image [https://i.imgur.com/eY2gF5l.png]

I had suspicions she was Aela's daughter... She certainly possesses the aptitudes of her mother's magic... But her rage, it burns deeper, beyond any human I have sensed... Mila, she harbors a profound hatred for humans, keeping those emotions locked deep within her.

"Why are you showing me any of this... Even if what you say is true, what do you seek from me?" Mila questioned, her eyes filled with both defiance and curiosity.

As I released her from the visions, Mila stumbled around, regaining her balance, still looking at me with suspicion.

Seeing her in such a vulnerable state, I felt a pang of pity and regret for not recognizing her sooner. After she ran away, we had no way of tracing her whereabouts, so running into her at the village when I did... It was unexpected to say the least.

If only I had taken her soul when she offered it... I'm not sure why I even hesitated.

"What I'm looking for is the truth, but beyond that, as your mother once served me, so should you. I want you to join me in my service, Mila. Will you consider it?"

Mila chuckled nervously, clearly taken aback by my request. "You want me to join you? You're serious? What would you even have me do? You're a demon, creator of all that is evil. Why in the world would I ever join you?" she retorted.

"The world you serve is corrupt to its core. The highest of authorities did unspeakable things to your mother, to your family. Do you want them to get away with such acts?" I spoke passionately, my voice tinged with an intensity fueled by the desire for justice.

"You want me to wield my weapon in your name?" Mila questioned, her eyes narrowing as she assessed my proposition.

"You are blinded by your arrogance... I suppose that is a trait from your father... Your powers, they are nothing compared to real power. What I offer you is a kindness. A chance to seek the vengeance you so desire. Seize it,"

If she indeed opened the gates to this place, I needed her alive. A vessel of destruction wielding the rune bow would be a formidable ally. My ascension would take time to complete, possibly years, but the necessary preparations had been met.

The orb of the void, a relic of the Gods, the highest form of magic one can hold. With it, I can activate an immense number of spells at my disposal... But if I want to fully make use of its powers, I must integrate it into myself... The ascension ritual... Requires the orb of the void, and beyond that, the lives of countless humans... The war has paved the way to that limit, and the souls I have collected should be enough. For me to channel all that power, I will require protection... The Hellfire Citadel must be fortified thousand-fold, for the heavens themselves will come down once I begin. Having all the allies I can get will be crucial...

If she does join me, she will serve as an agent of my destruction, paving way for my ascension...

"So what will it be? Will you join me?"

Mila's heart pounded in her chest as she stood firm, her emotions roiling within her. The visions she sought had stirred a tempest of rage and sorrow, and despite the whispering breeze urging her to let go, she felt trapped in the maelstrom of her own feelings.

"I can sense your feelings of anguish, your hate... Mila, although you are an angel, your rage is one of a demon..." I observed, my voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

"I hate Michael for what he has done... more than you know..." Mila admitted, her voice trembling with a mixture of pain and fury.

"So is that a yes?" I inquired, my gaze locked onto her, gauging her response.

"I will not join you!" Mila declared, her voice resolute, her stance unwavering.

taken aback by her refusal, my mind raced to understand her decision. My grip on my blade tightened, as I felt a surge of frustration and disappointment.

"What...?" I questioned, my voice tinged with confusion and hurt, unable to comprehend her rejection.

Mila hesitated, trying to put her feelings into words, her eyes filled with a mixture of conflict and determination. "I cannot deny the anger within me, the desire for revenge against those who caused so much pain... But I refuse to let that darkness consume me entirely. I won't be a pawn of vengeance, driven by hatred and bitterness," she explained, her voice gaining strength with each word.

"I want justice, I want to protect others from the same suffering. My purpose is to seek a balance, to find the strength within myself to wield the powers I've been given for the greater good. And I believe that compassion, understanding, and forgiveness are the paths I must follow."

I stood silent for a moment, absorbing her words, my emotions warring within me.

"That is why I refuse to join forces with an evil such as you! Even if I join, you will bring death and misery to countless victims. I will not tread the path of death and destruction; I will not let down those who have their faith in me! Graybeard, Avo, and countless others we have encountered have their faith in me. I will not betray their kindness with bloodlust."

Ignorant pest... damn it... I really wanted her...

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Very well... suit yourself."

With a flicker of my hand, the darkness encroached from all sides on the bridge, closing in on Mila. As I stood before her, engulfed in malevolent hellfire of my own creation, I relished in the anticipation of her defeat.

Mila's eyes raced around, desperately seeking an escape from her dire predicament. The darkness before her seemed unreal, as if the very void itself was moving to claim her.

"It is over for you. A shame it had to end this way..." I taunted, my voice laced with malicious glee.

Turning my back on Mila, I pulled out the orb of the void from within my arcane vault, intending to savor my triumph.

"I... I WILL NOT GIVE IN!"

Suddenly, from behind, a surge of growing power filled the air, bathing everything in its radiant light. I turned around in confusion, facing the direction from which the light emanated. It was Mila, and she had ascended.

From her back sprouted two magnificent angelic wings, radiant as the heavens themselves. With an aura of divine energy, light orbs materialized in the palms of her hands, pushing back the encroaching darkness. Her hair swirled in the air, a result of the clash of energies before her. With fierce determination, she created an arcane bubble, summoning every ounce of strength to hold her ground against the darkness.

"That power..." I mumbled, taken aback and unsure of what I was witnessing.

Mila's transformation was nothing short of astonishing. The embodiment of her inner strength and goodness was now on full display, shattering the darkness that had once threatened to consume her.

"You can't defeat me with darkness, for I have embraced the light," Mila declared, her voice resonating with confidence and newfound power.

Rejecting my offer has allowed her to align herself with the heavens... I did not think a mere human would be capable of ascension. Well, she is the daughter of Michael... And yet she is weaker than most angels... her angelic wings... they are still incomplete...

Entities grew from the shadows, taking many forms. Mila held her ground, her face a mask of determination as she tossed bolts of holy energy from the palm of her hands at the darkness.

"There is no end to them!" she exclaimed, frustration creeping into her voice as the shadow spawn kept multiplying.

With each bolt she unleashed, more creatures emerged from the depths of the void, threatening to overwhelm her defenses. Mila's mind raced, trying to comprehend how this demon had managed to breach a place where only elves were supposed to tread.

"Damn it! How did he even get in here?! He's a demon, and yet he walks here. Ifrit told me only elves could enter this place. So what do I do now!" Mila exclaimed, her voice a mix of anger and uncertainty.

Watching her struggle to maintain her composure, I couldn't help but let out a dark chuckle at her display of powerlessness. It was almost amusing to see her, an angel, unable to dispatch these seemingly weak adversaries.

I took a step closer, my gaze fixed on the ongoing battle before me. "You see, Mila, your precious holy magic may be potent, but it's no match for the overwhelming darkness," I taunted, my voice filled with cruel amusement.

As I observed her struggling against the ever-growing tide of shadow spawn, I couldn't believe how much I had invested in this confrontation. She was barely holding her own against the weakest of attackers, creatures that should have been easily dispatched by her holy magic, and yet she was unable to defeat them properly.

One after another, the shadow-like creatures rose from within the void, their malevolent eyes set on attacking Mila. The more she fought, the more their numbers swelled, and yet she fought valiantly, her determination unwavering.

But I was beginning to lose my patience. Watching her struggle was no longer entertaining; it was becoming tiresome.

Grasping the sword in my hand, clad in my demonic armor, I marched slowly across the darkness. Mila, still fending off the relentless assault of the shadow spawn, noticed my approach. Fear was evident in her eyes, yet she remained vigilant, ready to fight. With each step, even the darkness before me quivered in fear until eventually, I stood before the bridge on which Mila stood.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her voice filled with both fear and defiance.

"I wasn't planning to, but you've left me no choice," I responded coldly, my eyes locking onto hers.

"Then what was it all for? Why did you save me in the first place? Why did you come to the village?" Mila pressed, her confusion apparent.

Raising my hand to signal the shadows to stop their relentless assault, I took a deep breath, considering my answer carefully.

"Do you recall our very first mission together?" I asked, my voice softening slightly.

"What about it?" Mila replied, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"The Goblin Warlock... The one inside the cave. I was the one who killed it and raised it as an undead to test your strength,"

Shocked by my confession, Mila took a step back, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"What... Why?" she managed to utter.

"The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were someone worth testing, and now, with this new power of yours, I can't help but want to see what you're made of."

"I... I see... So you never had good intentions from the very beginning," Mila said, her voice trembling with a mixture of hurt and disappointment.

"No... I did not."

"In the midst of all your formidable powers, it's a tragedy that your heart remains cloaked in darkness, tainted by the very flames that fuel your strength."

"A heart... Is for the WEAK!" I roared defiantly, charging at Mila with my blade held high.

But with graceful ease, Mila countered, swiftly drawing her staff to meet my onslaught.

"Haven't you heard from Graybeard? Melee weapons excel in close combat!"

I swung my sword at her, and the sheer force shattered her staff like a twig, the blade's searing heat scorching the air around us.

Pressing the advantage, I advanced relentlessly, forcing Mila to retreat with every step.

As we neared the edge of the bridge, Mila teetered on the brink of the void below. Unleashing her wings, she instinctively propelled herself into the air, narrowly avoiding the fall.

I clutched the orb tightly in my hand, a surge of ancient power flowed through me, resonating with the dark energies that had consumed me for centuries.

With a deep breath, I focused my will, channeling the dormant energies that had been locked away for millennia. The orb responded to my command, its surface glowing with an otherworldly light, a beacon of the void's might.

I could feel the power building within me, a force beyond anything I had ever experienced. It was as if the void itself had chosen me as its vessel, allowing me to wield its full potential.

With my demonic magic mixed with the energies of the void flowing through my veins, I set my sights back on Mila, who struggled to maintain her stance in the air.