The middle-aged man grinned while kneading his beard, "You have to come with me young lady and you cannot accept or reject. It is an order!" He narrowed his eyes, observing Else. He didn't want to miss any expression that crossed her face.
Elsie raised her brow in wonder when she heard the old man. What did he mean by it's an order? Are they crazy or something? Or is she crazy that she would follow people she doesn't even know!
"Err...May I ask why you want me to go with you?"
The middle-aged man continued to stroke his beard and a grin crept up his brims once more, "Do you perhaps know a girl by the name Clara?"
Boom!! Elsie's heart nearly leaped out of her body when she heard the name 'Clara'. How did these people know Clara?
"Wait a minute... Red hair! Phoenix family!" Elsie's eyes dilated as wide as a saucer the moment she reckoned this. "They... are Clara's family! They have finally come for me!" She didn't know whether to laugh or cry but one thing was clear to her. She was doomed! doomed I tell you!
Coughing a dry cough, she raised her eyes to glimpse at the middle-aged man who had a smirk hung on his lips, "Old geezer, I do know her. Is something the problem?"
"Yes, she's my daughter and you murdered her, so you will have to come with this daddy here and give him an explanation!"
"Yaa... Give you an explanation! Old geezer, don't play with me. I know you already have an inkling of what happened! You want me to follow you? Do I look like an ignoramus to you?" Elsie scoffed in outrage. This man was thick-skinned. Asking her to explain as though that's all he needs!
Although deep within her heart, she was appalled. She knows that she will have to follow these people because she alone will not stand a chance against them. However, she has to put up a little drama before they take her away!
The middle-aged man's face darkened the moment he heard those words and with a hateful tone he commanded, "Men seize her!"
....
Damien who was about to walk out of the house suddenly felt anxiety and his eyes narrowed, "Elsie!"
He already knew that she was in danger the moment he felt anxiety. This was another thing his blood which mixed with Elsie's does. It makes him sense when she's in danger faster and vividly than normal.
With a grave face, he left at a fast speed. Who dared to touch his mate! He was outraged to the scope of forgetting that he could teleport.
....
"Take your filthy hands off her!!"
The men were about to seize Elsie when they heard a thundering voice and abruptly ceased and gazed towards the direction the voice came from.
The middle-aged man shooked violently the moment he heard that voice. That was a voice he knew too well, that voice was a voice he feared the most!
With his body trembling voilently, he turned around and bowed towards the direction the voice came from.
The sentries and his son were startled when they saw their family head bowing to someone unknown.
"You buffoons! bow!" The middle-aged man trembled voilently in anger. These morons were going to get this daddy here in trouble for no reason!
The sentries and his son unhesitantly bowed when they saw how the family head was boiling in outrage.
Elsie who knew too well who the owner of the voice was couldn't help but raise her brow in confusion. Why was the old man afraid of Damien?
With an irritated face, Damien whom the thundering voice belonged to made himself visible and walked towards the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man twitched and took a step back with his body straightened up, "Se-senior." An awkward smile hung on his lips and he couldn't help but deride within him. Why was this devil here? He had always tried his all to avoid this man after the incident that took place on that faithful day in his life!
"Why are you besieging her?" Damien glanced at the middle-aged man with an indifferent look on his face.
"Se-senior, this is a personal problem... If you don't..."
"Don't test my patience!" The middle-aged man who was yet to finish his sentence swallowed it the instant he heard Damien's unpleasant tone.
"Please forgive this old man," With a jiggling voice he pleaded for leniency and proceeded to explain. "Senior, things happened this way..."
Damien listened with a neutral face, it was as though the bullshit the middle-aged man was spouting made no sense to him.
"So what do you plan to do now?"
"Senior I will like to take her away with me." The middle-aged man bowed his head as he said.
Damien flashed the old man a look of disdain and with his hands behind his back, he walked towards Elsie to stand beside her and wrapped his arm around her skinny waist.
"So... You plan to kill my mate?"
"Mate!" The middle-aged man, his son, and sentries were all startled when they heard those words, and thoughts couldn't help but surface in their minds.
What! The one who killed this daddy's daughter is this devil's mate!
What the fuck! Was I just lascivious towards the mats of this person whom my father fears so much!
Oh, Sherpa! Did we just try to seize the mate of this Mister whom the family head fears so much?
"Se-senior, you mean she's your mate?" The middle-aged man stuttered as he couldn't resist asking. He wanted to be sure if he heard right.
"Indeed she is," Damien glimmered and caressed Elsie's hair with his other hand.
The middle-aged man couldn't help but gulp down a mouthful of saliva, "Se-senior I am sorry, but this is my daughter that we are talking about, I cannot let go of her death just like that!"
"So what do you suggest then?" Damien smirked as he asked.
"Senior, in honor of fairness, I will let her come to my clan in four years and battle my son Derek who is a White level cultivator. If she defeats him, then I will speak of this matter no more, but if she doesn't, she will have to stay back!"
Damien's face darkened the instant he heard those bullshit. It is not that he is underestimating Elsie but it's just that, he couldn't afford any risk! He would never agree to such conditions!
Just when he was about to reject the old man he suddenly felt Elsie interlock her hand with his, stopping him from saying anything. Then with a smile, she turned to face the old man.
"Old geezer, I agree to your conditions, however, if I defeat your son, I hope I can get a reimbursement."
"Till then." With a bow, the middle-aged man left with his companions.
Damien turned to glare at Elsie with a grim look on his face the moment the old man left, "Why did you agree?"
"Damien, If I don't, wouldn't I be a coward? This is my fight and I will solve it myself. I have to learn to protect myself!" Elsie smiled at him. She felt grateful and happy that he cares about her.
He gazed at her for a while and lifted his hand to caress her head, "If you insist, then I will not stop you, just make sure to defeat his son?"
Elsie smiled sweetly and with her hand interlocked with his, he teleported them back to the house.
...
The stars twinkled up in the sky and a beauty sitting near the lake was gazing up at the lovely night sky.
"Zamiel, do I have to go?" Elsie asked feeling very pessimistic. She can't imagine leaving Damien, not after spending months and feeling attached to him!
Zamiel frowned the moment he heard those words. Was this girl crazy? This is a matter of life and death yet she's thinking about love life! "Elsie listen here, one thing you must know is that when it comes to some things in life, you have to put love behind you. Am not asking you to forget or stop loving Damien but to put everything concerning love behind you for now. When you come back in four years, you will have a whole time with him."
Elsie sighed deeply. Indeed Zamiel was right, this is something she has to do! no! she must do!
At the door, a young man stood watching the young girl by the lake with a half-smile on his face.