As they approached the gorge, the air grew thick with the metallic scent of blood. The scene before them was grim: bodies of Howlfangs lay strewn across the rocky ground. One of Varik's men lay dead, his lifeless eyes staring into the abyss.
"Looks like they ran into trouble," Joss murmured.
"Serves them right," Mira muttered.
As they rounded a bend, Aelric's footfalls slowed, coming to a complete halt. There, standing in the open, were Varik, Serenna, and Gerrick. The lone remaining lackey hovered a few steps behind them, his sword drawn but lowered.
Varik's face lit with mock delight as he spotted them. His calculating eyes swept over Aelric's group, lingering briefly on Elysia. "Well, look who managed to stay alive," he drawled. "Against all odds. I must say, I'm impressed."
Aelric's gaze snapped to Gerrick. The older man's hammer hung loosely at his side, his posture relaxed, unrepentant. There was no shame in his eyes, no hesitation.
"You betrayed us," Aelric said, his voice low.
Gerrick shrugged, his weathered face unreadable. "I made a choice. Same as I've always done."
"Your choice cost us lives!" Mira shouted, stepping forward. Her spear trembled in her grip, fury blazing in her eyes. "Duran—he—" Her voice cracked, and she struggled to continue.
"Duran knew the risks," Gerrick replied, his tone devoid of regret. "He chose to stand and fight. I chose to survive."
The words hit Aelric like a slap, but he refused to flinch. "You sacrificed us to save your own skin."
"That's right," Gerrick said, his voice cold. "And I'd do it again. I've been a prisoner longer than you've been alive, and I've seen what happens to people who hesitate. You keep talking about loyalty, about standing together—but loyalty doesn't matter when you're dead."
"You disgust me," Lysa spat, stepping forward with her spear raised.
Before the tension could erupt into violence, Varik intervened with a laugh. "Ah, let's not lose our heads here. The past is the past, no? What matters now is that we work together to get out of this cursed place."
"You expect us to trust you after this?" Mira hissed, her eyes blazing.
Varik grinned, his gaze settling on Elysia. "Trust? Now there's a funny thing. Are you sure you can trust everyone in your little group?"
"What are you getting at?" Aelric demanded, his voice sharp.
Varik's grin widened, his tone mockingly light. "Didn't she tell you? Your little friend there—she's from the Khorvak Tribe."
The words fell flat on Aelric but the air shifted abruptly, thick with unease. Lysa's grip on her spear faltered slightly as her eyes flicked to Elysia. Joss and Mira stiffened, their suspicion now split between Gerrick and Elysia. Even Kane took a hesitant step back, his expression a mixture of confusion and fear.
Elysia's face remained neutral, but Aelric caught the flicker of resignation in her eyes. She shifted her weight slightly, her chain coiling loosely in her hand, but she made no move to explain.
"The Khorvak," Mira hissed, her voice dripping with unease. "They're savages."
"They aren't just savages," Joss added, his voice low. "They're killers. Bloodthirsty monsters who revel in blood. And you're one of them?"
"That's rich, coming from you, Varik," Elysia said lightly, though her tone carried an edge. "What about your men? Should we bring up their histories?"
"I've never denied what I am," Varik said, spreading his arms as if to show his honesty. "But they don't trust me. They trust you. Or at least they did."
The group stirred uneasily. Kane glanced at Aelric, his voice hesitant. "Is it true?"
Elysia straightened, her tone calm but edged with defiance. "I'm from Khorvak," she admitted. "And I'm not going to defend myself but I won't harm any of you."
Mira raised her spear slightly. "How can we be sure? If you lose control—"
"Enough," Aelric said, his voice steady as he stepped between Elysia and the others. His gaze swept over the group, his expression firm. "I've fought beside her. She's had my back in every battle we've faced. Whatever tribe she's from, she's proven herself more trustworthy than Gerrick—or Varik."
The group hesitated. Lysa's brow furrowed, her knuckles whitening around her spear. "Are you sure about this, Aelric?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he said without hesitation, standing resolutely beside Elysia. "If you trust me, then trust her."
For a moment, the group stood frozen, caught between suspicion and Aelric's conviction. Slowly, their weapons lowered. Elysia glanced at him, a flicker of surprise breaking through her guarded expression. "Didn't think you'd stick your neck out for me," she said lightly, though her voice carried a note of gratitude.
Aelric didn't respond, but he felt a subtle tremble from the Mark of Loyalty—a bond beginning to form between them. It wasn't as strong as the bond he felt with Kane or even with the others, but it was there—a quiet thread of trust that hadn't existed before.
Varik's grin faltered slightly, but he recovered quickly. "Touching," he sneered.
Aelric turned his focus back to Gerrick, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "You made your choice," he said, his voice like steel. "Now face the consequences."
Gerrick's grip tightened on his hammer, his expression hardening. "I'm not begging for forgiveness, boy," he said coldly. "If you want to settle this, let's settle it."
The atmosphere crackled with tension as Aelric faced Varik. Elysia stood beside Aelric, her chain coiled and ready. Across from them, Serenna eyed Elysia with a predatory smirk, daggers poised. Gerrick and Varik's last lackey squared off against Kane, Lysa, Joss, and Mira.
Varik twirled his sword lazily. "You should've agreed to my truce boy."
"I don't deal with cowards," Aelric replied, his tone cold and unyielding.
Varik's grin widened, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Then die regretting your choice."
He lunged without warning, his blade cutting through the air. Aelric met him head-on. Varik's strikes were quick and brutal, but Aelric's training honed his movements into a calculated dance of parries and ripostes.
Nearby, Serenna and Elysia clashed. Serenna's daggers blurred in the faint light as she lunged, but Elysia's chain moved like a living thing, coiling and snapping to deflect the blows. The two women circled each other, their movements fluid and predatory.
"You're good," Serenna sneered. "But not good enough."
Elysia smirked, her chain snapping inches from Serenna's face. "We'll see about that."
Behind them, Gerrick swung his hammer in wide arcs, forcing Kane and Lysa back. "Come on, little ones," he growled. "Let's see what you're made of."
Lysa's spear darted toward him, keeping him at bay. "We don't have time for this!" she shouted. "The potion—its scent will draw the Alpha."
Aelric heard her warning. The potion's lingering stench was an invitation to the nightmare lurking in the dark. They needed to end this, now.
With renewed focus, he pressed Varik harder. Their blades clashed in a blur of motion, the ringing of steel echoing in the tense air. Despite being smaller than Varik, years of training with royal instructors made him a force to be reckoned with and immediately put Varik on the backfoot.
But Aelric wasn't smiling. His instincts screamed at him—something was wrong. The air felt heavy, electric, as if the forest itself held its breath. He faltered for just a moment, his senses sharpening.
And then he felt it.
A shift in the atmosphere, so subtle it was almost imperceptible. The oppressive silence was broken by a low, rumbling growl.
Before he could shout a warning, the ground trembled beneath them. A blur of motion erupted from the distant treeline, impossibly fast and impossibly large. The Alpha Howlfang launched itself into the fray, a streak of black fur and molten gold eyes.
Its arrival was not subtle—it was a statement.
The Alpha's landing shook the battlefield, the force of its impact sending a shockwave through the air. Varik turned, his eyes widening as the shadow of death loomed over him. "No—"
The Alpha's claw slashed downward with terrifying precision, silencing Varik's plea. Blood sprayed, and Varik's lifeless body crumpled to the ground. The Crown of Conquest tumbled from his grasp, landing at Aelric's feet with a hollow clatter.
"Varik!" Serenna's scream pierced the chaos, but her distraction was fatal. Elysia's chain coiled around her ankle, yanking her to the ground. A sharp kick from Elysia sent Serenna sprawling, her body limp and motionless.
The group staggered back, their weapons trembling in bloodied hands. Lysa's voice cracked. "What do we do? Do we run? Fight?" Her spear wavered as her gaze darted between Aelric and the Alpha.
Joss wiped blood from his brow, his face pale but resolute. "If we run, it'll chase us down."
"But we can't take that thing!" Mira hissed, her knuckles whitening around her spear. Her voice carried a frantic edge, panic threatening to overtake her.
Aelric's throat tightened as the weight of their decisions pressed against him. He looked at the group—some trembling, others bloodied and battered, but all looking to him for guidance. The Alpha growled low, its muscles rippling as it crouched, readying itself to attack. Shadows stirred behind it, faint flickers of molten eyes emerging from the tree line.
"The pack's coming," Elysia said grimly, her chain coiling in her hand. "We don't have time to argue."
Aelric gripped his sword tighter, the weight of the crown at his feet anchoring him. "Hold the line!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "If we run now, we die. We stand together!"
*****
A/N:
The situation is finally nearing its resolution! A lot has happened in the last few chapters, and we're now approaching the end of the fight. It's been a wild ride, and there's more excitement coming as things settle (or perhaps don't settle) in the aftermath.
I'd love to hear your thoughts—what do you think about the recent developments? Your comments and reviews mean the world to me, so please share your feedback! If you're enjoying the story, your support helps keep it going strong. Thank you for sticking with me, and let's keep this adventure alive together!