"He's the one who killed us earlier today," I explained, watching the Lich's reaction carefully.

  The flames in his eye sockets blazed brighter, casting dancing shadows across the laboratory walls. His bony fingers scraped against the workbench with an unsettling screech.

  "You should have led with that information." The Lich's scholarly demeanour vanished, replaced by cold fury. "Cain and I have... unfinished business."

  "What kind of business?" I asked, but the Lich had already turned away, pacing between his workbenches.

  He let out a hollow laugh that echoed through the chamber. "The odds of this convergence... astronomical. Simply astronomical." His flames flickered erratically as he turned back to face us. "To think, after all these centuries, he resurfaces now."

  Aria shifted uncomfortably beside me. "Should we be concerned about your reaction?"

  The Lich's eternal grin somehow seemed more menacing. "If I had known about Cain's involvement, I would have helped you without requiring anything in return." He gestured to the vials of my blood. "But since you've already provided what I needed... perhaps there is something else you require? Additional resources? Information?"

  Isabella stepped forward. "What exactly can you offer?"

  "And what's your history with Cain?" I added.

  The Lich's flames dimmed slightly as he contemplated our questions. His skeletal fingers drummed against the workbench in a rhythmic pattern that echoed through the laboratory.

  "Excellent questions, both of them." He picked up one of the vials containing my blood, examining it in the ethereal light. "My history with Cain is... complicated. A personal matter I prefer not to discuss in detail."

  "But you clearly have strong feelings about him," Isabella pressed.

  The Lich set the vial down with careful precision. "Indeed. Let's just say he took something precious from me. Something that can never be replaced."

  Aria crossed her arms. "And what exactly can you offer us?"

  "Knowledge, for one." The Lich gestured to his vast collection of books and scrolls. "Magical techniques that even your Academy doesn't teach. Spells that could give you an edge against him."

  I raised an eyebrow. "And beyond that?"

  "A favour from me, to be called upon when needed. No strings attached." He moved between his workbenches, gathering various items. "But most importantly, I'll help you deal with Cain. No payment required. His defeat would be satisfying enough."

  "That's unusually generous," Isabella noted, suspicion clear in her voice.

  The Lich's flames flickered. "Perhaps. But some debts transcend mere transaction. Some wounds never heal, even for the undead."

  "So, what do we do now?" I asked, watching the Lich's ethereal flames flicker.

  "If we're dealing with Cain, I'll need more time to prepare." The Lich moved between his workbenches, reorganizing various artifacts. "Two days, at minimum."

  My fingers clenched into fists. Every moment we delayed meant Faith remained in danger. But the memory of reformation sent phantom pain through my body - that eternal agony compressed into seconds. The Lich had a point. Rushing in would only result in another death, and Cain would be more than ready for us this time.

  "You mentioned offering knowledge," I said, forcing myself to focus on immediate solutions. "What exactly did you mean by that?"

  The Lich's skeletal hand swept toward the countless tomes lining his laboratory walls. "I possess extensive magical knowledge. You could study these texts, or..." His flames brightened. "I could imprint the knowledge directly into your minds."

  "Isn't that the obvious choice?" I asked, glancing at my companions.

  "Not necessarily." The Lich's voice took on a lecturing tone. "Knowledge imprinted this way is tied to the physical form. For mortals, this poses little issue. But for demons..." He paused meaningfully. "The knowledge vanishes upon death. One reformation, and everything is lost."

  Isabella stepped closer to me, her ice-blue eyes narrowed. "There's another consideration. You'd have to trust that he won't make other alterations to your mind during the process."

  "Yeah," Aria chimed in, crossing her arms. "Why do you think the Academy doesn't use this method? It'd be way easier than all those boring lectures."

  "We'll stick to the tomes," I said, eyeing the countless books lining the laboratory walls. "Safer that way."

  The Lich nodded, his ethereal flames casting dancing shadows. "A prudent choice."

  "Do we really need to read all of this?" Aria groaned, running her finger along a dusty shelf. She picked up a particularly thick volume, weighing it dramatically in her hands. "I mean, look at the size of these things."

  "I'll handle the reading," I offered, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

  Aria's expression softened as she set the book down. "I was just joking around." She bumped her hip against mine playfully. "Like I'd actually leave you here."

  Isabella had already settled herself at one of the workbenches, a massive leather-bound tome spread open before her. Her ice-blue eyes darted across the pages with intense focus, completely absorbed in whatever ancient knowledge she'd discovered.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  "If you prefer," the Lich said, his hollow voice echoing slightly, "you may take the relevant tomes with you to study somewhere more... hospitable." He gestured at the dark stone walls and various preserved specimens. "I'm aware my laboratory isn't the most welcoming environment for the living. I'll contact you through the communication rune once my preparations are complete."

  "We should thank you for your help," I said, realizing something. "Though we haven't properly introduced ourselves, have we?"

  "Indeed." The Lich's flames flickered with amusement. "Allow me to rectify that oversight. I am Kyriakos, once known as the Sage in the court of Atlantis."

  "Atlantis?" My eyes widened. "The legendary sunken city?"

  "A tale for another time, I'm afraid." Kyriakos waved his skeletal hand dismissively. "One that requires far more time than we currently have at our disposal."

  "Well, I'm Lily," I offered, then gestured to my companions. "And these are-"

  "Isabella Lilitu and Ariasielle Nova," Kyriakos finished. "Yes, I've known your identities since our first meeting."

  Isabella's lips curved into a knowing smile. "I would be disappointed if you hadn't."

  "Now then," Kyriakos's flames brightened slightly, "have you decided whether to stay and study here?"

  I glanced at my friends. "What do you think? Should we take these somewhere more comfortable?"

  "Isabella's place would be perfect," Aria suggested, then her expression darkened. "Plus, we still need to deal with those guards who hurt Bellas."

  "Agreed." My jaw clenched at the memory. "They shouldn't get away with hurting him like that."

  "Then it's settled." Isabella gathered several tomes into her arms. "We'll study at my quarters."

  "Very well." Kyriakos nodded. "I'll contact you through the rune once my preparations are complete."

  We said our goodbyes and left the laboratory, our arms laden with ancient books. As we walked through the tunnels, I considered our timeline. Two days wasn't much time to master new spells, but perhaps we could each focus on learning different ones. Besides, these tomes would remain valuable long after our confrontation with Cain.

  "We should divide the spells between us," I suggested, adjusting my grip on the heavy books. "Focus our efforts."

  "Good thinking," Isabella agreed. "No point in all of us trying to learn everything at once."

  "As long as I don't get stuck with the boring ones," Aria added with a wink.

  We settled into Isabella's private quarters, spreading the ancient tomes across her desk and plush chairs. The leather-bound volumes creaked as we opened them, releasing the musty scent of aged paper.

  "Look at this," I said, running my finger along an intricate diagram of mana flow. "He's got detailed explanations of healing magic. Didn't expect that from someone who turns people into skeletons."

  Isabella peered over my shoulder. "These illustrations are remarkably precise. See how he maps the energy pathways? The Academy's texts barely scratch the surface."

  "Hey, this one shows how to regrow limbs!" Aria exclaimed from her position sprawled across a chaise lounge. "Though I'm more interested in..." She flipped through several pages, then grinned. "This spell that lets you shoot lightning from your fingertips."

  I studied the healing tome more closely. "The way he explains arcane magic makes so much sense. It's not just about following patterns - it's about understanding how reality itself responds to will and intent."

  "The Academy teaches us to memorize forms," Isabella noted, "but these texts explain why those forms work in the first place. How different types of magic interact with the Idea Dimension."

  "Boring!" Aria declared, her eyes fixed on her chosen spell. "Who cares about theory when you can learn to throw lightning?" She sat up, extending her hand dramatically. "Think how impressive that would look!"

  "Read the warnings at least," Isabella chided, though her lips twitched with amusement.

  I immersed myself in the healing text, fascinated by how Kyriakos broke down complex magical concepts into clear, logical steps. Each diagram showed exactly how mana should flow to knit flesh and mend bone.

  "Did you know healing magic was originally developed to torture people?" Aria asked, finally looking up from her lightning spell. "You could just keep healing them and start over!"

  "Focus on your lightning, dear," Isabella said dryly.

  I shook my head, returning to my studies. Despite Aria's distractions, I had to admit - these texts were incredible. They didn't just teach spells; they explained the fundamental nature of magic itself.

  I flipped through more pages of the healing tome, my eyebrows rising at each revelation. "I always thought healing was purely divine magic's domain."

  "That's what they teach at the Academy," Isabella said, leaning against the desk. "But arcane magic can accomplish the same results through different means."

  "Just more complicated," I muttered, studying a particularly dense diagram. The mana pathways for arcane healing looked like an engineer's nightmare - precise angles, multiple energy conversions, and careful power regulation. Divine healing, by comparison, relied on faith to bridge those gaps.

  "We don't have time for this level of complexity," I said, closing the tome reluctantly. "Not with Cain out there."

  Aria looked up from her lightning spell. "Found anything useful yet?"

  I pulled another book closer, this one focused on combat magic. "Working on it. I need something more practical than what they teach first-years."

  "Smart choice," Isabella nodded. "Basic magic won't cut it against someone like Cain."

  I immersed myself in the combat tome, memorizing every detail I could. Part of me hoped more memories of Lily's magical training would surface, like the thermal manipulation in the bath. But Faith's life hung in the balance - I couldn't rely on chance.

  "These books are incredible," I said, marking particularly useful passages with strips of paper. "I'm definitely coming back for a proper study after we deal with Cain."

  I closed the ancient tome with a sigh, rubbing my tired eyes. "I think I need a short nap to process all this information. My mind feels overloaded."

  "Mmm, I have an even better idea," Aria purred, sliding behind me. Her hands cupped my chest, making me gasp.

  "Aria! That's..." I couldn't help the soft moan that escaped as she squeezed. "We don't have time for this. There's too much to learn."

  Her lips curved into a knowing smirk against my neck. "We'll be quick. Besides, I can tell we all need some... relaxation after all this studying."

  "But the spells..." My protest weakened as her fingers traced teasing circles. The sensation sent shivers down my spine despite my attempts to focus on our research.

  "Aria does have a point," Isabella said, rising gracefully from her chair. She glided over to us, her hand trailing up Aria's thigh. "This is the perfect way to refresh ourselves."

  Isabella's fingers found their target, making Aria gasp against my neck. "Brutus," Isabella called out to her orc slave. "Come here."

  I sighed, my body already responding to their touches. "Fine... I suppose this is more effective than a nap for recharging." My succubus nature had long since taught me that nothing restored energy quite like sex.

  Aria's fingers deftly worked at the clasps of my dress while Isabella watched with hungry eyes. The fabric pooled at my feet as Aria's lips traced patterns on my shoulder. Isabella stepped closer, her own clothes dissolving into shadow - a neat trick she'd perfected.

  "Much better," Isabella purred, helping Aria out of her remaining garments. Our naked forms pressed together, skin against skin, as we moved toward where Brutus waited. The orc's impressive physique showed his obvious readiness.

  "Shall we begin?" Isabella asked, her voice thick with anticipation.

  Aria giggled, already reaching for him. "I think we shall."

  I felt my own excitement building as we approached. Whatever reservations I might have once had about such encounters had long since faded into acceptance of my demonic nature.