Chapter 280: Consequences of the Invasion
The entire city was just empty, and...
"So many deaths..." She whispered, almost to herself, as she saw the bodies on the ground staining the gray with red. They were brave soldiers who had fought until their last breath to protect the kingdom they loved. Their armor was stained with blood and dust, and their faces frozen in expressions of pain and sacrifice. Each body seemed to tell a story of courage and tragedy.
"This is my fault." Guilt weighed heavily in her words as a lump formed in her throat. Aldria felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, as if each lost life was a personal burden, after all, she was the Empress. She had failed to protect those who depended on her, and now only devastation remained as a silent witness to her failure.
"I... am sorry for all of you." Aldria said, as she set her giant axe down on the ground, exhausted. The weight of the weapon finally seemed to match the weight in her heart. She had fought hour after hour against those vile and disgusting creatures; she had done everything, everything, to prevent anyone from dying... but it was inevitable...
Aldria knelt beside one of the bodies, a young man whose expression still reflected the fierce determination he had in life. Her trembling fingers touched his cold hand, a desperate attempt to share her sorrow. "You didn\'t deserve this," she murmured, her eyes filling with tears that burned like fire.
The wind blew gently, lifting the dust and debris around, as if the world itself was mourning with her. Each particle seemed charged with the echoes of the battles fought, lives lost, and dreams shattered. Aldria closed her eyes for a moment, trying to find some spark of hope or redemption amid the chaos.
"I will honor your deaths and your families, I\'m sorry for failing as an empress," she vowed, her voice firm despite the pain. "I will do everything in my power to honor your sacrifice." Rising slowly, a bit shaken, Aldria picked up her axe again, feeling the familiar weight that now seemed even heavier than before.
Suddenly, a presence was felt beside her. She turned quickly, senses alert, and found herself face-to-face with Dante. He appeared next to her like a silent shadow, his tall and imposing figure contrasting with the devastation around. His dark eyes were like abysses, reflecting the same pain and guilt Aldria carried, and his hair was blowing sideways, redder than blood.
"Dante..." she whispered, surprised. He always had a knack for showing up at the most unexpected moments, yet never seemed out of place. "You…"
"I\'m sorry. I wish I had come sooner, but I was too busy with Lucifer... I couldn\'t arrive quickly," he replied, his voice deep and calm.
"How did you... find me?" She asked, knowing she had completely concealed her presence, and none of those women could have found her.
"I just followed your steps. I figured this would happen," Dante said as he approached her to look at the bodies.
"Figured? What exactly?" She asked, not understanding, feeling that he spoke enigmatically.
"Your personality is like this, being the empress above all, without any modesty. It\'s a shame that your kindness doesn\'t fit into this... at this moment, you\'re holding back tears to stay strong, and blaming yourself for their deaths," Dante said calmly as he turned to her, extending his hand. "None of them died in vain. They chose to protect their home. It was an honorable death."
Aldria took his hand, feeling the firmness and warmth that contrasted with the coldness around. "It\'s my fault..." she murmured.
"I don\'t see it that way," Dante replied, his eyes meeting hers with a tranquil certainty. "You did what you could. They knew the risks and made their choices with courage."
His words, though harsh, carried a truth Aldria needed to hear. She felt a small spark of relief, but the pain and guilt were still there, pulsing beneath the surface. "I wish I could have done more," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
"Everything in its time, there\'s still much to be done... especially regarding the instigator of this problem," Dante said, placing his hand behind her neck and hugging her sideways. "I will wipe Lucifer from the face of the earth in the most brutal way possible," he continued, holding her tight. "And I will let the demons eat him alive."
Dante\'s words were cruel and made Aldria somewhat uncomfortable, but it wasn\'t as if she disagreed. She knew exactly that he would do it and in the manner he described. Unlike others, Dante was not someone who spoke just to speak. He spoke and acted, and that was something she found admirable about him.
"Let\'s go, we have much to discuss," Dante said, releasing her from the hug and extending his hand for her to hold.
"Alright, ..." Aldria replied, accepting his hand. Together, they began walking through the destroyed streets, the sounds of their footsteps echoing in the devastated silence.
"How was it on your end?" She asked, breaking the silence, and Dante sighed, "There were some even more serious problems... Let\'s just say we have two more demons to deal with now." Hearing this, Aldria raised her eyebrows, "Enemies?" She asked, but shaking his head, Dante looked at her.
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"Sarah\'s mother was corrupted, and we had to turn her into a demon." Dante said, and Aldria became curious again, "How did you do that?" She asked, and he smiled…
"Here comes the second demon... Lilith is in the human world... in fact, she\'s in your palace right now..." Dante said, with a crooked smile. Aldria couldn\'t read his expressions, unsure whether it was something bad or good.
"L-Lilith? You mean, the Demon Empress? The Progenitor of Demons? That woman who..." Aldria said, her voice heavy with surprise and confusion.
"Yes, the one who was in control of Hell... Well, she isn\'t anymore," Dante replied, showing Aldria a black ring.
"What is this?" Aldria murmured, not exactly knowing what it was but realizing it seemed important.
"Control of the entire Hell, in my hands," Dante said.
Aldria looked at the ring, trying to understand the implications. "So, Lilith abdicated control?"
"Exactly. She entrusted me with this power so I could use it against Lucifer," Dante explained, his voice firm. "She\'s here to help us defeat him. With Lilith on our side, we have a real chance."
"Also... we have something to handle together now... You haven\'t received the message yet, have you?" Dante asked, leaving Aldria confused.
"What message?" she asked, trying to follow his reasoning.
"The meeting of rulers will happen soon. I\'ve been invited," Dante replied, watching her reaction.
Aldria raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Meeting of rulers? I suppose it\'s because of the Demon Invasion in... damn it, Adam used to handle these things, I always stayed home..."
Dante shrugged, a slight smile appearing on his lips. "With my current position, I\'ll be involved in this political game... Besides, each ruler can bring only one guest. I\'ll bring Valentina with me. I suggest you bring one of the girls; the more, the better... They\'ll probably want to discuss the next steps in the fight against Lucifer and how we can unite our forces.
But honestly, I don\'t want to trust anyone but my family," Dante said as they climbed the palace stairs, facing several women waiting for him.
Morgana, Nagasawa, and Sara were on one side, animatedly discussing some important issue, accompanied by Lyrianna and Akiko, who seemed to have recovered well from recent injuries. On the other side, Voralith and Eldrax were engaged in a technical conversation about flying, something Eldrax was still perfecting, with a concentrated look on his face.
Vex was standing with arms crossed next to Lilith, apparently lost in his own thoughts, while Lilith leaned against a pillar, observing the activity with a keen and calculating gaze. Finally, Simon, Aaralyn, and Kaalindra were having an animated discussion about some relevant topic.
"Finally!" Velryna exclaimed, running from inside the palace, which was still in ruins. "I thought you\'d never return!"
Aldria and Dante approached, and Velryna stopped, out of breath. "We have important news to discuss. The meeting of rulers is approaching, and we need to prepare."
"Let\'s make some plans..." Dante said, "It\'s time to start causing some real Chaos."