The room had gone quiet again.
Not the peaceful kind of quiet.
The kind that comes after too much thinking.
Too much feeling.
Too much truth all at once.
Liora stood in the center of the chamber, staring at her hand.
The silver magic flickered faintly at her fingertips.
Unstable.
But no longer completely wild.
That alone should have made her feel better.
It didn't.
"…Again."
She lifted her hand.
Focused.
The light gathered slowly.
More controlled this time.
Less resistance.
Her breathing stayed steady.
"Good…"
The magic pulsed—
Then slipped.
The light cracked outward, distorting the air around her.
Liora flinched slightly but forced it back.
"…No."
"Not like that."
She exhaled slowly.
Trying again.
And again.
And again.
Minutes passed.
Or maybe longer.
Time felt strange when she focused like this.
Everything narrowed down to one thing—
Control.
If she could control it—
Then she wouldn't become that version of herself again.
She wouldn't force anyone—
Especially him—
To make that kind of choice.
Her chest tightened slightly at the thought.
She pushed it away.
"…Focus."
The magic gathered again.
This time—
It held.
Not perfect.
But stable enough.
Liora let out a small breath.
"…Better."
A faint voice echoed from behind her.
"Impressive."
Her entire body went still.
Slowly—
She turned.
Lord Vael stood near the door.
Like he had always been there.
Watching.
Liora's expression hardened instantly.
"…Do you have a habit of appearing uninvited?"
Vael smiled faintly.
"Only when something interesting is happening."
She dropped her hand.
The magic faded immediately.
"I'm not in the mood."
"I can see that."
He stepped further into the room.
Unhurried.
Calm.
Like he wasn't walking into a space where he very clearly wasn't welcome.
"You should leave."
Vael tilted his head slightly.
"…Or what?"
Liora didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
The air around her shifted subtly.
Silver energy flickered faintly again.
Not explosive.
Not wild.
But present.
Controlled.
Vael noticed.
Of course he did.
And for a brief moment—
Something like approval flickered in his eyes.
"…You're learning faster than I expected."
"That's not your concern."
"Everything about you is my concern."
That made her pause.
"…That's creepy."
Vael chuckled softly.
"Practical."
He stopped a few steps away from her.
Close enough to talk.
Far enough not to provoke her.
"You've seen it now, haven't you?"
Liora didn't respond.
"You remember how you died."
Her jaw tightened.
"…I remember enough."
"Do you?"
His voice softened slightly.
"Or are you only remembering what he wants you to?"
Her eyes snapped to him.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Vael didn't look away.
"Cairis told you he killed you to save the world."
"That's not exactly a comforting story."
Liora crossed her arms.
"It's still the truth."
"Is it?"
Silence.
That one word—
That doubt—
Slipped into her thoughts too easily.
Liora frowned.
"…You're trying to manipulate me."
Vael smiled.
"I'm trying to show you a fuller picture."
"I don't trust you."
"You trusted someone before."
The words hit instantly.
Sharp.
Unfair.
Liora's chest tightened.
"That's not the same."
"No?"
Vael's gaze sharpened slightly.
"You trusted him."
The room felt colder.
Liora didn't answer.
Vael stepped closer.
"…You still do."
That—
That was the problem.
Because he wasn't entirely wrong.
And she hated that.
"He killed me," she said quietly.
"Yes."
"And you're defending that?"
"I'm questioning it."
Liora's eyes narrowed.
"…Why?"
Vael studied her carefully.
Like he was measuring every reaction.
Every thought.
"Because you're asking the wrong question."
"And what's the right one?"
His voice dropped.
"…Why were you the only one who had to die?"
Silence.
Liora's breath slowed.
"…What?"
Vael didn't look away.
"The Star Witch Queen."
"The strongest being in that war."
"The only one capable of sealing Azhrael."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"And yet—"
"…she's the one who died."
Liora felt something twist in her chest.
"That's because—"
"Because she was 'losing control'?" Vael interrupted smoothly.
His tone wasn't aggressive.
But it was precise.
Calculated.
"Or because someone decided she was too dangerous to exist?"
Liora's thoughts faltered.
"…That's not what happened."
"Isn't it?"
Vael took another step closer.
Now—
He was close.
Too close.
"You said it yourself."
"You trusted him."
"And he killed you."
The words echoed again.
Different this time.
Heavier.
More personal.
"What if that wasn't the only option?"
Liora's breathing became uneven again.
"…Stop."
"What if there was another way?"
"Stop."
"What if he didn't even try to find it?"
"Stop."
The silver magic around her flickered violently.
The room trembled slightly.
Vael didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
"…You don't know what really happened."
Liora's voice shook.
"Neither do you."
Vael's expression didn't change.
"…I was there."
Silence.
The words landed harder than anything else.
Liora stared at him.
"What…?"
Vael's eyes flickered faintly silver again.
"I saw it."
"The war."
"The end."
"You."
Her chest tightened.
"…That's impossible."
"Is it?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Or is it just inconvenient?"
Liora took a step back.
Something about him—
Something about the way he spoke—
It didn't feel like guessing.
It felt like memory.
"…Who are you?"
For the first time—
Vael's smile faded slightly.
Not completely.
But enough to feel real.
"…Someone who remembers everything."
The air shifted again.
The tension thickened.
And for a moment—
Liora felt something deeply unsettling.
Like she wasn't talking to a normal demon.
Like she was standing in front of something older.
Something that had been watching for a very long time.
Vael stepped back slightly.
Giving her space again.
"I'm not your enemy."
"That's exactly what an enemy would say."
He chuckled softly.
"Fair."
He turned slightly toward the door.
Then paused.
"…Just remember one thing."
Liora didn't respond.
But she was listening.
"You're trying very hard not to become who you were."
His voice dropped.
"…But what if who you were wasn't the problem?"
Silence.
Liora's chest tightened again.
Because that thought—
That possibility—
Was dangerous.
Vael glanced back at her one last time.
"…Be careful who you trust this time."
And then—
He left.
The door closed softly behind him.
The room went silent again.
But the silence felt different now.
Heavier.
Louder.
Because now—
Liora's thoughts weren't just her own.
Doubt had settled in.
Quiet.
Persistent.
And impossible to ignore.
She looked down at her hand again.
Silver light flickered weakly.
Uncertain.
"…What if he's right?"
The question slipped out before she could stop it.
And that—
That was exactly what Vael wanted.