Ancestral Lineage-Chapter 168: I Choose You.

"Babe... don’t go hard on her." Harley, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke in a soft, measured tone, her golden eyes boring into Ethan’s.

’I understand. But first…’ Ethan replied, his voice calm, though his expression tensed as he closed his eyes in concentration.

His aura flared, and the alchemic runes hidden beneath his clothes erupted with a blinding light that encapsulated his entire body. When the light finally dimmed, Ethan looked noticeably different.

His wings and horns had seemingly vanished—though in reality, they had merely transformed. The horns were now sleeker, black with crystalline tips glowing faintly with a soft red light, while his wings remained, though invisible to the naked eye. His mesmerizing golden eyes had deepened into a dark gold, almost orange, carrying an unsettling intensity. But the most shocking change, one that Trevor was already struggling to suppress laughter over, was Ethan’s height.

He had shrunk—falling from a commanding 7 feet tall to a diminutive 5 feet.

’Fuck!’ Ethan cursed aloud, his voice tinged with shock and embarrassment.

Trevor doubled over, unable to hold it in. "Boss… has become adorable!" he wheezed between bursts of laughter.

"Don’t kill me, but I think this version of Ethan might be my favorite!" Jerry added, barely containing his snicker.

Lisa, the blood bank, had a mischievous glint in her eyes as she muttered, "I don’t know why, but I love this new form of yours."

Andriel, however, took it to another level, her expression turning downright obsessive. "I’d do anything to keep him like this forever," she said, her voice disturbingly earnest.

Ethan froze, visibly sweating, before turning to Lisa (Pisces) with a pleading gaze. ’Please… save me.’

Lisa didn’t hesitate. Raising an icy wall between Ethan and the others, she scooped him up in a princess carry and shot into the sky, her powerful wings slicing through the air.

Ethan sighed in relief but couldn’t help feeling humiliated. He hadn’t done anything drastic, only toned down his power to avoid overwhelming everyone. Yet somehow, this side effect of his transformation left him stuck in a ridiculously diminutive form. Still, as he flew through the air in Lisa’s arms, he noticed something peculiar.

For the first time in a long while, he felt fully attuned to his powers. Unlike before, when the system constantly interfered and nerfed him at every opportunity, he felt… free. His magic—Creation and Blood—flowed naturally, not as burdens but as extensions of his being. He could wield them with just a thought, their immense scope becoming clear as fragments of memories from Kael and Dri surfaced.

His realization deepened as he mulled over the disappearance of the Administrator. It made sense—she was never supposed to exist in the first place. But now, without her presence, Ethan felt unrestricted, unbound by limitations. His powers were his own to command. Even his speech carried weight beyond comprehension, capable of influencing reality, although on a smaller scale, if he wasn’t careful.

Lost in thought, Ethan barely noticed when Lisa came to a stop. They were perched atop a massive tree, its thick branches and dense canopy of leaves hiding them from view.

"Why here?" Ethan asked, breaking his silence.

Lisa set him down gently, smiling slightly. "Because you look like you need a moment to breathe, and no one will find us here. Plus..." She trailed off, studying him with an amused glint in her eyes. "You’re too cute right now to leave you with those vultures."

Ethan groaned, running a hand down his face. ’I hate this.’

Lisa chuckled. "Oh, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll figure it out… eventually." She leaned against the tree, wings folding elegantly behind her. "But for now, you might as well embrace it, Boss."

Ethan glared at her, but it lacked its usual intensity, given his current form. ’You’re enjoying this way too much.’

Lisa didn’t even bother denying it. "Absolutely."

They stared at each other in silence, the soft rustling of leaves filling the void, until Lisa finally broke it.

"My brother..." she began hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

’I don’t know why he’s being held hostage,’ Ethan replied immediately, his telepathic voice carrying a firm resolve. ’But I will get to the bottom of it when we get back. I promise.’

Lisa nodded, her lips curving into a faint smile of gratitude. "Mm. Thank you... but, why are you speaking telepathically?"

’Let’s just say speaking out loud might destroy this tree,’ Ethan explained, his tone tinged with frustration. ’I haven’t quite gotten the hang of controlling my full power yet.’

Lisa frowned in confusion. "I don’t understand any of that."

’Neither do I,’ Ethan admitted with a mental sigh.

Then, out of nowhere, Lisa’s face turned a deep shade of red, and she blurted out, "I love you."

Ethan froze. ’Come again?’

"You heard what you heard!" she shouted, her embarrassment making her voice pitch higher.

’I mean, I know what I heard, which is why I’m surprised,’ Ethan replied, his mental tone laced with disbelief. ’Why, though? We’ve only met once... twice, if we’re counting this. And our first meeting wasn’t exactly... pleasant.’

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"I... I know. I attacked you," Lisa admitted, looking down at the branch beneath her feet. "But I had my reasons."

’You were protecting your brother,’ Ethan said, tilting his head. ’What other reason could there be?’

Lisa shook her head. "Thank you for understanding, but... you’re wrong. I did it to protect myself."

Ethan’s confusion deepened. ’I don’t understand.’

Lisa hesitated for a long moment, then looked up at him with pleading eyes. "It’s better if I show you. Please... don’t judge me."

Slowly, she unfurled her wings, allowing her full form to be exposed under the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. Her face turned beet red as she felt Ethan’s gaze settle on her.

Ethan’s expression shifted as he noticed them—scars. Faint but numerous, scattered all over her body in shapes and patterns that spoke of pain and suffering. They covered her hands, arms, shoulders, chest, stomach, back, legs—there was hardly a place untouched. Even her face bore a small mark above her right eyebrow.

"I know I’m ugly," Lisa muttered, her voice trembling as she stared at the ground.

Ethan’s response came immediately. ’You’re beautiful.’

Her head snapped up. "What?"

’You’re beautiful,’ he repeated, his mental tone unwavering.

Lisa shook her head vehemently, her wings trembling. "Please stop joking. I don’t need your sympathy, though I’d appreciate your honesty."

’I am being honest,’ Ethan insisted. ’You are very beautiful.’

Lisa’s eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling. "You... sob..."

’What’s wrong?’ Ethan asked, panic creeping into his voice. ’Did I say something wrong?’

"Are you really telling the truth?" Lisa asked, her voice shaking as she wiped at her tears. "That I’m... beautiful?"

’Why would I lie to you?’ Ethan replied, his mental voice gentle but firm.

"They always said I was ugly," she whispered, her tears now flowing freely. "A witch... a virgin whore..."

Ethan’s mental tone turned ice-cold. ’Who are they?’

"I... I..." Lisa’s voice broke, her sobs cutting her words short.

Ethan didn’t press further. Instead, he gently pulled her closer, guiding her head to rest on his lap. He stroked her hair softly, his expression calm and composed, though inside, his emotions burned like fire.

This was only his second time meeting Lisa, yet she was one of his fated—his soulmate. Despite their rocky start, there was a bond between them he couldn’t deny. And the thought of someone inflicting such pain on her, breaking her spirit and tarnishing her view of herself, made his blood boil.

He didn’t know who they were, but he knew one thing: he wouldn’t let them get away with it.

...

Ethan watched as Lisa’s trembling hands tightened into fists, her eyes glistening with a mix of fear and hope. He stroked her hair gently, waiting for her to find the courage to speak.

’Can you talk now? Tell me what you’ve been through,’ Ethan said softly, his voice steady and patient.

Lisa hesitated for a moment before she whispered, "Can I lay in your lap?"

Ethan smiled faintly. ’You’ve earned the right.’

"Thank you," she murmured, shifting to rest her head in his lap, her body visibly relaxing under his gentle touch.

’So...?’ Ethan prompted, his tone tender but firm.

Lisa took a shaky breath before speaking. "It’s my family," she began, her voice barely audible.

Ethan’s expression darkened, though his tone remained calm. ’Your family did this to you?’

"Please stay calm!" she pleaded, her voice trembling. "It’s a tradition in my family that women are nothing more than tools for men, even in the main branch. My father treats my mother as a pleasure object. I’ve witnessed him forcing himself on her, even when she was in pain or... during her period. He doesn’t care.

"As for me... my situation is different, but no less horrific. He doesn’t see me as a daughter but as a target for his sadistic tendencies. He punishes me for every little thing, most of it revolving around Leon. If Leon gets a scratch, I’m the one who pays the price. Even if I wasn’t there when it happened, I’m punished.

"Any misstep Leon takes, I suffer tenfold for it. And when I say punishment, I mean..." She paused, her voice cracking, "he’s made me service old men as a form of retribution. It’s a miracle I’ve kept my virginity and sanity intact.

"The other day, when I saw how Leon treated you, I wanted to scold him, but I couldn’t. If I had... my punishment would have been far worse than any scolding." She let out a bitter laugh. "Even now, I’m terrified of going back. What if..."

’Lisa,’ Ethan interrupted gently, his voice filled with emotion.

"Mm?"

’I can’t fathom the kind of pain you’ve endured. The trauma, the suffering... and yet you’ve survived. You’ve endured far more than anyone should. But I’ll tell you this: I’m not going to let that happen any longer.’

Lisa lifted her head slightly, her expression a mix of confusion and hope. "What do you mean?"

’Make a choice,’ Ethan said firmly. ’Your family... or yourself?’ Experience more tales on novelbuddy

"I..." Lisa faltered, uncertainty clouding her eyes.

’Lisa,’ Ethan continued, his voice softening, ’do you know what you are?’

"I... I don’t understand."

’You’ve evolved. You can feel it, right?’

"Yes," she admitted, her voice trembling. "This overwhelming power..."

’Exactly. But it’s more than that. You’re not just powerful—you’re mine. No one else’s.’

Lisa’s eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?"

’Can’t you feel it?’ Ethan asked, leaning closer. ’The connection we share? How do you think you fell in love with me after just one encounter?’

Lisa’s lips parted, but no words came out.

’You are my soulmate,’ Ethan said, his tone unwavering. ’I know it’s confusing—it is for me too—but it’s the truth. And because of that, I won’t allow something that’s mine to suffer like a slave in her own home. Never.’

"But..." Lisa began, her voice barely a whisper.

’You’re worried about my background, right?’ Ethan interrupted. ’Don’t be. I’m not some wandering vagabond. I’m practically a prince... and you’ll see that once we get back to Antrim City.

’Now choose, Lisa. Your family... or yourself?’

Lisa hesitated, her lips trembling as tears slid down her cheeks. "What about my mother?"

’I promise,’ Ethan said, his voice firm. ’I will save her.’

Lisa took a deep breath, the weight of her decision evident in her eyes. Then, with quiet determination, she whispered, "I choose you."