Everything Went Wrong

The doors swung open, revealing a large chamber. At the far end stood the Elder, an old man with a long white beard and a simple robe. Beside him was Ōkora, the Champion of Nierman, the Goddess of Lust. Her attire was revealing, with flowing silk robes that barely concealed her curvaceous figure. Her hair was long and dark, falling over her shoulders. She had a confident stance, as if she was used to being the center of attention.

"Oh, the winners are here." said the Elder, standing up to greet the group. "Welcome."

Ji-Hye bowed deeply, followed by Soul and the others. "Sir," her voice filled with respect. "It's an honor."

"I watched the match," The Elder said, his tone turning somber. "It's... such a shame. Marcy was a great man."

"We are sorry." Ji-Hye lowered her voice to express sympathy. "I wish things were different back there."

"It's okay, we don't hold a grudge against you. But – I can't say the same for Sirenar, bless his name… oh, speaking of which, we have a very special guest tonight." The Elder gestured toward Ōkora with a respectful nod.

"Champion of Nierman." Hyun-Ki said. "It's an honor, ma'am."

Ōkora, the Champion of Nierman, gave a slight nod, acknowledging him without uttering a word.

"Your medals –" the Elder said. "She'll be the one giving you the medals. Get in line, we don't want to keep her waiting."

"Yes, sir," Ji-Hye replied, leading the group into a single-file line. Soul took his place at the end.

Ōkora stood from her chair, a faint smile playing across her lips, and began walking toward them.

Her steps were slow as she moved down the line. The group watched her intently, each expecting her to start handing out the medals from the front. But as she walked past the first person, then the second, then the third, it became clear that her attention was elsewhere.

Hyun-Ki looked at his older sister, his eyebrows knitting together. Nia, standing at the front of the line, seemed uncertain, her hands clasped together as she watched Ōkora bypass her without a word.

When Ōkora stopped in front of Soul, it felt like the atmosphere in the room changed completely. She zeroed in on him, disregarding everyone else. Soul's dull gaze remained steady, his expression unchanged as he waited for his medal. The Champion's intense scrutiny surprised the group, who had expected a typical ceremony but were now left questioning what had drawn her attention.

"Hello," Ōkora said to Soul, casting a charm spell with just one word. The response was instantaneous and overwhelming.

The Elder, who had been watching her, suddenly flushed, his face turning red. His eyes grew wide as if he had seen something mesmerizing. Hyun-Ki, standing next to Ji-Hye, felt a surge of warmth rush through him, and he quickly knelt to cover his groin, hoping to hide his 'reaction'.

Even Ji-Hye and Nia felt the charm spell take hold. They looked at each other awkwardly, their faces also turning red. Nia bit her lip, trying to regain her composure, while Ji-Hye's hands trembled slightly.

But Soul stood there, expressionless. The subtle sway of the charm spell seemed to have no effect on him. His dull eyes showed no sign of flinching, no sign of discomfort or embarrassment. He merely watched as the rest of the room fell under Ōkora's charm.

"Bravo." She said. "You fought well. I must admit – I got a little excited watching you."

"I'd say I was mediocre. But thank you for your kind words, Champion." He replied with a dull voice.

She stepped closer to Soul, the hem of her gown brushing against his shoes. Her presence was intoxicating, her movements graceful. She leaned in slightly, her eyes locking onto his, her smile widening in a way that promised something more. The way she held herself, the subtle tilt of her head – it was all designed to draw him in.

But Soul's face didn't change. He didn't step back or react to her. He just stood there, his posture unshaken, his dull eyes fixed on hers without an interest.

The Elder couldn't take the intensity and slumped to the ground, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness. The group turned to him in shock, unsure whether to help him or stay where they were. Before anyone could react, Ōkora leaned in close to Soul, standing on her toes to move closer to his left ear.

"Blood magic user."

Soul suddenly spun around, his hand reaching out as if to grasp something invisible in the air. The rest of the group froze, unsure of what he was doing or why he was reacting so abruptly. The tension in the room heightened, with everyone trying to make sense of Soul's sudden action.

But after a few seconds, the truth became apparent.

The figure in front of them – the Champion of Nierman, Ōkora, began to disintegrate, her image fracturing into particles before dissolving completely. The real Ōkora stood behind Soul, her invisibility spell collapsing as he grabbed her by the throat.

The illusion she had created had been convincing enough to charm everyone else, but Soul had seen through it. The others in the group looked at her, still deciding how to react.

"I didn't expect you to –" Ōkora gasped for air, her eyes still sharp. "You… to see sense me. Congratulations."

"I'm in luck." Soul said. "Another champion. Another kill."

"You killed Marcy on purpose, didn't you?" Ōkora chuckled, then coughed, struggling to regain her breath. "I knew it. You are interesting despite those dull eyes."

"Hmm. You can die now."

"Miro!"

As Ōkora struggled to breathe, a new threat emerged from the shadows. A sword flashed, slicing through the air toward Soul, wielded by an unseen attacker with an invisibility spell.

Soul's usual stoic mask slipped as the blade came dangerously close. His eyes widened slightly, and his eyebrows furrowed in surprise.

'Shit.'

But Ji-Hye, sensing the danger, leaped into action. She stepped forward, her sword drawn, intercepting the stranger's strike just in time. Ji-Hye's blade met Miro's, halting the attack inches from Soul's skin. The sudden impact revealed the attacker, her invisibility spell disrupted by the collision.

Nia cast her spell, threads of water weaving through the air, forming a protective barrier between Soul and the unseen attacker. The liquid created a veil that distorted everything behind it. Hyun-Ki stood beside her, drawing his sword and muttering a low level spell, a faint light enveloping his blade as he prepared for any further aggression.

"I don't know what's going on," Ji-Hye said. "But let us leave. We don't want any trouble. Please. We didn't mean to kill Marcy, I swear."

"Fuck that idiot." the woman replied. "I don't give a single shit about him, or his death. You let Ōkora go now!"

"Soul, ya fucking brainless dog!" Hyun-Ki slammed his body into Soul's arm, his voice desperate as he yelled, "Let her go! You're going to get us all killed!"

'Why are these idiots helping me?'

"We'll leave," said Ji-Hye, slowly lowering her sword. "We're not looking for trouble. I'm sorry about Soul – I'm sure he didn't mean to do what he did."

The door to the room burst open as if a powerful wind had slammed into it. Beside Soul, a cloud of dark smoke formed and from the smoke, Lilith appeared, but she seemed different.

Her black dress flowed elegantly, with thorns emerging from her shoulders and arms. Her skin, once smooth, now showed subtle cracks, like the scales of a dragon. And her eyes, which had once been alluring, now burned with a fierce light. Despite these changes, she was still beautiful in a chilling, almost hypnotic way. She moved slowly, leaving a faint trail of smoke with each step.

"Do not touch her, Soul," said Lilith with a stern voice. "She is an ally."

"Ur's beard, it's the Demon Queen Lilith!" Hyun-Ki shouted, his voice cracking with panic. "Shit! Aren't you – wait a minute, Lily?"

"Wha…" Ji-Hye quickly scanned the room, her eyes going back and forth between Soul and Lilith. "An ally? A demon is an ally with a champion of a god? What in the hells…"

"You again," Nia said, taking a step back.

"Again?" Hyun-Ki was in disbelief. "You've seen her before? Seriously, what is happening in this country, man…"

"Why is she an ally?" Soul's eyes were on the Champion.

"How did you think I got into the palace?" asked Lilith. "She helped me to kill that High-Priestess."

Hyun-Ki's sword slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground. "This is it... it's all over… a god's champion helping a demon –"

Nia sighed, rubbing her temples. "Okay, I think... I think we need to talk."

"Talk? Fucking what?" Ji-Hye shouted. "She is 'the' Demon Queen Lilith, Nia. She killed Hero-God Take! She tricked us into believing she was 'Lily.'"

"Just – let's talk." Nia tried to calm down her teacher. "Please?"

"Agreed," Lilith replied, her tone sharp but calm. "But not here. Follow me before the Elder wakes up."