The sanctuary chamber slowly settled once more after Lucifer's complete emotional collapse.
Though he still looked deeply offended.
The black cat remained curled comfortably against Draven's shoulder, completely ignoring him now.
Which somehow made the betrayal feel even worse.
Elenya continued giggling every few seconds, her tiny wings fluttering happily behind her as if the entire situation was endlessly entertaining.
Lucifer, meanwhile, refused to look at either of them.
A grudge had very clearly been born.
Draven walked calmly farther into the chamber before finally speaking.
"We need your blood."
The words were directed toward the cultist.
Silence briefly filled the room.
The cultist blinked once.
Then immediately lowered her head.
"Yes, my Lord."
There was no hesitation.
No fear.
Only acceptance.
The moment the answer left her mouth—
Vaelith moved.
One instant, she stood near the far side of the chamber.
The next—
she appeared directly before the cultist.
Fast enough that only a faint distortion rippled through the air behind her.
"Your arm."
Cold.
Efficient.
The cultist obediently extended her arm without delay.
Vaelith's fingers brushed lightly across the girl's wrist—
SHHK—
A thin cut opened instantly along her forearm.
Blood welled out immediately.
Then rose.
Not a single drop touched the floor.
Crimson mana flowed softly around Vaelith's hand as the blood lifted into the air, gathering into a floating sphere before her.
More blood followed.
Drawn smoothly from the wound in controlled streams.
The cultist's face paled almost immediately.
"…Ah."
A little too much.
The room tilted faintly around her vision.
Still—
she endured it quietly.
Draven watched calmly while holding both children.
Lucifer's attention had already shifted completely toward the floating sphere of blood.
His tiny wings twitched instinctively.
Elenya stared as well.
Curious.
Hungry.
The cultist swayed faintly once before quickly reaching into her storage ring.
She immediately pulled out a small healing potion, uncorked it with her teeth, and drank it without even the slightest concern for dignity.
Honestly experienced behavior.
Color slowly returned to her face afterward.
Vaelith paid none of it any attention.
The floating sphere of blood separated smoothly into smaller portions.
Two small glass containers floated forward from a nearby table.
The majority of the extracted blood flowed neatly into a larger storage vessel.
The remaining portion divided carefully into the two smaller containers.
Vaelith sealed the larger vessel first.
Then calmly picked up the smaller ones.
She approached Draven.
Or more specifically—
the babies.
Lucifer's eyes locked onto the blood instantly.
Total betrayal forgotten.
The black cat no longer existed in his mind.
Elenya reached outward excitedly with both tiny hands.
"Ah!"
Vaelith carefully handed the first container toward Lucifer.
The moment it neared him—
his tiny hands snatched it with shocking speed.
Tiny fangs immediately appeared.
Draven adjusted his hold slightly just before Lucifer buried his face against the container aggressively.
Elenya stared.
Then instantly became outraged that she had not received hers first.
Her tiny wings started flapping violently.
"Ah! Ah!"
Vaelith calmly handed her the second container.
Peace was restored immediately.
Elenya happily grabbed it with both hands before eagerly drinking as well.
The sanctuary chamber gradually quieted afterward.
Only tiny drinking sounds remained.
The cultist stared blankly at the scene while holding her healed arm.
"…This feels strangely normal now."
Vaelith answered immediately.
"It is."
Honestly fair.
Outside—
the ship had finally crossed fully into Blackwater's airspace.
No alarms sounded.
No defensive formations activated.
No guards rushed to intercept them.
Honestly—
that was somehow far more concerning.
The damaged vessel descended steadily through layers of smoke and drifting industrial fog while countless other ships moved throughout the skies surrounding the city.
Cargo vessels.
Smuggling ships.
Private transports.
Modified warcraft with illegal weapon mounts barely hidden beneath patched armor plating.
Nobody cared.
Or more accurately—
everyone pretended not to care.
Blackwater spread endlessly beneath the descending ship.
Massive iron structures climbed along the mountainside in chaotic layers while suspended bridges connected towering districts across open-air gaps deep enough to swallow entire buildings whole.
Enormous mana furnaces glowed throughout the city like artificial suns buried beneath steel frameworks.
Smoke stacks endlessly poured dark clouds into the sky above.
The entire place looked alive.
Not civilized.
Alive.
As the ship descended lower—
the damage became impossible to ignore.
Nearby vessels slowly adjusted their flight paths away from them.
Not out of fear.
Out of practical survival instinct.
One passing cargo pilot visibly stared at the scorched hull for several long seconds before immediately accelerating away.
Reasonable reaction.
The ship continued descending regardless.
Below—
an enormous aerial docking platform extended outward from the side of one of Blackwater's industrial districts.
Rust-covered support pillars.
Heavy landing chains.
Rotating mana beacons flickering unevenly through the smoke.
Several dock workers lazily looked upward toward the approaching vessel.
Then slowly stopped moving.
Silence spread across the platform.
One worker lowered his cigarette.
Another stared at the half-melted armor plating along the ship's outer hull.
A third quietly muttered—
"…What the hell happened to that thing?"
Nobody answered him.
The ship descended lower.
Closer.
The underside engines groaned heavily while damaged mana stabilizers sparked intermittently against the surrounding air currents.
Then—
THOOOOOM—
The ship landed hard.
The entire docking platform shook violently beneath the impact.
Heavy landing restraints snapped outward automatically before locking against sections of the damaged hull with loud metallic CLANGS.
Steam hissed from overheated engine vents.
One of the side mana fins sparked violently—
then finally died completely.
Silence followed.
Smoke drifted slowly upward around the docking platform.
Several workers continued staring blankly.
One finally pointed toward the ship.
"…Did that thing survive a war?"
Another worker slowly shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"Something worse."
Above them—
the docking platform gradually filled with low murmurs as more workers gathered around the newly arrived vessel.
Dwarves covered in soot-stained forge gear.
Humans carrying heavy mana tools.
Beastmen dock workers wearing grease-covered uniforms and exhausted expressions.
All of them stared upward at the ruined ship.
"…That hull's been torn open at least three different times."
"No, look at the barrier burn marks."
"What the hell even hit this thing?"
One older dwarf narrowed his eyes toward the scorched plating.
"…Lightning."
A pause followed.
"…A lot of lightning."
Another worker snorted.
"Looks more like somebody flew through the end of the world."
Honestly accurate.
Above them—
inside the control deck—
the pilot stretched lazily in his seat, several loud cracks sounding from his back.
"Right."
He rolled one shoulder before standing.
"I'm heading down there to get the repair crews started."
Several floating navigation arrays faded behind him as the ship's systems shifted fully into docked status.
The pilot glanced toward Lyriana afterward.
"…Best the workers don't run into any vampires immediately."
A meaningful pause followed.
"If you know what I mean."
Lyriana did not answer verbally.
Her hand simply rose toward the silver ring resting on her finger.
Mana pulsed softly.
Then—
her appearance changed instantly.
Her pointed ears shifted smoothly into human form.
Her crimson eyes faded into silver.
Even her hair subtly altered in both texture and shade.
Completely natural.
Completely seamless.
Kaelira blinked in surprise.
"…Wow."
A pause.
"That was fast."
The pilot grinned faintly.
"Useful trick in places like this."
Then he started toward the exit hatch.
"Alright then."
He lazily waved over one shoulder.
"I'll be off before this ship collapses from emotional exhaustion."
Lyriana stood immediately afterward.
"I'm coming."
The pilot glanced back briefly.
"Oh?"
Lyriana's voice remained calm.
"I'm here to make sure you don't get any ideas about escaping."
The pilot barked out a soft laugh.
"Fair enough."
Then a faint smile crossed his face.
"Though I don't mind being followed by such a stunning lady."
Lyriana did not acknowledge the sentence in the slightest.
Not even a single reaction.
Honestly devastating.
Kaelira immediately moved after them.
"I'm coming too."
Nobody stopped her.
As they reached the doorway—
Kaelira glanced back toward Nia, who still sat quietly near the side wall.
"Go find Master."
Nia blinked once.
Then quietly nodded.
The control deck doors slid shut behind the others as they departed.
Silence settled over the room once again.
Nia remained still for a few moments longer.
Then slowly stood.
The oversized sleeves of her clothing slipped slightly past her hands as she quietly adjusted them.
After a brief pause—
she began walking as well.
Outside—
Blackwater waited beneath endless layers of smoke, steel, and restless industry.