The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 119: Winter Woods ()

A man in a pitch dark cloak stood in a dark and shadowy part within the very depths of the winter woods.

There was a large hood pulled over his head, that draped down to below his nose, keeping his features hidden.

He seemed to be waiting for someone and in a moment, Lord Dinani emerged from around a corner.

"You are late." The man in the cloak stated in a chilling cold tone.

"There was a momentary delay. I had to ensure I was not trailed and take a detour to get here." Lord Dinani replied in an indifferent tone.

"A detour? Your status allows you to move as freely as you want, how is it that I get here before you?" The man in the cloak stated.

"The more people I meet, the more I risk exposure. You should commend my insight. Besides it’s freezing out here, not a place I am eager to visit." Lord Dinani continued with a casual shrug.

"Worthless!" The man in the cloak snarled in a tone of disdain.

"I do not particularly care what you think of me, I do not quite like you either." Lord Dinani replied without a quiet chuckle.

"At least we agree on something, his Grace requires a report." The man in the cloak relayed in a much calmer tone.

Lord Dinani frowned slightly, his fingers tapping the hilt of his sword in a rhythmic manner which was the only sign that revealed he was not as calm as he posed to be.

"I am still working on it, I will need more time." Lord Dinani replied, his tone now more serious.

"Is this how you take care of your end of the bargain?" The man in a dark cloak hissed, his aura taking a plunge to something dark and deadly.

"The Crimson Wolves arrived unexpectedly, His Grace never told me of this. My tribe have existed in hiding for centuries or we would be driven to extinction, we did not sign up to confront the Crimson Moon!" Lord Dinani hissed right back, his eyes flashing with rage.

"You dare question the King?!" The man in the black cloak roared.

"It is not that we question him, the arrival of the Crimson Wolves has put us in a bind, things are no longer as easy as you would imagine. Although Heveneth is greedy and ambitious, she is still smart and alert,"

"It is not so easy to manipulate her, I have to tread cautiously." Lord Dinani replied.

"Heveneth? How laughable!" The man in the cloak spat as in a blink of an eye and a quick gust of wind, he arrived before Lord Dinani, clawed hand shooting out to encircle around Lord Dinani’s neck in a tight, suffocating grip.

"Excuses. You know how much His Grace hates them...you must have lived as a lord for too long, so long that you have let this privilege to pose as the Lord of the Floral Domain get to your head."

"So much so that you forget who you truly are... what you truly are, do you perhaps need a reminder?" The man in the black cloak snarled,

Lord Dinani hissed as he clawed against the grip around his neck but the man in the black cloak only tightened his grip, his lips which were the only visible part of his face was pulled back in a vicious snarl.

"Shift!" The man in the black cloak ordered on a terrifying tone.

Lord Dinani hissed even louder as he struggled against the grasp around his neck, his skin turning a pitch black shade as long, sharp claws extended from his hands with which he attempted to rip off the hand of the man in the black cloak.

"Shift!" The man in the black cloak ordered again, tightening his grip till red veins appeared on the face of Lord Dinani.

Slowly, the veins spread across his face and into his eyes, the rich forest green orbs turning a deep shade of red as his skin darkened.

Every feature of Lord Dinani disappeared to be replaced by something horrifying and monstrous.

It’s hair also turned white, elongating till it fell down to mid back and two large, curved horns emerged from it’s head.

Two sharp fangs portruded out of it’s lips and it’s eyes glowed as the man in the black cloak pulled it over to the frozen lake and forced it’s head down so it saw it’s own reflection.

"Take a close look... this is what you are! How dare you delay the King’s plan?! I shall have you sent back to the disgusting slums we pulled you out from! To wallow I darkness for the rest of your miserable existence!" The man in the black cloak snarled.

The monstrous creature hissed fiercely as it struggled against the man in black cloak but all it’s efforts were futile, the man in black cloak was clearly much stronger.

"If you cannot play up to Queen Heveneth and fulfill your mission then seek another way out! His grace did not send you hear to thread cautiously, how dare you withdraw the army on Queen Heveneth’s order?!" The man in the black cloak raged.

"I only need more time! The Fairy Queen will call a meeting of the elders tomorrow! I already have it all in place, there will be war... unlike any the supernatural realm has ever seen, I swear it!" The creature shrieked.

"You will return to the Floral Palace and you will muster the battle fairies for war, regardless of how the elders decide tomorrow..."

"His Grace has promised independence to you and your kind in his new world... if he can free you, he can just as easily destroy you, keep that in mind." The man in the black cloak warned.

"His Grace will not be disappointed, I swear!" The creature vowed.

The man in the black cloak loosened his grip and the appearance of the horrendous creature slowly reverted back to that of the green eyed forest nymph, Lord Dinani.

"You had better keep to your words. Now, His Grace has further orders, the Fairy Queen is too much of a variable and it will not be long before she figures out this deception."

"His Grace will give you the aid you need, with the Fairy Princess and the battle lord taken care off, the Fairy Queen cannot be allowed to ruin our plans... I am certain you know what to do." The man in the black cloak reminded.

"I understand, she cannot see through my spells, she will be taken care off." The creature vowed.

Meanwhile behind a pillar of pure ice, Queen Heveneth stood watching the exchange, her eyes narrowed in rage.

As hideous as the ancient monsters yet able to take on the appearance and characteristics of others to perfection, creatures of dark magic with the ability to hide in plain sight... Queen Heveneth knew there was only one of such tribes.

’A changeling demon spirit.’ Queen Heveneth murmured with horror.

Demon wraiths, a horrendous specie that could be traced to the demon realm, formed from the merging of the lingering traces of the darkness with demonic energy.

Amongst the classes of demon wraiths, the changeling demon spirits and the charmer demon spirits were known to be the most malicious and the deadliest.

They were the highest ranked demon wraiths and were much more powerful than basic demon wraiths and they were even more difficult to subdue or vanquish.

After the dark war, those traitorous demon tribes who had absorbed the lingering traces of darkness to boost their magic, the demon wraiths were one of such.

The Demon Lord had ordered the annihilation of such tribes and most were thought to be extinct, but Queen Heveneth could see now just how terribly wrong they had been.

They had won the battle, the dark war had ended in the victory of the good but the effects of the darkness would never truly disappear from the supernatural realm.

Queen Heveneth wondered just who was behind this demon wraith, just who was this king and what did he want?

She wondered just how long her daughter and mate had been gone and she had failed to notice such a great deception up until now? 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Rage consumed Queen Heveneth’s heart as she realized she had not only lost Eloneth... perhaps Dinani... the real Dinani was lost to her too.

"Taken care off? Who dares?!" Queen Heveneth hissed fiercely as she emerged from behind the pillar, alarming the man in the black cloak and the supposed Lord Dinani.

"Who are you and how dare you trespass into my territory and pose as my mate?!" Queen Heveneth demanded,

"You were trailed?!" The man in the black cloak hissed to Lord Dinani.

"I... I did not realize." Lord Dinani replied, his fierce gaze fixed on Queen Heveneth who stood clutching her whip.

"Very well, since she is already here, I shall have to take care of it myself." The man in the black cloak hissed.