Chapter 623 Anguish and Despair

The clattering of footsteps echoed out as a group a few thousand strong walked through a large tunnel. The tunnel was obviously carved by hand and was wide enough for the massive group to walk through without it being crowded. The ceiling of the tunnel was dozens of yards high, although some of the members of the group nearly touched the top with their heads, a testament to their size.

The group eventually arrived at a massive chamber, hundreds of yards wide, long, and tall. The chamber was empty except for an intricate teleportation circle in the very center, which was guarded by several monstrous looking creatures.

“Welcome,” one of the creatures spoke out, his voice like the hiss of a snake. “Our master is waiting for you.” The creature was a humanoid serpent, clearly from the monster race.

“It’s best to not keep him waiting,” another creature spoke out, his voice deep and guttural like that of a beast. It was also a humanoid creature, although it looked more like a chimera of beasts. However, it too was from the monster race.

“Hmph, we received this mysterious summons from your mysterious ‘master,’ out of the blue, which instructed us not only to arrive here, but to also bring our most talented youths,” one of the members of the large group spoke out, his voice tinged with displeasure. “If this is some sort of trap, your master will soon come to regret his actions as I snuff out his life.”

“That’s right,” another spoke up, her voice feminine and seductive. She was a human who appeared to be in her thirties, and oozed feminine sensuality. She wore incredibly revealing clothing, which covered up only the parts that needed to be covered up. Her blazing red hair cascaded down her shoulders, while her face was the epitome of sexiness.

However, none of the other members of the group looked at her lecherously, as the Early World Expansion cultivation the woman exuded made none of them daring enough to gaze in such a manner.

“I would advise you not to speak in such a manner in front of our master,” one of the creatures replied, his voice cold and threatening, “or your life will become quite miserable.”.

“Haha, I would like to see your ‘master’ try such a thing,” the woman replied mockingly, “now take us wherever you want to take us. I want to see for myself exactly what your ‘master’ is planning,” the woman continued.

“I would like to see who your master is,” another figure from the crowd chimed up, his vertical pupils fixed on the creatures before him. The figure had two large wings like that of a bat, while his body looked quite human otherwise. His teeth were incredibly sharp, and sharp claws extended from each of his hands. “To think that creatures from our monster race would serve so subserviently, your master must be quite impressive.”

The figure’s words indicated that he was from the monster race, as were the creatures guarding the teleportation formation. The monster race was a race of varying types of creatures that were human-beast hybrids. They ranged from serpentine creatures, to beastial creatures, to everything in between. The group also had humans, such as the seductress woman, as well as another humanoid race which stood five yards tall and had incredibly powerful looking bodies which exuded a savage and brutal aura,  revealing it to be a mix of different races.

“Their master better be,” the woman spoke up again, her tone slightly dismissive. “To think their master has the gall to summon our Forbidden Alliance, the Barbarian Race and your Monster Race like this, if he’s not up to my standards, I’ll kill him myself for wasting my time.”

The creatures stared at the woman with narrowed eyes, but said nothing as a small smirk appeared on their faces. They gestured towards the teleportation portal, which the group of youths and veteran cultivators alike stepped onto.

The formation flared with power, and the group vanished from sight, leaving the guarding creatures behind.

…

Flash!

Formation light flashed, as the group arrived at another location. Their gazes swept all about as they inspected the new area, and the youths of the group couldn’t help but feel a chill crawl up their spine as they saw their surroundings. Even the powerful elders of the group, such as the seductive woman, couldn’t help but narrow her eyes as she saw the surrounding area.

The area was underground, with brutal looking buildings erected all about. Rivers of blood flowed through the underground area, while screams of agony sounded out constantly. Some of the sources of the screams were visible to the group, who watched as the most heinous forms of torture were being carried out.

It was like they were plunged into the depths of hell, and even powers as sinister and brutal as the Forbidden Alliance, Monster Race and Barbarian Race couldn’t help but be almost overwhelmed.

“This way,” a creature said as it arrived before the group. The group followed behind the creature as they made their way through the underground lair of hell, and they eventually arrived before a massive castle, its walls black and ominous. A sinister aura emanated from within the castle, one that nearly overwhelmed the youths of the group. The elders of the group flared their power to help the youths resist as they continued to follow the creature into the castle.

They made their way through the massive castle, as more sources of pain, blood, and death popped up non-stop. The group arrived before a massive set of doors, which the creature parted and gestured for them to enter.

As soon as the doors opened, the sinister aura exploded severalfold, as the youths found it almost unbearable. It was like they were plunged into the depths of hell itself, as malevolent energies seemed to invade their mind and souls, nearly driving them mad.

The elders of the group, the woman included, narrowed their eyes as they flared their power further to protect the youths, before they entered the massive chamber.

Clank!

The massive doors closed behind them, although the members of the group ignored the sound as they gazed intently at the opposite end of the chamber. Shrouded in shadows sat a massive figure, its body five yards tall. Next to the figure was a cage of cultivators, who were naked and seemed as though they had given up on life.

The bloody carcasses of humans and other creatures laid strewn about outside the cage, a glimpse of what would happen to those still living.

“You must be the ‘master’ who summoned us,” the woman spoke up, her voice steady and calm.

Two blood red eyes glowed from within the shadows, staring back at the woman as the shrouded figure sat there in silence. The woman felt an instinctual fear crawl up her spine as she felt the figure’s gaze, but she firmed her mind and soul as she resisted the urge to take a step backwards.

“Am I up to your standards?” the figure’s deep and guttural voice eventually sounded out.

The woman narrowed her eyes as she realized her words had been heard by this creature, ones that had been quite insulting to say. However, she remained calm as she stared back into the shadows.

“I must admit that you are,” the woman replied, her voice tinged with pure charm and allure, as if she couldn’t help but speak in such a manner. The creature sat there in silence for a short moment before he raised his right hand, and a sinister red and black light emanated from it.

“But you are not up to mine,” the creature replied, his voice menacing beyond all comparison.

The woman felt an overwhelming power wrap around her, something far stronger than she had ever felt in her life. Her power erupted with absolute strength to resist the figure’s power, but her eyes widened in absolute horror as her flaring power was instantly wrapped up and suppressed.

“Noooo!” the woman’s scream of pure fear screeched out as her body shot forward towards the creature against her will. She shot into the shadows, and horrific sounds of agonized wails, snapping bones, and ripping flesh filled the chamber for a short moment before going silent.

The group of cultivators all raised their guard, while the powers of the strongest members flared out, ready to battle against the creature at a moment’s notice. The woman was one of the strongest in the group, and was handled with absolute ease, something that sent a wave of fear down everyone’s spine.

Their gazes shifted upwards as the creature stood up from its throne, towering over all but the largest of the Barbarians.

It walked forward, finally leaving the dark shadows and stepping into the light of the chamber. The eyes of every member in the group went wide in instinctual fear as the creature was revealed to them.

Its skin was dark red, like the color of dried blood, while six straight and sharp black horns jutted from atop its skull, like a natural crown. Fresh blood streamed down its chin, while its menacing grin revealed a maw of razor sharp teeth.

Its upper half was completely exposed revealing muscles that bulged over every inch of the figure’s body, as if a singular wave of its hand could shatter mountains and rend the earth apart. Even the members of the barbarian race that prided itself on bodily strength couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the figures’ natural power and presence.

Each step of the creature shook the castle, as well as the hearts of all those in the group as they watched the terrifying creature approach. It was as if a God of Death and Despair was approaching them, and for the first time they realized they were not in control of the situation. Fear flooded their bodies, as if something instinctual in their very core told them to flee as fast as possible.

“What do you want?” one of the strongest members asked, ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Despite the creature’s overwhelming strength, if they fought with their combined power, the man was sure they could win in the end.

“I want what you want,” the creature said as it gazed down at the large group before it with menacing indifference. “I want to drown this world in anguish and despair, starting with the Honorable Alliance.”