Ethan, Jay, and Marcus entered the hall — each guided by two courtesans.
The three walked like drifting puppets, empty-eyed, their expressions one of complete surrender.
Vaelira opened her arms, as if presenting trophies.
"My little pets.
Aren't they adorable?"
Sienna felt her blood boil.
Elenya tightened her grip on the bow.
Ayumi and Rina stepped forward.
"Where are our friends?"
Vaelira walked up to Jay.
"Your friends surrendered to temptation a long time ago. And these ones…" she ran her hand through his hair, almost affectionately. "This one surrendered to the relief of not having to protect anyone.
Poor hero… so tired. So easy to strip out of his armor."
Sienna stepped forward.
"Release them. Now."
Vaelira ignored the command and moved on to Ethan. She slid a finger beneath his chin, lifting his face.
"And this one… such a brilliant mage… yet so weak at the faintest whisper.
Collapsed like a leaf in the wind."
"How dare you?" Elenya growled.
Finally, Vaelira stopped in front of Marcus. She slid her hand across his chest, as if touching something that already belonged to her.
"And this one… so strong… so easy to tame.
A single compliment was enough.
A big, obedient toy."
Emanueru stepped forward.
Elenya grabbed his arm before he could advance.
"We need to free them," he whispered through clenched teeth.
That was when Vaelira turned to Emanueru.
And her gaze changed.
From curiosity…
to hunger.
She walked toward him with calculated slowness, stopping close enough for the perfume to envelop him. She placed a hand on his chest.
"Ah… the immune one.
The man who does not fall.
The only one who resists."
She smiled.
"So intriguing…"
Emanueru held her gaze.
"You have no power over me."
Vaelira tilted her head.
"Don't I?"
She leaned close to his ear and whispered the strongest enchantment she possessed.
The perfume shifted.
The air vibrated.
Emanueru did not move.
Vaelira stepped back, surprised.
Then she laughed — low and dangerous.
"Truly immune…
What a rarity. And what a waste."
Her smile vanished.
"If I can't seduce you… then I will—"
The sentence was cut short.
Ayumi drew her sword and hurled it.
Vaelira dodged at the last instant, but the blade grazed her arm.
Blood appeared.
For a second, Vaelira simply stared at her own arm.
Then she smiled.
Not mockery.
Interest.
"Hm…"
A different energy began to leak from her body. Not explosive. Not violent.
Elegant. Deadly. Still absurdly beautiful.
The air grew heavier.
The curtains stirred, as if an invisible wind had crossed the hall.
Sienna stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"Finally.
I really wanted a reason to smash my fist into your face."
Elenya didn't hesitate.
Two arrows cut through the air.
Vaelira dodged both with smooth, almost lazy movements.
Ayumi threw daggers.
Vaelira spun, letting the blades pass within inches, like part of a calculated dance.
Emanueru formed two swords of light and charged.
Vaelira did not retreat.
She simply vanished from his field of vision.
And reappeared behind him, striking his back with a sharp blow, using only her body.
Emanueru was thrown away, rolling across the floor.
"So eager…" Vaelira murmured. "So useless."
Sienna snapped her fingers.
"Now it's my turn."
Vaelira didn't even turn around.
"Ah… the insolent one. You I'll save for last."
"No." Sienna smiled. "You're dealing with me now."
Three summoning circles opened on the floor.
"Lupine Triumvirate."
Three spectral wolves leapt at once.
Vaelira dodged the first.
Leapt over the second.
But the third managed to bite her leg.
Vaelira screamed.
She felt pain.
She looked down, incredulous, as if it simply should not have happened.
Sienna crossed her arms.
"Oh… does it hurt?
Sorry. My pets don't know how to play gently."
Vaelira crushed the wolf with a kick.
"YOU!"
She charged furiously.
Sienna had already summoned two more wolves.
They attacked together.
Vaelira tore, destroyed, crushed.
But now… without grace.
Without dance.
Without a smile.
"What kind of magic is this?!" Vaelira screamed. "You shouldn't be able to maintain so many summons!"
Sienna shrugged.
"You're just kind of slow.
Plenty of time."
Vaelira snapped her fingers.
Ethan, Marcus, and Jay stepped forward, eyes empty.
"Defend your mistress."
They charged at Sienna.
"I've got this!" Emanueru grabbed Jay.
"Hold Ethan!" Elenya knocked him down and pinned him to the ground with her bow.
"Marcus, STOP!" Ayumi and Rina tried to restrain him, struggling against his overwhelming strength.
Sienna rolled her neck.
"Now this is between you and me, you winged skank.
No one's interfering."
Vaelira's eyes widened.
"You think you can face me alone?!"
Sienna's crooked smile returned.
"If I'm capable?
You're about to find out."
She charged.
Sienna ran with lethal precision. Vaelira tried to grab her, but Sienna slid underneath, kicked her chin, and summoned a wolf behind her.
Its fangs sank into the succubus's shoulder.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Vaelira screamed. "How do you control so many?!"
Sienna raised her index finger.
"It's simple.
You're weak."
Vaelira's face twisted.
She laughed.
But there was no pleasure in it.
Only fracture.
The energy around her changed.
It was no longer elegant.
It was unstable.
The ground beneath her feet cracked.
The air vibrated with a deep hum.
Vaelira brought a hand to her chest, breathing hard.
"Enough."
The energy exploded.
Not in an attack.
In transformation.
Her dress began to tear — not outward, but being consumed by shadows rising from her own body.
Black plates formed over her skin, shaping into living armor.
Demonic energy took form.
Two horns burst through her scalp with a sharp crack.
And then…
the wings emerged.
Large. Black. Real.
They unfolded slowly, filling the space behind her.
When Vaelira raised her face again, there was no seduction left in her gaze.
Only dominion.
She stared at Sienna.
"Now…
the game is over."
She laughed…
and vanished.
It wasn't teleportation.
It was speed.
A blur.
And in an instant, she was behind Sienna.
"DIE!"
The wings beat violently, releasing a blast of wind that slammed into Sienna's face.
"WATCH OUT!" Elenya shouted.
Sienna didn't move.