Chapter 4045: Invisible Wounds (Part 2)

"At the same time, the Royals and the nobles of the Kingdom will also support me with everything they have, hoping that one day a member of their family will marry into ours.

"Even with no Awakening or talent for magic, bloodline abilities are still carried over, and our descendants will be hybrids who, at worst, will have to choose between one of my bloodlines.

"Meln’s soldiers, instead, know that the moment they join him, they also turn their backs to the Awakened Council and their families. It’s not an easy choice, and only those who believe that the power they gain is worth the cost make it.

"So, if I can demonstrate my talent while Orpal’s bloodline only has the Vurdalak, or rather, its knock-off version to offer, the Awakened who are considering becoming Upyrs will think twice about it.

"After all, nobody knows if the powers of an Upyr can be passed down, and once an Awakened is marked as a traitor, there is no coming back. They can only hope that Meln wins and they get a place in his future kingdom.

"It’s the only outcome that doesn’t end in tragedy for them. That’s why even if I don’t reveal any Indech power and keep the advantage of surprise, the seed of doubt I plant will hinder the recruitment process.

"The Awakened will wonder what marvels I can perform and ask Meln if he can do the same. Unless his Vurdalak form can also tap into its different aspects, he’ll fall short of their expectations.

"At that point, the only way he’ll have to tilt the scale of public opinion will be by displaying his martial might, but if no one joins him, he’ll lose troops and achieve less with every attack.

"On top of that, never underestimate Meln’s ego or his inferiority complex. Seeing the Indech might lead him to go on a rampage while his army is still weakened. With the help of the Royals and the human and the beast Council, we could stop him for good."

"There are too many variables for my liking, but there’s nothing else you can do as long as Meln keeps hiding. It’s a good plan." Jirni nodded.

"I understand why Friya needed to make a big announcement to share the good news with us, Lil Brother, but I don’t see why you explained your plan to us." Rena shrugged. "You don’t need our help, and we play no role in it."

"Because I need your permission and you to be prepared for the chaos that is bound to follow." Lith noticed the puzzled expressions on his relatives’ faces and added, "Rena, you carry the same blood as Tista, and so do Aran and Surin.

"Everyone saw Leria’s wings at the last Gala, so they’ll assume that she and the triplets can become Tiamats or at least Demons. Once the news of the Indech form spreads, you can expect people chasing all of you for marriage."

Lith threw a meaningful glance at Senton, who swallowed hard, quickly followed by his wife.

’I was about to say that I’m already married, but I guess nobles and Awakened wouldn’t mind making me a widow before fighting for my hand.’ Rena thought.

"I see. Thank you for the warning." She actually said.

***

The next day, they returned to Lutia.

As soon as Elina and Raaz walked through the Warp Gate of their home, they went to Bromann’s house. Before leaving, Rizel had given instructions to raze what little was left of his ancestral home to the ground, and Lith’s Demons had fulfilled his wish.

There was no trace of blood or struggle left, yet Elina and Raaz wept tears of sadness. A small but important part of their lives was gone forever. They would never greet Bromann and Lisa in the morning nor say goodbye in the evening.

They would never meet their friends in Lutia while buying groceries or have a drink together, reminiscing about their shared youth.

Once the couple managed to regain their cool, they walked toward the city. They had already heard about the extensive damage Lutia had suffered from Lith, but they wanted to witness with their own eyes the depths of their wayward son’s madness.

The areas of the fields burned during the attack had also been cleared, leaving deep and wide gouges amid the crops. The sight of so many months of hard labor gone to waste pained Raaz’s heart, but it was nothing compared to Lutia.

Even from a distance, he could tell that many familiar buildings were missing. Many of the houses that still stood presented obvious signs of damage, with either an incomplete roof or fire-blackened walls.

As for Elina, what struck her the hardest was the silence. The wind carried none of the familiar noise of a sunny day in Lutia. No merchant called for clients, no mother yelled at her kids to not get too far, and no kid cried while running around.

Even the cattle stubbornly refused to leave the safety of their sheds despite the clear weather. The doors of the barns were open, but no animal crossed them or dared take a peep outside.

The Upyrs were long gone, and the blood they had shed had been cleaned, but the fear they had brought still lingered.

When Raaz and Elina reached Lutia, the sadness from the sheer number of wrecked buildings squeezed their hearts like a vise. The first thing they noticed was the complete destruction of the temple of the All-Father.

They still had misgivings about Zekell profiting from the faith of naïve people and Lith’s fame, but there was no denying the many good things the temple and its followers had done for Lutia.

Zekell provided medical treatments to those who couldn’t afford them and shelter to those who struggled. More importantly, the temple celebrated Raaz’s and Elina’s sons.

The statues of Lith and Trion not only served as a beacon for the believers, but also helped the Lutians to trust Lith’s Demons and come to terms with the revelation that he had become a Divine Beast.

The destruction Orpal had wrought during the attack on the Heavenly Wolf restaurant had left scars of fear and mistrust in the hearts of the Lutians that the temple of the All-Father had healed over time.

Now the temple was gone. The old wounds had been torn open, and new ones had been inflicted upon the Lutians. Some, like the colossal footprints cracking the stones, were visible. Others had left a deep but invisible mark.

Thanks to the efforts of Lith, Menadion, and the Demons the day before, only those whose houses had been destroyed beyond repair were supposed to sleep in the emergency shelters that Lith had erected and the members of the Association had enchanted with arrays.

Yet only a handful of Lutians had returned to their houses for the night. Most of the survivors had chosen to sleep in the shelters, finding solace in the company of magical beasts guarding them and trusting in the defensive arrays.

After what the Dead King had done to their city, after seeing so many people the Lutians loved or at least cared for die without even the time for a goodbye, they didn’t feel safe anymore.

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