Chapter 89: [89] Crimson Snow

Swish!

The sound of swords being unsheathed reached Drakili’s ears as he stared at the guards, dumbfounded.

“My lord! What is his offense?” Drakeni pleaded on his behalf.

Lord Galanhad smiled calmly. “In your culture, it is unacceptable to call another Your Grace, right?

“Well, in my culture…” his face darkened.

“Laggards are not to speak in the presence of nobility.”

The guards had drawn their weapons and were marching towards Drakili, who was still finding it difficult to wrap his head around what was happening.

But before they got to him, Conrad stepped in front of them. “Please forgive him, Your Grace! I will take whatever punishment you have!”

Although the wood elves were just as many as them, they knew they wouldn’t stand a chance in a battle.

Galanhad cast a distasteful gaze upon them and frowned. “Fine, your right arm will suffice.”

Conrad swallowed, cold sweat streaming down his face. Then he turned around to glance at Drakili, who was now kneeling in the snow.

His arm was nothing compared to the boy’s life.

’His mana…’ Drakili thought, his hands trembling.

For a brief second, Lord Galanhad had unleashed his mana, and Drakili had sensed it.

’I-it.. it… it is demonic…’

His reserves were so vast that it multiplied Drakili’s a hundred fold, and it had a sinister feel, like something akin to a demonic beast’s aura.

Initially, Drakili thought they could put up a fight, only now did he realize how foolish he had been.

While he was still frozen in place, the high elf knight stepped in front of Conrad, a cruel smile on his face as he lifted his sword.

Conrad gritted his teeth and raised his arm.

“C-CONRAD!!!” Drakili screamed.

Swish!

The sword came without mercy, slicing cleanly through, the severed arm landing right in front of Drakili.

Conrad gritted his teeth in pain, but not a single scream escaped his lips.

The snow was painted crimson, Drakili’s eyes blurred with tears as he repeatedly shouted out an apology.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry!”

•••

Five days later…

After Conrad lost his arm, they had to seal the wound with fire, and he had been resting in a makeshift shelter ever since.

Since that day, Drakili had been deathly quiet.

He had not eaten a single thing and only drank as much water as was needed for survival.

Drakili was seated in the hut Conrad was resting in, hugging his knees as the scene from that night repeated itself countless times in his head.

’Why did I have to open my stupid mouth?!’ He cursed himself internally.

Wood elves were either farmers, hunters, or guards. As a man with a family to cater for, without his arm, Conrad was effectively crippled.

’I should have listened when he told me to be quiet, I should have shut my f*cking mouth!’

Drakili had agonized over this for the past few days, unable to think of anything but his mistake.

Worst of all, Drakeni was no longer speaking to him.

“I’m sorry, Drakeni…” he muttered.

“Shut up, kid.” A voice reached his ears.

He saw Conrad trying to sit up and hurried over to help him.

“I’ve heard that line about a thousand times now. No one is holding a grudge.”

Drakili’s gaze was downcast as he smiled sadly. “Drakeni won’t even see my face…”

Conrad scoffed. “That is how that old oaf is, he’s avoiding you because he knows he won’t be able to stop himself from babying you again.

“This is his way of allowing you to learn from your mistakes.”

Drakili did not seem convinced.

“Why don’t you go get some air? It will do you some good.”

“Yes sir…”

Drakili left the hut and followed the mountain trail down the slope. His fur coat was held tightly to his body as the merciless wind blew past him.

He continued for quite some time, his mind blank, only realizing when he had gone too far down.

“Shit!” Drakili cursed. “I need to get back before they start getting worried.”

He wanted to go immediately, but because he was pressed, he quickly walked to the other side of the mountain and unbuckled his trousers, letting out a sigh as he relieved himself.

“Odd place to take a piss.”

“?!”

Shocked, Drakili immediately spun to see who had snuck up to him, but in the process, his pee splashed on the intruder’s shoes.

When he finally realized who it was, Drakili felt his heart drop and his blood run cold.

’Lord… Galanhad?’

•••

Whoop Whoop!

Drakili was lying naked in the snow, receiving the whooping of his life as his body froze over.

While the chill of the snow assaulted him at one end, the sharp whip drew blood, creating a warm contrast on his back.

He tried to swallow his screams, but after some time, he could no longer hold it in.

Most of the wood elves, including Drakeni, had gone to hunt dinner for them, so by the time they arrived, Drakili was already a bloody mess.

He was barely able to stay conscious, his tears freezing around him.

Drakeni was livid. He dropped the rabbit in his hand and rushed towards them.

“What is this madness?!” He screamed, unable to hold back his rage.

Galanhad raised a brow. “What does it look like?”

The whip cracked against Drakili’s back, but by now, he no longer had the energy to scream.

“I am punishing him for a grave sin.”

The elves around him could no longer hold back their rage, their hands were at the hilts of their weapons, each flogging sound felt like being stabbed through the heart.

“W-what is his crime? Was Conrad’s arm not enough?!”

Drakeni had watched Drakili wallow in self-hatred for days, yet he held himself back so that the boy would learn.

He was certain Drakili would not make the same mistake again, yet when Lord Galanhad spoke, he was more than shocked.

“I went on my usual stroll down the hill when I was assaulted visually and physically by this little criminal.”

“He must have been captivated by High Elven beauty, for the moment he saw me, he whipped out his dragon and pointed the obnoxious little thing at me.”

He sighed like a damsel in distress, a hint of mockery in his voice.

“I’m afraid he would have raped me if my guards had not been there.”

Galanhad smiled. “How will you judge this matter?”

Drakeni’s fist tightened by his sides.

’So this is their plan?’

From the very beginning, the high elves were never interested in any sort of peace.

Even in the past five days, they had not discussed anything meaningful. The main purpose of this visit…

Drakeni’s fist trembled.

’Is me.’

Just like any other wood elf lord that showed promise, the High Elves were out to cut him down as well.

All they wanted was the justification to do it, the reason they would have for massacring their party.

’None of us are leaving this mountain alive.’

While Drakeni agonized over his discovery, Galanhad glanced at the boy. “That is enough, just kill him already.”

Swish!

Simultaneously, all the wood elves drew their blades and pointed them at the high elves.

“You want justification?! Here is your justification, you gay motherf*cker!”

Galanhad’s smile could not be wider. “What you have just done is a declaration of war…”

The battle did not last long. In less than five minutes, every single wood elf, save for Drakili and Drakeni, were murdered, their blood coating the mountain in a scarlet veil.

Drakili was kneeling in the snow, breathing heavily as he watched the scene with wide eyes.

They never stood a chance…

Even the elven lord, the most fierce fighter, was bleeding, his head bowed before Galanhad.

’D-demons… they are demons!’

Tears streamed down his eyes as he crawled back, unable to look away from the gory sight.

“I am going to die, I am going to die, I am going to die!!” He repeated in a crazed manner, scratching his face till he drew blood.

“I DON’T WANT TO DIE!”

Tap!

Drakili felt a tap on his shoulder.

“You don’t have to die.”

It was the devil’s whisper, and with it came an offer sullied in blood.

A sword landed on the blood-stained snow. Reflected on the blade was Galanhad whispering in Drakili’s ear.

“Kill him, and you will live.”

There was a light buzz, as Galanhad’s mana coated him, supporting his half dead body.

Drakili grabbed the sword with shaky hands, supported by the high elf’s magic, he stumbled forward to where Drakeni knelt.

The man who had saved him, the only person he looked up to… his lord.

“Do it.” Drakeni stared up at him and smiled, blood flowing down the side of his face. “No point in us all going down eh? Kiddo.”

Tears rolled down Drakili’s eyes, his entire body quaking from the cold. “F…orgive me.” He sobbed as the sword came down.

That day, a part of him died with the elven lord, and Drakili became a hollow shell of who he was.

His old ideologies crumbled right before his eyes, and he took on a new one… strength.

“Strength is all that matters in this world.” He muttered.

Loyalty, friendship, family? It could vanish in the blink of an eye in the face of true power.

Clap Clap Clap!

Galanhad clapped as he patted Drakili’s head, nodding in approval. “That is right, boy. Strength is indeed all that matters.”

He smiled.

“Do you wish to be strong?”

Drakili made no move, staring blankly into space.

Galanhad blinked. “Hmm?”

Then he grabbed Drakili’s head and pushed it down in a nodding motion.

“Wow, that is great!” He clapped.

“You will be my eyes where my influence cannot reach…”

“And from this day on, you will write me letters only in red, as a symbol of your conviction…”

Galanhad smiled from ear to ear.

“…And the blood of your people which you shed with your own two hands.”

“Do this, and I will give you the strength you so desperately desire.”

Drakili would then go on to leak vital secrets to the high elves, his actions leading to the death of more than a hundred elves over the decades.

All for the sake of the strength he was promised, the faint light he had chased all his life.

He blinked, and he was back in the real world.

Drakili could feel the heat of the lightning as his flesh began to burn, and the buzz of currents as it danced over his skin.

Yet, he could not take his eyes off Eliron.

At that moment, the young lord shone brighter than the sun itself.

’If only I was as strong as you…’ he smiled sadly.

’Then maybe… just maybe I would have protected them…’

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