We moved cautiously through the stone corridors, avoiding the guards who patrolled the castle with strict discipline. Every step was calculated, every breath measured. We had no other choice but to succeed. The goal was clear ahead of us: reaching Lillin.
We reached a narrow stone staircase, and we quickly ascended until we reached the upper floor. Before us lay a vast hall, its high ceiling supported by columns of black marble, with walls adorned with golden engravings that told the history of Nwand. Tension filled the air, and I felt something unnatural in the surrounding energy.
Before I could warn her, I felt a sudden pressure under my feet. I didn't hear Linor's scream in time.
I lost my balance for a moment, then the world around me disappeared.
I landed forcefully on solid ground, my body aching from the shock, but I rose quickly, ready for any danger. I found myself in another hall, larger than the one I had been in, surrounded by towering columns that stretched toward an invisible ceiling. A faint light emanated from floating blue torches, giving the place an eerie atmosphere.
And in the middle of the hall stood Lillin.
Her gaze was steady, sharp, just as I had always known it. "I didn't expect you to fall so easily," she said in a calm voice, taking a step toward me.
I didn't answer immediately; I gathered my strength, realizing that the confrontation wouldn't be easy.
"You know why I'm here," I finally said.
She tilted her head slightly, a mocking smile forming on her lips. "No need for explanation. You came to take the third piece of your power. But there's just one problem: it's no longer yours."
I took a step toward her confidently. "Either you surrender it, just like Elinius did, or you'll end up like Seraphim."
Her smile froze for a moment, then she laughed softly, as if she found it amusing.
"You think you can kill me?" she said as she raised her hand. Her bow appeared between her fingers, but it was not like before.
The bow split into four parts, each piece seemingly able to function independently, surrounded by mysterious energy.
"I won't make it easy for you," she whispered before firing her first arrow.
I moved quickly, avoiding the arrow that exploded in the spot where I had been just a moment ago. But the attack didn't end there; the four bows released a rapid series of arrows, chasing me as if driven by some will of their own.
I used the shadows to move between the columns, trying to get closer to her, but she didn't give me the chance. She directed one of her bows and fired a charged arrow of deadly energy straight at me.
I had no choice but to face it.
I released shadows from my hands, forming a shield that blocked the arrow at the last moment, but the shock pushed me back. I felt its true power and realized that a direct confrontation with her would be lost.
I had to think of another solution.
I remembered how I had dealt with Seraphim—how I had used his impatience and recklessness against him. But Lillin was not Seraphim; she relied on precision and speed, rather than brute force.
I observed her movements, realizing that she wasn't attacking randomly. She was cornering me, pushing me toward a point where maneuvering would be difficult, especially knowing that her weapon could nullify my immortality.
Therefore, I decided to do the exact opposite.
Instead of dodging her arrows, I charged directly toward her, using the shadows to accelerate my charge. It seemed as though I had thrown myself into a trap, but she didn't expect me to face her up close.
I reached for the bow, and then I realized that its power wasn't just from Lillin—it was from Miira, the Lady of Wisdom. The bow was the key to her power.
While she tried to regain her balance, I used my shadows to pull the bow from her grip. It resisted for a moment, but I focused my energy and drained the connection between her and it. The moment her energy disconnected from it, her balance faltered.
Her eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't expected to be stripped of her power so quickly.
"Impossible..." she whispered.
I didn't hesitate. I aimed the bow at her, felt the energy flowing inside me, and then I fired a single arrow.
My arrow wasn't ordinary. It was charged with all the remaining energy she had, rebounding on her as if the bow itself had turned against her. The arrow pierced her chest, and she staggered back, looking at me in astonishment.
She didn't say anything; she simply fell to her knees before her energy completely vanished, and then she disappeared.
I felt the calm return to the hall, but there was no time to rest. I was trapped in this dimension.
Before I could search for an exit, I felt a familiar energy around me.
"You can't stay here," Linor's voice came from nowhere.
I turned to find her opening a gateway of energy, glowing silver.
"Hurry! I can't keep it open for long!"
I didn't hesitate. I dashed toward her, leaping through the gate.
In an instant, I found myself back in the castle, where it all began.
I looked at the bow in my hand, realizing that my journey wasn't over yet—it might have just begun again.