The Demon Queen paced slowly before Seely, her cruel eyes fixed upon her. She gripped Seely's chin firmly and hissed:
"Stop protecting nature this instant! What right do you have to do so? This world must surrender to my dark power."
Leaning closer, the Queen whispered into Seely's ear: "If there is truly a connection between you two, he will come here of his own free will. Then, I can make him my General. When his unmatched strength and my sorcery unite, I can bring the entire world to its knees at my feet. You, too, can help me!"
Seely asked in a voice mixed with pain and bewilderment, "Why are you doing this to me? He and I have never even met before. So why did you bring me here?"
The Demon Queen laughed hollowly. "That is a secret... and if you want to know that secret, join me. Then, I shall tell you everything."
At that very moment, the sound of the palace's great gates shattering echoed through the halls. Li Hua burst inside like a silver fire. He wasn't entirely sure why he was there. "That Tree Spirit begged me to save her... and when I saw that girl, I felt as if one of my own was in danger," he muttered to himself.
Hundreds of dark warriors who rushed him were swept away with a single sword stroke. The 'Celestial Mark' on his blade was now so brilliant that even the darkest corners of the palace were illuminated by its light.
"Seely! I am here!" Li Hua roared.
He still did not know that beneath her sleeve, on her wrist, lay the exact same mark as the one on his sword. The Demon Queen looked at Seely and smiled triumphantly. "There he is... now, the choice is yours!"
As Li Hua advanced through the dark soldiers with his glowing sword, the Demon Queen raised her hand, signaling a halt to the battle. She brought her sharp-clawed hand close to Seely's throat and addressed Li Hua:
"Stop, warrior! If you kill even one more soldier, she will die instantly. The lives of these soldiers under my command and her life are bound by the same dark sorcery."
Li Hua froze. Though the silver light emanating from his sword dimmed slightly, the fury in his eyes did not subside.
The Demon Queen stepped forward triumphantly. "I shall make you a grand offer. Surrender to me. Become my Supreme General. If your unmatched strength and my dark power unite, we can conquer this entire world. And not just that..." She pointed her hand toward the heavens.
"We can fight against the Gods! Don't you want to take revenge on those Gods who punished you, erased your memories, and cast you down to this earth? What do you say?"
Li Hua was stunned. The moment he heard the words 'fight against the Gods,' a thunderous roar echoed in his head. The golden palace from his past dreams and the figure that had punished him flashed before his eyes once more.
Seely watched in a daze. Li Hua looked back and forth between his sword and Seely, who was bound in chains. If he accepted the Queen's offer, Seely would be saved, but he would become a servant of the dark forces.
"I will never agree to your terms!" Li Hua's voice echoed through the hall, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
Seely, too, spoke firmly despite her weakness. "We... we will never help you."
The Demon Queen's face darkened instantly. She let out a spiteful laugh. "Fine... then I shall give you some time to think. Let's see how long this pride of yours lasts."
At that very moment, a bolt of pain like a lightning strike hit Li Hua's head again. Memories of the past crashed over him like a tidal wave. Golden light, a great war, and a figure fallen before him... "No...!" he screamed, falling to his knees as he lost consciousness.
"Take them both to the 'Cold Pool'!" the Queen commanded. "Bind them there so they can witness each other's agony."
The Cold Pool was a place of punishment located in the lowest level of the palace, filled with water as cold as ice. Li Hua and Seely were bound to black stone pillars with chains, facing each other.
A day later, Li Hua slowly opened his eyes. His body was shivering violently from the cold. He saw Seely before him, her eyes closed in pain.
"Seely..." Li Hua called out to her with great difficulty.
Seely slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. "How... how are you feeling?" she asked, forgetting her own suffering.
"I'm sorry... I couldn't save you," Li Hua said in a defeated voice. "But is what the Queen said true? Is there some connection between us?"
Just as Seely was about to answer, the Demon Queen entered the chamber, flinging the doors open. She looked at Li Hua with a cruel smile.
"Have you made a decision yet?" the Queen asked. Receiving no reply, she turned to Seely. "I suppose I must help him decide..."
The Queen took a whip filled with dark energy and began to strike Seely brutally. "Stop it!" Li Hua screamed, struggling to break his chains. "Don't hit her! Punish me instead!"
Seely endured the pain, looking at Li Hua and signaling him not to surrender.