The Thorne of Destiny - Chapter 162: The Crimson Forest

*Slow Burn Historical Fantasy Novel*

Elise had about to change into the dress that was lying on the corner of her bed when she heard a knock lightly calling from her door. Curious, she turned the door knob only to have a tall man towering in front of her.

“Master Ian!” She called.

Ian smiled with the usual mischievous smirk that he always used. His crimson eyes trailing a little over her room and spotted the black dress over her bed and shifted his eyes over to the woman in front of him. He stepped forward and spoke. “Where did you acquire that dress?”

“Mr. Harland gave it to me.” Elise replied and strained her neck to see Ian’s brows knitted in its elegance.

“Do you know why a man would love to give a woman a dress?” He gave the riddle that she always had to think twice before replying. But this time, she found no answer and instead shook her head. “I don’t know.”

His grin grew bewitching as though something had stirred deep inside the scarlet eyes that he had. He slowly slid his hand over the collar of her dress, sending a cold shiver that startled her for a moment due to its freezing temperature. After unbuttoning the first two buttons on her collar, he tilted his head down, whispering to her ears. “Because they want to be the one to undress the cloth.”

He paused and kissed her neck, turning the pale skin to red before retracting his move to fix his eyes on her and leisurely replied. “Unfortunately, you can’t wear the dress over there with this.” He chuckled and passed a box over to her hand. “And the fortunate news is I prepared a dress for you.”

Elise was a cursed little girl who could see ghosts. Her family hated her and threw her from one adoptive family to another. However, misfortune didn't act alone. When she was brought up by her aunt, she was sold as a slave. When she had thought she would become nothing but a sacrifice to the sorcerer, she was saved by a man whose identity was far different than a normal mythical being.

Over a million years ago, the first human contracted with the first Spirit. Ever since then, Spirit use has become commonplace. Humans used Spirits to carry items and start fires. Eventually, even start wars. Thousands upon thousands of years past and one day, one human did the impossible. He transcended his mortality and ascended to the realm above.

Life Demon, Law Demon, Knowledge Demon, Fate Demon, War Demon…

When various strange forces invaded, the world has since been divided into two distinct ends.

Some people worship him as a god and walk on the earth as a spokesperson.

Some people choose to drink a glass of strong wine on the scarlet night and raise the shotgun in their hands.

- Description from novelbuddy

Hellbound SynopsisVastro once stood at the absolute peak of the Eight Realms.A usurper so powerful that logic itself bent around him.They betrayed him.They killed him.Or so they thought.Vastro awakened at the Gates of Hell and chose speed over despair. By clearing all one hundred Gates, he became something forbidden....Hellbound.Granted early reincarnation and armed with hell-forged power, he rushed back to life for revenge.Something went wrong.Instead of returning as a god, he was reborn as a fragile human baby in the lowest realm.Power was not denied....only delayed.Stripped of his former body and forced to grow from nothing, Vastro must rebuild his strength step by step while hiding what he truly is. Every gain comes with limits, resistance, and consequence.He will rise again.Faster. Stronger. More ruthless than before.Assuming he survives long enough to learn how to walk.