Even in defeat, the artificer still suspected Sam of being an assassin sent by his rival. "Who sent you?" Alfred demanded, his voice betraying a mix of defiance and desperation."No one," Sam replied firmly, his gaze steady as he met Alfred's accusatory stare."You are such a talented sorcerer," Alfred began, his tone shifting to one of persuasion. "Don’t waste your talent with them. Work with me instead. How much are they paying you? I can pay twice as much."Sam felt a twinge of temptation at the offer, but he quickly pushed it aside. He couldn't trust a man who had just moments ago sought to kill him. "No one sent me.”“Why do you care so much about hiding your master? Don’t you see my status and wealth? I can pay you even four times as much if you want!”“I came on my own," he asserted, crouching down to grab Alfred's collar with a firm grip.With his victory secured, Sam pressed Alfred once more. "Did you steal the wizard's spell?" he demanded, his voice tinged with urgency.Alfr

As the beam faded, Alfred's laughter echoed through the warehouse, only to abruptly cease when his eyes met Rafael's defiant gaze."What? How? How could you still stand?" he exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face.Rafael paid no heed to Alfred's questions. Instead, he darted with purpose, evading the onslaught of attacks from the swarming golem's parts. Alfred unleashed a barrage of flying punches, sword slashes, and spear impaling moves, but Rafael's movements were nothing short of mesmerizing.With a blend of uncanny agility and unpredictable maneuvers, Rafael dodged with a chaotic grace. Sometimes he moved straight, and other times he executed acrobatic somersaults in midair, confounding his adversaries.Under Rafael's control, Sam became an enigma, unleashing a whirlwind of unpredictable movements that left Alfred bewildered and frustrated. Unaware of the change in Sam's body control, Alfred grew increasingly frustrated, pouring more energy to crush Sam.The warehouse became a fr

Lyra stood in the dimly lit room, distress evident in the furrow of her brow and the worry lines etched on her face. She couldn't shake the sinking feeling in her stomach as she glanced out the window, where the glow of distant flames danced against the night sky."Sam, what have you done?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern. "That fire in Thaumapolis, you started it?”“Do I need to repeat myself?” Sam chuckled, his tone casual.“People could have been hurt!"“Of course, I beat him!” Sam's smirk widened as he spoke.“Beat who? Who are you fighting with?” Lyra's confusion deepened.“The artificer,” Sam replied, unbuttoning his suit.“Y-you beat… Regina? The young girl? Why would you do that?” Lyra's voice wavered with disbelief.“Oh, right. I beat her and her father too,” Sam said, continuing to unbutton his suit.“What do you mean too? Who else did you fight with? Whyyy?!” Lyra's questions came rapid-fire.“I was just reclaiming what had been stolen,” Sam said, pushing Lyra's

In a moment of unspoken desire, Lyra's trembling hands found their way to Sam's shirt, her fingers deftly working to push it down his shoulders. With a swift motion, Sam discarded the shirt, letting it fall to the floor as their eyes locked in a silent exchange of longing. As Lyra's gentle touch grazed his broad chest, sending shivers down his spine, a soft chuckle escaped her lips at his reaction, her laughter a melody that danced in the air between them.Feeling emboldened by her touch, Sam seized the opportunity to reciprocate, pulling Lyra close and guiding her to sit up straight. With a tender yet determined touch, he traced the outline of her curves, his fingers trailing along the contours of her body, igniting a fire within her that burned with an intensity matched only by their shared desire. With a single fluid motion, he removed both her dress and chemise, revealing her beauty in all its glory.As his gaze swept over her, from her delicate legs to her flushed cheeks, Lyra co

When the first rays of dawn crept over the horizon, Sam hastily gathered his belongings, his mind still reeling from the chaos of the previous night. Lyra woke up soon after. They exchanged glances, wordlessly acknowledging the decision to leave Thaumapolis behind.To their relief, the city hummed with its usual activity, bustling streets alive with the chatter of merchants and the shuffle of pedestrians. As they navigated through the lively thoroughfares, snippets of conversation floated past them, the townsfolk abuzz with talk of the previous night's events at the Archon complex."It's a shame what happened to the Archon complex," one guard muttered to another, his tone grave."Yeah, I heard Alfred was found unconscious in the empty warehouse," the other guard replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "Looks like there's more going on than meets the eye."“Was it robbery? I thought it was just arson?”“Who knows?”Sam and Lyra exchanged a knowing glance, the weight of their secret hea