Chapter 458 456-Eradicating the Curse of the Shadow Clan
Ethan, with Sherry's aid, swiftly regained his composure.
Already endowed with the formidable power of the Primordial Light, he found it relatively easy to recuperate from the assault of the God of Curses using this innate strength.
The additional support of Sherry's Power of Shadow only expedited his recovery, allowing Ethan to be battle-ready in less than a quarter of an hour.
Rising from the ground, Ethan couldn't shake off the vivid memories of the recent battle.
He felt that without Sherry's intervention, victory over the God of Curses might have eluded him.
"Sherry, I am deeply grateful for your assistance. Without you, I might have been utterly ensnared by the God of Curses' illusory curse," Ethan expressed sincerely.
Upon hearing this, a faint smile graced Sherry's face.
In her eyes, it was Ethan who had been her greatest savior.
Without him, she might have remained trapped in an eternal slumber.
"Don't say that. I believe it was you who saved me, not the other way around. Had you given up on me at the outset, I would have been lost to an everlasting sleep.You have saved me once again, and in doing so, you've also saved the Shadow Clan."
"During my ordeal in the God of Curses' illusion, I uncovered a crucial truth. The madness afflicting the Shadow Elves isn't due to our extraction of the Power of Shadow from them."
"Instead, it's entirely the result of the God of Curses' curse. By defeating the God of Curses, we can finally rid the Shadow Elves of their madness. I can also promise you that I will completely abandon the practice of drawing the Power of Shadow from the Shadow Elves."
"Our people of the Shadow Clan do not need to resort to such despicable methods to gain the powerful Power of Shadow. We are entirely capable of acquiring ample Power of Shadow through our own efforts."
"This, I believe, is what the successive High Priests of the Shadow Clan have always hoped I would achieve. While I was trapped in the curse's illusion, many of the Shadow Clan's High Priests came to my aid."
"They expressed profound regret for their past actions. They were acutely aware that extracting the Power of Shadow from the Shadow Elves was a violation of the fundamental principles of the God of Shadow."
Sherry spoke these words in one breath, indicating how deeply the events within the cursed illusion had impacted her.
Ethan simply nodded, not adding much else.
From his perspective, Sherry had articulated everything that needed to be said.
Their only task now was to hasten back to the territory of the Shadow Clan.
On their journey to the Shadow Clan's domain, Ethan and Sherry unexpectedly encountered Eck and a Shadow Elf.
Their meeting was tinged with a hint of awkwardness.
The Shadow Elf clearly harbored no warmth towards Sherry, viewing her as one of the key contributors to the Shadow Elves' descent into madness.
Ethan's demeanor towards Eck was equally frosty, having learned of Eck's various schemes while in the cursed illusion.
Eck found himself in the most uncomfortable position.
Though his plans had neither succeeded nor even commenced, he was acutely aware that they had been inherently antagonistic towards Ethan from the outset.
Eck approached Sherry and said, "Your Excellency, the High Priest, it is a great pleasure to see you awaken once again. With your return, our Shadow clan should no longer have to face any threats."
Sherry smiled and nodded in response, refraining from giving any immediate reply.
In truth, Sherry was well aware of Eck's previous plans.
While she believed that Eck's scheme posed little threat to Ethan, she couldn't condone his actions.
Ethan remained silent in the face of Eck's presence.
The fact that he hadn't already eliminated Eck was an act of mercy in itself.
Ethan knew all too well that engaging in conversation with Eck might only stoke his anger, potentially leading to Eck's demise.
"It appears you've successfully defeated the God of Curses. So, what is our plan now? Do you intend to fulfill your promise to me?"
Shadow Elf directly posed the most crucial question since no one else seemed inclined to speak.
Before teaming up with Shadow Elf and Ethan, Ethan had made a promise – he would do his utmost to persuade Sherry to cease extracting the Power of Shadow from Shadow Elf.
Shadow Elf now sought to confirm whether Ethan's commitment was genuine.
Ethan nodded in agreement, directing his gaze at Sherry.
After all, Sherry now held the position of High Priest among the Shadow clan, and only she could make the final decision.
With a gentle smile, Sherry began, "As the High Priest of the Shadow Clan, I hereby declare that no member of our clan shall extract the Power of Shadow from you Shadow Elves any longer."
"I will ensure that all Shadow Elves held in the Valhalla of our clan are released. They are free to return to the kingdom of the God of Shadow. You, as Shadow Elves, need not fear the resurgence of madness."
"This was not solely due to the loss of Power of Shadow, but more critically, it stemmed from the curse of the God of Curses."
The Shadow Elf received Sherry's words with evident joy, yet he harbored skepticism towards her assessment of the God of Curses.
While he was no admirer of the God of Curses, the Shadow Elf doubted the deity would engage in such actions.
He believed the God of Curses, powerful enough to be an adversary of the God of Shadow, had no need for such tactics.
"I appreciate your fulfillment of the promise, but I shall offer no further assistance to you. The help I have already provided should suffice," stated the Shadow Elf before swiftly departing.
He feared the possibility of Ethan and Sherry reneging on their word, and knew he stood no chance against them if they did.
Ethan, understanding the Shadow Elf's hasty departure, chose not to comment.
His attention then shifted to Eck.
"I am well aware of your previous plans. However, as I am not the High Priest of the Shadow Clan, I am not in a position to punish you, especially since your schemes were not directly aimed at me."
Ethan's words struck a chord of fear in Eck, but upon realizing that Ethan had decided against eliminating him, a fleeting smile crossed Eck's face.
However, Sherry's ensuing words plunged him back into deep regret.
"Indeed, Ethan may not target you, but as the High Priest, I shall impose your punishment. From this day forward, you shall no longer hold the position of an elder in our Shadow Clan."
"As the High Priest, I revoke your status as an elder and sentence you to three years of seclusion and reflection within your own home."
"If you choose to perpetrate evil during these three years, I will have you expelled from our clan's territory. You should consider yourself fortunate for the leniency of this punishment."
"We are all well aware of your past collaboration with Dart, who betrayed our Shadow Clan. Dart even plotted, with the aid of the God of Curses, to transform our people into cursed monsters. Do you really wish to become a cursed monster yourself?"
Faced with the words of Ethan and Sherry, Eck found himself speechless, having no choice but to nod in agreement with Sherry's verdict.
Upon Ethan and Sherry's return to the Shadow Clan's lands, the curses that had plagued their people had vanished, freeing them from the immense suffering they had endured.
The members of the Shadow Clan rejoiced at the sight of Sherry.
To them, the presence of their High Priest signified that the most perilous times for their clan had passed.
"Our Shadow Clan need not worry any longer; we have successfully neutralized all threats! We must extend our gratitude to Ethan once again for this triumph. Without Ethan, our people would have been transformed into the monstrous minions of the God of Curses!"
As the High Priest of the Shadow Clan, it was imperative for Sherry to first soothe the hearts of her people, seeking to bring them a sense of calm.
However, following this reassurance, she felt it necessary to once again emphasize their debt of gratitude towards Ethan.
His contribution to the welfare of the Shadow Clan was undeniably paramount this time.
The threat that the God of Curses posed to the Shadow Clan far exceeded that of Dart.
Dart could even be considered merely a pawn of the God of Curses.
Without the God of Curses, Dart would have been incapable of posing any real threat to Ethan.
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