Chapter 31

“So, in the end, you got the artifacts." Lilith mumbled but I kept staring at the loamy floor like one who was enchanted.

“I mean, it's almost unbelievable you got them within a short period of time. I'm even particularly surprised on how you managed to outsmart Eren without waging war against him...” she continued to rant but my mind was elsewhere.

I could only think about the night. For the first time he cried, for the first time he stood up against me and for the first time, he left me. I should have just chosen to pacify him rather than start an argument. But my ego didn't let me, my stubbornness to just yield to this love once again had its say.

Even though I didn't want it, my mind kept replaying his heart wrenching words.

“This is why Martha left you."

“Maybe you're not so different from your Father after all."

“I don't want to see you. I don't want to be by your side anymore. I don't want to be with someone that fails to see my worth."

I rubbed my chest gently trying to soothe the pain that bloomed. Just like Martha left me, he left me too. I wondered where he was, what he'll be doing now. If he were still in pain like I was.

“Green, are you alright?" Lilith's voice tousled my thoughts only then was I fully aware of my surroundings. We were in a forest alongside few of her Witches she invited.

“Yes." I finally answered but she rewarded me with a skeptical look. I gulped down my saliva, studying the witches who were busy preparing the cleared area for the ritual. There were medium sized rocks positioned around us, each of them with different inscriptions I couldn't understand. And at the center, was a rock table beholding the artifacts and other materials.

“You look like something is bothering you,” she replied. "And where's Martha? I haven't seen her yet."

I exhaled.

“She's long gone and don't even start to ask questions." I toned.

“Alright." She nodded, standing before me with a tiny smile. "Let's talk about this ritual then. You've still not told me why you want to do this, and you promised."

On impulse, I reminisced on how Zeus had criticized my dream. How he had spilled a truth that hurt so much. He was right, perhaps this aim I wanted didn't worth the lives lost. I couldn't even begin to imagine seeing my mate being enslaved by me.

“Finish the ritual first." I replied.

“Green, this ritual, are you sure about it?" She asked in a worried tone. "I mean, the combination of these four artifacts together is extremely dangerous. There's a possibility it's power might consume you or that it might change you."

“Do it Lilith." I ordered with an expression devoid of emotions. Even though I knew the risk behind this ritual, I was still going to do it. For its powers were like nothing our world has ever seen. At the same time, I was still uncertain whether to use this power or not. I was still struck in a limbo between Zeus and this reckless path I was threading.

Lilith flipped her fingers, signaling her fellow witches to take their stance by each rock. They stood in a circular pattern, holding hands together.

She headed for the table, laying each artifact carefully beside each other.

She started with the Vampire gem followed by the Witches, the Werewolves, and the Dragons.

“Green,” she called, beckoning me to join her before the table. I glanced at each of them with emptiness looming in my insides. But then my attention drifted to Lilith as she made a long and deep cut in my left palm. She did the same for her right palm before chanting an inaudible spell. Surprisingly, my injury refused to heal up and I frowned.

“Don't worry. The spell is only to slow down your healing speed. Both of our blood is needed if we want this ritual to be successful." I nodded as she explained. She intertwined her right with mine, her eyes turned into scarlet red and so did the others.

“Whatever happens," she announced. "None of you should stop chanting the spell."

“Yes Regent." They pitched and then Lilith gripped me tighter before her eyes closed.

“Saurynas Esceletas Matyras…” she chanted first before the rest joined her. I just continued to watch them do their thing until suddenly, I felt a large amount of energy being forced out of me. The cloud darkened, the ground began to quake with a gentle tremor, the winds blew violently causing the trees to dance haphazardly. Its intensity worsened but Lilith and the rest continued chanting the same words.

Indeed, she was right, this ritual was powerful. I was growing weaker by the minute. At the same time, the artifacts started glowing, each of them transcending into the air. They moved slowly in a circular path midair and as their distance kept closing, lightning began to strike. The winds smashed against my face, and darkness descended completely. My eyes inadvertently sealed shut as its brightness increased on a higher note. All of a sudden, everything reverted back to normal. The sun had returned, the winds were solemn, the trees were still but the artifacts were gone. All that was left was a black seed shaped like cashew nut on the table.

Lilith and I shared knowing glances at each other before I picked the seed. Holding it alone, my body was overwhelmed by its power. I almost staggered.

“The ritual is complete. All that's left for you, is to swallow it,” she said. Their eyes were boring holes at me as I stared at the seed. All I could envisage was my mother, Martha, and Zeus. I'm sure they wouldn't let me do this. I myself was still uncertain. For all I know, it could kill me. It could change me completely. I closed my palm, heaving a light sigh alongside.

“I'll do it later,” I said. But deep inside, I wanted to see my mate one last time before the unknown befell me.

“Green." Lilith called but I walked away from her, heading straight to my mansion. "There's something I wanna tell you."

“Once you're done clearing up, Celine will give you your reward. Right now, I need to be alone." I icily quoted as a parting note before increasing my pace. I finally got what I wanted after so long and I couldn't use it. All thanks to the chains of love, I was now a confused entity who doesn't know what she wants anymore.

***

“Green finally got what she wanted." I muttered, disgust filling my tone as I almost crushed my glass of wine.

“She promised to wage war against us and indeed she did. In the end,

Vera is crippled and can't perform magic, and you," I pursed my lips as I reviewed Damian's status opposite me. There he was seated hopelessly on his couch, the same expression I had encountered on the faces of his pack members before reaching here.

“You were lucky not to encounter much worse fate and then she stole my Dragon stone right under my nose." I wriggled my head in disbelief. Anger and irritation striding within me.

“But we can't let her have her way. We have to fight back, if not for any reason but for the sake of our species future. I love her but with all the artifacts in her possession, she's extremely dangerous.

We have to fight back!"

If I was expecting Damian to cheer in the same spirit with me, I was deceiving myself. The Lycan wriggled his head as he sighed heavily.

“I don't blame you Eren,” he said. "If you were one-handed like me or crippled like Vera or had even faced much worse in her hands, you wouldn't talk like this."

“If you two had listened to me the other time, our situation wouldn't be like this." I retorted.

“Well, it has happened. We have fallen. We have failed as leaders,” he answered.

“Don't say that!"

“Green is a demon! You should have seen her and her elite armies the way they fought. Never ever have I encountered such loss in my life and now you're here, blabbing we should fight back,” he chattered. "It's only a fool that would go ahead and face her."

“Don't talk like this Damian." I almost growled even though I knew he was speaking the truth.

“Where's the Damian who would never relent in fighting for what's right?"

He scoffed.

“That Damian is long gone Eren. Can't you even be sympathetic? I almost died, I lost majority of my men. And Vera, too. She's not even in any position to fight. So don't patronize me."

I heaved a light sigh.

“I understand. But I hope you also know that as leaders, it's our sacred duty to protect our people." I pursed my lips as he wriggled his head.

“There's another way we can get our artifacts back." I chirped and he rewarded me with a skeptical look.

“I'm listening,” he said, and a tiny smile crept to my face.

“We've known for a long time Green doesn't have any weakness but this time, I found out she has one."

“Eren..." He wriggled his head again.

“Green has a mate,” I said. His jaw dropped as his eyes widened.

“Who?"

“Zeus." I muttered and claws sharply protruded from his fingers, tearing his couch.

“That bastard!" He growled. "He abducted my family again when Green attacked, wait! Now I understand why he was helping Green all along!"

“Yes." I nodded. "Zeus stole the Dragon stone and according to my sources, he was also the one who took the witches gem."

“Why did the moon goddess have to mate two monsters together, why?!"

“Now is not the time to rant to your moon goddess. We have to focus on playing our cards well."

“And how do you suppose we do that?"

“Very simple." I donned a sinister smile. "Zeus isn't as powerful as Green which makes him weaker. We're going to capture and use him as our leverage against Green. She would have no choice but return our artifacts."

“And you think this feeble plan of yours would work?" He frowned but I recalled the night again, how they had both defended themselves, the love that bloomed in their eyes. One I found so irritating. She belonged to me not Zeus.

“They love each other so much. Besides they're mates, you of all people should know how the mate bond works." I answered.

“Indeed. But Zeus is extremely good at hiding. For all we know, he might be with his lover at City of Marr."

I wriggled my head in denial.

“I've deplored all of my forces to be on the lookout for him and this time, whether he's at Marr or not, we're going to capture him." I grinned devilishly.

“That way, we've checkmated Green." He grinned too.

“Yes. We'll have our artifacts back and even have the luxury to kill Zeus." I nodded.

“This plan of yours seems indulging, Eren but can you do something for me?"

“What?"

“Once you capture him, I want to personally kill him. That bastard has cost me so much, it's time I pay him back."

My devilish grin returned again. Green might have one, only because she caught me unaware. But this time, it was time I played my own game.