"The method to free him."
Zion looked directly at the false Stephen.
His voice remained completely emotionless.
"There is only one method. Kill him."
"No!"
The response escaped Lucian instantly.
The idea felt unbearable.
Stephen had protected him since infancy.
He could not accept killing him unless every other option had vanished.
"We knock him unconscious. Then we bind him and bring him back to the Imperial City."
The Ghost of Griffin burst into laughter.
"And I suppose I will politely stand aside while you do that?"
The mockery in his voice was impossible to miss.
Lucian ignored him.
Instead, he focused on Zion. "Use anything you want. Just don't kill Uncle Stephen."
The moment those words left his mouth, Lucian launched himself forward.
The stone floor cracked beneath his feet.
Zion moved alongside him.
The distance vanished in less than a second.
At the same moment, the false Stephen also rushed forward, turning into a blur.
