Rilith and Velara stumbled through the tunnel opening following Shennong, their wings trembling and their eyes wide with panic. The room was none other than their famillar main room, which at this point became the most cozy spot for Rilith, Velara and Shennong.

Shennong followed, his movements calm and deliberate. He then shut off the entrance of the newely opened tunnel, sealing it like it wasn't their in the first place.

Rilith collapsed onto a comfy sofa, her claws digging into the surface as she clutched her head. "It's over for us, Shennong! It's over!" Her voice was a frantic hiss, her glowing eyes darting wildly. "Did you see her? Did you see that succubus who fled because of us? It is a nightmare..."

Velara paced, her whip-like tail lashing the air. "She wasn't just any succubus, Shennong," she said, her voice shaking but sharp. "That was Mirelle D'Agraval. A direct descendant of the Queen, just like our Lady Yenissa. She saw us. She knows we're alive. We're done for! She will come after us now."

Shennong raised a hand, his eyes steady as he stepped toward them. "Calm yourselves," he said, his voice low and soothing, like a balm on their frayed nerves. He pulled them both into a gentle embrace, one arm around each succubus. Their trembling eased slightly, though their eyes remained haunted. "Tell me, what has you so terrified? You've faced worse than a single succubus. We've faced worst creatures...I won't let anyone harm you."

Rilith pulled back, her wings twitching. "You don't understand! Mirelle isn't just any succubus. She's one of the Queen's chosen, a matriarch in her own right. And now that she knows we're alive—servants of Yenissa—she'll hunt us down, it'll be even worse if she get to know that Lady Yenissa is not active anymore. She'll follow our scent, our tracks, anything! Only Lady Yenissa could protect us now, and she's…" Her voice faltered, her gaze dropping.

"Sick," Velara finished, her voice barely above a whisper. "Or so we thought. But if Mirelle saw us with you, acting… friendly…" She hesitated, glancing at Shennong. "She'll know something's wrong. She'll know Yenissa might still be out there."

Shennong's lips curled into a faint smile, his mind already turning. "Interesting," he murmured, releasing them and pacing toward the center of the room. "You said succubi like Yenissa and this Mirelle are directly connected to your Queen. What happens if one of them dies? I'm pretty sure your queen must have strong connection with them."

Rilith's eyes widened, her claws flexing. "The Queen would feel it, even if they are sick. The moment one of her direct descendants falls, it's like a wound in her essence. She'd send every succubus in her dominion to that place, a swarm to annihilate whatever caused the harm. No mercy, no hesitation. Only thing that is holding her back is the unbreakable wall...in fact lot of other creatures are held back by this unbreakable wall between two planes."

"And if those succubus that she sent also died?" Shennong pressed, his voice sharp with curiosity.

Velara's wings twitched, her gaze narrowing. "If something like that happens she would be enraged...at that point I don't even know what might happen, the Queen herself might come. But it's not that simple. She can't cross into this world whenever she pleases. There needs to be a tear—a rift between this realm and the Otherworld. Those don't open easily."

Shennong's smile widened, a glint of ambition in his eyes. "A tear, you say. And a Queen who'd come running to protect her kin." He tapped a finger against his chin, his mind racing. "I think I have an idea. A great idea. If we could summon the Queen here, control her power… that genie might not stand a chance."

Rilith blinked, her panic giving way to confusion. "Control the Queen? Shennong, that's madness. She's not some demon you can leash. She's—I heard about this idea earlier...but it is insane. One wrong step and we are all doomed. We can't resist the orders of our queen...we might be the death of you if that happens."

"—not invincible," Shennong interrupted, his tone calm but unyielding. "And if what I've heard is true, Sir Juno's sword might be the key. It's been said to have torn open rifts before, hasn't it? That genie brought into this world is the proof of that." He paused, his expression darkening. "But now I'm wondering… is it the sword itself, or the one who wields it? I heard something from Mandira once, about Juno's bloodline and its ties to the Sturgon royal family. A connection to power, to this world and the Otherworld."

Velara's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

Shennong turned, his cloak swirling. "I'm saying this might be more than a relic. It might be about blood—royal blood or Marciel Blood. And if that's true…" He trailed off, his smile returning. "This could be very interesting indeed."

***

Far across the forest, in a hidden lair carved into the roots of an ancient, twisted tree, Mirelle D'Agraval stood before a glowing pool of dark energy filled with skeletons of humans, her crimson eyes blazing with fury and confusion. Her shoulder still ached where Kain's attack had struck, the black ichor staining her silken robes. She clenched her fists, her claws biting into her palms as she replayed the encounter in her mind.

"Yenissa," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "I thought you were gone. Banished. Dead. Yet your servants—Rilith and Velara—are alive, parading around with a human of all things. Acting like his allies. His friends." She whirled, her tail lashing as she paced the chamber. "What game are you playing, Yenissa? I should have known when queen didn't react that you're not dead."

The air shimmered, and a wiry succubus with obsidian claws materialized from the shadows. It was Lysara, one of Mirelle's most trusted lieutenants, her eyes gleaming with urgency. "My mistress," she said, bowing low. "We have news. The human with Yenissa's servants—he's no ordinary man. He said his name was SHennong and recently among the humans of Sturgon this name had been rather popular."

Mirelle's pacing stopped, her eyes narrowing. "Shennong? The one tied to the academy disaster? The monster surge that tore through Sturgon's borders?Right?"

Lysara nodded, her claws twitching. "The very same. We've been tracking whispers about him ever since we took Daniel Marciel. The knights we interrogated mentioned a human who unleashed a tide of monsters, a catastrophe that nearly leveled the academy. They say he controlled them, my lady. Hundreds of beasts, bending to his will."

Mirelle's lips curled into a sneer. "Impossible. No human could wield that kind of power. I saw him—smelled him. He's human, no doubt about it. But…" She paused, her mind drifting back to the clearing. That sword, materializing from nowhere. That wall of crystal, erupting from the earth. And his scent—sweet, enticing, unlike any human she'd ever encountered. It had stirred something in her, a hunger she couldn't explain. "What was that power? I couldn't track him, couldn't sense his mana. It was like he was… cloaked in something else entirely."

Lysara tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Could he be tied to the Otherworld? Like Us?"

Mirelle's gaze snapped to her, sharp and accusing. "Don't be absurd, are you telling I made a mistake. We are creatures of great power, direct descendant of the Queen. This Shennong is human, not even a half-breed. And yet…" She trailed off, her claws tapping against the edge of the pool. "There's something about him. Something dangerous. If he's working with Yenissa's servants, it means she's still out there, plotting. Scheming."

Lysara stepped closer, her voice low. "What about the cart, my lady? The relic it carries—Sir Juno's sword. It's tied to the Sturgon royals, isn't it? Could that be what Shennong's after?"

Mirelle's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. "The sword… or the bloodline it's tied to. The Sturgon royals have always been a thorn in our side, but now that they are working with us, meddling with powers they don't understandm things are in our favor. If Shennong knows about the sword's connection to the Otherworld, he might be trying to open a tear. To summon someone else."

Lysara's wings twitched. "But who else could he summon that won't destroy humans—"

"—a relic like Juno's sword," Mirelle finished, her voice cold. "Or a bloodline strong enough to wield it. Either way, we can't let him succeed. If Yenissa's involved, she's already one step ahead of us." She turned, her robes swirling as she faced the pool. "Find Daniel Marciel. He's our leverage against the Sturgon knights. And keep eyes on Shennong. I want to know everything—where he goes, who he meets, what he's planning."

Lysara bowed again. "And the shadow-walker? The one who wounded you?"

Mirelle's lips twitched, a mix of irritation and grudging respect. "Kain. He's no ordinary hunter. A vampire, perhaps, or something close. He's a problem, but not our priority. For now, focus on Shennong and Yenissa's servants. We'll deal with the shadow-walker when the time comes."

As Lysara vanished into the shadows, Mirelle stared into the pool, its surface rippling with visions of the clearing. Shennong's face lingered in her mind—those amber eyes, that maddening smile. "Who are you, Shennong?" she murmured. "And what do you want with the Queen?"

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