My Family in the Novel?

Chapter 301: Holy war 39

Horrifying screams, a monstrous form, and a nightmarish end—Lilliana saw it all. Her visions shifted and changed every second, each scenario laid before her eyes spanning days, weeks, months, and even years. It felt strange, as she processed all of this in mere seconds. Each moment was detailed, each structure, context, and continuity clear to her, despite the rapid pace.

She understood it all. It was as if she grasped the heart of the user, which confused her mind even more. She knew everything she was seeing was some kind of illusion, a memory, yet it felt both unreal and real at the same time, causing her to have a headache in this ever-changing reality.

From good times to bad, she watched a single individual grow into a young man, surrounded by his dark family that threatened those around him. A being of unfathomable power trapped in a human body—this being was the one she loved the most: her brother, Adrian Vulter Tellus, or rather, the one trapped inside his brother, Ian Astrea, the being who devoured his brother's soul.

…..

Lilliana's eyes fluttered open, the visions still fresh and vivid in her mind. Her body felt heavy, her head throbbing with the weight of the memories she had been forced to relive. She tried to sit up, but the effort was monumental.

"Lilliana," a familiar voice called gently. She turned her head slowly, her eyes meeting Adrian's.

"Adrian," she whispered, her voice weak and trembling. "What... what did you do to me?"

Adrian's expression was a mixture of pity and determination. "I had to make you understand," he said softly. "I needed you to see everything, to know the truth."

"The truth?" Lilliana echoed, her mind struggling to piece together the fragmented memories. "About what?"

"About who I am," Adrian replied, sitting down beside her. "And what I need you to do."

Lilliana's mind reeled as the memories continued to assault her. She saw Adrian's childhood, his growth, the dark family that shaped him, and the unimaginable power he possessed. She saw the moment he devoured Ian's soul, taking on his brother's identity and destiny.

"You're not Adrian," she said slowly, the realization dawning on her. "You're Ian."

Adrian—or Ian—nodded. "Yes, I am. But I am also Adrian. We are one and the same now."

Lilliana's heart ached. The brother she loved was gone, replaced by this twisted amalgamation of two souls.

"Why did you show me this?" she asked, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Hmm… just because?"

"Just because?"

Lilliana's eyes flared with anger upon hearing his words. She hadn't asked for any of this; it would've been better if she knew nothing at all. And yet, the man before her acted as if this invasion of her mind was the most natural thing to do.

So, what was she supposed to do now? Everything she had done, everything she had stood for, seemed meaningless. Adrian was gone, replaced by this monster.

"Looks like you're still confused…."

"I'm not confused, you monster!"

"Well, at least the experiment was a success…." Adrian nodded to himself, finding her seemingly stable reaction reassuring. He had struggled quite a bit guiding his power into her, but seeing her awake and fine now, he was relieved.

"Experiment, success?" Lilliana chuckled in disdain. She then lunged at Adrian, attempting to choke him. "Let go of my brother, you monster! Let him go, or I swear I will ki—"

"You know that can't be done, right, Lilliana? I've shown you everything," Adrian said casually, easily grabbing hold of her hands and pushing her down onto the bed, her hands pinned above her head.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Lilliana cried, tears streaming down her face. She knew what Adrian said was true, but she just couldn't accept it.

Adrian's grip was firm but not painful. He stared down at her with a mix of pity and determination. "Lilliana, I understand your anger. I really do. But you need to see the bigger picture. The world is changing, and we must change with it."

"I don't care about your bigger picture!" she screamed, struggling against his hold. "You stole my brother from me! You're using his body, his memories, his life! How can you expect me to accept that?"

"Because," Adrian said softly, his voice almost tender, "your brother is still here, Lilliana. I am still Adrian, in part. I carry his memories, his feelings, and yes, even his love for you. But I am also more than that. I am what he could never be—a force capable of changing this world."

Lilliana's resistance weakened as his words sank in. "What do you want from me?" she whispered, her voice breaking.

"I need your help," Adrian replied, releasing her hands and stepping back. "Your power is unique, Lilliana. You have the ability to influence, to change the course of this war. Together, we can achieve something greater than either of us could alone."

Lilliana sat up slowly, her mind a whirl of emotions. She looked at Adrian—at Ian, at the amalgamation of both—and saw the truth in his eyes. Despite everything, despite the horror and betrayal, there was still a part of her brother in there.

"What if I refuse?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

Adrian sighed. "I would prefer not to force you, but I will if I must. The stakes are too high, and we cannot afford to lose this war. Humanity's survival depends on it."

Lilliana's heart ached with the weight of the decision before her. She had always fought for what was right, for what she believed in. But now, everything was different.

The lines between right and wrong had blurred, and she was left standing in the gray area between.

"What is it that you want me to do exactly?" she asked, anger, guilt, and sadness etched across her face as she finally started to let go of everything.

Seeing this, Adrian smiled and touched her cheek with his hand, wiping away the stream of tears from her glistening white eyes. "I need you to rise up, Lilliana."

"To rise up…?"

"Yes…" Letting her hands free, Adrian stood up from her, watching her confusion as she lay on the bed. "I told you, your power is unique."

"What's so weird about my magic?"

"Hmm~ You know it's not your magic I'm talking about, right?"

Slowly, her eyes widened upon his words. "Do you mean…?"

"Yes… The name Vulter isn't etched across our names for nothing, right? And I'm sure you already know what it means."

Lilliana slowly nodded, but was still reluctant. There was a very good reason why she never used the unique powers given to her by birth. She had hoped to die along with them, to be exact, but after being saved like this, she now had other options.

"Vulter… It's time for the old gods to rise up, right?"

As Lilliana listened to his words, she realized just how twisted and evil the man in front of her was. The war that was about to become even more chaotic as a result.

...

"Hmm~ looks like everything is going well and steady~" the demoness mused, clapping her hands together. "Alright boys and girls, I want you to take turns and form a line, okay?"

The thousand human soldiers, obedient and disciplined, followed her instructions. They formed a line in rows of a hundred, quietly stepping along the red lines etched across the ground.

"Oh, please do be careful where you walk, okay? Follow the red line. I wouldn't want you to get corrupted by the miasma if you stepped wrongly~," she reminded them while flying above, her tone both casual and menacing.

The soldiers, though filled with a mixture of fear and resolve, moved with precision. They had come here prepared to sacrifice their lives for the empire, but they also knew their princess had entrusted them with a mission. They were determined to survive, to carry out her will and return when the time was right.

As they entered deeper into demonic territory, the atmosphere grew heavier, the air thick with a dark miasma that could corrupt and kill if they strayed from the path. The demoness's words echoed in their minds, and they remained vigilant, following her instructions with utmost care.

"Remember, you are the pride of the empire," one soldier whispered to another, trying to maintain morale as they marched. "We will survive this and return stronger."

"Yes," another replied, his eyes focused on the red line beneath his feet. "For the princess and for our people, we must endure."

The demoness watched them with a sly smile, amused by their determination. "Such brave little humans," she thought. "It's almost a pity they're merely pawns in our grand game."

As they continued their journey, the landscape around them became more twisted and nightmarish. The trees were gnarled and blackened, the ground cracked and oozing with dark energy. Strange, shadowy creatures lurked in the corners of their vision, kept at bay only by the demoness's presence.