The emperor slumped in his throne as the poison took effect. Some guards raised the alarm about the serious threat to the emperor's life, yet all the armies were already manipulated by Thorian.
Valerian dashed out with his own armies, attempting to prevent his father's demise. Unfortunately, his four dozen armies proved insufficient against Thorian's puppet armies.
Ultimately, the crown prince found himself locked up in his room, and Thorian seized the throne as planned. However, this did not mark the end for the royal family bloodline; rumors spread globally about the villain ascending to the throne, leading to a confrontation by the general assembly.
In the midst of this, five mages who initiated the confrontation were incinerated by a mere flicker of flame from Thorian's fingers, leaving the assembly in a state of shock. The leader of the Bandu sect chose to withdraw from the general assembly, realizing that inaction was worse than death, and left the palace, along with Caelum's father.
Tension mounted among the mages as they realized Thorian had harnessed power from the Twenty Thousand Magical Closet, also controlling the royal armies.
***
Birds chirped in the background as a cool morning breeze rustled the curtains, signaling the arrival of dawn. Liora slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the blurry face of Arion, which soon transformed into the smiling visage of Darian.
"How long have I been in bed?" Liora inquired, her voice weak but filled with curiosity, as she noticed her disheveled appearance.
Taking a walk with Caelum and Darian, Liora reflected on the past month, realizing that she had yet to hold a funeral for her father. The absence of closure weighed heavily on her mind as she grappled with the pain of her loss.
As Liora's vision blurred, Arion's grinning figure approached, causing her to stumble backward and fall into Caelum's steadying hands. Immortal Jasmin, guarded by soldiers and clad in royal silk, approached with concern evident in his voice.
"Are you alright, Lady Liora?" he inquired, his eyes scanning her for any signs of distress.
Surprised by his presence and the level of protection around him, Liora questioned, "Why the tight protection?"
"After the chaos a month ago, the demon king appointed me as the Silver King to assist in carrying out justice," he explained, his tone grave. "I was handling a matter concerning the demon realm at a nearby inn when Young Master Darian used a communication talisman to inform me of your recovery. Are you doing well now?"
With a wry smile, Liora nodded in response, then requested Immortal Jasmin's company for a private moment. It became evident that she intended to perform a burial for her father in the nearby forest.
In the quiet of the woods, Liora meticulously arranged pieces of rocks into a pyramidal shape, her movements deliberate and solemn. Pouring a small amount of wine over the makeshift grave, she was lost in her thoughts until Immortal Jasmin spoke.
"You resent your father for not avoiding the sword back then, don't you?" he observed, his voice gentle yet probing. Tears welled in Liora's eyes as she nodded, wiping them away with the back of her hand.
"Karma can't be avoided. It could be a blessing when it's good or a doom when it's bad," remarked Immortal Jasmin, his words carrying a weight of wisdom. He picked up a rock from the ground, adding it to the arrangement. "I will refrain from doing anything else until we leave this forest, focusing solely on your father's funeral."
Gazing at the pyramidal structure, Liora expressed her thoughts aloud, addressing her father directly. "Father, here I am. Are you doing well? Have you met Mom and told her her daughter is doing well?" Her voice wavered with emotion as she spoke, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"People don't die; they get reborn. It's certain that your father has been reborn as a human, but he won't remember this world for eternity," assured Immortal Jasmin, his tone comforting. "Do you want my help in seeing him?"
Sniffling, Liora shook her head. "No. The feeling that he's okay... is enough for me," she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur. "Father, knowing that you are okay warms my heart. My greatest regret is that I stood by his side and supported him more than I did for you. I am sorry, father."
As they returned to the sect, Darian and Caelum approached them with genuine concern evident in their expressions.
"Darian, Caelum," Liora greeted them with a small smile.
Darian expressed his concern, "You shouldn't stress yourself after waking up. Are you hurt anywhere?"
Caelum chimed in, "I told you I could give you a piggyback to where you wanted to go, but you declined. I hope you aren't hurt."
Immortal Jasmin intervened, his grin reassuring, "Lady Liora has a good torrent of energy inside her, so she's better off taking that walk. She needs to rest well, though." He then turned his attention to Liora, informing her of the significant burden she would soon bear as the next leader of the Heka sect and encouraging her to stay strong.
"Only the strong ones can see the sunset clearly, so be strong. I am taking my leave now," he announced, disappearing with the soldiers guarding him. Liora departed with the others, unaware of Elion's watchful gaze upon them.
Summoning his courage, Elion decided to confront Thorian regarding their agreement if Lysander died. He approached the palace and boldly asked to be made the leader of the Heka sect as promised.
"I remember getting you the leader's hair so you could eliminate him. Now that you have done that and achieved your own goal, fulfill mine too. I want to become the leader, even if it means Liora's life will go too."
Thorian coldly declined the request, unmoved by Elion's desperation. In a daring move, Elion threatened to expose Thorian's secret room used for sorcery, including his involvement in turning the villagers into monsters ten thousand years ago.
The guards swiftly intervened, blocking Elion's path as he attempted to leave. In the ensuing scuffle, Elion was overpowered and knocked unconscious. Subsequently, he was fed to the beasts owned by Thorian for torturing enemies, his fate sealed by his own attempt to defy the villain's power.
Meanwhile, at the demon realm's border, Immortal Jasmin and his soldiers appeared, their expressions grave as they surveyed the scene before them.
"The future can't be helped; flesh-eating monsters are on their way from a different dimension!" Immortal Jasmin sighed deeply, his tone tinged with concern for the impending threat.