Chapter 234: Lutehand Alliance (IV)
“Where… am I?”
Abeir slowly opened her eyes, her body heavy and weak, her mind struggling to focus.
But she quickly snapped to alertness. Her last memory flooded back—clutched in the iron grip of a terrifying Dragon, crushed unconscious by sheer force.
“Damn it!”
Instinctively, she reached for her waist—nothing. The familiar Dagger was gone. Even her emerald-green Cloak had vanished, leaving only her undergarments.
She sat on the cold floor, eyes scanning the unfamiliar Palace with sharp, wary precision. Everything around her was colossal—everything magnified to an almost oppressive scale. The space felt vast, hollow, and unnervingly silent.
Then, a massive Shadow fell over her.
“You’re awake, Elf.”
Her body froze. Slowly, she turned her head—and there it was: the towering, monstrous form of the Red Dragon, its jagged head looming above her.
Abeir’s heart pounded with primal fear. The nightmare of being devoured by this beast still burned in her mind. But she summoned every ounce of courage, gripping her sweat-slicked fists tightly, and stammered:
“Evil Dragon… what… what do you want?”
Kai Xiusu tilted his head, lips curling into a grin that revealed a mouth full of jagged, gleaming teeth.
“What do you think?”
Abeir trembled uncontrollably. Then, a chilling rumor flashed through her mind—the whispers gathered by the Lutehand Alliance.
In the tales of Northern Nobles, this Red Dragon was not only a tyrant of destruction but also the Dragon of Lust. He could take the form of a towering, grotesque humanoid—several meters tall—ravaging beautiful maidens with brutal, cruel passion before transforming back into his true form and devouring them whole.
Abeir was barely over thirty. For an elf, this was still youth in its most vibrant bloom.
To be violated—this was worse than death.
She had dreamed of dying bravely, with honor. But never as a tool for some monstrous beast’s lust.
Her jaw clenched. Silver teeth bit into her lip. She spoke, each word sharp and deliberate:
“I… will not be your plaything!”
With a sudden surge of desperation, she lunged toward the hard stone wall, intending to crash her head against it—ending her life in one final act of defiance.
It was her last stand. The only way out.
But in the face of such overwhelming power, even death became a luxury—something distant, unattainable.
The Red Dragon merely flexed his claw. A shimmering, glowing Force Field erupted from his palm, forming a massive, crystalline grip that seized the elf like a cage. She was trapped—motionless, helpless.
She couldn’t even struggle.
“No… please…”
“Evil Dragon… you’ll pay for this.”
Tears welled in her amber eyes. She lowered her gaze, eyelids fluttering shut. Her shoulders shook violently with fear.
In the suffocating darkness, she felt the hot, sulfurous breath of the beast wash over her.
Was this it?
The end?
In those final moments, her mind drifted—back to the day she left the Elven Kingdom, her dreams of justice and purpose burning bright. She remembered the solemn oath she took upon joining the Lutehand Alliance. She thought of her first meeting with Richard Sieg—so oddly coincidental. She recalled their daring Infiltration of the Red Robe Wizard Tower, their shared search for Intelligence. And even the quiet, peaceful dawn she’d watched together in the Kadawen Forest.
So much I still wanted to see…
So much I still wanted to live…
But no pain came.
Instead, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the chamber.
“Want to live, Elf?”
The Dragon’s words were laced with heat, with sulfur.
Abeir didn’t breathe easier. She knew—this beast had something else in mind.
Perhaps he wanted her body. But that was already within his grasp. No, the real prize was more valuable: Intelligence. Secrets.
The Lutehand Alliance was a loose network, yes—but it held truths too dangerous to be left unguarded.
She thought of her vow, spoken with unwavering resolve:
“No reward sought. Only Justice.”
She would not betray her comrades. She would not serve evil. Not even if it meant dying.
She would rather be eaten alive than speak a single word.
So she clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, and sealed herself off completely.
She would not give in. Not even to the jaws of death.
But then came the Dragon’s next words—words that shattered her composure.
“You want to know where Richard Sieg is?”
Abeir’s eyes snapped open. Her voice trembled, sharp with tension.
“You… what have you done to him?”
“He’s doing just fine,” Kai Xiusu chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. “Better than fine.”
A ripple of magic split the air. A glowing image formed before her—Richard Sieg’s half-elf form, standing in a dimly lit room, his expression calm.
“He’s alive.”
Relief flooded her chest. Her breath steadied. Peace settled over her like a warm cloak.
Then the Dragon’s voice echoed from the image:
“I want you to return to the Lutehand Alliance. Become a double agent for the Kingdom.”
Her heart leapt back into her throat.
Richard… please, don’t agree.
But fear gripped her anew. What if the next scene showed him refusing? What if the Dragon killed him on the spot?
The thought twisted her stomach.
Moments passed.
Then, Richard’s voice came again—clear, familiar.
“Yes, sir.”
Abeir’s breath caught. Her face twisted in disbelief.
“No… it can’t be.”
“Evil Dragon… you’ve corrupted him! Or is this just a lie? A cruel illusion?”
She glared at the Dragon, her mind rejecting the truth. Richard—her partner, her friend—could not have betrayed the Alliance so easily. Not like this. Not to this monster.
Kai Xiusu loomed over her, his massive form casting a shadow that filled the chamber. A cruel smile played on his lips as he slowly drew nearer.
“You really think I’d waste time lying to you, little snack?”
He paused, his voice dropping to a low, mocking whisper.
“I’m just showing you the truth. The end of your childish fairy tales.”
He exhaled, a wave of heat and sulfur rolling over her.
“Your so-called ideals—your oaths, your vows—they mean nothing. When life is at stake, people will betray anything. Even their gods. Even their legends.”
He gestured toward the image.
“Even the noble spirits you worship—do they not carry blood on their hands? Do they not have sins in their past?”
Abeir flinched. She shook her head, trying to speak, to defend.
“But—no, that’s not true—”
Her voice was weak. Faint.
The image replayed. The Dragon’s words rang louder.
The beast’s head drew closer. The heat pressed against her skin. Sweat poured down her spine.
And then, softly—almost gently—came the final question:
“So… tell me, Elf.”
“Do you want to live… or die?”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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