The chamber was silent, save for the faint crackle of corrupted aether moving through the walls.

"Say that again. "

The messenger trembled, head pressed to the cold stone floor.

"He survived my lord. The forest failed to take his life... most of the beasts were wiped out."

Silence prevailed for a second then a low and disbelieving laughter followed.

"So the trap meant to end him," the smooth voice echoed," has sharpened him instead. "

Another figure stirred from behind the invisible veil, golden eyes glowing faintly beneath. " And the core?"

"Destroyed. The corrupt forest lord is gone."

The laughter stopped instantly, the temperature in the room plummeting.

"She must have noticed the anomaly... how interesting."

The owner of the voice stirred, a small laugh escaping them.

"We underestimated him. No..." their smile widened in the dark," we under-estimated her. Who knew she would locate the destructor that easily?"

A presence shifted in the chamber standing by the corner, far from the two.

The councillor.

"I already told you, you cannot look at both of them from the lenses of normal elves they are blessed by the gods," the councillor standing at the corner said.

A long silence followed, heavy with thought. The first figure turned, his eyes gleaming with cruel anticipation.

"Then we will adjust," he said quietly, " if the forest does not kill him, then we will make sure the next one does."

.

.

.

The sea stretched endlessly, the midday sun glaring down at the blue mass of water.

The calming sound of the waves rolling across the coast then folding into themselves filled the coast unaffected by the outside world.

At that moment, the space opened. A dark portal formed above the stone path leading to the mansio. From it, she stepped through unharmed.

But Atheline wasn’t as perfect.

Cradled in her arms, his body hung unnaturally still. His head tilted against her shoulder with his damp strands of hair filled with blood and sweat.

His skin was flushed an unnatural shade of blue and red from the faint heat that hadn’t settled, but only made worse by the teleportation.

The poison had pushed deeper into his now weaker body, binding itself into him.

For a moment, everyone remained still as their gaze settled on the two.

The figures stationed along the shore, healers in layered white robes, attendants carrying sealed containers, warriors standing a distance away, all froze the moment she appeared.

The freezing only lasted for a fraction before the coast all at once returned to its panicked but careful motion.

"They’ve arrived. "

"Prepare the sequence... now!"

"Careful, careful don’t disrupt the circle. "

The mansion itself stood behind them. Its wide terrace facing the sea allowed maximum comfort.

It had all been prepared in advance, meant to be secure, comfortable and fully isolated.

The perfect place for recovery.

She didn’t glance at it, her worried gaze fully set on him. Her grip tightened when she felt his body becoming almost unbearably hot knowing it was the result of her teleportation.

When they left he was just a little warm but now he was worsening by the second.

"Move," she said quietly.

The path was cleared instantly, attendants stepping aside as she walked forward without slowing down her steps.

The closer she came to the shoreline, the more visible the preparations became.

A magic circle had been drawn directly onto the wet sand, reinforced with sunfire crystals that pulsed faintly with solar aether.

A better alternative since he couldn’t absorb aether well at the moment.

Several crystal jars had been opened, their components shimmering faintly in the sun. They were filled with liquid silver, crushed sea herbs, and something darker beneath the surface that seemed to channel energy into the sea.

The healers were fully ready, only waiting for their arrival.

One of them stepped forward, an older man, his posture straight despite the clear tension on his shoulders.

His eyes flickered briefly to her before lowering.

"We will begin immediately. "

She didn’t respond but stepped into the magic circle and knelt. She lowered him carefully onto the prepared center.

For the first time since her arrival, her hands hesitated not wanting to let him go, just for a fraction of a second, before she let go and stepped back.

The healers took their position, surrounding him.

"Hold him steady. "

"Pulse is unstable. "

"Poison has spread further than expected... adjust the ratio!"

Their controlled voices overlapped as each settled into position.

One poured the liquid mixture into a shallow vessel at the centre of the circle. Another pushed a blue gelatinous pill into his mouth while another pressed his hand lightly against his chest, channeling measured plant aether, in deliberate waves into him.

The reaction was immediate. His body jerked but it wasn’t too violent.

A shallow breath broke through his lips, strained and uneven, as the antidote began its work.

The heat on his skin flared, then dipped to almost freezing, then flared again as though a war was going on inside his body.

"The poison is resisting."

"Increase input now!"

"There are small signs of indirect corruption"

The patterns curved onto the sand ignited one by one, lines of pale light spreading outwards from the centre.

The scent of salt and herbs thickened becoming almost suffocating as time went by.

Lilith watched all of it, her body tense but she maintained a calm exterior her expression one of nonchalance.

A few steps behind her, another group slowly gathered.

They had arrived shortly after the preparations started, their movements faster and the worry in their gazes couldn’t be missed as they looked at the unconscious Atheline.

Unlike the healers and attendants who seemed scared of Lilith, they didn’t seem the least bit fazed but didn’t approach her directly.

One of them stepped forward, A female high elf. She was lightly armoured her gaze sharp but measured.

She inclined her head slightly, out of respect.

"We are his retainers," she said her voice steady," we have secured the remaining components and ensured the antidote’s integrity."

Lilith briefly glanced at her.

"Thank you for bringing him back," the woman finished.

She did respond to her but never dismissed them either. That alone was answer enough.

The woman stepped back without pressure, signaling the others with a slight motion.

The process stretched, minutes, hours no one could really measure with all the tension hanging in the air.

The initial instability gave way to a slow recovery. Atheline’s breath steadied, though faint.

The unnatural heat that clung to his skin began to recede, replaced by the degree of normal warmth that suggested his body had begun to heal.

"Corruption stabilised."

"Poison concentration is dropping."

"Circulation is stabilising. "

"We’re past the critical point."

Atheline’s expression had eventual gave way to something more peaceful, his brows unfurrowing.

The tension in the air reduced, as everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The final stage began quietly.