Chapter 268: Life or Death
With Willow's paternity solved, things between Will and Elizabeth were slowly returning to normal.
Today marked the last full day of the conference, except for sovereigns. To celebrate the end of the World Economic Forum, Will planned to host a large ball.
After the World Leaders Summit tomorrow morning, Will would give a farewell address to wrap up the forum. And by tomorrow afternoon, would officially conclude the inaugural World Economic Forum.
The committees this morning and afternoon focused on finance, philanthropy, arts, and culture.
In the afternoon, Dean Trevor Lawrence spoke on the need to preserve culture and the importance of cultural arts and languages.
Themes of humanitarianism and humanism were discussed and debated throughout the day's events.
By evening, guests lined up to enter the lodge's ballroom.
The ballroom had a large window that displayed the large Theta snowy mountaintops and the clear starry night sky. The night sky and snowy mountains looked like a painting. It was a serene gentle vista.
Moreover, the warm ballroom contrasted perfectly with the cold outdoor balcony. It almost felt to the guest like they were back in those outdoor hot springs they loved.
Overall, the guests were pleased by Kukes' amenities, the boutiques, hot springs, skiing, resort, and restaurants were all world-class.
When Will and Elizabeth arrived, they were blown away by the interior of the ballroom.
"Will this is breathtakingly gorgeous?" Elizabeth said in surprise. Even though she had apologized to Will for her behavior, she still felt things were different.
The resort's ballroom was spacious and luxurious. Starting from the ballroom's foyer to the main ballroom to the cocktail area and balconies.
The focal point of the ballroom was the unusual 17-meter ceiling, dual floating grand staircases, an exquisite fireplace, and marble floors with an ornate center medallion of different colored marbles.
The design of the main ceiling was unique and sumptuous. Suspended from the ceiling was a majestic chandelier flanked by two more elaborate chandeliers. At the bottom of each staircase are two lampposts with black marble steps.
The wrought-iron stair railings throughout the second floor were custom-designed with illuminated Newell posts.
The ballroom doors were embellished with ornate moldings and appliques. Hand-carved cartouches sit above the doorframes.
Like a symphony, the architectural features and decorative elements come together to give the ballroom a sense of timeless, classic elegance.
Around the ballroom were marbleized columns dazzling with a white and gold scheme that supplied an atmosphere of class, elegance, sophistication, and luxury.
Overall, the ballroom was 700 square meters and had four outdoor balconies and 10 fireplaces.
Will escorted Elizabeth into the ballroom.
Almost at once, Will was surrounded by guests giving him accolades. The was no doubt the World Economic Forum was a massive success.
Will and Elizabeth quickly made their rounds.
The evening was filled with merriment and joy.
Foreign dignitaries met and exchanged information. Bonds of friendship were made or strengthened.
This ball was the crystallization of what the forum represented: the collective ethos of humanity.
As the ball reached its peaked, a sudden cloud of black smoke spouted from the floor.
Slowly, the black smoke took a humanoid figure.
Then a red muscular titan stepped out of the smoke and released an oppressive aura. He had regal horns that jettisoned out of his forehead and ridges on the top of his skull that formed a crown.
Looking at the dressed formally dressed crowd of humans he shouted, "kneel."
Everyone dropped to their knees Sages included.
Never in his life had Will been forced to kneel. The oppressive aura held Will to the ground.
Will used all his strength to kneel upright, but he could feel his organs ripping apart.
Blood spurt from Will's mouth, as he did his best to fight back.
Will looked around Elizabeth and most of his guests were laying subserviently on their stomachs. She and the others looked like they were prostrating before a god.
Only, Sages and Grandmasters were able to have any semblance of dignity.
"I said kneel!" the red demon shouted.
Will and the other grandmasters doubled over in pain. Will now looked like a dog on four legs. Will used all his mana to not lay flat in his room and prostrate to his demon.
Just as suddenly as the smoke rose from the floor, a tornado whirled into the ballroom crashing through the windows.
"I shall send your avatar back to Tartarus, Thanatos!" Mother Tiamat shouted taking our twin blades and attacking the demon prince.
"Pity snake, go back to your hole in the mountains," Thanatos shouted retrieving his two-handed bastard sword.
The two gods fought, their swords moving at the speed of light.
Their battle lasted only for a few seconds until both gods felt shackles on their power.
"Uncle Aether, your power wanes! For now, I'll agree to a truce with this worm!" Thanatos sneered.
"I will obey my master's orders!" Mother Tiamat bowed her head and stored her twin blades.
"Rise you, worthless humans!" Thanatos said removing his oppressive aura.
"I come bearing good news. I came to offer a chance, a chance to obtain eternal life.
You who stand here today are both the best and worst of humanity.
You sinful, greedy, gluttons, come to Tartarus with me and live regally forever.
You can have all the wealth, women, and wine you craved.
I can grant you unimaginable power. The power you've only dreamt about.
Come to my side and become my Death Lords. I'll grant you fiefdom over millions of undead and tortured souls.
Serve me and pledge your souls to me and I can guarantee you ultimate power," proclaimed Thanatos raising his hands in jubilation.
"Do not listen to this fool, what he promises you is eternal damnation.
Do not damn your souls to eternity.
No matter your sins, you can still change your fate and live in Elysium," Mother Tiamat advised.
"Good, very good. You have been presented with two choices. Before the final schism answer me now do you choose life or death?" Thanatos said laughing maniacally.
As everyone looked around quizzically at what others were thinking, Will, Elizabeth, Sage Thaddeus, and Queen Sylvia stood behind Mother Tiamat.
However, as soon as they made their choice, Thanatos teleported the from the ballroom.
"Wait, Will! There's is still time. We can still be together. Please join me. Please Will, join me! We can be happy together there!" Anne pleaded just before she was teleported.
But, Will noticed her eyes were pitched black and her body radiated an icy feel.
Will knew the young woman he befriended, cared for, and fought beside was not her.
That was a different woman.
"Anne, please listen to me. Willow does not belong in Tartarus! Please let her live with us! Forgive me, Anne, I made a terrible mistake. I never should have separated a mother and her child. I apologize. I apologize. Please let me have Willow! I beg you," Elizabeth kneeled sobbing.
"Fine," Anne said quickly turning her head away and summoning Willow. She floated a sleeping Willow into Elizabeth's arms.
For a brief moment, Will saw the blackness in Anne's eyes disappear. No matter how corrupted Anne's soul had become she still loved Willow. Will could tell that child meant the world to her.
At the same time, Will was surprised by her ability to use magic. Anne was a knight cadet, only able to use body strengthening magic. How was she able to use magic now?
Will could also tell that Anne's power was also at the grandmaster rank. How had she broken through master rank so quickly Will wondered.
"Thank you. Thank you, Anne. I'll see that she devotedly loved. I swear this!" Elizabeth cried lovingly, cuddling the toddler in her arms.
"Enough theatrics! Decide to serve me and become an undying Death Lord or die in the war to come!" Thanatos demanded.
Slowly people divide themselves. Marriages, friendships, and siblings divided themselves into the lines of death versus life.
The Third Great Schism hadn't even yet begun, and families were already being torn apart.
Spouses, friends, and brothers did their best to coax their loved ones to one side over the other.
"Everyone stopped and listen. Can't you see Thanatos's real aim is to fracture the unity we have?
If he succeeds in dividing us, the burden of war becomes that much more difficult. We have to stick together! Please!" announced Will encouragingly, as he wiped the blood from his mouth.
"That's easy for you to say! You're a grandmaster Spellsword Knight. You have strength and wealth. But most of us aren't like you!" said a middle-aged woman.
"Yeah! How dare you with!" shouted a wealthy-looking man.
"Will's right don't let this demon divide the progress we made! The Council of Sages is here to help!" shouted a human Sage.
"Yet, this demon king still made you kneel. You may be strong, but I plan to join the strongest team," shouted a woman.
"Please Jocelyn, join me. Do not side with that demon!" the woman's husband begged.
"Why? I'll find a stronger husband and finally move up in this world!" she sneered back.
Back and forth loved ones screamed, yelled, and begged to entice their friends, family, and neighbors to one side of another.
In the end, over a third of the forum's participants joined Thanatos and descended to the underworld.
"No! Come back. Sweetheart come back!" shouted a man on his knees.
"This is your fault. Your forum is cursed! If we didn't attend this damn thing, none of this would have happened!" shouted a woman slapping Will in the face.
Will accepted the slap. He didn't move to block her, although it would have been easy.
More and more people yelled at Will, blaming him for what just happened.
Yet due to Will's internal injuries, he could barely speak with blood spilling out his mouth.
Elizabeth was too busy healing others, to see Will was injured. Elizabeth did the right thing to prioritize the weakest first, he knew she'd heal him eventually.
"Calm down you fools! Can't you see if the forum didn't happen Thanatos would've approached people privately? At least he's exposed his plans ahead of time to us!" Mother Tiamat said casting a calming AOE spell.
"She right! The Council of Sages shall meet to discuss what happened here today!" said Queen Sylvia.
"But I don't trust you! Tell me your plan to get my husband back?" as an imperial merchant's wife.
"You don't trust us?" Sage Thaddeus said rage filled his every cell.
"How are we going to win? We could not stand against an avatar of a god, what happens when we face the real thing? Honestly, we'd probably die instantly!
But still, it would be cool to fight a god!" said a mercenary escort.
"The gods are on our side. Humans, you asked how you fight a god, but the answer is simple. Only a god can fight a god.
Thanatos and his family, want to destroy Elysium and overthrow the order. They want to restore chaos!
If Thanatos can come to Terra, why can't the other gods?
Put your faith in the gods! Trust Father Aether, Mother Gaia, and Uncle Pontus to save us.
Trust their grandchildren and great-grandchildren Ares, Athena, and Hephaestus to come to our aid.
For this battle is their fight, ours is merely to fight alongside," said Mother Tiamat giving a rousing speech.
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MightyEagle
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