Chapter 988 Absence of the Alpha
A problem arises from nowhere which comes as a shock to the unsuspecting Adhara.
Out of all things, she wasn't expecting to be intercepted by the Dark Elves.
Everything seemed fine on the surface, there wasn't any problem aside from the matter with the Executor. This led her to believe that she had the freedom to focus on what she wanted to focus on right now.
She planned to train, but the encounter made her rethink her actions again.
However, unlike what she assumed, it didn't appear suddenly.
It started about two days ago.
Just like what Dokhur said, the power dynamic inside the Dark Elf Kingdom was jumbled when the older generations awakened from their slumbers. All of them learned about the situation and were accepting of the new rule under the Silverstar Pack.
Despite them having the same hatred for Humans, Rex's special condition made it fine.
Unexpectedly, they decided to try and co-exist.
But even though this was a great thing, the Dark Elves were far from perfect as the fact that King Jorik retained the throne as the King made the nobles from the older generations react strongly, wanting to dethrone him.
Knowing this, King Jorik had a meeting with Lady Lauren who was stationed there.
She was the emissary of the Silverstar Pack.
"I'm sure you already have a gist of why we are having this meeting" King Jorik starts, beside him is General Theodas with a stern expression. "You definitely could sense the tension that was increasing lately, between me and a couple of parties that are still adjusting to the new era"
Lady Lauren, sitting across King Jorik nodded firmly.
Although she was here regarding potential attacks from the higher-rank Supernaturals, the Undead to be exact, a threat that loomed over the Dark Elves, she was not oblivious to the stark changes happening within the kingdom.
Due to her situation, she was dragged into this power struggle between the Dark Elves.
Some individuals tried to approach her discreetly.
Most of the talks were circulating around mundane topics, predominantly asking about the situation involving the Silverstar Pack. But Lady Lauren, as the head of one of the 25 Golden Crests families, astutely perceived the subtle attempts to probe her standing.
From her perspective, it was obvious that they were trying to see if she favored King Jorik.
"Before you continue, I wanted to ask," Lady Lauren intervened, her eyebrows dipped into a contemplating frown. "With the Executor in the picture, is it really relevant to have this kind of quarrel at this time? Wouldn't waiting until the matter with the Executor be resolved be a far better time?"
Upon hearing this, King Jorik nodded.
Her questions were natural for an external party, detached from their world.
Clasping his hands together, King Jorik then answered, doing his best to explain the situation as clearly as possible, "I need you to understand, Lady Lauren. The Executor is an entity far beyond us. When I say us, I mean us lower-rank Supernatural races. It doesn't matter which side will win, the end for us is always the same"
"We would always be slaves to the victor, that's our view of the world" He added dejectedly.
Lady Lauren was muted when she heard this.
Naturally, with the constant unfortunate fate they were forced to endure through thousands of years, they were bound to develop this kind of mindset. For them, the big war between the Executor and the Supernaturals was a problem above them.
Its conclusion will bring immense changes to them, but it doesn't require their concern.
All they need to do is follow orders, that's it.
'Given the circumstances, the intense power struggle among them becomes even fiercer. No matter who winds, their fate is to be slaves. For them, it's a matter of becoming the king of slaves rather than being the slaves burdened with toil' Lady Lauren pondered with a sigh, massaging her forehead in exasperation.
Even though they were under the Silverstar Pack', changing their mindset is going to be hard.
Time is needed before they can fully understand that their fate could change.
Raising her gaze again, she threw out a question, "Okay, so, what do you want to say to me?"
"I want your help to contact Lord Rex or anyone of the Silverstar Pack. If any of them were to come here and show their favorability to me, then the situation would calm down. It will fully end the problem, but we will have time" King Jorik eventually asked.
His solution to the matter is to show the older generations that he is worthy of being King.
A simple display would do the job.
Unexpectedly, Lady Lauren shook her head when she heard what he was asking for.
King Jorik frowned when he saw this.
But Lady Lauren quickly intervened and explained herself, "Don't be mistaken, King Jorik. It's not that I don't want to help, but I can't. I've sent one of my men back to Dargena City, but the captain of the city guards, Gelmar blocked him from meeting with any of the Silverstar Pack members. I thought it was due to the Hare Moon,"
"He tried again after the Hare Moon, but the result was the same" She added truthfully.
Just as she said that General Theodas looked troubled.
Voicing his concern, he said, "I apologize for intervening, but my King, shouldn't we go to a more secluded place to discuss something like this? I know that we are inside the castle, but it's not foolproof. I suggest we move to another place"
"Relax, General. If anybody is watching, I will know" Lady Lauren replied nonchalantly.
As a mental Elementalist, she's confident in her detection ability.
Despite disapproving about the location of this meeting, General Theodas could only stop and not push any further as this is already reaching far enough. Any more than this then he would be humiliating King Jorik.
So he quickly stepped back and dropped the matter.
"I humbly asked to tell Captain Gelmar that we insist, the situation will only get worse from here, and we need to take care of it fast" King Jorik resumed, he was concerned that the older generations would create a coupe to dethrone him.
It's very possible as most of them were not on his side.
Lady Lauren nodded in understanding, she would try and deliver this message to Gelmar.
Had the situation called for it, she would go back herself.
Reclining in his chair, King Jorik shook his head in vexation, for he had foreseen such events during the First Breath. Despite his best efforts at preparation, it proved unavoidable. "I am certain that other races are facing similar challenges. I don't think the Elves and Dwarves will be influenced, as their elder generations were no more, but the Tigerman might encounter the same situation as us"
"I understand. I'll tell Daniel about this" Lady Lauren said with a nod.
However, unlike what she had anticipated, their conversations were being listened to.
Not knowing the stark difference in power and utilities between the Supernaturals in the new era and the ancient era, it seemed Lady Lauren made a miscalculation. She hasn't fought an entity from the ancient era so she doesn't know what to expect.
Lady Lauren doesn't know the resourcefulness those from the ancient era have to survive.
Due to that, she overestimated herself.
Standing within the very confines of the room itself, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed was another Dark Elf, listening to the entire conversation from start to finish. If Adhara was here, she would recognize this Dark Elf as none other than Dokhur.
He was standing beside the table with his ears perked at the conversation.
Even though he was there, he was unnoticeable.
King Jorik, General Theodas, and even Lady Lauren weren't able to sense his presence.
It was caused by the veil of bronze energy, cloaking his body invisibly.
Considering that Lady Lauren's detection ability stretched beyond sensing aura, she was also able to read minds, the fact that Dokhur can go unnoticed is quite a feat of his own. Furthermore, he doesn't seem to be struggling to do this.
At the last stroke of the conversation, Dokhur's eyes gleamed mischievously.
'So the Alpha of the Silverstar Pack is absent, huh...'
...
Meanwhile, on the border between the Tigerman Kingdom and the Dwarf Kingdom.
A couple wagon of Dwarf workers could be seen coursing through a small pathway inside a forest without any stark significance, that is until they crossed over an edge where the trees changed from normal into something else entirely.
Instead of wood, the trees that surrounded them were made of steel materials.
Compared to regular steel, these ones were stronger.
Even though it wasn't compatible with being used as materials for weapons, as the steel materials have a weird nature of rejecting rune engravings, they were quite perfect to make tools for daily activities.
The Dwarven Kingdom relied on these trees to produce their tools.
Due to the nature of their work as craftsmanship, tools were in high demand every day.
"Aye, laddie! Hew down a mountain o' materials, and we'll be earnin' a job t'replenish them farmer tools. Do it swift, I want to be back for beers 'fore the sun turns to gold!"
"Aye, captain!"
Under the instruction of the Dwarf in charge, the other Dwarves stepped down to work.
It was his job to oversee and make sure the Dwarves were not lazying around or even knick some of the materials for themselves. But as he watched them from the wagon, he heard a commotion coming from his east.
Confused, he jumped down and investigated in that direction.
As he got close to the source, he heard grunting growls and the clanking sound of metal.
Taking a mouthful from his flask of beer, he surveyed the scene. He found a glade, he clearly remembered that there was no glade yesterday. As his eyes roamed, he discovered a dozen creatures diligently felling the trees.
Observing the creatures, the Dward recognized it to be a group of Tigerman.
Realizing this, the Dwarf came out and announced himself to the Tigerman who was still busy chopping down the trees, "Oi, ye got the King's nod fer workin' 'ere? This be our patch, ain' ye need the King's say-so"
Upon hearing this, the group of Tigerman stopped their work to look at the Dwarf.
All of them had their eyes on the Dwarf in silence.
Seeing their reaction, the Dwarf felt slightly uneasy as they didn't seem to be heeding his words. But this made him angry as this is the Dwarf's territory, so he has the right to warn them from trespassing, "If ye ain't got the King's nod, then clear off, sharpish! Don't fancy muckin' things up"
Despite another warning from him, the group of Tigerman kept their silence.
Because of their lackluster reaction, the Dwarf was furious.
Just as he was about to say something more, his body suddenly tensed when his entire body was shadowed by something standing behind him. In a slow manner, he pivoted to look to his back and found another Tigerman standing right behind her.
However, this Tigerman donned in deep red furs with black stripes.
A combination of colors that made this Tigerman distinct from the regular color of Tigerman.
Due to the vicious fights that the Tigerman had to handle every single day during the ancient era, their furs adapted a darker shade of red to mask their bodies when they were drenched in blood, a kind of camouflage.
It was a color possessed only by the Tigerman living in those times.
Upon seeing this Tigerman, the Dwarf stepped away, nervousness started to kick within.
Red-colored Tigerman is a trait possessed by Tigermen who were adapted to bloody fights.
Obviously, the Dwarf felt nervous because of that very fact.
Staring at the Dwarf with an unsettling grin, baring his vicious sharp fangs, the Tigerman cocked his head slightly and spoke in a hushed tone, "Permission from your King? We don't need approval from anyone, especially from your King. As far as I'm concerned, this is my territory, and it's you who was the one trespassing, not us..."
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