Chapter 217: Harbouring Feelings.

Gregory's yell while loud was far from enough to cause the Edgar men, Darryl, Marlon and Karon, to pause. Their course of direction remained clear and so did the target of their glare.

The brothers and Karon continued to move with indication and the Plebeian Runemasters knew what they were after now.

Baret and Ian retrieved Runes from their spatial pouch, Runes that they had drawn prior to that moment and quickly passed it on to the Plebeian family heads who placed them on their chests and activated them and it created a kind of aura about them.

It was not as thick or concentrated as Emily's aurora protection to Olivia but they would do the trick and ease the fear felt significantly.

Marlon, Darryl and Karon sneered as they realized the Runemasters had prepared ahead. They were still confident the protection would not help in the long run.

Cosmic attacks were sent towards them and they sent their own in retaliation while also adding a little of the fog's offensive abilities to it and blasting it aside.

*Boommm*

Then they ran through it and arrived before Baret and Ian who had also summoned their Cosmic Armaments and were prepared for a fight. 

A fight in which they were outnumbered until another Plebeian family head went after Karon who was soon preoccupied.

*Clang*

Blades were crossed and the battle began as Baret and Ian and a majority of the Plebeian heads attempted to make use of their Peak stage Cosmic Armament Realm cultivation and greater numbers to overwhelm the Great family heads.

And they were succeeding.

That said, Ford still showcased that he was far from being a mere figurehead in the Horst family who could not battle. Singlehandedly, he killed Bale and Tod who were both at the peak stage.

With his Peak stage Cosmic armament realm cultivation coupled with the Devil shroud, those two did not have a chance.

However, soon after he managed this great feat he became overwhelmed.

Edvard managed to take down two Plebeian heads as well and his fate was quite like Ford and he struggled to push past the Mass of Plebeians.

Hal looked away from Arya and stretched his hand to summon a portal, out of which slid the large undulating green body of Sassy.

Sassy's attention from the moment she arrived was completely on the Plebeians who Hal had summoned her to eliminate.

*Hisssss*

The serpent let out a long hiss and an Arrow formed before her just as Hal ordered the Great family heads to put up the shroud's defensive abilities through telepathy.

*Whoosh*

The arrow flew and hit the ground close to the family heads.

A lot of them, upon seeing Sassy realized that she was the Toxic Viper, albeit bigger and quickly held their breath once the arrow was released and a smaller percentage who were even wiser leaped back.

*Boom*

Sassy's toxic arrow hit and it created a cloud of green smoke, in which, anyone who breathes it in or was even standing in the fog, except the Great family heads who made use of the Devil shroud, all died and left behind discolored corpses.

Fear!

That was what was felt by those who viewed Sassy's display but the serpent was not done and with speed worthy of her cultivation base which she shared with Hal, she traveled to the top of the hill and joined the battle.

Well, it was not much of a battle as due to being a Demonic beast, Sassy's late-stage natured Beast Realm was equal to a Peak stage Cosmic Armament Realm cultivation of a normal man and their Armaments did nothing to change that.

"I see you've been busy" Arya said and the look on her face as she saw Sassy begin to rampage while smacking Experts away with her tail and flattening some of them into the ground with her large head.

Having been one of the reasons he called Sassy out, Hal was pleased to see Arya's look of annoyance.

"Yes, I have. Doesn't she look beautiful" Hal sighed with exaggerated fondness.

Arya ignored his question, instead, she began to pace, 

"So you've been touching things that aren't yours. Do you know how much trouble you are in?"

"What? Are you going to spank me?" Hal asked with a teasing smile that did not fit the situation he was in.

Arya placed her hand on San's shoulder and the Plebeian leader looked up at her in relief, 

"Master..." He said before his body gradually became thin and his cheeks hollowed while Red veins formed on Arya's creamy arm from where she touched his shoulder as she absorbed San's Blood Essence in the entirety and left him a mere husk.

"No, I'll kill you" Arya finally answered as she digested San's essence and began to refine it on the spot.

A process that took a surprisingly short time.

Arya was quite upset, of all the Plebeians that had died, there were only a few Blood Essences that she had been able to harvest all because of Hal's Blood Knights.

Hal had ordered them all to absorb the Blood Essence of all their kills as there was no point in keeping up appearances anymore.

They might as well reduce her supply and possibly cripple her strength.

Meanwhile...

Lillian advanced on Gregory who despite being stabbed did not attempt to take a mending pill or even defend himself.

Lillian sneered, 

"What? Do you really think I'll take pity on you just because you do nothing?" she asked.

Gregory looked up, his face tear Streamed but his smile in place, 

"How can I attempt to defend myself when I know I deserve to die. It was my fault and I see that now. So what better way to finally leave this painful world if not by the hands of the woman I love?" He said.

This was truly the only way he felt he could find release as Hal had already ordered him not to kill himself.

No one made a move to get between them, not even Burt who Hal had ordered to remain in place.

Lillian raised her sword and made to land the final strike but was unable to.

Her hands shook as she held up the Broadsword and it was not because of the Broadsword's weight.

Then she lowered her weapon and it was clear she still harbored feelings for her husband as she slashed and sent a Cosmic attack infused with Blood energy towards Hal.

*Swoosh*

*Boom*

Another Cosmic attack infused with light gold flames canceled hers out and when she looked down at where it had come from, she saw Melinda walking out of the clearing and towards her.

Rita turned to Amelia, 

"Be careful" she said and the Horst lady nodded her head as Rita summoned her sky blue longsword Cosmic Armament and filled the void Melinda left behind.

She moved in to lead the Semi-succubi which was fitting as she was a succubus.

Her sword was coated with purple sensual flames, as were the Armaments of Camilla and Irina as well as any other one of the ladies at the cosmic Armament realm, as they struck down any Plebeians left with the Blood Knights fighting alongside them after having killed all the Flame Demons.

The Emissaries were reaping lives with their shroud blades as well.

Arya looked at it all and smiled, 

"This is a good time as any to start" she said and released a powerful pressure that bore down on Hal who struggled to remain upright.

And then...

*Bang*

...an Aurora arrived before Arya in a flash and exploded, tossing her away and struggling to remain on her feet.

The break in her concentration freed Hal of her pressure.

She looked up with anger clear in her visage as Emily was already by Hal's side.

Hal wound his arm around her waist, 

"Meet my Secret weapon, Emily. Together we're going to kick your ass"