Chapter 93: Father 2
"FATHER!!!" Elaniel's jubilant exclamation resounded, catching me off guard.
"HUH!????"
Without warning, Elaniel enveloped me in a tight hug, her strength far surpassing what I could have anticipated.
The intensity of the embrace felt as if my body might succumb to the pressure, leaving me bewildered by the sheer force of her grip.
'Why was she so strong? How could she perceive my invisible form?'
I had activated my night cloak's effect, rendering me invisible—or so I believed.
Yet, Elaniel seemed acutely aware of my presence, defying the concealment the magical cloak should provide. The mysteries deepened, and confusion clouded my thoughts.
The only reason I refrained from pushing her away was the peculiar predicament my face found itself in—buried between her ample breasts. In the midst of this unexpected closeness,
I couldn't help but be distracted by the softness and size of her bosom. An overwhelming, enticing scent emanated from her body, an alluring natural fragrance that seemed to possess an irresistible charm, akin to an aphrodisiac-laden perfume.
"I finally met you, Father," Elaniel declared, her voice filled with a mix of joy and relief as she continued to embrace me.
The surrounding demons, including the leader, and the two vampires observed the unfolding scene with evident confusion.
The spectacle of Elaniel hugging what appeared to be empty air left them utterly perplexed. Even for beings well-versed in the supernatural, the sight of an elf queen embracing an unseen entity defied their understanding.
….
Without hesitation, Charlotte seized the opportunity and began to cast celestial magic in an attempt to teleport away from the escalating conflict. However, the black-haired demon, swift and adept, managed to thwart her escape once again. In the blink of an eye, the other demons closed in on the duo, launching a relentless assault that turned the skies into a chaotic battleground.
Sparks flew as spells illuminated the air, and the clash of swords and blood-made weapons reverberated through the tumultuous scene. Charlotte and Peter, refusing to yield, fought with unwavering determination, summoning their blood familiars at full capacity. The display of prowess was remarkable, considering the overwhelming odds—thirteen demons ganging up against them.
High-ranking vampires, as they were, Charlotte and Peter held their own in a one-on-one scenario against mid-ranking demons. However, facing such numbers was an entirely different challenge. The battlefield became a maelstrom of violence, each clash intensifying the scratches and wounds that accumulated on both vampires.
The regenerative capabilities inherent in vampires, particularly the high-ranking ones, were formidable. Yet, in the presence of the demons' demonic imbued miasma and aura, those advantages dwindled.
The demons strategically exploited this weakness, reducing Charlotte and Peter to formidable adversaries, but adversaries nonetheless.
The situation grew increasingly dire, and the prospect of a miraculous turn of events or the unlikely arrival of reinforcements seemed to be the only hope for the embattled vampires.
It was evident that the demons were reveling in the chaos, taking pleasure in the torment they inflicted on Charlotte and Peter without delivering a fatal blow. Their sadistic amusement played out against the backdrop of a night sky illuminated by the violent clash.
Even Elaniel, momentarily captivated by the unfolding battle, shifted her attention to the skirmish below. The glint of excitement in her eyes mirrored the spectacle of combat brightening the darkened heavens.
"Your Majesty," the black-haired demon, who had been orchestrating the assault, descended gracefully from the skies and approached our direction.
His presence was palpably intense, unsettling even the calmest of nerves. The aura he exuded invoked memories of negativity, a characteristic befitting a high-ranking demon.
However, before he could close the distance, a sudden intervention altered the course of events. Elaniel, seemingly unfazed by the demon's intimidating presence, unleashed a tendril-like tentacle of pure black miasma from her back. The appendage swiftly lashed out, severing the demon's legs. The abruptness of the attack left the demon stunned.
As the tendrils recoiled, I couldn't help but recognize the dark manifestation.
'Kaksan?' The realization hit me like a thunderbolt.
'He really was alive?'
Xaltrak, the black-haired demon, gazed upward with a mixture of confusion and pain, wondering why the queen had abruptly severed his legs. The appendages were already in the process of reattaching themselves, showcasing the demonic regenerative abilities.
Elaniel, with blood-red eyes that exuded a dire intensity, locked her gaze onto Xaltrak. Her warning was implicit, threatening even worse consequences if he dared to rise. Her authoritative declaration echoed through the chaotic night.
"Your head was too high, Xaldrak. Know your place; you're in the presence of my father," Elaniel asserted, her tone commanding respect and submission.
Xaldrak, still in a state of bewilderment, could only look at Elaniel, trying to make sense of her actions. Meanwhile, amidst the confusion, a subtle realization dawned on me. I had a feeling that Elaniel, or perhaps Kaksan—my uncertainty lingered—would protect me.
With cautious deliberation, I began to undo the cloak's effect. The inky veil that had concealed my presence dissipated like dark mist, slowly revealing my form. Xaldrak's gaze locked onto me with a shocked expression, the revelation of my proximity surprising a powerful being who had been unaware of my lurking presence.
"M-my apologies, I couldn't have fathomed I was in the presence of such a esteemed being," Xaldrak stammered, bowing with his head to the ground before us.
Despite his seemingly sincere apology, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off in his words, a dissonance between his eloquence and genuine remorse. Surprisingly, his flowery language managed to diffuse the tense atmosphere created by Elaniel's earlier aggression.
As Xaldrak's eyes met mine, I sensed an invasive curiosity, as if he were trying to understand me on a deeper level. Maybe he was attempting to peer into my thoughts, or even my soul.
'This guy's trying to see through me? Hahahaha, really? Was my presence that weak?' I thought, amused by the audacity of the demon.
In response, I decided to show him a taste of my sister's authority. Xaldrak's eyes widened in shock and pain, a pained scream escaping him as his eyes sizzled with intense heat, black smoke swirling around.
"AGHHH!!!" he screamed; the pain evident in his tortured expression. Elaniel, witnessing the unexpected turn of events, looked on with confusion.
"This guy dared to peer into my soul," I declared coldly, prompting Elaniel to comprehend the gravity of the situation. In response, four tendrils of darkness emerged from Elaniel's back, piercing through Xaldrak and pinning him to the ground. His screams intensified as his once-muscular form began to slowly deflate.
"I'll handle him, okay?" Elaniel said, her smile still alluring but now tinged with a touch of genuine concern. Despite the eerie circumstances, the repeated reference to me as 'father' added another layer of mystery to the enigma that surrounded our connection.
….
The battle unfolded with alarming speed. I observed Charlotte, who was now in a dire situation, one of her ears were cut and her boy bound by red demonic chains as she was dragged away by a repulsive-looking demon.
This particular demon had initially taken the form of a handsome elf man, but now its true nature had emerged, revealing a grotesque fusion of a frog and fish with a disproportionately large body.
It resembled the nightmarish characters one might find in explicit manga genres, making me shudder at the sight.
The demon's appearance had devolved into a repugnant combination, reminiscent of the worst characters from NTR manga, leaving an unsettling impression. It seemed that the demon's true nature had overridden the borrowed elf host, transforming him into a creature that exuded an air of ugliness and perversion.
I couldn't help but wonder if the demon intentionally spared Charlotte's body, harboring sinister intentions for her later. Perhaps the demons couldn't entirely suppress their instincts, and in this case, the emanation of lust was palpable even as I merely observed the scene.
It surprised me to witness a demon originating from the sin of lust manifest in such an ugly form. Weren't they supposed to be alluring and beautiful to attract potential targets? This particular demon, however, would induce nightmares upon anyone unfortunate enough to gaze upon him, defying the expectations associated with beings connected to the sin of lust.
"Let go of me, you bastard!" Charlotte vehemently resisted, pulling against the chain that bound her. In response, the ugly demon seized her by the hair and callously dragged her in our direction.
Peter's situation was even more dire. Both of his hands were missing, and the anguish etched across his face foretold the urgency of his need for blood. Without a fresh supply, his existence hung on a precarious thread, giving him mere hours to live.
The approaching demons displayed a callous disregard for their fallen comrade, Xaldrak, who groaned in pain nearby.
It was a stark reminder of the inherently self-serving nature of demons. Their loyalty was dictated by strength; they obeyed those more powerful than them and paid no heed to those who faltered. Satisfaction gleamed in their eyes as they observed Xaldrak's gradual decline.
Despite their superior's plight, the demons continued their relentless march towards us, dragging Charlotte and Peter behind them with a cruel indifference. Their single-minded focus was on presenting their captured prizes to their queen.
"We have captured them, Your Majesty," a blonde-haired female demon announced, holding up the chains that bound Peter's weakened body.
Elaniel's blood-red eyes fixed upon the approaching demons, and an inexplicable fear washed over them. Her mere presence seemed to defy the natural order, inducing a level of dread that was practically unheard of among demons. It was an anomaly, an existence that shouldn't exist, a force of fear that surpassed the typical apprehension felt only in the presence of deities or demon lords.
"Ahh, that? You can keep them," Elaniel nonchalantly declared, and an air of relief swept over the demons. Their anticipation for a reward was evident, yet my intervention disrupted their momentary satisfaction.
"Wait, those two are mine," I asserted, injecting a commanding tone into my words.
"Who are you, human?" one demon dared to question, attempting to defy my claim. Before he could even complete his inquiry, a tendril pierced through his head, expanding into a myriad of razor-sharp mouths made of pure darkness and black miasma. The macabre appendage devoured his body whole, silencing him in an instant.
The remaining demons turned their attention to Elaniel, confusion etched across their faces. The sudden and brutal punishment had left them on edge.
"You are in the presence of my beloved Father; prostrate yourselves," Elaniel demanded angrily. The demons, now gripped by a profound sense of fear, complied immediately. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads as they knelt, a stark illustration of the unyielding dominance Elaniel wielded over them.
Personally, I had little motivation to save the two vampires, Charlotte and Peter, except for the faint reminder of my friend and the potential usefulness they held in unraveling the mysteries of the blood monarch, likely their progenitor.
There was a mission related to the blood monarch on my quest tab, making their survival imperative for the time being. While I had no attachment to their well-being, strategic considerations dictated that I keep them alive to gather information on the elusive vampires.
The novels I had read provided scant information about vampires until the later volumes, suggesting their significant role in the unfolding narrative. It was this anticipation of future importance that drove my decision to intervene.
Approaching the kneeling demons, I observed as the demonic chains binding the vampires dissipated. Charlotte, displaying surprising resilience, attempted to cast celestial magic once again. However, before she could complete the incantation, a black portal materialized behind her, swallowing her whole. The demons quivered, sensing an imminent threat of death emanating from the ominous portal.
Turning my attention to Peter, who lay bloodied and seemingly abandoned, I pondered whether to save him. While I didn't particularly need him, considering even Charlotte appeared willing to abandon him, the potential value of the information he might possess prompted a momentary hesitation.
A second black portal materialized, this time engulfing Peter and drawing him underground.
"Father~," Elaniel purred seductively as she wrapped her arms around me from behind, her ample and soft breasts pressing against my back.
"Let's go. I want to show you something, hehe," she continued, her tone teasing and mischievous.
"Sure?" I responded, a hint of uncertainty in my voice. As I glanced to my side, my eyes fell upon Xaldrak, who now emitted the same demonic energy signature as a low-ranking demon.
It was a stark transformation, and I couldn't shake the realization that this girl was undeniably dangerous.