Adrian's jaw tightened as he gently handed Selene over to Ava. Her slender body was limp, blood staining her silver cloak and soaking into her pale skin.

Ava moved quickly, her golden staff radiating a soft glow as she channeled its healing magic to stabilize Selene's injuries.

"Medea, help her," Adrian said in a clipped but steady tone. Medea nodded and knelt beside Ava, her black fire swirling ominously as she used it to mend the deeper wounds.

Adrian straightened, his sharp eyes scanning the battlefield.

The broken and charred remains of Crix's body lay at the center, surrounded by scorch marks and shattered ground. Roxie was sprawled nearby, unconscious and bleeding heavily, while Saria's battered form twitched faintly on the edge of the clearing.

Lilith stepped up beside him, her crimson eyes flicking between the carnage and Adrian's tense expression. "How?" Adrian asked in disbelief. "How could she—Selene—do all this?"

Lilith crossed her arms, her lips curving into a sly smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Unbelievable, right? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Shy, timid Selene—the priestess of a perverted church that worships ass—dids this?" She gestured at the battlefield with a sweep of her hand.

Adrian exhaled sharply, his hands on his hips. "I still find it hard to believe. Has she always been hiding this strength? If so, why would she hold back?"

"Nah," Lilith said with a shake of her head. "If she had that kind of power, someone would've noticed by now. It's not like she's the subtle type. But whether it's some divine intervention or she ate a devil's fruit, the fact remains—she did this."

Medea approached, wiping blood off her hands onto a tattered cloth. "She's stable," she reported. "For now. Hopefully, when she wakes up, she has more answers than questions for us."

"Hopefully," Adrian replied, his eyes narrowing as his gaze locked on Saria's form. The assassin groaned and stirred, her battered body twitching feebly. The illusion that had cloaked the forest was gone, leaving the air still and the surroundings eerily silent.

Adrian nodded toward her. "But first, we have something to do."

The group turned to the broken form of Saria.

Medea was the first to act, striding forward and grabbing the assassin by the collar. Saria groaned, her head lolling as Medea dragged her upright with a firm grip. "How many of you are there?" Medea demanded, her black-flamed blade resting threateningly against Saria's throat.

Saria's lips curled into a weak but defiant smile. "Just finish the job," she rasped, her voice rough with pain. "Kill me. It's what you want, isn't it?"

Adrian stepped with a hardened expression. "Death is too merciful for you. Not after what you've done to Selene."

Lilith smirked darkly, shaking her head. "Uh, actually, Adrian, it's more about what Selene did to her... and the rest."

Saria let out a pained laugh, her cracked lips twisting into a sneer. "Your little friend did a number on us, didn't she? But it doesn't matter. None of this does."

"I don't have time for your nihilistic nonsense," Adrian snapped, grabbing her arm and pulling her roughly from Medea's grasp. Saria screamed as pain tore through her body, her legs barely holding her weight.

"Look at me," Adrian ordered, his fiery chains flickering faintly at his sides. His tone carried an edge of command that left no room for argument. Saria's greenish eyes fluttered open, meeting his sharp gaze. "What do you want with us? Why go through all this trouble?"

Her laugh was humorless, her head lolling to one side. "Isn't it obvious?" she muttered weakly. "I want you all dead. Gone."

Lilith let out a derisive snort, stepping closer with a lazy sway. "That's old news, darling. You'll have to be a little more creative than that."

Adrian tilted Saria's face toward him, forcing her to meet his piercing eyes again. "What is it you truly desire?" he asked softly. "Not just orders from the Shadow Court. What do you want? Away from all this killing, all this running and scheming. Surely you're tired of dirtying your hands for them."

Saria's breath hitched, her defiance faltering as Adrian's power took hold, his words compelling her to speak the truth.

Her eyes glazed over, her tone unguarded. "I wanted… Crix," she admitted in a trembling whisper. "I wanted him to myself, but he… he's my brother, and I couldn't—"

Adrian stiffened, his expression flickering with surprise. He turned his head slightly, following her gaze to Crix's lifeless body. "Oh," he said quietly, his voice heavy.

An amused smile formed on Lilith's lips, and she crossed her arms. "So you're the degenerated type who wants her brother to fuck her senseless?"

Saria didn't answer, her expression vacant.

Medea sighed, shaking her head. "She's useless. Let's kill her."

"Wait," Adrian said, his brows knitting together. "I still have questions."

Lilith chuckled, her crimson eyes gleaming. "I know, Adrian. I'm sure everyone does. But if she's not gonna talk, then let's put her out of her misery."

"So you want your brother but now… He's dead."

Saria let out a choked laugh, her face crumpling. "Yeah," she said bitterly, her voice cracking. "Thanks to that bitch over there."

Adrian's fiery chains lashed out instinctively, the spear-tipped end stopping just short of her neck. He grabbed her jaw roughly. "Watch your mouth," he growled. "How did you find us? How did you know where to set the trap?"

Saria blinked through the haze of his influence. Her lips parted slowly. "The map…" she murmured, her voice dreamlike. "Roxie has it… in his pocket."

Medea's brow furrowed. She glanced toward Roxie's unconscious form sprawled a few feet away. "A map?"

Lilith smirked, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "Oh, let me guess. A Shadow Court special?"

Adrian released Saria, letting her collapse to the ground. He turned toward Roxie's prone figure, his fiery chains whipping forward to lift the assassin's limp body. Roxie groaned, his hand twitching weakly as Adrian rifled through his pockets.

"Got it," Adrian muttered, pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment. He unfurled it carefully, his eyes scanning the intricate markings and coded symbols.

"Well?" Lilith asked, stepping closer, her voice dripping with impatience.

Adrian frowned, his sharp eyes narrowing at the map's contents. "It's more than a map," he said slowly. "It's… a guide. And it's not just like the one Kaleb made for us that shows our current location on the map. It details every place we've been, every decision we've made."

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