Chapter 184: The War Council

The witches' coven was abuzz with activity as the war preparations reached their climax. The sky above was dark, with the shadow of war looming over it. Reika sat at the far end of a gigantic stone table, her dearest friends around her—Lleus, Kael, Athena, Elira, Viktor, Alfonso, and the elders of the desert wolves. The atmosphere was tense, each individual in the room keenly conscious that the war that would break out would decide the fate of their world. Lleus folded his arms across his chest, determination burning in his eyes like a fire. "Ariadne doesn't only have werewolves at her command. She's bound to the Void. She's not a wolf queen anymore—she's a tool of destruction." Viktor, battle-hardened wolf of the desert, nodded. "And the Void beings that she has called forth are not the beings we have battled before. They are not fighting for conquest or dominance. They fight to eat." Kael sat up, his piercing eyes darting around the room. "We now have the Army of Death with us. They will shift the balance to our side, but we cannot rely on them alone. We have to be smart." Athena, her determination carved upon her face, said, "Ariadne knows that we have them. She'll prepare based on that assumption." Reika took a deep breath, smoothing her hand over her distended stomach. Seven months pregnant now, the child inside her felt heavier than ever before. It reminded her that she was fighting for herself, but for her pack's future too. Elira, ever the soothing presence, grasped Reika's hand. "We can't do this without you. You can't fight this war." Reika stiffened. "I'm not going to sit back and do nothing." Lleus stood in front of her, his voice strict but kind. "You're carrying our child, Reika. If you were to die—" "I won't let it," she snapped, fire flashing in her eyes. "This is my fight, too." Kael sighed. "We need to focus. Our forces are aggressive, but Ariadne's forces never retreat. We need to devise a plan that will allow us to strike first." Alfonso, whose silence had hitherto not been broken, spoke up. "We had a game that the wolves played in the desert when we had the disadvantage of having more enemies. Divide and subdivide. Take pieces of her armies away from us and fight them in those broken-up groups." Athena's face lit up. "Yes… if we strategize properly on the land, we can get them to clash into the cliffs, and corral them into a dead zone." Viktor tapped his knuckles on the map spread out before them. "We strike in waves. The first wave will be the Army of Death—no living man should be among them. Ariadne's monsters will have to battle them. While they are occupied, our second wave will strike from the cliffs, cutting them off." Lleus nodded. "And I will take the advance on Ariadne herself." Reika's heart clenched. She knew that Lleus was going to fight Ariadne, but that he was doing it alone gave her spine chills. She clenched her hands tighter on the table. "Then we can't waste a single error." A Dire Warning As the council had finished their preparations, a raging gust of wind ravaged the room. The candles danced about, and the torches went out. A low, foreboding voice rumbled through the room. "You cannot win." The wall shadows convulsed, twisting into impossible shapes. A form coalesced—black, titanic, eyes blazing like embers. Elira gasped. "The Void speaks." The shadow creature moved forward, its own voice hollow and artificial. "Ariadne is beyond this world's law now. She is better than that." Lleus snarled, shifting into guard position for her in front of Reika. "And yet she is fearful of us enough to send you." The creature uttered something like laughter. "She is not fearful. She warns." Reika looked back at it, her eyes unblinking. "Tell her we're ready." The shadow inclined his head. "The Army of Death is a strong army, but they are duty-bound to their code. Ariadne… isn't." Kael's brows furrowed. "So what is she?" The shadow's gaze flicked to Reika. "A creature born from the Void cannot be slain by mortal hands." There was silence in the room. Athena gasped roughly. "So how do we kill her?" The animal's blazing eyes danced. "The one able to bear life must bear death as well." Both eyes were focused on Reika. Her insides knotted as comprehension set in. Elira shook her head in refusal. "No. She is with child. She cannot bear death." The darkness did not flinch. "And yet she is the only one able." Lleus moved forward, his fury emanating. "You will not turn her into a vessel." The creature began to vanish. "It is not my choice to make." And with that, the darkness dissipated, and the torches blazed back to life. The room was left in stunned silence. Reika leaned back, her mind reeling. Was this what the Moon Goddess had planned? Lleus turned to her, gripping her hands. 'We'll find another way." But deep down, Reika wasn't sure there was another way. The Night Before War The coven remained on that evening. The warriors honed their swords, the witches prepared their spells, and the desert wolves rested under the night sky. Reika sat on her bed's edge, looking at herself in the mirror. Her body was different. Her soul was different. Lleus entered, his expression not as severe as it had been. He sat down next to her, extending his hand. "I will not lose you." She stood before him, her eyes ablaze. "Lleus… if it is a question of duty, I must do this." He shook his head once more. "No. You are not a sacrifice. You are my mate. My love. Mother to my child." Reika huffed. "Then let us be done with it." He did, mouth on her forehead. "Together." War came with the first light of dawn. The Army of Death marched first, their bodies as mist moving. The witches marched next, preparing their magic, and the desert wolves brought up the rear. In the field of battle, Ariadne's army marched. Her monsters emerged from the shadows—werewolves contorted into unnatural positions, Void creatures with burning red eyes. And among them, Ariadne stood, her body enveloped in darkness, a sadistic grin twisting her lips. Lleus stepped forward, his body scorched by golden flames. "It's over today." Ariadne's laughter lingered. "You're right, dear Alpha. It is. But not as you'd wish." She clicked her finger, and the shadows moved in. The battle had commenced.