After

Erik's boots echoed through the chamber as he walked toward Valeria. His body remained tense. His every muscle coiled like a spring and he is ready to strike or defend at a moment he notice something strange.

His eyes never left hers with intense gaze as he approached. He stopped just inches away from her, his hand slowly reaching out. Then he grabbed the small bottle from her hand.

The bottle felt cold and slick in his grip. Erik held it up to the light and examining the thick black liquid inside. It looked almost alive as though shadows were swirling inside. The liquid had an unnatural sheen to it, like oil mixed with ink.

His jaw clenched as he looked at it, suspicion still etched on his face.

"Is this really the cure?" he asked with sharp voice. His piercing eyes bore into Valeria.

Valeria met his gaze, her golden eyes just as sharp. Anger flickered within them.

"Yes," she replied curtly with voice remained composed, almost cold.

Behind Erik, Mia standing rigid. Her fury still simmering on here eyes as she look at her.

"If this is fake, you know we won't let it slide, right?" Mia said. Her eyes burned with the same ferocity they had during the fight.

Valeria sighed, her lips pressing into a thin line as she clenched her jaw.

"I know," she replied, her patience wearing thin. "Don't threaten me. I'm not giving this to you out of fear."

Her eyes flicked between them.

"I'm giving you this because continuing this fight would be a waste of time and energy. For both of us."

But as calm as her words sounded, Erik could sense a flicker of something else beneath her exterior, wariness. Valeria, for all her power and confidence, was begin to feel uncertainty.

She didn't fully understand the extent of their strength and it made her cautious. She wasn't as invulnerable as she wanted them to believe.

Erik noticed the slight tension in her posture, the subtle way her jaw tightened. He exchanged a glance with Mia.

They had pushed her to the edge and though she was still dangerous a small part of her feared what they could do. They could feel it in the air.

"I will forgive the members you've killed," Valeria said. "Think of it as a misunderstanding. I'll deal with it."

Her eyes flicked between Erik and Mia, lingering on them for a moment.

"Now, return to your rooms. This was a mistake bringing you here."

There was a note of regret in her voice, but it was mixed with frustration. Valeria clearly believed her own decision had backfired.

Erik and Mia exchanged a brief glance but said nothing. With the bottle still in hand, Erik turned, walking toward the chamber door. Mia followed closely behind him.

As they passed Netharos who was still slumped against the cracked stone wall, Erik cast a cold, emotionless glance his way. He didn't say a word.

Netharos glared back at him, his eyes burning with humiliation and anger but Erik paid him no mind. At this point, Netharos was no longer a threat. Whatever power or influence he once wielded had been crushed by Erik's fists.

The chamber door creaked open, and Erik and Mia stepped through, leaving behind the room and the aftermath of their clash.

Once they reached their quarters, Erik and Mia sit on their bed and exhaled a long breath of relief.

Erik put the bottle of swirling black liquid beside him and grabbed his trembling hands. His knuckles were white from the tension still thrumming through his body.

"Shit," he muttered with a little bit of tremble in his voice . "That was... that was intense."

Across from him, Mia was sitting on the edge of her own bed. She also still feeling the intensity of everything that had just happened. Her muscles were tense and her mind racing, replaying the chaotic moments.

"I didn't think it would go down like that," she said. "I was just... so angry, and then..."

Erik let out a short, breathless laugh. "Haha. I know, right? I was just mad too. That blonde bitch broke her promise again, and I couldn't take it anymore." He leaned back, wiping a hand across his face, the tension finally starting to drain out of him. "Good thing Odin boosted our Attributes. We really showed them what we can do."

Mia chuckled darkly, the edge of cruelty still lingering in her voice. "Yeah, you're right. It felt good knocking them down a few pegs."

But Erik's smile faded quickly, and he sighed, rubbing his hands together. "Still... I don't think we could've beaten Valeria. Not really."

Mia glanced up at him, her brow furrowed and she nodded.

"I think she only backed off because we were in the same room as that giant," Erik continued. "I could feel it. She was afraid. Not of us but of what could happen if the fight got out of control and the giant was damaged. It must be important to her plan, somehow."

Mia nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing in realization. "Yeah. You're right. If that thing's so important to her, maybe it's a weakness we can use."

Erik's gaze shifted toward the bottle sitting beside him. "Whatever it is, we need to be ready. And finally we got the cure."

Mia nodded. "You're right. Lets find a way to send it back to Asgard."

They didn't say anything abou that, but they know that in that armor the giant wear, Vekkir already planted his own thing that they can use to sabotage it. And knowing that Valeria was so careful about the giant, they knew that if they can hurt or disable the giant they wild ruin her plan completely.

KNOCK

KNOCK

KNOCK

A sudden knock at the door snapped Erik and Mia out of their thoughts. Erik stood up and walked over to the door and opened it cautiously.

One of the Dreadshade Coven members standing in the doorway, he dressed in the same dark robes as the others they had fought. His face was stern and his eyes have a burning look of anger but his posture wasn't threatening, just cold and professional.

"Lady Valeria has instructed me to escort you," the man said, his voice flat and emotionless. "You can come with me to deliver the cure to Asgard."

Erik narrowed his eyes slightly but didn't argue. He glanced over his shoulder at Mia who immediately stood up and gave him a small nod.

Without a word, they both followed the Coven member out of the room while Erik carrying the bottle of black liquid. Erik kept a hand close to his side and always ready for a sudden move, but nothing came. The Coven member led them silently through winding corridors silently.

A few minutes later, they entered a chamber on the other side of the stronghold. The room felt familiar to Erik and Mia—it was the very place they had first encountered upon infiltrating the stronghold.

The Coven member extended his hand toward the platform in the center of the room. Moments later, the platform lit up, a low hum of energy filling the chamber.

"Step onto the platform," he instructed.

Erik and Mia followed his words without hesitation. Not long after, they vanished from the stronghold, teleported away.

---