Eugene's eyes darted to the letter and he took a deep breath,

"It's a summon, albeit a very polite one. I cannot ignore it. Apparently, as a junior Elder, I have stayed out of the Palace enough and I must now return"

Hal could hear the melancholy in those words. Eugene seemed to have realized something through this letter; Although he had been honored for playing a part in ridding the Sect of traitors, it did not change the fact that he was still a member of that family.

Once all was done and the Swansons were dead, the Elder had cut off all ties to Eugene, leaving him completely alone in a sea of sharks that was the Astral palace.

Leaving the Palace had given him peace and kept him out of the politics he disdained but now that this letter was here, he had no choice but to return or he would be labeled a traitor.

The sadness in Swanson's eyes was deep and his sorrow seemed endless, he looked away from the letter and cleared his throat when...

*SLAP!"

...Hal slapped him.

The sound was resounding and so many in the city heard it. Hal had not only used his Cultivation base but also packed the might of his physique behind it. Leaving an imprint on Eugene's face.

"Snap out of it" Hal said as he sat back comfortably on the sofa.

Eugene's eyes were widened and it was clear that he was confused,

Why was Hal slapping him?

The look on the older man's face warped into one of anger as he turned towards Hal who was rubbing his hand,

"Damn, your skin is tough. That slap probably hurt me more than it hurts you" He said with a shameless shake of his head.

"That's Horseshit. What the hell do you think you're doing?" Eugene exploded and leaped to his feet.

If Hal we threatened by his stance, nothing showed in his expression. Guards that had been outside suddenly stormed into the mansion.

"Get out!" Hal said and they all dashed out immediately.

He wanted privacy.

Meanwhile, Eugene was still fuming and Hal leaned back on the sofa while placing the tip of his hands together to peer at Eugene above them,

"You seem upset"

Eugene blinked,

"Why won't I be? You slapped me!"

Hal nodded,

"I don't deny it. But it was for your good. You needed some sense knocked into you"

Eugene was seething,

"What?"

"You heard me. Someone died in the Swanson family that you really care about right? And I don't mean your brothers and cousins, I mean someone you really did care about" Hal said in a considerate voice.

Eugene's arms went slack and his face became destitute.

'Oh, it looks like I guessed right' Hal thought.

"It wasn't just one. It was everyone that was not my brother, father or cousins. It was the maids, the servants... The guards. They sympathized with me and were more like my family than my real family."

Eugene slumped back into the chair, his hands covering his face.

"When I told everything to the Elder, I failed to give them much thought. I failed to give them a heads up. I simply assumed they would be let go. Set free. Maybe made to work for other families but at least they would be alive.

The battle had already started and many of them had died. Long before the true culprits even fell to the sword. For those that were still alive, I told them to surrender. All in the hope that they would survive. But it did not matter whether they surrendered or not, they all..."

Eugene choked but Hal could guess the rest.

Hal sighed,

"You know, I didn't slap you to remind you of your pain. I did it so you would suck it up and move on. So you were dealt a bad hand. So you were used, Big deal. Compared to others, you got the best end of the stick.

I don't particularly agree with you running away and neither do I disagree with it. You did what felt right to you and that, I commend.

Which is why I ask you now; What do you want to do?"

Eugene's hands went to the letter but Hal slapped it away,

"No. Not what the letter wants you to do. What YOU want to do" Hal said with a slight shake of his head.

Eugene rubbed the spot on his hand Hal had slapped while trying his best to ignore the sting on his cheek.

"I want to achieve my lifelong dream. I want to be a powerful Runemaster." Swanson said in a Hollow voice.

Hal nodded,

"If that's what you want, then fight for it. Return to the Astral Palace. Make use of the Astral Refining Art I gave to you and refine your Astral sense. Gather followers and allies. Do whatever it is you need to survive."

Eugene looked up at him with wide eyes but Hal was not done.

"Scheme if you have to and Eugene, kill if you have to. Let go of your principles because not only will they get you nowhere, they are also why you fell into that's Elder's trap."

Eugene stuttered,

"K-k-kill? Let go of my principles?"

Hal's eyes were cold and there was no hint of a smile on his face,

"Yes. For someone who has nothing and wants everything, that is the only way. What I am trying to do right now, you can call it corruption but I consider it your Salvation and your only hope of achieving your dreams.

You need to learn to adapt and if you don't, Eugene, I'll kill you myself"

At this point, Hal's eyes went completely Dark, (Sclera and all) and just looking into it alone, caused Eugene to shiver with fear.

Even then, he spoke,

"W-What are you say... No, who are you?" He asked in a shivering voice.

Hal grinned in a cruel manner,

"I'm Hal who you've always known and If I want, I can make you just how I want. A simple contract is all it would take, but I don't see the point." With that Hal's eyes went back to normal and Eugene let go of the breath he did not know he had been holding.

Yes, Hal was the same.

He, Eugene had just never known who he truly was.

Hal sighed and crossed his legs to peer at Eugene with his deep blue eyes,

"If you decide not to let go of your principles, you will still return to the Astral Palace and you will still be screwed over. Think about what I have said. I was not kidding. I will kill you"

Eugene could not help himself,

"For what?!' He exclaimed.

"For being a Dumbass. If I don't kill you, someone else eventually will. I will consider myself a failure as a friend if I let that happen" Hal said.

"So why not protect me?" Eugene could not help but ask.

"Too stressful. Killing you would be easier." Hal said and the cruel smile was back.

"You're a Devil!" Eugene said, obviously referring to Hal's words and actions because as strange as the eye change was, he could not have guessed what Hal's bloodline was.

Also, most of what Hal said when his eyes made the change, were either gibberish to Swanson or simply confusing.

Eugene stood to his feet and cleared his throat,

"I just thought you should know. I will be gone very soon. It could be today, it could be tomorrow but it won't go past three days"

He walked away towards the end of the lounge where the Door was still open, since he came here, he had been slapped, insulted and threatened and yet he could not help but feel Hal had really been doing it for his own good.

"Goodbye Hal..." Was the last thing he said before he exited the Mansion.

Hal watched him leave and shook his head lightly,

'Are you really planning to kill him?' Grimoire asked.

'Who knows? I might just mark him. Or contract him.' Hal said.

'Why haven't you yet?' Grimoire asked.

'Why haven't I what?' Hal decided to play dumb.

'Why haven't you contracted him?' Grimoire clarified and Hal sighed as he walked towards the bath.

'I felt like I've been taking the easy way out, when I want people to act the way I want, I contract them. I never really put in the work.

I want to see just how persuasive I can be. I want to see if my words and intimidation are enough to change someone like Eugene who is so set in his ways' Hal said.

'And if he changes and turns on you?' Grimoire said.

'That's a definite possibility but I have to say I'm disappointed you don't know the answer to that already'

Hal said and Grimoire sighed,

'I do'

Hal pushed open the door to the bath and found that Melinda was the only one left, Marla and Amelia must have gone to their rooms. It was a big Mansion after all and there were more than enough rooms for all the ladies.

"Took you long enough" Melinda pouted as her dark and long hair floated behind her in the water.

Hal was naked in a second and waddling in to wound his arm around her waist,

"Sorry I kept you waiting.

I'll make it up to you"