Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 231: Leave This Instant.

Chapter 231: Leave This Instant.

Midnight.

Parlour, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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It was night and the mansion, which was a grand and imposing structure with its intricate carvings and sprawling gardens, had an air of uneasy quiet. The recent renovations, including the installation of floor-to-ceiling glass windows by the skilled glassman, had added a modern elegance to the ancient halls. Yet, unbeknownst to the inhabitants, those very windows were now portals for their enemies.

The evening light filtered through the expansive glass panes, casting shimmering reflections on the polished marble floors. The mansion’s elegance was on full display, with its richly adorned walls and priceless artifacts. Lydia had taken solace in these improvements, hoping they would bring a sense of renewal after the recent tragedies. But the beauty of the glass concealed a dark secret, one that was about to reveal itself in a most sinister way.

The maids have accompanied their lady who has been reading into the night in te library, so they read and snacked while also gossiping lightly while the men scatter around vigilant outside.

As the clock struck midnight, a strange, otherworldly glow began to emanate from the glass. The air shimmered with a faint, unnatural light, casting eerie shadows in the dimly lit room. The glow intensified, pulsating with an ethereal rhythm, and the glass seemed to ripple like water disturbed by a stone.

Without warning, figures began to materialize within the glass. The first to emerge were the witches, their forms dark and menacing. They stepped through the glass as if it were a mere veil, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent. Their cloaks billowed around them, shadows dancing at their feet, and their lips curved into cruel smiles. Following them were the witchers, their male counterparts, equally formidable and filled with a dark energy.

The witches and witchers moved with a fluid grace, their movements almost hypnotic in their precision. They spread out through the room, their presence filling the mansion with an oppressive sense of dread. One of the witches, a tall woman with raven-black hair and eyes like polished obsidian, raised her arms and muttered an incantation. The air crackled with energy, and more figures emerged from the glass portals, swelling the ranks of the intruders.

"Grace, stop standing close to windows that shadow might see you" one of the magic practitioner shouted at the young magic practitioner.

"Oh," clueless Grace gasped scurrying to a corner of the mansion.

Gleeful laughter echoed through the halls as the witches reveled in their success. They had planned this attack meticulously, and the trap was now springing perfectly. The glassman, under their control, had set up the portals a week ago, and now the fruits of their deceit were evident. The mansion, once a sanctuary, was soon going to be a battleground, and the enemy had the upper hand.

Lydia, alerted by the strange sounds and the growing sense of unease, hurriedly vacated her seat, her heart in soft panic, the maids gathered, Joyous, Dorothy, and Mathilda. They huddled around her together in a corner, their faces pale with fear. Lydia’s heart pounded in her chest as she realized the gravity of the situation. Theodore was not around, out of city along with Conan, and the mansion’s defenses were now compromised.

Helena too was upstairs, she wondered if she felt the chnage in the air or if she was sleeping.

"Stay close to me," Lydia whispered, trying to keep her voice steady. "We must find a way to alert Hound and the others." she said.

Joyous frowned. "What about Miss Helena?"

"I shall send the cats to get her," Lydia assured, dropping the book.

Mathilda’s eyes widened at that fact. "They could do that?"

"They can do a lot" Dorothy assured, her voice tinged with pride making Lydia wonder if she knew about Red too.

She whispered instructions to Red who she wants to go and wake up Helena, much to their surprise the ordinary cat, ’Ebony’ seemed to have been trained by Red to also follow instructions, so she sent it to its owner instead and Red to get Hound.

As the witches spread through the mansion, their glee grew. They overturned furniture, broke priceless artifacts, and cast spells that sent ripples of dark magic through the halls. They knew the absence of Theodore would make their conquest easier, and they intended to take full advantage of the situation.

In the midst of the chaos, one of the witchers, a hulking figure with a scar running down his cheek, approached the glass portals. He placed his hand on the cool surface, feeling the residual magic thrumming beneath his fingers. "This is only the beginning," he muttered to himself, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "We will bring this house to its knees."

The witches and witchers continued their rampage, their laughter mingling with the sounds of destruction. They were confident, almost arrogant in their success. The portals had worked perfectly, and now they had the mansion in their grasp. Lydia and her maids could do little but listening in horror, hoping against hope that help would arrive before it was too late.

Now they were merely waiting for their master, they had made their chaos in a way that the outsiders couldn’t hear what’s happening.

The mansion, once a symbol of power and security, was now a scene of chaos and impending doom. The witches’ plan had succeeded brilliantly, and the battle for control of the estate was about to begin. Lydia knew that they had to hold on, to resist as best they could until Theodore returned. But with each passing moment, the situation grew more desperate, and the witches’ laughter echoed through the halls like a cruel reminder of their impending victory.

The peace of the mansion was abruptly shattered as Shade rang the alarm sound, it echoed through the mansions grand halls and corridors. The men, who had barely had time to rest and heal from their last encounter in the forest, sprang into action. Theodore and Conan had anticipated further trouble and had brought in five additional men before leaving town. These reinforcements, now fully integrated into the household guard, joined the fray without hesitation.

The battle commenced with a ferocity that matched the earlier attack. The men charged into the mansion without question. The mansion was under attack, swords drawn and eyes steely with determination they picked opponents. The witches and witchers responded with dark magic, hurling spells that exploded in bursts of fire and light. The air filled with the sounds of clashing steel, shouted incantations, and the cries of both pain and rage. Small fires ignited where spells struck, and debris flew as the combatants gave no quarter.

Hound, Conan, Gabriel, Tom, and the others fought with renewed vigor. Their injuries from the forest were healed, but the memories of that brutal fight fueled their resolve. Fireballs collided with sword strikes, and magical shields deflected arrows. The mansion, a place of elegance and refinement, now became a chaotic battleground, with dust and smoke hanging thick in the air.

Amidst the chaos, laughter rang out, cold and mocking. The laughs were of the witches, delighting in the mayhem they had unleashed. The men of the mansion gritted their teeth and fought harder, driven by the need to protect their home and Lydia.

Lydia was standing on the stairs now watching the battle in horror, to the witches it was as if she didn’t exist and they only cared about killing others and destroying the mansion.

Suddenly, as if by some unseen command, a hush fell over the battle. The air grew heavy with an oppressive energy, and all eyes turned towards the source of this new presence. Emerging from the shimmering glass portal, that filled a whole wall, was a figure clad in dark, regal attire. His bearing was that of a king, and his presence exuded an aura of power that made everyone shiver involuntarily.

It was Azul, a witcher of immense power, dressed like a monarch of magic. His eyes, cold and piercing, swept over the scene, and the room seemed to hold its breath. Lydia, who had been desperately trying to help her maids find shelter, felt her heart shudder. There was something hauntingly familiar about him.

Azul’s gaze locked onto Lydia, and she felt a chill run down her spine. She did not know him, yet there was a connection she couldn’t deny. Her mind raced back to a chance encounter in the marketplace, where a man had spoken to her with an intensity that had unsettled her. Now, she understood why. This was her father, the one she had never known, revealed in the midst of chaos.

She’d spent days wishing it wasn’t true.

The men of the mansion, despite their fear, stood ready. Their weapons were drawn, but they knew they were facing a foe unlike any other. Hound oozed of danger and anger as he watched the man.

Azul raised a hand, and the very air seemed to thrum with power. He surveyed the room, his expression unreadable, as if contemplating his next move.

"What are you doing here?" Lydia found her voice.

"Lydia," he said, his voice carrying a weight that made her heart clench. "You do not know me, but I am Azul, your father."

She would roll her eyes but the revelation hit Lydia like a physical blow. Her world tilted as she tried to reconcile the image of the man before her with the father she had never known. The men around her, her protectors and friends, tensed, ready to defend her with their lives if necessary.

The maids gathered aroud her, ready to die for her.

Azul’s presence commanded the room. His power was palpable, and it was clear that he was a force to be reckoned with. The witches and witchers, who had been reveling in their destruction, now stood silent and respectful. They recognized Azul’s authority and power, and even they seemed subdued in his presence.

The battle was far from over, but in that moment, everything was poised on a knife’s edge. The men of the mansion, their resolve unwavering, prepared for whatever came next. And Lydia, her heart heavy with the weight of newfound knowledge, stood ready to face the father she had never known, unsure of what his appearance meant for her and for everyone she held dear.

She realized one thing that moment, She didn’t want Theodore to come to this, she didn’t want him to relive the fear of losing her. She wanted this to simply be over.

Azul, has to go back to wherever he came from. She met Azul’s gaze, studying him, he was so breathtakingly handsome she could see why her mother would have her out of wedlock, he was as beautiful as she was despite him being male. Lydia realized she looked just like her father.

"What are you here for?"

"Reunion, let us reunite my love, I put you in beautiful Georgina because I wanted something as ethereal as her, who knew that you would look like me instead?" he said easily as though, it should be obvious. "I see, she kept you safe but she made one big mistake sending you here" he breathed out, his tongue swiping over his teeth.

No matter how light he sounded, his aura remained hard, strong and impenetrable.

"If you truly are my father and want to peacefully reunite then you would leave this instant, for I do not wish to know you anymore than I do now" she let out, her palm clenched, the maids drew closer to her, sheilding her from his haunting eyes.

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