After Nithroel disappeared from the manor grounds, Gaya approached Michael, noticing the parchment he held on his head.
"Did you say your goodbyes to your sister?" Gaya asked playfully, smiling with curiosity. She had always found Michael's affection for Sabrina intriguing, considering his animosity towards the rest of the Winston family. However, Michael remained silent, and his serious demeanor caught Gaya's attention. She couldn't help but come closer, kissing him on the cheek in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"Somebody seems serious," she teased, but Michael still didn't respond. Concerned, Gaya took the parchment from his hand and glanced at the image and the name written on it. Her smile vanished, replaced with shock and anger.
"Why the hell do you have this asshole's picture?" Gaya's voice trembled with emotion. She had learned from Adelia about her true parentage—how Ingram, the elder vampire, was her real father. Known as the oldest among the elder vampires, his age remained a mystery, possibly over a thousand years. Gaya inherited his vampire genes, which, combined with Adelia's naga genes, made her an extraordinarily powerful being.
"Nithroel wants Aria and her team to find him and kill him," Michael explained calmly. His words sent shockwaves through Gaya, leaving her stunned and overwhelmed by the revelation.
Conflicting emotions surged within Gaya. She knew Ingram had caused her mother Adelia immense pain, but she couldn't help feeling a strange connection to him as her biological father. The realization that someone wanted him dead stirred a turmoil of thoughts and feelings in her heart.
Gaya took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. Her gaze met Michael's, and she saw the understanding and compassion in his eyes. He knew how complicated this situation was for her.
Gaya was struggling with a mix of emotions. The revelation of Ingram being her father had complicated her feelings towards him. On one hand, she despised him for abandoning her mother, Adelia. Having never known him and only recently discovering their biological connection, there was no love in her heart for Ingram. Yet, he was still her father, and the idea of killing him felt wrong.
"What did you say?" Gaya asked, seeking clarity from Michael. She was unsure of what answer she expected from her husband, but she needed to understand his decision.
"I said it'll be done," Michael replied calmly. As the Dark Lord, he was accustomed to making tough decisions daily, and this was no exception.
"What? Why the fuck?" Gaya's shock and confusion were evident in her voice.
"He's Nithroel's target, and she wants him dead if we are to remain allies," Michael explained.
Gaya's mind raced with questions. She wondered what Ingram had done to provoke such a reaction from Nithroel. Did Michael inquire about the reason behind her desire for Ingram's death?
"She didn't say why, only that it's a condition for her continued support," Michael responded to Gaya's unspoken question.
Michael realized that the task of killing Ingram was far more complicated than he initially thought. His plan to ally with Dagon, the ruler of hell, against the Pantheon added another layer of complexity. Unbeknownst to him, Ingram was a loyal servant of Dagon, and killing him might not be well-received by the powerful ruler. On the other hand, refusing to kill Ingram could cost him Nithroel's support, which was crucial for his future endeavors. Additionally, Adelia, Gaya's mother, would be devastated if Michael killed her husband, further complicating the situation.
As the weight of the situation bore down on him, Michael felt the immense burden of his choices. He knew he needed to find a solution that protected his allies and kept his plan intact. However, the path ahead was filled with uncertainty, and Michael was well aware that each decision he made would have far-reaching consequences.
"Why the fuck did you agree?" Gaya punched Michael in the shoulder and demanded an explanation.
"I had no choice," Michael replied, feeling the weight of his decision bearing down on him.
"For fuck's sake, Michael," Gaya moved closer to him and whispered, her frustration evident in her voice.
"Even if I agree to kill Ingram, I don't think mother would approve. Despite trying to kill him a couple of times, she still loves him. That's just how women are," Gaya whispered. Her words brought a chuckle to Michael's face, providing a brief moment of relief amidst the seriousness of their conversation.
"That's how women are? So when do you plan to try to kill me?" Michael joked.
"Don't joke around, idiot. I'm serious," Gaya rolled her eyes, her emotions still running high. "Besides, you kinda sealed your fate when you chose to marry me."
Realizing the gravity of their situation, Gaya proposed a solution. "Then we must fake his death. Let Nithroel believe we killed him, but only tell Mother we didn't. That way, we can satisfy both ends."
While it seemed like a great idea, Michael knew it wouldn't be easy to deceive Nithroel, a fallen god and the goddess of hunting. Faking Ingram's death might not be enough to fool her.
"I don't think we can fool Nithroel. We have to kill him and make it look like an accident," Michael said, his voice serious and resolute.
The prospect of killing her own father weighed heavily on Gaya's heart, but she understood the necessity of the situation. As the Dark Lord and his wife, they were faced with difficult decisions that required sacrifice and strategic thinking.
"I have a feeling Nithroel might not be what she seems, Michael. We need to be careful around her. If we could find Ingram, we might be able to figure out why Nithroel wants him dead," Gaya expressed her concern. contemporary romance
"Whatever her reason might be, we cannot afford to lose Nithroel as our ally," Michael asserted. Despite Gaya's desire to find a better solution, she knew that Nithroel's aid was crucial for their future plans.
While they were contemplating Nithroel's request, Michael called Azazel to him. "Azazel, bring Saber and Aria to me," he commanded.
Soon, Saber and Aria appeared before the Dark Lord and the Dark Queen, bowing respectfully. Azazel stood behind Michael, ready to assist as needed.
"Saber, Aria, I want the two of you to work together and find this man," Michael handed the parchment to Saber. When Saber opened it and saw the portrait of Ingram, he was taken aback, just like Gaya had been.
"My Lord, this is Ingram," Saber acknowledged. Only Gaya, Azazel, and a select few knew that Ingram was Gaya's father.
"I want you to find him and inform me as soon as you locate him. Do not approach him, and if he finds you, immediately back off. You are not to engage him under any circumstances," Michael instructed firmly.
Saber and Aria nodded, understanding the seriousness of their task. Once they received their orders and disappeared to carry them out, Lenora and Trista approached Michael and Gaya. Both of them knelt before the Dark Lord, showing their respect and gratitude.
Lenora couldn't believe that the Dark Lord had brought her back from the brink of death, constructing her a new body. Being an elder vampire, she knew the odds were against her, but Michael's power and determination had defied those odds. Trista, too, was filled with gratitude towards Michael, knowing that he had fulfilled his promise to her by rebuilding Lenora's body.
"I have eternal gratitude for you, my lord," Lenora expressed her heartfelt thanks. Her new body, skillfully crafted by the Phoenix project, had strengthened her vampiric abilities to new heights, making her a formidable force.
Michael turned his attention to the next task at hand. "I have a new mission for both of you. Since the Skyhall execution team has eliminated our allies, we have lost control of the southern continent, including Tiberius's freedom land. It's time we reclaim our authority over the region. Your job is to work with Sadie, recruit new members, and discreetly reestablish our control. If necessary, you may employ the death squad to eliminate the Skyhall execution team but ensure their deaths appear to be accidents. We don't want the Skyhall suspecting our involvement behind the scenes," Michael instructed, entrusting Trista and Lenora with the responsibility of regaining control over the Southern continent.
"Consider it done, my lord. When you next venture into the Southern continent, our subordinates will be the ones ruling and governing the land," Lenora vowed, determination evident in her words.
"So, what's the plan now?" Gaya asked, looking at Michael after everyone had left.
"I have one more thing I must do before heading to the realm of gods," Michael replied, cracking his knuckles. Inside his mind, memories of his intense battle with Evan resurfaced.
"It's time for me to become a demigod and deal with Evan once and for all. Salesi has shown her power, but now she'll experience what it means to be on the world's number one hitman's list," Michael declared with a mix of snickering and confidence, knowing that he was renowned as the most skilled and deadly assassin.
"Let me kill that bitch," Gaya growled with anger, her eyes blazing.
"When you find her, you're free to take her out. But finding her won't be easy," Michael replied, acknowledging the challenge of tracking down Salesi, who had managed to evade them until now.
After gathering the Dark Seeds, Michael had everything he needed to step into the second level of Godhood—the Demigod level. He had already chosen a secluded and powerful location where he would trigger the Heavenly Tribulation to ascend to the next stage of his divine power.
Once he became a Demigod, Michael knew he would possess enough power to confront Evan without any fear. Even though Evan had been turned into a god by Salesi's contraption, he would no longer be a threat to Michael, the God of Darkness. Michael's newfound power would ensure that Evan's abilities were nothing compared to his own.
However, Michael was not interested in a direct confrontation with Evan. Instead, he wanted to take him out in an old-school style assassination, leaving no trace of his involvement. Michael was a master of stealth and deception, and he relished the idea of taking down Evan from the shadows.
Unaware that the Dark Lord had survived and orchestrated his own death as a ruse, Evan spent his days in bliss with his fiancée, Victoria, completely oblivious to the impending danger that loomed over him. Little did he suspect that Michael had singled him out as the next target before embarking on his journey into the realm of gods.
(This is the end of the Battle Between the Gods Arc. From the next chapter, the Realm of Gods arc will begin)
done.co