Without a word, Yamigami glided toward Arwen's unconscious form, poised to touch her. Luminox reacted swiftly, grabbing Yamigami's hand. "She is mine, and I don't take kindly to wanderers around my possessions," he asserted firmly.
"You are never grateful, Luminox. I saved your life today, and in return, you decimated a quarter of my army," Yamigami whispered, his voice laced with an unsettling calm.
"You have nothing to lose if I die," Luminox retorted sarcastically. "As for the dead chthonians, they came here of their own volition driven by their tongues ;didn't force them."
In an instant, Yamigami dissolved into the atmosphere, his presence dissipating like mist. Shadow reporters arrived at the Sanctum, their grim expressions betraying the weight of their task. Aetheriono motioned for them to leave with a hard glare, while Lord Eamon exited the Sanctum alongside his colleagues.
"Arwen, Arwen, Arwen!" Lord Eamon's voice echoed, bouncing off the walls, only to be met with the grim sight of lifeless chthonians. He commanded his team to search for any signs of life as he meticulously skimmed through the bodies, ensuring no chthonian went uncounted. In the end, he counted more than four hundred dead chthonians, a sight that filled him with dread. As he continued to walk, a chilling realization struck him, leaving him nearly paralyzed with terror."Lord Eamon, we found two unconscious individuals affected by the immense power of the ice technique," Astra and Magnus reported in unison, their voices tinged with urgency. The Healing Valor moved swiftly, inspecting the lifeless beings and tending to the unconscious figures.
"There is no sign of Arwen. If she is the only one who managed to slay these creatures, then she must have taken down over four hundred chthonians," Astra said, her concern palpable.
Lord Magnus's gaze remained fixed on the horrific scene before them, unable to tear his eyes away. "The god of darkness himself was here," Lord Eamon declared, pointing toward the shadowy remnants. The air around it shimmered with cascading fumes, an unsettling reminder of Yamigami's presence. "If Arwen is as powerful as we believe, she cannot possibly combat Yamigami. Everything she attempts will be in vain," he pondered, a sense of dread settling over them as they wondered why Arwen's body was nowhere to be found.
With a heavy heart, Lord Eamon moved toward the dark fumes, hoping against hope to find some trace of her. Instead, he stumbled upon her sword, its blade glimmering faintly in the gloom. He grasped it tightly, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably as despair washed over him, the weight of their loss pressing down like a suffocating shroud.After a thorough search, Arwen was still not found, so they reported back to the Sanctum. In light of the loss of Arwen, the third in command of the Alpha Group, they were granted a break of three years.
Meanwhile, Arwen's bright eyes opened, immediately surveying the unfamiliar environment around her. A pounding pain throbbed in her head, and her heart clenched with sorrow as memories of her sister's death flooded back.
"You are awake," Luminox said, rising from the tub and looking at Arwen, who was tied to a pole. "You have only one life; you better play it well or lose your life," he added.
A smile curved on her lips as she replied defiantly, "Do you think I'm afraid of death, you Elite Tier? My life is over a thousand times scarier than you."
Luminox was taken aback, surprised by her fearless spirit. "Every human should be begging for their lives, but it seems you are rather wishing for death," he remarked, intrigued by her resilience."The third law of the Nightfall Legion is to never beg for your live from a chthonian," she said bravely.
"It looks like you are a loyal Lirael Shadow Dancer. Why do you give names longer than your lifespans? I just don't understand," he mocked.
"Just look at how pathetic humans are," Luminox continued, his tone dripping with disdain.
"After all, we aren't afraid of the sun like you," Arwen shot back with a sly grin.
This remark struck a chord with Luminox, but he maintained his composure. "Let's play a game. You're not begging for your life; I'm simply offering a chance. I hope that's not against your useless laws," he said, a glimmer of challenge in his eyes.
Arwen nodded, her mind racing. If only she could win this game, she might find a way back to her people. Luminox untied her swiftly, and her eyes darted to the door, calculating the distance. If she could just reach it, freedom would be hers.
Before Luminox could react, she seized his hand, twisting it behind him and pushing him back into the tub. In an instant, she was at the door, but to her dismay, it opened to reveal nothing but a solid wall.
"I need to create a path before you can escape. Just remember, there are three million chthonian chambers ahead, and you'll die before you realize it. I'm upper tier two; you'll encounter tier three, four, and so on. Just come inside and let's finish the game," Luminox said, his voice smooth but laced with a hint of menace.
Arwen recognized the truth in his words. Reluctantly, she returned to her previous spot. Luminox stepped closer, extending a hand toward her. "You are a very powerful human being. Just agree to me to make you one of us, you will become unstoppable," Luminox said, his voice smooth and persuasive. "Imagine the power you could wield, the freedom from the shackles of your human limitations. You could walk without fear, transcending the weaknesses that bind your kind."
"I don't want to be afraid of the sun like you," Arwen shot back, her sarcasm sharp and her grin triumphant.
Luminox leaned in closer, his eyes glinting with intensity. "You use every chance to mock me, but this is not just a game. The stakes are real. The game starts now: you choose to live or die. It's a simple choice, You can join me, embrace this power, or face a fate worse than death you bed with me or face death in a unique way," he concluded, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
He held her gaze, the weight of his words hanging in the air, as he tried to draw her into the dark allure of his proposition. "Think of it, Arwen all you have to do is take a leap of faith."