CHAPTER 941: A GRAND OPPORTUNITY FOR PLUNDER

If Orion were to ascend to demigod, the bloodlines of his children would resonate with his power, their potential elevating even further.

In Orion’s eyes, a mere arch lord wasn’t worthy of his Elara. To marry the first daughter of the Stoneheart Horde, the absolute minimum requirement was demigod—even for his own son.

With that thought, Orion led Lilith back into the depths of the castle.

After a passionate, possessive reunion on the throne itself, Orion held Lilith close, inquiring about what had transpired in the three days he was away.

"The army the human kingdom sent to eliminate the traitors has been almost completely annihilated."

Getting down to business, Lilith sat up, her expression turning serious as she relayed the latest intelligence. She had been utterly shocked when she first received the report. It meant the enemy on the kingdom’s eastern flank was terrifyingly powerful.

"Aside from Prince Theodore, who managed to escape, everyone else was killed. Grand Duke William was captured. His status—whether he’s alive or dead—is still unknown."

"The three-way summit in Soaring Bird City has also been changed to a four-way summit. The dragons have sent an envoy."

Orion leaned back against the throne and closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of Lilith’s soft breath drawing near again.

"Orion," she whispered, her lips brushing against his as she spoke. "You don’t seem shocked at all."

As the acting head of the horde, she was grappling with a thousand unanswered questions.

"You’re right," he murmured. "I’m not shocked at all."

He wrapped an arm around her, his hand stroking her back, still damp from their exertions. "On the contrary. I’m pleased."

"With the human kingdom suffering this defeat, the Stoneheart Horde will now receive a formal invitation to join this North-South War. We can participate openly and harvest everything we desire."

His voice was a low, predatory rumble. "Territory, resources, slaves, magical plants... whatever we lack, we will take."

"And besides," he added, "Don’t you think the Horde’s stockpile of Lord’s Stones is getting a little... thin?"

Lilith pulled back, staring up at him with wide eyes. A shiver of pure awe ran through her. This mountain of a man could now steer the currents of the entire continent with ease. A war that threatened to engulf nations was, in his eyes, merely a grand opportunity for plunder.

"Orion..." she began, her voice thick with emotion, wanting to say more.

But he was already leaning down to kiss her again. Just as she was about to lose herself completely, he pulled back slightly, a smirk playing on his lips as he gave her more instructions.

"Send a message to that little rascal Lorelia. Tell her to stop sleeping in and get her ass from Blackstone City to Stoneheart. It’s time to prepare for war."

"And little Elara. The girl loves a spectacle. Organize a celebration for her new dragon. Invite all the most talented younglings in the horde. I think she’s in the market for a few followers. Use the opportunity to officially announce the formation of her personal guard and guardian armies."

The only reply in the cavernous hall was Lilith’s soft, breathy hum of assent.

Human Kingdom, Soaring Bird City.

In the fortress’s conference hall, the four-way summit officially began.

Ava, Delilah, Lireesa, and the Glacial Dragon Jorik sat around a circular table, their faces grim as they reviewed the reports coming from the human kingdom.

"According to the intelligence provided by the Saint and Prince Theodore," Ava began, her voice heavy with solemnity, "the Avenger Armies are backed by an unknown arch lord. Including Torin, they possess seven Legendary-level combat units. A force of that size is equivalent to a super-faction."

This was the highest-stakes meeting she had ever been a part of. She wasn’t just representing herself; she was the voice of the entire human kingdom.

"Now that our forces have been defeated, the northern clans will swarm to the cause like beasts to the scent of blood. They will join the Avenger Armies and sweep across the entire southern continent."

"Ladies, Lord Jorik, I regret to inform you that this is no longer an internal affair of the human kingdom. The safety and the very fate of the entire South are at risk."

She wasn’t being alarmist. As she spoke, she passed a new dispatch to Delilah, Lireesa, and Jorik.

"This just came in. Four more northern lords have joined the Avenger Armies. The news is spreading to the farthest reaches of the north. A new North-South War is imminent. As members of the five-race alliance, we must stand united."

Silence fell. No one responded. The representatives of the other three factions kept their heads down, reading. Ava held her tongue, waiting.

"I am willing to lead twenty thousand of my people’s finest archers to lend our aid," Grand Elder Lireesa said finally, breaking the silence. "We all signed the pact in the dragon city of Whitecliff. Now that the dwarven Tribe has been twisted by evil and the humans have suffered a grievous blow, we must unite. If we do not, we could very well be the next to be corrupted or driven from our homes."

It was the position of the blood elf race. In truth, Lireesa hadn’t wanted to be the first to commit, but the current standing of her people forced her hand. The dragons and the stoneheart horde both had arch lords. They were the real powers the human kingdom needed to court. By committing now, she was simply bowing to the inevitable.

Jorik, the dragon envoy and a peak Legendary-level warrior himself, had finished reading the intelligence long ago. But he remained silent, staring at the parchment.

Before he left, Frostsire’s instructions had been clear: the dragons’ position was to remain perfectly aligned with that of the Stoneheart Horde. It was the only way to avoid suspicion from the humans, and the only way for the two factions to extract the maximum benefit from the kingdom.

Besides, the entire human kingdom stood between the dragons and Torin’s Avenger Armies. The dragons were indifferent to the war itself. They would not enter the fray without a guarantee of sufficient profit. And so, Jorik said nothing, waiting for Delilah’s move.

Unconsciously, the eyes of Ava and Lireesa also shifted, settling on the Horde’s envoy. The entire summit now hinged on her.

"My, my, you mustn’t all look at me like that," Delilah said after a long moment, finally looking up. She broke the tension with a light, melodic laugh. "The intense gazes of a princess and two peak Legendary-level lords are more than a delicate woman like me can bear. I’ll become quite flustered."

The air in the room eased slightly.

"Before I came to Soaring Bird City," she continued, her playful tone shifting to one of steel, "my lord spoke on this. The Five-Race Alliance is bound by a common destiny. It is our duty to seek justice for the fallen dwarven race."

Her gaze hardened. "And at the same time, we will have vengeance for our own Tribe members who were wrongfully slain in this very city."

Relief washed over the faces of Ava and Lireesa. If the Stoneheart Horde was in, the dragons would surely follow, and the southern alliance would hold.