Those four words were enough.
The witch immediately understood.
There would be no negotiation.
No mercy.
She laughed weakly.
"So…"
"This is how I die."
Liam didn't answer.
His free hand slowly formed into a fist.
The witch closed her eyes.
Bang.
The punch landed.
For a fraction of a second…
Nothing happened.
Then her head exploded into a crimson mist.
Her body went limp instantly.
The countless illusions filling the cavern disappeared all at once.
The vines stopped moving.
The oppressive pressure vanished.
Silence.
Complete silence.
The headless corpse slipped from Liam's grasp and struck the cave floor with a dull thud.
At the same moment, a fist-sized emerald crystal rolled out from the shattered remains of her neck before coming to rest near his feet.
Liam stared at it for a moment before bending down and picking it up.
The crystal was unlike any he had collected so far.
It pulsed slowly.
Almost…
Like a heartbeat.
