Chapter 367: The Price Of Power
[Music recommendation: Halsey, Amy Lee - Hand That Feeds (ROCK VERSION)]
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Eve’s white gown trailed through the muddy field, its pristine fabric a stark contrast to the filth around her as she steadily approached the vile creature.
With every step, fleeting memories of Selene acting as a loving mother flashed in her mind, only to be overwritten by the horrific reality: the sessions of being beaten and bloodied, followed by the cruel erasing of her memories. Every sweet moment was replaced by the harsh, ugly truth of the woman’s cruelty during Eve’s most defenceless years.
However, Eve’s eyes shed no tears this time.
Her heart did not ache as it had when she first learned the truth. There was no longer any sense of loss.
The "Eve" who had loved this woman died the moment Selene ruthlessly drove that dagger into her heart. She had finally accepted that this monster was never her mother.....not anymore that she had truly met her divine parent, Goddess Theia.
Making her way to the woman who had caused her so much suffering, Eve came to a stop a few paces away. She tilted her head ever so slightly, her golden eyes assessing Selene’s new form before she finally spoke.
"You know... I have heard that one must often pay a heavy price to gain such power. In your case, it seems the price was simply embracing the ugliness that already resided within you. I must say, it suits you much better."
"Shut up, you b*tch!" Selene spat in rage.
She glared at Evelyn with venomous eyes. Eve’s beautiful, glowing form was a stark reminder of her own grotesque appearance, sending waves of jealousy and envy through her black, corrupt heart.
"B*tch?" Eve repeated, her tone dropping into something far more chilling, her calm now edged with quiet menace. "Do you even understand that word, Zafira?"
She took a step forward.
"A b*tch is a woman who throws herself at a man already bound to another... a man who never spared her even a single glance."
She took another step.
"A b*tch is someone who steals the body of an innocent woman, toys with a king’s heart, and deceives an entire kingdom behind a carefully crafted lie... all while obsessing over a man who was never hers."
Her eyes darkened further.
"A b*tch is someone who, alongside her accomplice, tortures a child who only ever craved her mother’s love... then robs that child of even the memory of that pain, just to preserve a false image of purity."
Her voice lowered further, each word sharper than the last.
"A b*tch is someone who drives a blade into the heart of the very child she brought into this world... for nothing but greed... and lust."
Eve paused, "And now... that child has returned to teach you the consequences of sins so deep they would put even hell to shame."
Zafira fell silent as Evelyn’s sharp words sank in, only to burst into a wicked fit of laughter. The sound was so disturbing that Evelyn briefly wondered if she should shut her ears just to escape the grating, dual-toned noise.
"Aww... did I hurt your feelings, Evelyn?" Selene cooed mockingly, her voice crackling with malice as she studied Eve’s emotionless face. "You look like you’re about to cry. Should I console you... just like I used to when you were my innocent little Eve?"
She waited, expecting a reaction, some flicker of pain or anger.
But nothing came.
Even as the seconds stretched into a long, tense silence, Eve stood tall and unmoved, as though her words held no power over her at all.
The lack of response made Selene’s expression darken.
Her laughter died.
She clicked her snake-like tongue, "Well... anyhow, I suppose this must have been very traumatising for you. So let me make it easier."
A cruel smile twisted across her lips.
"First, I’ll put you back to sleep, like a good mother should..."
Her eyes gleamed with twisted intent.
"And then I’ll go and claim my man... who seems to be in need of comfort after fighting Lord Azrath for so long."
On hearing Selene, Eve felt something snap within her at the way she spoke about going to Ivan.
A cold smile slowly graced her lips.
"Oh... you think you could comfort him?" she said softly. "Do you truly believe you could ever do that without being charred to a crisp... something you already resemble?"
And that did it.
Selene let out another furious, double-voiced scream before launching herself at Evelyn.
Eve’s smile only widened as she scoffed, "How foolish."
She raised her own sword, which brimmed with ancient magic.
The two women clashed their blades with such force that the impact sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. Solan, standing not far away, was nearly caught in the brunt of the collision.
But just as the energy surged toward him, Septimus stepped in front of the king, casting a powerful shield to protect him.
Solan was shaken by the new truths Evelyn had brought to light during her exchange with Selene. A cold shiver ran down his spine as the reality of Evelyn’s childhood suffering finally dawned on him.
He had been completely blind to the fact that Selene had been torturing the girl behind his back. Worse yet, he had never realised that this creature had stolen the real Selene’s body before she had ever entered his world.
He felt like a total fool, realising he had been played in such a disgraceful manner. He had never truly suspected the woman of committing such atrocities against their child.
And to think that the torment had continued later under Elara... that was even more despicable, for that was a cruelty he had been somewhat aware of.
Keeping his eyes fixed on the fierce battle between the two women, Solan whispered, "Septimus... how? How can I ever redeem myself? Evelyn... she has suffered so much, whether I knew of it or not. I was supposed to protect her."
Septimus remained quiet as he watched the clash unfolding before them. "That is something you will have to figure out on your own, Your Majesty. And it is something you will have to live with."
Solan fell silent for a moment before asking, "Do... do you know who the accomplice was? The one Evelyn just spoke of?"
Septimus’s lips pressed into a thin line. "It was Clair. The Goddess showed me exactly what those two vile women did to her."
A fresh wave of shock rocked Solan. His voice was barely a whisper. "The nanny?"
"Yes."
That was all, Septimus replied. His eyes remained cold as he continued to follow every move Eve and Selene made, leaving Solan alone with his devastating thoughts.
Septimus and Solan were not the only ones witnessing the battle between the two women. Iskara and Regulus, who had just slain two of the giant demons on their own, turned their attention toward them.
Iskara’s eyes softened. "Thank the Goddess for returning Evelyn to us," he said in a low voice.
Regulus’s lips pulled into a small smile. "Hm... and it seems she is here to end this all."
Iskara’s gaze drifted to Ivan, who was locked in his own fierce battle with the demon prince. He looked around to see Cece, Damien, Oliver, Edward, Alex, Caleb, and the others fighting with everything they had. "Our children are fighting with all their strength, Regulus," he commented.
"They have grown into good, responsible adults, Iskara. If I were their enemy, I would be worried," Regulus replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
Iskara gave a small nod. "Irene would be so proud of them, had she been here today."
Regulus released a sigh. "I am sure she is watching over us all now. Especially... them."
Regulus’s eyes moved to Ivan and then back to Evelyn. At that moment, she unleashed a powerful attack from her sword, sending Selene crashing against a large rock.
Eve did not give the woman a chance to recover. She flashed forward, seizing Selene’s single horn. The demoness screamed in pain as Eve yanked it harshly, using the grip to hoist her into the air before whirling around and hurling her across the battlefield.
A blood-curdling scream tore from Selene’s lips.
She clutched her forehead, only to find her horn missing. Her yellow slit eyes widened in horror as her gaze snapped back to Eve, who still held the severed horn in her grip like a trophy.
"My horn!" she shrieked.
Eve simply raised a brow. "You mean this filthy thing?"
She lifted her hand, the horn now levitating above her palm. A cold smirk curved her lips as she slowly closed her fist.
The horn glowed with golden light before it shattered into countless fragments...crumbling into dust.
"I’ll fucking kill you!!!!" Selene shrieked as she stumbled to her feet before raising her sword-like hands once again, summoning the same ultimate attack she had used on Solan.
But the moment she hurled the black sphere of dark magic towards Evelyn, Eve did not wait for it to reach her.
Instead, she moved with the speed of lightning, gliding forward with effortless grace, her white dress flowing behind her as she raised her radiant hand and caught the sphere of dark magic directly.
Every single person gasped in shock at the sight.
