The Sound of Power

The stone chamber of Vael's tower was dimly lit, the infernal glow of Kur'thaal casting flickering shadows against the walls. The air was thick with quiet tension as Vael sat on the edge of a table, arms crossed, his crimson eyes focused on the figure before him.

Lioren.

It was still strange to think of him as anything but Azarel, but the name had already begun to settle in his mind—fitting in ways he hadn't expected.

Lioren stood near the window, looking out over the Abyssal city, his silver hair illuminated by the dull glow of embers in the distance. His posture was tense but composed, his gaze sharp, analyzing the world he now found himself in.

"We need a plan," Vael said at last, breaking the silence.

Lioren turned, crossing his arms. "A plan for what?"

"For keeping you alive," Vael stated flatly. "You don't exactly blend in here, Lioren."

Lioren exhaled slowly, running a hand through his silver hair. "You think they'll attack me?"

"I think," Vael said, pushing off the table, "that if the wrong demons realize who you are, we're going to have a real problem."

A problem named Lilith.

He didn't say it out loud. He didn't have to. Lioren understood.

"She'll know," Lioren murmured, echoing Vael's thoughts.

"She always does," Vael agreed darkly. "I can keep the others in check, but Lilith? She sees things no one else does. If she finds out I smuggled Asphodel's golden son into the heart of Kur'thaal, she'll—" He paused, lips pressing into a thin line. "She'll want answers."

Lioren nodded, his expression unreadable. "Then we make sure she doesn't suspect anything."

Vael scoffed. "Easier said than done."

Lioren gave him a pointed look. "You're a high-ranked demon. You're always around other powerful demons, right? That means I need to be introduced as someone… unremarkable."

Vael exhaled sharply, running a hand over his jaw in thought. "Right. But that's only half the problem." He looked at Lioren seriously. "If an Asphodelian incursion happens, we need to be ready."

Lioren's silver eyes darkened slightly. "You expect them to attack?"

"They're not just going to let me disappear without a trace," Vael muttered. "And if they suspect I had help—" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "Let's just say we don't want to be unprepared."

Lioren's gaze flickered with thought. He straightened slightly, rolling his shoulders, and said, "Then I should show you what I can do."

Vael frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lioren turned to face him fully. "My power. You've never seen it before."

Vael studied him for a moment, then gestured toward the door. "Fine. Show me."

They stepped outside, the Abyssal air warm against their skin as they moved to the open platform at the edge of the tower. Lioren stepped forward, his bare feet pressing against the cracked stone, his silver eyes scanning the vast, empty expanse before them.

"I was born from the final light of a dying star," Lioren said softly. "That light—the energy—it became my essence. I amplify it."

Vael tilted his head. "Amplify?"

Lioren lifted a hand, palm up.

A flicker of golden light appeared.

Vael's entire body tensed.

"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed, grabbing Lioren's wrist. "Are you insane? You're in Kur'thaal. You can't just go around using light."

Lioren frowned. "It's what I amplify."

"Then amplify something else," Vael snapped.

Lioren exhaled, his gaze thoughtful. "Like what?"

Vael crossed his arms, his mind already cycling through alternatives. "Heat? Fire?"

Lioren shook his head. "No. That's still light-based."

Vael clicked his tongue in frustration. "Then… movement?"

Lioren considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Maybe."

He lifted a hand again, but this time, no light appeared. Instead, he focused, reaching out—not with his sight, but with his senses.

The world around him trembled.

The faintest vibrations in the air pulsed at his fingertips, subtle, unseen. His breath steadied as he extended his will toward them, feeling the energy shift and gather.

A whisper of power rippled outward.

The ground trembled beneath them.

Vael's eyes widened slightly. "What was that?"

Lioren smirked. "Sound."

Vael arched a brow. "Sound?"

Lioren exhaled, explaining as he shaped the energy between his fingers. "Vibrations. They expand in the air. They can be amplified, just like light."

Vael watched as Lioren focused again.

And then—

A pulse of invisible force surged outward.

The stones around them moved—small pebbles lifting slightly off the ground before clattering back into place. In the distance, a nearby torch, long since burnt out, shattered from the force.

Vael let out a low whistle. "Well, damn."

Lioren glanced at him, arching a brow. "Impressed?"

Vael smirked. "You actually listened to me. That alone is impressive."

Lioren rolled his eyes. "It works."

Vael nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. "Yeah, but you need to practice. If you amplify that too much, you'll tear the entire damn tower down."

Lioren chuckled softly. "Noted."

They stood there for a moment, the quiet settling between them. The hum of Lioren's newfound power still lingered in the air, reverberating faintly through the stones beneath their feet.

Vael exhaled slowly, watching him.

Then, after a pause—"Hey."

Lioren turned toward him, expectant.

Vael hesitated for only a moment before smirking. "Can I just call you Lio?"

Lioren blinked, caught off guard. "Lio?"

Vael shrugged. "Lioren is too long. I don't feel like saying the whole thing."

Lioren gave him a skeptical look. "You're just lazy."

"Maybe," Vael admitted. "But I think it suits you."

Lioren considered this, then sighed. "Fine."

Vael's smirk widened. "Good."

For some reason, the name settled between them easily. Lio. It felt personal. Less formal. A recognition of something neither of them had spoken aloud yet.

The moment stretched, unspoken things flickering between their eyes.

Then Vael exhaled sharply, turning back toward the tower. "Alright, Lio. Let's go before you blow something up."

Lioren—Lio—huffed a quiet laugh and followed, the sound of his new name lingering in the warm Abyssal air.