Chapter 1104: You Have No Idea Of The Folly You Have Done Today
Medusa's soft sleeper breaths echoed in the bedroom.
After her last episode inside the Magical Cavern, she usually visited William's bedroom to take an afternoon nap.
William lightly patted Medusa's head, while the latter held his shirt, as she slept peacefully with tears in her eyes. Gullinbursti, was sleeping on William's belly, because it now accompanied the purple-haired girl wherever she went.
Medusa and Chiffon were like sisters, because their height and build were the same. This was why Gullinbursti was always with her because she reminded it of its Master, Chiffon.
Sharur had decided to stay inside the Magical Cavern to protect Chiffon's body from any harm. The Half-Elf knew that the mace was feeling guilt ridden over what happened to his pink-haired wife, so he didn't try to convince it to stop its vigil.
"You're still as kind as you were back then," Chloee said as she walked inside the room with a teasing smile on her face. "Can't let the young ones cry themselves to sleep?"
"Young ones?" William shook his head. "Both of them are older than me. I'm supposed to be the young one here."
Chloee giggled because she couldn't refute William's words. "Still, it relieves me that you care for them."
William smiled. "This is only natural. Afterall, it is a Master's duty to take care of his pets."
The Half-Elf patted the sleeping Gorgon and the golden piglet as they slept soundly. Both of them were in deep sleep, so they didn't hear William refer to them as his pets. But, Chloee's gut instinct was telling her that Medusa, as well as Gullinbursti wouldn't mind being referred to as pets by William.
"Did something happen?" William asked. "You wouldn't find me at this time if nothing out of place happened."
Chloee nodded her head to acknowledge William's words. She then gave a report of what was happening in the outside world, after she did a bit of investigation.
"I don't know if this report is credible, but according to what Zeph and the rest have gathered so far, Felix had moved back into the Demon Capital to prepare for the crowning of the next High Priestess of the Demon Realm."
"Oh?" William arched an eyebrow. "That sounds interesting, but what does that have to do with us?"
"According to Zeph's spies in the Demon Capital, the next High Priestess is a little girl, not more than ten years old."
"Is Felix that desperate? Why can't he find a proper woman to become their High Priestess? I'm sure that there are plenty of candidates in the Demon Realm for that. Is that his new fetish after becoming Ahriman's heir?"
William had a mocking look on his face as he looked at Chloee, whose expression had turned serious.
"If the report that reached us is true, the little girl is said to have very high spiritual powers, and has been blessed by the heavens themselves," Chloee said. "She has long red hair that goes down to her waist. Her clear blue eyes are said to make even the Demons, who hate humans, unable to bear the thought of hurting her."
The hand that was lightly patting Medusa's head stopped. William's countenance changed as his expression became cold and deadly.
"Her name?" William asked.
"Eve," Chloee answered with a complicated look on her face. "Eve Von Ainsworth."
—--
A week before Chloee received the news from Zeph's spies who were stationed in the Demon Capital…
Ariadne, panted for breath as she attempted to heal her injuries.
Icarus and Daedalus lay not far from her and both were seriously injured. If not for David's—the God of Shepherds—intervention, all of them might have died, when they tried to protect Eve from the green-haired demon, and the Pseudo-Gods that ambushed them out of nowhere.
They had just finished visiting the last temple of their pilgrimage in the Demon Continent, and were about to return to the Southern Continent, when the powerful individuals came out of nowhere.
Although they did everything in their power, they were simply no match against Pseudo-Gods, whose powers far exceeded even that of Demigods.
"Your Excellency," Ariadne said as she endured the pain in her chest. "Please, protect Eve."
Ariadne prayed with all of her might to the God whom she served. When they were bathed in radiant light, and teleported away from the battlefield, she knew that David had descended upon the land to save them from harm.
Although she didn't know what happened after they were forcefully spirited away from death's door, she was confident that Eve would be safe since David had come to protect his young High Priestess from harm.
"Will, I'm sorry," Ariadne said softly. "I wasn't able to protect your cousin."
—----
"David, you have good eyes," Ahriman said as he looked at the unconscious little girl that was lying on the palm of his hands. "She's a good seed."
"Enough rubbish," David stated. "Give me back my Priestess or I will kill this Heir of yours."
The God of Shepherd's foot was currently pressed over Felix's head. The green-haired Demon didn't dare to voice out the pain that he was feeling because he was afraid that the being that was stepping on his head would smash it like a watermelon.
"That is indeed troublesome," Ahriman replied as he eyed his Heir who was at the God of Shepherd's mercy. He knew that David would do as he said and crush his hope of getting unsealed if he didn't return the girl that had caught his fancy.
The Bull Demon King, Princess Iron Fan, as well as the Six-Eared Macaque were lying on the ground with grievous injuries after facing David's wrath. If they knew that the girl that they had kidnapped was already promised to a God, they wouldn't have kidnapped her against her will.
"Give her to me, NOW!" David demanded and a crisp, cracking sound resounded underneath his foot.
Felix cried out in pain as part of his skull cracked due to the increased weight on the old man's foot that was stepping on his head. Even the Crimson Crown of Darkness had started to chip, and was on the verge of breaking.
The frown on Ahriman's face deepened, as he looked at his Heir who was at death's door.
In truth, the only reason why he became aware of Eve's presence was due to the phenomenon that appeared in the Demon Realm, after the young girl received the blessing of the Temple of the Gods that was residing inside his territory.
The Temples of the Gods that had no exclusive patrons, could be used to channel the power of different Deities, so their followers could communicate with them. Since those who lived in Hestia worship several different gods, these temples were scattered all over the land to allow their believers to worship them, despite being of a different race or culture.
Ahriman coveted Eve's spiritual powers because the power of Faith allowed the Gods to gain tremendous powers. If he chose the right Priestess to serve under him and gather the worship of the Demons, his power would recover at a faster rate.
When David descended in Hestia to save Eve, Ahriman used his authority in the Demon Continent to instantly teleport the little girl to his location. Although he knew that this would be a troublesome matter, Eve's Spiritual Power was simply too good to ignore.
"David, I think the two of us should compromise," Ahriman said with a calm expression on his face. "As you already know, I have already placed the Necklace of Darkness on her neck, making her one of my followers. You know that if I forcefully took it off, she would suffer terribly, right?"
David didn't reply. Instead, he increased the pressure his foot was giving to Felix's head making the later scream like a pig about to be slaughtered.
"It seems that you really want to stay in your prison for eternity," David stated. "I am part of the Neutral Faction, and never interfere with the petty squabbles of the Dark and Light Factions, but since you want to include me in this conflict I will make you pay."
"Half ownership," Ahriman stated. "This is my last compromise. She is already wearing the necklace, and you already know that even if I take it off, she will lose her sanity. Even with your Divine Powers, you will not be able to restore her to what she once was."
Ahriman hadn't hesitated to bestow the Necklace of Darkness on Eve, even though it weakened him terribly because he knew that the tradeoff would be worth it. Right now, he had the little girl as his hostage, and knowing David's personality, he wouldn't be able to endure harming the girl he had chosen as his Priestess.
"Half ownership?" David laughed out of anger. "Do you know who she is? She is an Ainsworth, and William's cousin. Do you really think that things will be that simple?!"
Ahriman's third eye widened in shock after knowing the little girl's true identity. Even so, this surprise only lasted for a brief moment before Ahriman's calm voice echoed inside his domain.
"Fate sure knows how to play with people and Gods," Ahriman commented. "But, regardless of what her background is, the fact still remains that she is still wearing the Necklace of Darkness. I've already told you my terms, if you wish to kill my Heir then go ahead.
"Although you control half of this girl's spiritual powers, the other half now belongs to me. If you really want to play tough with me then let's see who breaks first."
"Bastard!" David was really tempted to smash Felix's head then and there.
He was already angered about what had happened to William, and would gladly kill the person that was responsible for the Half-Elf's suffering. David couldn't bear to let another important person in William's life suffer because of his stubbornness.
After a great internal struggle, David kicked Felix's body, sending him straight towards Ahriman's face in anger.
Ahriman didn't do anything and allowed the green-haired Demon's body to hit his face, as a way to pacify David's anger.
"Make an Oath that you will never harm her in any which way, whether it be directly or indirectly," David demanded. "Bind your oath with your true name, and I'll agree to her being both our High Priestess."
"Fine," Ahriman replied.
He didn't dare to push David's patience to its limit, and made the oath. Ahriman knew that if the God of Shepherds really decided to fight him, he could kiss his last chance to regain his powers goodbye.
After the effect of the Oath bound Eve and Ahriman, David waved his hand and the little girl's body flew in his direction.
He then checked Eve's condition to make sure that she wasn't hurt. After healing the minor bruises in her body, David pressed his finger over her forehead, leaving his mark on it.
"You better take care of her, Ahriman," David said as he covered Eve's body with a Celestial Robe that was to be her raiment as his Priestess. "I don't mind using my last chance to descend into this world to go to war with you."
"Of course, I will," Ahriman replied. "She is also my priestess now. How can I bear to let her suffer? Believe me. She will be treated like a Princess. Not even my Heir will dare to lay his hands on her, less he wants them to be cut off from his body."
David scoffed. "We'll see if you can back your words, Demon."
"My mercy only applies to her, David," Ahriman's disdainful voice spread inside his domain. "But, the rest of the Ainsworths are fair game. I will kill all of them, with the exception of Eve, after my revival."
"Feel free to dream." David sneered. "You have no idea of the folly you have made today. The Ainsworth Family is not as simple as you think. Your day of reckoning will be the day you understand what it means to touch other people's reverse scale."
Then David snorted before turning into particles of light to return to the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods.
Ahriman watched him go, unperturbed by the God of Shepherd's threats. He didn't believe that anyone in the world could threaten him, especially a family of nobodies. Although William might pose a threat to his Heir, the God of Demons believed that the Half-Elf would soon be outclassed by the powers in his disposal.
Ahriman's third eye looked at the little girl floating before him as she shone like a beacon amidst the darkness and showed a rare expression of satisfaction within its Demonic depths.
'I'm not a child that you can scare with your petty threats, David,' Ahriman laughed internally. "What could a bunch of mortals possibly do to me?"