Evolution begins with an ant colony

Chapter 219: Betrayal’s Embrace - A Lord’s Pain To Bear

Time seemed to slow down as the ball of life energy fell onto Emily’s unconscious body, and her wounds began to heal slowly.

The energy crackled all around her body and flowed through her veins, mending every wound and fixing every broken bone.

Once the process was completed, and the energy subsided, Emily slowly fluttered her eyes open. Her gaze fell on Prince Alzureth’s disgusted face, causing an instant chill to run down her spine.

She immediately sat up, then got on her knees as she said, "Young lord, it is great to see you." Her tone was a mixture of respect and fear.

Alzureth then gazed coldly at her, speaking with a disgusted tone, "Your words hold no weight. You’re alive because my father deems it necessary, not because of any sentiment."

Upon hearing that from Alzureth, Emily simply bowed her head as she stuttered, "Y-yes, young lord."

Alzureth then redirected his gaze at the soldiers and adventurers who simply stood there and watched, frozen with fear. The sudden redirection of his gaze caused a chill to run down their collective spines. All tried their best to keep up a composed demeanor, but deep down, they simply wished for this to end and that they wouldn’t be the next target.

Suddenly, Alzureth spoke up with a calm yet commanding tone. "Now, it’s about time we finished our mission," he declared, then redirected his gaze at Yandol as he proceeded to demand, "I want you to take us to where the rest of your people are," he said as he slowly approached Yandol.

Yandol’s pupils shook as he gazed at Alzureth. Gritting his teeth, he used his other hand to hold the frozen one that was cut as he asked, "W-when you do find them, what do you plan on doing?"

As Alzureth gazed down at him, he narrowed his cold, piercing gaze and asked with a cold tone, "What do you think? To finish what we came for."

Upon hearing his words, time seemed to slow down as Yandol’s eyes widened with disbelief. He then cast his gaze downwards at the icy cobblestone floor, gritting his teeth, grasping the gravity of the situation.

Inwardly, Yandol mused, "Is he seriously asking me to lead him directly to my people? So they can be mindlessly slaughtered? What dignity as their lord will I have left?" Yandol momentarily gazed at Alzureth’s serious expression as he mused further. "But if I don’t listen to him, what will he do next? Will he and the other demons search until they find the shelter all my people evacuated to?

But then he’ll slaughter my wife along with everyone else."

Yandol seemed to tremble all over as he mused even further. "But then I would have failed as a lord and a father. Should I just take my own life? But if they still end up finding the shelter, wouldn’t that just be the same as abandoning my wife and people?"

Alzureth could notice Yandol’s reluctance and interpret his body language. After thousands of years under his father’s guidance, his eyes could see and perceive far more than any other demon’s. What he could see made him smile as he proceeded to add, "I’m sure a lord like you has his precious family at your evacuation shelter."

His sudden statement made Yandol gaze at him with a hopeless expression.

Yandol’s expression only helped to confirm what Alzureth could tell was on his mind, prompting him to make a bizarre proposal. "Why don’t we make a deal? If you choose to lead us to where the evacuation shelter is, then I swear on my word as the first prince of the demon race that no harm whatsoever shall befall your family."

Upon hearing what Alzureth said, the adventurers and soldiers wore expressions of disbelief and fear. They all seemed to be well aware of Alzureth’s intentions.

Meanwhile, amidst the crowd of adventurers and soldiers, Erion gritted his teeth as he muttered in anger, "How dare he?" He then began making his way through the crowd.

Bellua and Zeki, seeing him do this, tried to stop him. "Hey, Commander Erion, where do you think you are going?" Bellua whispered in a worried tone as she reached out to grab his right arm with her right arm. "You’ll get yourself killed out there. Don’t do this," Zeki muttered urgently in a hushed tone.

Erion gazed back at both of them as he mumbled, "I can’t just stand by while this demon forces our lord to choose between his wife or his people. It’s not right. I have to go out there and stop this." He then freed himself from Bellua’s grip and slowly made his way through the crowd.

Suddenly, Erion stepped forward from among the crowd of surviving adventurers and soldiers. His voice echoed with anger and disgust as he pulled his sword and pointed it at Alzureth. "How dare you, vile demon, force our lord to make such a choice!

You should be—" But before he could finish his statement, multiple slash-like waves emitted from Alzureth’s body and instantly cut down Commander Erion, armor and all.

As the sliced parts of Commander Erion’s body fell to the icy cold cobblestone floor with a loud thud, his blood began to pool around his corpse. His lifeless expression and the way he was cut down sent a massive chill down the spines of both the adventurers and soldiers.

All the adventurers and soldiers were shocked into silence. For a moment, they all stood frozen, unable to come to terms with the sudden death of the commander.

Out of nowhere, an adventurer let out a scream and began to run desperately for his life, creating panic. Soon, a chain reaction happened. As everyone there soon came to realize, they were all simply no match for the demon Prince’s might.

"You idiots, you’ll get us all killed!" Zeki exclaimed as he noticed the adventurers and soldiers suddenly take to their heels, running for their lives.

"Dammit all to hell! Bellua." Zeki called out to her as he swiftly decided to join the other adventurers and soldiers to run. "Cast an invisibility spell on us, let’s get out of here." He yelled as his breaths came out as ragged gasps. As an alchemist, physical activity wasn’t really his strong suit. But regardless, he planned to escape the slaughter with the only logical means necessary.

"Sure thing!" Bellua exclaimed as she proceeded to begin the short incantation. While she cast the spell, Zeki reached into his coat and pulled out another rather strange bottle. He didn’t waste any time, instantly chugging it down.

Once Bellua had cast the spell, and she and Zeki became invisible, Zeki rushed over to her side and swept her off her feet, me made a quick turn, running into an alleyway. His footsteps seemed to not make a sound due to the effect of the potion he had chugged down.

Suddenly, Alzureth directed his cold gaze at the fleeing adventurers and soldiers and spoke to the demons in the area, "Get rid of them, all of them." Yandol was shocked by his sudden statement, wanting to speak up for them. Alzureth hushed him abruptly, saying, "If you speak to stop this now, I will take that as your decision for your family to be slaughtered along with the others here."

Upon hearing that, Yandol instantly paused, unable to let out the words that were on his mind. He gritted his teeth because he knew he couldn’t do anything for them.

Under his command, the demons mobilized, including Emily, as they all went about ripping the adventurers and soldiers limb from limb.

As Yandol watched helplessly as his soldiers and adventurers were being slaughtered, he wanted to help but had his pregnant wife on his mind.

Suddenly, Alzureth spoke to him while his gaze remained fixed on the slaughter unfolding, "You are testing my patience. If you continue to waste my time," he then turned his gaze at Yandol, adding, "I might just change my mind. And then your precious family will be meeting the same fate as the rest of them."

Upon hearing that, Yandol paused momentarily, his gaze falling to the ground. He finally accepted it; there was no turning back now, and there was nothing else he could possibly do.

"A-alright, I’ll lead you to the shelter," Yandol mumbled. Pain and regret could be clearly sensed in his voice, the weight of his decision pressing heavily upon his shoulders.

Alzureth then smiled as he said, "By all means, lead the way."

Slowly, Yandol rose to his knees and began leading Alzureth towards the location of the evacuation shelter. The cold wind seemed to carry the echoes of the ongoing slaughter behind them. Yandol couldn’t shake the burden of guilt as he guided Alzureth through the snow-covered streets. His people, unaware of the approaching doom, being led towards them by the very lord they had put their faiths in.

Yandol’s heart sank at the thought of their impending fate. Alzureth, with a sinister grin, followed closely. The weight of his decision bore down on Yandol, torn between the safety of his family and the lives of his people. The journey felt endless, each step an agonizing reminder of the choices he was forced to make. Discover stories at NovelBin.Côm