NOVEL WEB Chapter 21: Disturbed reconciliation
Lucius's eyes widened in sheer disbelief, his exclamation echoing through the chamber, "The goddess Succubus?!" This revelation was nothing short of earth-shattering, shaking the very foundation of his understanding. For as long as he could remember, Lucius had relegated such mythical beings as the Succubus to the realm of fantasy and folklore, tales spun throughout the ages to enchant the human imagination. Yet here she stood, the embodiment of allure and mystique, her presence defying his skepticism. There was an inexplicable certainty within him, one that did not even require the invocation of his Omniscient Perception to affirm her authenticity.
Serilda, her patience wearing thin, interjected with a hint of exasperation in her tone, "If you truly belong to the Shadowbane lineage, you should be acutely aware of the goddess Succubus's existence, a once formidable entity subdued by Matriarch Celestia herself." Her pride was palpable, rooted in the legacy of a past confrontation that bore witness to the goddess's defeat before a multitude.
Lucius, in a gesture of bewilderment, scratched his head. "I only just uncovered that my lineage traces back to the ancient Sorcerers, a heritage that spans centuries," he admitted candidly. His words, though indirect, laid bare the reason for his ignorance. Serilda quickly pieced together the rationale, yet the enigma remained: How could someone so unaware of this ancient lineage wield such prodigious power?
Serilda stood momentarily paralyzed, immersed in profound thought, her mind grappling with the incongruence. Seizing the moment, Lucius offered further elucidation. "My absence from Earth spans several years. I was inadvertently thrust into another dimension, a consequence of actions taken by a certain faction inhabiting that realm. This unintended exile left me utterly disconnected from my family's storied past," he explained, his voice carrying an undertone of melancholy that resonated deeply.
Observing Lucius's somber expression, Lilith swiftly intervened, her intent to alleviate the tension palpable. She articulated her sincere wish to de-escalate the hostilities that embroiled their factions, her words imbued with an unfeigned sincerity. This unexpected olive branch left both Serilda and Rowena in a state of astonishment, their disbelief mirrored in their widened eyes.
Even Lucius found himself ensnared by the peculiarity of the situation, yet he discerned no falsehood, nor any trace of duplicity in the goddess's proclamation.
"Are you absolutely certain?" Lucius queried once more, his need for confirmation underscored by a sense of urgency. The prospect of a volatile entity such as Lilith reneging on this newfound accord midway through reconciliation, unleashing chaos upon Earth, was a scenario he was keen to avert.
The mere contemplation of such devastation sent a chill down his spine. Although confident in his ability to counteract Lilith, he was acutely aware of the monumental destruction that such a confrontation would entail, given the tremendous power required to subdue her.
Lilith responded with an enthusiastic nod, her agreement unequivocal. "I seek but one condition in return," she declared, her voice laced with a playful, coquettish lilt that belied the gravity of her request.
Intrigued, Lucius arched an eyebrow, curiosity etched across his features. "And what, pray tell, might that be?"
Sensing Lucius's apprehension, Lilith hastened to reassure him, asserting that her request would neither be unreasonable nor excessive. Indeed, it could potentially yield substantial benefits for Lucius's side, a proposition advantageous to both parties.
After a moment of contemplative silence, Lilith finally revealed her condition. "I wish to become your lawful wife, Lord Lucius Shadowbane."
As Lucius was poised to deliver his answer, an unsettling, dark energy exploded from within the depths of the mothership, startling the three women with its sudden and inexplicable emergence. The air was thick with a sense of foreboding, as if an ancient force had been awakened without warning.
Lilith, acutely aware of the presence of an enigmatic yet strangely familiar entity, murmured to herself, perplexed and intrigued, "How is it possible for the Three-headed Cerberus to rise without any sacrificial offering?"
From the very core of the mothership, a gigantic, ebony-hued canine with three intimidating heads soared into the sky, landing effortlessly beside Lilith.
"Heh heh heh—Lilith, how dare you betray us!" The central head of the Cerberus let out a sinister laugh, its voice brimming with wrath. "And to demean yourself by offering your allegiance to a mere child in such a disgraceful manner disgusts me," it sneered, its expression dripping with contempt.
"A mere child?" Lucius echoed, momentarily taken aback by the insinuation. "The audacity of a pet like you to refer to me as a mere child," he retorted, his voice laced with a venomous edge and his lips curling into a cruel smile.
"What did you say?!" Cerberus growled, its fury palpable as it locked its terrifying gaze directly onto Lucius. Its blood-red eyes blazed with a perilous glow, promising destruction.
"Feel this, you pathetic creature. Hellburst!" Without any hesitation, the three heads of the Cerberus chanted the name of their technique, unleashing a ferocious stream of hellfire that blazed a direct path toward Lucius.
In the instant Lucius reached for his sword, Cryselia appeared suddenly, positioning herself protectively in front of him, her back to him. "How dare you insult Daddy, you wretched beast!" she cried out, her voice resonant with indignation as she summoned an immense surge of mana.
"Cryselia?!" Lucius was visibly stunned and at a loss, unable to fathom how his diminutive Frostfire Phoenix had managed to arrive at his side with such alacrity.
In her humanoid form, Cryselia extended her palms before her, invoking her powerful technique with unwavering determination, "Frostfire Cannon!"
A colossal orb of icy blue light formed before her hands, projecting a vast laser of frostfire at an incredible velocity.
In a fraction of a second, the hellfire of the Cerberus collided with Cryselia's frostfire. Yet, it took only moments for Cryselia's frostfire to slice through the hellfire effortlessly, maintaining its relentless speed and intensity.
"Urrghh—such speed!" The central head of the Cerberus groaned, its features etched with shock and disbelief.
Even with its formidable reflexes, the Cerberus could only manage a partial evasion, resulting in the obliteration of its left head in the blink of an eye by Cryselia's unyielding attack.
**Chapter 23: The Wrath of the Frostfire**
Cryselia's Frostfire cannon unleashed a relentless and formidable assault, its icy flames roaring through the air. The blast struck with unerring precision, obliterating the upper decks of the enemy's flagship and culminating in a cataclysmic explosion against the distant snowy mountain ruins. The sheer force of the destruction left Serilda and Rowena breathless and wide-eyed, their voices mingling in a harmonious exclamation of awe, "Truly astounding!"
The cerberus, now grievously wounded with one of its heads obliterated, was compelled to enter an intensive regeneration phase. This process sapped its energy, leaving it defenseless and unable to mount any further offensive. Sensing this pivotal opportunity, Lucius swiftly activated his Empyrean Dominator aura, enveloping himself in a sphere of undeniable dominion. Within this sphere, he held mastery over the flow of time itself.
"Time stasis," Lucius intoned softly, his voice a gentle whisper as he invoked a technique that halted time within a localized area with absolute precision.
With unparalleled control, Lucius applied this temporal suspension solely to the cerberus, ensuring that the others within his sphere of influence remained unaffected. It was a testament to his skill and command over his powers.
"Finally, this minor nuisance has been successfully neutralized," Lucius exhaled a breath of relief, stepping forward with a composed demeanor to stand beside Cryselia. "You've done exceptionally well," he commended, his hand gently tousling her hair with a gesture of tender appreciation.
Abruptly, Lilith's gaze sharpened, turning intensely upon the cerberus. With a swift and decisive motion, she unleashed a mysterious crimson energy from her eyes that enveloped the creature. In the blink of an eye, the once formidable beast disintegrated, reduced to harmless particles of dust that dissipated into the frigid air.
"Ugh—cursed mongrel!" Lilith muttered in irritation, her emotions a turbulent storm within her. The significant moment in her life had been unceremoniously disrupted by the very beast she had intended to preserve.