The Kingmaker System Chapter 712 - 711. Hell’s Flames (1)

Deep within the Dark Elves’ settlement, the Elders and a significant number of Dark Elves congregated before Xeveris. Their faces displayed a uniform spectrum of emotions, from sheer terror and deep sorrow to unease and abject despair.

And in their eyes, all pointed to a single individual as the architect of the impending doom they were about to face.

"Leader! That troublemaker! We urged you to dispose of him the very day he injured the King, and now look at the devastation he's wrought!"

"Our children have been taken to fight because of him, Leader. You must intervene!"

"If he had to perish, why couldn't he have done so alone?! Why drag us all into his downfall?!"

"Are these truly your sentiments? He stands on the front lines fighting for our very survival, don't you comprehend that?!" one man among the crowd questioned.

"Then why are you lingering here? You should have joined him in meeting your end!"

"There's no utility in this endless bickering! The war we desperately sought to evade has been ignited by that rabble-rouser, and now our collective fate is sealed!"

"The Pure Mana Elves will hunt us down regardless of our claims of non-involvement with Fior!"

"Cease uttering that wretch's name! I always knew he would be the instrument of our ultimate ruin!"

Xeveris and the other Elders could do nothing but listen to the impassioned outcry against Fior. Even Xeveris had to concede that Fior had not only defied him once more but had also plunged all the Dark Elves into grave peril.

Xeveris cast his gaze toward Yttriva, who was propped against the wall, an alcohol jug dangling from her hip. Her head was bowed, obscuring her expression. Ermid stood near a pillar close to her, and even he appeared burdened by apprehension regarding the unfolding crisis.

Xeveris rubbed his temples; he could no longer pacify his people. Fior's actions had inflicted irreparable damage. Although the Elven King had shown leniency in not retaliating immediately after his attack, Fior's current actions – the outright slaughter of his people – would undoubtedly provoke a response. Even the King wouldn't overlook such transgressions.

Aelfric was not a ruler who would idly endanger his subjects. Even if he were to advocate for a period of contemplation, the Pure Mana Elders would not remain passive. They would compel him to retaliate, and with their overwhelming numbers, it was only a matter of time before the majority of the Dark Elves were annihilated.

Xeveris recoiled from this possibility, yet a decision was unavoidable. The very choice he had been desperately trying to postpone was now the sole course of action. He had harbored a belief that careful navigation could defuse the situation, allowing matters to settle. However, a persistent whisper in the recesses of his mind insisted that war was inevitable, and this solemn decision would have to be made, sooner rather than later.

Xeveris drew a deep, steadying breath before looking once more at Yttriva, who met his gaze this time.

"I am going," she stated.

"Going where?" he inquired.

"It is because I failed in raising him that I must now go and rectify that failure," she replied, untying the alcohol jug from her waist and smashing it forcefully onto the ground.

Xeveris compressed his lips, observing Yttriva as she advanced toward the throng of people who now turned their accusatory glares upon her. Fior was her grandson, but following the demise of his parents years prior due to illness, she had sought solace in alcohol, actively avoiding Fior as he served as a painful reminder of his departed father. She had been unable to face the truth then, convinced that numbing her pain was her only recourse. In her self-absorption, she had failed to consider the plight of the young boy or the consequences that her present situation had wrought upon her. This was a self-inflicted predicament.

Xeveris watched her depart before speaking, "Yttriva, wait."

Yttriva's steps faltered, but she did not turn around. All eyes shifted to Xeveris.

"This burden is no longer solely yours to bear. I too share in the fault of this matter," Xeveris declared.

Xeveris had solidified his resolve as he proclaimed, "We shall all march forth as one and resolve this crisis."

The crowd observed him, resisting the urge to bombard him with questions about their strategy, but Xeveris pressed onward.

"Fior and every single Elf who has aligned with him are members of our community. Therefore, it falls upon us to confront them and instill reason... And this time, I will not permit Fior to evade accountability. He will face the most severe repercussions."

"We desire action, not mere words this time, Leader."

"Indeed! Let him face execution this time!"

Some voices cried out, and Xeveris remained silent, his attention fixed on Yttriva's back as she stood unmoving. He could only strain to comprehend the emotional turmoil she must be experiencing amidst such pronouncements.

"I shall accept responsibility as well," she spoke, causing Xeveris's eyebrows to subtly twitch.

"I will face the same punishment as him," she announced unequivocally.

The people offered no dissent, as if collectively endorsing her declaration and finding it a fitting outcome.

Xeveris felt a compulsion to object but found himself speechless. He turned his gaze instead to Ermid.

Ermid, go on and lead the warriors. We must intercept these young ones before they inflict further havoc.

Xeveris commanded, and Ermid moved forward.

"Understood," Ermid replied.

Within the span of an hour, the Dark Elf combatants had departed their settlements, leaving behind only the children and the elderly, those too frail to fight, to search for Fior.

They remained, awaiting Ermid's report, uncertain of Fior's intentions or the path he had chosen for the others.

Ermid reappeared mere minutes later, his countenance etched with anxiety.

"What troubles you?" Xeveris inquired, his gaze sharp. "Did you find them?"

Ermid conveyed a negative shake of his head. "I did not locate them, but I did witness the extent of the devastation they have wrought... It is..."

A sigh escaped Ermid's lips, and the assembled Dark Elves exchanged uneasy glances. Ermid's gaze drifted towards Yttriva, who stood beneath the shade of a colossal tree.

"So, in which direction do we proceed?" a warrior questioned.

"West," Ermid declared. "The signs of conflict are most evident in that direction."

Xeveris gave a firm nod before turning to address his people.

"We shall all march west. Upon discovering them, we will bring them back, even if it necessitates a fight."

"But what if we encounter the Pure Mana knights?"

"Indeed, they will show no leniency this time."

Xeveris's lips tightened into a firm line before he made his declaration: "I shall take the vanguard. Should we encounter any knights, I will endeavor to explain our predicament."

The Dark Elves harbored doubts about the outcome, yet they could not falter now. To retreat would render them defenseless. Fior's reckless actions would not only imperil the group he had led astray but also place the remaining elves under accusation, likely leading to their demise as well.

Their only recourse was to follow Xeveris's lead towards the west.

Yttriva's fingers tightened around the bow she had not touched in years. After the conflict with the demons concluded, she had believed she would never need to wield it again. Yet, now, she bore it for a battle initiated by her own grandson.

Yttriva perceived the sharp glares cast her way but remained indifferent.

As they pressed onward, Xeveris halted abruptly, a few paces behind Ermid. The acrid stench of blood and burning filled the air, paralyzing Xeveris where he stood.

The elves behind Xeveris also stopped, their eyes drawn to the sight that had frozen their leader. The scene was enough to churn their stomachs.

The initial village they encountered was engulfed in flames. The lifeless bodies of Pure Mana Elves lay scattered in every direction, their blood painting the ground while the fire consumed their remains.

The oppressive presence of dead mana was unmistakable, the very air thick with it. This corrupted energy had leached the life from the surrounding flora, leaving the grass and trees withered and skeletal, their color drained to a somber, dark hue.

"This is..." one of the Dark Elves choked out, his voice trembling.

"They have gone too far!"

Xeveris steeled his resolve, and they continued their advance, quicker now. With each settlement they passed, once vibrant centers of civilization, they witnessed only the brutal testament to their destruction. Not a single soul had survived; not even the children or women were spared.

A sense of impending doom settled upon the Dark Elves as they journeyed deeper. The sheer scale of the carnage and ruin they traversed solidified their conviction that the Pure Mana Elves would not stand idly by in the face of such widespread devastation.

Xeveris and his contingent marched forward, their apprehension of the impending confrontation growing with every step. Xeveris pondered if Aelfric would even grant him the opportunity to explain their circumstances this time. Yet, he also acknowledged a stark truth: unlike Aelfric, Xeveris himself had failed to be a truly effective leader to his people.

Though they outwardly showed him respect, a simmering dissent lay beneath the surface. A determined individual like Fior was not an unforeseen consequence. Ultimately, Xeveris could only cast blame upon his own leniency and his failure to act decisively, allowing the situation to escalate to a point where so many innocent lives were tragically lost.

Suddenly, as they advanced, the sound of crackling flames and the familiar aroma of burning wood reached them from ahead. Horrifyingly, these sounds were accompanied by faint screams.

The Dark Elves exchanged tense, yet hopeful, glances. They had likely, at last, caught up to the renegade group.

Xeveris shook his head, dismissing self-recrimination for the moment. His immediate duty was clear: to intervene and put an end to this madness.