After dispatching the Skyhall angels, Michael carried Sabrina in his arms and swiftly flew away from the dark ocean. Within minutes, they landed on the worn-out premises of an abandoned castle in Kingdom Gisel. Michael, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, spoke with a solemn tone.
"Sabrina, why have you come here?" he inquired, his eyes scanning the vast expanse before him.
"You know why I am here. I want to stop my brothers from killing each other," Sabrina replied, her hands fidgeting nervously as she stood a few meters away from him on the rooftop.
"Though we share the same mother, Sabrina, I am not your brother. I have never been and never will be. So, I will fight Noah not as a sibling, but as the Dark Lord, as the world has labeled me," Michael firmly asserted, unwavering in his determination to face Noah in battle.
As Michael continued to gaze into the distance, Sabrina mustered her courage and closed the distance between them, taking hold of Michael's hand.
"You are my brother. No matter what you think or what the world says, I don't care. You are my brother," Sabrina proclaimed, her eyes welling up with tears.
Caught off guard by Sabrina's words, Michael slowly turned his head, his gaze meeting hers.
"We both understand that the Skyhall seeks to manipulate the situation, forcing you and Noah into this conflict. But you two possess the strength to face any challenge. Stand against the Skyhall and destroy them," Sabrina pleaded, her words tinged with a hint of uncertainty.
"I am fighting the Skyhall, Sabrina. I will destroy them but your brother is standing in my way. Let me ask you this Sabrina, will Noah back down from this fight?" Michael asked, his voice tinged with a mix of certainty and curiosity.
As anticipated, Sabrina remained silent, unable to provide a definitive response to Michael's query.
"There was a time I tried to change the world's view of me. But not anymore. I am tired of explaining my state to the world," Michael sighed, his weariness evident in his voice.
""You killed his wife, Ghost. I understand she was always a bitch to you for what you did to her brother but you could have knocked her out easily but you killed her. Would you back off of this fight if something happened to Gaya?" Sabrina challenged Michael, her words filled with a mixture of understanding and concern.
"The battle between Noah and me is inevitable," Michael replied resolutely, though Sabrina shook her head in disagreement.
"I refuse to stand idly by and watch my brothers kill each other," Sabrina asserted, her determination shining through.
"Regardless of the outcome, Sabrina, you will always have a brother," Michael said, his voice softening as he gently caressed her head.
""You know, your mother abandoned me when I was a baby. Noah is hell-bent on fighting me. Rowena could have put an end to the Skyhall long ago and your father Ethan is a man who failed to protect his family.. However, you, Sabrina, are innocent in all of this," Michael expressed a hint of sorrow in his eyes.
"In another life, I would have cherished you as my little sister. I apologize for being unable to be the big brother you long for. To this world and your family, I am the Dark Lord who must die," Michael concluded, his gaze turning cold, and the warmth of his smile fading away.
"But I don't die. I am the one who kills. They tossed me into a void when I was just a baby, hoping I won't come back. But here I am," Michael's voice grew rough, and Sabrina felt the darkness around them intensify, a tangible display of his power as the God of Darkness.
"Ghost, I don't believe our mother willingly abandoned you. Something must have happened, I can see it in your eyes. Deep down, you know that there is more to the story. The Skyhall has manipulated everyone, including you. Please, consider this and don't let them control you," Sabrina pleaded, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"The ones who were truly manipulated are your brother Noah and your sister Rowena. But regardless of the outcome, whether I win or Noah does, the Skyhall will be destroyed. You will be reunited with your family and can lead a happy life," Michael remarked, brushing Sabrina's eyes. Although he didn't openly express his love as a brother, his simple gesture conveyed his inherent kindness and care.
"I understand your intentions, Sabrina. You don't want this fight. However, the decision is not mine to make. Salesi is currently manipulating your brother, Noah, and I don't blame him. Killing me seems to be the only choice he believes will save his family. Tell him that I will meet him on the battlefield," Michael stated, retrieving a simple silver chain from his storage and handing it to Sabrina.
"Accept this as a gift from me. I despise your Winston family, but not you. You have always held a special place in my heart," Michael smiled and gently pinched Sabrina's cheek.
"After this battle concludes, your family will find their way back to you," Michael assured Sabrina. They then sat together on the rooftop, quietly contemplating the horizon. Sabrina understood that persuading her brothers to change their minds was an impossible task. Despite her desperate desire to prevent their clash, she had no means to intervene. So, she chose to sit beside Michael and spend some precious moments with him as his little sister.
Eventually, Michael bid farewell to Sabrina and made his way to the mountain peak where he had first encountered Nithroel. As night fell, the mountaintop was engulfed in darkness, with only the half-moon casting a faint glow. Emerging from the shadows of the trees, Nithroel joined Michael atop the mountain.
"I told you never to return to the mortal realm until you reach the Celestial stage," Nithroel admonished.
"I intended to follow that instruction, but I received an anonymous note," Michael replied, handing a piece of parchment to Nithroel.
Taking the parchment, Nithroel read its contents aloud.
"I was planning to, but I received an anonymous note," Nithroel recited the chilling words written on the note.
"Do you have any idea who might have sent this note?" Nithroel inquired.
"Salesi, who else?" Michael shrugged.
"The Queen of Nagaland. So she has been working against you," Nithroel mused, to which Michael nodded in agreement.
"While you were in Itonys, Evan approached me with a proposition. He wanted me and my army to join forces with him in the battle against you. I always suspected that Evan wasn't acting alone. Could he be working for Salesi?" Nithroel questioned.
"Hmm," Michael acknowledged.
"And how did you respond to his offer?" Michael asked.
"What do you think? I said no. As far as the mortals concerned, i don't align with you or Noah. I may be the goddess of hunt but I like to be the empress more. So the lives and livelihood of my citizens is far more important than anything," Nithroel explained.
As she spoke, Michael retrieved a parchment and handed it to Nithroel.
"Keep this with you and read it after my battle with Noah," Michael instructed.
Placing the scroll safely in her space ring, Nithroel shifted her gaze from the distant horizon to Michael.
"You should be aware that your former disciple, Olivia, is assisting Noah in creating pills and potions for his army. The Skyhall has provided Noah with a formidable force, and every kingdom in Elon and Ozer continents has been mobilized. While many kings and queens may not have wished to fight against you, they had no choice. I hope you have an army capable of standing against them," Nithroel informed Michael.
"Olivia, huh?" Michael mumbled, his mind filled with memories of the time he spent teaching her alchemy.
"I suspect that Noah has gathered the god-killing arrows and distributed them among his trusted allies. Olivia might be one of them. Shouldn't you try to obtain the arrows for yourself?" Nithroel questioned, but Michael shook his head.
"I already possess two arrows, and Noah is helping me by gathering all the arrows and bringing them to me," Michael revealed.
"Whatever your plan may be, you should execute it swiftly. If I were in Salesi's position, I would engage you in River Town. It holds sentimental value for you, and your warships would be rendered ineffective there," Nithroel advised, sharing her insights about the upcoming battle.
"I don't care where the battle takes place. I just want it to be over," Michael sighed, feeling weary from the planning and preparation.
"You do realize that I won't be aiding you in the battle, right?" Nithroel asked, and Michael nodded in acknowledgment.
"Don't die, Ghost. If Noah can defeat you, you stand no chance against the Pantheon. So, if you fall, better stay dead," Nithroel warned before disappearing from the mountaintop, utilizing her teleportation scroll, leaving Michael alone with his thoughts.
In the solitude and silence, Michael took a deep breath and strategized his next moves. With the battle looming near, he knew his priority was to gather his undead army and the vampires who retreated to the Undead Island.
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