For a while, Liam held us, not wanting to let go. All I could do was clasp onto him while he thanked me for saving the girl he loved. To me, it felt surreal how everything turned out. I thought I would get yelled at, scolded, but I was being thanked. This was a new feeling, and it felt warmer than I thought it would.

The only reason Liam let go of us was that the moment Melody regained consciousness. She pulled away from him, before squealing all the way to the bathroom, upon realizing that the only thing covering her was a blanket.

For a moment, Liam and I sat there, surprised by her sudden outburst. However, it was not long before she popped her head out of the bathroom. She wondered what had happened and why Liam was here. That was when all eyes went on me. I stayed silent, but I quickly cracked under the pressure and fessed up everything I had done.

I waited for the scolding to begin, but it never did. Instead, Liam sighed, picking me up from the floor before placing me on a chair that had survived the struggle. After sitting me down, Liam searched for the first aid kit. Melody asked Shade to bring her clothing from her bag.

"You...are not angry? No lectures?" I asked, bewildered by their response to my madness.

Shade dragged a bag towards the bathroom with her tiny body. Fixing the overturned table, Liam placed the kit he had found on it. He grabbed me by the chin to inspect my injury. It seemed Fenris had told him where it was on another occasion. Probably when he had babysat me before.

"Me? Nope. You will have enough of that from Fenris when he gets his claws on you." Liam declared, sending shivers down my spine.

Grabbing a cloth, he wiped the blood away. Melody slowly emerged from the bathroom. Her cheeks were bright pink.

"Fenris is going to murder me," Melody mumbled.

Liam chuckled in response to her worries.

"Do not worry. I am on the chopping block too." Liam reassured Melody that no one was safe.

She seemed displeased by his comment though, but before she could say anything to him, I intersected.

"How so?" I asked.

He bit his lip before chuckling nervously. It was almost as if he thought of something unpleasant.

"Well... I kind of left him there alone and took his phone." Liam trailed off, taking Fenris's phone out of his pocket and placing it on the table.

I could only imagine Fenris's rage after he found Liam and it missing. He shuddered at the thought of seeing Fenris again. Although he was not alone in that sentiment. The next time we all saw Fenris would be...

After cleaning me and tending to my injury, Liam stood up to find a cloth to wipe the blood from his neck. Melody's eyes followed him quietly while he moved around the room. She was not happy about him being here, especially after seeing her bare. Although she could not remember launching at me, she knew nothing of what happened.

"I think everything will be fine now, so shouldn't you be leaving? Isn't Kira waiting for you back at the festival?" Melody grumbled.

Liam turned to her, puzzled by her hostility. It seemed the Lycan anger was working just right. For a moment, I wanted to shrink into the chair I was in. This brewing fight was about to go off. I wanted no part in it.

"She isn't waiting for me. I am also not leaving you alone with Lilith. You could rip her apart if you lose control again." Liam confronted Melody, crossing his arms.

She pouted in return.

"Well... I will not shift." She growled.

Liam sighed in response. If it were only that simple. Lycan's usually learned how to control their shifts when they were young, but they had voided Melody of that.

"You do not even know how to control it. How are you saying you will not shift?" Liam pointed out.

Melody continued to growl at him. At least they were speaking to one another. Although her wild side was showing. The last thing I wanted was for her to lose it again. It was terrifying to see her on Liam like that once already. I did not need a repeat.

"Well, sorry that I had a curse!" She huffed, turning away to clean the battered room to ignore his presence.

"Ah... Sorry." Liam apologized, taking a deep breath before letting it go.

Melody tried her best to not tear into him. After all, that was not what she truly wanted.

"It is fine," she mumbled.

Liam grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him, embracing her from behind. It almost seemed like the prince was ready to face his princess head-on.

"Let me go," Melody said, trying to push him away.

He was relentless in his hold on her.

"Nope. I have a feeling you will run away without hearing me. If I do not hold you." Liam pointed out.

She growled in return. Her eyes glowed yellow, responding to the anger that was surging within.

"You should not touch other women when you have a pregnant one waiting for you!" Melody yelled at him, losing control.

Liam seemed immune. Unlike me, he was used to unruly Lycan. However, he was dead set on setting her right this time.

"I have not slept with her. So that is not my child." Liam clarified, still holding onto her.

Her struggles slowly subdued upon hearing him say that.

"What? But the elders..." she said, baffled, glancing up towards him.

He shrugged in response to hearing about them.

"The stupid old farts just heard her side and went along with it. I will prove it with some testing once this stupid festival is over." Liam reassured, rolling his eyes.

Melody slowly turned to him. Her hands tightly gripped his shirt.

"So... You are not having a baby?" She asked.

Her words triggered him to chuckle. His response caused Melody to blush. His smile was deadly for her.

"Even if I were, which I am not! I will not marry her. I do not care for her." Liam added, reassuring her.

Melody smiled in return. Both their tails slowly wagged. Adorable.

"That is good. She is a bitch." Melody commented, smiling.

He chuckled.

"You are not wrong." Liam agreed, pausing for a moment.

"Hey..." He began.

Melody waited for him to finish. After all, there was nothing else holding them back anymore. She was no longer a runt. I had freed her from that label. He was free to pursue her with no backlash, to fall on her because of it. Shade hopped onto my shoulder.

'Seems you are playing cupid, Lily.' She snickered.

We admired the scene that was playing out in front of us.

"You are the..." Liam began, only to be interrupted by his phone when it rang.

In an instance, it ruined the moment. He froze in place before he reached to grab it. On the screen showed Layla. But it could only be... Gulping, he slowly answered. Much to his surprise, it was not who he thought it was, but Kira who wondered where he was.

For a moment, Melody sulked while Liam growled and told her not to call him. But before he could finish, his ears went straight up when screams erupted in the background. Thanks to Shade, I could hear them, even though his phone was not on speaker. After the screams, I could hear an enormous explosion. I instinctively stood up from the chair and glanced out the window. There was a puff of smoke coming from the forest next to the city.

"What is going on?!? Kira?!?!" Liam yelled at his phone before it went dead.

From the shock planted on his face, I could tell that was not part of the festival. Unable to contain my worries, I turned to Liam and grabbed him by his shirt.

"Is that where Fenris is?!?" I questioned harshly.

He seemed to not want to answer me. However, that itself was an answer. His eyes showed me all I needed to know. My heart felt like it was about to rip out of me.

‘I have to…’

Letting go of him, I took off one of my inhibitor bracelets, throwing it to the side. Liam grabbed me by my shoulder. All that was on his mind was to keep me safe. It would be what Fenris wanted, after all.

"Lilith, what do you think you are doing?" Liam questioned, worried about what I might do.

Shade climbed onto my shoulder, knowing full well what my intentions were.

"Going to him!" I announced, tearing myself from him.

I reached out with my hand towards the window. There was no time to waste. I could not hesitate or...

"What, no!" Liam reached out to me.

I with brief hesitation made my next move. Knowing he would try to grab me, Shade intercepted with his hand with a whip of her tail. I felt no fear when I launched myself out of the window and into a free fall. It was probably one of the brainless things I had ever done, but I had one goal in mind. And Fenris was not here.

"Soul cairn!" I called forth mid-free fall, triggering a portal to open from below.

It swallowed me whole before I hit the floor. Unlike the last time, though, I had no time to call for a destination. We fell through the vortex. Shade caught me before we hit the ground below. For a moment, all I could do was stare at my surroundings. It showed mist with a blue hue coming from the sky. I soon realized I was nowhere near where I wanted to be.

"This is not what I wanted! Take me to Fenris!" I howled into space.

Shade hissed, feeling a presence nearby.

"Calm down, child." The same voice from the blood moon said.

I peered around the room to see who it was. Shade hissed yet again when the voice chuckled in response to my hostility. Slowly the mist faded, revealing a giant tree in its place. It seemed decaying and unstable. However, what was more alarming was that on a closer inspection a humanoid shape was part of it. It was almost as if someone was slowly morphing into a dying tree.

"Old friend, it seems you do not remember me anymore." The old man by the tree seemed sad by Shade's response.

She remained by me. My emotions seemed to be reflected by her. I was not happy to see this old man. Fenris was my only priority, and he was in my way.

"What is this? I don't have time!" I declared.

The old man just smiled at me in return. Even though his skin seemed to have turned into the wood, he seemed familiar. Yet I could not place him. His hair and eyes seemed to be the same color as mine, brown.

"Yes, you do. Time passes differently here. So, calm yourself. Or you'll destroy all you care about with your fit." He argued.

I could not believe him at his word. However, he said the truth. Time seemed to be different in this unworldly realm. Last night had been proof of that. But I... did not want to stay here.

"What do you know?!" I snarled.

He seemed unbothered by my hostility.

"I made you." He announced, leaving me stunned upon hearing him say that.

"Made me?" I echoed his words, not quite believing him.

Just who was this man?

"Yes, child. I am who seeded you into this world with your mother's help, of course." He clarified, leaving me unable to swallow what he said.

My father? Impossible. He was a human who abandoned my mother. My grandmother engraved that into my brain. Not some tree in a god-forsaken world. The complete revelation was unsettling to me.

"Yes... I am your father. It is good to see you, Lilith." He said in a too friendly manner for my taste.

He had read my mind, which was something I did not appreciate. For all I knew, he could be lying. After all, I did not know this man who claimed to be my father. Nor was I interested in knowing him. All I wanted was out of here. Yet... the man in front of me seemed to be my only way out. The world refused to listen to me while he was here.

"Impossible," I muttered, taking two steps back.

He sighed, not pleased with my denial.

"It is not. I was not originally like this, nor from this world. When my stepmother, who your mother named you after, killed herself, it sucked me into this realm." He tried to explain himself.

I could barely follow along. Everything seemed surreal, and it would not get any easier. Everything he said would be something that would haunt me in the following years to come, too.

"So, you say that you are the boy from that dream?" I questioned.

He nodded to confirm what I had said was the truth.

"It was not a dream, but a vision." He added, leaving me in further disbelief.

"But I... No one was alarmed. I never stepped foot in the library." I pointed out the fact that no one responded or raised any alarms about what had happened that day.

"That is because the grimoire itself invited you into that library." The man clarified, but it was the same as if he had said nothing.

"Invited me?" I echoed again, confused by what he meant by that.

"Yes, it allowed you to pass through, but not with your body. It was your soul that traveled there." He tried to explain.

I seemed to be skeptical about the whole thing.

"How is that possible?" I questioned, even though I had just had a witch's energy slam me out of my body.

Was that what he meant? But Shade was with me back in the library. Then again, Shade saw what happened to me when I was out of my body, too.

"The grimoire resonated with your blood and invited you into the library. You might not know this, but you are a direct descended from the witch who tried to destroy the world all those years ago." He announced, completely losing me.

Nothing made sense.

"What?" I fumbled to say.

He nodded in response, again reading my mind.

"Yes... The Lilith from my time thought her daughter died that day, but she never found her body. In fact, her daughter lived. The Lycans had taken her as a prisoner." He declared.

I rejected it. Me being a descendant of Lilith, who sought to end the world. It was not possible. It could not be possible.

"How can I believe any of this? What are you?" I scowled at him while he smiled in response to my questions.

"I was human. Although that no longer applies, I guess. You can see this realm has changed me. Made me part of it, but my human name was once Tobias." The strange man introduced himself.

I stayed in the defense. Something was just not right. Maybe it was the fact he was wasting my time. If it even existed in this realm. For all I knew, this could be exactly like the prison that held Alijah. The soul cairn was an unknown to me.

"I do not understand," I growled, getting annoyed by the mind games he was playing.

None of this could be true. It could not be. I was in vehement denial of everything he was telling me.

"Well... You probably will not understand many of the things I say to you today." Tobias pointed out, glancing down to the ground, turning his gaze back onto me.

Having enough, I tried to open a portal only for nothing to respond. Instead of saying anything, Tobias watched me. I stared at my hands before slowly turning back to him, angrier than before. There was not out unless I listened to him.

"I am listening." I glared at the old tree in front of me, knowing there was no other way out.

It was so hard to not scream, even though it was all I wanted to do. Even though he presented himself as friendly, he was keeping me from Fenris. That was when Tobias told me his tale. When Lilith sacrificed herself and opened the portal to the soul cairn, it had swallowed him. At first, the trip had caused him to lose consciousness. So, when he opened his eyes.

He did not know what had happened to him, only that he was in a place he no longer recognized. Upon seeing the shadow beast, as he called them. He soon realized that he was not in the mortal realm he had called home anymore. Instead, he found himself in this blue world. For weeks he spent wandering around, surviving on anything he came by.

Slowly, though, Tobias noticed his hunger and thirst were slowly changing to the point he no longer felt them. The beast around seemed to ignore him. All but a small cat who constantly watched him. Even when he tried to find any point of contact. He wandered around for what felt like an eternity. Before an aberration swallowed him again. After that, he found himself back in the world he missed.

However, instead of the body of a boy, he found himself in one of a man. Even though seconds before he had been a child. However, that was not the most pressing issue. He found himself in a completely unknown world once again. Everything had changed, and Tobias did not know how to confront it. Luckily, when the soul cairn spat him out. He found himself in front of the most beautiful human girl he could have ever imagined.

She stared at him, perplexed at what had happened. Her name was Iris, my mother. Somehow the realm had pushed him hundreds of years from his time. It also changed his body to fit the role it meant him to play. A role at the time he did not know about. When he met my mother, he knew nothing of the world in front of him. He spent two years learning from her. She taught him how to communicate and read. And most importantly, how to live.

Within those two years, Tobias fell in love with Iris, which culminated with me being made. The fruit of their love. However, his connection to the world seemed to affect my mother's stability. I inherited an unknown link to what used to be his prison. Upon figuring out that the fetus had a connection to the soul cairn, and it was influencing Iris's mental health. He pleaded for her to end it.

Tobias pleaded with her to find another way to have a child. But she refused, saying that the fruit of their love would never be the evil he thought it would be. Even though he cared for her wishes. He cared for her health over one of an unknown, unborn child. Although he could not say no to her after hearing her part at first, he later planned to end the pregnancy. All while she was unaware of his intentions.

Although Iris was losing her mind. She seemed happier than ever. It had always been a dream for her to have a child out of love. Though Tobias could not allow my existence to be the reason for her mind to rot. He planned to deal with Stella, Iris's mother, but never got the chance. The realm had other plans. The moment he left Iris's side to do anything; it was almost as if the soul cairn claimed him back.

Unable to hear Tobias's tangent any longer, I stopped him in his tracks. His past did not interest me. Especially since it seemed he was just another person who did not want me to be alive. I had enough of that going around.

"So... all you are saying. Is that I was an unwanted child, and the soul cairn is part of me before the fall even happened?" I questioned, annoyed by everything he had just said.

It just complicated things for me. I would never be free from this curse that was placed on me. Because it was never a plague to start with. The only thing I could be free of was the fact that my death would cause the gate to open. But I would always be a monster. A witch with power beyond comprehension.

"No, I wanted you. I just wanted to save your mother, too. She was alive and with me, while you were an unknown. My love blinded me." Tobias tried to explain.

I chuckled in disbelief. He was just like me. Blinded. I guess we were father and daughter, after all.

"All I am is an abomination. I should have never been born. Your first instincts were right." I smirked, feeling dead inside.

From that moment, I realized my fate was to be this monster from the start. My heart seemed missing. Tobias sighed in response; this was not what he wanted me to carry out of this conversation.

"No... That is not what I meant. You are my daughter. I understand now that what I tried to do was wrong. And what you see now, is my punishment. Which I accept gladly! I deserve it!" He tried to reach me, only for my heart to be out of his influence.

This man was nothing but a waste of time.

"I see... How does any of this information help me?" I asked coldly.

It was the same as when I dove to travel through my memories. I was not allowing myself to feel anymore. Emotions were just useless to experience. All but the ones that pushed me forward.

"Well... I just wanted... I can’t help but see your mother in you." Tobias continued to reach me.

I wanted nothing to do with him. It was too late to mend anything between us. We were both strangers to one another.

"I do not care what you see." I started, taking a few steps towards the old man who called himself my father.

'No more hiding from monsters. I will be me.'

"I wanted to see you. Before I completed my punishment." He announced.

I stopped right in front of him. Sadly, I could not care less about what he wished.

"I do not care. Take me to Fenris." I snarled, triggering him to sigh.

He seemed hurt by my words. Caring for him was nothing but a waste. He was nobody to me.

"Well... The soul cairn must have seen this as a must for you to be here. After all, it allowed me to bring you here to me." He tried to point out, making me laugh.

He just did not get it.

"I do not care about what you have to say anymore, just send me back to Fenris!" I commanded.

He shook his head, desperately trying to reach my closed heart.

"No. If I let you go as you are. All you will do is kill everyone you care about." He warned.

I dismissed his worries by waving my hands.

"I only care about a couple of people. What if a few nobodies die?" I smirked, feeling like nothing else mattered anymore.

"Lily..." Shade called out to me, worried.

Her call made me realize what I had just said. I did not differ from Stella.

"You will kill everyone! Even those you care about! You still fear the power within you. You must not fear it!" Tobias snapped, reaching towards me, only for me to slap his hand away.

"The only man who can touch me is Fenris." I declared.

He grabbed onto his hand, surprised by my action towards him.

"Foolish child. You don’t even know what the soul cairn is. Yet you pretend to use its power to protect the people you love?" He chided in failure to reach me, shedding his affection for me.

He never had it to begin with. That much I knew.

"Then stop wasting my time and tell me, father. What is the soul cairn?" I scowled, causing Tobias to smirk in response.

"The soul cairn is the resting ground for the old gods and their servants. It is where they trapped their souls. And it is what makes this realm a powerful source of magical power for everyone, not just witches." He began.

I stared at him, not quite following. But all I could do was listen to him. He would try to explain it on better terms. Someone created the soul cairn soon after this world was born. The gods had gone into war with each other for a reason he could not recall. To keep their enemies from resurrecting, they created this prison. A dimension to hold their fallen comrades and keep them there. He paused for a moment to allow me space to analyze. I glanced over to Shade, who could have been a goddess. Well, if what he said was right.

"So, you are telling me that all the shadow demons... That these beasts are dead god-like beings?" I resounded in disbelief.

Tobias confirmed and added that it was their prison. A long time ago, when the gods created this realm, they had meant it to be sealed off from mortals. But it was not long before we discovered it. Although they could not resurrect the gods that dwelled within, they could control the magical power that was emitted from the soul cairn.

He explained that was how elves created the god artifacts, who could warp time. Each race had a connection to the realm, although humans were the ones who benefited the most from it. Unable to follow, I stopped him. I did not need information that seemed so unreal. Especially with everything that was taught to us when we were young.

"How does any of this help me?" I asked, plainly wanting a simple explanation.

All did was Tobias chuckled in response to my confusion.

"It is important to know what forces you play with, child. The power these gods possess has the potential to corrupt you, as it did with your mother. They betrayed most of those who are here. And they merely want revenge. So, if you know how to control it. You will control the world if that is what you wish." He pointed out.

I scowled, remembering the whisper's wishes. This was surreal to me. I had always thought they resonated with what I wanted. But maybe it was more of what they desired. Bloodshed. Perhaps what happened all those years ago was not only caused by me.

"Then I will not use this corrupt power!" I declared.

My reluctant demeanor caused Tobias to burst out laughing in disbelief.

"You will not stand a chance if you do not use it. You are a powerful witch, but some powers are beyond your comprehension. Alijah is only one problem of many in this world." Tobias pointed out, causing me to clench my chest.

"I will stop him," I vowed.

Tobias enjoyed my determination to fight, but what he said next shocked me.

"But he is not your destiny, child. That belongs to another." He declared, leaving me again in disbelief.

If it was not my fate to stop that madman, then whose?! I would not allow that man to destroy what I loved! Before I could say anything, Tobias continued.

"Your destiny is..." He began, only to choke on something that seemed to be out of his reach.

All I could do was watch him gasp for air before slowly composing himself. Once he regained himself, he burst out laughing, unable to contain his amusement at what had happened.

"I see... You only want me to guide her, not to enlighten her." He added, leaving me bewildered yet again.

This man was just as insane as my mother and grandmother.

"Who are you talking to?" I asked.

He simply grinned.

"To the residents of the soul cairn. They watch us as we speak, as you can see. Although... most of them remain dormant. I hope they never come out; they can be wicked." He answered, relaxing his hands.

It was almost as if he wanted me to jump into his arms. Something that would never happen. Although all the blue eyes that stared at us were a bit unsettling.

"Very well, I will tell her your message!" He began glancing up towards the sky.

"Lilith, you are the chosen vessel for the soul cairn. The one who will give life to a new power never seen in this world. You must not fear the soul cairn's power but make it your own." He declared, still staring up into the sky.

Everything seemed too insane at this point. Especially after he said the impossible. Control this realm? How could I even do that? If what he said before, many had tried and failed to do so. How would I be any different?

"And what do you think I have been trying to do? It is impossible." I confronted him.

He shook his head, glancing down back towards me. His expression was one of a madman. His time here had not been in vain. It had corrupted his soul.

"You already know how magic works. Do you know why witches seek this realm for power?" He questioned my knowledge.

I had very little to offer to him.

"Because it resonates with them?" I hesitated to answer, not knowing full well why my kin wanted this realm for their own.

If it was like he said, and this was where dead gods laid then. This realm was much more than what they led us to believe. Especially how every race could benefit from this world.

"That is true to some point, but it is because a witch's power comes from death itself. And... In here... there are a lot of dead gods waiting to be feasted on by witches and warlocks. However, they have something wrong about what to expect of this world." Tobias explained, assessing me.

He wanted to make sure I heard him with no confusion.

"They think it is their source of power, but it is not. This is a prison the old gods made for those who deserve to die. Or at least think that they deserve it. Of course, the truth that society wants to suppress is that witches can control death itself. Something that you cannot forget." Tobias added.

I seemed lost by his revelation. It sounded like a fantasy that we could control mortality. If we could, then Stella would have revived my mother. Yet maybe that was not what he meant. For a moment, I pondered. I was reminded of a book in Stella's library long ago. One of necromancy, the study of death manipulation, and it was not a pretty one. They banned it everywhere and thought it to be a legend.

Maybe… we could bring people back? Or… control death? I had no way of knowing, as I lacked the knowledge.

"So, necromancy is not a tale?" I asked.

Tobias smiled happily to see me keeping up.

"It is not. They burned the books on it. In history, my dear Lilith, witches, and warlocks had never been on the good side of it. Necromancy and sacrificial magic are some of the powers you possess. Sadly, the world seems to want to keep your kind at the bottom of the food chain. Especially after the Lilith of old tried to set loose the dead gods. Although, these are a shadow of who they used to be." Tobias informed me.

I took a few steps back. Witches and warlocks were terrifying beings. Even if society tried to press us down, I did not blame them.

"And here is where your role lies. The soul cairn wants to create a new type of magic. One that will define you as a summoner. It will allow you to free the creatures from this realm." Tobias announced, leaving me unable to believe his words.

"What?" I mumbled, not quite noting what he meant.

He pointed towards Shade.

"She is a result of what happens when it works. You will create this new type of magic. That is your destiny. And then your kin will follow along until the world is changed and reborn!" He revealed.

I wanted nothing to do with whatever he planned.

"What are you ranting about?" I questioned.

Tobias did not answer, changing the topic towards his goal. It was no longer to make me understand their wishes. But to push me towards my destiny. Or at least what they depicted it to be.

"You must be wicked to control this realm. To fight all who oppose you! Do not be afraid to jump into the darkness to protect those you love. It is the only way the shadow beasts will listen to you. Oh dear, summoner." He continued, not stopping for me.

"Summoner? Wicked?" I continued to query, not being able to follow.

"Yes wicked. It is your nature and theirs." The withered tree pointed towards the horizon, revealing the shadow beasts who watched on.

From all the times I had traveled, they seemed aware of me this time. Maybe they always were. However, they seemed excited and ready to go.

"If I want to protect those who I love from myself. I must be wicked?" I glanced over at Tobias, who quickly changed his demeanor once again.

"Yes... Show no mercy to your enemy. It is the only way that the wolf boy will survive what is coming. He is weak after resonating with the soul cairn's power. Do not allow him to fall, he still has his part to play in this tale." Tobias announced, almost as if he knew the future.

A future he could not speak of. However, he confirmed what I thought. Fenris caused the change in my body.

"So, he truly caused what happened the night before?" I asked, hoping deep down Tobias would deny my suspicions.

"Yes... The wolf was the one who changed you. Red-eye Lycans can control most magic types, even the one that the soul cairn emits to a point. With him..." He stopped himself, unable to say any further.

My mind ran to one pending menace.

"Then, Alijah will be impossible to stop," I said, not wanting to accept that my dream would come true.

"You are not destined to stop him, but you will have to delay his rage. If that is possible, is for you to find out though." Tobias hinted, closing his eyes.

"Why don’t you just tell me!" I lashed out, angered by the fact he hid information from me.

"My child, this is all I can tell you. The rest is for you to find out. Try speaking with the dreaded council once you save them." Tobias suggested, knowing full well that would be my only play after what happened next.

But I was not confident. The council hated the fact that I was under Fenris. I would rather rot in a dungeon than be in front of them.

"They will not hear me," I argued.

It caused Tobias to smirk. He was certain of what he said.

"Oh... they will hear you. Because you will make yourself heard. The power is in your grasp. All you must do to control it is not fear it. Let it flow, Lilith." He assured, resonating with what he had said the previous night.

I wanted to hear nothing more. It was not like he would tell me either way. Whatever held him complied him not to. However, everything he had said seemed to be the truth. I could not help but be skeptical of it all. I would have to find undeniable proof of what he said.

"Then send me back!" I ordered once again.

This time, the realm shifted once again as the mist set in. It was responding to me.

"Do not fear or rely on it fully, or it will control you, just like it did all those years ago," Tobias said, disappearing into the mist.

Something sucked us out.

"Shade... I was happy to see you once again..." He added.

The realm melted before spatting us out into the unknown.

‘Fly, Lilith. Do not let the cage hold you any longer!’