MTLNOVEL Chapter 223: We are our own way out
Silence. A deathly silence.
Onyx, Rendall, Delilah, and Thundar sat frozen, their minds reeling from the revelation. None of them had expected that the beast tide two months ago had such a shocking secret behind it. And now, they were only learning the truth.
Even now, as the weight of the revelation settled over them, their hearts were filled with confusion and fear. Yet their chieftain, the giant Orion, sat there as calm as ever, his expression as cold and unyielding as the eternal ice of the northern tundra.
"Dear Orion, where is our way out?" Delilah's voice trembled as she spoke, her fear evident. But as her eyes met Orion's, the calmness in his gaze seemed to steady her, bringing a measure of peace to her heart.
It was the first time Orion had heard Delilah speak with such nervousness and fear. Her vulnerability stirred a deep protective instinct within him.
"I am the way out for stoneheart horde. We are our own way out," Orion declared, his voice steady and resolute. His expression remained composed, his tone unwavering.
"Orion, you are our chieftain. We will support you without reservation!" Rendall was the first to speak up, as he always was. Though the thought of offending a Legendary-level powerhouse like Lord Gareth filled him with dread, Rendall believed that as a council elder of the Stoneheart Horde, his duty was to stand by Orion unconditionally. Stay connected through empire
To Rendall, Orion's actions—whether right or wrong—were something the horde had to follow. At least, that was how the giants saw it.
"Orion, whatever you decide, we will follow your lead," Delilah said, her earlier panic now replaced with composure. The situation was already beyond their control, and from her perspective, there was no reason to betray Orion.
"Chieftain, Thundar swears to follow you to the death!" Thundar, another giant, echoed Rendall's sentiment, pledging his loyalty without hesitation.
The three of them then turned their gazes toward Onyx, as if waiting for him to make his stance clear.
"Don't look at me like that," Onyx said, raising his hands slightly. "From the day the Stoneheart Horde was founded, we've been bound together. The fates of our tribes are intertwined."
"I, and the obsidian golem clan (tribe), will of course support the chieftain."
"But the question is, what do we do next? How do we deal with Lord Gareth?"
Onyx's words shifted the focus back to Orion. All eyes were now on him.
Orion reached for the mug of ale in front of him and drained it in one gulp.
"Lord Gareth isn't as terrifying as she seems. I'll handle her. What you need to do is focus on strengthening yourselves and safeguarding the Stoneheart Horde."
"Besides, things haven't reached the point of no return yet."
Orion paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts before continuing.
"First, Ridi had no business appearing in the beast tide that attacked Blackstone City. His death was justified, and we hold the moral high ground."
"Second, Gareth used her will projection to attack her own subordinate. If word of that gets out, it'll be a laughingstock."
"Even if Gareth doesn't care about reason, she won't openly target us. If she does, she's a fool and unworthy of being called the Lord of the Four Domains."
These were the conclusions Orion had reached after much contemplation, his attempt to predict Gareth's actions.
"That said, we must still be prepared."
Orion's words left Onyx, Rendall, Delilah, and Thundar deep in thought. After a moment of silence, Orion stood and left the chieftain's tent. He had said all he needed to say. The four senior elders would know what to do with this information.
Besides, someone of Lord Gareth's caliber was beyond their ability to confront. That responsibility fell solely on Orion.
---
After leaving the tent, Orion made his way to the southern city wall. Standing atop the wall, he gazed into the snowy distance for a long while before heading toward the underground fissure.
In Orion's contingency plans, the underground fissure was a potential escape route. If the situation ever escalated to the point where he had to face Lord Gareth in battle, and even his trump cards failed to kill her, the bottomless abyss would be the last refuge for the Stoneheart Horde.
The appearance of the black-armored salamander and millipede centipedes had proven that there was a habitable environment beneath the abyss, though it was likely harsh and unforgiving. But no matter how harsh, it was better than total annihilation.
---
That night, the four senior elders remained in the chieftain's tent, discussing plans until dawn. It wasn't until Dirtclaw, one of the council elders, came to seek Delilah's guidance that they finally ended their meeting.
"Master, my subordinates sent me to ask—should we start setting up traps and bait now?" Dirtclaw asked cautiously.
Delilah didn't respond immediately. She kept walking, her head bowed, until she reached the city wall. Snowflakes fell onto her hair, melting into cold droplets that trickled down her face. The icy sensation brought her back to her senses.
"I never thought it would come to this," she murmured softly. Dirtclaw, standing beside her, didn't understand her words and didn't dare to ask.
"Tell Onyx to send out the cannon fodder troops' scouts. I want every movement of the dark creatures near Blackstone City monitored."
"Also, have a team of bloodline warriors inspect the traps outside the city. Repair any that are damaged."
"Once the traps are fully inspected, begin setting the bait."
"This year, we'll use ten times the amount of bait as last year."
Dirtclaw's heart skipped a beat at the mention of ten times the bait. But when he thought about the horde's numerous Alpha-level warriors, cannon fodder troops, and the cave spider clan, he felt reassured. No matter how many dark creatures came, they would only be delivering resources to the horde.
"As you command, I'll see to it immediately!" Dirtclaw said before hurrying off.
---
Not long after, Onyx joined Delilah on the city wall. Standing amidst the swirling snow, he too gazed into the distance.
"I've long suspected this day would come, but I didn't think it would arrive so soon," Onyx said with a sigh. Ever since Orion had slain the will projection of a Legendary-level powerhouse, Onyx had found it increasingly difficult to understand their giant chieftain.
Orion's actions had grown more enigmatic, his decisions more decisive and unpredictable. Even during council meetings, Onyx could sense the terrifying power hidden within Orion's body.
"Whether we succeed or fail, I will stand behind Orion," Onyx declared firmly. "If anyone dares to stand in Orion's way, I will ensure they and their tribe are utterly destroyed."
Delilah turned to look at Onyx, her expression cold and resolute. "If anyone betrays Orion, they will meet the same fate."
Her words were a warning, and Onyx understood their meaning clearly. To betray Orion was to invite ruin.