A small tingling sound of explosion continuously banged inside the carriage as Lidien forced the chaotic elements to manifest into what he imagined, burning his hands in the process.

Lidien, now battling the chaotic nature of his newly forged Coreflux, was experimenting with how he could use his Elemental Verve for the upcoming fight.

As he released a small amount of Elemental Verve to materialize above his palm, it couldn't take hold and form into anything substantial...

Like the Fire Ball Lidien had seen from a man when they were proceeding towards the Bone Orchards, whom Lily had hunted down, his small amount of Elemental Verve kept exploding intermittently.

"Don't tell me I can only make a Verve Ball like Azer's... exploding with useless and uncontrollable strength."

The explosion inside the Training Hall where Azer broke the wall was still fresh in Lidien's mind.

If not for its power and the upcoming war with the Dark Wolf Clan, Lidien would have sought something more advanced... a specific type of element to absorb through meditation... and not use the crude method of Azer.

'Well, I hope my defense can keep up with the explosion.'

It took another hour for Lidien to stop his practice. Yet, no matter what he did, his chaotic elemental verve couldn't form into a verve ball like Azer's.

Sighing, he stared at his now trembling hands, full of blisters and burnt wounds.

Then...

He felt the carriage stop, followed by loud shouts and howls.

Lidien stared at the towering wall. Though it wasn't made of concrete... the logs used to build it were too thick, making it look sturdy at a glance.

"This is the Dark Wolf Clan Territory! State your purpose, Humans!"

Alva, wearing leather armor and a cloak that hid her distinct features as a Snow Fox, bowed and smiled.

"On behalf of the Blood Rose Clan's Prince, we are here to retrieve the escaped slaves who came inside, as reported by our scouts."

The Dark Wolf Clan guard's eyes widened. Then, as another beastfolk murmured into the ear of the said head guard, he nodded before his face turned serious.

"There were no humans who came here... and if there ever were some, they might already be in someone's stomach, or miners in the Rift by now."

Then a soft clank and squeak of a carriage door opening made everyone focus on it.

There... Lidien, in a new set of casual clothes, not the leather armor... stepped out, beaming like a child.

As he took his first clumsy steps, Lidien shouted when his leather shoes got dirty, screaming about how dirty they had become... before moving towards Alva.

"It's okay, Alva... there's no need to look for the slaves. We brought them to give to the Dark Wolf Clan, though we didn't deliver them by our own hands... at least they came here on their own legs..."

Then Lidien smirked at the head guard before saying.

"Am I right?"

The head guard flinched but remained steadfast.

"Well, anyways..."

Lidien gestured behind his back, and the remaining retrieved wagons were slowly moved forward by the soldiers.

"I came here because my Mother told me to. I don't know why... but maybe just to give these gifts for..."

Lidien scratched his chin, then scanned around. As a familiar smell touched his nose, a strong yet bitter aroma that he could only recall from breakfasts with his adopted family. He smiled genuinely, making the guards relax, and said.

"For an alliance or something? Well... just bring me to your patriarch, unless you want your head to fall here..."

The beastfolk gulped audibly when they remembered that the child in front of them, no matter how arrogant, was a child of the Blood Rose Clan's Matriarch...

And simply disregarding him, or attacking him because of his smugness, would cause consequences they would regret.

Then, the head guard immediately ordered someone to inform their leader before asking them to follow him, while walking...

Slowly... waiting for the news of their Leader accepting their presence.

Lidien walked despite the damp earth and uneven ground with chaotic trimming, maintaining his smugness as a Prince,

while Alva kept offering to carry him... adding another layer to their act.

Scanning around, Lidien saw almost the same kinds of huts, beastfolk hissing at them still with meat between their teeth.

Making him realize that a freed beastfolk was no different from how beasts acted...

Yet, Lidien, true to his act... called someone a dog, making all of the beastfolk, even the guards, hiss at him... still, no one acted to attack them.

Confirming his guess... The Beastfolk, though brutal... thought of their Clan first before their own Pride.

Until another guard whispered in the head guard's ear.

"Follow me... the new Matriarch wants to see all of you."

As the beastfolk turned around, Lidien's eyes slitted behind his fake smile.

The Beastfolk didn't allow anyone other than the soldiers moving the wagons to enter the Inner part of the Dark Wolf Clan Territory.

Which Lidien accepted with a smile, saying to give them good accommodation, like humans should be.

Though sarcastic, the beastfolk could only accept, not to offend the guest of their new matriarch.

Then, after a few minutes of another walk, Lidien came upon a giant palace made of fine wood.

It was so tall that Lidien couldn't believe the foundation of it was made only of wood.

And when he and his available soldiers, along with Alva, entered, he knew the reason.

The Dark Wolf Clan had used the giant tree as the base and its foundation, while in the center of that tree, at the back of it... a large opening acted as a window, framing a horrifyingly familiar sight...

A shimmering Rift, and like ants serving a queen, thousands of emaciated humans moved back and forth from it, hauling sacks of Verve Stones.

And then, a soft and melodic voice came from within, from the middle part of the tree where steps made of bones and flesh led upward. There sat a female beastfolk with black silky hair and perked wolf ears, smiling... not seductively, but full of pride.

"Welcome to the Dark Wolf Palace... Prince of the Blood Rose Clan."

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