The World Is Mine For The Taking

Three people in the crowd started convulsing, their bodies twisting unnaturally.

I recognized one of them—Sirches, Kayla’s boyfriend. His body jerked violently, but the people around him didn’t even flinch. They kept clapping along with Sesillian, who stood there with his head raised like a god accepting their praise.

"What’s happening?" Rose asked, though her voice was muffled from the Guardian’s aura surrounding her.

"I’m wondering the same thing." I replied, trying to make sense of the situation. It didn’t feel like they were just convulsing. There was something more twisted going on, but I couldn’t quite figure it out yet.

Hmm?

Suddenly, I felt a surge of mana beneath me, something dark and massive brewing from below. What the hell was causing this?

Before I could react, the heads of the three convulsing men exploded, splattering blood and chunks of flesh everywhere in a grotesque display. The sickening mess spread across the floor like a bloody canvas, but even then, the crowd kept cheering, their hands clapping as if nothing had happened. Their attention was solely on Sesillian.

A rumbling shook the ground beneath us. Something was moving down there, something big enough to make the earth tremble. I scanned the room, but no one else seemed to notice—or maybe it was Sesillian’s influence keeping them oblivious.

"Now, now... let’s pause the applause for a moment," Sesillian’s voice echoed with smug confidence, "and allow me to give you the main agenda. Tonight, we will capture the Capital. It will serve as the main catalyst for summoning our lord, the Great Darkness. The People of the Eclipse are already preparing the summoning circle as we speak. And of course, the ritual requires a sacrifice. We’ve already met most of the requirements. All that remains is the blood of someone from the royal family."

It didn’t need to be said. That someone had to be Charlotte.

"This very place is part of the circle too," Sesillian continued. "My people have already drawn it beneath our feet without us even realizing it. Those three brave souls you just saw sacrifice themselves have provided their blood to fuel the circle, ensuring the success of the summoning. Let’s give them a round of applause, shall we?"

The crowd immediately clapped, louder than before, their cheers echoing through the ballroom.

"Thank you for dying for the greater good, Sirches!" Kayla called out, her voice filled with admiration. "This is why I fell in love with you! You’re so manly!"

Even though her boyfriend had just died in front of her, she thanked him with sincerity. The brainwashing had taken root in her completely.

"Ngh?!" Rose groaned beside me. I turned to see her clutching her head in pain. Even through the Guardian’s aura, Sesillian’s charm was starting to break through. This was bad—if Rose got brainwashed, I’d lose her completely.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Without wasting a second, I used Illusion Magic to conceal myself and slipped away unnoticed. I grabbed Rose’s body, flying out of the ballroom and crashing through one of the windows to escape the manor. Once we were out, I pushed us as far from the area as possible.

I’d already ordered the others to leave the manor and head away from the Capital, but I wasn’t sure if they’d made it out yet. I had to get Rose into their care, and fast.

But then… I noticed something strange.

A large glowing magic circle spread out beneath me. "Large" didn’t even begin to describe it—it encompassed the entire manor and stretched far beyond, like it was just one piece of an enormous puzzle. How long had they been working on this to get it this massive? I looked around and saw bodies everywhere, headless corpses littering the ground.

"The death toll must be in the thousands," I muttered to myself.

I couldn’t believe Sesillian had managed to take control of so many people. His Charm ability was terrifying on a whole new level, and the fact that even I could’ve been affected by it made it even worse.

As I kept running, the scene only grew more disturbing. A sea of bodies, all headless, stretched out before me. Some weren’t even members of the Eclipse—they were just unfortunate souls caught in the chaos, trampled underfoot. Others were still alive, crying and screaming for help, their voices.

"Amon, where are you?" I called her on the phone.

"We’re just about to exit the Capital, Master. We’ve been delayed by a crowd of people flooding the area, but Sandra and the others fought them off. You don’t have to worry about me, Ella, or Maya, Master," she responded calmly.

"I need you to stop for a bit. I’m coming your way—I’ve got Rose with me."

"Understood."

With that, I sped towards their location.

A few minutes later, I caught up with them. I handed Rose over to Bernadette.

"Master," Amon said, looking up at the sky. "Something feels off… Look at the moon."

I glanced up. The moon had turned blood red. "Yeah, I didn’t think Sesillian could pull off something this big, but I guess I’ve been underestimating him."

"Are you coming back?" she asked.

"I am," I said, meeting her gaze.

"Take care," she replied softly, pulling me into a hug. Her breasts pressed against me, the warmth of her body making me just a little too comfortable.

"Yeah, I will," I assured her, returning the hug.

While I was at it, I gave the others the same kind of affection. Ella blushed, her face turning red as she watched. Robyn, clearly uncomfortable, got a head pat instead, like I’d given to Bernadette. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Shadows," I addressed them, "I want you to protect as many civilians as you can after you’ve ensured everyone else’s safety. But if things get too dangerous, prioritize yourselves and escape. I don’t want any of you dying on me."

The Shadows all knelt before me, though Robyn was a bit slower, still getting used to this kind of command. But she knelt all the same.

"And after all of this," I continued, "I’ll take all of your virginities. So make sure you make it back."