Gralea.

She couldn't say she was too surprised to find herself here again, but she never would have thought she would be part of a mission to tear it town. Cor had given the group of Glaives instructions, stating that the source of the power could only be reached by locating the keep's central elevator. Nyxia supposed she should have kept her mouth shut, but she informed him that she already knew where the elevator and the throne room were. It had been a couple of months since she found herself running from daemons in the corridors of the keep, but she could still vividly recall the layout.

From there, they would split, killing daemons around the outside perimeter of the keep as Nyxia made her way inside. The passages seemed darker than usual, as if Ardyn's death had resulted in the base's energy weakening. All she had to do now was technically stab the heart.

Unable to deny she was still racked with guilt and grief, she pressed on. He had sacrificed himself to destroy her daemons, but somehow, deep inside, she couldn't entirely be sure if he really was dead. Ardyn had been believed to be dead more than once - this would have been the third time, now.

Third time's a charm, maybe?

Maybe not.

If she had learned one thing about him, it was that he always found a way to come back.

Trying not to jump to assumptions, she focused on the first map on the wall that she came across, using it as a refresher to find her way to the first elevator. When she had first been here, all access restrictions had been lifted, but now, it wouldn't be so easy. There were four levels of access she had to get through, and somewhere on the floors was a device to upgrade the access card. No doubt, when he had returned here before, The Accursed had made sure to up his security.

Thankfully, Cor had provided her with an access card they had found outside. That was a start. That was enough to get her into the actual keep, and as she located the machine that would upgrade it to level two, she would backtrack to the elevator. It took a lot of steps just to get to the fourth floor, and she knew she was close as she came into the familiar, security room with cameras. It was amazing this place still had power, as well as cameras giving live feed to a number of areas.

Nyxia looked at the screens, hoping to see the progress of the other Glaives, wherever they were right now. It had been about an hour and a half since she had split up with them. No doubt, they had to be doing well for themselves out there. She couldn't see anyone, though thought little of it.

Until she thought she saw a flash of movement on one of the flickering screens that seemed to be more dominated by static. Was that...?

No. It must have just been a daemon.

Continuing on, Nyxia pursued the central elevator. As she came to the large platform that stood just outside of the deceased emperor's throne, she realized that the doorway was now locked, and the card she had upgraded three times wouldn't take.

"Shit," she sighed. There was no point in using magic on it; she already knew that wouldn't work, either.

Then, she heard a clanging noise behind her - something like metal grinding together. She knew immediately what it was; she had been guarded by MTs long enough to know when one was close by. "Shit," she repeated, conjuring her scythe from the void and turning around. There were two of them, though they seemed to be relatively easy to take out. She swung at them, the blade extending on a chain that would reach out just as far as she needed it to. It took one out right away, and with a second swing, the other was highly damaged to the point that it was left crawling towards her. Nyxia gave it a third hit from up high, sending the point of the blade from above into its back. As the magitek suits diminished into nothing, however, something much worse was heading down the walkway leading towards the center platform she stood on.

A hoard of imps.

"Shit," she growled for a third time. "I don't have time for this."

At least, she supposed, she was getting plenty of opportunity to sharpen her combative skills. She just always hated these things. They were fast and simply more annoying than they were strong. Why she hadn't seen them before, she wasn't sure. They came from the same direction she had, after all. Perhaps they had come from one of the chambers branching from the camera room.

As she fought them off, she had counted a total of six. The blade swung over her head and down upon one, then behind to slice another. The last one was more evasive, and as she chased it towards the catwalk to finish it off, she felt pursued by something else. The last imp was down, and in sequence, she spun the scythe in a 180-degree turn with her body only to watch a gloved hand snatch it in midair. Nyxia felt her gut clench, staring at the black blood trickling down her blade. She didn't want to bring herself to look past it, as she already knew what it was she would see.

Trying to keep collected, her fingers only felt tighter around the hilt of her weapon. "I should have known you'd never really have the heart to sacrifice yourself for me."

"You seem disappointed."

Nyxia chose her next words carefully. "No. I'm just not surprised."

"No?" Ardyn answered, taking a couple of steps forward to lessen the gap between them. Nyxia remained still. How long would it take for her to finally break out of this spell he seemed to put her under? She always felt like mush around him - felt need for him like she did water when she got thirsty. Yet, he was a contamination. He always had been.

"You know why I'm here," Nyxia said evenly. "You can't stop me." Still gripping the scythe in his fingers, his other hand reached for her cheek. She almost recoiled, knowing that she should, but...something held her back. He felt warm, and the comfort drew her in like a moth to the flame.

"I beg to differ. Even now, you are full of reluctance."

As if trying to prove him wrong, she willed the chain to morph into a solid rod, then yanked the scythe away only to swing it at him. He phased away from her only to come back in, and before she could defend herself, she was stumbling into the railing, a sword at her throat. Nyxia stared at him, eyes wide with terror and disbelief as he held the blade. She had never thought he would be capable of threatening her like this, even if it might have been a bluff.

"Trust me, my dear... This is a fight you cannot win."

She inhaled. She was certain she already knew this, only that she didn't want to admit it. She had never really fought him before, though was vaguely familiar with his skills. Nyxia only wanted to appear stronger without him, and so far, she wasn't doing a very good job at it. She lowered her weapon slowly, expressing surrender. Once she had, the blade at her neck disappeared in a flicker of red light.

"I don't want to fight you, Nyxia," he said quietly.

"I know... I don't want to fight, either."

The blade in her hand also vanished, and she carefully lifted herself from the railing. Had she fallen over it, she would have fallen into the depths of the keep, and there was no telling how long the drop was.

But I will if I have to.

She made herself ready this time, making the first strike with the scythe again. It was just enough to catch him off his guard, getting back onto the platform and readying herself. Ardyn was a dangerous person to pick a fight with, but she had a plan...

He came at her, sword once again at the ready. She dodged, though just barely. He was fast as hell, and it would take all of her focus just to avoid getting cut.

They went at one another for a good, few minutes before Nyxia deliberately put herself in front of one of the windows leading into the locked room. As the royal sword came for her face, she ducked beneath it, allowing Ardyn's blade to shatter the glass behind her. Sharp shards fell around them in all directions, and Nyxia used her staff to throw him back into the ground. Both of her weapons pointed at him, she felt confident she had him beat.

"This little feud of ours..." he exhaled, staring up at her, "is oddly arousing."

While her adrenaline was rushing through her body at this point, she found it hard to not pay his words any mind. He may have been partially right, but she wasn't about to let him know that.

Pressing the bottom of her heeled boot against his chest, she pinned him hard into the ground. "Don't start trying to use that charm on me now, Ardyn. It won't work."

He watched her with his amber eyes, and even as he said nothing, she felt challenged. His fingers wrapped around her ankle, though his grip was remarkably gentle. No, don't-

His fingertips played along her calf, followed by the soft material of his usual gloves. She tried to restrain a shiver.

"Once more, my dear... with feeling." Knowing he had her right where he wanted her, Ardyn knocked the back of her knee hard, breaking her balance and sending her to collapse on top of him. Through the fall, he skillfully managed to disarm her of both her weapons. "Well, now... isn't this a familiar scenario... And in the same place, no less."

"This isn't funny," she warned, struggling to keep the strength in her voice.

"Oh, I'm quite serious."

Nyxia placed her palms on the floor to push herself off, but a hand grabbed her backside to keep her from going any further. She gasped, glaring down at him.

"Stop it... I'm warning you..."

He chuckled at her hardening voice. "I always admired your feistiness. It suits you so well." Suddenly, she was pulled off of him, and it was very briefly that she had thought someone was here to rescue her. However, as she saw strange, ethereal tendrils had tied themselves around her wrists, she was pinned back into the ground. Ardyn stood over her. "That fruitless fire will get you nowhere." He knelt down over her, one knee pressed into the hard floor beneath them. "You can fight however you wish," he said, his fingers curling her bright hair. "But no matter what, you will always belong to me."

She knew he was right. She was only exhausting herself, and he would only keep coming. Her determination to resist him could only go but so far. He then gave a pause, glancing over his shoulder before he would look down at her. "We may have to continue this elsewhere, my pet."

The room around her spun, leaving her dizzy even as she felt her back press against a mattress. It took a moment for her to regain focus, only to see that she had been brought into her own bedroom back at the palace. How had he brought her here? She pushed herself up only to find that she was still bound by the mystical, purple ropes.

"Now, where were we?"

Ardyn stood close by the bed, having removed his mantle, scarf, and coat. He was now working on his gloves, setting them on the chair nearby. Nyxia tugged at the restraints, but they seemed to resist, as if tightening more with every sign of struggle.

"You don't have to tie me up."

"On the contrary, forgive me if I might be a little apprehensive. I wouldn't want to take the risk of you running off and getting yourself hurt, now would I?" He was most certainly mocking her. "Besides, I believe I recall a certain vixen once took pleasure in being restrained."

"Once," she muttered, trying not to think of that recollection years ago. "It was a phase."

"Quite an enjoyable one, at that," Ardyn insisted. "Shall we revisit?" A hand pulled her thigh outward before teasing her core once again.

She spent the entire night giving into his every whim, though nothing ever said she didn't enjoy it, regardless of the lingering self-disgust.

During the following morning, while she woke up in the same bed, it was like waking up in a different world. She seemed to be alone, which came as no surprise. Ardyn would typically be a busy man who didn't sleep much; did he sleep at all, she wondered?

Yet, she was quick to take the chance to get out while she could. No, she wasn't stupid enough to run; he would find her before she got too far. Yet, she had a scheme in mind that might work out even better than hauling ass out of Curia.

She knew the gardens outside better than the layout of the palace - after all, as a healer, she had spent much time picking certain herbs to keep and put to use in the infirmary. Yet, a very specific blend would aid her now with her dilemma.

Nyxia made the concoction first before she would return to the bedroom. It would be kept in a tiny bottle - just enough for a single dose, but it could be transferred, if still fresh on her tongue. Thankfully, he had yet to return, but she knew that it wouldn't be much longer. She would take her chances. If he didn't come soon, she would give herself the antidote and try again another time.

After she downed the vial and tucked it away, she would pass the time by playing the cello. As if it were a siren's call, it hadn't taken long for the door to open. She half-smiled to herself as she heard Ardyn step into the room, the taste of the toxin still on her lips. He said nothing, though seemed to be light in spirit as his hand idly conducted, making invisible lines in the air. Just to entertain him, she played along, following his gestures. Knowing his passion for her performance actually made it more enjoyable.

It was a shame it wouldn't last much longer.

"Exquisite," he said, smiling at her as he would approach her. Nyxia would carefully set down the instrument and bow, only to be swept onto her feet into a dance-like twirl. "You most certainly do know how to make a man's dead heart pulse."

"It's not dead," Nyxia insisted, slyly catering to his softer emotions. "You showed me before you were capable of compassion."

Ardyn evidently gave her words thought before he would cup her face in his hands. "That was a long time ago."

Nyxia smiled, though she felt her energy draining quickly now. If she didn't do something soon, this would backfire dramatically.

"I miss him, you know... The Ardyn I used to love... What I wouldn't give to see that side of him again."

He gazed at her, seemingly a bit surprised by this sudden expression. However, his mouth found hers, parting slightly and compelling hers to do the same. Nyxia did so eagerly, her tongue grazing his tenderly. She felt somewhat guilty for tricking him like this, but as many times as he had her fooled...

"Is that poison I taste?"

Fuck...

Nyxia looked up at him without words, though to her surprise, he didn't seem exactly angry. Did immortality still plague him, or was the poison just not that potent?

He was smiling now, even as Nyxia would stagger back. Her legs were starting to feel heavy now. She needed to get that antidote...

"Tricky, tricky," he purred, casually walking after her as she would stumble towards the bathroom, where she kept the hidden vial to cure herself. However, her legs gave out beneath her before she could get to the threshold. Ardyn stepped into the room, and shortly after, reappeared in front of her with the remedy. "I have to commend you, that was a persuasive performance. You certainly had me fooled, at first." He held up the small tube, twirling it between his fingers. "Yet, it appears the femme fatale act didn't exactly go as designed, did it?"

She coughed, her stomach tightening in pain. It felt like daggers were being dragged into her gut. She was in so much agony by now, she couldn't even bring herself to stand up and fight.

Ardyn knelt down before her, grabbing her chin firmly. "Do it again, my pet, and I will show you pain ten times more terrible than what you're feeling now." His tone was dangerous - something she hadn't heard from him since the night he raped her before the end of the Starscourge. Tears streamed down her cheek from the agonizing, tearing feeling in her body. Yet, soon, there was relief as Ardyn would pour the antidote down her throat. Nyxia collapsed to the floor, managing to catch her breath. The pain took another minute to subside, and her body temperature would rise back to normal. Yet, he left her to her own devices as he exited the room, leaving a tired and distraught Nyxia to lie on the floor.