Lilith's sanctum shimmered with silence.
No sounds echoed in this chamber—not the drip of time nor the rustle of breath. The air was thick with golden haze, the scent of crushed petals and burning ink filling the corners of the space. A thousand blooms hung from the walls and ceiling—each one pulsating gently, as though breathing. Magic pooled in the soil beneath Lilith's throne, soaking into the roots of the plants that obeyed only her will.
She sat motionless, fingers steepled beneath her chin, gaze fixed on the nothing in front of her.
Until the door opened without a knock.
Varasha entered, her dark hair windswept, her usual swagger replaced by urgency. "Mother," she said, bowing with formality—rare for her.
From the far shadows, Yzaroth stirred. He had been there already—coiled in the corner like smoke wrapped in silk, his long limbs folded beneath him as he listened to what others could not. His deep violet eyes flickered toward Varasha.
Lilith raised one delicate brow. "Did they meet?"
"They did," Varasha confirmed. "Five of them. Including Orithyx and Rahz'Keth. Vehla was there too."
"And what did they say?" Lilith asked, her voice honey-sweet, almost indifferent.
"They're growing restless. Suspicious," Varasha said. "Rahz wants to act. Some of them think you've become… distracted."
Lilith smiled faintly. "And did they cast you out before or after the accusations?"
"Before," Varasha replied dryly. "I made sure of that."
From the shadows, Yzaroth finally spoke, his voice like wind sliding over bone.
"They met beyond my reach. The cave of shadows near the eastern cliffs. Old place. Too silent. My ears cannot go there."
Lilith didn't look at him. "But you heard them coming and going?"
Yzaroth nodded once. "Enough. They wish to test him. Lioren. They want to know which side he stands on."
Varasha stepped closer, arms folding across her chest. "They're planning something. I can feel it."
"Of course they are," Lilith murmured, brushing her fingertips through the bloom resting on the armrest of her throne. Its petals shifted into black before blooming gold once again. "This is why I've been preparing him."
She stood slowly, movements liquid, regal.
"Lioren was not brought here simply to break the barrier," she said. "He was brought here to break expectation. To make them see something they've never seen before."
Yzaroth's gaze followed her as she walked through the glowing garden. "You want them to challenge him."
"I want them to witness him," Lilith said. "And I want him to win."
A silence passed. The tension in the room was not heavy—it was coiled. Like a serpent waiting beneath soft petals.
Then Yzaroth spoke again, slower this time.
"There's something else," he said. "I've been hearing… whispers."
Varasha turned toward him. "From the cliffs?"
Yzaroth shook his head. "From Asmodan's den."
Lilith's steps stopped.
He continued, "Faint. Like something old is breathing again. Like air is returning to dead lungs."
The air in the room cooled.
Even Varasha's posture shifted slightly.
Lilith didn't turn. She simply lowered her hand, touching the nearest flower with a single finger. Its light dimmed.
"He was going to wake up eventually," she said quietly.
She turned to face them both. "But not yet."
Varasha narrowed her eyes. "You didn't kill him."
Lilith gave a thin smile. "No."
Yzaroth tilted his head. "He's cursed."
"Bound," Lilith corrected. "His body is dead, yes. But his power isn't. And in time, that power might be useful."
"But if he wakes—" Varasha began.
"He won't," Lilith said, voice firmer now. "Not unless I let him."
Silence again.
Varasha looked uneasy for once. "What do we do if the others try something?"
Lilith's smile returned, and with it, a glint of something ancient and terrible in her gaze.
"We do nothing," she said. "Let them test him. Let them push."
"And when they see what he can do?" Yzaroth asked.
Lilith's golden eyes flashed.
"Then they will kneel."