CHAPTER 44: DAY TWO

"Using your image? How did you come to that conclusion?" Viktor asked, watching Hades intently.

"That’s the only reasonable explanation, Vik. This isn’t the first time the girl has seen me, so how is it possible that my presence triggers her so much now? It can only happen if I, or whoever is taking my appearance attacked her and the old man," Hades explained, burying his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"Whoever this person is, they must be a shapeshifter. I didn’t know they existed naturally," Viktor added.

"They don’t," Hades replied. "Shapeshifters can only be created, and I have a feeling I know who would want to create one." He stared straight ahead.

"Who are you thinking of?" Viktor asked, his eyes filled with interest.

"We shall go to the man’s hut. There’s something I have to check out," Hades declared as he made his way toward the carriage, with Viktor trailing behind him.

The ride to the hut was short and filled with silence. When the carriage finally halted, the prince and Viktor walked to the hut. Hades pushed the door open and stepped inside, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings while Viktor stood at the doorway, observing him.

Hades crouched down and trailed his finger along the worn floor, which was covered in faint black dust, before bringing it to his nose to sniff. Straightening his posture, he took a few steps toward a table, picked up a cloth, and wiped the dirt off his finger before returning his hands to his pockets.

"It is indeed a shapeshifter, and he was here. He killed Erick and brutally injured the girl." Hades turned around to see a confused-looking Viktor staring back at him. "Whenever a shapeshifter transforms into someone, they leave behind a black dust that has a faint, distinct scent. This place is covered in it," he explained.

"That’s... concerning. Anyone could be this shapeshifter. How do we find and stop them before they do any more damage?" Viktor sighed, rubbing his jaw.

"Not anyone can be a shapeshifter, Vik. Like I said, they are made, not born. Only powerful beings have the ability to turn someone into a shapeshifter. Whoever was here came for something. Erick couldn’t give it to him, and that’s why he killed the old man. Since nothing was stolen, it means whatever he was looking for wasn’t here." Hades said calmly.

Viktor’s eyes widened in realization. "The Book of Dark Whispers!"

"Exactly. This man thought he could impersonate me and get the book from Erick without raising suspicion, but Erick must have sensed something was wrong and refused him. That likely triggered the attack," Hades explained, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"What would he want with the Book of Dark Whispers? Only a few people even know it exists," Viktor asked.

"I believe this man has no real idea how powerful the book is. He’s likely just running an errand for whoever granted him the ability to shapeshift," Hades replied, then paused. His gaze shifted back to Viktor. "You should make sure the girl is well-guarded in the clinic. She still needs to tell us who attacked them. Take a few guards there. I’ll have a short talk with my uncle when we return to the castle."

"Very well, Your Highness," Viktor replied with a low bow. They both exited the room, closed the door behind them, and made their way to the carriage. Upon arrival, Viktor went off to carry out his task, while Hades headed straight to the crypt in search of his uncle.

~~~

"Today, we’ll take a step further and try something different," Lucian said to Lilith, gesturing for her to sit in the chair beside him. Lilith nodded, walked over, and sat down.

"Just like yesterday, you’re going to create a void in your mind, no thoughts, no memories, just pure focus and silence. Now, close your eyes and try to do that."

Before she shut her eyes, she watched Lucian move around the room, lighting the candles arranged in a circle. Lilith took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to summon that inner silence.

At first, her brows furrowed slightly as she struggled to ignore the sound of his footsteps and the faint clinking of metal.

"The candle flames are flickering, Lilith. You need to concentrate," Lucian’s voice came from behind her. "You must learn to silence the noise around you and create calm within. The world won’t go quiet just because you want to connect with your power. Focus on yourself."

Lucian’s eyes shifted from her to the candlelight, now steady and calm. After a few minutes of her maintaining the atmosphere, he walked over, lifted a jug from a table, and began pouring water slowly into a cup. The candle flames flickered.

"Concentrate, Lilith. Ignore the sound of the dripping water," Lucian’s voice echoed through the room. The lights flickered a few more times before returning to stillness.

"Good," he said, placing the jug back on the table.

"Now, we’re going to test how well you can control your perception of your surroundings. While I speak to you, you must pinpoint the direction of my voice. Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," she replied, releasing another deep breath.

"Now, tell me, Lilith, what direction is my voice coming from?" Lucian questioned.

Lilith’s brow furrowed. She couldn’t understand how, but his voice seemed to echo from all around her. "I... I can hear you from everywhere," she whispered.

"But I can’t be everywhere, Lilith. You know that. Come on, let’s try again. Widen your span of concentration. Once you do, you’ll be able to determine the exact location of my voice," Lucian instructed. "Now, what direction is my voice coming from?"

Lilith’s eyes tightened. His voice shifted from place to place, layered with a soft, almost whisper-like undertone that echoed faintly behind the main sound.

"Don’t tell me you don’t know. Push yourself more," she heard him say.

Lilith pushed beyond the mental span she had created. Then, the moving voice began to fade, and the whispering voice came into sharp clarity.

"What direction is my voice coming from?" he repeated.

"There," Lilith said, lifting her hand and pointing in the direction where she heard his voice most clearly.

"Open your eyes," Lucian instructed.

Lilith slowly opened her eyes to see that her finger was pointed precisely at where Lucian stood, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You did well, Lilith. The more we practice, the faster and better you’ll become at controlling the span of your focus," he said.

"Alright," Lilith replied, returning his smile.