The way I understand this chapter is that, first, they are trying to figure out how the stampede started and Lloyd thinks the box isn't responsible for this at all. Hence, another entity apparently started all of this and at the end of the chapter we see which one did it.
In short, I think the high demon lord with fire powers just wanted a blighted body like how Jade was taken over and started a huge stampede to make Saloum go all out and deploy anyone including Ixion (even though they are trying to hide her existence or her real powers). In the end, I think they succeeded given her disappearance.
The way I understand this chapter is that, first, they are trying to figure out how the stampede started and Lloyd thinks the box isn't responsible for this at all. Hence, another entity apparently started all of this and at the end of the chapter we see which one did it.
In short, I think the high demon lord with fire powers just wanted a blighted body like how Jade was taken over and started a huge stampede to make Saloum go all out and deploy anyone including Ixion (even though they are trying to hide her existence or her real powers). In the end, I think they succeeded given her disappearance.