The serpent guard escorted the prisoners through an extensive and ornate set of doors guarded by more serpent guards to enter inside the domed palace. They were led to a second ornate doorway through a columned hall with a ceiling so high that it was hidden in shadows. A pair of serpent guards posted outside the doors opened them inward, revealing the interior. The room on the other side became silent as everyone's attention shifted to the doors.

Inside was a completely different world to the rest of the Fallen Citadel. It was overgrown by plants kept inside rusted iron vases, creating a mosaic of coloured light throughout the room from reflected lifeforce in various hues. Directly in front of them was the opening to a circular pit. On the other side of the cylinder on the floor was an imposing iron throne. Seated atop it was the almost unrecognizable figure of Ronan, the Tyrant. Noah lost sight of everything else in the room as he glared with focused hatred at the source of his suffering.

Ronan's physique was intimidating even while leisurely seated. His head was still shaved bald, but now there was an iron crown resting atop it. He had replaced his handlebar moustache with a full beard that had become colourless and glowed with a sickly light. The beard was unable to hide the changes in his face completely.

The whites of his eyes had changed to black, revealing him as the predator he truly was. His features were unnatural. They were subtly twisted to become something distinctly not-human. His skin was pale to the point of being bloodless with the glow of the yellow-lifeforce beneath his skin polluted with black.

He still wore the [Grade 1 Spirit Armor Breastplate] decorated with the scene of Noah's defeat. Ronan wore over his armour, a long black leather vest coat, embellished by cross-stitching. In contrast, the [Grade 1 Wind Blade Sword] rested forgotten against the side of his throne. He had a new weapon draped over the arm of his seat. It was a strange design. It had a short harpoon with a barbed hook attached to a looping chain coiled loosely to the floor. It was now that Noah noticed the figure at Ronan's feet.

Chloe was attached to the throne by a delicate, golden chain. Her appearance had become otherworldly after advancing grades. Her hair shimmered with yellow-lifeforce as her porcelain skin glowed with a faint light. Her distracting figure was on full display as she wore a thin gossamer dress that was transparent, leaving nothing to the imagination. Her eyes appeared to be glazed over and emotionless, ruining the appeal of her beauty.

Beside the throne stood Craig. He was heavily equipped with an ostentatious version of the Fallen uniform armour. It had a pair of intertwining golden serpents that wrapped across his torso to enwrap to become a neck guard with their heads separated to act as decorative pauldrons on his shoulders. He was clean-shaven and orange-lifeforce shimmered under his skin and through his hair. He wore no obvious weapons.

On the other side, Sophie leaned casually against the throne with her arms crossed. She wore an oil-stained white, partially unbuttoned blouse underneath a black leather vest equipped with a simple metal shoulder pad. At her waist was the familiar [Grade 1 Influence Cutlass]. Her hair and skin both glowed with orange-lifeforce under the grease smeared on her face. It was apparent that not only Ronan and Chloe had advanced to grade three. Sophie and Craig had as well.

Kneeling in front of an open chest at the foot of the throne was Theodore. His appearance was more or less the same. White-lifeforce shimmered beneath his skin only when he moved, indicating that he had not advanced to grade-three. Noah couldn't see the contents of the chest from here. But, lifeforce illuminated Chloe's face from where she sat listlessly at Ronan's feet.

Other people loitered in the area being attended by beautiful men and women, dressed similarly to Chloe in gossamer fabric. They were all unawakened and had advanced to grade-two. Noah suspected they were all chosen for their beauty and submissiveness as he watched them meekly serve the curious ability-users.

"Hello again, handsome. I see that you're alive and well," Sophie was the first to speak.

Ronan was silent until the guards steered the prisoners to stand in front of the pit. Then he gestured for the serpent guards to make them kneel. Noah suppressed his [Battle Instinct] from activating. He felt pressure on his shoulder as someone pressed down before kicking him in the back of the legs, buckling him to kneel on the floor. Bruce and Wayde knelt on either side of him. Josh was further away. As the guards were preparing to force him into kneeling, Ronan stopped them with a gesture.

"Bring him to me," Ronan commanded.

The guards dragged Josh around the pit to the foot of the throne. Forcing him into a kneeling position beside Theodore. Noah took the time to glance into the hole in the floor. It was a deep drop through the heart of the citadel. At the bottom, he saw the form of the Titan fastened to the circular plinth.

"Unchain him. Theodore, your tribute disappoints me. Perhaps the followers of Poseidon would benefit from a change in leadership. Josh here has performed exceptionally well in leading me to the resistance. He even brought me the head of the snake, as it were," Ronan said as sycophants snickered at his joke.

Ronan gestured to a pair of guards beside another door on the side of the room. One of the guards opened the door, allowing two more to enter, hauling a confused prisoner between them. They unceremoniously threw the battered captive to the floor before exiting the room.

"Traitor!" Wayde shouted at Josh as he spat.

Wayde was the first to recognize the captive. He attempted to struggle to his feet but was prevented from standing by the guards behind. He was already covered in bruises from when the guards beat him to put on his restraints. Noah looked away from the angered Wayde to examine the captive man closely. Suddenly, recognition dawned on him when he looked past his dishevelled appearance. It was David, the leader of the ability-users from the cruise ship.