Lycius parted his lips, his voice carrying the weight of absolute judgment.
"Mother, Aunt—upon hearing Xylara's crimes against you—"
"Death."
The single word cut through the air like a blade.
Xylara's breath hitched.
Vynessa's eyes widened in raw fear, her pulse quickening at the cold finality in Lycius's voice.
Even Lana and Elizabeth—who had expected ruthless justice—had not anticipated this.
But Lycius was not finished.
His lips curved slightly, a smirk of something unfathomable, something far crueler than mere execution.
"That would have been the case..." He paused, allowing the tension to settle.
"Had I not chosen to enslave her to me, as her Master."
Xylara froze.
"I have a responsibility to protect what is mine," he continued, his golden eyes locking onto Xylara, drinking in her growing terror. "And so, I have chosen a punishment far more befitting—"
"Recreation."
"I will tear apart the flaws in her current personality, discard the undesirable traits, and reshape her into something more... appropriate."
His words carried both promise and arrogance, a decree that left no room for negotiation.
Altering a being's personality was no simple task.
To strip someone of their very identity—to shatter who they were and build them anew—was an act of absolute dominion.
He had made it sound merciful.
But it was not.
In truth, what Lycius had declared was far more terrifying than death itself.
"I will destroy Xylara's current self... and sculpt her into something that serves me."
A cold sweat ran down Xylara's back, her skin crawling at the reality of her fate.
This was worse. Far worse.
But even as her world collapsed, Vynessa exhaled—a shaky, fragile breath of relief.
Her mother would live.
And at this moment, that was all that mattered.
Lana's gaze lingered on Lycius, her golden eyes gleaming with pride, her lips curving ever so slightly.
"I find no reason to oppose your decision, son."
Her voice, rich with authority, carried an undeniable sense of approval.
Beside her, Elizabeth's smirk deepened, an almost playful cruelty dancing in her expression.
"In fact... this punishment is far more entertaining than death."
Xylara felt the last remnants of hope leave her heart.
It was decided.
________
As Lycius's verdict settled upon the room like a suffocating weight, one by one, the others took their leave.
Lana and Elizabeth departed first, their satisfaction evident, their regal strides unhurried. Vynessa, though relieved her mother had been spared, cast a final glance toward Xylara, uncertainty clouding her violet eyes before she too turned away.
And then, there were two.
Lycius and Xylara.
A heavy silence loomed between them.
Xylara sat frozen, unable to even lift her gaze to meet the eyes of the child who now held her fate in his hands.
This morning, she had schemed, weaving delicate scenarios in which Lycius would claim her, believing she could manipulate fate in her favor.
But now?
Now that he had claimed her, she felt nothing but terror.
{Xylara Focus – End}
{Lycius Focus}
A slow, predatory grin spread across Lycius's face as he studied the woman before him.
She was shaking.
Not outwardly—no, Xylara was far too strong for that—but beneath her mask of composure, he could feel it. The fear.
Lycius stood from his seat, his movements deliberate, unhurried. He turned and walked toward the grand exit of the dining chamber.
And Xylara followed.
She hadn't been given an order.
She hadn't needed one.
An invisible force—the weight of his will—compelled her to rise and trail after him, her steps hesitant, her breath uneasy.
The two of them moved through the palace halls, past towering obsidian pillars and windows of black-stained glass, their path leading toward the entrance of the palace.
As they walked, a thought stirred within Lycius's mind.
"Now… what did the 'Incubus Ways' tome suggest when it came to breaking someone?"
A glimmer of cruel amusement flickered in his golden eyes.
"Something about forcing them to expose their vulnerabilities to those they hold dear…"
His smirk deepened.
"Ah, that must mean I need to make her kill her own family and friends." (A/N: 😑🤦)
His fingers tapped idly against his palm as the idea took shape.
"But she only has one family member left—Vynessa."
"And I have no intention of disposing of her."
No, Vynessa was off-limits.
"Then, what else? What did she mention at the table…?"
The answer came swiftly.
"The Heavenly Demons."
A perfect alternative.
If Xylara had treasured comrades, then he would carve through them—one by one—until nothing of her past remained.
Well, almost nothing.
He would spare the three remaining Heavenly Demons—not out of mercy, but out of interest.
He had yet to measure their full potential, and it would be unwise to discard useful pawns before knowing their worth.
That did not, however, mean he wouldn't cause them unnecessary problems.
Yes.
This would be a far more entertaining method of destruction.
A shudder ran down Xylara's spine.
She had seen that expression before—the slow, creeping grin of a monster who had just devised a fate worse than death.
And this time, she was its target.
Lycius's footsteps echoed through the grand halls of the palace, each step slow, deliberate.
Xylara followed in silence, her mind a storm of uncertainty, her breath shallow.
The weight of his presence was suffocating, pressing against her like an invisible force that threatened to crush her very being.
She could feel it.
Something had changed within him.
"He intends to break me… completely."
The realization sent a shiver down her spine.
Then, his voice came—smooth, composed, but laced with a subtle command.
"Tell me, Xylara, where are your comrades?"
Xylara stiffened.
She knew exactly who he was referring to.
The three remaining Heavenly Demons.
For a moment, she hesitated, instinctively wanting to guard that information. But then…
An unseen force wrapped around her throat, not strangling, but pressing—a relentless pressure that made her entire body tense. It wasn't pain. It wasn't magic.
It was him.
The overwhelming, suffocating weight of Lycius's will bore down on her, digging into her very soul. It did not allow resistance. It did not allow lies.
Her lips parted on their own.
"The Heavenly Demon of Instinct rules over the Beastmen as their Queen. The Heavenly Demon of Blood is the King of the Undead… also known as the Vampire Lord."
She hesitated slightly at the last name, brows furrowing in uncertainty.
"As for the Heavenly Demon of Redemption… her whereabouts are unknown. She disappeared after the betrayal and has not been seen since."
The moment the words left her lips, the weight lifted—just enough for her to breathe again.
Lycius processed the information, his expression unreadable.
The Queen of the Beastmen.
The King of the Undead.
And one who had vanished into obscurity.
His mind quickly filtered through the names, considering how to best dismantle them.
But then, something… strange happened.
The moment his thoughts settled on the Heavenly Demon of Blood, an inexplicable sensation overtook him—one he had never experienced before.
An immediate and absolute lack of interest.
It was as if the very concept of the Vampire Lord ceased to exist in his mind.
He felt nothing. No curiosity. No amusement. No desire to test or measure his potential.
It was simply void.
His golden eyes flickered.
How odd.
How unnatural.
Every being, every opponent, every entity he had encountered up until now had intrigued him in some form. He always wanted to know their strengths, their weaknesses, whether they were worth breaking or consuming.
But this man…
He didn't matter.
Instantly, effortlessly, Lycius dismissed him from his plans.
"I'll kill him."
The decision was final.
His attention then shifted to something far more important.
Lifting his hand, shadows coiled and twisted at his fingertips.
"Kiara."
From the abyss of his own darkness, a form began to emerge.
A silhouette, ethereal and elegant, took shape before him, stepping forth with silent grace.
Long, flowing violet hair cascaded like liquid amethyst, shifting with a soft, ghostly shimmer.
Kiara.
She stood before him, her radiant violet eyes peering up at him with unwavering devotion, her very presence exuding both serenity and power.
Lycius's lips curled into a smirk.
"Find the remnants of the Desire Kind," he commanded.
But before he could say anything more, Kiara's lips parted.
"I already have, Master."
For the briefest moment, Lycius blinked, his smirk widening into something far more genuine.
A soft chuckle left his lips.
Perfect.
Kiara was truly… perfect.
A quiet chuckle escaped Lycius's lips, a sound both amused and darkly pleased.
Xylara flinched at the casual cruelty behind it.
His golden eyes gleamed as he turned slightly, looking at her with an expression that sent a deeper, more visceral dread crawling through her veins.
"Prepare yourself, Xylara."
His voice was smooth, deliberate, each word laced with an underlying command.
"You will soon commit your third betrayal."
Xylara's breath hitched.
She didn't need to ask what he meant.
She already knew.
And this time… she felt that there would be no return from it.
____________
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