The blazing red-orange portal burned through the cold air of the fortress, disrupting the calm, yet tense atmosphere. The wives, gathered in their circle, immediately shifted into battle-ready stances, their auras flaring.
Then, from the swirling flames, a figure emerged.
She was massive—towering over everyone in the room, nearly eight and a half feet tall, her powerfully built frame radiating raw strength. Long, vibrant orange hair cascaded down her back, tied into a high ponytail. Her deep orange eyes burned like molten gold, her gaze piercing and confident. Two dark orange horns curved back from her forehead, giving her an air of ancient majesty, and a thick orange tail, lined with obsidian-like scales, swayed behind her.
She stepped forward, the temperature instantly rising, steam hissing from the frozen walls.
Andriel, always calm, narrowed her violet eyes. "Who are you?"
The woman smirked, her voice a deep, sultry rumble, laced with amusement. "You must be his women."
Carmen’s cat-like ears twitched. "Excuse me?"
The massive woman stomped forward, the ice beneath her feet sizzling, her very presence an insult to the cold.
"Barki Sunscale," she said, rolling her shoulders as if preparing for a fight. "Dragoness of the Sunfire Peaks. Wielder of the Dragon Magic of Lava. And more importantly…"
A fierce grin spread across her face as she raised her hands, heat distorting the air around her.
"…I am also Ethan’s soulmate."
The fortress exploded with movement.
Pisces, the first to react, flicked her wrist, and an avalanche of ice spikes surged from the ground, rushing toward Barki.
But before they could even touch her, they melted instantly, turning into steam the moment they neared her body.
Barki smirked, her molten aura intensifying.
Lisa vanished, reappearing behind Barki, her golden eyes flashing as she swung a blade of pure lightning toward the dragoness’s exposed back.
Yet, at the last second, Barki twisted her body, dodging with an unnatural ease, her muscular form flowing like lava itself. The blade missed by a hair, slicing through the air harmlessly.
Harley moved next. A tidal wave of golden enchanted water surged from her hands, forming a massive spiral of crashing waves, intending to smother the heat by abusive healing and encase Barki in an unbreakable prison of the abyss.
But Barki only laughed, her voice a booming rumble of thunder and flame.
She clapped her hands together, and in an instant, the water turned into light particles, dispersing into the air before it could even touch her skin.
Carmen, not one to be left behind, lunged, her claws elongating, her feline speed making her a blur of black and white motion. She struck—aiming for Barki’s throat.
Barki merely tilted her head, avoiding the strike by a breath, then—without missing a beat—she planted a foot forward and swung a fiery fist toward Carmen’s gut.
The force was immense, but just before impact, Andriel’s Lunar magic flared, and a silver barrier formed, intercepting the strike. The sheer force of Barki’s attack shattered the barrier like glass, but it bought Carmen just enough time to backflip away.
The battle raged on, shaking the entire town.
...
Outside, the ongoing war between the Smith and Blade clans came to a sudden halt as the fortress trembled violently. Warriors on both sides paused mid-fight, their gazes drawn to the massive waves of ice and fire clashing within the towering structure.
Then—
BOOM!
A colossal explosion erupted from the ice fortress, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
Both factions turned their heads in shock as massive pillars of lava and frost shot into the sky, clashing violently, sending rivers of molten rock and jagged shards of ice raining down onto the city streets.
The very air split apart, charged with the raw power of dragons and queens.
...
Back inside, Harley gritted her teeth, sweat forming on her brow. "She’s too strong…"
Elaine, still dressed in her elegant green gown, sighed softly. "More like… she’s toying with us."
Barki smirked, standing at the center of the battlefield, completely unscathed.
"You’re strong. But not strong enough."
She raised a single hand, and the ground beneath them cracked, molten lava seeping through the ice, sending waves of intense heat that forced them all to retreat.
And yet—despite her overwhelming strength—Barki hadn’t actually hurt any of them.
Christel, breathing heavily, narrowed her eyes. "You’ve been holding back."
Barki shrugged, rolling her massive shoulders. "Of course. If I went all out, there wouldn’t be any city left, would there?"
Harley exhaled sharply, her golden hair damp with sweat. "Then why attack us at all?"
Barki’s grin softened—just a little.
"Because I wanted to see if you were worthy of being by his side."
Silence fell.
Lisa, still catching her breath, tilted her head. "And?"
Barki chuckled. "You are."
Then, with a single stomp, the lava beneath them receded.
The battle was over.
Barki crossed her arms, her orange eyes flickering with amusement. "Well then. Since we’re going to be family, I suppose we should start getting along."
Clara, still suspicious, narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
Barki grinned. "I mean, Ethan’s my soulmate. And you’re all his women. So that makes us… sisters, I suppose."
Pisces scoffed. "Sisters don’t usually try to burn each other alive."
Barki let out a booming laugh. "Oh, but that’s how dragons say hello."
The wives all exchanged glances.
Carmen sighed, rubbing her temples. "Great. Another problem child."
The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёwebnovel.com.
But even as she said it, there was no hostility in her voice.
Because deep down…
They could feel it.
Barki Sunscale was telling the truth.
The street was silent in the aftermath of the battle. The lingering heat of molten lava clashed against the icy cold walls, creating a strange, almost balanced atmosphere.
Harley exhaled sharply, running a hand through her golden hair. Her combat instincts were still on edge, but there was no denying it—Barki wasn’t an enemy.
Andriel, her long silver braid swaying, finally spoke. "You claim Ethan as your soulmate. How did that happen?"
Barki grinned, folding her muscular arms. "He doesn’t know it yet. But our souls are linked. It was something decided long before either of us were born."
Christel, still catching her breath, frowned. "That doesn’t make sense. If Ethan doesn’t know about it, how can you be sure?"
Discover stories at Freewebnovel
Barki smirked. "Because I felt it."
Her deep orange eyes glowed, filled with an unshakable certainty, a possessiveness.
"The moment I came into existence, I knew my fate was tied to his. My fire was made for his soul, and his existence is what fuels my being."
Pisces muttered under her breath, "That’s… kinda romantic."
Carmen raised an eyebrow. "So you were just waiting for the right moment to appear?"
Barki’s grin widened. "I was waiting for him to become strong enough to stand beside me."
That statement sent waves through the wives. They had all witnessed Ethan’s growth, his transformation from a weak human to something beyond comprehension.
Lisa, her golden eyes sharp, asked, "And now that he is?"
Barki stretched, her powerful frame flexing as she did. "Now? I’m here to help. If he’s in some Beast Plane, then it’s up to us to hold things down until he gets back."
Harley crossed her arms. "You say that like you’re just going to waltz into our circle and take charge."
Barki chuckled. "No need for that. You’re the queens of his domain, after all. I’m just here to add a little fire to the mix.
Elaine, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange, finally spoke. Her bright green eyes drooped slightly, her exhaustion evident. "If you’re really here to help, then prove it."
Barki raised an eyebrow.
...
Barki raised an eyebrow at Elaine’s challenge, her deep orange eyes flickering with amusement. "You just fought me, and I didn’t kill you. Isn’t that proof enough?"
Elaine, despite her exhaustion, held her ground. "Not quite. Power alone isn’t what makes someone an ally. If you’re truly one of us, then you should be willing to fight beside us."
Barki’s grin widened, her sharp canines flashing. "Now that’s more like it." She cracked her knuckles, the heat around her body intensifying. "I like a woman who demands proof rather than just words."
Clara exhaled, rubbing her temple. "We don’t have time for more fighting. The battle outside was already disrupted, and we need to regroup before we make our next move."
Lisa nodded in agreement. "Ethan entrusted us with securing this city. Whether or not Barki is really his soulmate, she seems serious about helping. I say we use her strength while we have it."
Pisces looked at the battlefield outside, where the forces of the Smith Clan were pushing back the Blade Clan. But the clash had escalated after their battle with Barki had drawn so much attention.
"Fine," Andriel sighed. "But just know, we’re not the kind of women who stand behind Ethan. We stand beside him. If you think you can just throw around your power and claim a spot, you’re mistaken."
Barki’s grin turned almost feral. "That’s what I was hoping for."
She turned to the battlefield, her muscular frame seeming relaxed yet ready. With a tilt of her head, she glanced at Pisces. "So, what’s the plan, ice fairy?"
Pisces crossed her arms. "First, don’t call me that."
Carmen smirked. "Welcome to the madness, Barki."
Andriel stretched her arms. "If we’re done testing each other, let’s make sure Ethan has a world to return to."
Barki laughed loudly, then cracked her neck. "Sounds like fun. Let’s get to work."
With that, the women turned towards the battlefield, their determination burning brighter than ever.