"Can you move?"

Lissandra helped Lucy and worriedly asked her. The fallen God wasn't like Vyncent, she was still a mortal with some special powers acquired here, however, these powers are meant for combat so their situation was quite tricky.

Lucy was breathing heavily as sweat soaked her bloodied clothes. Her face was paler than usual and her movements were a bit stiff, nevertheless, she mustered all her strength and nodded her head to ease Lissandra's worries.

"Where are we going?" Asked the white specter while hiding her trembling hands behind her back.

"Anywhere but here."

Lissandra left the cramped place to survey the place while Lucy leaned against a wall, trying to regulate her breathing and activate her Physique. Unfortunately, her energy just wouldn't circulate as if there was something blocking it. Furthermore, the feeling of hunger and thirst worsened with every passing second, sucking every last bit of strength she desperately tried to muster.

Less than a minute later, Lissandra entered the cave to signal Lucy only to find the latter in a semi-conscious state, barely able to stand up. Just as she was about to talk, Lucy fell on the ground, unable to hold on any longer. Thankfully, she was caught by Lissandra, who held her in her arms and checked her pulse only to find it inexplicably and dangerously slow, almost non-existent, even.

As she examined the unconscious Lucy, Lissandra let out a sigh and shook her head, unable to come up with a solution. After pondering for a few minutes, she put Lucy on her back and used a thin rope to bind their bodies to ensure that she doesn't fall.

Lissandra took a few deep breaths, straightened her bent back then left the cave only to be assaulted by a gust of suffocating heat which made her sweat and pant heavily. The fragile woman persisted and continued to slowly march, a pulsating white light emanating from her hands, enveloping her and Lucy and erasing their presence.

*******

"You've called for me?"

The white-haired woman was a bit surprised, she didn't expect 'X' to be able to convince Yamak in just two days. She frowned and glanced at the silent dragon, which was motionlessly crouching next to its inmate, unperturbed by her appearance.

"F*ck! Can't you at least take a bath? You smell worse than horseshit."

The man comically held his blurry nose and waved his hand in annoyance. He signaled for her to stand a bit farther as the unpleasant smell was something he couldn't tolerate.

"Enough." She said with a triggered tone, unwilling to bear through his pointless nonsense anymore.

"Have you resolved your issues?"

'X' wriggled his body in discomfort and only replied when he found a more comfortable position.

"Mhm yes yes, we agree to help your master in whatever he or she needs. Let us out."

The veiled woman sized him up then added:

"Very well. I'll guide to master."

She retrieved a snow-white ribbon and swung at it at the cell. The ribbon went through the cage and easily cut the binding chains, turning them into beautiful white roses.

'X' swiftly got up, patted the dust off his dirty black tuxedo then massaged his wrists and ankles. He was nonchalantly humming, happy that he was finally released and doesn't have to remain here any longer.

Yamak let out a groan and lifted his head, his piercing pupils focusing on the white-haired woman, who wasn't afraid of the two of them even though they were unbound.

"Let me make this clear, you cannot talk to my master with that nasty attitude of yours."

'X' waved his hand dismissively and retorted

"Ok ok as long as you don't stand next to me, I'll refrain from 'nasty' comments."

She let out a snort, turned around and left, expecting the two to follow. 'X' threw an unreadable glance at Yamak then left cell. As for the dragon, due to the narrow place, it cast a spell on itself, making it size much smaller, the size of a lion pup, actually.

A small silver dragon floated behind 'X', appearing more like an obedient pet than a dangerous beast that could obliterate cities with one breath.

*******

"LET ME OUT!"

A tall silver-haired woman angrily shrieked, her hair disheveled and her robe tainted by the mud inside this gloomy and uncomfortable place. After the war ended, she tended to her daughter, who's still unconscious but the 'peaceful' days were interrupted by her teacher, who barged in and threw her here.

She was a distinguished individual in the Divine Planet and many feared her yet she was treated like a criminal and imprisoned here against her will.

It has been a week already yet the Joker never showed up, leaving her here, unable to do nothing but call for him.

Though she was an Exalted God, this place restricted all her powers and made her high cultivation irrelevant. Katrina was about to shout again only for a dark silhouette to enter the prison, startling her.

As the figure made its way toward her, her expression drastically changed. She didn't dare shout out loud and maintained a calm countenance while wondering why such an individual appeared here.

"I can understand why you find this place so distasteful and unpleasant, however, it is one of a few places which can bind you."

His cold and emotionless face echoed in this empty place, ringing inside her ears. He stood inches away from the prison bars, his penetrating gaze focusing on her, making the Matriarch unconsciously take a step back.

After a short silence, the pale-faced youth said:

"If it were up to me, you'd already be dead."

Upon hearing this, Katrina frowned but didn't utter a word, obediently choosing to listen to what he has to say.

"Let me make this perfectly clear O'venerable Matriarch, the woman you claim is your daughter, Lucy MoonStar, has nothing to do with you or your clan. She doesn't want to associate with you, doesn't want to meet you, doesn't want your motherly love, she only wants to be left alone and live happily with her own family."

His eyes narrowed as he took one more step, his face almost touching the cold bars. A dangerous and soul-shaking darkness emanated from him, creeping closer to the stiff Katrina.

"I think my words were crystal clear, right?"

After a few moments, Katrina reluctantly nodded her head.

Leiu kept staring at her, his eyes almost tearing hole through her frozen body.

"If you understand then listen carefully, from this point in time until the day you die, you will not meet her. If by some sort of ungodly coincidence, you two meet, you'll turn around and leave. You won't say a word, you won't seek her or anyone close to her intentionally."

Katrina mustered some courage and was about to object only to hear him say "Do not speak." These three words held unobstructed authority which weighed down her, rendering her unable to utter anything.

"I do not want to hear your voice, much less your reasons or excuses. I said my part and, you, Katrina, will listen to my words and obey. You've lost your chance for reconciliation so don't you push yourself off the cliff and lose your life too."

He turned around, the darkness leaking out of him retracting almost immediately. Before his figure vanished, he added:

"Farewell… and let this be our final meeting."

Only when he left did she regain control over her body. She fell on the ground, kneeling, panting and holding her chest. Though, supposedly, her teacher, The Joker, is just as strong as The Nameless Knight, the feeling she got from the latter was completely different. She felt overwhelming dread, to the point of being paralyzed in his presence, it was definitely an unfamiliar feeling for someone of her status, someone who's used to being feared.