Nyx remained silent for several seconds after mentioning her mother. The chandelier inside the Sovereign Chamber shone brightly against her blindfold while the atmosphere suddenly became much heavier than before. Lucien noticed the way her fingers slowly tightened against the edge of the black table beside her.

"They took my mother," she finally said quietly. "Geraldine."

Lucien frowned slightly. "Why would the fallen angels take Lucifer’s wife?"

For the first time since he entered the chamber, Nyx’s calm composure slightly cracked. A faint bitter smile appeared on her lips, but it carried no happiness within it. "Because my mother possessed something they desperately wanted."

Lucien stayed quiet and allowed her to continue.

"She was the only person my father Lucifer truly trusted completely," Nyx explained softly. "Not even the highest devils knew all of his secrets, but my mother did. She knew where he sealed certain authorities, where ancient devil relics were hidden, and..." her voice lowered slightly, "...she knew the truth behind his death."

Lucien’s eyes narrowed.

"The fallen angels believed she knew how to claim Lucifer’s complete throne authority after he died," Nyx continued. "So when the world fell into chaos after his death, they attacked the palace first."

A small tear slowly escaped beneath her blindfold and rolled gently down her cheek.

"They slaughtered countless loyal devils searching for her. When they realized they couldn’t find the throne authority itself..." her fingers trembled slightly, "...they took my mother instead."

Lucien stared at her silently.

"She allowed herself to be taken," Nyx whispered painfully. "Because if she fought seriously, the entire capital would’ve been destroyed." The room became quiet.

Even Dahlia lowered her eyes slightly, Lucien looked toward Nyx again. "You still haven’t found her?"

Nyx slowly shook her head. "No."

The single word carried years of helplessness behind it. Lucien folded his arms quietly before asking another question. "Then why exactly do you need a crew?" he asked calmly. "You’re clearly powerful already. Dahlia is powerful too. So why gather people around you?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "And why choose me when I’m not even a devil?"

Nyx slowly lifted her head toward him. For several seconds she simply stared in his direction silently, almost as though she was trying to see deeper than his appearance itself.

Then she finally spoke. "Because strength alone is meaningless against what’s coming."

"The fallen angels are growing stronger every year," she explained calmly. "The heavens are becoming unstable. Ancient races are beginning to move again. And both angels and fallen angels are searching for something."

Lucien frowned. "Searching for what?"

Nyx’s expression darkened slightly. "My father left behind more than a throne after his death."

The room became silent again. "There are fragments of his power scattered across existence," she continued. "Seals, weapons, ancient contracts, some said he didn’t die that his soul is still wandering or might have seen a body by now. The fallen angels seek them to complete Lucifer’s throne for themselves."

"And your crew?" Lucien asked.

Nyx slowly walked around the long obsidian table while speaking. "I didn’t gather weak followers," she said softly. "I gathered anomalies."

Lucien’s eyes followed her movements carefully. "Each member of my crew possesses something abnormal. Something that doesn’t fit naturally into this world. Some have impossible talents. Some possess corrupted bloodlines. Others survived things they should never have survived."

She stopped walking. "And then there’s you." Lucien stayed silent.

"A human with dual alignments," Nyx said quietly. "A priest who can carry dominion mana without exploding. Someone capable of standing between light and darkness without being consumed by either."

Even Dahlia glanced toward Lucien again. "You are dangerous," Nyx admitted openly. "Not because of your current strength." Her voice softened slightly. "But because of what you could eventually become."

Lucien stared at her for several seconds before asking calmly, "And why would I say yes to you?"

Nyx didn’t answer immediately, instead, she slowly approached him until only a small distance remained between them, she removed her blindfold, revealing her white eyes with a faint grey pupil, but she still remained beautiful.

"Because eventually this world will force you to choose a side," she answered quietly. "The Divine Academy will never truly accept what you are. The fallen angels will hunt you the moment they discover your existence. And ordinary humans will fear you once your power grows beyond theirs."

Her eyes faced him directly. "But with me..." she continued, "...you wouldn’t need to hide." she could see him not physically but using her ability, she could see his soul energy, red and in a human shaped form, but she couldn’t see his face, but she knew where it was.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed slightly, Nyx extended one pale hand lightly toward him.

"I can give you protection, knowledge, power, access to truths hidden from the world, and most importantly..." her lips curved faintly, "...freedom to grow into whatever you wish to become."

*Well she is very strong and would be a potential target to steal skills and abilities from, maybe joining her faction, or crew or whatever isn’t such a bad idea.* Lucien slowly nodded.

Nyx then turned slightly toward Dahlia. "Call the others."

Dahlia nodded immediately before walking toward the doors.

"Were you born blind?" Lucien asked quietly, genuine curiosity hidden beneath his calm expression. He still found it difficult to understand how someone who looked so unreal could lack something as important as sight, yet carry herself with such overwhelming confidence.

Nyx gave a faint smile at the question, her fingers resting lightly against the edge of the obsidian table. "Yes," she answered calmly. "I have never seen the world the way ordinary people do."

Lucien’s eyes lingered briefly on the white cloth covering her eyes before he spoke again. "Then how do you know exactly where everyone is?"

Nyx turned her blindfolded gaze toward him with unsettling precision.

"Because I see souls," she said softly. "Every living being carries soul energy. To me, those energies take shape far more clearly than physical bodies ever could."