Richard's eyes widened in horror, his mind reeling. "You're a… a demon?" he stammered. "How is this possible?"
Elysia's smile was a cold, cruel slash of red in the dim light. "The details are irrelevant. What matters now is the destruction of Archer. He is an anomaly, a variable that must be erased. And for that, I require a vessel. A weapon. And who better suited for the task than you, Richard? Your hatred for him once burned so brightly."
Before Richard could spit another refusal, Caspian Vex slithered from the shadows, a long, sinister syringe glinting in his hand. The liquid inside was a viscous, oily black that seemed to writhe with a life of its own.
"He's ready now, my lady," Caspian hissed, his voice filled with raw excitement.
Richard's heart hammered against his ribs. "What are you going to do to me?" he demanded, his voice cracking despite his efforts to sound brave.
