Syryn played the ruthless tyrant on that day. Silisia was held hostage by him. Staying meant death, eacaping also meant death. This, several of the novel families tried to slip past the eyes of the Leviathan and a few had. But there was no escape even then.

Coercing the sage to cooperate with him, Syryn had hypnotised the guards and forced them to capture any noble mers that made it out of the kingdom. The commoners were left untouched by his ire because they hadn't directly participated in Syryn's execution.

The escapees were caught, rounded up, and locked inside the dungeons.Nobody was allowed to leave or move a finger beyond the borders of the kingdom without Syryn's permission. He was hated and cursed at by the mers but it only served to amuse him more.

"Let's begin,

" Syryn informed the guards when all the nobles, their family members, and servants were shepherded to the open area he had chosen for the tournament.

Drevin was a gloomy presence beside Rowan. He observed the blond human who was powerful enough to stop Syryn - he hoped- but hadn't lifted a finger or said a word against what was about to happen.

"Is there anything I can say or do that would convince you to persuade Syryn?

" He asked the blond.

Rowan's blue gaze turned to the silver-blue mer. He felt sorry for Drevin but there was nothing that the mer could do to convince him to make a move against Syryn at that moment. It went without saying that the anti mage wasn't just going to sit back and allow the young mers to be forced into a tournament of death. It was horrific and barbaric even for him despite the atrocities he had seen during war. But he had to wait and watch, to confirm for himself that Syryn's inherent nature was wicked and cruel as had been told to him a long time ago.

"You'll see, Rowan, one day. You'll realise that the demon child is corrupted in his soul and he cannot be saved. When that happens, call for me, Rowan. I will still forgive you and lend you aid.

"

Syryn was proving that person right and it infuriated the anti mage. He had seen good in the mage, and Syryn had proved it with his actions so far in this second life. The blond was very afraid that his mage had been good only because of Rowan's influence. With his memories of their time together gone, Syryn was like a blank slate. It was now his inherent nature and inner goodness, or the lack thereof, that was calling the shots. Unexpectedly, Rowan was coming face to face with the answer to the question that had been posed to him by that person.

"Do you really think that a demon can change its ways?

"

___

Red and Salem had been waiting for news about Syryn for many weeks. Rowan has disappeared without a word and it was Artemus that had filled them in on the details about Syryn's status.

At first, the redhead had refused to accept that his 'big brother' could be dead. Syryn was a cockroach and it took more than a lousy sunken ship to kill him. That's what he had said to the blond alchemist. Alka and Riha weren't told about it because there was nothing that either of them could do for Syryn. Except for worrying, of course, which Salem and Red didn't want them to go through.

And as the weeks turned into a month with no word, the redhead had begun to get antsy. Syryn couldn't be dead, right? For Luci's sake, Red had played it cool and convinced the child that his big brother wasn't going to die anytime soon because Syryn was an aquatic demon. Luci was old enough now to know when he was being lied to by his partner but he accepted the lie because the alternative meant that Syryn had drowned.

When Luci slept, Red stayed awake constantly worrying about Syryn. He regretted not binding their blood with a spell so that Red would immediately feel it if and when Syryn was killed. It was an intrusive spell whose effects went both ways. He hadn't wanted to use the spell so soon. The redhead had wanted to continue believing that for a few more years they were still safe from serious danger.

"A **ing drowning,

" he had told Salem while shaking his head.

"Not a way for Syryn to go. I refuse to believe that this is how he dies. It would have been better for him to die by my hand.

"

"You would never kill him,

" Salem had replied, looking just as tired as Red. Sleepless nights and stressful days had them both in their clutches.

"He's annoying enough that I've contemplated it many times.

"

"Don't worry,

" Salem had said after a while, his words sounding hollow even to his own ears.

"Syryn always finds a way.

"

That's what the redhead had believed. He still did. But it was getting harder every day to convince himself that everything was fine with Syryn.

_______

"Your majesty, should we bring the ones in the dungeon?

" A guard asked Syryn. He had forgotten about the mers who were locked away.

"Good guard, you're getting a raise. Yes, get them. We'll have their kids become the first participants in the blood sport.

"

The guard paid his respects to Syryn and left to get the prisoners.

Neither Drevin nor Rowan could understand how the previously disgruntled and cooperative guards had become so pliant in Syryn's hands. They were all acting strange and completely subservient to the villainous mage.

The silver-blue mer had begun to despise the human he had called a friend. Enkansh was still nowhere to be seen. And at a time like this, Drevin wished that the siren was with him. Imagining the deaths that would soon be on full display, he felt bile rise up in his throat.. He didn't have it in him to bear the sight of such cruelty.