Chapter 873 - A Place That Was Out Of His Reach
Shannon pulled the brush back from the canvas and panted heavily.
She felt very drained, and felt that she could collapse at any moment. Even so, she stared at the painting in front of her, where three people hugged each other in front of a golden portal.
Within the depths of her purple eyes, she felt a little envious of them. For a brief moment, the girl who had spent most of her life inside the shrine, wished that she was with them.
Shannon wished that she had also been there in that unbelievable world that hovered between life and death.
Seeing her condition, the silver-haired man immediately supported her body to prevent her from falling over.
"You did well," the silver-haired man praised. "Now, let's put you to bed so you can rest."
"Yes," Shannon weakly replied as she allowed herself to be carried to the bed by her father.
After lying on her bed, It didn't take long before she fell asleep because she was truly exhausted.
The silver-haired man covered her body with a blanket as he returned to the drawing room where his daughter usually stayed during the day.
He once again looked at the finished paintings that hovered in the air around the room and closed his eyes.
"Morax is alive, and now he's with Surtr," Aamon muttered. "This sure complicates things."
The silver-haired man turned into particles of light as he disappeared from the World of Hestia. He needed to return to Hell in order to discuss these recent events with his allies.
Aamon hoped that after hearing his story, all of them would be able to come up with a solution for how to deal with the traitor that had collaborated with the God of Destruction.
—--
William and Lilith reappeared in the place where they were before they appeared in the Deadlands.
In the distance they could see Aldric (Diabolical Hell Ape) being mobbed by dozens of Black-Striped Terror Rats, which were also the ones that forced William and Lilith to fall into the River of Samsara.
"Lilith!"
"Understood!"
William kissed Lilith's lips and the latter transformed into particles of light and merged with the blue gem on his chest.
Soon, a golden crown, studded with jewels, appeared on William's head, and clothes befitting an emperor covered his body.
With a wave of his hand, several crystal spikes erupted from the ground and pierced the Myriad Beasts that were pinning down the Diabolical Hell Ape's body.
The Terror Rats screamed in pain as they shifted their attention towards the person that was interfering with their revenge.
As soon as their eyes met William's, they felt the aura of a wild beast that far surpassed their ranks.
The other Terror Rats, that had formed an encirclement to ensure that their target wouldn't escape, all panicked after sensing the Half-Elf's aura.
Currently, William had equipped his Vampire Progenitor Job Class which was at its max level. Meaning, the red-headed teenager's current strength was similar to that of a beast that was at the peak of the Myriad rank.
William didn't pay any attention to them and teleported beside Aldric, whose body was littered with injuries caused by bite and claw marks.
The Half-Elf punched, and kicked the Black-Striped Terror Rats and sent them flying towards the river of Samsara, which made them shriek in pain and fear.
When the last Terror Rat that had mobbed the Diabolical Hell Ape had fallen on the purple waters, the rest of their comrades cried out in panic as they fled in fear.
After seeing the fate of their brethren, they no longer wished to exact revenge on the Diabolical Hell Ape and just focused on escaping. They were afraid that if they didn't leave the place fast enough, the Vampire Progenitor wearing a crown would send all of them into the river, where they would enter several cycles of Death and Rebirth.
William didn't bother to chase after them because this was not his priority. He glanced at the Diabolical Hell Ape and switched Job Classes in order to help heal the injuries on his body.
"Thank you," Aldric said after returning to his human form. "I really thought I was a goner."
"You're welcome," William replied. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
The Half-Elf was sure that he had already healed most of Aldric's injuries, but he asked just in case he missed something.
Aldric shook his head as he told William that all of his injuries had been tended to, and there were no more problems with his body.
"By the way, I saw both of you fall into the river. How were you able to survive that?" the Diabolical Hell Ape wasn't able to stop himself from asking this question out of curiosity.
He knew for a fact that those that had fallen in the river would undergo the Trial of Samsara where they would live lifetime after lifetime, until they were able to break free from the chains that held their Fates in place.
"It's a long story," William replied. "I'll tell you some other time."
Aldric blinked in confusion. "What long story? You were in the river for two minutes tops before you came and helped me. Did you already experience several lifetimes in that short span of time?"
The Diabolical Hell Ape unconsciously shuddered as he gazed at the River of Samsara. The Terror Rats that had fallen on it were nowhere to be found. Aldric had no idea what happened to them, but one thing was certain.
He wouldn't see any of them for a period of time.
William smiled as he undid his union with Lilith. As soon as the Amazon Princess reappeared beside the Half-Elf, the majestic crown, and the imperial clothes that he wore also disappeared.
This was the first time that he had tried Familia Fusion with Lilith, and the outcome exceeded his expectations.
However, before Aldric could ask more questions, the Amazon Princess gasped as she placed a hand over her chest.
William wasn't feeling good either because a strange feeling of dread had suddenly washed over his body.
It was as if he was about to lose something very important to him, in a place that was out of his reach.