Lilith noticed that the elemental particles were behaving in an erratic manner around Axel, similar to what she had seen with the Blood Monarch. Still, the extent of this erratic behaviour surprised her.
For her friend, certain elements had favoured him while others detested his presence. But for Axel, the situation was more peculiar. For a moment, all the elements seemed attracted to Axel as moths are to flames. All particles rushed to get close to him, but upon nearing him, they immediately dispersed.
As if, upon nearing him, they became frightened for some reason and scattered to save themselves (an analogy in Lilith's mind). Thus, for a moment, the elemental concentration near Axel grew, but suddenly there was a void of elemental particles around him. This phenomenon repeated again and again.
Lilith didn't understand this phenomenon but was certain the boy before her was a Monarch candidate, and the element that would belong to him would be extraordinary. A plan hatched in her mind - she was ready to sacrifice all her energy collected over the years to obtain this vital chess piece in the grand struggle for power.
Lilith revealed herself to Axel, unbothered by Gizmo's presence. She knew well the limits of such bioengineering devices. Though she hadn't expected to encounter Gizmo in a lower world, against true power, there was nothing Gizmo could do anyway.
Lilith utilized the one-time artifact given to her by the Blood Monarch (the blood bead for dominion over other beings). She drafted a Soul Contract using her skills, then used the Blood Bead to finalize it.
To an outsider, it might seem excessive for Lilith to use such a powerful, one-time artifact on someone like Axel. Even without it, the Soul Contract would have given her control over him. But to Lilith, these measures were an investment. Once Axel became a Monarch, he might find ways to bypass a normal Soul Contract.
With the Blood Bead's power, Axel would gradually be completely brainwashed, falling under Lilith's absolute dominion. Even if he eventually overcame its effects, the decades of conditioning would make psychological rebellion impossible.
Imagine devoting your entire existence to someone's happiness, fulfilling their every desire willingly. Now imagine discovering after a century that this was all brainwashing. Resistance after a few years might be possible but after a century? The thought alone was terrifying. This was precisely Lilith's calculation. Having someone like Axel under her complete control would be a dream realized, and she was willing to use everything at her disposal to make it happen (a dark and cunning ambition indeed).
Lilith used her blood magic to draft the Soul Contract, then poured the Blood Bead's contents onto it. Her objective was singular: to brainwash Axel into becoming her slave. The contract wouldn't just force compliance - it would rewrite his psyche, making him a subservient slave who lived only for his master's benefit.
To seal the deal beyond any doubt, Lilith infused a portion of her own life essence into the contract. Everything was prepared; all that remained was for Axel to sign, lured by the promise of a powerful skill. Though both Axel and Gizmo had doubts, they were powerless against Lilith.
At this critical moment, Axel's saviour emerged - Kaelen Veridian, a soul produced by Axel's first primal skill: "Seven Star-Legend Creation." Kael, a blood demon by nature and universal linguist by (forced) profession, arrived just in time to guide Gizmo.
Indirectly steering Axel to loosen his elemental control, Kael used the gathered energy to alter key letters in the contract. To Lilith, the changes appeared as side effects of the Blood Bead's power - the demonic script transforming into something ancient and profound.
In reality, Kael had inverted the contract's hierarchy. Where it once named Lilith as master, it now bound her as Axel's slave (enforced by the Blood Bead's power). When the formalities concluded and Lilith realized what had transpired, shock and humiliation overwhelmed her.
That a boy with a mere tool (Gizmo) had outmanoeuvred the Demons' prideful tactician was unthinkable. Consumed by rage, Lilith wanted to destroy everything - including herself - but before she could act, her energy reserves depleted completely.
As her last energy vanished, the prison reclaimed her, banishing Lilith back to her cold, lonely confinement. The aftermath left Axel with unexpected gains: a new ally (Kael), a skill taken from Lilith through the contract, and a portion of Lilith's blood essence.
Most significantly, he had acquired an all-powerful blood demoness as his personal slave (though the contract's full effects would take time to manifest on someone of Lilith's power level. Her depleted energy and the Blood Bead's influence would work wonders in the interim).
As Axel processed these events, Gizmo's voice startled him:
[Axel, you've inadvertently absorbed a fragment of Lilith's essence. That orb wasn't just energy - it contained a piece of her life essence, a remnant of her power]
Axel frowned. "A piece of what? But... isn't that dangerous? Couldn't it corrupt me?"
[Not necessarily. Despite her arrogance, Lilith was a being of immense power. That fragment, though tainted by rage, contains raw, untamed energy. It's like inheriting the legacy of a fallen star]