{A/N: I deeply apologize for the inconveniences I had caused you guys.)
Then, with the practiced ease, she reclined against the sofa’s armrest and placed her bare feet directly in his lap.
"Surely you can do this much for your dear aunt?" she murmured with mock fatigue, though her voice carried the honey-sweet tone.
Then she feigned a weary sigh and shifted slightly, her toes nudging lightly against his thigh.
"After all that walking, my feet are absolutely aching."
She watched him through half-lidded eyes, seeking the faintest flicker of reaction as her touch lingered deliberately against his leg.
But...
He gave nothing.
Alaric simply stared at her with an unreadable expression, then his lips curved into a matching smirk as he raised his hands toward her feet resting in his lap.
"What? Need your dear nephew’s assistance?" He amused as he pressed a precise point at the arch of her foot with practiced efficiency.
"Heeak!"
Her breath caught, whether from relief, pleasure, or sothing in between, she couldn’t tell.
Before she could pull away, his grip tightened around her ankle, thumb finding another sensitive point near her heel and pressing with calculated precision.
"Ah!"
This ti she couldn’t suppress the soft gasp that followed.
Then she imdiately yanked her feet back and straightened, her cheeks flushed with sothing between embarrassnt and indignation. Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.
This insufferable bastard.
Alaric leaned sideways against the sofa, angling himself to face her fully, a lazy smirk playing on his lips.
"Feeling better, dear Au—"
"Just shut up." Her voice cut through his words like a blade, but the slight breathlessness undermined her attempt at authority.
Alaric’s amusent only deepened at her flustered expression, though a predatory satisfaction flickered behind his eyes.
This is what you get for disturbing my peace, woman.
Before he could voice another teasing comnt, her voice cracked like a whip.
"Get out."
Her tone was sharp, as she aid squarely at the door.
Alaric tilted his head, feigning innocence, as if genuinely puzzled by her sudden hostility.
"But I didn’t do anything wrong—"
"OUT. NOW!"
Her tone left no room for argunt, her composure finally fractured. Red color flushed high in her cheeks, whether from embarrassnt or fury, perhaps both.
Alaric raised his hands in mock surrender, rising from the sofa.
He understood the art of knowing when to advance and when to retreat, and this mont called for a strategic withdrawal while he still held the advantage.
He strolled to the door, hand resting on the handle. Then he paused, glancing back over his shoulder with that sa infuriating smile.
"Take care, Aunt. I’ll see you soon."
Then without waiting for her reply, he shut the door behind him, leaving Selene alone with her fury.
[DP 100]
She sat rigid on the sofa, jaw clenched so tightly her teeth ached.
The bastard had won this round too.
*******
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Alaric’s footsteps echoed faintly as he made his way down the corridor.
Before long, he reached his assigned room, pushed the door open and stepped inside.
With a sigh of relief, he let himself fall onto the bed, sinking into the mattress.
A mont later, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Status.
A translucent blue interface materialized before him.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Na: Brandon (Past Life: Alaric Noir)
Race: Human
Age: 19
Title: Slave, Model Servant, (The Fallen King)
Essence Path: The Path of #$#&##@##
Sub-Path: Fla Essence
Rank: E
EXP: 2950 / 3900
Stats:
STR: 65
AGI: 79
END: 66
WIL: 41
CHA: 49
INT: 60 (??)
Free stats points: 0
Domination Points: 750
Main Quest: Subjugate Selene Glimore (In Progress 86%)
System Level: 2 (Requires 3000 Domination Points to Upgrade)
Skill Tree: Interdiate Fire spell (F), Scorchblade Arts (S)
Interdiate Fire spell (F): Fire ball, Fla Arrow, Burst Step.
Scorchblade Arts (S): First Form- Fla Blade, Second Form- Fla Slash
Shop: Basic Tier Items
Obedience ter: Target Not Found!
Loyalty ter: Target not found!
Harem Tracker: 0
DP Exchange: Available
??? (Locked – Requires System Level 3)
His eyes imdiately drawn to the skills section.
"Show descriptions of Burst step and Fla slash."
[Burst Step: A short, explosive dash that condensed user’s Essence into a single heartbeat’s mont. Perfect for closing distance or evading at the last possible instant.]
[Warning: Excessive use may cause muscle strain and energy depletion.]
[Fla Slash: Infuse user’s weapon or bare hand with fla essence, creating a burning arc of energy when attacking.]
[It can cut through most standard materials and leaves lingering burn damage. Requires weapon or unard combat proficiency for use.]
Alaric leaned back against his pillows, a slow smile spreading across his face.
Then with a ntal flick, he dismissed the translucent interface.
Sigh!
A deep exhale escaped his lips as he finally allowed his shoulders to sink into the plush mattress.
Then with deliberate slowness, he unlaced his shoes, pushed them aside, and turned to his side on the bed.
The weight of the day finally pressed in, and he let his eyes drift shut, welcoming the slow pull of sleep.
Then—
Knock! Knock!
Two sharp raps at the door shattered the silence.
"You have been summoned, Young Master."
The muffled, polite voice of a maid ca from outside.
""Urgh..."
Alaric groaned, dragging both hands down his face until they covered his eyes.
Can’t they let live in peace for even an hour?
********
Tip... tap... tip... tap...
Rain began to fall in steady drops, each one striking the cobblestones.
The gentle patter quickly intensified into a proper downpour, water cascading from rooftops and gutters in silver streams.
CRACKLE!
A jagged spear of lightning tore across the cloud-choked sky, followed by the deep rumble of thunder.
For a fleeting mont, the desolate silhouette of a broken cathedral stood illuminated.
Its once-proud spires now crooked and fractured.
Shattered stained glass windows gaped like hollow eyes, and ivy crawled up walls.
Its Gothic arches reaching toward heaven like the ribs of so great, fallen beast.
Through the driving rain, two figures moved with purpose along the muddy path leading to the cathedral’s entrance.
Their black cloaks whipped in the wind, hoods pulled low to shield their faces from both the storm and any prying eyes.
Their footsteps echoed faintly in the hollow air as they approached the looming doors.
One raised a gloved hand and gave three deliberate knocks.
Knock... Knock... Knock...
After a mont, a voice ca from behind the doors.
"Who seeks sanctuary in the abandoned house of the divine?"
The taller of the two hooded figures spoke,
"Vegar."
Creeek!
After a mont, the door swung open, revealing an elderly man drapped in ceremonial robes of deepest black.
The fabric was ornate yet somber, embroidered with symbols that seed to shift and writhe in the flickering candlelight.
His skin pale, eyes sharp and sunken, as though sleep had long abandoned him.
Then wthout a word, he turned and started walking deeper into the cathedral.
The two cloaked figures stepped inside, water dripping from their garnts onto stone floors.
Without a word, they began following the old man deeper into the cathedral’s shadowed heart.
They followed him through a narrow, dimly lit corridor where guttering candles clung stubbornly to life in wall sconces.
Shadows stretched and warped across the stone, crawling over weathered statues.
Lining the hallway stood statues carved from pale marble.
The figures bore wings, yet their faces held expressions of anguish rather than grace.
Their hands reached skyward in gestures that could have been supplication or despair, and their eyes seed to follow the procession with hollow, knowing gazes.
The old man led them through winding passages until they erged into a vast hall.
At the far end, on an elevated dais ringed by crooked pillars, a girl knelt with her wrists and ankles bound in blackened chains. Her sobs were choked behind a filthy strip of cloth tied across her mouth, her small fra trembling.
Figures draped in the sa ink-black cloaks stood in a semicircle before her.
Their heads remained bowed, faces hidden beneath heavy hoods, but the faint glimr of eyes burned from within.
Bones littered the dais.
Long, short, so still bearing the dark stains of flesh.
A cracked jawbone rested near the girl’s knees.
The old man joined the others. As one, they raised their arms, their low murmurs winding together into a single chant.
The sound slithered up the walls.
The candles guttered. The air pressed in. The girl’s sobs turned to muffled, panicked whines.
The shadows deepened.
Then sothing shifted in the atmosphere—a presence that had not been there before.
A sudden wave of force rippled through the hall.
The girl’s muffled scream pierced through the chanting, raw and high, echoing off the stone.
Her body arched against the chains, trembling violently, bones cracking, reforming, flesh tearnig, nding.
Until, with a sharp crack, the links snapped like brittle twigs.
Then, her scream died.
Slowly, she sat upright, the gag slipping from her mouth.
Her eyes opened, no longer the dull, terrified ones from monts before, but sharp, glinting with an inhuman light.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The hooded figures dropped to one knee in unison, foreheads nearly touching the cold floor.
From the shadows ca a single whispered phrase from all their lips,hoarse, trembling, reverent:
"...By the goddess Lilith."
-------------------
Chapter End...
[A/N]
Yo guys, sorry for the trouble.
Though I’m not back yet, so there will be bit inconsistent updates for a day or two, with only single Chapter a day.
Then I’ll be back to 2 Chapters a day.
Till then, please bear with it. Bye, bye.
Take care.
And thanks for reading.
User Comments
0 comments from readers