“ENOUGH! We gathered you here for an alliance! And not to start a war!”
All our heads snapped into the doorway, and I couldn’t help but whisper, “Shame.”
Shame not to see a magnificent scene. I truly felt Lila was about to shift. There was no mistaking it.
Luke gave me a look while raising his eyebrow. He might have heard my word. I returned his gaze with a smile before giving back my attention to the elder.
The elder looked like a sage. He has long white hair, a white beard reaching his neck, and a pair of crescent moon eyes. He stood confidently with his back straight while holding a staff. And his voice was stiff, oozing a strict personality.
The elder, frowning, gazed at us with a warning. Then, he said, “Our realm is undergoing tremendous change. And it is greatly affecting us. I don’t want to hear any more fights among ourselves from now on. Do you understand?”
He looked at the pair, awaiting their answers.
“It wasn’t my fault! He---”
“Do. You. Understand?” the elder repeated, emphasizing every word.
Lila bowed her head. With gritted teeth and dissatisfaction, she nodded her head.
The man, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders before answering, “Alright.”
The elder huffed. Then, he seated at the vacant seat in the centre. “I won’t be waiting for Severino to come before we start,” he started, “We have already given him an idea of what today’s summit is all about. So, I will begin.”
I thought he was about to tell the tale. However, he suddenly looked at me with those rigid eyes and said, “You must be Alinta, the unknown woman who lived in Dark Region Pack for three years, am I right?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“I’ve heard about you,” he said. When I thought he would say the words I’d heard from Lila, he surprised me when he said, “I am hoping and seeking your help to eliminate the plague that is consuming our realm.”
Instantly, eyes were on me. The two were curious, while the other was frowning, seemingly disgusted by the idea that I could help.
I blinked innocently. Then, curiously, I asked, “If you do not mind me asking, on what matter can I help you?”
When I heard his answers, I felt like the werewolf realm was, indeed, punished for their sins. Why else were they experiencing this now?
---
"TO EXPLAIN everything, I would like everyone to follow me."
When the elder, whose name I have yet to know, stood and left the room, we immediately followed him.
"I didn't know your existence was important," the man verbally fighting with Lila a while ago said as he walked beside me.
A gave him a look for only a second. "Now, you know," I said. Then, I added smugly, "And for your information, your existence is nothing to mine."
He stopped walking for a moment before laughing. "You're good!" he exclaimed. "Then, tell me, milady. What made your existence more important than mine?"
I opened my mouth to answer his stupid question. However, someone bitter suddenly butted in.
"Who knows why the elder is asking for her help? Maybe, she was the origin of the predicament," Lila harrumphed. "The elders are known for their respect towards a lady. It's possibly the reason why Elder Kirin is not killing her."
Not minding the woman, I gave her a sweet smile and replied, "You might be right."
My answer didn't sit well with her, though. She looked at me with burning and malicious eyes. I couldn't help but wonder. I was already adjusting my mood from her not-so-good attitude, yet she still acted with hatred. It might be one of those so-called 'women's jealousy'. No matter what I do, this Lila would never like it.
Looking straight, I stopped minding the people around me. Luke was a silent dude. And he seemed to be the kind of man who cared not about his surroundings. This was the type of good companion.
As for the other guy, he seemed to be the kind of person who loved to boil other people's blood. A good companion if you want to piss someone off.
Lila, on the other hand, was a shrew. An insecure and ill-tempered shrew. She saw herself above others. Since she was the daughter of one of the elders, she developed such a personality.
So far, those were my evaluation of these three alphas. Why did I evaluate them? Well, I merely have the time to do so. It was also good to observe your surroundings, especially when you're a stranger. Look for people who could become your potential allies and enemies. I've learned that lesson from my father.
On the other hand, the only thing I've learned from my mother was to compel myself not to kill. Ah! Such a loving mother. I couldn't help but miss her more.
"We're here."
My thoughts that were starting to wander were immediately pulled back to reality.
My eyes snapped to the door, where the elder was standing, and I instantly frowned. I looked around and noticed that we were in the hallway where the rooms of dark auras were oozing out.
I smiled. "You've got some good curse here," I remarked. The dark aura almost reached me. So, I raised my hand and touched it. It felt cold, colder than the dead. And I almost felt the agonizing and terrorizing emotions of the crying malignant souls.
"What the hell are you doing?" Lila asked. But I ignored her.
"Shall we start the tour, elder?" I asked.
The elder sighed. Then with a heavy heart, he opened the door. I couldn't help but notice my companions as they immediately took a fighting stance. Their instincts led them to think that danger was approaching.
The danger wasn't inside, though. But it was, indeed, approaching.
"This has been plaguing us for centuries," he started explaining, "We thought that we could eradicate it gradually without your knowledge. Unfortunately, things have come to this."
Hiss!
"F-father!" Lila cried out. She almost stumbled down when she tried to reach the side of the bed. Written on her face were disbelief and grief as she held the hand of the 'skeleton clothed in skin' man.
"That's Elder Tyro?" asked the blond guy curiously. He, as well, couldn't believe the scene before him.
"T-there's no mistaking it!" Lila choked out, "This is my father! I can feel our blood relationship!" Then, she looked at Elder Kirin and asked, almost hysterically, "What happened?! He was fine the last time I saw him! How come he became like this in just seven months?! Tell me! Who did this to him!"
Elder Kirin shook his head emotionlessly. "We don't know. Aside from me, every elder's situation was turned to this," he replied. I could see grief in his eyes as he said those words.
Lila slumped on the floor and said spitefully, "How come you don't know?! What have you done to my father?! How come you're the only one in good condition?! I don't believe you didn't have anything to do with this!"
Elder Kirin instantly looked at the crazy lady with cold eyes. "Watch your mouth," he said. I have no idea what he was doing. But Lila looked as if she was losing her strength. The elder might be pressuring her using his power, perhaps.
"Nothing will be solved with your non-stop chattering," Luke said. His words finally, after deciding to stop becoming an extra on the other side. Then, he gave Elder Tyro another look. Frowning, he added, "Elder Tyro's situation didn't seem like a werewolf could do. Instead, it is safe to say that a witch has concocted a potent curse capable of killing the elders."
I nodded in agreement.
"We have here a witch that could kill the elders?" said the blond guy in disbelief, "There is such an existence that is more powerful than the elders?"
I almost nodded. But then, I remembered I wasn't that powerful yet. I had to admit that the elders were mightier than I was--- for now.
Looking forward to the answer to the blond guy's question, we all looked at Elder Kirin. I couldn't help but feel curious, as well. Is there a witch that could outcompete the elders? If there was--- then it was time for me to contemplate who to take sides with.
Elder Kirin's grip on his staff tightened. "It all started five centuries ago," he started, "A plague that we thought we could effortlessly solve suddenly consumed a lot of powerful werewolves...
"They began showing signs of their strength and powers being devoured slowly until death. We investigated and tried to find where this 'sickness' originated, but all our efforts came to nought...
"Then, it suddenly stopped. After the last one's death, no one reported the same incident again for half a century. Not until one of Severino's pack warriors died and showed signs of the plague."
"Severino knew about this?" Lila asked, her head snapping towards the elder.
Elder Kirin nodded. "We asked him to lead the investigation on this matter. Apparently, he could sense the curse, making him suitable for this job. Due to this, we finally figured out the cause of the curse plaguing us."
"No wonder," the blond guy remarked, clicking his tongue, "No wonder he would suddenly visit our pack only to take a werewolf or two from us."
"The elders and I didn't want to create panic because of the plague," Elder Kirin explained, "We told him to visit the packs from time to time and make sure that the plague wouldn't be known by any of you."
"And now you're telling us this," said the blond guy.
Elder Kirin sighed. "The elders developed the same sickness. If all of us died, then the peace of the realm would crumble. We have to solve this matter as soon as possible. In addition, I didn't want to die without telling you why. I want you to be ready and assertive."
"Then, why are you specifically asking for her help," Lila said bitterly.
Now, it was time for me to sigh. This woman's bitterness against me was stressing me out. Couldn't we co-exist together without hating each other?
I was about to give her a lesson about women's friendship. But the words coming out from Elder Kirin shocked me, clearing my mind, forgetting what I was about to do.
"Because she is not from this realm."