1091-1100

Chapter 1091 Things Would Never Be The Same Again

"I will have My Vengeance," William said in a voice filled with killing intent.

If looks could kill, Felix would have died a thousand times over already. William's gaze that contained his desire for revenge never left Ahriman's Heir, who had subconsciously taken a step back due to the intensity of his gaze.

After saying his parting words, William turned around to enter the purple portal behind him. He didn't look back as he resolutely left the battlefield. Right now, his newly obtained powers were unstable.

His patched up soul still needed some time to adapt to its new form. Forcing himself to fight would only damage his soul, and allow the corruption of the Darkness to take over it completely.

Also, he knew the price he had to pay in order for him to use his powers. Right now, he didn't want to lose any more precious things. He had already lost enough.

Shannon watched his back with reverence as she too stepped towards the portal. However, before taking the last step, she turned her head around as she gazed at the green-haired demon who was wearing a Crimson Crown on his head.

"I thought that having a crown on someone's head made them look like royalty," Shannon said as the corner of her lips curled up into a smirk behind her fox mask. "But when I look at you, all I see is a pig that is about to be slaughtered."

Shannon giggled before entering the portal, leaving Felix gnashing his teeth in anger.

The Black Phoenix turned into a beam of light and shot towards the purple portal before it disappeared completely. The Primordial Goddess had tasked it to remain by William's side and ensure his safety until his powers had awakened fully.

As a Phoenix, it was immortal. So, even if its body was destroyed, it would only take a little while before it recovered and could once again spread its wings to fly through the sky.

Felix stared at the portal with a grim expression on his face. Although he didn't want to admit it, William's words had left a very deep impression in his heart.

—--

'Interesting development,' Joash thought as he stealthily left the battlefield to head towards the Fortaare Desert. He knew that William would be there, so he increased his speed to get there as fast as possible.

He wanted to personally talk to the prophesied Prince of the Elves, and ask him about the details of his revenge. Joash was confident that the two of them could work together in order to reach each other's goals.

The Black Dragon's target was Luciel, and William's target was Felix. Since they were on the same side, he was sure that they would be able to come to an agreement in order to take revenge upon those who had wronged them.

'This is way better than I imagined,' Joash mused as he smiled evilly. 'The Prince of Darkness versus the Heir of Darkness. This is simply too good to be true.'

The Black Dragon wasn't too worried about Luciel becoming completely corrupted by the Power of Darkness. Every Demon Lord received Ahriman's blessing, so the Power of Darkness flowed in their body.

This was why Felix was born with the Power of Darkness, which allowed him to become Ahriman's heir.

Because of this, Joash's revenge would only be delayed until William decided that the right time had come to fight against the green-haired demon, who played a part in the death of the Half-Elf's wives and lover, as well as the deaths of his friends.

—--

Fortaare Desert…

Celeste, Princess Aila, Shannon, and the others all sat in the living room of the temporary residence that was provided to them by Zeph.

As soon as William arrived at the Sand Clan's residence, the first thing he did was to return to the Thousand Beast Domain to take care of the bodies of Kasogonaga, Psoglav, and Jareth who had fought for his sake.

William pieced Jareth's body back together using Life Magic before sealing it in a block of ice. He did the same for Kasogonaga and Psoglav because he had no intention of resurrecting them as Undead or Revenants.

For now, he placed them inside the cave filled with magic crystals, where the lifeless bodies of his wives were enshrined.

William looked at the ice that enclosed Ashe, and pressed his hand over the gem in her chest that had turned dark gray. He then pressed his lips over the ice to kiss her lips for a few seconds before backing away.

He did the same for Princess Sidonie and Chiffon.

Lilith watched this scene while biting her lip. The William she knew had changed completely, and yet, his love for his wives remained the same. Although his eyes looked cold and unfeeling, his actions proved that he still treasured those who held him dear.

After backing away, William moved towards the exit of the cavern. However, just as he passed Lilith, he reached out to hold her hand and gave it a light squeeze.

The Amazon Princess flinched because William's hand was cold. Although it wasn't ice cold, it was still enough to make her look up to him with concern.

"I'm fine," William replied as he led Lilith out of the cave. "I just need some blood."

As he pulled Lilith alongside him, the Half-Elf said something unusual that made Lilith wonder if she had misheard him.

"Times like this, I wish Cathy was here," William said. "She had an inexhaustible supply of blood. With her around, I can drink to my fill."

Lilith didn't know if William was joking or not, but she had a feeling that the Half-Elf was saying these things in order for her to not be too worried about him.

Although she still hadn't married him, she was already one of his lovers, and it was her duty to help him with his needs.

"Will, if you need my blood, you can take it," Lilith said as she increased her pace to match William's stride. "Take as much as you want."

"Okay," William replied. His words was still cold, but Lilith was able to detect a trace of affection in them.

After exiting the cave, the first thing William did was to summon the Elves, so he could heal their injuries. Charmaine and the others were in a very sorry state after their battle against those whose rank surpassed theirs by a huge margin.

"All of you drink these potions and rest for now," William ordered. "Tomorrow, I will drink your blood, so make sure to rest properly and recover your strength."

"Yes, Master," Charmaine replied as she drank the potion until none of it was left. She then went straight towards her room to rest. In truth, she was already using all of her willpower to stay awake.

The other Elves were in the same boat, so they took their leave after bidding their goodbye to William.

The Half-Elf then faced Lilith as he looked her straight in the eye. His golden eyes made Lilith think that he was looking straight into her soul, which made her shudder.

"Am I that scary?" William asked. If one were to look closely, the corner of his lips was raised slightly as if he found Lilith's reaction quite funny.

"Yes," Lilith replied honestly. "Your eyes scare me. Your touch makes me feel cold, and your voice makes me feel weak."

Lilith then cupped William's face as she stared back at him with a steady gaze.

"Your gaze has lost its tenderness," Lilith added. "Your touch has lost its warmth, and your voice is no longer affectionate. Tell me, Will, must you stay like this forever?"

The Half-Elf didn't answer right away, for he did not know the answer to Lilith's question.

"Perhaps," William replied after a minute of pondering. "I don't think I will be able to go back to the person you once loved, Lilith. Not until I hold Felix's severed head in my left hand, and Ahriman's on my right.

"Not until my hands regain those that I have lost, and can hold my wives in my embrace once more. Perhaps, only then, will I be able to feel the same thing I felt back then. But, Lilith, right now, I only want revenge."

William's golden pupil glowed briefly as he looked at Lilith's amber eyes that were filled with sadness.

"If you can't bear to see me like this, you can go," William said softly. "Return to the Amazon Empire until I settle my business with Ahriman and his puppet. For I will not rest until only one of us remains."

"I understand," Lilith replied as she moved closer to rest her head on William's shoulder. "I feel the same way as you do. I also want revenge, but I'm too weak to do it."

The Amazon Princess' body shuddered as the tears that she had been holding back fell freely.

It was at this moment when she felt a cold hand hold the back of her head and pull her closer to him.

That gentle motion was enough for Lilith to throw caution to the wind and wrap her arms around William before sobbing uncontrollably. Deep inside, she felt very ashamed of her actions.

First and foremost, she was a Princess and a Warrior. As a member of the Amazon Race, they would not openly show weakness to others. However, right now, she knew that her lover was suffering more than she was.

Unfortunately, William refused to cry. He no longer had tears to shed, which made Lilith feel that she needed to cry for both of them.

"Will, promise me that you will not give Felix and Ahriman a quick death," Lilith said through her sobs and tears.

"I promise," William replied as he wrapped his left arm around Lilith's waist.

Lilith then looked up at William before pulling on the back of his head to kiss his lips.

Just as she expected, William's lips were cold. However, she had no intention of backing away. Right now, what her beloved needed was her warmth, and she would give it to him.

It was Lilith who took the initiative to offer the nape of her neck, for William to drink her blood. The Half-Elf obliged and, for the first time in a long time, the sweet and euphoric sensation washed over Lilith's senses.

However, she found no joy in it. For she knew that things would never be the same again.

After pulling his fangs out of her lovely neck, William carried Lilith's exhausted body towards their bedroom.

He then covered her with a blanket before planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Sleep for now," William said. "I still have business to take care of."

Lilith nodded before closing her eyes. She could feel her consciousness falling into sleep's embrace, and she could no longer fight it.

William closed the door behind him before opening a portal to return to the Sand Clan's residence.

He still had important matters to take care of, and sleep could wait until he finished tying up the loose ends. Just as the Primordial Goddess had said, now was not the time to fight Ahriman and his forces.

William had an idea about what he needed to do. But, for that to happen, he would need to sink his fangs into those who wished to tie their destiny with his own first.

Chapter 1092 Don't You Trust Me?

William sat on the couch as he eyed the people that had waited for his return.

Princess Aila, Shannon, Celeste, Chloee, Claire, Vesta, Kira, Athrun, and Zeph.

All of them wanted to know what William's next plans of actions were, especially Zeph, who was currently feeling anxious about what to do with the approaching calamity that was going to sweep the Demon Realm from the North.

"I plan to return to the Central Continent and visit the Tower of Babylon," William said with indifference. "Ahriman is greatly weakened currently and it will take some time for him to gather enough living sacrifices for him to build his Shadow Army. Naturally, he will use mostly demons for this undertaking… preferably those who will oppose the wishes of his heir."

William gave Zeph a side-long glance before shifting his attention to Celeste.

"First and foremost, I will tell you straight, I'm not interested in you," William stated. "The one I love is your sister, so you can rest assured that I will not ask you to do anything against your will. I will not humiliate, nor degrade you. You can return to Hestia Academy where you can be safe… at least, for the time being."

Celeste returned William's gaze with a calm expression on her face. However, deep inside she was feeling relieved, and disappointed at the same time. Relieved because she would not be forced to do anything against her will, and disappointed because… she felt as if she was being tossed aside like a useless tool that had no value whatsoever.

William then glanced at Kira and Athrun, making the two of them subconsciously flinch because of his cold gaze.

"No Demon Clans will be safe from Ahriman. You are either with him, or against him," William explained. "Those against him will be turned into Shadow Demons that will fight for him, regardless of whether they want to or not. If you side with him, your clan will be safe. However, know that once we meet on the battlefield, I will not show any mercy."

"But, we don't want to participate in this mess," Kira replied. "I'm sure that this is what everyone in our Clan feels."

Zeph, who was standing not far from Kira, was very tempted to ask William if he had forgotten that he was the Patriarch of the Sand Clan. Kira was only his grandson, so William should be discussing this matter with him. But, out of fear, he kept his mouth shut and just listened on the side.

"Then flee." William shrugged. "Take your Clan with you and go to the Southern Fortress. Perhaps, Joash will give you passage to flee to the Central Continent."

Vesta who was just listening on the side could hear the trace of sarcasm in William's voice. Even so, she chose not to say anything because the current William was not the same red-headed teenager that she had traveled with not too long ago.

She was afraid that if she said something that might anger him, he might punish her without caring that her father was one of the Demigods of the Demon Realm.

"C-Can't we just go to your Thousand Beast Domain and wait things out?" Kira inquired.

The corner of the Half-Elf's lip raised slightly after hearing Kira's question.

"Wait things out?" William shook his head. "You only have three options here. Side with Felix, side with me, or flee."

"If we flee, where should we go?" Kira asked in desperation. He didn't want to side with Felix, but siding with William would just put the lives of their clan members in danger. Since that was the case, he wanted to know what place was going to be safest for their clan to go to.

William snorted as he shifted his gaze to Zeph who had his arms crossed over his chest and had his brows knit together.

"What do you plan to do?" William asked.

Zeph, who finally realized that the black-haired teenager was addressing him immediately sprang into action.

"Your Excellency, as you said earlier, we only have three choices," Zeph replied. "The Sand Clan will never side with the Heir of Darkness, so our only choice is to side with you or flee. As the patriarch of the Sand Clan, I've decided to side with you instead of running away."

William raised an eyebrow as he looked at the Old Fox of the Sand Clan.

"The reason?" William asked.

"It's because I believe that you will triumph over the Heir of Darkness. Of this I am sure," Zeph answered in a confident tone. "If possible, we would like to join the other Clans that have sworn allegiance to you. We are willing to enter your Domain and fight for you when the moment of truth has arrived."

"What about your true Lord, Lorcan? Now that my wife, Sidonie, is dead, the charm on the two other patriarchs who rule the Fortaare Desert will have lost its power and they might side with the Demon Lord. What is he planning to do?"

"I have already talked with Lord Lorcan, and he said that he also plans to join your side, Your Excellency."

William then closed his eyes as if pondering his next course of action. A minute later, he gave Zeph an order.

"Tell your clan as well as Lorcan that I am only giving you three days to prepare for a migration," William ordered. "Exactly three days from now, I'll be leaving the Demon Realm and going back to the Central Continent."

"Yes, Your Excellency," Zeph bowed down and left the room. A migration was not an easy thing to do, and three days was barely enough time for his people to prepare themselves physically and mentally for relocate to a new home.

"Do any of you still have questions?" William asked.

Shannon immediately raised her hand and looked at William with anticipation.

William briefly nodded in her direction to acknowledge her presence.

"Lord William, do you plan to ask for the help of Hestia Academy when the time comes to fight against Felix?" Shannon asked. "If yes, I can help you negotiate with them."

Celeste's ears perked up after hearing Shannon's question. Due to the loss of her twin sister, and William's current state, she had completely forgotten that Hestia Academy was also planning to fight against the Heir of Darkness.

"Will, I think we should return to the academy and have a conversation with the Headmaster," Celeste said. "I'm sure that he will be more than happy to work with you to fight against the forces of Darkness."

William's gaze landed on the beautiful Elf where it was met with Celeste's steady gaze.

"I think you are forgetting something, Professor," William stated. "I am one of the forces of Darkness. Since Hestia Academy is going to fight against it, why should I ally with them?"

"N-No. That's not what I meant. I mean, we will fight against Ahriman and Felix together!" Celeste tried to correct her earlier words, but all it did was make William shrug.

"I have no intention of working with the academy," William replied. "I do not trust Byron enough for that."

Celeste tried to make a final appeal in order to make the black-haired teenager reconsider his decision.

"How about me?" Celeste asked. "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you," William replied.

His reply shocked Celeste because she thought that William would say that she can't be trusted.

"Then why?"

"Because I don't trust Byron."

William's tone was firm, and even if Celeste wanted to tell him that the Headmaster of the academy could be trusted, she understood that the Half-Elf would not change his stance no matter what.

"What makes you sure that he can't be trusted?" Celeste asked. After her initial surprise, curiosity took over her, and she was serious about finding the answer to her question.

"Instinct," William answered. "You're too naive, Professor. Do you think just because someone fights against evil makes them good?"

"Celeste. Call me Celeste."

"Understood, Professor."

Although William had already declared it earlier, it really seemed that he was hell-bent on distancing himself from her.

A complicated feeling flashed through her heart as William stood up from the couch and walked towards the door.

However, just before he left the room, he said a few words of parting, which made a certain Princess stiffen after hearing his words.

"Aila, I will meet with you tomorrow night. Wait for me in your room."

Those were the last words that William said before he closed the door behind him, making everyone in the room look at the angelic Princess, whose face had already turned beet red.

Chapter 1093 Thank You For Not Leaving Me Behind

Night time…

Chloee sighed as she looked at the two full moons in the distance.

It was a few hours after William had ended his talks with them and disappeared without a trace. Chloee assumed that the Half-Elf went back to the Thousand Beast Domain in order to prepare for the mass migration that would be happening in three days.

Also, she kept thinking about the words that William had said before he left the room.

'He will meet with Aila tomorrow night?' Chloee mused. 'I wonder what they will talk about.'

Chloee was currently in her nineteen-year-old form, and stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, she had a melancholic look on her face as she stared at the beautiful starry sky, which would make any stargazers on Earth squeal in happiness.

She was no longer able to return to her fairy form, and her days were numbered. The beautiful blonde Elf thought that if she saw William again, she would be able to talk to him and encourage him so he knew that everything would turn out well.

However, she didn't do that.

Chloee may be stubborn and often thought of as an idiot at times, by some of the students in the academy, but she wasn't stupid.

She knew that no words of encouragement would work on William right now, because his heart had turned cold, like the obsidian gem that was embedded in his chest.

"Four days…," Chloee softly muttered. "I can only stay in this world for four more days. Conan, maybe you shouldn't have extended my stay. Maybe it would have been better if I disappeared alongside you."

"Are you saying that what he did was useless?"

"No. I'm thankful for what he did. It's just tha–"

Chloee blinked before turning her head to the side. There, standing not far from her was William who was also staring at the two moons in the sky.

An awkward silence passed through them because Chloee didn't know what to say, and William was not in the mood to continue the conversation.

Minutes passed in silence as Chloee lowered her head and hugged her knees. She was not expecting William to appear while she was stargazing, and it made her feel nervous.

"Sixth Master, please, stand up," William's voice that suddenly came from behind her almost made her jump up in fright.

Fortunately, she was hugging her knees at that moment, or else, she might have fallen off the roof of the residence.

"S-Stand up, you say?" Chloee stuttered.

"Yes," William replied as he walked in her direction and offered his hand to support her to stand up.

Chloee looked at the pale hand that was offered to her, and hesitated for a while before placing her hand over it.

With a little tug, Chloee found herself staring back at William's golden eyes that glowed faintly in the moonlight.

"Your golden eyes looked majestic right now, but I still prefer your green eyes," Chloee said subconsciously.

"I see," William replied as his hands moved in front of Chloee's dress.

Before Chloee could even understand what was happening, her clothes had already fallen beside her feet, and her beautiful and delicate body was revealed in front of the person she loved.

At least, that was what was supposed to happen.

However, instead of seeing a beautiful body that would make all the single boys in Hestia Academy turn red as a tomato, what William saw was a body covered with cracks. It was just like a vase that had fissures all over it.

"Don't look," Chloee said as she tried to cover her body with her hands. "It looks ugly. Please, don't look."

William was unperturbed as he appraised Chloee's body that was in danger of shattering at any moment.

Chloee was about to run away due to her embarrassment, but for some reason, she was unable to move her body. It was as if she was frozen in place. She could only helplessly endure the shame and embarrassment as William's gaze wandered over every inch of her being.

After several minutes had passed, the black-haired teenager shifted his attention to Chloee's flushed face and asked her a question.

"Sixth Master, do you wish to live?" William asked.

"Stupid disciple! Are you planning to kill me with embarrassment?!" Chloee answered in anger. "Of course I want to live! Who wants to die? I don't want to die!"

Chloee's shout was so loud that it would have been enough to gather the attention of everyone in the residence. Fortunately, William had placed a sound proofing barrier around them earlier to prevent anyone from hearing the commotion that was currently happening on the rooftop of the residence.

Chloee had completely forgotten her previous nervousness towards William because of her embarrassment and angrily replied to his question.

William stared at her glaring eyes with indifference before continuing to say the things he wanted to say.

"I can save you, but after that, you will never be the same again," William stated. "You will become stained with darkness, and your soul corrupted by me. Are you sure you wish to take this path?"

"W-Will Celeste be affected by this?" Chloee asked. She knew that if something happened to her soul, Celeste would receive a backlash, just like what happened to William when Elliot and Conan died.

She couldn't bear to watch as her Master suffered pain due to the consequences of her decision.

"She will be," William replied, "but it is still better than the backlash she will receive after you die."

"Will it hurt me?"

"Perhaps. This is the first time that I am going to do it, so I can't answer your question."

Chloee closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. A minute later, she opened them and faced William's golden gaze with determination.

"I want to live," Chloee stated. "I also want to stay by your side. You can treat me as a tool if you like, but please, don't toss me aside like you are doing to Celeste."

"Very well," William replied as he held her chin and raised it up. "Just don't regret your decision later."

"I won't," Chloee said softly.

William could see how serious she was, so he no longer hesitated. In truth, even if Chloee refused his offer, he would still force her to make a pact with him.

He no longer wanted to lose those that were important to him. Especially those who had fought for his sake. Fortunately, Chloee agreed, so William lowered his head and kissed Chloee's lips, making her shudder due to how cold his lips were.

However, the coldness only lasted for a moment before she closed her eyes and accepted the kiss that William had given her.

It was at that moment when she felt something invade the core of her soul. At first she was going to resist it, but she remembered that William was trying to save her. Although she still felt afraid, she surrendered her body, and soul, to the person that she trusted the most, second only to her Master, Celeste.

Slowly, but surely, the cracks all over her body started to disappear.

Chloee felt her body, and soul being remodeled into something else, but for some reason, she didn't dislike it.

It was as if William was marking her as his own, which made her heart feel warm inside. Also, the connection between her and Celeste was still there. She could tell that her Master was feeling a slight discomfort at the moment, but she wasn't in pain, which made Chloee feel thankful to William.

Her long and beautiful blonde hair that was tied in a ponytail slowly turned black, and a pair of short horns grew out of the top of her head.

Suddenly a pair of black angelic wings sprouted behind her back, and a tail with a spade-like end, extended from behind her backside.

Chloee didn't know how long it was before William took a step back, stopping the kiss that filled her entire being with warmth.

Just like a newborn foal, trying to take its first steps on the world, Chloee walked towards William with shaky steps.

She no longer cared that she was practically naked, as she walked towards her new Master with a longing gaze.

"You did well, Chloee," William said as soon as the beautiful succubus wrapped her arms around him. "You did well."

William raised his right hand to lightly pat the top of her head, while his left hand held her waist to support her. The beautiful Succubus tried to bury her head deeper into William's chest, as if wanting to become a part of him.

Chloee sighed in pleasure after being held by the man she loved. Not long after, she lost her consciousness while leaning against William's body. Her transformation might have gone smoothly, but her soul was still adapting to the changes made in her body.

The Half-Elf held her firmly, and allowed Chloee's head to rest on his chest. After making sure that the beautiful lady in his arms wouldn't slip from his embrace, he glanced at the two full moons that illuminated the night sky for a brief moment before shifting his attention to his Sixth Master, who had decided to bind her destiny to his.

"Thank you," William said softly as he kissed Chloee's head. "Thank you for not leaving me behind, Chloee."

William then held her in a princess carry, before turning into a black mist. He returned to the room that was given to him by Zeph, instead of returning to the Thousand Beast Domain.

Right now, he was still on high alert, just in case Ahriman made his move. Although he knew that it would take a while for Felix, and his army, to know where he was, he decided to play it safe and remain in the Fortaare Desert, to ensure that he would be prepared for any situation.

—-

Celeste's room…

Celeste had her hands placed over her chest as she panted for breath.

She had felt the sudden change that came over Chloee's soul, but aside from a slight discomfort, she didn't feel anything too serious.

Deep inside, she knew that William might have done something to her Familiar, but for some reason, she felt that the Half-Elf would never harm Chloee, so she endured the anxiousness that she felt as she endured the coldness that washed over her body.

This lasted for several minutes before coming to a complete stop.

Claire, who was also clutching her chest, was lying beside her on the bed. Just like Celeste, what she only felt was a discomfort that she couldn't explain. After it receded, she finally found time to breathe and to stabilize her condition.

Celeste and Claire knew that Chloee's soul was no longer in any danger of dispersing. Both of them could feel the strong power that was coming from her connection to them. This gave the two of them some peace of mind because they were also at a loss about how to save Chloee from dying.

"Are you fine with this, Celeste?" Claire asked. "Although I can still feel Chloee's connection to us, I also sense something else from it."

"I'm fine with it," Celeste replied after she regained her composure. "William will not do anything to harm Chloee. So regardless of what he did to her, I can only thank him for saving her life."

Claire nodded her head in agreement. More than anything else, she didn't want her twin to die.

Truth be told, after Elliot and Conan died, she finally realized how much she took life for granted. Claire and Chloee had died several times in the past, but Celeste was able to summon them back because they hadn't used their full powers in battle.

Now that she had seen what true death was like, Claire finally understood how precious life truly was. The only thing that she hoped for right now was that William would take good care of her sister.

This was her honest wish for her twin, who finally had her wish granted by the person whom she treasured the most.

Chapter 1094 Â Will, I Love You

(Disclaimer: R-18 Scenes. But, sorry, it's not who you think :P )

"I've waited for this moment, and yet, it was snatched away from me!" Princess Sidonie said with a pout as she pinched William's cheeks. "Why didn't you protect your first time from that Elf? I don't care if she is your Master, I already called dibs on your first night!"

William wasn't able to look at the beautiful Princess straight in the face because he was feeling very guilty. Truth be told, he had already agreed to make love with Ashe and Princess Sidonie on his eighteenth birthday in order to lose his V-Card in real life.

Unfortunately, the early bird got the early worm, and Celine managed to bite Little Will, before the others did.

"Calm down, Sidonie," Ashe tried to pacify the pouting Princess as she lightly pulled on William's ear. "I'm sure William didn't plan to break his promise with us, right Will?"

"Of course!" William replied in a heartbeat. "I swear I didn't expect that Master would make love to me. She said that we will just do training, and before I knew it…"

"You could have resisted," Princess Sidonie pinched both of William's cheeks before rubbing his face with both of her hands. "Admit it, you wanted her as well, right?"

"Y-Yes," William admitted.

The red-headed teenager didn't want to lie in front of the two girls that loved him, and admitted that he also wanted it to happen. Celine had been his very first crush in the World of Hestia. He would be lying if he said that he didn't dream of doing this and that with her.

"Kuh! I should have become suspicious when she appeared here." Princess Sidonie lightly hit WIlliam's chest with her first. "That thieving cat! I will not forgive her."

William sighed as he placed his hand at the back of Princess Sidonie's head and pulled her close to him.

"I'm sorry," William said as he kissed her forehead. "I know that I should have resisted, but I still went ahead and did it with her. How can I make it up to you?"

"... Make love to me with everything you have."

"Okay."

"How about me?" Ashe asked as he lightly patted William's head. "Am I not included in this?"

"Of course, you're in it too," William replied as he pulled Ashe close to him and gave her a kiss on the lips. "Tonight, I will make up for all the wrongs that I have done to both of you."

"Hmp! You're not sleeping tonight, Darling."

"Celine might have taken your first in real life, but I was your first in your Dreamworld, right?"

Beads of sweat formed on William's forehead as he looked back at his beautiful mermaid lover who had a tender look on her face.

"A-Actually, my first time was with Wendy in my dreams," William stuttered. "We even did thirty roun–ahhhh!"

After several minutes of trying to pacify his two lovers, Princess Sidonie's and Ashe's sighs echoed within the walls of William's bedroom.

Both ladies were clinging on to William, as he kissed, and sucked their proud peaks that they had offered to him.

His hands were busy kneading the soft, and willing jade rabbits that his lips weren't servicing, making the two beautiful ladies cling to him tighter.

The red-headed teenager pinched, rubbed, flicked, and played with their firm tips making both ladies sigh. He was currently using his Incubus Job Class and used his powers to increase their sensitivity. Because of this, they were feeling every kiss, every caress, and every playful bite in a heightened state, which was not possible normally.

William allowed both ladies to catch their breaths, for a brief moment as his hands trailed down from their breasts, down to their bellies, all the way to their lower abdomen.

Ashe and Princess Sidonie were both maidens, so William made sure to prepare them properly for their union. Minutes passed as the two ladies shuddered together after reaching their climax.

Their breaths along with William's was ragged, especially the Half-Elf who was doing his best to control his urges.

Soon, Princess Sidonie, the one who was said to be the most beautiful in the world, laid on all fours on the bed. She raised her hips as she waited for William to plunge into her depths, and make her his woman.

Her wish came true not long after as William lowered his hips and pushed past her maidenhood. A gasp escaped the beautiful princess' lips as the power of her Divinity activated at the same time her chastity was taken from her.

Instead of pain, she only felt pleasure.

Genuine pleasure from the man whom she had chosen as her significant other. A pair of horns grew out of her head, a black pair of wings unfurled behind her back, and a tail with a spade-like tip at its end extended from her backside.

"Finally." Princess Sidonie sobbed, not in pain, but in happiness after William had made her his woman. "I've waited for this for so long."

William felt a fire burning in his chest as Princess Sidonie's Lust passed through their joined bodies. Soon, the sound of skin slapping skin echoed in the room as William tried to fight the nearly overwhelming feeling for conquest from taking hold of his senses.

Princess Sidonie was sinfully beautiful, and now that her power had awakened, her beauty became more profound. It filled William with the urgency to fill her up with his seed, to mark her womb as his.

Ashe was also affected by Princess Sidonie's Divinity and moved towards William to offer her breast to him as he continued to make love to the beautiful Princess, whose power was slowly and slowly dispersing throughout the room.

Soon, Princess Sidonie felt something hot shooting inside her. Her body subconsciously trembled as William's lifeforce washed over her senses. For a brief moment, she blanked out, savoring the afterglow of her first time.

"My turn next," Ashe said softly, and yet, her voice held an urgency that couldn't be denied.

She pushed William, making the Half-Elf fall down on the bed, looking up at her.

Princess Sidonie felt a sense of loneliness the moment William pulled out of her. Her Succubus senses craved for more, but she held herself back. She knew that she was not the only one that loved Will, so she decided to be patient as she waited for her turn again.

Ashe's beautiful body, whom William had held several times in the past, was just as smooth and as captivating as he remembered.

Perhaps due to the effect of Princess Sidonie's Divinity, Ashe took the initiative to hold William's manhood and guided it to her entrance that desperately wanted to have him.

In one swift motion, Ashe moved her hips down, feeling both pain and pleasure after the deed was done. The color of her purity dyed the white sheets with red as her hips moved up and down to satisfy the craving that had taken hold of her body.

Ashe was bold, but she was never that bold. The sudden change in her character, due to Princess Sidonie's Divinity, was such a contrast that William was greatly turned on by her current behavior.

The Half-Elf didn't become passive for long as he raised his hips to meet Ashe's rhythm, allowing him to reach the depths of her womanhood, and making her tingle all over.

His hands reached out to fondle her breast as she moved with more intensity. She could sense that William was about to reach his limit, so she lowered her hips, and shook her waist in a circular motion that made William grunt, releasing his essence deep inside her.

William felt a heartfelt pleasure when Ashe moved her hips in order to encourage him to release his seed at the entrance of her womb. It was as if she was begging for him to get her pregnant, and it made his climax so strong, that he wondered if he really did succeed in making her conceive his child.

"Darling, I hope you didn't think that this would be over after two rounds."

Morgana, who had suddenly materialized after Princess Sidonie lost her consciousness due to the pleasure, said with a smile.

"Sidonie is just resting, she will be up after you finish making me feel good." The lusty Succubus who had the exact same face as Princess Sidonie kissed Little Will before putting him inside her mouth to clean him up.

"That's right, Will," Ashe said lovingly as she placed her right hand over her abdomen. "The night is still young. You went thirty rounds with Wendy, right? I want to experience that as well."

William sighed as she reached out to lightly pat Morgana's head, who was currently in the middle of rejuvenating Little Will to make him fight for another thirty rounds. His other hand then held into Ashe's arm as he pulled her close to him to give her a loving kiss.

"Very well," William said after his kiss with Ashe ended. "I hope you girls are ready. All three of you will not be getting any sleep tonight."

"Darling, that is my line," Morgana replied after giving Little Will one last kiss. "You don't have to move. All you need to do is keep it up for me."

"Will, I love you," Ashe said as she lowered her head to initiate a kiss on William's lips.

That night, all four of them didn't stop until dawn. Only when the sun started rising from the East, did they fall asleep, while holding each other in a loving embrace.

Chapter 1095 Forced To Embrace The Darkness, So That Others May See The Light

William abruptly opened his eyes and saw a black-haired beauty lying next to him.

She had a peaceful look on her face as she slept soundly without a care of the world. The Half-Elf frowned as he propped himself up the bed. He had no intention of sleeping, but for some reason, he fell asleep beside Chloee.

After she finished her transformation into a Succubus, William watched over her to ensure that he would be able to deal with any possible side-effects that might arise in the first few hours of her new life.

Fortunately, nothing happened. Perhaps it was that feeling of relief that had prompted him to relax his guard and fall asleep beside her.

'Times like this, I wish I could have kept dreaming,' William thought as he looked outside the window of his room. Although the sky on the east was starting to lighten, the sun was still not up.

He had dreamt of his first night with his wives, Ashe, Princess Sidonie, and Morgana. It was a memory that held significance in his heart because it had happened on the night of his eighteenth birthday.

William closed his eyes briefly to savor these memories before he walked towards the bed. He covered Chloee's beautiful naked body with a blanket. Although most men would lose control over such sights, the black-haired teenager wasn't even affected by it.

The Half-Elf didn't cover her the night before because he was paying close attention to any changes that were happening to her body. Also, Chloee was now a creature of the night, her resistance to cold was higher compared to most mortals. William wasn't worried about her getting sick and catching a cold.

After checking her condition one last time, William flew out of the window. He flew higher, and higher, until he was several miles off the ground.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he gazed towards the North where he had lost many important things to him. William wanted nothing more than to grind Ahriman's flesh and bones until there was nothing left of him. But, he knew that this was an impossible endeavor. At least, at this point in time.

It was at that moment when William saw a black speck over the horizon that was flying in his direction.

The black-haired teenager arched an eyebrow because he recognized the identity of the creature that had locked onto his location.

William didn't move, and simply waited for the unexpected guest to arrive. Although he had no idea why the Black Dragon was looking for him, he knew that the latter was currently in a rough spot due to the changes that were happening in the North.

"It's been a while, William," Joash said as he stopped a few meters away from the Half-Elf who had an indifferent look on his face.

"Has it?" William asked. "Did you grow bored spectating from a safe distance?"

"I did," Joash replied. The Black Dragon didn't even bat an eye and admitted that he had observed the events as they had transpired in front of him. "This is why I came to find you. I don't want to be a spectator any longer."

William eyed Vesta's father. He didn't find fault in Joash's decision to be a bystander because he didn't owe the Half-Elf anything. They were not allies, or collaborators. The two of them were just doing what benefitted them.

That was the extent of the relationship they had.

"What do you want?" William inquired.

"An alliance," Joash answered.

William nodded. "Tell me the specifics of this alliance. I will decide once you give me the clearcut details of how you plan to cooperate with me."

Joash remained calm as he observed the black-haired teenager whose presence had completely changed. If in the past, he could still gauge William's combat strength, now, he couldn't.

Although he had a feeling that the Half-Elf was still weaker than him, the Black Dragon dared not take his chances and offend him.

"The Southern Stronghold was not only built to keep the forces of the Central and Silvermoon Continents away," Joash explained. "It was also made with the intention of mounting an offensive towards the Demon Capital, and ensuring that there was a stable fortress that could block most armies.

"Can it block Pseudo-Gods?" William asked with sarcasm.

"Perhaps," Joash answered with a smile. "There hasn't been an opportunity to activate the Stronghold's defenses, but I am confident that it could block Tarasque even if it used its full strength against it."

"Oh?" William's interest was piqued by Joash's confident words.

Tarasque was the strongest Demigod of the World. It could be considered a Pseudo-God because no Demigods could beat it in battle, even if they all worked together against it.

It was the ultimate protector of the World of Hestia, which allowed it to go anywhere it wanted, as long as it wished. None of the Demigods feared it, for it didn't actively seek them out.

In short, Tarasque was a pacifist. Even the mortals of the world would come to look for it to ask it to share its vast knowledge with them.

"Since there was no opportunity to activate the Stronghold's defenses, how did you know that Tarasque couldn't break through it?" William wasn't too convinced by Joash's explanation, but because of how confident the Black Dragon looked, he still gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"It's because I asked it personally," Joash replied. "After asking Tarasque if it could breach the Stronghold's defenses within a day, it said no."

"Okay. let's say that it couldn't breach it for a day, how long would it take Tarasque to tear your fortress to the ground?"

"Two months. Tarasque knows that the Fortress stands on one of the leylines in the Demon Continent. Only when the leyline dries up will its defenses shatter. Even the strongest amongst us knows that it is a daunting task to drain a leyline completely."

"Two months," William muttered before shaking his head. "It's not enough. Sooner or later, the forces of Darkness will break through your Stronghold's defenses."

Joash nodded his head to acknowledge William's words. "I know that it will not be enough to stop their advance. Its purpose is only to stall them for time."

"Then, what do you plan to do in those two months?"

"Wait for you to become stronger. I will only use the full might of my forces once I am sure that there is a chance at victory."

William scoffed at the Black Dragon who was relying on him to turn the tables around. Even so, he didn't dislike the plan. What he needed the most was time. He couldn't use his full powers because it would completely wipe out the remaining memories he had of Belle from his head.

He had a feeling that once he lost them as well, he would never be the same again.

"Tell me, William Von Ainsworth. How much time do you need?" Joash asked with a serious expression on his face. Right now, he was relying on the power of one prophecy to beat another prophecy.

Although it sounded ridiculous, this was the only way for him to have his revenge against Luciel, his evil spawn, Felix, as well as the Gremory Clan, who had all played a role in the death of his wife.

"I don't know," William replied. "All I know is that before I fight against Felix, I need to awaken my full powers. Also, I will need an army to fight him."

"You can use my army," Joash volunteered.

William shook his head. "It's not enough."

"Hestia Academy will also come to our aid. Not only them, but I'm sure that the Human Kingdoms and Empires will not stand by and allow their lands to be conquered by the Demon Race. if we pool our forces together then we can push them back."

"Perhaps."

William didn't deny or confirm Joash's words. He didn't know how powerful the army of each Kingdom was, but he was certain that together, they still posed a threat to the Demon Army's expansion.

"Do what you must," William said as he glanced at the rising sun in the East. "I will be returning to the Central Continent two days from now."

"May I know where exactly in the Central Continent you are going? I can tell that you don't plan to go back to Hestia Academy."

"I'm going to the Tower of Babylon. I need to talk with someone there."

Joash nodded in understanding.

"William, I will leave my daughter in your care," Joash said. "I hope you don't mind."

"Sure, I will keep her around so you can watch my movements. I also hope you don't mind if I have my way with her when I get bored."

"I don't mind. I'm sure my daughter wouldn't mind that either."

William snorted before flying back towards the Sand Clan's residence. The Sun had finally risen in the East, spreading its light to the world.

Even so, the black-haired teenager knew that the light would soon disappear from the face of the world. A New Era of Darkness was upon the world, and no light would be able to pierce through the veil of darkness that would soon descend upon the land.

Joash watched William's retreating back with a solemn gaze. The Black Dragon knew full well that if any of them had a chance to turn things around, it would start with the Half-Elf who was forced to embrace the Darkness, so that others may see the Light.

Chapter 1096 The Most Chaste Woman In The World

"Do you understand, Vesta?" Joash asked. "I will be busy doing many important things, and I have no time to look after you. It will be safer for you to stay with William."

"Safer?" Vesta asked back. "I don't think being with him is safer. Father, let me stay by your side. I can help you with any–"

"No. You'll just be a hindrance." Joash looked at his daughter coldly. "I don't have time to babysit you. Now is a very crucial time and I don't have the time to spare to make sure that you are behaving properly. William has no intention of fighting against Felix right now, so being with him is the safer option."

Vesta felt her heart tremble inside her chest because this was the first time that she had seen her father look at her so coldly. It was as if he was looking at a complete stranger, and not his own daughter whom he had loved and raised for the past nineteen years.

"I… understand," Vesta replied as she lowered her head. "I will do as you say, Father."

"Good." Joash moved closer and gave his daughter a tight hug that lasted only for a brief moment before pulling back.

Without another word, he turned his back to her and walked away.

Vesta could only watch her father's back until it disappeared from her view. She didn't dare call out to him because she knew that she would only be disappointed. The only thing she could do was lower her head and bite her lower lip.

"You liar," Vesta muttered softly as a drop of tear fell from her eyes.

With the current state of the Demon Realm, it was hard to say who was friend or foe. She knew that her father truly wanted to protect her, so he decided to let her stay with William. That way, Joash would be able to focus more on the things he needed to do without worrying for her safety.

—--

"Look after her for me," Joash said as he walked past William on his way out of the Sand Clan's main residence.

"Okay," William replied. "She'll be my emergency food when I run out of things to eat."

Joash didn't bother to reply to William's words as he flew towards the sky. The Black Dragon headed towards the South where his fortress was waiting for him.

"Two months…," William muttered as he put his hands behind his back. "That is far from enough."

The Half-Elf shook his head before returning to his room. Along the way, he met Princess Aila, and Shannon who were headed to the dining area.

"Are you not going to eat, Lord William?" Shannon asked.

"I'm not hungry," William replied.

Princess Aila didn't say anything and simply stood to the side with her head lowered. She couldn't look at William, especially since tonight was the night that he would visit her in her room.

This was the second time that they would be sharing some private time together, and the angelic Princess couldn't help but worry about what the black-haired teenager planned to do with her.

Suddenly, Princess Aila felt a finger press upward on the bottom of her chin, raising her head so she would look at the black-haired teenager, whose golden eyes made her heart skip a beat.

"Am I so scary that you won't even look at me?" William asked as he stared into Aila's clear, purple eyes, that showed her true emotions.

"N-No," Princess Aila replied. "I-I am just nervous."

"And why are you nervous?"

"B-Because tonight…"

A light cough stopped Princess Aila from continuing her words. Shannon immediately moved in to hold her body and make her take a step away from the Half-Elf who made her feel very nervous.

"Lord William, please don't bully Aila," Shannon said as she hugged the angelic Princess from behind. "Can't you see that she's scared stiff of you right now?"

"Is that so?" William asked back.

"N-No! That's not it," Princess Aila stuttered. "I just… I just don't know what to wear tonight. Yes. that's it."

William nodded before walking past the two girls without another word.

Princess Aila and Shannon watched him go with complicated expressions on their faces. One of them wanted to reach out to him and help heal his sadness, while the other wanted to find ways that she could be useful to him.

Right now, William was like an iceberg. What they could see was merely its tip, while the rest of it was hidden under the freezing surface.

Both ladies knew that William was still grieving for his loss. Even so, a part of them wanted to be part of that cold world in order to help thaw some of the ice that covered his obsidian heart.

—--

Inside Celeste's Room…

"Yes, he doesn't plan to return to the academy, Headmaster," Celeste said as she stared at Byron's projection.

All the professors in Hestia Academy carried communication artifacts that allowed them to talk directly to Byron in case of an emergency.

"Is that so?" Byron asked. "A pity, but there's nothing we can do about it. Professor, when will you be returning to Hestia Academy? Now that the Heir of Darkness, as well as the Prince of Darkness have arrived, it will be time to gather the members of the Holy Order of Light.

"The Pope contacted me earlier and said that she had already sent notices to all the Virtues to gather at the Palace of Light. She expects you will go there as well."

Celeste shook her head. "I can't go, Professor. I am tied to William right now, and without his orders, I can't leave his side."

"Can't you convince him to let you go?"

"I tried, but he said that he needs me by his side."

Actually, Celeste was lying. William had already told her that she could return to Hestia Academy anytime she wanted. She was the one who didn't want to leave the black-haired teenager for reasons known only to her.

"Just do your best." Byron pinched the bridge of his nose before shifting his gaze back to the beautiful Elf, who was currently beside the prophesied Prince of Darkness. "Head straight to the Palace of Light when you get the chance."

"Understood, Headmaster," Celeste replied.

The connection ended a minute later after Byron told Celeste about the current movement of their forces. Byron had already informed all the kingdoms and empires in the Central Continent about the recent developments in the Demon Realm.

Although he didn't say anything more than that, she understood that this news would definitely cause a ripple effect, and shatter the peace that everyone had enjoyed over the past two decades.

"Are you sure about this, Celeste?" Claire asked as she landed on Celeste's shoulder. "You went as far as to lie about your current situation to the Headmaster. Are you perhaps worried about Chloee?"

Celeste nodded. "Of course I am. How can I not be worried about her? But, that is only half the reason."

"The other reason is William, yes?"

"Mmm."

Celeste sighed as she poured herself a cup of tea. After taking a few sips she returned the cup on top of the table and sighed a second time.

"I want to be with him right now because I'm afraid that if I keep my eyes off him for a few seconds, he might do something reckless. I will not be able to sleep at night knowing that my negligence caused him to take the wrong path."

"Celeste, don't you think it's already too late for that? He has already chosen to become the Prince of Darkness. Sooner or later, he will stand on the opposite side of the Holy Order of Light. Also, I'm sure that Chloee would be fine. Even though William looks like that right now, he will not allow my sister to come to any harm."

Celeste also shared Claire's opinion. She had seen how William cared for the people around him, so he would definitely take care of Chloee and not allow her to endanger herself.

"Celeste, I think you are forgetting something important," Claire said with a serious expression on her face. "Being near William is the most dangerous thing you can do right now. Not only does he have control over you through the mark on your body, your Virtue is also in danger."

Celeste chuckled as he covered her eyes with a hand.

"Yes, my Virtue. The always pure maiden," Celeste commented with sarcasm. "The untainted, the chaste, and similar other titles. Throughout my life, I've seen the looks of the men who have coveted this Chastity of mine. All of them wanted me to become their greatest conquest. They wanted to know what it will be like to make me their woman, and take my Virtue away from me.

"I've known this all my life, and yet, I didn't dislike it. In fact, I've long wanted to know what would happen once my pureness was sullied. Would I lose my powers? Would I become an ordinary woman? I don't know the answer to these questions. All the Virtues before me stayed chaste throughout their lifetimes. All of them lived sad and bitter lives, just because this… Virtue was given to them the moment they were born."

This time, it was Claire's turn to sigh as she gazed at the beautiful Elf's face.

"And yet, the most chaste, and most sought after woman in the world… is being neglected by the man who was prophesied to become her Prince," Claire said, imitating the sarcasm in Celeste's voice. "Celeste, I think you're playing with fire. William is very unstable right now. One wrong move… and he will eat you up, drink your blood, and make you unable to live without him."

"If only he would do that, Claire," Celeste replied, "But he won't. Even if I offered myself to him on a silver platter, he wouldn't even bother to touch me. Chloee has a higher chance to end up in the same bed with him than I do."

"It's because the two of you don't love each other."

"Yes. We don't love each other, and that is the reason why I'll be safer with him than anywhere else in the world."

Claire frowned, but she no longer tried to persuade Celeste to change her mind. If being in the most dangerous place allowed her to be safe then she would accompany her Master even if it meant being in the eye of the storm.

"Just, don't regret your decision later, okay?" Claire said as she lightly caressed Celeste's beautiful face.

"I will keep that in mind," Celeste replied. "Thank you, Claire."

"You're welcome." the green-haired fairy smiled sadly before closing her eyes. "I've already lost Chloee, I don't want to lose you as well."

Chapter 1097 Weeping In Beauty's Embrace

Princess Aila soaked in the scented bath filled with flower petals.

This was the second time she had done this, and both times were in preparation to meet William at night.

The first time William stayed with her, she fell asleep, and had no recollection of what happened afterwards. Even so, she knew that William didn't do anything inappropriate to her. Back then, she felt both relieved and disappointed at the outcome of their "first night" together.

Relieved because nothing happened while she was sleeping. Disappointed because a part of her longed for William's warm embrace.

In the dreams she had, it had always been like that. The silver-haired William would make love to her, and hold her as if she was the most precious thing in the world.

That feeling of love, and intimacy, that had crossed over space and time had reached her heart. The angelic Princess would be lying if she said that she didn't long for William's touch. Just like the one that held her, whenever she closed her eyes to sleep.

Perhaps it was due to her wish to see that silver-haired William, or perhaps it was due to her anxiety throughout the entire day, Princess Aila fell asleep due to how comfortable the bathwater felt.

An hour later, a dark mist appeared beside the bathtub, and transformed into the black-haired teenager who had asked to meet with her tonight.

William looked at the angelic beauty that was sleeping peacefully inside the bathtub. Her face rested over the back of her hands, as she dreamed of the brave Einherjar in her memories.

The Half-Elf arched an eyebrow as he used his ability to look into her dreams. A moment later, the black-haired teenager raised his hand, lifting Princess Aila's body with his magic so it floated above the bathtub.

He then summoned a bath towel and covered her body snugly with it. Using a bit of wind and fire magic, William dried off her body as she carried her towards the bed. Princess Aila was in the middle of her passionate dream when her mind caught hold of the fact that something was touching her face.

At first, she tried to swat it with her hand, but it didn't change anything. Instead, the touching even increased, and it no longer focused on her face, but her body.

Feeling alarmed, Princess Aila opened her eyes, only to find herself lying on her bed, staring at a handsome, yet cold-looking, young man who was holding a bath towel in his hand.

"Are you finally awake?" William asked as he casually wiped Princess Aila's chest using the towel in his hand. "You shouldn't sleep in the bathtub, you know."

"W-W-W-What?!" Princess Aila felt as if her brain had lost the ability to form coherent words at the moment. The only thing she could do was stare at William, who was still drying her body with the towel as if it wasn't a big deal.

"What's wrong?" William asked. The corner of his lips were slightly raised, and there was a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Oh, do you mind lifting your leg a bit? I need to wipe that place. It's still wet."

Because she was still in a daze, she obediently lifted her right leg and allowed William to wipe her thigh. Only when he was finished did she finally come to her senses, which made her entire face turn beet red.

"I-I can wipe myself!" Princess Aila grabbed the bath towel in William's hand and used it to cover her body. "You don't have to do this, Lord William. I'm no longer a child."

"Of course I know that you are no longer a child," William replied. "You've grown in the right places. If only Brianna's older brother, Connal, could see you right now, he would definitely regret not being able to marry you."

Princess Aila's cheeks turned a shade redder when she remembered her almost husband to be back in the Kyrintor Mountains. If not for the fact that William had intervened back then, she might still be there right now, and perhaps a mother of two, perhaps three, children already.

The angelic Princess' body subconsciously shuddered after thinking about such a possibility. Although it had been many years since that fateful day, she still wondered what her fate would have been if not for William's timely interference.

"Do you regret it?" William asked as he stared down at the angelic beauty on the bed. "Do you regret not being married to Connal?"

"I don't regret it," Princess Aila answered firmly. "I didn't want to marry him in the first place."

"Then, who do you want to marry?"

"T-That."

Princess Aila had recovered enough wits to stop herself from blurting out "I want to marry you" in front of the black-haired teenager that was making her heart beat wildly inside her chest.

Before she could even think of anything else to say, William abruptly stood up and walked away from the bed.

He then crossed her arms and turned his back on the Princess, who had a confused expression on her face.

"Playtime's over," William said. "Please, put something on, so that we can talk about a serious matter. Of course, I don't mind if you plan to stay in your birthday suit. Either way is fine with me."

It took the angelic Princess a few more seconds to register the words that William had just said. When she realized that she was practically butt naked, she immediately took a nightgown out of her storage ring and wore it properly.

She was in such a hurry that she had completely forgotten about her undergarments, but she no longer cared about them. Princess Aila knew that if William really wanted to do anything to her, there was no way she could resist his advances.

"I'm done," Princess Aila stated after she had calmed the beating of her raging heart inside her chest. "What do you wish to talk about, Sir William?"

William turned around to look at the beautiful lady in front of him. He once again walked towards the bed and sat on top of it.

His gaze landed on Princess Aila's still blushing face as he told her why he asked to meet with her.

"Do you still have the power to erase memories?" William asked.

"E-Erase memories?" Princess Aila stuttered. "Yes. I can still erase memories, but there is a condition."

"Condition?"

"Yes. The one whose memories I will erase must agree to have their memories erased. Then and only then can I erase their memories. I could no longer do it one-sidedly like I did to you… in the past."

"Oh?" William found this condition quite interesting. Back then, the Aila who was also a Vanir, had one-sidedly erased all of his memories of their time together. For this very reason, the Half-Elf couldn't remember her, even after he had seen the dreams that the Princess was having.

For him, the time that he shared with the Aila of the past no longer existed. Although he felt pity for his previous lifetime, the one who chose to end things was Aila and not him.

"I think this new condition is good," William said after looking at the Princess who was looking back at him with a sad expression on her face. "Consent is important."

Princess Aila nodded. "I agree."

William then moved closer to the princess until their faces were only a few inches away from each other.

"When you erase people's memories, do you store them somewhere or are they completely erased?

"I can do both, but the methods that are used are different from each other."

"Explain it to me."

Princess Aila nodded. "When I need to erase someone's memories, I will need their consent. When consent is given, I only need to press my palm over their forehead and the memories they want to be erased will instantly disappear without a trace. These memories can no longer be recovered.

The second method is taking their memories from them, and storing it in my own memory. In order for this to happen, I will need the person's consent then I will have to…"

"Have to?" William asked because Princess Aila's entire face had turned beet-red once again and was unable to continue her explanation.

"I-I will only be able to take their memories from them and store it in my own memory if I kiss them."

"Only a kiss? With how deeply you are blushing, I thought that it was something more serious."

Princess Aila pouted after seeing that William was making fun of her.

"I haven't kissed anyone before," Princess Aila said. "So this is a first for me. The memory transfer is quite complicated. Depending on how many memories that you want me to erase, we might need to do it a couple of times until all traces of it disappear completely.

"Is there something specific that I must do in order for you to take specific memories?"

"Yes. You need to think of that particular memory. It will be easier if the memory you wish to erase is about a person. All you need to do is think of that person, and I will do the rest."

"I see," William closed his eyes as if fighting an internal struggle inside his head.

Five minutes later, the black-haired teenager looked at Princess Aila with a determined gaze.

"Let's do it," William stated. "Take my memories and store them in your own. There will come a time when I will ask you to return them to me. Can you do that?"

"I can."

"Promise me."

Princess Aila placed her right hand over her heart and made a heart-felt pledge to return WIlliam's memories, if ever he wished for them back.

"There's one more thing that I'd like to add," William said. "No matter what happens, don't remind me of the memories that you've taken from me."

"May I know why?" Princess Aila inquired out of curiosity.

"If you do, I don't know what will happen. It is possible that I might try to kill you because of it."

"Seriously?"

William nodded with a serious expression on his face. Because of this, Princess Aila felt that she was about to carry a great burden. A burden that William had carried for a very long time.

A minute later, after sorting out her feelings and preparing herself for the task she was about to do, Princess Aila cupped William's face. She was still blushing because instead of William kissing her, she would be the one to kiss him instead. Also, it was her first kiss. The mental hurdle was simply too high.

Even so, seeing the sadness in William's eyes, her curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know what kind of memory the Half-Elf wanted to be erased so badly that he specifically asked for her help.

The moment her soft lips pressed over William's, she saw fireworks illuminating the dark sky.

A scene of two teenagers kissing within a field of flowers appeared in her head. While the Angelic Princess was immersed in the feeling of love and warmth that emanated from William's memory, she didn't notice the single tear that streamed down the side of William's face.

Not long after that, more tears followed as William lost one of the most precious memories in his heart. Unfortunately, it would not be the first, nor the last one that he would lose tonight.

As if she had tasted something very sweet and delicious, Princess Aila sought William's lips and took those wonderful memories from him. Soon, only the sound of kisses could be heard in Princess Aila's room.

She had lost herself in the sensations that accompanied William's memories and pressed her body against his, forgetting the fact that she had been too embarrassed to even look at him a few minutes ago.

There, in the arms of the angelic beauty, William wept silently.

He wept for the memories that he had lost, and the love that he had tried so hard to protect. William knew that when morning came, he would no longer remember Belle. This was the price he had to pay, in order to truly awaken the Power of Darkness that had already taken over half of his soul.

Chapter 1098 Once You Make Your Decision, There Will Be No Turning Back

Princess Aila had lost control of her senses.

The only thing she could think of was to take all of William's memories that belonged to the black-haired beauty that the Half-Elf wanted to entrust to him.

After absorbing William's first memory, the angelic beauty was bathed in warmth, love, and happiness that she hadn't felt in her current lifetime. It was so sweet, and so intoxicating that she couldn't stop herself from wanting more.

With every memory she took from him, her addiction grew.

With every kiss, she felt herself falling helplessly in love with him.

It was as if his memories of Belle were affecting her emotions, making her feel that the feelings of love were being directed to her, instead of the beautiful wife that William had left back on Earth.

Several minutes later, William was lying on the bed, with Princess Aila pinning him down. Their roles had been reversed, and the Princess was now like the groom who was planning to make love to his newlywed wife on their honeymoon.

The Half-Elf could no longer resist because he had fallen unconscious at this point in time. Only Princess Aila's kisses could be heard in the room as she took everything that the black-haired teenager held sacred.

Half an hour later, a pleasure-filled sigh escaped Princess Aila's lips as she basked at the afterglow of the warmth that William had given her.

Only after looking down did she realize how forceful she had been, while she was absorbing William's memories.

The Half-Elf had only been wearing a loose sleeveless black shirt, and pants when he went to Princess Aila's room. Now, that shirt had already been ripped apart, showing William's lean and toned body that made the angelic princess blush until the tips of her ears were red.

"I-I…," Princess Aila muttered as she looked at the aftermath of her passionate pursuit of the sweet feeling that had taken hold of her senses.

Soon, the angelic beauty's gaze landed on the black obsidian gem that was embedded in William's chest. Her hand subconsciously moved towards it and caressed its surface.

"It's cold," Princess Aila said softly as she touched the black gem that she believed served as William's heart. "It's so cold."

The Princess couldn't help but be surprised at the coldness she was feeling. It was as if she was touching a block of ice that would never melt.

For some reason, the angelic Princess felt sadness wash over her body. The warmth that she felt earlier instantly disappeared, and was replaced by a discomfort that made her shudder.

"D-Don't tell me, I took the last shred of warmth he had left in his heart?" Princess Aila's eyes widened in shock when this realization hit her.

For a brief moment, she almost returned the memories she had taken from William. The only reason why she was barely able to stop herself from doing so was because the memories were something that the Half-Elf had entrusted to her. If not for that then she wouldn't hesitate to return the precious memories that she had taken from him.

While the angelic Princess was still thinking of what to do next, William's eyes slowly opened. Since the Princess was paying close attention to him, she immediately noticed that he had awoken.

"How are you feeling?" Princess Aila asked.

"Hungry," William replied as she looked at the beautiful lady in front of him. "What am I doing here again, and why are you pinning me down?"

Princess Aila blinked once then twice before she understood the meaning behind William's question. The Half-Elf not only lost his memories of Belle, but also the reason why he met with her in the first place.

The angelic beauty's thoughts went blank for a brief moment because she didn't know how to explain the current situation to William.

"Well, it doesn't matter," William said as he held Princess Aila's arm. "Aila, your body is overflowing with Life Magic. Can you share some with me? I'm feeling really hungry right now. If I don't sate this hunger, I might lose control of myself and do something crazy."

Princess Aila nodded her head as she looked at William's face who was no longer indifferent and cold. In fact, there was nothing different from one of the usual expressions he always had before he became the Princes of Darkness.

It was as if… the damn finally broke, and he was able to act normally without restraining himself.

"Thank you," William smiled as she pulled the princess close to him.

For some reason, Princess Aila felt that she was being drawn into his smile. A moment later, she felt William's lips press over her own.

A few seconds later, the Half-Elf pulled back as he smacked his lips together.

"So delicious," William said as he caressed the side of Princess Aila's face. "I'm afraid that if I continue to do this, I might eat you until only your bones remain."

Princess Aila was about to ask if William had taken enough life force from her, when her world suddenly spun around her.

"Careful now." William held the angelic beauty who was now feeling weak. "Don't worry, I only took a quarter of your Life Magic. It will restore itself when you wake up tomorrow."

He then lay the princess on the bed and covered her with a blanket. After that, he planted a kiss on her forehead before moving away from the bed.

"Aila, let's talk about us tomorrow," William said. "I will give you the answer that you are looking for. But, before I give you my answer, can I ask you a question?"

"Yes." Princess Aila had circulated her Life Magic around her body in order to remove the discomfort that she was feeling.

"Are you sure you want to be with me in my current state?" William asked in a teasing tone. "Do you really want to become my woman?"

"I-I don't know," Princess Aila replied. "To be honest, I am afraid of you right now."

William chuckled as he nodded his head.

"Good answer." William nodded his head. "You can come and find me when you decide to become mine. However, I will tell you this. Once you make your decision, there will be no turning back. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow after the migration of the Sand Clan and the Rhanes Clan is finished."

William didn't wait for Princess Aila's reply before turning into a black mist and exiting through the window. The window closed by itself after the Half-Elf left, leaving the angelic Princess alone inside the room.

Her heart was still beating wildly inside her chest because the current William's charisma was so strong, that she felt that she could only say yes to whatever demand he asked of her.

Fortunately, the Half-Elf seems to have noticed this and held back his charm to allow Princess Aila to retain her willpower.

"Shannon might be pleased with the new changes in William's personality," Princess Aila muttered. "I'm sure that if he asked her if she wanted to become his woman, Shannon would definitely jump at the opportunity."

Princess Aila patted her chest as she tried to understand her current feelings for William. In truth, she really liked him, and she was willing to be with him, but she was afraid.

Very afraid that William's seductive words of love would make her fall in his embrace, and bring her to the heights of pleasure, until she wouldn't be able to live without him again.

—--

After leaving Princess Aila's room, William was still feeling hungry. However, he felt a sense of freedom that he had never felt before. It was as if a great burden had been lifted off of his body, and he was now free to do whatever he wanted, without worrying about the consequences.

William rubbed his chin as he pondered this incredible sense of liberation that he was feeling at the moment. For some reason, he felt as if he had forgotten something important.

"Well, if I can't remember it, it mustn't be anything important," William shrugged as he walked down the hallways without his shirt on.

He was only wearing black pants, and walked barefoot. Right now, he was craving blood and life, but had no urge to randomly attack people just to satisfy his cravings.

After making a turn, he came face to face with Celeste, and Claire who was seated on her shoulder.

"You're still here?" William asked with a smile. "I thought you returned to the academy."

The Half-Elf walked towards Celeste in a casual manner that confused not only the beautiful elf, but also the little fairy on her shoulder.

"I'm worried about Chloee, so I'll be staying with her for the time being," Celeste replied as she eyed the black-haired teenager closely. "You seem… different."

"I also feel the same," William nodded. The smile never left his face as he continued to look at the beautiful elf in front of him. "Actually, I feel very hungry right now, but aside from that, I feel giddy for some reason. Also… I didn't notice this before but you look incredibly delicious right now."

William grinned showing his fangs. This scene made Celeste's body shudder as her hand subconsciously moved to touch the tattoo that had appeared on her lower abdomen.

The Half-Elf noticed this subtle gesture, but he only smiled and walked towards Celeste. However, before he went past her, he whispered something in her ear.

"Don't worry. I won't touch you," William whispered. "I have many willing women who would surrender themselves to me with just a single word. Also, I now have Chloee with me. She would happily take your place as my bride, so you can rest assured that your precious Chastity will remain intact. I have no interest in it."

William walked away from Celeste while humming. He really didn't feel anything for the beautiful Elf who looked exactly like his Master, except for the fact that the color of her hair was different.

Celeste looked at William's retreating back, and felt a dull ache in her chest, and in her womb. His casual words seemed to have affected her to a certain extent, making her breathe heavily.

Claire, who was seated on Celeste's shoulder patted her chest. During the Half-Elf's exchange with her Master, the little fairy felt a very strong attraction towards William. It came to the point where she almost flew towards him and knelt in submission.

This feeling scared her, because she never felt something like this before. Fortunately, William was already gone. If he had remained a minute longer…

The little fairy shuddered.

'I'd better stay as far away from him as I can get,' Claire thought. 'Celeste should do the same as well. If not, I'm afraid that the two of us will fall for his charms. The current William is like a walking poison that intoxicates those around him. If we are not careful, we might turn into his slaves, willing to do anything for him.'

Claire thought of her twin sister, Chloee, who had decided to stay by William's side. The Half-Elf had already said that he would substitute Chloee for Celeste and make her his bride. Although she was very happy for her twin, the same couldn't be said for Celeste.

'I think I should try my best to convince her to go to the Palace of Light,' Claire thought. 'That way, we will be far from Wiliam's influence.'

Claire didn't know if she was saying these things in her head for Celeste's sake, or for hers. The only thing she knew was that they should leave William's side while they could before they fell completely under the power of his charms.

Chapter 1099 That Girl Is Trouble

After leaving Celeste behind, William came face to face with Shannon on his way back to his room.

The young lady, who was still wearing her mask, was standing in front of William's room and seemed to be waiting for him to return.

The moment their gazes met, Shannon looked closely at William's bare upper half, and for some reason, it awakened the artistic side of her.

"Lord William, what a coincidence. I was just taking a casual stroll and found you here," Shannon said. "This must be Fate at work."

William rolled his eyes at Shannon's nonsense excuse.

"Yes, it must be Fate," William replied with a smile, turning a blind eye to Shannon's sorry excuse for trying to meet him. "What can I do for you, Miss Shannon?"

"Miss Shannon sounds so distant. Just call me Shannon."

"Sorry, but I don't stick it in crazies."

"Huh?" Shannon tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean, Lord William?"

William walked towards Shannon until he was only a meter away from her. He then lightly poked the mask on her face in a teasing manner.

"Girl, don't make me use Donger on you," William stated. "You might find him to be a mouthful."

"... Lord William, I don't understand?"

"Don't worry. I'm just talking nonsense. So, what do you want from me again?"

William crossed his arms over his chest as he eyed the Eighth Sin who was quite smitten with him. After finally awakening the Power of Darkness, now that his memories of Belle had been taken from him, the Half-Elf was able to identify things with a single glance.

This was how he was finally able to know the power that resided inside Shannon's body and why it had made things difficult for him when they met for the first time.

"I just wanted to ask if I could become one of your lovers, Lord William."

"... I'm very tempted to take Donger out right now, so I can test it on you."

"E-Excuse me?"

William chuckled. Right now, he was really in a good mood, which made him want to tease the young lady in front of him.

"You want to become my lover, right?" William asked.

Shannon nodded.

"Alright, I'll think about it," William stated. "Let's talk after we return to the Central Continent. For now, make sure to keep that mask on in order to prevent people from dying, okay?"

"Understood," Shannon replied with a serious expression on her face. Now that her Prince had promised to think about her proposal, she no longer felt anxious about being around him.

"Goodnight, Lord William," Shannon walked up to William and gave him a hug and breathed in his manly scent.

Shannon looked like every other human girl, with the exception of the two fox ears on the top of her head. As a Fox Lady, she was quite familiar with the power of charms. Right now, WIlliam's body was oozing with it. However, she was not affected by it.

William, on the other hand, felt a bit helpless about how he should treat the young lady who was hugging him at the moment.

Just like how he found out what Divinity Shannon had, he also found out who her mother, and father were. If not for the fact that Aamon had not made things harder for him and unsealed the curse on his Est's, Isaac's, and Ashe's bodies after his battle with Morax in the Deadlands, he might have used Shannon to blackmail the God in order to make him lift the curse on their bodies.

However, since his issue with Aamon was now over, he no longer felt the need to flatter the God who was also Shannon's father.

The only problem was Shannon's mother. William didn't want to antagonize the Goddess, not because he was afraid of her, but because they were on the same side.

Doing so would only sour their relationship, and he didn't want that to happen. This was also why he was keeping Shannon at bay in order to prevent misunderstandings between them. Although William was fond of women, that didn't mean that he would just take any beautiful women he saw, and throw them on his bed.

"Um, are you done?" William asked. He had kept his arms on his waist to not give the young lady any reason to continue hugging him. "I still have things to do."

"I'm almost done," Shannon replied as her hands moved all over William's upper half, as if she was an artist inspecting an artwork by hand.

William endured the young lady's sexual harassment, for half a minute, before holding her shoulders and gently pushing her away from him.

"Goodnight, Shannon," William said as he moved towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He didn't even bother to wait for Shannon's reply before firmly closing the door behind him.

As soon as he entered the room, a giggle reached his ears.

William glanced at the beautiful lady with long black hair that was leaning against the wall near the entrance of his bedroom.

"That girl is trouble," Chloee said as she looked at William with a grin. "Much more trouble than I will ever be."

"You're not trouble," William replied as he walked towards the beautiful succubus. "You're mine."

William kissed Chloee's lips, which made the latter's body stiffen.

"I'm still not used to this," Chloee said softly after William's kiss ended, "but I don't dislike it."

William smiled as he wrapped his arms around the beautiful succubus who had risked her life for him.

"Don't worry, I will teach you everything you need to know," Wiliam replied. "But first, I need to go back to the Thousand Beast Domain. I need Charmaine and the others. I am really hungry."

"Okay." Chloee nodded in understanding. "I am going with you."

"Mmm." William held Chloee's hand as he opened a portal in front of him.

Soon, William found himself being kissed all over by the Elves that had taken good care of him for the past few years. The Half-Elf accepted their advances, and returned their gestures in turn.

Although he refrained from making love to them, especially to Charmaine, who had already surrendered her heart and body to him, his affectionate touch had left her a promise.

"Soon," William whispered in Charmaine's ears, before lowering his head to kiss her right breast.

"I understand," Charmaine replied as William sank his fangs into her tender breast, drawing blood from it.

That night, Charmaine and the other Elves fell helplessly under William's soft kisses, and pleasurable touch. Not only did they feel the euphoria of having their blood taken from them, the unexpected intimacy left them craving for more.

William satisfied their desires until they lost consciousness one by one. In the end, only Charmaine remained.

She leaned her head on William's chest and kissed the obsidian gem in his chest with love, over and over again. The black gem that once was ice cold, now felt warm to the touch.

William hugged his personal maid that had served him faithfully for many years before closing his eyes to sleep. Now that his hunger had been sated, he was finally able to relax and allow himself to fall into sleep's embrace.

As the Half-Elf dreamed a dreamless sleep, the laughter of the Primordial Goddess echoed in the darkness. Although things didn't turn out the way she wanted with Belle's memories, she found William's compromise a step towards the path that she had paved specifically for him.

Chapter 1100 May The Light Shine Upon You

William stood before the shrine that he had made for his wives and friends in the center of the Magic Crystal Cave.

He had been gazing at them for almost half an hour, while Lilith and Chloee stood a few meters behind him.

Suddenly, a sigh escaped William's lips as he rested his hand on Princess Sidonie's face, who was protected by a thick layer of ice.

"Looking at all of this, I finally realize that something is very wrong with me," William said softly as he reluctantly took his hand back from caressing Princess Sidonie's beautiful face. "I should be feeling sad, and heartbroken. And yet, right now, I don't feel anything. I guess I have really turned into a monster."

William then turned around to look at Lilith and Chloee, who both had sad expressions on their faces.

"Are both of you disappointed in me?" William asked. "It's fine, just tell me what you think."

Lilith shook his head. "I think you misunderstand the situation, Will."

Chloee nodded in agreement to Lilith's words.

"I think the real you has just retreated to the deepest part of your heart," Chloee replied. "If you are really as indifferent and unfeeling as you claimed to be then you wouldn't be crying right now."

"Crying?" William asked in confusion. He then wiped the side of his face with his right hand and felt something wet. The Half-Elf then summoned a mirror to have a better look on his face.

In the reflection on the mirror, he saw a black-haired teenager with tears streaming down the sides of his face. Although he didn't look particularly sad, the tears continued to fall without any signs of stopping.

"... What a sorry sight," William said as he wiped away the tears in his eyes. "But, this is also a good thing. At least I know that I am still able to feel sadness, even though it doesn't show on the surface."

"Then, how do you feel about Felix and Ahriman?" Lilith asked.

"Oh, them?" William's overall atmosphere immediately changed after hearing Felix's and Ahriman's names.

Black lightning crackled around him, as a powerful pressure excluded from his body. However, it only lasted for a brief moment before everything disappeared like a dream.

"That was close," William said as he patted his chest. "I am still not stable right now. I almost destroyed this place because of my overflowing emotions."

William hurriedly walked towards the exit of the cave without looking back. He was afraid that if he continued to stay inside the cave, his power might slip out of his control and destroy it completely. The bodies of his wives were currently preserved in a thick layer of ice, and seemed to only be sleeping.

Deep inside William knew that if he accidentally destroyed their icy prisons, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Only when he was at a safe distance from the cave did he finally stop and place both of his hands behind his back.

Truth be told, he liked nothing more than to step on Felix's body, and grind all of his bones into mush. As for Ahriman, he wanted to drink all of his blood until none of it was left. After that, he would burn his body in holy flames, so that he could suffer for eternity.

It was at that moment when a great and murderous anger surged up from the very detphs of his heart. The Half-Elf closed his eyes as he embraced the heart-breaking hatred that was rising from his body.

"Don't worry, I promise that I will avenge them," William said softly as he coaxed the half of himself that was grieving in the deepest part of his heart.

After all of his memories of Belle were taken away from him, the dam that was preventing the Darkness from corrupting the other half of his soul had broken. Free from its prison, the Darkness started to corrupt the other half of his soul in order to become whole again.

It was at that moment when the Half-Elf's instinct kicked in and he summoned the silver bell that resided in his heart, to prevent his soul from being corrupted completely.

William was only able to safeguard a quarter of his soul from the corruption, due to the power of Bell of Anthanasia, that Ella had left him before she disappeared. Ella knew that the Primordial Goddess wanted to corrupt William's entire soul, and make him fall completely into Darkness.

Although a part of his soul was bound to be taken over, she still strived to save a part of it to retain William's essence. That was the only thing she could think to do to prevent the Primordial Goddess from having her way with her adopted son.

William, was a special existence.

Because of this reason, she decided to become a constellation and wait for the right moment to guide him down the right path. Unfortunately, the Primordial Goddess discovered his true identity as well, which made her covet him completely.

After the anger in his heart subsided, the overpowering pressure that William was releasing also disappeared. His sharp eyes gazed in the distance as the power inside him circulated to every part of his body.

"Lilith, Chloee, I am returning to the Sand Clan," William said without turning around to look at his two lovers. "What are your plans?"

"I'll go with you."

"Me, too."

"Okay."

William opened a portal in front of him and walked through it. Lilith and Chloee glanced at each other before following behind him. Today was the day when the Sand Clan, as well as the Rhanes Clan, would migrate to his Thousand Beast Domain.

The black-haired teenager had prepared everything beforehand, and positioned the two clans on the opposite side of the Domain, away from the other clans that served under him.

Cassey had returned to the Rahjah Clan to prepare her people for an evacuation. She had already told William that she planned to join him in the fight against Felix and Ahriman, so the Half-Elf agreed to have her entire clan migrate to the Thousand Beast Domain as well.

Athrun's Clan had strong connections with the Demon Lord, so he knew that they wouldn't budge no matter what he told them. However, he asked William to allow the members of his merchant guild to seek refuge inside his Domain to escape the conflict that was about to sweep the entire Demon Realm.

William accepted Athrun's request because he considered the Demon who had accompanied him on his journey a friend. This was the least he could do for him. He also didn't mind having connections with a merchant that had a good head on his shoulders.

Even though the world was about to descend into chaos, thinking about what the future would hold when everything was over was important as well.

—--

Somewhere in Hestia…

"Celeste said that?" a middle-aged woman, who was wearing a papal robe asked. "Are you sure that the Prince of Darkness is preventing her from leaving?"

"Yes," Byron replied. "She said that William had ordered her to stay by his side. I guess this is only natural because she had somehow become his Bride, and her sister, the Bride of the Heir of Darkness.

"Such pitiful sisters." the middle-aged woman frowned. "However, this is truly a problem. Celeste's Virtue is in danger of being tainted by that foul man's touch. She needs to be returned here to the Palace of Light. Only when all the Virtues are present will we be able to give our warriors the highest blessing that will enable them to better fight against the forces of Darkness."

"Will the blessing work even if she's not there?"

"It will work, but it will not be as powerful as when all the Virtues are gathered together. Having her here is a must. Do your best to bring her back before that man takes her Chastity away from her."

Byron sighed as he nodded his head in understanding. "I'll do everything on my end, so make sure to finish the preparations on your end."

The middle-aged woman nodded. "May the light shine upon you."

After the connection ended, the middle-aged woman stood from her throne, and teleported to the highest vantage point of the Palace of Light.

"Filthy creatures," the middle-aged woman muttered as she gazed in the direction of the Demon Continent where the power of Darkness was gathering. "I'll make sure to erase each and everyone of you and rid this world of your evils even if it's the last thing I do!"

The middle-aged woman then looked at the giant statue that stood behind their palace, which had weathered the storm of Hestia for thousands of years.

"Your Excellency, the time is nigh," the middle-aged woman said. "Twilight falls and the enemies await."

The giant statue briefly glowed in a radiant splendor as if acknowledging the middle-aged woman's words. The time had come for the forces of light to gather and stand on the opposite side of Darkness.

Like they had done once before, during the Era of the Gods, when the entire world was covered in Darkness.