The journey was long, the oppressive silence broken only by the hum of the transport and the occasional barked orders from the Shadow Court guards.

The camp came into view as they crested a hill—a sprawling fortress of dark stone and jagged spires, its walls patrolled by shadowy figures.

The captives were led into the heart of the camp, their presence drawing curious and hostile gazes from the soldiers and mages that lined the path. They were taken to a large holding area, surrounded by towering black walls etched with glowing runes.

Adrian glanced around, taking in every detail of their surroundings. The guards, the defenses, the positioning of the mages—it was all information he would use later.

"You're awfully calm for someone who just surrendered," Lilith muttered, her whip coiled loosely at her side.

"Calm is relative," Adrian replied, his fiery chains sparking faintly despite the suppression magic. "I'm waiting."

"For what?" Selene asked, her violet blade flickering weakly.

Adrian's eyes narrowed as he looked toward the largest spire in the camp. "For the real fight to begin."

The camp was filled with a strange sound of dark magic, its heavy energy always felt in the air.

Adrian and the others sat in the center of a guarded holding area, their hands bound with glowing restraints. Shadow Court soldiers patrolled the perimeter, their sharp gazes never leaving the group.

Despite their predicament, Eris leaned casually against the cold stone wall, her emerald daggers flickering faintly with suppressed power.

She wore a sly smirk as her aura subtly shifted, a faint ripple of her discord energy spreading outward like a stone dropped in still water.

It started slowly.

Two soldiers at the camp's edge were having a heated conversation, their voices getting louder. Within moments, they were shouting, and then came the clash of steel as one lunged at the other.

The commotion spread like wildfire.

Soldiers turned on each other, their weapons flashing as chaos erupted.

Adrian raised an eyebrow as the shouting grew louder, echoing through the camp. "What the hell is going on?" he asked.

The others turned toward Eris, who shrugged innocently, though her smirk betrayed her mischief. "What? I didn't do anything… overt."

Hera groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Eris, we're supposed to be laying low."

"This is low," Eris replied, her tone sweetly sarcastic. "Besides, it's not my fault they're so susceptible to a little nudge."

Before Adrian could respond, a piercing whistle cut through the air. Seconds later, a powerful gust swept into the camp as Solis, Hera's griffin, descended from above, her golden feathers crackling with electricity.

"Well, since it's mischief time, let's make things interesting," Hera said with a smirk.

The griffin let out a screech, her talons raking the ground as she charged into the fray. Bolts of lightning erupted from her wings, arcing toward the fighting soldiers.

The gusts from her powerful wings sent smaller shadow creatures sprawling.

Adrian groaned, rubbing his temples. "Hera, call her off."

"This is fun," Hera replied, grinning as Solis leapt into the air, scattering a group of soldiers with a burst of wind and lightning.

"It's a distraction," Adrian snapped, his chains sparking faintly. "We need to stay focused."

Hera sighed but gave a sharp whistle, signaling Solis to retreat. The griffin circled overhead, her keen eyes watching for any further threats.

The chaos was beginning to subside when a sharp, commanding voice cut through the commotion. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Adrian turned to see a figure striding toward them, his black armor gleaming in the faint light of the camp. The dark energy surrounding him rippled with intensity, and his crimson eyes burned with fury.

A soldier hurried behind him, stammering, "Commander Kael, it—it just started out of nowhere! They turned on each other!"

Commander Kael stopped in front of the group, his gaze narrowing as he took in the restrained goddesses and Adrian. "Explain," he demanded.

Eris stepped forward, unbothered by the commander's obvious anger. "Just a little demonstration," she said lightly, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "To remind you that we surrendered because he asked us to. Not because we're powerless."

Kael's crimson eyes flicked to Adrian, his lip curling in disdain. "A leash around your neck, Champion, and your pets still cause trouble."

Adrian held Kael's gaze, his fiery chains sparking faintly despite the suppression magic. "If you think this is trouble, you're not ready for what's coming."

Kael sneered but didn't rise to the taunt. "Enough games. You'll face the Malevolent Lord soon enough. Let's see how bold you are then." He motioned to his soldiers. "Prepare the portal."

The group was herded toward a massive, rune-etched archway at the edge of the camp. Dark energy pulsed through the structure, creating an eerie, swirling vortex at its center.

The air became colder as they got closer, and the heavy feeling of the portal's magic weighed down on them.

Selene frowned as she studied the portal. "The Shadow Court's dimension," she murmured. "Twisted, corrupted… we'll need to be careful."

"Understatement of the year," Lilith muttered, her crimson whip sparking faintly.

Kael smirked, gesturing toward the vortex. "Step through. Welcome to your new reality."

Adrian stepped forward first, his expression unreadable as he passed through the swirling portal. Silently, the others followed.

The other side of the portal looked very different from the world they had just come from.

The sky was a dark red color, with swirling black clouds that moved in an unusual way. The ground they stood on was rough and bumpy, made up of dark rocks with bright cracks that glowed ominously.

Massive spires jutted from the earth, their surfaces covered in writhing runes.

A sprawling fortress loomed in the distance, its towers twisting upward like claws reaching for the blood-red sky. The oppressive energy here was even stronger, weighing heavily on their senses.

"This place is disgusting," Medea muttered, her black flames flickering faintly despite the suppression magic.

"Focus," Adrian said sharply, his gaze fixed on the fortress. "This is where we'll find him."

Kael led them toward the fortress, the group surrounded by heavily armed guards. As they approached the massive gates, they swung open with a low groan.

Inside, the air was colder, the darkness deeper.

They were ushered into a grand chamber, its walls lined with jagged pillars that seemed to pulse with dark energy. At the far end of the room, a figure stood with his back to them, gazing out over the twisted landscape beyond.

"Hail the Malevolent Lord!" Kael bowed, followed by the guards with him.

The goddesses exchanged look with each other before facing the figure before them.

Just then, the figure turned, a ruthless smile spreading across a face Adrian knew all too well, and his breath caught.

"Marcus," Adrian spilled out in shock.

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