ShadowBound: The Need For Power

After the conversation wrapped up, Liam slipped out of Mystica's chamber. Mystica and Dove strolled back upstairs from the lab, finding Galen and Magnus sprawled lazily across the lounge.

"Where's the kid?" Galen asked, glancing around but not spotting Liam.

"Teleported out," Mystica answered casually as she sank into a chair.

"Mmh. Anyway, intel?" Galen pressed.

"Same scent as Gordon," Mystica said, voice smooth.

"Now that's what I call good news," Galen said, a lazily smirk forming. "I can bag that bastard right now."

"Not so fast, genius," Mystica cut in, waving him off like an annoying fly. "Snatching him isn't the problem. The problem is what happens after."

She leaned forward, voice dropping. "If we capture him and try to dig out answers, we might trip a signal. Could tip Sylvathar off. And if that happens, kiss any chance of finding him goodbye."

"I thought bagging Gordon would be a cakewalk," Magnus said, cocking his head, confused.

"I mean, it's just Gordon. Yeah, sure, he's one of the Tempest Kingdom's top mages, but still—he's Gordon," He added, as if it was obvious.

Dove snickered, dropping some ash from her cigar on the table nearby. "Wow, how delightfully dumb of you," she teased. "You just said it yourself: one of the best mages in Tempest. Now add demon lord blood into that recipe. Depending on how long he's been like this, how much blood he's got, and how well he controls it, he could be a serious threat."

"Just like you, pretty boy," she added, throwing Galen a playful wink.

Galen scoffed, lounging deeper into the couch like a king on his throne. "Comparing me to that snake bastard? How insulting," he said coolly. "You might have the brains to pick apart anything and anyone, nudist, but I'm nothing like any of these lowlifes."

"I hear you, handsome," Dove said, taking a long pull from her cigar as smoke curling around her. 'This dude's as arrogant and self-absorbed as they say, she thought with a grin. But can I blame him? Holding the title of the strongest with just a single affinity... yeah, he earned it.'

'Still... I'd love to crack him open, study those flames of his. But no shot — he barely acknowledges threats worth his effort. That said, he did fight the demon that showes up in the Ruined Lands but I wasn't there to witness. What a shame.' She thought with mock sadness, her grin never fading.

"So, how do you wanna play this?" Galen asked, eyes shut.

"First, we scan the entire academy," Mystica said, crossing one leg over the other. "See if there are more like Gordon hiding in the halls. And for that, we're gonna need Liam. He's the only one who can sniff them out."

"We're using the kid to hunt hybrids?" Galen's tone dipped, a little rougher. "Sorry, but I didn't wrestle those crusty old geezers into silence just for the kid to get dragged into something that'll blow his cover."

"Chill, Gally," Mystica said with a lazy grin. "He agreed. His job's just to locate the hybrids. Nothing more. No fighting, no flashing his powers around. I'll make sure of it."

"I know you will. But you do realize..." Galen cracked an eye open, sharp as a blade, "we'll have to explain to Queen Lucy how we're sniffing out the hybrids. And once that cat's outta the bag, the other two kingdoms will demand the same tool."

"He's right," Magnus chimed in, arms folded like a brooding statue. "No kingdom likes owing another too much. Crescent and Solara already owe Tempest for tipping them off about the threat. If Tempest also holds the key to finding the hybrids? That could brew some ugly resentment."

"But why can't we sense the hybrids ourselves?" He asked, frowning. "Aren't we stronger than them?"

"They're not stronger," Dove said, flicking ash from her cigar. "But it depends. My theory? We can't smell their demon stink because they're staying tucked inside their human shells."

She leaned back, expression becoming more thoughtful. "Broody boy said the stink from Aveline's corpse was way nastier than Gordon's. Which means... to sense their demonic Myst, they probably gotta either transform or unleash their magic. I'm not 100% sure, but it's the best theory I've got."

Mystica tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well... guess I'll have to have a little chat with Queen Lucy before the alliance meeting kicks off."

"Lucy won't have a problem with Liam," Galen said, stretching like a cat. "If anything, she'd probably embrace him — despite that ice queen front she loves to flex."

"Oh yeah?" Magnus raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"

"During the purge of the dark magic users, it was the blood demons who stirred the pot," Mystica explained, voice going low like a secret. "Solara and Crescent Kingdoms? They didn't care. They wanted all dark mages wiped out — didn't matter who did the dirty work. Blood demons were practically doing them a favor."

"But Tempest was different. They sheltered dark magic users, gave them a place to hide, even when the bodies started stacking up. Sure, eventually the people of Tempest turned on them too — fear does that — but King Rature, Lucy's father, refused to kick them out. He felt he owed them... for saving his daughter's life."

Magnus exhaled slowly, connecting the dots. "So Queen Lucy would actually be happy to find out a dark magic user's still alive."

"Exactly," Mystica said, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

Magnus leaned back, arms sprawling across the couch like he owned the whole damn room. "Man... life's funny, huh? Thought dark mages were extinct — boom — plot twist."

"Life's a whole circus," Dove muttered, cigar dangling between her fingers. "And we're just clowns juggling flaming knives."

"Anyway, that reminds me," Magnus said, pushing himself to sit upright, "won't the kid miss a ton of class dragging himself into all this? Dude's a maniac for power and leveling up."

"Facts," Mystica said, tossing her hair over one shoulder. "But I can't promise anything yet. Gotta have a sit-down with Queen Lucy first. She's got the big brain for these political headaches."

"When's her meeting with the Crescent Kingdom again?" Galen asked, one eye cracked open.

"Two days from now."

"Hmph. Guess I'll take a trip back to Solara, talk to my old fossils too," Galen said, voice dry as sandpaper.

"Can I come?" Magnus piped up like an overexcited kid at a candy store.

Galen shot him a look so flat it could pancake mountain. "Nope. Those geezers barely tolerate me near the kingdom, and I'm technically one of theirs. You? Born and raised in Tempest? They'll have a heart attack."

Magnus shrugged, a lazy grin stretching across his face. "They already disowned you, Gally. What's the worst that could happen if I tag along?"

"Everything," Galen said without missing a beat. "But whatever. If you wanna dance with the drama, you're free to tag along."

"Yesss! Finally gonna meet Gally's parents," Magnus said, punching the air.

Both of Galen's eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with do-not-test-me energy. "Say that again and I'll leave you in Solara."

Clearing his throat, he refocused. "Anyway, while we wait on Lucy's call, we'll have Liam scan the academy."

"Agreed," Mystica nodded, smoothing down her dress.

Magnus stretched again, arms popping like firecrackers. "When we tell the kid?"

Mystica's grin turned devilish. "Already did."

Magnus blinked, then barked a laugh. "You sneaky witch. You didn't waste a damn second down in that lab, huh?"

"I like to move my pieces before the board even knows there's a game," Mystica said with a wink.

"That's my Empress," Dove chuckled, raising her cigar in a smoky salute. "Still, we gotta keep our eyes peeled. If Queen Lucy's cool about it, awesome — but if Crescent or Solara catch even a whiff of the truth, they'll wanna slap chains on Liam and toss him into a hole. Or, y'know... end him."

Galen's voice dropped to a soft, lethal murmur. "Then I'll just put them in their place."

***

On the west side of the academy, Gordon walked the quiet halls, hands at his back, face blank. He reached his chamber and stepped inside without a sound.

He stood still in the center of the room, like a broken doll. His blue eyes shifted, glowing a sickly green.

"My Lord, I have arrived." he whispered.

"Progress?" A voice answered from deep inside his mind.

"Everything is being prepared as you instructed. And there's no suspicion. Everything will fall into place as you envisioned."

"Good. Continue to observe. Await further command."

Gordon's lips twitched into a small, hollow smile.

"As you wish."

The glow in his eyes pulsed once, like a heartbeat.

Gordon lowered his head slightly, placing one hand over his chest in a mock salute. His voice, flat and empty, rang out through the silent room.

"All Hail Lord Sylvathar."

The green light in his eyes faded.

And the room swallowed him in stillness once more.