Two days later, Liora stood beneath the crimson sky, taking in the utter silence of the City of Ember's night.
The loud voices that once filled the streets had disappeared, leaving the city seemingly peaceful. Yet, the almost inaudible battle sounds and fluctuating auras proved otherwise.
Sensing the invisible auras colliding throughout the city, she understood that tonight was destined to be another bloody night.
"Lord, here it is."
Suddenly, Alpha's voice reached her ears. Turning, Liora saw her approaching with careful steps.
Alpha stopped half a step behind her and presented a long, black hooded robe. Liora took it and draped it over herself.
Immediately, the robe concealed most of her appearance, making it impossible to discern her gender and race based solely on her figure.
"However, there's still something missing.", Liora thought.
With a move of her mind, the shadows around her rippled.
Dark mist flowed out of them, spiraled toward her, and swirled around her face before solidifying into a black mask that hid her facial features.
Brushing her fingers against the black mask, Liora felt its rough texture, and, for a brief moment, had the illusion that it was actually real.
Still, she didn't linger on that thought.
After giving Alpha a few final instructions and reminders, she turned around and left the mansion, disappearing into the silent night.
--
With her speed and familiarity with the streets, it didn't take her long to reach her destination.
Unlike the inn's usual lively atmosphere, the building was now shrouded in silence. The lights inside were turned off, and no conversation could be heard, while the door was tightly shut.
Even the Devils near this place had seemingly vanished, as if they had been frightened away by something hidden.
Observing this scene, Liora stepped forward and knocked lightly on the door.
A few seconds later, a narrow gap opened, revealing a pair of green, smiling eyes inside.
A somewhat familiar hand slipped through the crack and twisted, turning into a claw in front of her.
Without a word, Liora pulled out the invitation hidden in her sleeve and placed it on the claw. The hand withdrew, and the door closed briefly.
After a few moments of quiet, it opened again, and as if the person on the other side had confirmed something, they let her in.
Once inside, Liora saw a figure standing beside the door. It was the grinning Devil, the Inn Keeper, and the host of the Devil gathering.
As always, the Inn Keeper didn't say a word. He merely gestured for her to go inside.
Nodding in acknowledgment, Liora placed her hands behind her back and did as told.
She was familiar with the inn, having stayed there for a while, and by following the faint sounds of conversation, she easily navigated through the corridors.
After climbing several staircases, she pushed open a heavy metal door and finally arrived at the true venue of the gathering.
It was a spacious hall, with dim, flickering red lamps hanging from the walls, their glow reflecting off the polished black floor.
The scent of smoke and liquor hung in the air as round tables filled the whole space, each occupied by a few Devils.
The Devils' quiet laughter and glowing, sinister eyes made the scene eerie, as if Liora had stepped into a den of monsters.
The bartender was weaving through the tables and serving drinks when he noticed her entrance, turned, and nodded with a smile before returning to his work.
Liora remained silent, taking in this whole scene. After a brief pause, she found an empty table and took her seat.
To her surprise, before she could observe the room, much less order a drink, a shadowy figure appeared beside her.
Pulling the chair back, the figure sat down and greeted her cheerfully.
"Hello! Are you new here? I haven't seen you before.", he said, a seemingly polite smile forming on his sneaky, rat-like face.
"My name is Scurry. Nice to meet you.", he continued, extending his furry paw toward her, as if waiting for a handshake.
Unfortunately for him, Liora showed no intention of reciprocating.
She stared at the Rat Devil before her without showing any intention to speak, her eyes flashing with disgust and coldness.
His sudden arrival had already surprised her, and his overly familiar behavior had only made her more suspicious.
If it were not for the occasion—and if she hadn't sensed that this Rat Devil was actually quite strong—she would have invited him for a battle in the Life and Death Arena... if that was even possible.
Scurry didn't seem to notice her displeasure. With a smile still on his face, he withdrew his paw as if nothing had happened.
Then, he spoke up again.
"Were you also invited by the Inn Keeper? That means that you must be very powerful! I'm very lucky to have met you!", he praised, his eyes shining.
Pausing, he took a brief look around before leaning closer and whispering in a low voice:
"There are rumors going around that the Inn Keeper is related to the City Lord. It's said that the two used to be close companions in the past."
"Many people doubt that the Inn Keeper still works under the City Lord."
Just as it looked like Scurry would continue, he suddenly waved his hands in front of his face in panic.
"No! No! Forget everything I just said. These are secrets! Secrets! You didn't hear anything from me!"
His voice squeaked, and his green eyes darted around like a trapped rat, scanning the hall as if afraid that someone had overheard their conversation.
When he was convinced that no one had, he let out a sigh of relief.
Then, he leaned in closer again and patted his chest.
"Since you're new here, I suppose that I have the responsibility to impart a little wisdom as an older member."
"Do you see that Devil right there? Yes—the guy holding the stick of raw meat. Watch out for him. He is very irritable and will fight at the slightest provocation..."
"And that woman? Hehe... don't let her harmless appearance fool you. Countless people have died at her hands..."
"That old man? Huh, that's a scary guy, full of schemes and conspiracies. You should be careful when interacting with him..."