Chapter 129
Louis's POV
On the clearing outside Thunder Canyon, space suddenly twisted into a vortex, purple-black light flickering as if something were about to tear through from the void. The next second, Morena, Elvira, and I stepped out from that wormhole. Elvira raised her hand with a casual wave, and the portal closed silently behind us.
I stood there, watching Xavier's army withdrawing from the canyon in the distance, a grand procession snaking away from the battlefield. The torchlight stretched through the night like a dragon of fire, gradually disappearing beyond the horizon.
My fists clenched unconsciously, nails nearly piercing my palms.
Damn Xavier.
I'd sent him to seize the lightning element, not to bond with that cursed rogue wolf and play at some hero-respects-hero charade. He'd actually let that bastard Ivan go, even acknowledged the mutt was "worthy" of wielding elemental power? It was an open challenge to my authority.
Worse still, I realized Xavier's prestige and his anti-war philosophy had begun threatening my absolute rule. The way those soldiers looked at him carried reverence—reverence that exceeded their obedience to me, their Alpha. This situation couldn't continue.
I took a deep breath and turned around.
In the corner, Morena huddled on the ground, trembling, her black cloak wrapped so tightly around her that it nearly swallowed her whole. Her face was pale as death, lips quivering constantly, eyes flooded with terror.
"Morena," I said coldly.
She flinched violently, slowly lifting her head to meet my gaze with those frightened eyes.
"Go retrieve the lightning element from Ivan's hands."
Morena's body went rigid. She opened her mouth, her voice so faint it was nearly inaudible. "My lord, I... I'm not certain I can accomplish that."
"What?" I narrowed my eyes, my tone taking on a dangerous edge.
"I just..." She swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "I witnessed Ivan's transformation into the Thunder God with my own eyes. That pure elemental destructive force..." She closed her eyes as if trying to avoid some terrible vision. "My necromancy is no match for lightning element. Those undead puppets are as fragile as paper before thunder—they'd be purified to ash in an instant."
I walked slowly toward her, looking down at this pitiful witch. She curled tighter into herself, nearly folding into a ball.
"So?" I said softly, though my voice dripped with ice. "Are you telling me you're worthless now?"
Morena's head snapped up, eyes wide with horror. "No, no! My lord, I only meant—"
"If you're worthless," I interrupted, crouching down slowly until my face was level with hers, "then you know what happens to worthless things, don't you?"
Her breathing quickened, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"They become fertilizer," I said with a smile, reaching out to pat her cheek lightly. Her skin was cold, carrying the texture of death itself.
At that moment, Elvira suddenly burst into wild, unrestrained laughter. The sound was sharp and grating, echoing across the empty clearing and raising goosebumps involuntarily.
"Ha ha ha ha! Morena, you fool!" Elvira doubled over with laughter, nearly crying from mirth. "Scared witless by a newly awakened rogue wolf? Are you even a witch of the Thorn Forest anymore? You're an embarrassment to all of us!"
Morena bit her lip and lowered her head, her body shaking even harder.
Elvira's laughter gradually subsided as she walked to my side, her eyes glinting with sinister cunning.
"My lord, confronting the lightning element with brute force would indeed be foolish," she said, licking her lips with a kind of morbid excitement. "But we can be clever about this."
I stood up, regarding her. "Continue."
"My spatial magic can partition the battlefield." Elvira extended her hand, her fingertips glowing faintly purple. "If we find the right opportunity, I can exile Ivan and his lightning element into a spatial prison I've prepared in advance. There, their power will be severely weakened, and Morena's necromancy will have its advantage."
She turned to look at Morena, her gaze full of mockery. "Then your rotting puppets can easily tear them apart. After that, the lightning element will be ours."
I narrowed my eyes, carefully considering this plan. A spatial prison... that was actually a good idea. No matter how strong Ivan's power was, in an isolated space he couldn't unleash his full strength. And Morena's necromancy would hold absolute advantage in that environment.
"Very well," I nodded. "We'll do it that way."
Elvira smiled triumphantly, while Morena let out a breath of relief, her trembling subsiding slightly.
But my thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
Xavier.
That damned old bastard.
I recalled his expression when he stood at the canyon's edge speaking those words to Ivan. That weariness, that exhaustion, and that... recognition.
He'd recognized a rogue wolf, yet treated my orders with lip service and defiance.
It reminded me of years ago, when I'd first become Alpha—Xavier had looked at me with similar eyes back then. At that time, he'd still been willing to conquer territories for me, to use his flames to expand my domain. But now...
Now he'd changed.
He'd begun questioning the meaning of war, developing sympathy for the weak, using "protection" as a ridiculous excuse to refuse my commands.
This change unsettled me.
Xavier was powerful, yes, but he'd become a "rusted and disobedient blade." If he couldn't serve my purposes, he had to be destroyed. Otherwise, he might turn that flame power against me instead.
I would never allow that to happen.
"Elvira," I said suddenly.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Besides the lightning element," I said slowly, my eyes turning cold, "if the opportunity arises... eliminate Xavier as well."
Elvira paused for a moment, then revealed an eerie smile. "Understood, my lord."
Morena lifted her head, shock flooding her expression. But she quickly lowered it again, saying nothing.
I turned to gaze into the distance, toward the direction Xavier's army had departed. In the night, only a few scattered points of firelight still flickered.
Soon, those lights would be extinguished too.
Just like Xavier.