After the elders recovered from their shock, Orion spoke again, his tone calm but filled with unwavering confidence.
"Everyone, keep pushing forward!"
"Alpha-level is not the end—not for , at least."
"In my eyes, Lord Gareth isn’t all that powerful."
"At the very least, if I were to face her, I wouldn’t be completely helpless."
Compared to the grand vision Orion had painted earlier, these words were like a thunderclap in the quiet tent.
"Chieftain, you…"
Prophet Onyx stared at Orion, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Orion t Prophet Onyx’s gaze with a cold, confident look, his self-assurance and ambition laid bare for all to see.
Under the weight of Orion’s gaze, Prophet Onyx slowly lowered his head.
In that mont, Prophet Onyx understood the full extent of Orion’s ambition.
It was a path of ascension, one that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
"Great Chieftain, I am willing to swear a soul oath to you. I pledge my eternal loyalty, never to abandon, never to betray."
Prophet Onyx rose from his seat, knelt on one knee, and perford a deep bow of submission.
At the sa ti, a mysterious mark appeared on his forehead.
The mark glowed blood-red, and monts later, a visible wisp of his soul floated out, entering Orion’s forehead.
Orion recognized this as a soul contract—Prophet Onyx had just bound his soul and life to him.
But what surprised Orion was that this was only the beginning.
"Great Chieftain, I also wish to swear a soul oath to you!"
After a brief hesitation, Thundar stood up, walked over to Orion, and also swore a soul contract.
As Thundar completed the oath, another wisp of soul energy entered Orion’s brow.
"Chieftain Orion, I guess this ans I’m truly yours now! I’m willing to do anything for you, whether it’s out there on the battlefield or in bed."
Orion glanced at Delilah, who was looking at him with a seductive smile, her eyes filled with desire.
Ignoring Delilah’s suggestive gaze, Orion couldn’t help but marvel at how his grand vision had turned several of his core elders into his true followers.
As long as these subordinates followed his orders, Orion was confident that the racial differences within the Stoneheart Horde would soon be a thing of the past.
As for Earthshaker, he was the most relaxed of the group, eating and drinking without a care.
Earthshaker had already signed a slave contract with Orion, so he wasn’t concerned with these matters. He believed that as long as he proved his strength, Orion would help him grow stronger.
What had started as a council eting had unexpectedly turned into a session of soul-binding oaths, thanks to Prophet Onyx’s initiative.
Even Orion, deep down, couldn’t help but feel a sense of surprise at how things had unfolded.
"Go and rest. The beast tide may have retreated, but there’s no guarantee another wave won’t co."
The elders nodded and began to leave the tent.
Elder Rendall hesitated, lingering behind.
"Go and train. I’ll keep watch here."
Rendall gave Orion a deep look, nodded firmly, and left the tent.
Orion watched Rendall’s retreating figure, knowing that the elder was likely debating whether to follow the other elders and swear a soul oath.
However, Orion’s earlier response had clearly put Rendall at ease.
"If I have so reservations about the other elders, I have none when it cos to Rendall."
"If even you were to betray , then the Stoneheart Horde would have no hope of rising."
Orion sat in his seat, gazing at the distant bonfires, lost in thought.
Born into the Giant Clan, Orion had co to see Moonshadow Valley as his ho, and the giants here as his people.
Because of this, Orion was both patient and hopeful when it ca to his horde.
If he couldn’t rely on his own people, Orion felt that life would lose much of its aning.
---
The night passed quietly.
By the next morning, the bloodline warriors of the Stoneheart Horde had rested well.
The warriors on guard duty were well-fed and full of energy.
Orion and Prophet Onyx walked along the wall’s foundation, inspecting the damage. Orion’s mood was neither good nor bad.
"Prophet, the eastern and western sections of the wall’s foundation have taken so damage. Quite a bit of it needs to be rebuilt."
Orion frowned slightly as he surveyed the damage. Several sections of the wall’s foundation had been completely destroyed and would need to be reconstructed.
"The beast tide was too dense when it split, so so damage to the foundation was inevitable."
"Chieftain, don’t worry. If this is the extent of the damage, we can repair it in no ti."
"What I’m worried about is another beast tide. If the foundation is hit again while it’s still damaged, it could suffer even more severe destruction."
Prophet Onyx’s words sent a chill through Orion’s heart.
Even if the beast tide fleeing north had ended, the return tide would surely bring another wave of destruction.
Orion climbed the eastern ridge and looked back at the wall’s foundation stretching across the horizon.
Suddenly, an idea ca to him, and he asked Prophet Onyx a question.
"Prophet, what if we set up a line of wooden spikes in front of the wall’s foundation? Would that help with defense and protection?"
Prophet Onyx’s eyes lit up at the suggestion.
"Chieftain, that’s a brilliant idea! It could reduce damage by at least 30%."
Hearing that his idea was feasible, Orion imdiately turned to his guard, Dace.
"Go find Elder of Combat Thundar and bring him here."
Dace acknowledged the order and ran off.
A quarter of an hour later, Thundar arrived at the ridge, looking hurried.
"Chieftain, what are your orders?"
Orion explained his and Prophet Onyx’s idea. After a mont of thought, Thundar agreed that it was a good plan.
"Chieftain, I’ll take so of the horde and start cutting down trees from the nearby forest. We’ll try to have the spikes set up around the wall’s foundation before nightfall."
Your journey continues at empire
"Good. Get to it."
Thundar didn’t leave imdiately, which made Orion curious.
"Chieftain, two of the scouts we sent out a few days ago have returned. The others… there’s been no word."
This was good news, a small blessing amidst the misfortune.
Orion had assud that all the succubus scouts had perished, but it seed two had made it back.
"Go inform Elder of Stewardship Delilah. After all, they’re her people."
"Yes, Chieftain!"
With that, Thundar hurried off toward Moonshadow Valley.
Standing on the eastern ridge, Orion’s gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, his thoughts wandering.
After a long silence, Orion suddenly asked Prophet Onyx a seemingly unrelated question.
"Prophet, how familiar are you with the Trolls in the Barren Mountains to the east?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)