Chapter 598

Chapter 598: The Prisoner

Greed looked at the demon corpses around and rubbed his nose hard. "Your Eldre’Thalas has been invaded terribly. How many cages do you have to hold us intruders?"

Vereesa glanced at Greed, shaking her head slightly to tell him to stay quiet. The dwarf seemed angry about being called a grave criminal, but he went silent after her warning.

The Kaldorei watched Greed with no expression, then turned to Vereesa, her eyes looking a bit lost.

Jesse felt no strong magic coming from her, but she must have been tough to beat so many demons. Maybe she was just too weak, especially since she hadn’t even stood up earlier.

"Who are you?" Jesse asked.

"I am Lehaiden," the elven woman answered. "Tosedrin sent me to clear out the demon trouble here, but I underestimated them and got badly hurt. Things here are already out of hand…"

"If you’re not helping the demons, get me out to show you’re friendly, outsiders. Maybe I can talk to Shen’dralar for you to lighten your invasion crimes."

Jesse studied Lehaiden. She was much taller than the Kaldorei mage outside. Even with demon blood making her look messy, her skin was smoother, her hair tidier, and she stayed calm and steady.

"The mages sealed this area to keep demons from the city," she went on. "If you got in, does that mean the seal is gone?"

"The guards outside lifted it for us," Jesse said.

Lehaiden laughed softly, like she didn’t believe Jesse at all. "Take me out and we’ll see," she stated.

Greed eyed her. "Hold on. Do you know Dethmoora?"

Lehaiden stared at the dwarf for a moment. "What do you want with her?"

"Do you know her?" Jesse asked.

"She lost touch with Eldre’Thalas long ago," Lehaiden replied. "She tried to call a second demon to keep the city alive, but Shen’dralar said no. She planned to do it alone, and after her plot was found out, she ran."

"Relying on one demon for power has already caused endless harm," Vereesa said. "Two demons would push the whole city into ruin."

"You living by the Sunwell will never grasp Eldre’Thalas’s despair," Lehaiden smiled. Vereesa paused, and Jesse asked, "How long have you been stuck here?"

"Two years," Lehaiden said. "Ever since the magical defense array broke…"

"Who wrecked the magical defense?" Jesse pressed.

Greed looked at Jesse, puzzled. The elves outside had said the Ogres destroyed it, so why ask again?

But he kept quiet, quickly seeing Jesse’s point.

Lehaiden didn’t answer, just stared at Jesse. "This city isn’t whole anymore."

Every elf inside felt that, but why wouldn’t a mage sent here to hunt demons mention the Ogres?

Maybe this elf knew nothing about the Ogres.

Jesse felt this woman was one of the prisoners, and the strongest one. Linking it to what Greed said about the slaughter…

But why did Detect Demon show no trace of her? Was she a warlock locked up here? Was she Dethmoora?

After speaking, Lehaiden moved slowly toward the half-open stone door. Each step looked hard, but she tried to keep her grace.

Jesse exchanged looks with Greed, Vereesa, and Mosa. They all thought this elf wasn’t as simple as she seemed.

Back in the big hall, Jesse said, "Lady Lehaiden, after we free you, help us find Dethmoora."

Lehaiden leaned on a stone pillar to catch her breath. The flickering shadowfire braziers lit her up, making her as striking as the statues outside Eldre’Thalas.

"Eldre’Thalas doesn’t let anyone leave, but after I report to Tosedrin, I can give you clues only Shen’dralar know."

"Are you part of Shen’dralar?" Vereesa asked.

"Yes, ‘kin’," Lehaiden replied.

"You seem quite familiar with another continent, milady," Jesse said. "You know Quel’Thalas and the Sunwell, and most importantly, you speak Common."

"I’ve walked this world since before the Well of Eternity was destroyed, human," Lehaiden replied coldly.

"But Quel’Thalas and the Sunwell didn’t exist before the Well’s destruction, nor did Common," Jesse’s tone matched hers. "If Eldre’Thalas forbids leaving, how do you know these things?"

Lehaiden stared blankly at Jesse before her lips twitched into a smile.

"I’ll take you to Eldre’Thalas’s Grand Library. You’ll marvel at its knowledge, and how our astrologers uncover world secrets in impossible ways…"

She turned toward the passage entrance. She’d clearly left Eldre’Thalas before. A Highborne warlock who escaped, yet ended up chained in the deepest demon cell…

Jesse whispered to Vereesa, "Check for magic traces, Vere."

The ranger nodded, raising her right hand while murmuring a spell. Lehaiden whirled around at the incantation, her eyes narrowing.

"What magic is this?"

It was the Reliquary’s trace-confirming spell—one Vereesa had cast so often these months Jesse nearly memorized it. When Vereesa opened her eyes, she stared at the Highborne. "You are Dethmoora."

"What?" Lehaiden gave a hollow laugh, as if hearing absurdity.

"Ah. Hunting magic traces? I slaughtered Dethmoora’s demon servants—those vile monsters. Their blood soaks my skin, flows in my veins. How could I not bear her magical mark?"

"You’ll remain here, milady," Jesse declared. "Until I verify your identity with this prison’s guards."

"I need no validation from lowly outsiders."

Lehaiden spun, chanting. Raw power surged through her words, staggering Jesse. Arcs of Arcane energy bound everyone present—including Mosa—reducing their movements to sluggish struggles at one-third normal speed.

"My thanks for convincing those fools outside to break the seal. Your reward: firsthand experience of my years of torment…"

Adjusting her rune-covered robe, Lehaiden eyed Vereesa’s nocked arrow. "Quick. Not quick enough."

She smirked toward the passage—then froze as Dazhalm slid from behind a pillar.

The Felhound howled and lunged. Lehaiden hurled an Arcane Missile, but the beast swallowed it whole…

Shrieking, she wrestled the Felhound aside. Jesse’s group strained against fading bonds as movement returned.

The Felhound broke free and pounced again. Tendrils wrapped the weakened Kaldorei mid-spell before its bulk crushed her against stone.

"Beast! Filthy mongrel!"

Lehaiden’s voice shattered into Demonic screams—Jesse realized with horror.

The Felhound tore skin from Lehaiden’s face, exposing a beastly magic eye blazing with fel magic beneath.

"ENOUGH!" The voice warped into layered shrieks—demons and woman fused. She flung the Felhound away, rising bloody. Coarse demon-hide and matted fur showed through her wounds.

Her form swelled to four meters tall. Demonic claws shredded her disguise as leathery wings unfurled. Curved horns thrust from her skull, and cloven hooves cracked the floor.

An Ered’ruin wreathed in Mageweave patterns—a Burning Legion demon!

The Satyrs hadn’t summoned Dethmoora’s servants. They’d summoned Dethmoora herself!