MTLNOVEL Chapter 12: The Betrayal Revealed
Chapter 12: The Betrayal Revealed
The hidden chamber pulsed with an eerie green glow, its air thick with the scent of dust, old parchment, and something acrid—alchemy, ancient and restless. The walls surrounding Lyra and Callan weren't just stone; they were etched with symbols of forgotten rituals, their lines glowing faintly as if whispering lost knowledge.
The massive cauldron at the center of the room radiated an unnatural light, its emerald surface swirling like liquid fire. Its shape was strange—old, yet untouched by time, as if the centuries had failed to erode its power. Around it, workbenches lay covered in glass vials, corroded tools, and brittle scrolls.
Lyra turned the pages of the decayed ledger, her fingers tracing over the aged ink, her mind racing as the implications sank in.
Names. Transactions. Betrayal.
The evidence was irrefutable—Lady Selene Faelor, one of the highest-ranking alchemists in the guild, had been working with the Syndicate all along.
Callan, reading over her shoulder, exhaled sharply. His grip tightened around the dagger at his hip.
"She's been playing both sides," he muttered, his jaw clenched. "Using the Syndicate to eliminate her rivals and secure power within the guild."
Lyra's heart pounded. Selene was respected, trusted, a beacon of alchemical excellence. If she had been manipulating the guild from within, who else had she swayed? Who else had fallen victim to her ambition?
She slammed the ledger shut. "We need to expose her," she said, her voice sharp with determination. "But how? No one will take our word over hers."
Callan was silent for a moment, then his gaze flickered to the cauldron. Its glow reflected in his eyes, making them seem even sharper, more determined.
"What if we don't need them to take our word?" he said slowly. "What if we make Selene's own words betray her?"
Lyra blinked, realization dawning. "A Truth Serum."
A slow smirk crept onto Callan's lips. "Exactly."
Lyra inhaled deeply. A Truth Serum was dangerous to craft—unstable, fragile, easily corrupted by the smallest misstep. It required perfect precision, or it would twist the truth instead of revealing it.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she rolled up her sleeves, stepping toward the cauldron. The chamber suddenly felt warmer, the energy in the air shifting as if the ancient relic had sensed her intent.
"This has to be flawless," she murmured.
Callan crossed his arms. "Then let's get to work."
The Crafting Begins
She gathered her ingredients, setting them in a precise row beside the cauldron.
Truthbloom petals – rare, fragile, their essence known to draw truth from the soul.
Silver dust – a binding agent, used to stabilize the potion's volatile nature.
A vial of her own blood – the personal sacrifice required to fuse the potion with her will.
Her hands moved on instinct, grabbing a flask of distilled moonwater first. Its liquid shimmered with a soft, ethereal glow, the surface rippling like captured starlight. She poured it in.
HISSSSS.
The cauldron's contents reacted immediately, releasing a thin veil of silver mist. The temperature dropped, the moisture in the air crystallizing into tiny frost patterns on the stone walls.
Next, she reached for the silver dust. It was delicate, weightless, the fine powder catching the cauldron's glow as she let it fall between her fingers.
The reaction was instantaneous.
WHOOSH.
The surface of the potion flashed silver, rippling outward like liquid mercury. It mirrored Lyra's face for a fleeting second before shifting into something more fluid, more alive.
Callan whistled under his breath. "That's… unsettling."
Lyra didn't answer. She was already moving to the next step.
She picked up the Truthbloom petals, crushing them carefully between her fingers. Their sharp, citrus-like scent filled the chamber, cutting through the stale air. As she sprinkled the crushed petals into the mix, the silver liquid darkened, shifting into a swirling storm of deep blues and greys.
Callan frowned. "Is it supposed to do that?"
"It's… listening," Lyra murmured, eyes locked on the cauldron. "Binding to the magic of truth."
She exhaled slowly, reaching for the final step. The most dangerous one.
A small glass vial.
Inside, a single drop of her own blood gleamed under the chamber's green light.
The final sacrifice.
Her fingers tightened around the vial. If she hesitated, if she faltered for even a second—the potion would turn against her.
She tipped the vial.
Drip.
The moment the blood touched the potion, the cauldron ROARED.
A wave of raw energy exploded outward, strong enough to rattle the hanging chains in the chamber. The silver-and-blue storm inside the cauldron churned violently before settling—the chaos condensing into something impossibly still.
Lyra stepped back, breathless.
The potion had accepted the sacrifice.
The liquid inside was now a perfect Truth Serum—smooth as glass, shimmering with an otherworldly glow.
Slowly, carefully, she bottled it into a small glass vial.
Their proof. Their weapon.
The Betrayal Unfolds
But before she could even secure it in her satchel—
Footsteps.
A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the chamber.
Lyra turned sharply, her pulse hammering. Callan had already drawn his blade, his stance shifting to one of combat readiness.
From the archway, Lady Selene Faelor stepped forward, her elegant features twisted into a knowing smirk. She was dressed in her usual flowing dark robes, the gold embroidery on her sleeves catching the cauldron's eerie light.
Flanking her were two cloaked figures, their faces obscured but their presence unmistakably dangerous.
Selene's eyes flickered to the cauldron, then to the vial clutched in Lyra's hand. A knowing smile curved her lips.
"Oh, Lyra," she said, her voice smooth as silk, poison wrapped in honey. "You've been busy."
Lyra clenched her fist around the serum, her mind racing for a way out.
Selene took another step forward, her shadow stretching long across the chamber floor.
"But you're out of your depth."