the Silver King's intentions.
"The armory holds more weapons than supplied by Golangane in a thousand years," Darian stated. "Furthermore, the number of armies exceeds those of the demon king's. It seems the Silver King has been taking moves behind your back, your majesty."
The crown prince stepped forward, emphasizing the imbalance between the Silver Palace and the demon lord's palace. He urged the emperor to take action in light of ongoing disturbances in the magical universe and the mortal world.
The emperor sighed and acknowledged the discrepancies.
"The Silver King's surplus of armies and weaponry suggests a violation of universal rules. He shall be held accountable according to the rule of law." He noticed the determination of the young trio and decided to entrust them with another mission. "Since you have come this far, no one is more suited to fulfill this task. Proceed to the mortal realm to assess the balance of their government, and then we will address any transgressions."
The three left the palace, and Valerian expressed his eagerness to work closely with Caelum and Darian, recognizing their experience.
Darian assured him, "Your highness, we are always at your service."
Caelum, however, harbored mixed feelings, which he concealed behind a smirk.
"Always at his service, my foot," he scoffed. "Don't we have personal matters to deal with?" he thought, acknowledging his inner turmoil. Darian noticed Caelum's internal conflict.
Darian thought, shaking his head towards Caelum, "He really has a problem at expressing his true feelings. He might have problem at marrying in the end."
At the Gnostic sect, Seraphis appeared before Thorian in his library, presenting Arion's cloth.
Thorian acknowledged, "You didn't disappoint me. I will reward you in due course."
With a smirk, Seraphis departed. Thorian contemplated the potential uses of the cloth, hinting at the ominous "Enthrallation Sorcery."
Two hours later, an elderly mage visited the royal palace. He introduced himself as a seer capable of perceiving the past, present, and future.
His hair, eyebrows, and mustache had all turned gray. After receiving permission from the emperor, he appeared before him in the palace, carrying a staff that resembled a wand.
"Greetings, your majesty. I am Jasmin from the demon realm."
Arion lay asleep in his room, with Liora tending to his injury. He had remained unconscious after the recent attack, even following medical treatment.
Liora fretted, "Could it be that he sustained severe injuries?"
The elderly mage addressed the emperor, "Your majesty, I am a seer, and I have witnessed the past and present events related to Golangane. My capabilities are unrivaled, and the revelations I bring are not to be taken lightly. Your majesty..."
Arion awoke suddenly, panting hardly. It seemed as though he had just glimpsed a revelation.
"Your majesty, dark sorcery has been performed within the walls of Golangane, causing considerable harm throughout history. An individual has been practicing the enthrallation sorcery for centuries!"
Arion was wide awake and insisted, "I found that person. Someone who knows about the sorcery of enthrallation!"
The seer continued, "There is a more powerful sorcery performed in the past, your majesty. It is the Soulshift Sorcery! A very very dangerous sorcery!"
"So-soulshift sorcery?!" The emperor exclaimed.