Chapter 373: A Voice calmed thousands.

With that plan finished, Zyra focused on the system and requested for several more bottles of Oath Sap. It was the secret to changing the world, and she couldn’t be stingy with it. By the time the meeting wrapped up, Achilles and Arrow sprinted off to launch Phase One.

Meanwhile, Neil and his newly rescued people finally arrived, exhausted and covered in relief. Zyra had Malia escort them straight to the cozy community lounge for hot meals and warm blankets.

For now, people would have to squeeze in, until the shelter was expanded into a city.

With everything set, Zyra marched out to the center of the main courtyard, her heart pounding. She raised her hand. "System, hook me up to the valley-wide outside loudspeakers."

[Connected, Host! Speak loud and proud!]

The external speakers scattered across the invisible perimeter hummed to life. The thousands of panicked refugees and trembling beasts huddling on the dark perimeter jumped in horror, thinking the Sanctum army had arrived.

"Attention everyone outside the perimeter!" Zyra’s clear, confident voice echoed across the mountains. "This is Zyra Scorpion."

The moment the crowd heard her name, an instant wave of relief washed over them. Hundreds of tired travelers fell to their knees in the mud, crying out in relief.

"It’s the Divine maiden," many cried out.

Excitement, fear, anticipation and other emotions swept through the crowd.

"Do not fear, and stay exactly where you are!" Zyra’s voice boomed softly through the cold night air. "I don’t care if the entire Sanctum army is at our doorstep. I promise you right now I will keep every single one of you, and every single one of your beast companions as safe as I can."

She had no idea why they had come to the Beast valley, of all places in the wild lands. All she could think was that maybe fate, had brought them there. That....or one of the Soul maidens was behind it.

Out on the muddy plain, full-grown men burst into tears, hugging their half life beasts tightly. "The true Divine maiden has accepted us!" an old man sobbed, holding his trembling grandchild. "I told you she wouldn’t abandon us! We’re saved!"

Listening to their weeping cries, Zyra felt a sudden lump in her throat. She blinked rapidly, brushing away an unexpected tear. Ugh, stupid emotions. Since when did I become such a softie?

The gates were opened, and under strict supervision, the refugees and their beasts were allowed inside. They squeezed into the open spaces. Water, porridge and some pastries were distributed.

Everything that was distributed for eating was drugged. All the new arrivals fell asleep within an hour.

After ensuring that none was awake, Zyra closed her eyes and commanded softly in her mind: "System... materialize the city."

[Command accepted, Host! Materializing Beast Valley city. 3...2...1!]

******

Somewhere in Grimmark, Leif’s eyes flipped open. The last thing he remembered was going there to investigate what had happened to the bird king beast. Suddenly high grade explosives had fallen from planes and demolished the city with him in it.

His entire body felt like it had been tenderized by a giant’s hammer, and his right leg joint was completely sprained.

"Ugh, my handsome face_" he groaned, touching his cheek.

His skin was severely burnt, especially around his head and face. He felt a weird, slimy, sucking sensation on his arms. He looked down. Blood frogs. Dozens of them were bloated, happily chugging his blood like it was free wine at a banquet.

"Hey! Get off me, you ugly freeloaders!" Leif yelled.

Most of the blood frogs squirmed and scattered into the bushes. Leif lashed out with his trembling hands, managed to snatch three of the fattest ones, and squeezed them until they burst with a satisfying pop.

"That’s what you get for taking a free dinner!" he spat.

Next came his injured leg. He caught a thick, dry tree branch, shoved it between his teeth, and gripped his dislocated knee.

Crack!

"MMMM-MMMM!" Leif muffled a scream, tears bursting from his eyes as the joint snapped back into place. He spat out the chewed-up stick, panting heavily.

He reached deep into his cargo pant pocket and pulled out a small, dark blood pill. "What the fuck blasted the senses out of me?" he muttered, swallowing it whole.

Warm energy surged through his veins, slowly knitting his flesh back together. Without wasting another second after his strength returned, he channeled his inner energy and teleported away.

Space warped, and Leif popped right into the middle of the house that was their group’s secret hideout in the capital. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared.

Ava, who had been pacing near the door with her hands on her hips, ready to chew him out for disappearing all day, froze. Her jaw hit the floor.

Leif looked like a walking corpse. A big, angry scar dragged down the side of his face, ate through his neck, and left half his head bald and melted. His clothes were charred tatters.

Ava stepped forward, her voice shaking. "Leif... are you_"

"Don’t ask," Leif cut her off, wincing as he spoke. "Just give me a new communication device. Now."

She hurriedly handed it to him. Leif snatched it and dragged his limping body to one of the bedrooms, slamming the door shut.

He took a deep breath, activated the device, and held it to his ear. "Well?" a cold, heavy voice echoed from the stone. "How are things going?"

Leif swallowed hard, his throat tight with tension. "Father... I couldn’t find out why the Bird king beast died."

"Forget about the useless beast!" His father’s harsh voice suddenly brightened with uncharacteristic excitement. "Your brother Othrok found the key."

Leif pinched his lips tightly together, a sharp pang of jealousy piercing his chest. He would have given anything to be the one to present it, to finally earn a sliver of praise. "He... he did?"

"That’s what he reported, but now, I can’t reach him." His father snapped, the annoyance creeping back into his tone. "So stop wasting time! Finish whatever you are doing, find him, and bring me that key before Almeida gets his filthy hands on it!"

Leif nodded instinctively, his voice small. "Yes, Father, I will. But... what about Othrok?"

A heavy, suffocating silence hung in the air for one awful second.

"Either Almeida’s dogs caught up to him..." His father’s voice dropped into a terrifying, guttural roar that rattled the stone. "...or he has gone rogue and thinks he can betray me! If he sold us out, slaughter him and bring me that damn key! I will send his last known coordinates."

"Father, I will find it again." Leif promised, desperate to deliver.

The line went dead.

Leif squeezed his eyes shut and slumped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. A heavy, suffocating knot twisted in his chest. More than the burns, more than the broken bones, he hated disappointing his father.

His father had 1080 children--too many to remember. Only the outstanding ones got his personal attention. In his family, failure meant you were garbage to be abandoned. And Leif refused to be garbage.