Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 168: Chapter 167- Betrayal(2)STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC168: Chapter 167- Betrayal(2)
So it began.
Chaos ensued upon the school as the divine being from mythic landed on the ground, its mighty presence dawning upon the people, making them realize that their demise was near.
There were thousands of Ambrobates on the island, and more were incoming from all three routes. Their number and strength easily overwhelmed the security soldiers stationed around the Academy.
Most of the students backed away upon noticing the mighty Dragon and some fallen unconscious at the oppressive aura the beast was radiating.
Everyone was either running away, facing the monster or having fallen to their knees in fear.
The sheer pressure that the dragon radiated could easily make one's blood run cold.
The massive dragon had glossy black scales, sharp, gleaming claws, and piercing red eyes. Its wings are vast, leathery, and powerful, stretching wide with each beat. Smoke and faint wisps of flame escape its nostrils as it prowls, exuding a fierce, commanding presence.
Richard sensed no other creature like this in the vicinity and even this one was quite an unexpected presence. Dragons cannot be found on Clion...unless,
'It's someone's familiar...' Richard decided to ponder upon the origin of the beast later since his first job was to erase all the danger as soon as possible.
Marcus has already begun to move, however, his priority as of now lies in securing the guests and the students. Lucy, along with the other soldiers, have already begun their battle against the horde; however, none of them have approached the dragon yet.
'Is it...looking at me?' Richard noticed that the red eyes of the beast were locked in his direction, with smoky flames escaping its nostrils provocatively.
Before Richard could have stepped forward someone crashed into him from behind and hurriedly asked, "Sir Richard! What should I do?" Ethan was in a panic as he looked around himself. Ethan was anxious since mostly all of the beasts around were of a high ranking and could endanger the students' lives. Many have already been severely injured and were being taken away
And the most astonishing part; they kept increasing!
"Ethan, first calm down," Richard rested his hands on the silverhead's shoulders and urged him to take long breaths.
Ethan mimicked the movement and took some long and deep breaths before he heard the other one asking,
"Are you injured somewhere?"
Ethan shook his head, "No...I sensed them coming from a long distance but was so panicked that I wasn't able to call out."
"Thought so," Richard sighed, given Ethan's control over divine essence makes him quite sensitive towards Aembr, "Now, you need to focus on a single thing."
With his eyes parted wide, Ethan asked hesitantly, "That dragon...?" Ethan wouldn't have backed down if Richard had asked him to take care of it. Considering that the beast could cause the most damage to others, Ethan can at least keep it engaged until backup arrives.
However, "No Ethan, your duty is to take everyone to safety." Ethan frowned, warning to say something only for Richard to add, "You see, because the students are in the way, the soldiers aren't able to fight with their all might. And that would end up badly."
Ethan nodded before a fierce determination ignited in his eyes, "I understand, Richard, I will take them all to safety. You can count on me."
Richard nodded before he sent Ethan towards the students.
Returning his focus to the dragon, he found the big reptile now looking intrigued by something.
Richard stepped forward, now this time with clear intentions toward the being who had terrorized others.
A golden staff materialized in his hand, its divine illumination making Richard stand out as the redhead approached the Dragon with confident strides.
The dragon's thick, muscular legs flexed as it braced itself, eyes narrowing with a deadly gleam. Its rows of razor-sharp teeth glinted, and a wave of suffocating heat rolled off it, a clear and final warning to Richard. But Richard didn't flinch.
Without hesitation, he leapt forward, leaving a small cloud of dust in his wake. With a quick shift of ether, he lightened his body, launching himself high into the air. But as he ascended, the dragon took to the sky as well, its massive wings slicing through the air as it closed in with alarming speed. Its jaws parted, revealing a swirling vortex of fire building within its throat.
"Tch," Richard clicked his tongue, his mind racing. He thrust his hand forward, igniting a torrent of flames that met the dragon's fiery breath head-on. The two flames collided in a blinding blaze, the impact sending shockwaves through the air as the opposing forces clashed.
The explosion rocked the ground, everyone's heads snapping toward it. Richard knew he couldn't hold off the spell much longer. He released it, letting himself fall back to the ground.
The dragon spun mid-air, wings thrashing as it dove straight at him, its massive body ready to crush him beneath its weight.
But Richard only smirked. Gripping the Ruyi Bang with both hands, he took a batter's stance, muscles flexing as he tightened his hold.
The dragon showed no hesitation, still barreling down. Just as it was about to hit, the staff surged in size, catching the beast in one swift, brutal swing.
**BOOOOOM!**
The impact echoed, fierce and thunderous, as Richard watched the dragon go flying back, flung by his perfect strike.
The dragon caught itself mid-air, snarling, as smoke curled from its nostrils. Its scales shimmered in the light, black as night, deflecting any sign of weakness. With a deafening roar, it launched a blazing torrent of blue flames toward Richard, fierce and unrelenting.
Richard's eyes narrowed, flames of his own igniting around his hands. With a sharp chant, he threw up a wall of scorching crimson fire, blocking the dragon's assault. The two flames clashed, hissing and sparking in mid-air, each trying to consume the other.
Not waiting for the dragon to regain momentum, Richard unleashed his next spell—a ring of blazing fire that spun around him like a vortex, ready to defend or strike. With a quick flick of his hand, he sent blazing spears from the ring hurtling toward the dragon.
The dragon dodged with surprising speed, weaving through the flames before retaliating with a swipe of its razor-sharp claws. Richard barely dodged, feeling the rush of air as the dragon's claws sliced past, close enough to singe his hair. He leapt back, raising both hands, summoning a blazing circle beneath the creature—a trap of intense flame meant to sear any who stood within.
But the dragon beat its wings, lifting above the fiery ring, undeterred and glaring down with furious eyes.
The dragon's wings beat with power, sending gusts of wind downward that almost knocked Richard off his feet. Its eyes narrowed, filled with a savage intelligence as it spiraled around, preparing for another assault.
Richard felt the intense heat building within him, his own flames swirling at his fingertips. With a swift gesture, he unleashed a wave of blazing orbs, each one sparking with an ember at its core. They shot up toward the dragon, streaking through the air like a fiery storm.
The dragon twisted mid-flight, dodging the majority, but a few orbs struck its scales, erupting on impact. It roared in anger, smoke and embers trailing from its side as it retaliated with a blast of dark, churning fire. Richard held his ground, summoning a shimmering shield of flame that met the dragon's attack head-on.
**WHOOSH!**
The clash of fires whipped around them, casting light and shadow across the battlefield. Richard gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his brow. The shield held, but he knew the dragon wasn't done.
The creature lunged, swooping low, its jaws snapping at him with a savage growl. Richard sidestepped, his body moving on instinct. In one fluid motion, he raised his hand, a searing column of flame erupting from the ground and striking the dragon's wing.
The dragon snarled, but it didn't falter. It angled itself, wing now trailing smoke, and dove again, determined to close the distance.
Richard's smirk returned. He began a rapid chant, his voice like a steady drumbeat. The air around him shimmered with heat, and flames spiralled up his arms, gathering at his palms as he prepared one final, explosive strike.
However, before he could have launched the final strike, someone cast a spell from behind, urging Richard to side step at the last moment.
Turning around his eyes were met by a familiar face, standing there with her hands raised and ready to unleash another attack.
It was Rose.
"You know you don't have to do it, right?" Richard suggested; he seriously didn't want to hurt this girl, knowing she was just forced into this whole mess.
However, Rose was no longer in her sane mind to hear his words, as seven spell circles began to swirl around her, each one of them creating cracks in the air, as they promised a devastating blow.
On the other side, the Dragon also parted its mouth, a red spell circle appearing before its maw, as it seemed the reptile was also planning to go all out with this one.
Richard, who was in between, heaved a sigh, "So you all want violence, eh?"
His body turned crimson, each feature now enshrouded by flames and the only part visible was his featureless eyes.
The members of the Emberclad Empire were frozen at their spot upon noticing him.
The Flame Warden.
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A/N:- We are heading toward the final arc. Maybe like 100 chap more?
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 169: Chapter 168- Betrayal(3)STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC169: Chapter 168- Betrayal(3)
"Why can't we reveal our powers, Grandpa?! I hate it when they bully me." A seven-year-old Rose grumpily sat on the chair with her chubby arms folded as she sobbed in silence.
The girl always gets bullied and made fun of because of her hair and body, and people use their ether to make fun of her. In response to that, she was forbidden to use magic by her grandfather. It always infuriated her.
The old man across from her rested the book on the table and looked at his granddaughter with fond eyes.
With a sigh, he called out, "Come here, little one. I will tell you something about Sir Eden."
Rose still looked quite displeased but when it was about the founding member of the Dracon Empire, she couldn't stop herself.
Advancing towards her grandfather, she hopped to sit on his lap as the older one softly caressed the child's head and told her,
"Sir Eden was a librarian, someone who helped others find their book and made a small portion of his income out of it. Other than that, he used to sell bread, write articles for others, and also helped the hunters in carrying their load."
Softly he added, "And he used to do all of it even after receiving his powers."
Rose's mouth parted agape in shock, "If he had such a brilliant gift, why didn't he use it to afford a living?"
The older one nodded, "That would have been the most efficient option, but you know why he didn't use his powers, Rose?"
The little one pressed her little finger against her chin, but despite how much she pondered over it, she couldn't get a possible reason.
Her grandfather gave her the answer, "Sir Eden was uncertain about how to use his powers. Aware that his gift was far stronger than most and could easily tip the balance, he hesitated to take sides. Unsure of the right cause to support, he chose to withhold his power until he found a worthy motive."
Taking a pause he added, "A motive that can force him to use the gift he received from the heavens. And when he realised his motive, nothing in the world was able to stop him from standing on his belief until his last breath."
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A multi-caster and an endurance-type beast were the two enemies he was facing. Naturally, Richard couldn't go easy on them or he would be dead in no time.
Rose was, directly or not, connected with the first user of multi-chanting. And he realised it a few days earlier when she showed her vast knowledge about Eden, which was nowhere mentioned. And then he read her thoughts yesterday as well, proving to him that his hunch was right.
Rose is one of the apostles whose existence is devoted to eradicating evil. That is Richard.
Richard clasped his hand and conjured a long staff made out of nothing but the element of flame. He cannot overwhelm Rose's spell and disintegrate her magic using Scarlette's spell-defusing technique. Her ether count and the number of spells she is utilizing at once were quite vast.
He has no other option than to knock her out.
"Here it comes!" Richard braced himself as fiery stone orbs shot toward him, each one tearing through the air at a blistering speed. He dodged his body in a blur of movement, evading the projectiles with practised ease.
Steadying himself, he launched toward the pinkhead, intending to deal some hefty damage to the insane girl.
Realizing herself in danger, Rose chanted a barrier around herself. However,
*CLINK!*
The barrier shattered like glass under Richard's intense gaze, easily dismantled by his magic. With his staff gripped tightly, he charged toward her, intending to knock her out of position and contain her movements. But before he could strike, a sudden wave of blue fire erupted in his path.
Richard scowled, halting mid-air to confront the dragon's blazing fury head-on. It unleashed a relentless stream of flames, eyes narrowed to deadly slits, its jaws parted wide as it aimed to consume him in the inferno.
"How foolish," Richard muttered, barely fazed. He thrust himself forward, cutting through the torrent of blue flames. In a flash, he closed the gap, landing a powerful punch directly between the dragon's eyes.
**GRUOOOOOOOGH!**
The dragon roared, its massive form skidding backwards from the force of the blow.
But Richard had no time to press his advantage. Rose retaliated swiftly, summoning a vortex of water that engulfed him, trapping him in a dense orb of swirling aqua. The water pressed in from all sides, her magic working tirelessly to hold him in place. With every passing second, she expanded the orb, tightening her grip as Richard's flames struggled to break free.
"Ugh…" Richard clenched his fists, feeling his fire being stifled. Frustration mounting, he finally curled inward, gathering his energy, then burst outward, unleashing a wild surge of flames.
**BOOOOOOM!**
The explosion rocked the battlefield, and Rose was flung back, losing her hold on the spell as fire and water collided in a fierce eruption.
Rose's vision swam, her mind sluggish as she tried to piece together what had happened. The impact had left her dazed, but somehow, instinct took over. Darkness clouded her sight as she moved without thinking, driven by a primal, almost feral urge.
Richard barely had time to react as Rose, still on her knees, released a massive surge of sound waves in his direction. The blast cut through the air like a razor, forcing him to twist out of its path. But just as he did, a hulking minotaur appeared behind him, its body exploding on contact with Rose's spell, showering the ground in a splatter of blood and gore.
"Fucking hell…" Richard muttered, glancing over his shoulder as red stained the earth, evidence of the raw force Rose was unleashing. He tried to keep his distance, weaving through the air, hoping she'd burn through her ether reserves. But Rose showed no sign of tiring. Wave after wave of sound ripped through the battlefield, each blast more relentless, tearing apart anything in its path.
The deadly barrage carved through bystanders, too slow or too stunned to react. The sound waves were so powerful that flesh and bone were torn apart in an instant, sending shrill cries of terror echoing through the chaos. Blood splattered across the ground, and bodies dropped one after another, their faces frozen in fear.
Richard gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as over twenty students fell under Rose's attack, each life snuffed out with terrifying ease.
"Jasmine!" he yelled, summoning his shadowy ally. In a flash, she appeared beside him, her demonic wings unfurled, ready to follow orders.
"Get the students out of here, quick! And tell Lilia to focus on the evacuation!"
"As you command, my lord!" Jasmine immediately descended, gathering three students in her arms before soaring away. Others noticed her demonic wings but were too focused on survival to care.
But with the battlefield surrounded by the Ambrobates, leaving wasn't going to be easy. The thick barrier of twisted creatures blocked every exit, their eyes gleaming with dark intent. Richard's gaze returned to Rose. He had to end this fast before more lives were lost.
'I need to stop Rose anyhow now,' he thought, summoning the Ruyi Bang. Rising higher into the air, he waited for the next wave of sound that he knew was coming. Rose's attack streaked toward him, mere inches away. Richard steadied himself, but the force of the sound waves struck him like a wall of hammers.
**KEEWWWWWWWWW**
His head pulsed with intense pain, every nerve vibrating violently as his ears rang, nearly deafening him. His bones felt as if they were rattling apart, his vision blurring with each agonizing throb. It took every ounce of his strength to grit his teeth and withstand the assault. His grip tightened around the Ruyi Bang, twirling it in his hands as he fought to stay focused.
The legendary staff flared with a fierce glow, a volatile surge of energy coiling around it like crackling lightning. The tip of the staff glowed a menacing red, each pulse a warning of the unleashed power ready to strike.
Richard had never used this level of force on anyone, but right now, he had no choice. If Rose couldn't be subdued, he'd have to end this—no matter the cost. A grim resolve hardened in his eyes as he whispered, 'Help me, master...'
Channelling every ounce of power into the staff, Richard rocketed toward Rose, the sheer force of his acceleration breaking the sound barrier with a deafening boom. The pressure tore through the air, creating a shockwave as he closed the gap, his weapon aimed directly at her.
In that instant, the entire battlefield seemed to hold its breath, bracing for the collision of power.
And in the next instance,
**BOOOOOOOOOOOM**
A massive explosion which could easily take down the whole fort and the populace nearby, erupted once Richard's staff made contact with Rose.
If not for the timely barrier which a certain blond girl erected then Richard might have regretted unleashing this attack.
Everything seemed to have come to a pause to witness the result of the attack...however, unlike what one could expect from such a massive attack, Rose wasn't dead. Nor was she harmed.
However, the attack indeed took lives...but not of the person Richard intended to.
"You....!!" With his eyes growing furious, Richard stared at the crimson haired man who came from the Emberclad Empire.
Sacrificing his soldiers, the man defended Rose, and readied himself to take part in this battle.
"Today, the world will see the fake Flame Warden die..."
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A/N:- Yeah, best of luck with that.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 170: Chapter 169- Frail mindSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC170: Chapter 169- Frail mind
The future of the Emberclad Empire was at stake and to save that, the second in command would go to any length.
"Today, the world will see the fake Flame Warden die!" As the man with red hair and a long mustache snarled, a red domineering aura seeped from him, and like fog, it erupted around, covering the whole campus within seconds.
Those students who were panicking until a moment ago, suddenly paused when the fog hit them. The man, Abbott, felt his strength surging as he utilized his skill 'Pack Leader' on the students.
On the other side, the Dragon had also taken its position and was fuming violently, ready to unleash its fury upon the human.
Rose, who was shielded by the students of the Luminary Order, was also standing back on her feet while chanting multiple spell circles at once.
Richard gritted his teeth, surrounded on all sides. The students under Abbott's control stood frozen, like statues encircling him, trapped as unwilling witnesses to the chaotic onslaught. His eyes darted around, heart pounding.
"I have to take the fight away..." he muttered, his mind racing. But his thoughts shattered as a fierce gust struck his side. Rose's conjured storm tore through the arena, a ferocious wind carrying debris and slicing through the air. Richard raised his arm, chanting furiously as he summoned a towering flame wall, the heat pushing back against the gale.
No sooner had he erected the barrier than a new threat loomed—a blazing wave of blue fire from the dragon. Richard's eyes widened, lips moving restlessly, his voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. A second wall of fire erupted before him, barely managing to hold off the scorching dragon fire pressing down.
But Abbott wasn't about to let up. He grinned wickedly, his hands outstretched, channelling a vortex of flames that spiralled toward Richard, even more, intense than before.
There were around six hundred people around and if he allowed even one of the flame walls to slip up, numerous of them would die
'Is it really the only way?' Just as he was about to release the wall and get into fighting, he felt the dragon suddenly reeling back its flame and directing its maw in the air.
The senses of a draconic being are the sharpest which allowed the creature to sense the incoming danger.
Rose also narrowed her eyes as she stopped attacking Richard and looked into the air.
Richard snarled and released the hold from the wall, allowing Abbott's flames to enter him as the teenager absorbed all the heat without showing a single bit of struggle.
Abbott gritted his teeth and stopped attacking before suddenly his eyes went towards the sky from where a familiar figure descended.
"B-Bellarine?"
Although he assumed it was Bellarine, it was a much younger woman with red glowing hair that seemed to be defying gravity as she remained suspended in the air, looking at the people who had harmed her brother.
Her eyes were glowing with a promise of death and her presence announced the intention she carried.
"Bella...." Richard smiled, seeing his sister.
Taking advantage of his distraction, an Ambrobate launched an attack towards him—
*Ding*
—only to be blocked by a greenish-blue shield which was erected by none other than,
"Emily." Richard noticed her presence earlier when she chanted a barrier to contain the effect of the attack he launched on Rose.
The blond teenager landed beside Richard and gave him a beautiful smile, "You look...hot. " She complimented making Richard chuckle.
*Grrr*
Hearing the beast growling, Emily clicked her tongue. Turning her attention towards the beast, she said, "I will handle that one," Saying so, she allowed the two demonic wings to unfurl behind her before the girl launched toward the huge reptile.
"Brother!" Bella arrived before her brother and hurriedly asked, "You aren't hurt, right?" The silly girl didn't even think twice before touching his face, even though Richard was still burning from head to toe.
Richard shook his head, "Nah, I am fine..." Looking to his left he found Rose was no longer there, urging Richard to say, "Can you take care of that old man there? Don't let him follow me."
Bella panicked, "Where are you going?"
Richard comforted her, "Just going to check on a problem child."
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"You saw it, didn't you? Ethan?" Inside the academy building, Ethan was standing at a spot, gazing at the battlefield in a daze.
The whisper from the invisible entity continued, "Ambrobates shreds everything you deem close to you. Those are the creatures who are born to slaughter others. And you must take the role of exterminating them."
Ethan's eyes were blank as he looked at the numerous people getting killed by the Ambrobates one after another. He was overwhelmed by a sense of loss seeing those people close to him dying before his eyes.
Grief and regret created a hollow space in his heart as he absentmindedly uttered, "But I am so powerless...so weak...what can I do?"
The entity whispered, "You aren't weak, just unaware of your powers. You know where to look to know what you possess. Just stop restricting yourself and let your Divine Essence guide you."
Ethan looked down at himself, his chest glowing with the same energy that he deemed as a curse. After all, he received those powers at the cost of his mother's life.
He has restrained these powers since he was unaware of what destruction they could bring forth. However, seeing those people dying out there...those whom he regarded as his teacher and classmates...Ethan would regret it for life if he didn't do anything now.
Placing his hand on his chest he muttered,
"All Ambrobates...deserves death."
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Rose was running away. She herself didn't know why but the faint consciousness she retained didn't allow her to endanger her any more life. Those students whom she killed, still haunted her. She couldn't do it anymore!
"*Huff* *Huff*"
"Stop running away like a coward, Rose." She nearly tripped seeing Richard appear before her all of a sudden.
She clenched her fist and shouted, "Don't come near me! It's you! It's because of you they are making me kill all those people! It's all because of you!"
Richard scowled, "Or your frail mind? Just say you don't have the command on your own fucking will that you let them make a puppet out of you. Just like they did with Eden!"
Rose's eyes parted wide, as she slowly uttered, "How do you..."
"Does it mean anything how do I know about Eden? What I want to know is your intentions. Do you want to keep fighting like this or hear out what I have to say?" He offered his hand to the girl, showing his willingness to talk things out rather than trying to kill each other.
Rose gulped and looked at his offered hand.
Was there really a third way to sort things out? Is there really a route on which she doesn't have to use violence? She didn't know if there was such a way, but one thing was for sure: she wasn't going to ignore the possibility.
However, just as she thought to step toward Richard someone jumped to stand between them, startling Rose as she called out, "J-James?"
The same teenager boy who suggested this infiltration back during the apostles meeting, stood between them.
"I saw how easily you were getting manipulated so I intervened." The small boy gave a very oppressive aura as he stood before Richard confidently.
Before Rose could have said anything, someone appeared behind her and with a quick slam of her hand, she knocked out Rose, "I have got her. Proceed with the plan." Saying so, the elven woman disappeared with Rose from the forest.
Richard could no longer sense her presence...must be the elven woman's skill.
Returning his gaze to the kid, Richard raised his hand and warned, "Step aside and it won't hurt."
The kid, as smug as ever, heaved a sigh, "You think age and size matters during a battle? You are nothing but an idiot."
Richard rolled his eyes before launching a blazing storm towards the kid—only to find his eyes widening as the flames dispersed even before it could reach near the kid.
"Aghhh!" Before Richard could have realised the kid's ability, he found his limbs being restrained and his body getting lifted into the air, against his will.
James raised his hand and drew his index finger left and right, following the command, Richard left and right arm was detached from him, making the flaming human groan in pain.
Next James detached Richard's legs and kept him hanging in the air.
Richard tried his best to get rid of this invisible force but he couldn't. He wasn't able to move even a bit against that spell.
James grinned, seeing that reaction before he levitated towards Richard and asked, "Do you know why you are getting overwhelmed by my powers?"
Leaning forward James whispered, "Because....you never stood a chance against the son of Atheris~"
"------!!!"
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A/N:- Atheris: Goddess of War. Some serious power of love and friendship is needed here. Thanks for reading.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 171: Chapter 170- Dare?STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC171: Chapter 170- Dare?
Was there any instance where a demi-god appeared in the last itinerary? No.
Although the side of Light was quite weaker and lacked strong warriors, the number of apostles remained the same and also, none of the children of those goddesses appeared.
Then why now?
"To balance both sides, Mother decided it was necessary to have me." Levitating before Richard, the small child casually muttered, while keeping his hold firmly on Richard.
"You came into play, you increased your forces, you united the Apostles of Darkness, and expected us to do nothing?" There was an evident scowl on his face as James drew near Richard, "You are foolish, Demon. And because of your leniency, we are here—dominating the darkness and moving toward the inevitable doom of Zulcriz."
With his head hanging low, Richard growled, "You look confident."
"Of course, I am. For I, the almighty Immortal will never kneel before someone like you."
'We will see about that....' His body suddenly pulsed with a strange energy, allowing him to wiggle his body a little. The darkness stored inside his chest, just beside his heart, gave him a sudden rush of adrenaline, allowing Richard to grow an arm once again.
James frowned, raising his hand. He increased his telekinetic hold on the creature; however, the more he gripped, the stronger the force of darkness surged from within. Richard was restlessly moving about, trying to get a single window of break and that would be all he could ask for.
His arms and legs slowly grew at the pace of a snail, but he was content, given the hold of the demi-god was stronger than the strongest telekinesis user Richard had met before.
This being was young. However, his stats probably surpassed every ranking system. He was above any mortal standards, and literal godly essence flowed in his veins.
James' eyes drew sharper, and the veins on his neck protruded as he suddenly raised both of his hands and chopped off the growing arms of Richard.
However, the slight diversion towards brutality was enough window Richard required.
With a sudden roar, Richard's body erupted in a blinding blaze, pushing against James's control. The heat was intense, singeing the air and pushing James to shield his face. Just as Richard broke free, he shot forward, throwing a wave of fire at James.
James leapt back, flinging his hand to send the fiery mass hurtling off course with telekinetic force. The flames swirled, reforming into searing projectiles that Richard launched in rapid succession. James deflected them one by one.
Richard tried to encase James in fire, but the demi-god merely chuckled. With a flick of his wrist, he compressed the flames into a small, floating sphere between his fingers. "You'll need more than fire to touch me."
Richard smirked, "Is that so?" His hands were now gripping a flaming trident, the same one which resisted his command until now.
Richard twirled the trident, letting the flames of hell dance around him, giving an ominous premonition to the Demi-God
'That's a sentinel tool...how did he get that?' James, the son of the Goddess of War, could hear the cries of a weapon if they carried a sentience. And currently, he was slightly petrified hearing the agonizing roar of the trident.
Not taking a chance, James raised both his hands, plucking several-foot-tall trees off the ground and huge chunks of dirt and debris, forming two huge domes.
With a growl, he crossed his arms and threw the huge globes in Richard's direction.
The response was swift, as the flaming human planted the trident on the ground, and instantly, the surface split and flaming lava erupted like a geyser.
The ground shook violently as the geyser of lava erupted, molten rock and flames spraying high into the air. James leapt back, watching as the fiery burst swallowed the domes of earth and trees he had launched. The intense heat warped the air around them, casting an eerie, reddish glow across the battlefield.
Richard raised his trident, flames coiling around it like living serpents. His eyes locked onto James with a fierce intensity, the inferno around him growing stronger, almost feeding off the lava now pooling at his feet. The trident pulsed, its agonizing roar echoing in James's mind, sending a chill down his spine despite his demi-god nature.
With a burst of determination, James shot forward, hands outstretched as he willed the earth itself to rise beneath his feet, launching him high into the air. Massive boulders tore free from the ground, trailing after him as he soared above Richard, then plummeted toward him in a relentless barrage.
Richard spun his trident, channelling the hellfire that surged through the ground. Streams of lava spiralled up, forming a flaming shield that intercepted each boulder, shattering them in midair. But James wasn't done. With a swift flick of his hand, he redirected the broken debris, each piece a dart that shot toward Richard with deadly precision.
Richard was effortlessly parrying all the attacks, now accustomed to the fact that the kid had a whole lot of energy but not battle IQ. He wasn't able to utilize his skills to the very best of his potential.
"Ahhhh!" With a deafening roar, Richard planted the end of the trident on the ground, sending a shockwave throughout the forest, shaking the surface and tearing the sky.
James was thrown away by that force, not able to withstand the heat he covered his face.
The demi-god was frustrated by the heat this mere mortal was producing.
James steadied himself, focusing on the trident. He could feel its dark power—a weapon not meant for mortal hands, now wielded with terrifying skill. "You shouldn't have that," James muttered, his voice hardening. "It's not meant for you."
Richard only grinned, his teeth flashing behind the flames. "Afraid of a little fire, demi-god?"
With his free hand risen, he said, "Then how about this?"
James' eyes couldn't have been any more stretched as he heard the echoes of wars and deaths emerging in Richard's other hand in the form of a golden Bo Staff.
This one was fiercer, the cries of the dead nearly made his ears bleed as the demi-god covered his ears and yelled,
"STOP THIS!! THAT THING IS CURSED!"
Richard's smirk never went down as he drew both his weapons close and, with a burst of flame, merged them.
James' eyes were shot red as he saw those things, the literal symbols of death merging and forming something which never should have existed.
He fell to his knees, unable to withstand the blood lust the being in front of him was carrying. He has never seen something so terrifying before; even those weapons in his mother's arsenal haven't faced as much blood and gore as these two have seen.
Richard stood there indifferently; in his hand, the scythe of the grim Reaper remained steadily standing.
"You boasted your status as a Demi-God, but for what when you are kneeling before a 'worm'?"
James was clutching his head, no longer in his sane mind to respond to that.
Richard heaved a sigh. So the kid was a kid after all.
Holding the scythe over his shoulder, the living flame advanced towards the boy, intending to chop off his head and get done with it.
However, before he could reach James, the sky darkened, clouds swirling violently as thunder rumbled across the battlefield. Richard stopped in his tracks, his flames flickering, feeling a chill he hadn't felt in decades. His hand clenched around the scythe, but his grip faltered as the air grew dense, each breath weighing down on him.
A sudden, blinding crack of lightning split the sky, and from it descended a figure cloaked in shadows and raw power. The very air seemed to bow to them, the earth trembling beneath their feet. Their presence was overwhelming, divine—so intense that Richard's flames began to sputter, struggling to survive under this oppressive aura.
As the goddess's feet touched the ground, thunder boomed once more, shaking the surface. She turned her gaze on Richard, eyes gleaming like molten steel. Richard tried to take a step back, but he found himself paralyzed, the weight of the god's presence rooting him in place.
In a voice that resonated like rolling thunder, the god spoke, "You dare lift a weapon against my kin?"
Richard's flames flared in defiance, but they were dim and frail against the goddess's light. He struggled, forcing himself to speak, but the goddess raised a single hand, and the very flames surrounding Richard were extinguished, snuffed out as though they were nothing more than embers.
It was getting hard to breathe as his eyes turned red and his face pale. This was the first time Richard had ever felt so close to death that even a single movement was harder than those battles he had faced until now.
There was no comparison. No chance of fighting back as Richard saw the Goddess raising her spear with a single hand, thunder wrapping around it, and aiming for Richard's head.
However, before the Goddess could have unleashed her fury,
"Long time no see, Atheris."
Another Immortal descendent, and this one, was standing on Richard's side.
----------**---------
A/N:- The immortals wouldn't be participating in the war. Thanks for reading.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 172: Chapter 171- Betrayal(End)STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC172: Chapter 171- Betrayal(End)
Immortals shall never interfere with the realm of mortals. They could influence them through prayers and prophecy but intervening in the realm of mortals to attack someone was a heinous sin.
And Atheris, the Goddess of Thunder and War, suddenly appeared on Clion, her spear raised and targeting the Apostle of Darkness.
The rule was broken by the Light first and once an immortal breaks the law, it's the right of other immortals to stop them if they deem it within their capabilities.
And this time, the Goddess of War was intercepted by the Sovereign of Death. The concept of Death stood before Atheris, his scythe standing by his side as he asked,
"Are you sure you want to take the chance of hurting a mortal, and my apostle no less? Can you handle the consequences of your actions, Atheris?"
Lightning rumbled, the surface shook, and the aura radiating from the deity was domineering enough to send a normal person to the other side.
Richard wasn't affected by her anger since he was currently under Zulcriz's protection.
The ground around them has sunken in, trees were blasted away, and anyone who tried approaching them was restricted by Atheris' aura.
It was her domain and none shall interfere.
"Zulcriz, I command you to rein in that fanatic immediately, or he shall answer to my wrath." Her voice carried the evident weight of her words and the promise of fury which she might unleash based on Zulcriz's response.
The God of Death, who appeared much calmer compared to the other immortal, responded,
"The one who came to provoke my apostle is your child. And first of all, how in the world can you copulate with a mortal for the sake of defeating me?" Zulcriz asked, ridicule evident in his voice.
From his knowledge, Atheris held the most pride among the Goddesses, so for her to have a child, with a mortal no less, just to defeat Richard was surely surprising.
On the other side, Richard was surprised to hear that Zulcriz was so…close to the deities to know about their personalities.
The symbol of violence huffed, "None of it shall concern you. You aren't a part of the family, Zulcriz, so know your limits."
Now…that made Richard even more intrigued. However, even before he could think of asking anything, the aura of the Death God flared, making the already sunken land now dug deep as the four individuals remained levitating.
The Death God's hands clenched, and a faint, low rumble echoed, as though the forest itself groaned under the weight of his wrath. Shadows pooled around him, thickening, twisting with his anger, swirling like a restless tide. The sun was completely covered with darkness, veiled as if even the heavens feared to witness what was to come.
Atheris remained unfazed but surely those glowing eyes narrowed as she clutched her spear, ready to engage any moment.
Zulcriz was furious and that could be sensed by Richard and James—the latter now trembling in fear with his face paler than a sheet.
"I haven't forgotten about my status, Atheris. However, because I no longer am a deity, allows me to interfere with the mortal realm." Allowing his shadow to extend and cover the whole academy he threatened,
"What do you say? Should I slaughter this duckling of yours before going out there and cleaving your so-called Emissary of Light? Will you be able to stop me?"
Atheris' eyes parted in rage, however, before she could have attacked the being she once considered as her family, someone intervened.
"You two, back off before the Almighty One decides to wake up from his slumber."
It was a voice but not a form to gaze at. However, for Richard this voice was familiar. The same deity who requested Richard to save Ethan has somehow managed to shake both beings who were on the verge of engaging in a battle which surely would have brought Clion to its demise.
Richard didn't know who this 'Almighty One' was; however, seeing their aura slowly receding, he knew that this being was superior to Zulcriz and Atheris.
The sky returned to its former glory and the forest was restored to where it was before Richard and James engaged in a battle.
Atheris moved her hand over James' head and the boy fainted instantly.
Looking in the far distance, she summoned a certain apostle, who was familiar to Richard.
"Long time, Eleanor." Richard greeted, his tone containing nothing but contempt towards the girl.
Eleanor gazed at Richard before her eyes met with Zulcriz, stunning the girl on the spot.
"Take him away." Hearing Atheris' command, the violet-haired girl instantly nodded, and after picking up the kid, she disappeared.
Not so long after Atheris also ascended to the heavens, only after she directed a glare towards Zulcriz.
The God of Death glanced at Richard before telling him, "You must have numerous questions, but not now."
Saying so, the Ruler of the Darkness disappeared—urging Richard to heave an exasperated sigh.
"Right. Making me the successor without telling me the whole story."
**CRASH**
Not even a second later, the domain was lifted, and six figures appeared before him, one after another. And what all the six beauties carried was mutual concern for Richard.
The first one to jump on him was the familiar red-haired lady, "BABY!!"
Bellarine, who arrived in the academy just a few minutes ago, easily subdued all the Ambrobates before she searched for her baby, only to be restricted by an invisible field which even Bellarine couldn't breach.
Richard held his mother in his left hand and the right side was occupied by her younger version, "Brother…are you okay? Did they hurt you?" There were tears in her eyes as Bella checked her brother all over.
Jasmine, Emily, Amelia and Lilia remained standing there silently; however, it could be seen from their eyes how barely they were stopping themselves from lunging at him.
"Are you all fine?" His question was directed at all of them, and starting from Lilia everyone nodded except for Bella and Bellarine.
"I am not good. I am upset." The older Bella complained.
"Brother is too reckless. I had several panic attacks in these few minutes." The younger Bella added.
Richard chuckled, "Well, I am fine, as you can see. It will take a God to kill me." Well, he faced one today and was also pushed to the verge of his demise…but surely he wasn't going to tell them that.
"Young Master, Headmaster Marcus…" Seeing Lilia's expression, Richard understood what she meant and that shocked him.
With his eyes parted wide he asked, "How…did this happen?" Marcus is one of the strongest warriors, someone who could rival his mother. And for him to die at the hands of some Ambrobates? It sounds ridiculous.
However, "He trusted his students and got betrayed by them…" Amelia looked sad, "Some of the students who were under the Headmaster's protection were from their side. They stabbed the Headmaster repeatedly and left him to die before continuing to slaughter the other students."
Richard's expression turned grim and his growing aura suggested the anger he was experiencing right now.
Those students whom Marcus treated as his own children…betrayed him.
"Do you know who they were?" Richard asked, only for Bellarine to intervene,
"Baby, please don't go after them immediately. They must be with the other apo-"
"Amelia, I asked you something." It was a rare occurrence for Richard to ignore his mother's words and show such agitation. Even while fighting James he didn't appear to be this emotional.
Amelia gulped before notifying, "I don't know all of them, but I know for sure that Hopper, Brendon and some of the top students from the third year…including President Ruby, were among them."
"Ruby?! You mean Ruby Melsworth?" Bellarine exclaimed as Amelia nodded.
Bellarine reacted since Ruby was a member of the Scarlette clan and someone who was destined to become Richard's bride one day. She recently talked with her aunt and they decided to have Ruby and Richard meet once before coming to any conclusion.
However, now…there was not a way in seven hell that she would ever approve of that girl who dared betray her child.
Richard clenched his fist; he didn't expect that girl to betray them as well.
However, soon he heaved a sigh, and calmed himself down before apologizing, "Sorry Mom…Amelia for talking like this. Let's get back home and rest for now."
The others nodded instantly and just in case, Emily erected a barrier around Richard as they made their way back to the mansion
The situation of the academy was quite chaotic, however, Richard decided to first heal himself before returning here.
Those who have died, those who were on the verge of death and those who have betrayed him, Richard would know all of their names.
When this battle began, he didn't think things would escalate to this extent, but fortunately, he exercised caution and called his mother. Otherwise, maybe no one would have survived today.
The battle is over, but the war awaits. And now, Richard knows his role in all this.
—-------**---------
A/N:- RIP Headmaster. You were a good person.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 173: Chapter 172- SacrificeSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC173: Chapter 172- Sacrifice
"Is he okay now?" Outside one of the rooms, the blond elf asked the violette as she held a tray of cotton pads and cold water.
Eleanor shook her head with a sigh, "James is beyond terrified. He is...barely holding himself together after what he faced." Eleanor uttered with evident weariness on her face.
"I can understand his situation given he faced the God of Death-"
"No, James isn't horrified because of him," Eleanor's words made Tia frown as the elf wordlessly urged the former to continue.
Looking at nothing constant, Eleanor added, "He was .....petrified by Richard's presence. Amidst the ongoing battle, Richard summoned two sentinel weapons that bowed to his command and held enough chaos to make James kneel before him."
"James...knelt? Before Richard?" Tia knew the status of the young kid as a demi-god, and among the apostles, he held the most superior ego. The only person James respects is his mother, and only because Goddess Atheris told him so, James follows Eleanor's command.
And for him to kneel before Richard..."Was he that strong?"
Eleanor nodded, "He has ascended to the truest form of an element. While he remains enshrouded in flames, he is practically immortal."
Heaving a sigh with her brows drawn closer, the girl added, "And God knows where he received those weapons?"
"There is a mention of that trident in the book. But that Bo Staff is probably more mysterious than the Space Magic." Tia added—having seen what destruction that particular piece of weapon could bestow.
Eleanor shook her head, "Doesn't matter; we have forces to rival him now. And with Ethan on our side, we don't have to worry about the Demonic God."
"But is he?" Tia's question made Eleanor frown before the violet-haired regressor urged the elf to continue.
Tia looked unsure as she uttered, "He has abruptly decided to become a part of us...are you sure he isn't deceiving us?" Tia respects Ethan; however, unlike Eleanor, who blindly loves and trusts Ethan, Tia can see things from a different angle.
"Are you suggesting that Ethan isn't on our side but rather still belongs to the Darkness?"
Tia shook her head, "Sir Ethan was never on the side of Darkness. He is the purest being and someone who stands by the side of life and peace." With a sigh, to relax her tense shoulders—she always remains slightly worked up around Eleanor—the elf added,
"I just think Sir Ethan is here to...assess us. Based on what we do or what we plan on doing, he might..stay or-"
"Abandon me? Is that what you are trying to say?" Eleanor's voice suggested seething frustration. Now, whether it was because Tia spoke those words or because she already was aware of it but didn't want to accept it, remained a mystery.
Tia crossed her arms and said, "Look, I am not saying that Sir Ethan is still the same as he was before...considering what he has seen today and how we have made him see things, I am certain that his hatred for Ambrobates has risen significantly. And it helps that his mother was also killed by a demon."
Eleanor looked at the sky from the window as she uttered, "If you are right, Tia...if Ethan really is undecided about where he should be standing then..." Eleanor hesitated—a sign that she was scared of something, urging Tia to press,
"Then?"
Eleanor directed her shaky eyes toward the elf, before adding, "Then the deities might snatch him off his status as an Emissary....and abandon him."
Tia's lips parted slightly in shock, "Can they do that?"
"Of course they can. It was them who provided Ethan with that power...and if he ends up standing against us, then they will take back their blessings."
Tia looked horrified, "His blood and divine essence have become one...you know that, right? And if they tear the essence away-"
"No, no, no! Please don't even say something like that!" Eleanor covered her ears and refused to hear the end of that.
She could face any situation, despite how dire and unfavourable it becomes for her, however, the very possibility of losing Ethan horrified her.
Eleanor couldn't let that happen.
Then what is the way to make sure that Ethan never leaves her side?
Turning towards Tia, Eleanor asked, "I need...it. The aphrodisiac."
Tia's eyes widened, "Are you sure?"
Eleanor nodded, "Can't be any more sure."
Tia inched closer to the girl before asking again, "Think again, Eleanor. You would be facing Sir Ethan's disgust and contempt for the rest of your life."
A single droplet of tear rolled down as she said, "He already hates me...but if I carry his baby, he at least would care about me. And that would be hefty enough for me...and for us."
-----------**-----------
"You picked the right side, Rose." Inside the room only two people were present. One of them had long flowing red hair that reached the centre of her back and a pair of red eyes.
She is the wife of the second in command of the Emberclad empire—Sasha Emberclad.
There was not a speck of regret or guilt in her eyes even though she lost her husband today, and the reason why he decided to attack Richard was because she provoked him.
She knew that Rose would need a backup, and the people from the Emberclad were already getting brainwashed by Ethan's look-a-like. So she pushed a few buttons here and there and her husband rode the carriage with the intention to demolish the demon called Scarlette Richard.
Rose was staring at the wall opposite her mindlessly; unable to process everything that happened today.
She was so conflicted about everything that happened that she just stopped thinking altogether and allowed her mind to reach a state of serenity first.
"Hey, what happened?" Sitting on the bed, Sasha held her hand softly and asked, "Still thinking about today?"
Rose nodded, "I am....trying to discern...the necessity of sacrificing those many lives. The people who died today had nothing to do with this war. They were students just like me who had so many dreams and so many things to do. Their parents...how hurt they must be right now....devastated to hear their child was dead."
With tears welling up in her eyes, Rose added, "They were innocent and didn't deserve to die. What kind of Light do we possess which pushes others to darkness? Then why do we call ourselves the good people?"
Rose's emotions could be felt through her words as she asked the lady for an answer.
Sasha calmly told her, "I accept that it was wrong to let them die however, if we hadn't pulled Ethan on our side, one day, everyone would die."
Rose strongly gulped, "So, in your eyes, it was a necessary sacrifice?"
Sasha slowly nodded, "Yes, Rose, they needed to be sacrificed or our champion would have never understood the role he must play."
Rose's free hand balled in a fist under the sheet as her gaze turned cold. After that, Rose didn't say anything for a long time before Sasha said 'Good night, rest early' and left the room.
Rose remained seated at her place for a few more minutes when suddenly someone entered the room—urging Rose to say,
"I am fine now-" However, her words came to a pause when she saw the person entering inside,
"President?"
-----------**----------
Richard was currently resting inside his room after he was fed some potions and medicine for recovery. He has exhausted himself during the battle against James, and more so while withstanding the wrath of the Goddess.
Inside the room, only two people remained, one was naturally Richard and the other one was Emily.
Bellarine, Lilia and Bella were involved in a discussion and Amelia went to prepare some soup along with Violet. Jasmine was involved in maintaining the security.
While Emily wrapped a bandage around his arm, Richard asked, "How do you feel now? Did you get a hang of your new origin?"
Emily smiled, "It feels great...I feel close to you. I don't know why but this warm sensation makes me feel you are always right beside me."
Richard raised his brows, "Anything warm means Richard?"
Emily chuckled, "Not like that...this warmth is different. I can't explain it, but yeah, I feel great and my skills have developed exponentially after I started training with Jasmine."
"What did she teach you?" Richard asked casually.
With a smile, the blond responded, "Combat, skill enhancement, Aembr absorption, and..."
Richard turned towards her with inquiring eyes, only to find himself looking at a mischievously smiling Emily.
"...and things which I cannot tell you as of now."
Richard was curious to know but he didn't say anything.
Just as he was about to say something about a different topic, he heard a familiar voice,
[Richard? Can you hear me? It's me, Rose.]
---------**--------
A/N:- What she might have learned? Well, thanks for reading.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 174: Chapter 173- DecisionSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC174: Chapter 173- Decision
Richard was on the verge of shifting into his elemental form, upon hearing that voice. He knew that the President had a long-distance voice transmission skill, so it was undeniable that she was in this as well.
After what had happened in the academy. All those students and teachers that died...just to get Ethan back was nothing but infuriating for him. And to hear Rose's voice all of a sudden was anything but Richard desired right now.
"Why bother to contact me, now? In hope of boasting your victory?" Richard asked; his voice threateningly calm.
Emily has erected a barrier around Richard, triple layer no less, just in case they try to use some long-distance attack or might be watching him from somewhere.
[No...please, don't talk like that Richard...]
"Rose~Rose, don't you dare use that tone to show that you were unwilling in all this. Just accept it; you love to spill the blood of those who trust you."
There was no response from the other end when Richard said that; however, very faintly, a stifled sob could be heard.
Leaning back on the headboard, he asked, "You didn't even spare the person who considered you as his granddaughter."
[I didn't--!!!] Rose exclaimed, [I never wanted Headmaster to die! Believe me, I never wanted all those students to die!]
Hearing that tone, Emily frowned. Her red eyes shone dangerously in the darkness.
Richard softly held her hand to calm her down, as he told the girl,
"Shouting at me will change nothing, Rose. Even if you didn't want them to die, you did nothing to stop them either."
This time as well, no instant response arrived.
Richard scoffed, "Now, if you are done with this meaningless conversation, then I would like to excuse myself." Just as Richard was about to dismantle the spell using the Scarlette clan's treasured spell-breaking technique, a new voice came from the other side,
[Richard, I want to tell you something. Can you give me a minute? Please?]
This time it was Ruby, and Richard wasn't surprised to hear her.
Crossing his arms, he said, "Yeah, go on."
----------**---------
Elizabeth was feeling out of place as she sat at the stairs of the academy and looked at the campus where the contest was supposed to happen.
However, now all she could see was the dead bodies and pools of blood all around. The burnt smell of humans and Ambrobate's flesh was making the air heavy.
Ethan was missing and she had no idea where to find him. She knows nothing...nothing at all.
Just as the day began, Elizabeth decided to stay with Ethan since she had a hunch that something massive was about to happen—the girl was knocked out cold even though there was no one in the room.
How? The energy flowing in her body was depleted to the level where her body went into hibernation so she didn't perish.
They didn't want her to be a part of this all, or Elizabeth surely would have interfered in one way or another. And most of all, she would have never allowed them to take away Ethan.
'It was all planned, all along....' Elizabeth got up from her seat with a smile on her face. However, that smile was not because of elation. Far from it.
She was agitated.
"Eli!" Suddenly the elven princess arrived by her side and asked, "Are you okay? Did they incapacitate you as well?"
"What do you think?" Elizabeth indifferently asked as she continued to move towards the entrance of the academy.
Nora clenched her fist in frustration. They are no longer trusting them in anything related to Light and Darkness. It was like Nora and Elizabeth were black sheep now.
As they crossed the gates of the Academy Nora couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"
Elizabeth responded without hesitation, "Somewhere we can remove these shackles called blessings."
------------**-----------
In the Scarlette mansion, everyone gathered to have dinner after they were done with their respective works.
Today's dinner was prepared by Violet and Amelia, the latter being invested to enhance her culinary skills.
Around the table, except for Lilia, the other ladies close to Richard sat down. The brunette respected the Duchess a little too much to share the same table.
Jasmine was also called back since there was another shadow of Richard on work to maintain the security of the mansion.
"Mom, is everything alright with the Emperor?" Richard asked as Lilia placed dishes on his plate.
The lady slowly nodded and informed him, "The attack of Ambrobates was easily subdued, and no other forces arrived, given the diversion they wanted to create by calling me there, failed."
"Is the Emperor aware of the conspiracy?" Amelia asked.
Bellarine seemed uncertain, "No one has told him explicitly about the whole ordeal and the main perpetrator behind the ambush, however, the Royal Majesty isn't an idiot to not connect the dots."
"Even if understands the whole thing being planned by the apostles, will the Empire go against the Church?" Emily asked, to no one in particular.
She was aware of the influence which the church has on the capital and the authority which the Pope possesses. As such, even if the Emperor gets informed about the plan behind this attack, it is highly unlikely he will go against the church.
"Eldoria is headed towards its demise," Bella suddenly voiced out, attracting everyone's attention before she added, "They have sheltered Darkness by not removing Mother from her position, and they have always been in an inseparable relation with the Church. And it is no genius to discern what happens when someone tries to travel in two bots, moving in different directions."
No one could argue with Bella since she was right. The Emperor was aware of Bellarine's connection with Demon Generals. However, he showed no initiative to even confront her about it.
"Don't worry, I won't let Eldoria fall into ruins." Suddenly, the voice of a certain Princess entered the conversation which didn't surprise most of them since they sensed her coming inside.
Jasmine glared at the red-eyed male who came along, "Didn't Master say to not let anyone inside?"
The older male shrugged, "Lord Richard allowed me to let them enter."
Richard nodded to that before he urged, "Join the table…Elizabeth, Nora."
Elizabeth, without hesitation, approached the table, followed by Nora.
The Princess sat near the end of the table before proposing, "If I can get rid of this curse called divine essence then I will readily side with the God of Death during the war. And not only that, every soldier and warrior under Eldoria's command will be standing on the side of Darkness, I promise you."
Bellarine frowned, "You know what you are promising here, right?"
Elizabeth calmly nodded, "I know, Your Grace. And despite how long it had been, my anger for my father hasn't subdued. So if he allows me to become the new leader, then that's fine, but if he resists, I will simply let my anger take over me."
The incident that sparked Elizabeth's grudge against her father occurred during the time Ethan was abducted and subjected to experiments. Elizabeth hadn't forgotten a single thing and was just waiting for the right moment to take any action.
"But what about the blessing we talked about? Not to talk about if someone from the Dark side—presumably you Elizabeth—attacks the Emperor, there is a high chance for the deities to support him."
Amelia added, and that was something Elizabeth could not refute. There was the blessing of the founder of Eldoria with her father. And until he doesn't pass on that blessing to someone, it is impossible to kill him.
"Then convince him?" Lilia asked to which Elizabeth narrowed her eyes.
"I don't think Elizabeth has the patience to convince anyone unless they are Ethan," Nora added, and that was something Richard could agree to.
Silence ensued in the dining hall, as no one knew what to do.
Suddenly Bella turned her eyes toward the person sitting at the head of the table and asked, "What do you think, brother?"
Richard leaned forward before asking the Princess, "What happens to Eldoria isn't my concern now since increasing forces never remained my priority." Richard's tone suggested conviction, as he leaned forward and joined his fingers with his index fingers pointed towards Elizabeth,
"I want to know whether you are fine switching sides. The child of a deity you are."
Elizabeth, very calmly, asked, "Look into my eyes, Richard, and tell me; do you see any hesitation?"
Richard could not. Although Nora seemed a little uncertain, the Princess was dead sure about her intention in this war.
"I don't give a single fuck about this war. If I can get Ethan back, then I will just watch everything from the sidelines. And if you help me get Ethan back, then I will devote my loyalty to you."
Richard raised his brows; never did he think that this crazy girl would say something like this to him.
That shows her desperation to be with Ethan and to what lengths she could go to keep him safe.
Heaving a sigh, he said, "Take your time, you both, and by tomorrow morning, tell me what you have decided."
Elizabeth wanted to say that she had already made up her mind but then suddenly Nora got up and pulled Elizabeth with her, "Thank you for the consideration."
The elven princess was surely not prepared.
—-------**---------
A/N:- Thanks for reading.
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