Matar said, “Laniro, you and the others go to the ship first.”

‘All I know was, there is always a wolf in the shadows… watching the birds walking in the land. Harthur didn’t know exactly what I am came here for… As long as, Thallerion is within my sight, I can make a trap for them.’

“That’s not possible, my king… What you’re about to do is dangerous,” Laniro objected. “We’ll stay here with you. If you stay here alone, you could be attacked without us knowing.”

‘Laniro didn’t understand what I am planning … Well, I just want to walk in the forest, just to look for a real chameleon hiding in the bark. Corvus entity senses the chameleon entity, known as the great illusionist, who could alter mind perception.’

“Have faith in me, go on! Leave now and expect me to follow quickly,” Matar commanded with firm resolve.

Laniro fell silent and simply obeyed. “Please be careful, my king,” Gallexe said.

Where Matar stood, there were many white trees and large rock formations. He just stood there, as if he knew someone was coming. From behind him, he heard footsteps approaching, but he didn’t move to investigate. Instead, he spoke. “I’ve been waiting for you!”

‘I can’t see who ever it was, but I heard a crunching of leaves in the snowy land. There, a move like a ghost suddenly pierce my neck with a sharp metal. But, as I sensed, it was likely not a man, but a force of a woman try to threaten me with her audacity.’

“How did you know I was following you?” Matar remained with his back to her. This woman was wearing red and had a hood that almost completely covered her face.

“The queen of Moonatoria… I’m delighted by what I’m seeing now, Queen Azonia.” Matar turned around. A dagger suddenly pressed against his throat. But Matar just smirked and wasn’t startled at all. “You are truly audacious,” he said.

“I don’t believe you were sent by Thallerion to deliver a message.” She pressed the dagger’s blade a little harder against Matar’s throat, causing his skin to turn red.

“Calm down, Azonia!” Matar said. “I am not your enemy!”

“Then tell me the truth. Is it true that Thallerion is challenging the nation of Moonatoria?”

“If I tell you the truth, what would I gain from someone like you?” But Matar was suddenly captivated by Azonia’s gaze. “Ah, from what I’m reading in your eyes… It seems you want that to happen, don’t you?”

“Stop what you’re doing!” she said, lowering the dagger. She then turned her back to him.

“What if I told you there will be no war between your nation and Thallerion?”

“What is the real price you want?” Azonia asked.

“From what I see, it looks like I can count on the things that are running through your mind right now,” Matar said.

“Don’t fool me, Matar, tell me the truth and I will give you the price.”

“The truth is, I have no intention of begging from a wealthy and brave queen like you. That is, if you agree to conspire with me for the war.”

“If it’s a war between Thallerion and your nation, I can’t help you. But I know you’re just spinning a story.”

“You haven’t disappointed me, Azonia. I know you are ready for this. And expect that Ossibus will not be an enemy of Moonatoria.”

“I think we agree on this, but I’ll just be clear: if you betray me, I can change the story of Ossibus.”

“Everything is clear to me, Azonia… The question is— are you ready to do what it takes?”

“We’ll meet again.” That was all Azonia answered. Azonia immediately left without leaving any trace.

“The child will become an orphan early,” Matar said to himself. He also left after he saw he was alone.

Now they were on their way back to Ossibus. They would still pass through the same path they took before. They would still fight against the cold. The ones who survive are the strong ones! But first, they passed through the land of Brollasca.

“My king, isn’t this the place that is said to be cursed? Why are we stepping here?” Laniro asked.

“You know so much, Commander Laniro,” Gallexe said in awe.

Matar looked up at the sky and saw that it was overcast. His companions were puzzled by his actions.

“This place is hot, but it’s overcast… There truly is a curse here,” Laniro said. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Not yet…”

Before they got off the ship, the King ordered them to bring digging tools. But they had no idea what they were for.

“Dig up the ground,” Matar commanded the companions who were holding the tools. The diggers became nervous because they thought a person would be buried in the pit they were about to make.

“Commander, what is this pit our king is having them dig for?” Gallexe asked with fear.

“I don’t know either… Go on, tell them to start digging.”

“Is someone being buried today?” Gallexe asked. “There’s no corpse on our boat, is there…? All those who died were already thrown into the ocean by the Orcasians, right!?” he added.

“Don’t ask too many questions; just do what the king commanded,” he answered quickly, but he was looking at Matar, who seemed to be talking to someone they couldn’t see.

“Go on and do it!” He wanted to approach Matar to find out who he was talking to. He immediately went to Matar.

“My king, are you talking to someone here? By this large rock?” He peeked behind the rock, but there was no one. “My king, whose body will be buried in the pit you’re having them dig?”

“Not buried, but revived!” he replied softly, as if in deep thought. “Be quiet, because the person I dreamed about is talking to me.”

“Who?”

“It’s time to perform the ritual of Corvus that he commanded for the coming war.”

“War? Didn’t you tell me that Thallerion and Moonatoria would have a new war?” he asked, surprised.

“A war for the fated ones!” Matar said.

“The fated ones? My king, what are you talking about? I’m getting confused. Why don’t you explain?”

“That thing is about to fall!!” Matar looked up at the sky, and they saw a radiant star that did not fade.

Matar took out the corpse of a raven, Corvys. “That raven!” Laniro gasped.

A voice of a being spoke from an unknown direction.

“My king, I heard a person!” Laniro said. Gallexe and the others also came closer and stopped digging. They thought enemies had arrived, but they looked all around and saw no one, not even a shadow of an animal.

“My king, we heard a scary voice while they were digging.”

“You who are disabled, sick, and thin. Come to me. And hold my raven.”

“My king, what is this thing you are having them do?” Gallexe asked.

“Watch closely, Laniro and Gallexe, for the ritual I’m about to perform.”

Suddenly, the weather changed, it became dark and lightning flashed. The wind grew stronger.

“Lift the raven upwards!” Matar shouted because the thunder and lightning were getting louder. Smoke suddenly came out of the raven, but it took the form of faces of monsters. The soldiers who were holding on were terrified, but even though they wanted to let go, they couldn’t. And those monsters entered their bodies, and their movements and actions changed; they shivered and moved in ways that were not human-like.

All of them were suddenly struck by lightning from above and exploded. Laniro and Gallexe were shocked by what they witnessed; in their entire lives, that was the first time they had seen a person being hit by lightning.

“My king, what kind of ritual was that? Why were they struck by lightning?” Gallexe exclaimed.

“Let’s get out of here, because the legend of the thunderbird is coming,” Matar said with concern.

“Let’s go, Gallexe, let’s get on the ship,” Laniro said. “I’ll explain to you later what the king meant.” They heard the cry of a large bird from above, but they saw nothing, not even a sign of the bird’s body.

They immediately boarded the ship, and it quickly moved away from the place. Someone spoke to him again from his mind. “You failed in the command I gave you.”

“An enemy has arrived.”

“The Aquila did that, which is why you didn’t succeed. But because my power is not yet enough, I regret that I couldn’t save them.”

“I thought the life of the legendary creature of Elanthro had long ended?”

“The new guardian of this creature has been born.”

“Tell me, who is that person?”

“Any being like me protects the person they have chosen against creatures that have the ability to find or sense where or who the chosen one is.”

“What should I do now that someone is opposing your power?”

“Don’t worry… just continue with your plans.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep