Chapter 70
Ella's POV
The ice bridge extended beneath my feet, each step accompanied by the roar of flames. Wind screamed in my ears, and the clamor of battle grew closer—the clash of metal, the howling of wolves, and that nauseating stench, like something rotting.
Charge! Ignis shouted excitedly in my mind. Show them what real fire looks like!
I could feel her power surging through me, like magma flowing through my veins.
We were one—her wildness, my determination, fused into something more powerful.
The ice bridge began melting behind me. Julian's strength was exhausted. I could hear Brian and Gregory close behind, their claws leaving deep marks on the ice.
Then I saw it.
That disgusting thing.
The bloodthirsty worm crouched on the ruins of the wall like a small mountain, its pale body covered with pustules and festering wounds, oozing slime from the cracks in its skin with each writhe.
Its mouth—if that could be called a mouth—was a massive black hole, densely packed with inward-curving teeth.
The moment I landed, the battlefield fell into brief silence.
Everyone was staring at me—this massive wolf wreathed in crimson flames.
"It's the Crimson Flame Warlord!" someone in the Blood River camp shouted, fear in their voice.
"Impossible! The Warlord died long ago!" another voice retorted.
"Then what is that?!"
I had no time for their arguments. My gaze locked onto the man in silver armor on the war chariot—Nicholas.
He stood on high ground, coldly surveying the battlefield, as if everything was under his control.
"Continue the attack!" his voice cut through the chaos. "Those who retreat will be executed!"
The Blood River warriors hesitated for a second, then surged toward the Silver Moon defense line again.
Deal with that disgusting worm first, Ignis said. It's the biggest threat.
I agreed. That thing was slowly turning toward where Alpha Walter and Luna Jenna stood, the ground trembling with each inch it moved.
I took a deep breath, then charged at full speed toward the bloodthirsty worm.
The flames on my body burned fiercer, leaving a scorched trail across the snow. I could feel the heat, but it wouldn't harm me—it was part of me, as natural as breathing.
The worm seemed to sense the threat, its massive body beginning to turn toward me. I didn't slow down, but accelerated instead. When I was still ten meters away, I leaped up and slammed my shoulder hard into its side.
Boom!
The massive impact made the worm's entire body tilt sideways. It let out a sharp screech that pierced my eardrums. It rolled several times, crushing several Blood River soldiers who couldn't dodge in time.
Then it got up, that terrifying maw aimed at me.
Come on, ugly, Ignis taunted.
The worm lunged at me with surprising speed. I dodged to the side, and its mouth bit into the ground, churning up a huge amount of snow and dirt.
I opened my mouth, a fireball condensing deep in my throat. The next second, a basketball-sized fireball shot toward the worm's body.
The fireball hit its abdomen, but didn't explode—it bounced off that thick layer of fat, like hitting rubber.
"What?!" I stared in shock.
Try a different approach! Ignis said. Use Wrath of the Skyfire!
I raised my head, feeling the flow of fire element within me. They obeyed my summons, gathering, condensing, burning in the air.
"Wrath of the Skyfire!" I roared in my mind.
The sky suddenly turned orange-red.
Countless fireballs rained down from above, crashing onto the battlefield like a meteor shower. Each fireball was as large as a millstone, trailing long flame tails and making piercing whistling sounds.
The first fireball struck a Blood River soldier, who didn't even have time to scream before turning to charcoal. The second, third, tenth—fireballs kept falling, each impact raising a cloud of flame and dust.
The Blood River soldiers began to panic, scattering in all directions, seeking cover.
Soon, they found the best cover—the bloodthirsty worm.
Soldiers swarmed around the worm's massive body, and that thick layer of fat could indeed block the fireballs.
But each time a fireball struck the worm, a bit of its fat would burn away. I could see those scorched places smoking black, emitting a nauseating burnt stench.
Then I saw an even more disgusting scene.
A Blood River soldier who couldn't dodge in time was sucked into the worm's mouth. His screams cut off abruptly, and then the pit that had just been blasted in the worm's body by a fireball began to writhe, new fat growing from inside to fill the wound.
It's using soldiers to replenish itself! Ignis said angrily. That damn thing!
I gritted my teeth and stopped Wrath of the Skyfire. The rain of fire ceased, but the battlefield had already become a sea of flames.
Close combat! Ignis said. Tear it apart with claws!
I charged at the worm again, but this time I didn't use my shoulder to ram it. Instead, as I approached, I leaped high, my claws igniting with more intense flames—that was Burning Claw.
My claws plunged deep into the worm's chest, then I yanked hard. Two large chunks of burning flesh were torn away, and the worm let out a deafening screech.
But the next second, its massive maw suddenly clamped down on my forelimb.
"Ahhhh!"
Excruciating pain instantly spread through my entire body. Those inward-curving teeth pierced deep into my leg, blood flowing down my fur. I struggled desperately, trying to break free, but it was gripping too tightly.
Let her go! A familiar voice rang in my mind.
Brian's gray-gold wolf form charged from the side into the worm's head, his claws raking viciously at its eyes. The worm recoiled in pain and released its grip.
I staggered back a few steps, looking down at my forelimb—the wound was deep, bleeding profusely, but the bone should be intact.
Thanks, I said to Brian.
Don't mention it, Warlord's daughter, he replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
The worm was obviously thoroughly enraged. Its mouth opened, and a large swarm of black things flew out—bloodthirsty insects.
They were the size of small birds, their wings making buzzing sounds as they beat, blocking out the sky in a dense mass. They swooped toward the Silver Moon warriors, gnawing at any flesh they could reach.
Screams rose one after another.
Then those insects began flying toward me, their target clear.
Enough! Ignis roared in my mind. I'm going to burn them all!
I could feel her fury.
Flames boiled within me, as if about to burst through my body. I stood in place, letting the power gather inside me, growing stronger and hotter.
Then I released it.
Flame Tornado—with me as the center, blazing flames formed a massive tornado, spreading outward. Wherever the tornado passed, the bloodthirsty insects instantly turned to ash, not even having time to scream.
The tornado carved a clear path across the battlefield, pointing straight at the bloodthirsty worm.
I could hear the exclamations around me, but I didn't care. I just wanted to end this.
Flames gathered in my mouth, and this time the power was stronger than anything before. I could feel its weight, its temperature, its desire to destroy everything.
"It's the Crimson Flame Warlord's signature technique!" soldiers were shouting. "Horn of the Flame God!"
Let pure flames incinerate all evil! I whispered in my mind.
The next second, a crimson beam of light shot from my mouth.
It was purer and hotter than any flame I'd released before. Wherever the beam passed, snow melted, stones cracked, and the air itself distorted.
The beam struck the center of the bloodthirsty worm's body, piercing straight through it.
The worm's screeching stopped abruptly.
Its massive body began burning from the inside, flames bursting from every pore. It struggled for a few seconds, then collapsed with a thunderous crash, turning into a pool of burning grease.
The foul smell permeated the air, making me want to vomit.
But the Silver Moon warriors erupted in cheers.
I stood there, panting heavily, my forelimb still bleeding, but an unprecedented sense of accomplishment surged in my heart.
Well done! Ignis said excitedly. We—
Her words were cut off.
A massive impact force struck from the side, my entire body was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.
I struggled to get up and turned to look.
A white massive wolf stood where I had just been, its eyes ice-cold blue, a vicious scar slashing down from its left eye across its entire face.
Seraphina.
Fuck, Ignis said.