NOVEL FROG Father For A Reason
In the heart of the Dark Elf village, an imposing house stood tall within the hollowed trunk of a massive tree, undoubtedly belonging to the chief of the village—Kroenen's father. The second army–Kroenen, along with Yumi, Baron, Arpeus, and a squad of soldiers, teleported to the village, ready to engage in battle. While the others scattered to fend off the enemy and protect the citizens, Kroenen charged straight toward the main tree house, his mind racing with questions.
The closer Kroenen got, the more ominous the signs became. Broken branches littered the ground, and the lifeless bodies of monstrous creatures lay strewn about, evidence of a fierce battle that had already ended. Kroenen's heart sank a little. Had he arrived too late? Was his father already slain by the invading forces?
But as he finally reached the clearing in front of the tree house, his breath caught in his throat. Standing there, unharmed, was his father, the chief of the Dark Elves. He held his sword steady, its sharp edge pressed against the neck of another figure—Serom, Kroenen's own brother.
Kroenen's eyes narrowed as he quickly pieced everything together. "So it was my brother, Serom, who betrayed us," he thought, hitting the heart of the matter. Serom had conspired with the twin succubi, feeding them every piece of information he knew. He was the one who burned the storage room, ensuring that the weapons were destroyed and that the soldiers would go hungry, weakening their defenses.
But Serom's betrayal didn't stop there. His true goal was the "Seal from Hell," the powerful purple blindfold. Unbeknownst to him, Kroenen had already taken the blindfold, and that misstep led Serom to bring a high-ranking demon and several A and B-rank monsters to attack his own father, demanding the location of the Seal. However, what Serom never expected, not even in his wildest dreams, was the strength of his father. The chief had defeated Serom, the demon, and the monsters, leaving Serom as the only survivor, now kneeling in defeat and about to be executed.
"Shit... Shit... Shit... I only came here for that blindfold. Was Father always this strong? Now that I think about it, he never went all out in front of me. I've made a huge mistake. What do I do? What do I do?" Serom's thoughts spiraled into panic as his entire body trembled with fear.
Their cheif's voice cut through Serom's panic like a knife, cold and unforgiving. "Thinking about how you ended up like this? I'm your father for a reason, Serom," he said, his deathly glare sending chills down Serom's spine.
"Now, as per the rules, you are sentenced to death." The chief raised his sword, preparing to behead his treacherous son.
Kroenen stood there, frozen, his emotions in turmoil. A part of him had once wished for his brother to live a happy life, but Serom had turned out to be a traitor. And more than anything, this was his father's decision—a decision Kroenen could not interfere with. He accepted it, without any guilt.
But just as the sword was about to fall, a desperate voice cut through the thick tension. It was their mother. "No, dear! Don't be this cruel! At least give him one chance!" she cried out, her voice trembling with a mixture of love and fear.
The chief's face twisted with anger as he turned to her. "How could we? This brat betrayed his own people! No one who commits such a betrayal deserves a second chance!" he shouted, his voice booming with fury.
But Serom, sensing an opportunity, began to cry, his tears flowing freely. "Sob... Sob... No, Father, I didn't do it of my own will. The succubi—they controlled my mind! I wasn't strong enough to resist them... Sob... Sob... But now that you've defeated them, I've finally come back to my senses!" His words were filled with a desperate sincerity, so convincing that even his father hesitated for a moment.
Their mother's eyes widened with a sudden realization. "Yes… yes, that must be it! Succubi are known for their mind control. My son is innocent!" she pleaded, her voice rising in urgency as she tried to convince her husband.
The chief, though hardened by years of battle and betrayal, felt a seed of doubt take root in his mind. What if Serom really had been manipulated by the succubi? Could he have been just another victim, caught in their evil schemes?
After a long, tense silence, the chief finally lowered his sword. "Fine. I won't kill you now, but you'll be investigated further. Until then, you'll be locked up in the village jail," he declared, his voice still firm but less certain.
Serom's mother breathed a sigh of relief. Her son was alive, and that was all that mattered to her.
....
Meanwhile, As the battlefield began to tilt in Scarlett's army's favor, the once overwhelming succubi forces started to thin out. Li Feng, a striking figure with his silver hair and handsome features, moved effortlessly through the ranks of demons and monsters, cutting them down with ease. His laughter rang out, a mix of relief and arrogance.
"Hahaha... This is much easier than I thought! I expected a tough fight, but it's turning out to be a walk in the park," Li Feng remarked, his voice filled with confidence as he coordinated flawlessly with his sister, Xao Feng.
Nearby, Xao Feng was locked in combat with a high-ranking demon. The creature lunged at her, but she deftly rolled her body, evading the attack, and delivered a powerful 360° kick to its face. The impact was so forceful that the demon's head exploded, its remnants splattering onto the ground, blood pouring from its severed neck.
"Huff... I guess you're right, Brother. If things keep going this way, the battle will be over in an hour," Xao Feng responded with a satisfied smile.
But her smile quickly faded as her gaze fell on the figures emerging ahead. "Brother Li Feng, look!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with sudden dread.
Li Feng turned to see what had shaken his sister. His eyes widened, and his pupils shrunk in disbelief as he recognized the approaching figures. "Hueng Mei Er, Tao Xie, Mu Bei, Ni Xao, Ling Yuan, Olympus, Cracken..." he called out the names of their village's people, their once familiar faces now twisted by Tiathmet's chains of enslavement magic.
The villagers, once proud Martial demons and ogres, now brainwashed and chanting, "Everything for the queen," charged toward Li Feng and Xao Feng, their eyes devoid of any recognition or mercy.
Li Feng's resolve faltered, his grip on his sword loosening as the weight of the situation bore down on him. "How... how can we kill our own people?" he muttered to himself, the question tearing at his heart.
The sight was gut-wrenching. Tiathmet had played one of her cruelest cards—forcing them to fight against those they once called friends and family, turning the battle into a nightmare.
Xao Feng's voice cut through the thick fog of despair that clouded Li Feng's mind. "Brother Li Feng, we have no choice! We have to do it!" Her words were filled with urgency, a desperate plea for him to find the strength to continue, even in the face of such impossible odds.
Li Feng's heart pounded in his chest, his grip on the sword wavering as he stared at the familiar faces of their once-friends and neighbors, now turned into enemies. Every fiber of his being screamed against the idea of raising his sword against them, but Xao Feng's words echoed in his mind, forcing him to hold on.
But just as the situation seemed hopeless, something miraculous happened.
The villagers, who moments ago had been charging at them with mindless fury, suddenly stopped in their tracks. Confusion spread across their faces as they looked around, their weapons lowering.
"Why are we here?" one of the villagers asked, his voice trembling with uncertainty.
"Yeah, the last thing I remember, I was in a fight… What happened?" another added, his eyes wide with bewilderment.
Li Feng and Xao Feng exchanged stunned looks, a mix of relief and disbelief washing over them. Slowly, smiles began to spread across their faces as they realized what had just happened.
"They've come back to their senses… But how?" Xao Feng whispered, her voice filled with awe and hope.
.....
As Tiathmet stood on the battlefield, a sense of satisfaction filled her. Her plan was unfolding exactly as she had envisioned. "My enslavement magic works slowly, gradually replacing their memories with ones I create. They believe they were born to serve me, eliminating any fear of betrayal," she thought, a cold smile crossing her lips. But even with control over three hundred thousand soldiers, she felt the strain on her mind, and Lunaria's too, keeping them from fighting at their full potential. Her gaze turned toward Scarlett Nova. "Once I defeat you, Scarlett, I'll erase your memories and make you my loyal servant."
But something shifted. Tiathmet's eyes narrowed as she turned toward Lunaria. "Luna, I've released all the soldiers from our enslavement magic. Now, come here! It's time to do what we should have done long ago!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the battlefield.
Lunaria didn't hesitate. She bolted towards Tiathmet, her heart pounding with anticipation.
At that moment even evadne realised what exactly they were trying to do, "Shouldn't you be stopping them from meeting?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Scarlett, however, remained unfazed. A sly smile played on her lips. "No need," she replied confidently. "I need them to become as powerful as possible."
As Lunaria reached Tiathmet, the battlefield transformed. Countless souls and it's sparkling lights, swirled around them, creating a tornado of energy. Lunaria stepped into the swirling vortex, her eyes locked on Tiathmet's. The two reached out, their hands clasping together, their foreheads touching.
"Activate your skill, and I'll activate mine," Tiathmet commanded, her voice steady. Lunaria nodded, and in unison, they unleashed their powers.
Lunaria's body shimmered with light as she activated her unique skill:
<Unique Skill: Body Merge Activated>
At the same time, Tiathmet's soul flared with energy, her unique skill taking hold:
<Unique Skill: Soul Merge Activated>
The souls around them were drawn in, their energy absorbed by the two women as their bodies and souls began to merge. Unlike other methods, which required time and preparation, these unique skills allowed them to fuse instantly, increasing their strength exponentially. But this power came with a price. Unlike other fusions that could be reversed within a month, this merge was permanent. Their personalities, bodies, souls, and consciousness would become one, never to be separated.