Summoning multiple spheres of light, I floated them down the basement. I commanded a few to encircle Morgrave, ensuring that I could act if it tried something foolish.
But something within its eyes told me that it wouldn't try such suicidal acts.
My steps echoed throughout the empty basement, each step encroaching on Morgrave's position at the bottom of the stairs, growing deafening.
My steps suddenly stopped right in front of Morgrave, and we locked eyes. My hand inched to summon a weapon and cleave the snarling beast's head in two, but I suppressed the urge.
"Move." I barked.
Morgrave flinched at my words, his body instinctively shifting away in the face of danger.
His eyes widened, and ever so slowly Morgrave moved aside, revealing the bloodstained basement to me, filled with chains. The stench of blood and filth ran rampant in the air. I couldn't believe that such a place once held living angels.
"Truly disgusting." I spat.
I flicked my fingers, commanding the light spheres to morph into chains and bind Morgrave.
Although he was being passive, I had no room in my heart to trust a wild beast. Once it saw an opening, it would most definitely leap at the opportunity.
The light chains wrapped themselves around Morgrave's entire body, not leaving a single patch of fur untouched. Soon, Morgrave's body was enveloped in a shimmering light, the chains being absolute in holding the beast.
Despite its struggles and frantic cries, the chains didn't waver.
I wasn't exactly confident in the chains holding Morgrave at its prime; it was convenient that I'd weakened it so much.
Eventually, Morgrave's struggles stopped resigning to its fate. I guessed that its energy was fleeting and its recovery from Helios wasn't yet complete. It merely slumped to the floor, lying down like a dog and eying me warily, its scarlet eyes burning a hole in my back.
As my feet dragged along the basement further into its darkness, my hand automatically went to cover my nose. The stench assaulting my nose was far worse than anything I had ever experienced.
The scent of death and decay was rather pleasant compared to this.
In front of me lay two corpses impaled on a small valley of swords, their hands and legs bound, hoisting them up like some sort of trophy.
I'd seen death 38 times now, but this still frightened me. It was horrifying. How could such cruelty exist in this land? And why would anyone subjugate innocents to this level of terror?
My whole body broke out into a cold sweat, my eyes running wild uncontrollably.
It took me a whole minute to come to grips with the scene. And eventually, my blood settled, and my frantic shakes slowed drastically.
Shattering the ends of the swords and chains, their bodies fell lifelessly to the floor. Just before they hit the floor, I caught them in a blanket of light.
I shield their bodies in a protective barrier of light, eliminating any sight of their mangled forms. Although I said this was for Lilia, it was more for me. I couldn't stomach looking at their wounds.
Before the barrier closed around them, I gently closed their eyes, stricken with horror, returning them to the peace of everlasting sleep.
Placing two light platforms below their bodies, I floated them out of the basement, giving them one last taste of moonlight. Just as I left the basement, I felt a sudden wetness run along my cheek.
"Morgrave! Come." I ordered.
I ignored the feeling, walking out of the basement, being followed by the thunderous steps of Morgrave, his chain resting firmly in my hand.
The earth above was scorched to charcoal; it wouldn't be long until a unit of soldiers appeared. I still had things to do tonight, and I couldn't get caught up on explanations and reports.
"Oh, Evernight! What a mess you've made. Is this how you always operate?"
In the flattened ashland of the former slums, a single person stood in the ashes. Her pink hair gracefully flowing in the wind, she had the same lensless glasses strapped firmly to her face.
Although it appeared that she had abandoned the sophisticated hairstyle, her hair now flowed wild, returning to its natural, messy, and ungrown state.
"Liliana? Why are you here?"
As the words escaped my mouth, I felt Morgrave frantically pull away from me. He apparently thought this was the perfect moment to escape, but I wouldn't allow that to happen.
I mounted most of my force on the chain, pulling it tight and stopping Morgrave's struggles dead in its tracks. It cried briefly before falling slightly, and the chain in my grasp began to shiver.
Liliana's crimson eyes were even more apparent in the darkness, appearing as two peerless beacons.
"Evernight, when did you get a doggy? And how come it looks like Morgrave, the Sixth Primordial Terror?" asked Liliana, placing her finger against her lip.
I walked towards Liliana, pulling Morgrave along with me until we were in proper speaking range; they would have been closer than that.
"Because it is Morgrave. It appeared to fear me, so it was no trouble to chain it."
"Hm, it does appear to be quite weakened, but what exactly is the point in keeping it alive?"
Morgrave flinched again, trying to escape from my grasp, but it was of no avail once again. It was beginning to annoy me how desperate it was to escape my clutches.
"I think it'd be useful to Ickni's downfall, it's a powerful forsaken. I mean, it did kill me, so I must put some respect on its name even if it's becoming fleeting!"
I stamped the ground, culling all of Morgrave's current and future attempts to escape. For its efforts, I placed another small army of chains around its body.
"Hehe. It seems you've met your match."