Vol.7 Ch.405 Getting A Visit From Ellie’s Ancestors

Rya just gave Johnathan a small, reassuring smile, and then she turned to look at the Baroness who was still sitting on the floor, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. On one hand, she’s never felt so alive, so full of energy, so… powerful. Her senses were heightened, her thoughts clearer, her body humming with a vitality she hadn’t felt in years. On the other hand, what did she give up for this? She had to be tricked, corrupted, turned into… this. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. She was a Halewood first and a Dule second, and a Halewood never gives up.

“I-I won’t become your slave! I won’t bow down to you! I don’t care how much power you give me! I will fight you until my dying breath!” Elizabeth’s voice was weak and lacked the usual fire it once had. She was trying to sound defiant, but the words came out as a hollow, desperate plea. She slowly got to her feet, her legs trembling with the effort. She looked at her hands, which now seemed softer, more delicate, the skin smooth and unblemished. She then felt the weight of her new breasts, the unexpected, unfamiliar fullness a constant, undeniable reminder of the change. And beneath the skirt of her dress, she could feel the strange, new curve of her hips. She couldn’t help but glance at her husband, whose eyes were burning with a hunger that was both thrilling and terrifying.

Johnathan was looking at her like a starving man who had just been presented with a feast. He had always loved her, but this… this was different. This was raw, primal desire.

Rianna couldn’t help but laugh, “Well, Ellie. I didn’t know that you could pull off a corset with a bust like that. I might need to get one for myself.”

Elizabeth’s face burned with embarrassment, and she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide the new, more generous curves that her own mana had bestowed upon her. She wanted to retort, to say something scathing and cutting, but the words were caught in her throat.

“Elizabeth… I know this is a lot to take in. But I promise you, I’m not your enemy. I’m just trying to help. And this curse that has been affecting your family for generations… I had to remove it. It was… a parasite,” Rya said, her voice a low, soothing murmur.

“Parasite!?” Elizabeth looked at the dark elf with wide, disbelieving eyes. She then remembered what she was taught about the blessing that was given to her ancestors by the High Elves.

(Flashback to Elizabeth’s childhood)

A younger Elizabeth, maybe seven or eight, was sitting in a lavish library, her small hands tracing the gilded spines of ancient tomes. Her mother, Lady Annelise Halewood, a woman with sharp features and an even sharper tongue, watched her with a critical eye.

“Remember, Elizabeth,” her mother’s voice was a cold, brittle thing, devoid of warmth. “The blessing our family received is a sacred trust. It is a shield, a protection against the insidious lure of forbidden power. The Ashenhorn and their demonic pawns preyed on the weak-willed, those who succumbed to base desires. Our ancestor, Lord Caelan Halewood, was chosen by the High Elves to be a bulwark against this corruption. His line was given this gift to ensure we would never fall.”

“But Mother,” young Elizabeth asked, her voice a small, hesitant whisper. “What did they do? What was the gift?”

Lady Annelise’s lips tightened into a thin, disapproving line. “They cleansed our very essence, child. They purged the impure, the lustful, the… frailty of our soul. They replaced it with clarity, with unwavering devotion to the path of righteousness. It is why we must remain vigilant, why we must shun any hint of the temptations they fought. We are Halewoods. We are pure. We are strong.” Her gaze fell upon a doll on a nearby shelf, a crudely carved thing given to Elizabeth by a servant. Its painted smile seemed to mock her. “Affection is a weakness. Joy, a distraction. Duty to fight the darkness is our only purpose. For giving in to these… temptations is how the Ashenhorn, Succubi, and Incubi claimed their first victims. For dark powers are a parasite on our very souls.”

(End Flashback)

The memory faded, replaced by the searing, electric reality of the present. The words, once a source of pride and identity, now felt like poison in her mind. Like they were lies told to a child so that she could be more easily controlled. The very word “parasite” echoed in her ears, a damning condemnation of everything she believed she was.

“Parasite?” she repeated, her voice a hollow echo of her mother’s. Her eyes, now impossibly green, darted around the room, not seeing the concerned faces, but seeing the ghosts of her ancestors, their stern, judgmental gazes boring into her soul.

“No! My mother’s curse should have died! How has it survived!?” Roared the ghost of, Caelan Halewood, the fourth son of the High Succubus, Asmodea, inside her mind. His booming voice rattling her skull.

“We must stop this before—”

“Well, well, well… Looks like my traitorous son has failed to eradicate my bloodline,” said a sultry female voice. It was the first Succubus, Asmodea, her voice was like honey. Soon another ghostly being appeared next to Caelan and he looked at her in fear, but the succubus didn’t have malice or anger towards him, it was more of curiosity. “Oh, my dear child. You have so much to learn. You’ve been listening to the lies of those pointy-eared pretenders for far too long.”

“No! I refuse to listen to your foul—Gah!”

Caelan vanished when she mother flinched him in the forehead with her spectral finger. Soon the others vanished as well. The Succubus then turned to Elizabeth, her eyes were glowing a vibrant green.

“My dear, dear, Elizabeth. You look spectacular… You remind me of my first daughter. She had the same fire in her eyes as you do. And look at you, with all that pent up sexual frustration. Don’t worry. Your mother was the same way when she was your age. It’s in our blood to be… passionate,” Asmodea’s voice was a low, seductive purr that sent a shiver down Elizabeth’s spine.

“I-I’m not… passionate. I’m… I’m… a Halewood,” Elizabeth stammered, her voice a little shaky.

Asmodea giggled, “And you are as tough as my true love… Prince Glennon Halewood. He was so cute when ignoring me. No other human man could resist me, but his resolve was stronger than a dragon’s hide. And his stamina are far more… impressive,” Asmodea’s voice was laced with a mix of admiration and desire, as if she were recalling a fond memory.

“W-Who are you?” Elizabeth asked, her voice a little shaky.

“I am your Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother… A few greats more than I can count. But I wanted to see who from my surviving line would be broken free from my idiot son’s betrayal. Would you believe that he used his own magic on me and his siblings? All because he thought we, including himself, were evil? Hah! Signing that blood contract from the High Elves only delayed what I have been planning for my bloodline for the last ten thousand years.”

Elizabeth’s heart was racing as she tried to process what was happening. She was talking to a ghost, a ghost of her ancestor, a succubus who was supposed to be a demon, an evil creature that her family had fought against for generations. But if this demon was right, then she and her children were part demon?

“I… I don’t understand,” Elizabeth stammered, her voice a little shaky.

“It’s simple, my dear. My son was a fool. He believed the lies of the High Elves, and he allowed them to place a curse on our bloodline after he betrayed his family and I used the last of my powers to make sure my family line remained strong. Even if those stupid hoity-toity elves turned my bloodline into something they are not. And now thanks to this dark elf princess, you and your children will finally get a chance to see what our family line can truly do,” Asmodea’s voice was a low, seductive purr that sent a shiver down Elizabeth’s spine.

“Dark elf… princess? You mean… Rya?” Elizabeth asked, her voice a little shaky.

“That’s her name!? I would have thought she would have something more?… Dominating? Well, whatever! She’s one of the best healings I’ve ever seen! To have that much mana to rid a terrible curse like that is nothing to scoff at. You should be thanking her, my dear. Not fighting her. She’s done our family a great service. Now it’s time for you to show her what a Halewood… Or should I say Dule?… can do. And I’m not talking about that righteous crap that my son spewed out of his mouth and forced it down our line. I’m talking about being a true ally to the King of Fiafyr. Creating a land free for all species, and not just the humans. And the best part is… you can be as slutty as you want. Hehehe!” Asmodea’s voice was laced with a mix of admiration and desire, as if she were a proud grandmother who was eager to see her granddaughter blossom.

“But… I’m old… A-And I’m already a mother… I can’t be… Like that,” Elizabeth stammered, her voice a little shaky.

Asmodea let out a sultry laugh, “Age is just a number, my dear. And being a mother doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun. In fact, since you bagged such a man, you should probably start training to keep up with him. He looks like he’s a beast in the sack… And that bulge he’s showing… Mmm… Just like his Great-Great-Great-Great… Hehe! I can’t remember how many greats it was for that Alexander Dule and his line. But the men in your husband’s line are quite impressive… Only the Meredydd’s are better, but that’s a given. Since that line is the decent of the Demon Prince… Now if you will excuse me, I have to go and see how my other surviving descendants are doing. I need to tease them about three of my babies are free from the curse. Ta-ta, my dear. Have fun,” Asmodea’s voice was a low, seductive purr that sent a shiver down Elizabeth’s spine.

Elizabeth watched as the ghost of her great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother vanished into thin air, leaving her alone in her mind with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

***

Rya, Rianna, Amelia, Johan, Tayna, and Johnathan were all standing around Elizabeth with a confused look written on their faces. The Baroness looked like she was spaced out, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and awe. She was staring at nothing in particular, her mind lost in a fog of confusion and disbelief.

“Elizabeth? Are you alright?” Rianna asked, her voice a low, concerned murmur.

Johan waved his hand in front of his mother’s face, but she didn’t even flinch.

“Is she in shock?” Tayna asked, her voice a little shaky.

Amelia was about to say something, but then Elizabeth blinked her eyes and took a deep breath.

The first thing she saw was her husband’s throbbing bulge in his pants. And for some reason, it didn’t disgust her.

“Elizabeth?… Are you there?” Johnathan asked as he tried to look his wife in the eyes.

But her eyes stayed locked on his bulge. Asmodea’s words echoed in her mind. ‘You should probably start training to keep up with him.’

‘I-I’m not a harlot… And I don’t need to do such… things,’ Elizabeth thought, but a part of her was curious. She had never given her husband a blowjob before, even though he had asked her to do it many times in their younger years. But she always refused, telling him it was dirty and improper. But now… now she was wondering what it would be like. And from the look on his face, it seemed like he was more than ready to receive it.

“Elizabeth… Elizabeth! Ellie, wake up!” Johnathan said as he snapped his fingers in front of her face.

She finally flinched, and her eyes moved up to his. “Hm?… Did you say something, my love?” she asked, her voice a little softer than usual.

Johnathan’s eyes widened in surprise. He had never heard his wife use that tone before. It was… alluring.

“I-I… I was just wondering if you were alright,” he stammered, his voice a little shaky.

Elizabeth slowly looked around her and saw the concerned faces of her children and the Queen. She then locked eyes with the Dark Elf Princess. The one who gave her this… gift. And for some reason, she didn’t feel angry or scared. She felt… grateful.

“Princess Rya,” Elizabeth said, her voice a low, husky murmur. “Did you really heal me? Y-You didn’t corrupt me and my children? And Ben… is he really…?”

Rya’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “I did. I healed you and your children. And Ben has a Demi-god. And I don’t know what corruption is or how to do it. I’m just a healer who is trying to help my friends,” she said, her voice calm.

Elizabeth couldn’t sense any deceit coming from Rya and this was the first time she believed her. “A-And you don’t want to rule over us?” she asked, her voice a little shaky.

Rya shook her head, “I’m not interested in ruling. I just want to live my life in peace, and hopefully, marry the man I love,” she said, her voice a low, melodic hum.

Elizabeth felt a weight lift off her shoulders, a weight she had been carrying for as long as she could remember. She saw her children in a different light that she refused to see before. Johan’s confidence, Amelia’s newfound love, and her own… She couldn’t deny the vitality coursing through her. The lingering fear, the ingrained prejudice, was still there, a quiet hum in the back of her mind, but it was overshadowed by a new, exhilarating sensation: possibility.

She turned to her husband, her eyes locking onto his. “I… Give the King our approval of the marriage… We are allies,” she said, her voice a low, husky murmur. “And I want to meet this Ben. Immediately.” The last part came out with a newfound authority, a matriarchal command that surprised even herself.

Johnathan, practically vibrating with joy, he grabbed his wife’s hand and pulled her along with him, causing a rare giggle to escape the Baroness’s lips at his youthful enthusiasm. “Right away, my love! Right away!”

He stopped, turning back to the room, a wide, boyish grin splitting his face. “This is the greatest day of my life! We must celebrate! I’m going to tell the cook to prepare a feast! A banquet!” he declared, his voice booming with unrestrained happiness. He looked at the Queen and the Princess, his eyes filled with a gratitude so profound it almost made him weep.

“We need to keep this information on the down low for now, Lord Johnathan. Your daughter and son’s powers are not to be taken lightly. We don’t want Alaric to find out. So, please keep your excitement to yourself until he’s dealt with,” Rya said, her voice a low, serious murmur.

Johnathan’s smile faltered for a moment, but then it returned, albeit a bit more restrained. “Well… I’ve waited decades to celebrate… I could wait a few more weeks. Come, Amelia! We need to see if this young man you like is worthy of your hand,” he said with authority.

Amelia blushed in embarrassment and tried to stop her father, “Wait! Father!? We can’t just jump in unannounced! B-Ben’s working! And Mr. Bates would be mad if he doesn’t get his work—”

“Nonsense, Amelia! I’m the boss, and I want to get this chaps signature on our marriage contract right away! And I will throw in one hundred thousand gold coins for his starting dowry! I don’t care if Mr. Bates has to clean the stalls by himself for a week!” Johnathan boomed with joy.

Johnathan dragged Elizabeth out of the dining room, his steps filled with a purpose that she hadn’t seen in him in years. Amelia followed behind them, her heart pounding in her chest. She was nervous, but she was also excited. She was finally going to be able to be with the man she loved, without having to hide it from her parents, even though she wasn’t happy with how brash her father was acting. But she had to admit, she liked this new version of him.

The Baron, Baroness, and their daughter left, and the rest of them could hear Amelia’s embarrassed protests from down the hall. A comfortable silence fell over the room, a stark contrast to the chaos that had reigned just moments before.

Rianna let out a small, amused laugh as she watched them go. “Well, that went better than I expected,” she said, her voice a low, melodic hum.

“I’d say. I didn’t know your mother could giggle,” Tayna said, her eyes wide with surprise. “I’ve only ever seen her panic or scowl.”

“I didn’t know either,” Johan said, a wide grin spreading across his face. “But I like it.”

Rya couldn’t help but smile as well. She was happy for the Dule family. They had been through a lot, and they deserved some happiness. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Elizabeth’s story than what she had let on. The mention of the High Elves, the curse, the fact that both Elizabeth and her daughter have these Shadow Mage Veins… it was all too suspicious. But she would have to look into this later. Her goal was completed and she needed to get back to the palace and talk with the other House of Lords about getting their approval for her marriage.

Groan!

And maybe some lunch. The sudden emptiness in her stomach made her realize that all the magic she used on Elizabeth had drained her more than she thought. If only she knew the real reason.

“Are you alright, Princess Rya?” Rianna asked, her voice a low, concerned murmur. “You look a little tired.”

Rya blushed as she rubbed her stomach in embarrassment. ‘Shit! Did she hear that?’

“I’m fine, your Majesty. Just a little hungry,” Rya said, her voice a little shaky.

Rianna smirked at Rya obliviousness, ‘This girl is clueless. She’s eating for two and she still doesn’t know it. Stupid elven spirits. Whatever, you would think a woman would notice when they are carryin—’

Groan!

Rianna’s smile faded as she rubbed her own stomach. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the Princess.

Johan looked at the Queen and the Princess with a confused expression. “Are you two alright? Are you feeling sick?” he asked, his voice a little shaky.

Tayna giggled as she looked at the two powerful women. “Don’t worry, Johan. They are fine. Just… hungry,” she said, her voice a low, teasing purr. “Would you like for us to prepare some food for you, your Majesty? And you as well, Princess Rya?” Tayna asked as she gave them a mischievous look.

Rya’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Tayna. ‘What does she mean by that? Does she know something that I don’t?’

“I would love that, Lady Tayna. But we have things to do back at the palace. And we don’t want to overstay our welcome,” Rianna said, her voice regained its calm, steady purr.

“Your Majesty, you are always welcome here. But if you must leave, then please allow us to escort you back to the palace,” Johan said, his voice was formal, and respectful.

Rianna smiled and shook her head. “That’s kind of you, Johan. But we have our own guards. And we don’t want to keep you from celebrating with your family. This is a momentous occasion, and you should savor it.”

Johan bowed and Tayna curtsied. “As you wish, your Majesty,” they said in unison.

Rianna gave them a warm smile before turning to Rya. “Are you ready, Princess Rya?”

Rya nodded, her mind still reeling from the morning’s events. She had a lot to think about, a lot to process as more questions arose.

***

In a far away land across the ocean known as the Marethic Deep, was the land of the High Elves. They were a proud and ancient race, their beauty and grace a legend whispered across continents. They were masters of light magic, their knowledge of the arcane arts unparalleled, their cities shimmering testaments to their power and sophistication.

Their continent was called Lumen Fae, and it was a land of breathtaking beauty, a place where the very air seemed to hum with magic. The forests were filled with ancient trees that had stood for millennia, their leaves shimmering with an ethereal light. The rivers were crystal clear, their waters so pure that they could heal the sick and restore the weary. The mountains were capped with snow that never melted, their peaks shrouded in a perpetual mist that seemed to whisper secrets of the ages.

The High Elves were ruled by a council of elders known as the High Synod. Their capitol was called Tulnadet, a city of unparalleled beauty, its towers of white marble and gold piercing the sky like slender needles. The city was a marvel of engineering and magic, its streets paved with luminescent stones that glowed with a soft, inner light, its buildings carved with intricate designs that seemed to dance in the sunlight. But beneath the facade of ethereal beauty lies a society rife with intrigue, power struggles, and a deeply ingrained belief in their own superiority. They were the masters of this world and no one else was their equal. They had a rigid social structure, with the Archons, the highest nobility, at the top, followed by the Sylvarchs, the Verdants, and the Thornwards. The Commoners, those without magic or noble blood, were at the bottom, their lives a constant struggle for survival. This rigid hierarchy was maintained by a powerful military, a legion of elite warriors known as the Luminari, who were sworn to protect the High Elves from any and all threats, both internal and external.

And hidden underneath the Luminari was a coven of witches that helped the High Elves fight back against the demons and their abomination half-breed humans. Interspecies was a plight on this world and it threatened to make humanity into something more powerful, more adaptable, more beautiful, and more dangerous then the elves. So they used the humans to fight the demons and then they cursed them for not being pure under the guise of being a blessing to protect them from the demonic influences. This gave the High Elves control over the lesser races to do their bidding. And it worked for thousands of years.

However, that control that they enjoyed was beginning to wane in the continent of Agon. And it might have gone unnoticed if it wasn’t for one young witch, working in the Apothecary underneath the palace of Sylvaris. The crown jewel of Tulnadet. The palace was a breathtaking structure, its towers of white marble and gold piercing the sky like slender needles, its balconies adorned with cascading vines of moon-blossoms that bloomed only in the light of the twin moons. It was a place of immense power and beauty, a testament to the High Elves’ mastery of magic and their unwavering belief in their own superiority.