The Royal Mark-Chapter 36: Ball of Fire

Elsa honed in on Ciel’s words, concentrating her efforts on harnessing her inner strength. "Consider something that truly ignites your passion, something you’ve poured your heart and soul into, nurturing and developing over time. Now, envision someone obliterating that very passion in an instant."

"You’re experiencing devastation, anger, and an overwhelming rage. Channel all these emotions, feel them deep within your heart and intensify their presence. Concentrate them at your core, the very essence of your soul. Allow them to grow," Ciel explained.

Elsa followed Ciel’s guidance, recalling her journey as a dedicated doctor, the sleepless nights of study and training, the memories of her father, and the joy-filled moments with her dogs. Her heart brimmed with the intensity of her passion.

Then, the memory of the demon attack resurfaced, the injury Ciel had suffered, the loss of her father who had sacrificed himself to protect her, and her abrupt displacement to another world, leaving behind everything she had worked tirelessly for. She hadn’t even had the chance to bid farewell to her best friend, Nadel. Elsa’s anger and fury surged.

Unknown to her, as she focused on these thoughts, her wrist began to emit a different kind of glow. It had been yellow and blinding before, but now it burned with a fiery red. Unnoticed tears streamed down her cheeks as she entered a trance, her escalating emotions fueled by her passion and anger. Her breathing quickened, and her body grew increasingly hot as if she were aflame.

"Ciel, I’m not sure this is supposed to happen," Gaia said nervously as she noticed steam coming out from Elsa’s pores.

"We should wake her up; she seems lost in her thoughts," Nile suggested, and Ciel agreed.

Before they could approach Elsa, she suddenly opened her eyes, and so was Nuri. Both of them had eyes ablaze with fiery intensity. In Elsa’s hands, a ball of fire began to take shape, rapidly growing in size.

Before they could react, the two fireballs merged into one, becoming a massive, hovering entity in front of Elsa. Slowly, it started moving towards the nearby branches and twigs meant for the campfire. Eventually, it landed with unexpected power and force, igniting the surrounding trees and carving a shallow crevice on the ground.

Chris ceased his hunting when a deafening explosion reached his ears. He immediately knew that the sound originated from the place where he had left Elsa and her dogs. His heart raced like a drumbeat in an instant. Releasing Yakobo, he transformed into his wolf form and swiftly sprinted back to his mate.

What greeted his eyes left him astounded. The once picturesque river, with its crystal-clear waters and the charming riverside adorned with autumn-hued trees, had vanished. He positioned himself behind Elsa, who stood facing the river. A straight fissure stretched before her, cutting across the river, while the trees in their vicinity were engulfed in flames.

Scanning the area, he spotted the three dogs lying not far from Elsa, with Nuri lying beside her. Chris swiftly shifted back to his human form and extended his hand toward Elsa. However, before he could touch her arm, she turned to face him. Chris withdrew his hand slightly, locking eyes with her fiery gaze.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to start the campfire." Elsa said before her gaze caught the unconscious state of her dogs, "My dogs..." Then she looked back at him, "And you’re naked... Hot... My eyes are hot..."

Elsa touched her eyes with both hands before collapsing to the ground.

Chris caught her in time, "Elsa!"

[We should get out of here; the smoke is becoming too thick,] Yakobo pointed out.

’I know, but I can’t carry them all,’ Chris replied, scanning the area in search of a solution.

"My cloak!" Chris spotted it unscathed near Gaia. Carefully, he placed Elsa on the ground and arranged the dogs on top of the cloak. He then hoisted Elsa like a sack of rice and dragged his cloak, bearing the dogs, away from the blazing riverside.

[Christopher, I hear the sound of approaching horses,] Yakobo alerted him.

"I’m aware," Chris acknowledged. He gently set Elsa and the dogs on the ground behind a large bush and put on his cloak. "Let’s check first who they are – friends or foes."

He didn’t have to conceal himself for long, as he soon spotted a flag bearing the coat of arms of Zemaria, carried by several Zemarian soldiers approaching their location. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward them, vigorously waving both arms and shouting, "Help! I need your help!"

The soldiers swiftly closed the distance, and one of them inquired, filled with arrogance, "What’s going on here?"

"As you can see, the forest is ablaze. I urgently require your aid; my mate and her pets are injured," Chris replied, then turned, ready to lead the soldiers to Elsa.

"Wait, hold on. Mate? Are you a werewolf?" the haughty soldier inquired.

"Does it truly matter? My partner is human and injured. She requires a healer, so–" Chris began but halted abruptly when the other two soldiers aimed their polearms at him.

"Seize him. He could be one of the werewolves dispatched by King Alaric to spy on us," declared the arrogant soldier.

Chris remained where he stood, patiently awaiting the soldiers to approach. When they drew near, his eyes turned a fiery red, causing the two soldiers to widen their eyes before dropping to their knees.

"Your Highness, Prince Christopher Jorgensen of Arcanis. We deeply apologize for our impertinence; we failed to recognize you. Please forgive us," one of the soldiers humbly stated.

The arrogant soldier, hearing this, swiftly dismounted from his horse and knelt before Chris as well.

"So, you do know who I am?" Chris scoffed.

"Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty, King Allister, made an announcement throughout Zemaria last year to be on the lookout for your return," the soldier explained.

"Another year has passed in Vectus..." Chris mused, the soldier looking up at him in puzzlement, not comprehending his words.

"Never mind that. I require your help; my mate and her dogs are hurt."

The soldiers promptly followed Chris, and he carried Elsa while the others took the four dogs.

"There is a village not far from here. I’m sure they have a healer there," Chris informed them.

Chris nodded, and they set off on their way to the village.