Chapter 400: The Real Cause Of Lilith’s Death

She extended her hand to Victoria.

Victoria looked at it for a long moment. Looked at the black eyes and shadow robes and corrupted magic. Looked at the creature her cousin had become.

And took her hand anyway.

The moment their palms touched, Victoria felt dark magic surge through the connection. Felt the deal seal itself with power that tasted like ash and blood and old promises.

Felt herself binding to an agreement she did not fully understand.

But it was done.

Thalia would help her resurrect Lilith, She would help her bring Lilith back to life.

And Victoria would pay whatever price Thalia demanded.

"Good," Thalia said. She released Victoria’s hand and walked to a cabinet in the corner of the sanctum. She pulled out a small vial containing liquid that glowed faintly red. "Drink this. It will stabilize the corruption from the blood magic you used while fighting the gatekeeper. You’re no use to me if you’re falling apart."

Victoria took the vial warily. "What is it?"

"Diluted demon blood mixed with essence of Veil," Thalia said. "Just know that It will hurt. But it will keep the corruption from spreading too fast. Because you’ll need to be functional for what comes next."

"What comes next?" Victoria asked.

"We go deeper into the Underworld," Thalia said. "To the places where the entity dwells. Where the Veil is thin enough to touch. Where we can perform the rituals that will anchor Lilith’s soul back to life, and prepare for resurrection."

Victoria looked at the vial in her hand. Then at Thalia. Then at the grimoire still lying open on the table showing the truth about their family.

She had come to the Underworld seeking help, And she had found it.

But the price, the real price.....was still unknown.

And Victoria had a terrible feeling that when Thalia finally named it, it would cost more than years or memories or even lives.

It would cost everything.

But for Lilith, She would pay it.

She uncorked the vial and drank.

The liquid burned going down. Burned like swallowing fire. Burned like corruption made liquid.

Victoria gasped and fell to her knees as the potion worked through her system.

She could feel it stabilizing the blood magic corruption. Weaving through her magical channels. Binding the darkness to her in ways that would be permanent.

It was changing her.

Making her into something she was never meant to be.

Just like Thalia had said.

When the pain finally faded, Victoria looked up and saw Thalia watching her with those black eyes.

"How does it feel?" Thalia asked. "Becoming a monster to save someone you love?"

Victoria wiped blood from her mouth and stood on shaking legs.

"Worth it," she said.

Thalia’s smile was terrible and knowing and absolutely without mercy.

"Good," Thalia said. "Then let’s begin."

Victoria bent down to pick her bag, it had fallen to the floor at some point during their conversation.

The potion’s effects were still burning through Victoria’s veins when Thalia spoke again.

"Before we go deeper," Thalia said, "you need to understand exactly what killed Lilith. Because Victoria....it was not just the curse."

Victoria looked up sharply. "What?"

Thalia gestured to the grimoire still lying open on the table. "You read about the covenant. About the death owed every generation. Did you think about what that means for Lilith?"

Victoria felt ice slide down her spine.

"Lilith is the only Morvaine witch of her generation," Victoria said slowly. "You and I are the previous generation. The covenant...."

"Demands payment," Thalia finished. "One death per generation. And Lilith is the only one who can pay it."

"No," Victoria whispered. "No, that can’t be right. Lilith died because of the curse. Because she tried to transform divine punishment and it rejected her. That’s why..."

"That’s part of why," Thalia interrupted. "But not all of it. Victoria, think. Why did the transformation fail so catastrophically? Why did the curse reject her so violently when other witches have successfully integrated foreign magic before?"

Victoria thought about the transformation. About how it had seemed to be working at first. About how the death magic had been responding to Lilith’s pull. About how everything had been going according to plan until.....

Until it wasn’t.

Until the curse suddenly understood what Lilith was trying to do and fought back with the full force of divine wrath.

"The entity," Victoria breathed. "The one in the Veil. The one that gave us our gift."

"Yes," Thalia said. "The entity is woven into the very core of Morvaine magic. It’s part of our bloodline. Part of our power. And it demands its payment. Lilith is the death owed for this generation. The entity has been waiting for her to die naturally or mysteriously or violently, it does not care how, so the covenant can be fulfilled."

Victoria felt sick. "So when Lilith tried to transform the curse...."

"She was fighting against TWO forces trying to kill her," Thalia said. "The divine curse from the Moon Goddess. And the death covenant woven into her own Morvaine magic. Both of them pulling her toward death. Both of them refusing to let her survive."

"That’s why the transformation failed," Victoria said. "Not just because the curse was too strong. Because the entity wanted her dead too."

"Exactly," Thalia confirmed. "The curse was trying to kill her from the outside. The entity was pulling her toward death from the inside. Her own magic, her own Morvaine gift, was working against her survival because the covenant demanded she die."

Victoria pressed her hands to her face. "Even if she had never met the Blackwoods. Even if there was no curse...."

"She still would have died," Thalia said quietly. "Eventually. The entity is patient but it always collects its debt. Lilith could have lived for years. Could have had a long life. But at some point, in some way, she would have died to pay for the power our ancestor bargained for."