Tears streamed down Lirien's cheeks as she gently stroked Ronan's cheek to calm his emotions. "You don't need to explain, Ronan. I understand why you did it. We're partners, after all," Lirien said, her voice quivering with sadness as her face contorted in anguish.
"But if you had succeeded, would it have been worth it? Did you think I could continue living happily with our child without feeling guilty? Husband, why didn't you tell me before making such a deal?" she added.
Listening to Lirien's words, Ronan felt each syllable scrape painfully at his ears, stabbing his heart with every sentence.
"I'm sorry, Lirien," Ronan said, his voice trembling with a mix of apology and despair.
Watching this emotional exchange, Patriarch Rylan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them, his expression morphing into a calm resolve. Ronan had committed an unforgivable deed that could not be forgiven even with death.
However, as he pondered about Lirien and her unborn child, Patriarch Rylan couldn't help but furrow his brow.
The children of a god's chosen were the most promising candidates for wielding a Devourer's bracelet. Not only did they inherit their parents' compatibility with Viylkr energy, but they also had the potential for even higher compatibility rates due to growing up immersed in Vylkr energy.
However, it was widely known that god's chosen faced difficulties in bearing children due to the overwhelming amount of Vylkr energy within their bodies. The Vykr energy only increased as they grew stronger, eventually rendering them incapable of giving birth.
Therefore, children born to god's chosen were highly cherished and favoured, as they were more likely to inherit the sacred lineage and become god's chosen.
Nevertheless, as Patriarch Rylan grappled with a decision, he encountered a dilemma. While the child of Lirien and Ronan would undoubtedly possess the potential to become a god's chosen, thereby bolstering the strength of the Four-eared elves, Patriarch Rylan couldn't shake the question of whether he genuinely wanted to raise such a child in the future.
"FATHER!" A familiar voice rang out, pulling Patriarch Rylan from his thoughts.
He turned to see Isadora, her eyes pleading with him and then shifted his gaze to the Village Chief, who was watching him intently.
Patriarch Rylan aged several more times as he sighed tiredly and bowed towards the Village Chief for the first time since their meeting. "Village Chief Brane, I will take responsibility for the trouble I have caused today in whatever manner you see fit. But please, I beg you to pardon Lirien and her unborn child. They are innocent and do not deserve punishment."
"Ronan, on the other hand, deserves to endure far more pain than he has inflicted upon us and the rest of the Four-eared elves," he said calmly, his voice carrying a chilling edge that sent a shiver down Ronan's spine, causing him to lower his head in remorse.
Upon hearing Patriarch Rylan's plea, the Village Chief nodded in understanding, then turned his attention to Seth, silently conveying his command.
Seth controlled the wall of molten lava, creating a passage wide enough for a person to pass through. As the entrance formed, Lirien emerged tearfully from the encased molten lava.
Just as Lirien stepped out of harm's way, a thunderous voice shattered the tense atmosphere.
"RONAN!! I WILL KILL YOU!!" Leif's scream echoed through the air as he descended from above, his Gearweaver sword gripped tightly and aimed straight at Ronan.
RIPP!!
Ronan stood frozen as a sharp pang pierced his heart, leaving him no time to understand or react.
"LIRRIENN!!" His anguished cry echoed as he witnessed Lirein's desperate attempt to shield him from harm.
But instead of repelling the attack, Leif's Gearweaver sword sliced through her hands, impaling her at the centre of her stomach.
"LIRRIIEENN!!" Ronan's cry rang out once more as his Devourer's bracelet abruptly came to life. With a swift motion, he extended his right hand, causing one of the glyph-like tattoos to transform into a monstrous, 3-meter-tall, dark-haired translucent beast resembling a bull.
In an instant, the creature surged forward, aiming directly for Leif.
"BANGG!!"
Leif's body was sent hurtling backwards once more, his Gearweaver sword clattering to the ground several meters away as he crashed into the nearby wooden walls of the massive mansion again, this time teetering on the brink of unconsciousness.
"MOO MOO!!"
But the beast showed no signs of halting its charge, barreling toward the Village Chief and the others.
Just as Stronghold Leader Zogar prepared to intervene, Stronghold Leader Seth's voice cut through the air. "I'll handle it," he said, standing before the group.
Stronghold Leader Seth's right hand suddenly transformed into molten lava as droplets dripped from his arm to the ground below.
As the beast closed in, Stronghold Leader Seth extended his hand, seizing it and bringing it to an abrupt halt.
BANNNGG!
A sharp gust of wind stretched outwards as a result of the confrontation. Seth then lifted the beast and slammed it into the ground.
BAAMM!!
As the beast crashed to the ground, the earth immediately transformed into a pit of seething molten lava, consuming the creature before sealing it shut, leaving only scorched earth in its wake.
Witnessing this scene, Lyndon, Leona, and the other gods' chosen couldn't help but swallow hard in fear.
The terrifying ability Seth displayed, along with his seamless execution of it, left them all awestruck. First, the massive Waterman subdued Captain Seig and his lieutenant effortlessly, and now this. What kind of humans had they encountered? It was the question on everyone's mind.
Stronghold Leader Seth stepped forward toward Ronan, cradling Lirein in his arms, planning on making their escape.
BOOOM!!
Ronan extended his left hand outward, still clutching Lirien in his right, and suddenly, a swarm of fifteen beasts emerged. Each was enveloped in swirling strands of Vylkr energy as they surged toward Seth. However—
A towering, 5-meter-high wall of molten lava emerged from the ground before Seth. It trembled momentarily before arcing downward, engulfing and annihilating the beasts until nothing remained.
