Chapter 163 The Truth Serum
Chapter 163 The Truth Serum
Lyra: POV
I locked eyes with Kael across the chamber, a silent understanding passing between us.
The purple-black energy swirled around us like a malevolent fog, but Aria's wind message had given us hope—there was a weakness in the southeast corner where Valen's control faltered.
The air crackled with tension as Valen struggled to maintain the void-infused barrier.
His facial scar—the mark of his severed soulbound connection with Aria—flickered with unstable energy.
The ghostly white line across his left cheek pulsed with an irregular rhythm, betraying his weakened state despite his attempt at a commanding posture.
"Your pathetic attempts at resistance are futile," Lord Cassius sneered, his voice echoing through the temple's ancient hall.
"The void energy will consume you long before this barrier fails."
Yet I could see the strain on his face too.
The black obsidian box he'd used to counter our trap had depleted much of his energy.
Our plan had backfired, but there was still a chance.
I forced my expression to remain neutral while mentally counting down.
Three... two... one...
Kael suddenly unleashed a precise bolt of lightning, striking the weak point in the southeast barrier that Aria had identified.
I immediately channeled starlight energy through my Staff, directing it to expand the opening.
The crystal at its tip blazed with silver-blue light, responding to the ancient energies of the Water Temple around us.
"Now!" I shouted as the barrier began to fracture like breaking glass.
The Storm Hunters sprang into action from their positions around the temple, each targeting different points according to our plan.
The synchronized assault overwhelmed the already strained barrier, shattering it completely.
Lord Cassius's smug confidence morphed into shock.
"Impossible!" he snarled, his perfect composure cracking for the first time.
I didn't waste a moment, rushing toward the central pool while the others engaged Valen's guards.
Plunging the Tidesong Staff into the sacred waters, I began the true ritual we had prepared—not the fake one I'd used as bait.
"You're too late," I declared, my voice carrying a newfound authority even to my own ears.
"The waters of this temple reject the void's corruption."
The pool erupted with silvery-blue light, water elements responding to my call.
The temple itself seemed to awaken, ancient runes carved into the stone columns illuminating one by one.
But just as the ritual reached its critical point, something unexpected happened.
The water's surface above the pool shimmered, and a brilliant silver light coalesced into a translucent figure—the unmistakable form of the Star Goddess.
Her ethereal presence filled the chamber, causing even Lord Cassius to step back in alarm.
Her voice flowed like clear spring water directly into my mind: "The power of water and starlight will ultimately triumph over the void, but balance is the key. The Staff is not merely a weapon—it is a bridge between elements."
Understanding flooded through me like a sudden revelation.
The Tidesong Staff wasn't just channeling my power; it was designed to harmonize water elements with starlight energy.
As the goddess's form began to dissipate, she left me with one final instruction that crystallized my purpose.
"Turn the void against itself. Use its energy to seal its source."
With renewed determination, I pulled the Staff from the water, now glowing with a blinding intensity.
I directed the combined starlight and water elemental energy toward the black obsidian box Cassius had used against us.
"Kael!" I called out, and without needing further explanation, he unleashed his storm energy to complete a perfect tri-elemental seal.
What happened next was extraordinary—the void energy from Cassius's box reversed direction, creating a powerful backlash.
Aria, despite her weakened state, summoned enough wind element to create an energy vortex that trapped both Valen and Cassius in place.
"You underestimated our ability to adapt," I told them as the void energy they had wielded was turned against them, binding them in place.
Marcus and Thor burst forward, subduing the remaining guards while we secured complete control of the situation.
I stood before the captured Lord Cassius, the Tidesong Staff pointed at his chest.
"Where are the other void rifts?" I demanded.
"Tell me now, or I'll use starlight purification on you—which will be extremely painful given how deeply the void has corrupted you."
Cassius remained silent for a moment, then a disturbing smile spread across his face.
"The northern mountains, beyond the Crystal Falls," he finally replied, his voice eerily calm.
Kael leaned close to me, his voice low.
"His eyes are shifting—he's lying."
I sighed, lowering the Staff slightly.
"I was hoping we wouldn't need to resort to more reliable methods."
Marcus approached with a grim expression.
"We need the truth, and we need it now. I suggest we take them to the Shadow Market—there's a potion maker there who specializes in truth serums."
We secured Valen and Cassius in specially crafted magic-dampening sacks, leaving only their heads exposed.
Disguised as ordinary travelers, we avoided patrols and made our way to the infamous Shadow Market—a hidden bazaar where items of questionable legality changed hands.
In a dimly lit stall adorned with countless vials of mysterious liquids, we found what we were seeking: Heart's Echo Dew, a legendary truth serum.
"This is rare and expensive," the wrinkled merchant explained, holding up a small vial of shimmering blue liquid.
"It will force the drinker to speak only truth for approximately thirty minutes. But be warned—the effects can be unpredictable on those with strong mental barriers."
Kael traded a valuable storm dragon amulet for the potion.
The merchant's eyes widened as he recognized the symbol, giving us a knowing look.
We quickly left the market and found an abandoned shrine as our interrogation site.
Pulling the sack from Cassius's head, I observed the mix of rage and fear in his eyes as he realized what was about to happen.
With Aria's help, we forced the liquid down Cassius's throat despite his violent struggling.
After a moment, he went strangely still, his eyes taking on the same blue hue as the potion.
"What did you give me?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine terror.
"Tell me where the other void rifts are located—the real ones, not the false location you gave earlier," I commanded.
His eyes became vacant as he answered in detail, revealing that besides the forest rift, there was a primary rift beneath Crystal Lake in an underground cavern.
"I strengthened it myself using ancient rituals," he said emotionlessly.
"It's far more dangerous than the forest rift. I planned to use your Star-Chosen blood during the triple moon alignment to open it completely."
My heart sank as I realized the threat we faced was far greater than we had imagined.
As the potion's effects began to fade, we quickly discussed our next steps.
"We should seal the forest rift first to stabilize the situation, then tackle the main rift," I suggested.
Kael nodded in agreement.
"The forest rift has already affected the surrounding ecology. Time is of the essence."
We decided to leave Cassius and Valen under Marcus and Thor's guard while our elite team headed to the forest.
As we prepared to depart, I gripped the Tidesong Staff tightly, the weight of responsibility settling heavily on my shoulders.