Chapter 271: Holy war 9

With haggard breaths and tear-streaked cheeks, Lilliana watched in horror as her people, her friends, and even her loyal servants were mercilessly slaughtered and devoured by the demons that surrounded her. The once-proud House Tellus had been reduced to nothingness, obliterated by the arrival of the monstrous demon that had single-handedly decimated their forces.

Even the revered Sword of the Empire, her own father, had been unable to withstand the ferocity of the demon onslaught. The memory of his valiant struggle against the towering demon, its grotesque trophy—a slain archangel—dangling mockingly from its spear, seared itself into Lilliana's mind.

Despite the chaos and carnage that engulfed the battlefield, Lilliana found herself trapped in a cage, a bizarre sanctuary amidst the bloodshed. Surprisingly, she was treated with an odd semblance of care and respect by her captors, even as the world around her descended into madness.

Coughing up a dry laugh that tasted of blood and despair, Lilliana couldn't help but find bitter irony in her situation. Amidst the fires and screams that echoed through the air, she found herself confined in relative safety, while her people suffered and died around her.

"Is something wrong, Lady Lilliana?" A demon, possessing a twisted beauty despite its monstrous features, inquired with a voice that held a deceptive sweetness. Its tentacle-like appendages swayed hypnotically as it spoke.

Lilliana's response was silence, her glare a testament to her defiance and contempt.

"Please, don't give me that look, Lady Lilliana," the demon continued, its tone shifting to a warning growl. "I might just end up munching on that pretty face of yours."

"Then why don't you do it?" Lilliana retorted, her words laced with defiance, refusing to yield to the demon's threats.

The demon's smile widened at her audacity, amused by her unwavering defiance. "Fufufu, looks like you understand your position quite well, Lady Lilliana. I guess they didn't just make you commander of this fallen army for nothing, huh? Even your general, I mean your father, Duke Tellus, realized our intentions in the end."

As the demon spoke, its tentacles elongated, brushing against Lilliana's cheek with an unsettling tenderness. Despite its seemingly harmless gesture, Lilliana felt a chill run down her spine, a premonition of the horrors yet to come.

"Trust me, there are more ways to punish a mortal than just physical pain," the demon whispered, its words dripping with malice as it leaned closer, its gaze filled with sinister intent.

As the demon's tentacle caressed her cheek, a shiver ran down Lilliana's spine, a stark reminder of the looming threat that hung over her. Despite the danger, she remained steadfast, her defiance unyielding.

"We both know you can't do that, demon," Lilliana asserted, her voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at her heart. She couldn't ignore the peculiarities surrounding her capture—the demons' deliberate efforts to keep her alive and unharmed, even at the cost of sacrificing their own forces. There was more to their motives than mere conquest, and Lilliana was determined to uncover the truth.

Turning her attention back to the tentacled demon, Lilliana's voice held a seriousness that belied her youth. "What's going to happen to me now?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with determination.

The demon's response was infuriatingly nonchalant. "Hmm~ I don't know. Honestly, my bosses never gave a direct order or answer as to what to do with you after capturing you alive. All I know is that I'm tasked to take care of you right now, so please be cooperative and enjoy your time of small peace, okay?"

Lilliana seethed with anger at the demon's callous response. If only she could, she would have unleashed her fury upon it, burning away its smug smirk with the flames of her magic. The idea of being told to calm down and enjoy a moment of peace while her subordinates lay dying filled her with a rage that threatened to consume her.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain her emotions.

"Now, now, don't look at me like that, my lady," the demon taunted, its voice dripping with malice. "Or I might just seethe my annoyance and anger towards your father instead. I may be tasked not to harm you, but it would be a different story for the already dying duke, you know?" With a wicked snicker, the demon's words sent a chill down Lilliana's spine, causing her to reconsider her defiance.

In the end, what had she truly accomplished by resisting? She couldn't help but wonder if her actions had only endangered her father further.

As she trailed off into her thoughts, a sudden disturbance shattered the uneasy silence. Black lightning crackled across the sky, accompanied by a pressure so heavy it seemed to weigh down upon the entire battlefield. Even the demons and monsters faltered in its presence, a palpable sense of dread washing over them.

What was happening? That was the question on everyone's mind as they watched in awe and fear.

Then, from where the lightning had struck, emerged a being as dark as the void itself. It moved with an otherworldly grace, walking on two legs despite its monstrous form. Thousands of eyes peered out from beneath its twisted exterior, fixating directly on Lilliana with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

Lilliana's heart raced as she stared into the abyss of those myriad eyes, each one a window into unfathomable darkness. The air seemed to thicken around her, charged with an eerie energy that set her nerves on edge. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the looming figure before her, a primal instinct warning her of the danger it posed.

As the being drew closer, its presence loomed over her like a suffocating shadow. Lilliana could feel its gaze boring into her soul, probing her thoughts and fears with an unsettling precision. She tried to steel herself against the overwhelming dread that threatened to consume her, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with her bare hands.

Around her, the battlefield fell silent, the sounds of battle drowned out by the oppressive weight of the creature's presence. Even the demons, usually so brazen and bloodthirsty, seemed to shrink back in fear.

Lilliana's mind raced with questions, but she dared not speak them aloud, lest she draw the attention of the dark entity upon herself. Instead, she watched in horrified fascination as it continued its advance, each step sending tremors through the earth beneath her feet.