After Maleina and Baltanor were smacked to the ground with dark blood tendrils covered in black patterns that pierced them throughout their bodies, a shining dark silver aura burst forth from a strange crystal floated out from Maleina and shattered. It enveloped them in a protective dark silver barrier with eccentric structural motes.
Rin and Lily were expelled by the barrier as a powerful force assaulted them, but Erix reacted swiftly, freezing them in space with his newfound control over the Space with his 2nd realm space affinity, saving them from a potential crash.
Meanwhile, the barrier nullified Erix's and Lilith's attacks and effects, freeing Maleina, Baltanor, and Lynia.
Lilith raised an eyebrow, recognizing the power, and an amused smile spread across her face. 'So her father is Dark Sterling Valen.'
Hokran died instantly with Rin's and Lily's first attack, so he remained dead in the barrier.
Lynia was mostly unharmed because Erix only intended to trap her and then tame her.
However, Erix acted promptly and quickly slapped his palms together, exerting full control of Metal and Space and sealing Lynia in ten different metal layers almost instaneously.
'Good job realizing it quickly, honey,' Lilith impressively chuckled.
Although the barrier was powerful, the Abyss rule still applied! Erix was a noble-order, so although the barrier removed his attacks, it couldn't stop his attacks from forming inside again!
His quick thinking salvaged the situation completely!
"You'll regret doing this!"
After hastily downing a few potions, Maleina and Baltanor shouted in desperation.
Still, their injuries were not healing much because Lilith's blood and death-attributed attacks' healing and recovery reduction effects were quite high, making their struggles to escape futile because Lilith's overwhelming power made that scenario impossible.
'Did you expect this?' Erix asked before he relaxed as he saw Maleina's and Baltanor's faces turning ashen when he sealed Lynia again.
'Their backer is an Empyrean order, after all. It's common to have this kind of safety measures, but this one is not powerful enough against me.'
"This will not end well for you if you continue," Baltanor said somberly with distress in deep in his eyes. "What do we need to do for you to let us go?"
"Stop joking," Rin and Lily returned to the group and stood beside Erix and Lilith.
"Do you think there won't be any retaliation if we let you go?" Rin sneered as she pointed her katana at them.
Lilith's eyes gleamed as her aura burst out, and a dark red domain expanded from her, covering thirty meters around her.
The dark silver barrier started to flicker before cracks started spreading on it.
Maleina and Baltanor saw that, and instinctive despair appeared in their eyes, their heart turning heavier than ever.
"Fuck you!" Lynia cursed at Klelia while Maleina had a complicated yet defeated expression.
Lilith chuckled.
"I was just saying for your own good," Klelia shook her head and turned around, going back to the 2nd level cave.
"Lilith, don't you want to try the last level? It's for royal orders," Reinala said.
Lilith rolled her eyes. "You stupid dragon. Are you that eager to talk to these two bitches alone?"
"I was just saying," Reinala snorted. "I've become obedient and enjoying it. I don't mind becoming your subordinate even if you free me now because grouping with you while being free would be better."
"I was getting bored of my life here anyway, so I'll join in your journey."
She added.
"Wait, you..." Maleina carefully looked at Reinala and shockingly uttered, "Are you the Crimson Lady, Reinala?"
"Is news of my kidnap already spread everywhere in the city?" Reinala clicked her tongue and muttered, "Well, it's been two weeks, so it's not strange."
Maleina nodded. When they arrived at Fallen Land a week ago, many were talking about it in the city.
"I'll think about your proposal," Lilith casually said and dismissed Reinala before taking out her book with a faint, mysterious aura and starting to read it leisurely.
Reinala's fate was to be decided by Rin and Erix, and she knew their decision. Either Reinala would remain forever like a servant until she gets killed for them or get killed by them, but her freedom was out of the question.
The other Royal-order powerhouses in the cave were murmuring about the incident that just took place, and soon, all of them knew about Reinala when one of them suddenly recognized her.
"Aren't you afraid of news of my captive reaching my father?"
Lilith slightly tilted her head to the right and glanced at Lynia at the back, "I am not afraid of your Empyrean-order father. Even if he knew, here's how things will play out."
Lilith turned her head back to her book and nonchalantly continued.
"First, he won't come here personally because if you are born here, then you are not his sole child. He will send several powerful Royal order powerhouses, but that wouldn't make any difference to me."
"After they die by hands or get captive for my darling to drain like you two, your father might come here personality."
"Then all of you die!" Lynia shouted with bloodshot eyes.
Lilith chuckled, "Your father's name is Valen. He is called Dark Sterling Valen in Core Domain."
"And if he comes here, he will die too."