Aengus's tone was gentle as he replied, "Sienna, you're not just a servant to me anymore. You've become someone I can trust. Your hard work and sense of responsibility have deeply touched my heart. But I'm sorry to say this—we're not meant for each other. I don't feel the same way about you. So please, forget about me and move on with your life. To help you, I'm granting you your freedom."
With those words, Aengus handed her the Naga Pearl, the artifact he had taken to ensure her loyalty and control.
Sienna's trembling hands received the pearl as tears streamed down her cheeks. She stared at it, her mind unable to reconcile her emotions.
Your journey continues on empire
"Why?"
She had expected rejection, braced herself for it even, yet the pain of hearing his words cut deeper than she imagined.
"Why does it hurt so much?" she muttered, her tears falling like rain. The weight of her emotions pressed on her chest, leaving her struggling to breathe.
Aengus watched her with an expressionless face, his heart steeled with an unspeakable resolve.
"No, I don't want it, my lord," Sienna suddenly said, her voice trembling but firm. "Please, at least let me remain your belonging, someone you carry along with you. I don't want such freedom, nor does the rest of our tribe. You have become our guardian, and none of us would ever wish to be separated from you."
Aengus regarded her silently, his crimson eyes softening slightly. After a moment, he nodded. "As you wish, Sienna."
With that, Aengus turned and left the room. Leaving a clone behind to oversee his domain, he vanished from the spot, distorting the very fabric of space as he disappeared.
As soon as he was gone, Sienna fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"It's okay, Sienna," a gentle voice said. Her little brother, Sen, appeared beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Our lord has already shown us great kindness. Perhaps it's time to let go of your love and move forward."
Sienna shook her head, her tears flowing freely. "No, Sen. I don't think I'm strong enough to control these emotions... but I will try. For his sake, I will try."
Coordinates have been shared, Master. Each city is steeped in sin and overflowing with raw, dark energy that would greatly enhance your growth."
Aengus's lips curved into a smirk as he mentally marked these locations. "Perfect. These cities of depravity are needed to cleansed, even if my reasons are far from altruistic."
He glanced toward the frozen horizon, his expression a mix of determination and hunger. "Today and tomorrow should be enough to rid these lands of their filth. After that, Once I enter the Demon Lords' Council, I'll stand before them not as an equal, but as a God. Let them try to challenge me then."
With that, he vanished from the icy plains, his resolve burning hotter than the frost around him.
---
Frostbane City, a grim and oppressive landscape, loomed with an aura of despair. The freezing air carried a stench of decay, and the streets were lined with towering structures of jagged ice, each one colder and darker than the last. This was a hub of soul enslavement and vile trades, where the suffering of countless beings fueled the city's grotesque economy.
The streets bustled with caravans of slaves—demons, spirits, and mortals alike—bound in chains of enchanted ice that glowed faintly with stolen energy. Their hollow eyes betrayed the torment they endured. Among them, the caged Ice Spirits stood out, their once-ethereal forms reduced to husks, flickering dimly as if on the brink of extinguishing forever.
Massive Ice Giants roamed the streets freely, their imposing forms a constant reminder of the city's cruelty. These towering behemoths, with frosted skin and glowing blue eyes, acted as both enforcers and zealots. Their unwavering allegiance to Demon Lord Lucifer made them unchallenged rulers of this frozen hellscape. To them, Lucifer was not merely a lord but a divine figure, their second god.
"Move faster, you pathetic worms!" bellowed one particularly fearsome Ice Giant, his voice reverberating through the air like a thunderclap. His frost-covered whip cracked against the backs of emaciated slaves who struggled to keep pace. The mindless laborers—victims of soul-binding abilities—shuffled forward with their skin peeling from the frostbite and their bones creaking under the strain.
The giant's frosty breath clouded the air as he snarled in frustration. "We need these goods delivered to the Lord within two days for the Demon Lords' Council feast! Fail me, and I'll drag every one of you to hell with me!" His words dripped with malice, the threat as chilling as the air itself.
"Die, weaklings!"
"Swoosh!"
"Crack!"
The sound of his whip rang out again, the force snapping bones and eliciting haunting cries of agony that echoed down the frozen streets like the wails of restless spirits.
Frostbane City's twisted heartbeat thrummed with despair and suffering—a place of absolute darkness where hope dared not tread. Yet, unknown to its denizens, the shadow of a greater force loomed on the horizon, ready to disrupt their cycle of sin and torment.