Meanwhile, at the Loom of Fate...

The ancient chamber was quiet, illuminated only by the soft glow of the still-open portal. The swirling silver threads of the gateway pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat that had been waiting far too long.

Lilith stood near the edge of the portal, her long silver-white hair flowing gently despite the lack of wind. Her elegant black dress was slightly wrinkled from how long she had been standing there. Her crimson eyes stared into the abyss beyond the portal, unblinking.

It had been hours.

She clenched her fists, her sharp nails digging into her palms.

"...I’ve waited long enough," she muttered under her breath. Her voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge to it. "Adam might be in danger. I’m going after him."

She took a step forward.

A hand gently but firmly grabbed her wrist.

"Lilith, stop."

Isolde stood beside her, her crimson eyes calm but serious. The pure-blooded vampire’s expression was composed, but there was clear concern in her gaze.

"Don’t be reckless," Isolde said quietly. "We don’t know what’s happening on the other side. Rushing in blindly could make things worse."

Lilith turned her head slightly, her crimson eyes narrowing.

"Reckless?" she repeated, her voice soft but sharp. "What if Adam is struggling right now? What if he needs help? We’ve been standing here doing nothing while he’s down there alone."

Isolde didn’t let go of her wrist. Her tone remained steady.

"We have to trust him. Adam isn’t weak. If we go in without a plan, we might become a burden instead of help."

Lilith’s expression darkened. She pulled her wrist free, though not harshly.

"It’s been too long, Vampire," she said, her voice rising slightly. "I can feel it. Something’s wrong. I can’t just stand here and do nothing while the man I belong to is—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Both women froze.

From somewhere behind them, near the entrance of the ancient chamber, came the sound of footsteps.

Slow, steady, and deliberate.

The sound echoed softly against the stone walls, growing closer with each step.

Lilith and Isolde both turned toward the entrance.

A figure stepped into the chamber.

She was an elf, but unlike any elf they had ever seen. Her skin was smooth and deep obsidian black, contrasting sharply with her long, flowing silver hair that reached down to her waist. Her eyes glowed with a sharp, predatory yellow hue, and her face was strikingly beautiful, with elegant features and a cold expression.

She had an attractive, toned body, clad in a tight black outfit that hugged her curves perfectly. Strapped to her back was a quiver of arrows, and several daggers were sheathed along her thighs and waist. She moved with the silent grace of a predator.

The Dark Elf stopped a few meters away from them, her yellow eyes calmly scanning the chamber and the still-open portal.

She tilted her head slightly.

"...I didn’t expect this temple to become inactive," she said in a smooth, calm voice. Her tone was almost casual, as if she were speaking about the weather. "Did you two break it?"

Lilith’s crimson eyes narrowed dangerously. Dark energy began to swirl around her fingers.

Before she could speak, the Dark Elf moved first.

In a blur of motion, she drew a dagger from her thigh and threw it straight at Isolde’s throat with terrifying speed. At the same time, several arrows made of pure darkness materialized behind her, already nocked and aimed at both of them.

Isolde’s eyes sharpened. She tilted her head slightly at the last moment, the dagger grazed past her cheek, leaving a thin red line. At the same time, she raised her hand and released a burst of Blood Dominion, deflecting two of the incoming shadow arrows mid-air.

Lilith didn’t wait.

The moment the Dark Elf attacked, Lilith’s killing intent exploded. She drew Soulreaver in one smooth motion. The blade let out a low, hungry hum as it drank in the surrounding mana.

Without hesitation, Lilith dashed forward.

The Dark Elf’s yellow eyes widened in surprise at Lilith’s speed. She tried to leap back and fire another arrow, but Lilith was already in front of her.

CLANG!

Soulreaver clashed against the Dark Elf’s drawn daggers in a shower of sparks. Lilith’s attacks were precise and merciless, forcing the Dark Elf to retreat step by step as she blocked desperately.

However, the Dark Elf was no ordinary opponent. She twisted mid-air and fired three shadow arrows point-blank at Lilith’s chest.

Lilith’s crimson eyes flashed.

Dozens of threads erupted from her free hand, intercepting the arrows mid-flight and shredding them apart. At the same time, she swung Soulreaver in a wide arc, forcing the Dark Elf to block with both daggers.

The Dark Elf gritted her teeth, her yellow eyes glowing brighter.

"You’re quite skilled for a—"

She didn’t get to finish.

In that split second of distraction, Lilith’s threads moved with terrifying precision. Several of them wrapped around the Dark Elf’s arms, legs, and torso in an instant, binding her completely. The threads tightened like a spider’s web, lifting her slightly off the ground and rendering her unable to move.

"—!"

The Dark Elf’s eyes widened in genuine shock.

"Eh?!"

She struggled violently, but the more she moved, the tighter Lilith’s threads became. In less than two seconds, she was completely immobilized.

Lilith stepped closer, Soulreaver still in her hand, its blade hovering dangerously close to the Dark Elf’s throat. Her crimson eyes were cold and merciless.

Isolde quickly stepped forward and grabbed Lilith’s arm.

"Wait," she said firmly. "Don’t kill her yet."

Lilith’s gaze didn’t leave the captured elf, but she paused.

Isolde looked at the bound Dark Elf with a serious expression.

"...This is strange," she said quietly. "We are already inside the Path of Reflection. Only those undergoing the trial should be able to enter this place. Yet she came in so easily. She might have a connection to the Guide... or at the very least, she could be a clue that helps us reach Adam."

Lilith was silent for a moment.

Then, with a small click of her tongue, she lowered Soulreaver. The killing intent in her eyes faded slightly, replaced by cold calculation.

She stepped closer to the bound elf, her crimson eyes staring directly into the yellow ones.

"...Talk," Lilith said, her voice low and dangerous. "Who are you? How did you enter this place?"