After providing the ambassador with a detailed explanation of the situation, Akae led him down the dimly lit, narrow stairway into the depths of the dungeon. The air was thick with the damp scent of stone, and the torches lining the walls cast flickering shadows that danced ominously as they descended. At the end of the corridor, they reached the cell where Kyazf was being held, seated against the cold wall with a tense, defiant glare, the restraints still holding him tightly. The ambassador entered the cell quietly, observing Kyazf with a careful, analytical gaze. His arms were crossed, but one hand hovered just slightly, as though he were contemplating an invisible object in front of him. Kyazf met his eyes with a hardened stare, unwilling to risk revealing even a hint more of the confidential information he’d already been forced to spill.
“Oh yes,” the ambassador finally said, his voice thoughtful and calm, “he’s definitely under the effects of a love potion. Judging by the shape of his pupils- all four, no less, and each distinctly defined- this is no ordinary potion. It’s quite a potent blend, clearly designed for strong effects.” He paused, assessing the situation. “The easiest way to break its spell would be to wait for it to wear off naturally. But,” he looked over at Akae, “I take it you’re dealing with a bit of a time constraint?”
Akae nodded with a sense of urgency. “Yes, we don’t have much time. Ilflurer will be furious when he realizes we’ve taken Kyazf captive. I estimate we have, at most, a day or two before he starts to suspect something’s wrong and sends his men to investigate.”
The ambassador gave a slow, thoughtful hum as he leaned closer to Kyazf, his hands lifting gently to cup Kyazf’s face just beneath his horns. He studied Kyazf’s eyes carefully, his thumbs lightly grazing the sides of Kyazf’s face as he scrutinized each detail of the potion’s effect. “I think,” he murmured after a moment of contemplation, “that I can prepare a counter-potion in time. It will be difficult, but not impossible. However,” he added, withdrawing his hands and turning to Akae with a serious expression, “Eilis’ antidote will need to wait. I know the poison in his system can’t kill him, but without treatment, it could make him very ill. Keep an eye on him for me in the meantime, and I’ll get this situation straightened out. I’ll also brew up a truth potion for you in case he still doesn’t cooperate with you.”
Akae nodded. “Thank you, ambassador, your help is greatly appreciated. I know you don’t like getting involved.”
“Not a worry about it. This whole thing just can’t be ignored any longer. Without Hyalbtz I’m well aware the Highking is struggling to sort this all out. At least he has you and the other paladins.”
“Thank you. And uh, you can see into the future, right? Can you predict who Ilflurer is? Or any clues that can help us?”
“I’m not able to say. But I do believe it’ll be the person you least expect. Or already have been suspecting.”
He frowned. “That doesn’t really help. Thank you though for the effort.”
“Not a problem. I’ll be in my room in the meantime if anyone needs me,” he said, giving Akae a final nod, before he turned and made his way out of the cell. His footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor as he walked to the base of the narrow stairway leading back up to the main halls. His tall figure was gradually swallowed by the dimness of the dungeon’s chambers.

Hours pass slowly as the ambassador carefully mixes ingredients together in his dimly lit study. The only sounds that filled the room were of glass clinking and boiling liquid. It took nearly the rest of the day, but finally, he held up a large vial of shimmering gold liquid. He had finally created the antidote to the love potion casted on Kyzaf. He studied it for a minute as he sighed in relief, admiring his handiwork, and grabbing the truth serum he created before, swiftly exiting his room. 
Entering the living room where everyone was waiting with bated breath, he held up the vials. “It’s ready. Akae and Morinthir, I’d like the both of you to handle Kyazf. He’ll need a familiar face to help him out of the potion’s trance.” He said, the two standing up and nodding before following him out of the room. The ambassador handed each vial to each elf. “Use the antidote first, and give him time to adjust back to reality before you consider using the truth potion. If you need any further assistance, I’ll be in my study to continue working on Eilis’ antidote. How is he holding up?”
“He’s starting to fall ill, and hasn’t woken up from his nap yet,” Akae mentioned.
“Yeah, he’s starting to shake and even murmuring incoherently in his sleep,” Morinthir added.
“I see. I’ll work as quickly as I can to get that antidote to him then. Last thing he needs is to get an earful from Lady Merthicz about spilling divine secrets,” he said in a joking manner before walking back down the hall and into his room.
Akae and Morinthir exchanged a brief, knowing glance. With a shared nod, they turned and began their descent down the long, winding stone staircase that led deep into the heart of the dungeon. The cold air grew heavier as they went, and each step echoed in the silence, mingling with the distant drip of water seeping through ancient stones. Shadows flickered along the walls, cast by the sparse torches that barely lit their path.
Returning back to the dungeon, they find Kyzaf napping as it was the middle of the night. Akae approached him, gently stirring him awake. “Time to wake up. I have a potion for you to drink,” he said, forcing his mouth open. Holding the antidote, Morinthir carefully poured the liquid in his mouth. Kyazf tried to spit it out, but with his mouth being held wide open at an angle he had no choice but to swallow it.
“Curse you both! I still won’t spill any information.”
“Not yet. But once the love potion wears off you’ll come to your senses. We know you’re smarter than mercilessly murdering people,” Akae commented.
“Fuck you. How could you work with him, Morinthir? After all the months we spent planning?”
“You mean Ilflurer spent planning while ordering us around like dogs? He’s not the leader of our guild yet he acts like it,” Morinthir said.
“He deserves to be leader! Not Tassira. She’s too worried about publicity when we should be focusing on doing what’s for the greater good.”
“You obviously don’t understand what the greater good is anymore. We had a nice system going, we were making a lot of progress! But ever since Ilflurer showed up that progress slowed to a stop. It’s hurting us. Have you seen how people are reacting to ivierae? People are treating us like a plague, afraid to come near us because of Ilflurer’s plans. Not only that but the Highking has a warrant for our entire branches’ arrest because of the excessive murdering you’re doing.”
Kyazf rolled his eyes. “Whatever. You clearly can’t see the bigger picture here. The only thing that matters is Ilflurer.”
“Is he though? What about us- your teammates? We wouldn’t have made the progress we had if none of us were working together. We didn’t need Ilflurer, we still don’t,” she said, noticing his pupils were starting to shift back into a diamond shape.
Kyazf glanced at the floor momentarily in thought.
“I know it’s hard having to accept your first lover isn’t a good guy, but he’s tearing apart our guild.”
His jaw clenched, prompting Morinthir to continue.
“I’ve seen the way he treats you, and it hurts me that you’re just letting him abuse you. The Kyazf I know would’ve never accepted that. Yet you let him blacken your eyes and bruise your skin. Hells, you let him whip you like you’re his slave! He doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t care about me, or the guild more importantly. We swore an oath to fight for our kin’s rights, but Ilflurer never took that oath. All he wants is power.”
“It- it’s not like that! He, he just wants to make sure I stay focused is all. He wants  what’s best for our guild. He’s freed thousands of ivierae slaves!”
Her expression softened as she crouched in front of him, meeting him at eye level. “Do you even hear yourself? The guild isn’t Ilflurer’s. It isn’t mine. It isn’t yours. It belongs to every ivierae or other oppressed group who’s ever walked through our doors seeking refuge or justice. We swore to fight for them, to protect them. And now we’re failing them. Ilflurer is failing them.”
Kyazf’s gaze faltered, and Morinthir seized the moment. “Do you remember why the guild was started? After our kin had been kidnapped on a mass scale and forced to serve in Lord Fyayn’s monasteries? Do you remember when the both of us first joined to help Cedric free his mother?
Kyazf stared deeply at the ground, afraid to meet her gaze. “I- I do. Of course I do. How could I forget Cedric? He was a good friend.”
“Then don’t taint his memory by working with a human lich who wouldn’t have even joined us in the original mission.”
His shoulders slumped as Morinthir’s words began to sink in. “But... what am I supposed to do? I’ve followed him for so long. I’ve defended him. What will happen to the guild if I turn against him now?” He asked, his breathing uneven.
Morinthir placed a firm hand on Kyazf’s shoulder. “It’s not too late to fix this. You’re one of the guild’s founders, Kyazf. People still look up to you. If you stand up to Ilflurer, if you show them that you’re willing to fight for the guild’s true purpose, they’ll follow you. We can rebuild. Together.”
Kyazf stared at the floor, the weight of Morinthir’s words pressing down on him. For a long moment, he didn’t speak. Then, slowly, he nodded. “Alright. I think I can do it,” he said, finally meeting her gaze, a look of determination in his eyes. Morinthir smiled, finally recognising the elf she came to respect. “I won’t let him get in the way of our promise.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear,” she said, standing up straight as she gave a knowing look to Akae. He nodded, using his wand to undo the tight constraints set upon him.
Kyazf stood up and did a big stretch before approaching Akae, holding his hand out.
Akae glared at him for a second before shaking his hand. “This doesn’t pardon you from the murders you’ve committed before Ilflurer showed up. But I won’t try arresting you. Just yet. As long as you agree to help us stop him.”
“Deal. Let’s go join the others then, and I’ll say who Ilflurer is.”
The three of them wasted no time, ascending the stairs in silence with a steady pace. Soon, they emerged into the living room, where the rest of the group sat waiting patiently, their gazes shifting expectantly as the trio entered.
Ryo was on edge, the fur on his back standing up.
“I’m sorry for everything I’ve done under the influence of Ilflurer. Though I could control some of my actions, he brought out the worst side of me. From now on I’m going to work with you all to bring him down. That’s why I’m going to name him- he’s Hyalbtz Uno, previous court wizard of the Highking.” He stated, crossing his arms as he named him.
“I should’ve figured,” Cassius started. “He’s always been very secretive that boy. Though, I can’t shake the feeling that he’s not entirely to blame. He never did strike me as a cruel person, and I’m usually good with reading people.”
“That’s because he’s been possessed by two liches since birth,” Kyazf responded. 
“Two? How does that even happen?” Tassira asked.
“No clue,” Kyazf stated.
“Great, so how do we take someone down with the power of two liches?” Garbone asked.
I suppose I can do that, if you can help confiscate the ring. He has a ring that makes him immortal. I’m sure you’re familiar with Cathal’s family heirloom, Cassius?” He nodded to the question before Kyazf continued, “He enchanted that ring to make it so that he can’t die, and he plans to use it after he becomes a lich.”
“I thought he already was a lich. I saw him rotting with my own eyes,” Akae said.
“Illusion magic. He just does it to scare people.”
“Do you know when he’s planning to become a lich?” Garbone asked.
“The ritual is supposed to start in an hour. At this point he probably realises I’m gone and is searching for me, because he needs me to perform it.”
“What do we do then?” Tassira asked.
“We can’t let him become a lich, it’s too dangerous,” Cassius said. “His power will likely double if we let him.”
“But if we let Kyazf go back he can give us important information about his plans. It’d be a setback, but it gives us more time to make a full-proof plan,” Morinthir said.
“You make a good point,” Akae stated. “We don’t have time to make a plan now. Kyazf, are you able to go undercover?”
“Hold on, you can’t be serious, can you?” Cassius asked, facing Akae. “You’re crazy if you think it’s a good idea to let him become undead,” he hissed.
“Well then what ideas do you have to take him down?” Akae glared.
“Kill him when he’s at his weakest point during the ritual.”
“Theoretically it could work- if it weren’t for the fact that his cultists are going to be watching the whole thing. They know the process of the ritual and so do the two others who are helping conduct it. It’ll be easier if I act like I’m still working for him,” Kyazf said.
“Fine, if you want to do that. But he’s going to notice you’re not under the love spell anymore.”
“Not if I act like I’m still under its effects. I know you think I’m a bad actor, but I’ve been under the effects of the love potion for so long it’ll come naturally. It’s not like I wasn’t aware of how I was acting.”
Cassius threw his hands up in defeat. “Fine, fine. Just don’t expect me to make sure you reincarnate with minimal injuries when he kills you.”
“I wouldn’t think you’d do it regardless. I’m surprised you did it for Cathal,” he grinned.
“Pah, don’t read into it. It’s the least I can door for him after he helped me during the Human-Ivierae War,” he said. Morinthir, Tassira, and An’thaehl all looked at him in surprise. “Yes, I’m over 6,000 years old, get over it,” he hissed, not even looking at the three, prompting them to subdue their expressions.
“Sorry, it’s just that I’ve never met anyone who’s lived to that age. I thought it was just a myth we could live that old,” An’thaehl said.
“Well you’re half dragon so I doubt you can live to that age- but yes, we can live up to 7,000 years. I don’t know how you younger generations haven’t figured out how to live to that age, it’s simple. And I say that as someone who was forced to help my father conquer land.”
“Maybe Merthicz is afraid of us living to that age,” Garbone said in a mocking tone.
“Do NOT speak ill of Lady Merthicz, boy,” Cassius growled, causing Garbone to throw her hands up in submission.
“Right.. So anyways,” Kyazf cleared his throat. “How can I relay information back to you all? Travelling for hours on end when Hyalbtz is watching me will be tricky.”
“Well, maybe I can camp out outside the estate,” An’thaehl said. “Flying there as a dragon will only take me an hour. It’ll give me a chance to practise shifting more.”
“I suppose that could work. I would’ve suggested a crystal ball, but I’m sure Hyalbtz would have no issues tracking it,” Cassius mentioned.
“Then I guess it’s settled. We should leave now before he gets too angry at my disappearance,” Kyazf said, exiting the room.
An’thaehl, Morinthir, and Tassira all hugged each other for good luck as An’thaehl followed Kyazf out.
Eilis then woke up, eyes half open as he groaned.
“Are you alright, Eilis?” Garbone asked.
"Garbone, I wither, but I remain, a shadow caught in venom's chain. I’m struck but not by sword or blade, a thief unseen this wound has made. What am I?" Eilis groaned, looking at her.
“Poison. I know, it must hurt a lot. Just hold on a little longer.”
“Eilis why are you speaking like that?” Cassius asked.
"A mirror holds what eyes can’t see, yet shows the truth in front of me. I search for cause, but none appears, just fleeting doubts and shadowed fears. Its voice is mine, its thoughts unclear- why does it speak when none can hear?"
“You know I hate it when you do your purple prose. What are you saying?” He asked.
“He’s saying he doesn’t know,” Garbone chimed in. “My guess is that that’s just how angels normally talk.”
‘Unless he’s still loopy from the poison,’ Ryo said telepathically.
“Could be that too. Eilis, do you still feel loopy?” 
"Loopy and silly? Oh, perhaps it's true, the world’s spinning circles, all tinged in blue. My steps betray me, my sight's askew, dizzy, dear Garbone, through and through. The floor’s a wave, the air’s a tide, I’m caught in currents I cannot abide. If this is the poison’s cruel, mocking jest, then yes, I’m loopy- I'll grant it my best."
Cassius rolled his eyes, standing up. “I’m going to put Cathal to bed. Let me know when he stops making riddles,” he said, walking out of the room with the sleepy baby.
“Good job getting rid of him Eilis,” she chuckled. “Are you in pain at all?”
Eilis simply shook his head no before turning over on the couch and closing his eyes. Noticing how dark it was out, Garbone and the rest decided to retire for the night, each one heading to their room.