The chamber fell into complete silence.
Pythia's eyes remained fixed upon the sealed crystal.
The dark crimson and deep violet light within it pulsed slowly.
Like a heartbeat...
That had refused to die.
She spoke quietly.
"...And following that path..."
"...the Leech Lord devours."
Her calm voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"...Mana."
"...Life."
"...Souls."
"...Everything in its path."
She paused.
"...It is not a destroyer."
"...It is a consumer."
"...A catastrophe that no one would willingly stand before."
Silence followed.
Aldric folded his arms.
His crimson eyes remained fixed upon the crystal.
Then he let out a quiet snort.
"...Yeah."
"...And somehow you people still ended up with its core."
He glanced toward Pythia.
"...Don't tell me your little cult actually managed to kill one."
Pythia immediately shook her head.
"...No."
"...Not a single member of the cult would ever dare attack an Abyss Lord."
She looked at him.
"...They are the beings we summon."
"...Why would we destroy what we worship?"
Aldric shrugged.
"...Fair point."
Pythia turned her gaze back to the crystal.
"...The Leech Lord was slain by others."
"...Long ago."
"...Before any of us were born."
She continued quietly.
"...The records are incomplete."
"...Many were lost to time."
"...I do not know every detail."
"...Only what has been preserved."
Her voice remained calm.
"...The Church of Light."
"...The Holy Knights."
"...Adventurers."
"...And many other powerful forces..."
"...joined together."
"...They fought it."
A brief silence followed.
"...Countless people perished."
"...Entire armies were wiped out."
"...Cities vanished."
She lowered her eyes slightly.
"...But in the end..."
"...they succeeded."
Ryke stared blankly.
"...They actually..."
"...killed an Abyss Lord?"
Pythia nodded once.
"...Yes."
"...At an unimaginable cost."
Her gaze returned to the suspended crystal.
"...Our predecessors later acquired what remained."
"...Its core."
"...How they obtained it..."
"...I do not know."
"...The records never explain."
"...Only that they succeeded."
She looked toward the countless sealing formations surrounding it.
"...Since then..."
"...it has remained here."
"...Sealed beneath Dresvalle."
"...Serving as the anchor for our greatest Abyssal rituals."
The chamber fell silent once more.
Every gaze rested upon the suspended crystal.
Its dark radiance continued pulsing behind countless layers of ancient seals.
Like a sleeping monster...
Waiting...
For someone...
To reach out...
And touch it.
The masked elder silently stepped aside.
His aged voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"...Go ahead."
His crimson gaze remained fixed upon the suspended Abyssal Core.
"...But understand this."
He slowly raised a hand toward the countless sealing formations surrounding it.
"...The moment those seals are disturbed..."
"...there will be no turning back."
Silence settled over the chamber.
"...Even if we wished to restore them..."
He slowly shook his head.
"...None of us possess the ability to reseal the Core."
His gaze shifted toward Draven.
"...Its corruption will spread."
"...Abyssal mana will begin leaking throughout these ruins."
"...And if you become nothing more than a mindless monster..."
A brief pause.
"...Then that shall be the price..."
"...for daring to proclaim yourself the Lord of the Abyss."
Draven merely looked at him.
He offered no reply.
Without another word—
he calmly removed his black cloak.
Then—
his spatial ring.
His gloves.
Finally—
the communication earring.
One by one—
he handed them to Kaelira.
She blinked.
"...Huh?"
She awkwardly accepted each item.
"...Me?"
She looked down at the growing pile in her arms.
Then back at him.
"...Alright."
She carefully gathered everything together.
Draven stepped forward.
His footsteps echoed softly across the ancient stone floor.
Toward the suspended Abyssal Core.
The masked elder instinctively retreated several steps.
The surrounding cultists quickly followed.
None wished to remain anywhere near the crystal once its seals were broken.
Even Ryke hurriedly backed away.
His face had already turned pale.
"...I..."
"...I'll stay over here."
He continued retreating until his back was nearly pressed against the wall.
"...Far..."
"...Far over here."
Aldric remained exactly where he stood.
Right at the front.
His crimson eyes never left Draven.
There wasn't the slightest trace of concern on his face.
Instead—
his gaze slowly drifted toward the retreating cultists.
A grin spread across his face.
"...You rats really do treasure your lives."
Several cultists frowned.
Aldric casually spread his hands.
"...Aren't you supposed to worship the Abyss?"
"...Shouldn't corruption be considered some kind of blessing to people like you?"
His grin widened.
"...Or..."
"...are you planning something?"
The atmosphere within the chamber instantly grew colder.
"...That..."
"...would be a very poor decision."
His crimson eyes slowly swept across every cultist present.
"...So here's a little advice."
"...Stand where you are."
"...Watch."
"...And don't do anything stupid."
The grin on his face slowly became feral.
"...Because if even one of you..."
"...so much as thinks about running..."
"...or interfering..."
A crimson aura quietly spread from his body.
The air itself seemed to grow heavier.
"...I'll kill you."
Silence.
Not a single cultist moved.
Not a single one spoke.
The masked elder simply watched.
His hidden gaze never left Draven.
Waiting.
Observing.
To witness...
Whether the impossible would truly unfold.