CHAPTER 1044: WARNING

Lyrel and Caelthar both turned sharply toward Eccar after hearing his mutter, their brows furrowed in confusion.

As if the ambush itself wasn’t bad enough now he had spoken words that sounded far more ominous and far more terrifying.

Their thoughts tangled in the same question, "Who is watching us? What does he mean?"

Their gazes drifted toward Krono and Aesa. But they saw no confusion there at all.

Krono’s eyes were calm, steady, and calculating as always.

Aesa’s expression was distant, her silver eyes still looked cold, as if this revelation was nothing new.

That truth sank in their heart.

"They already know about this thing" Lyrel swallowed hard, the back of her throat now feels dry. "Is this knowledge only Dragonborn kind can grasp? What kind of problem are they carrying right now?"

Caelthar’s hand trembled slightly at his bowstring, but he forced it still. His thoughts were nearly the same as her.

Behind them, the red giant’s low growl rumbled deep from his chest. His single eye glared at the Arakocra and blazed with rising fury.

The ground shivered faintly under his stance as if he was already prepared to launch. His lips peeled back in a silent snarl. His massive hand twitched.

Aesa glanced at him sharply and gave the slightest shake of her head.

The giant froze, then exhaled through his nose like a bull. He understood that he could not act yet.

The Arakocra leader sneered, his feathers puffing as he pointed his jagged blade at them all.

"Ha! We are not afraid of you, giant! I came with my strongest warriors and we are more than enough to deal with you all. Now enough wasting time. You three have already chosen. You will be dealt with!"

Eccar’s lips thinned. He shared a quick look with Krono.

"We need them alive. We must speak to their oracle," Krono said evenly.

Eccar grimaced but gave a reluctant nod.

His eyes flicked to Aesa. She had already begun stepping back with arms crossed, her posture radiating reluctance and disdain.

When she noticed his look, she said flatly, "You deal with them." Her tone was terse and almost irritated as if the very idea of lifting her hand in this matter was so annoying.

Eccar sighed through his nose, but didn’t argue.

Krono’s calm voice followed. "I’ll handle them by myself. You don’t need to bother."

Eccar gave him a crooked smile then said. "That’s very kind of you."

The tension broke slightly, even drawing faint relief across Lyrel and Caelthar’s faces.

They knew Krono’s strength. If he said he would handle it, then it would be handled.

The Arakocra leader snapped his wing open and barked an order in a screeching tongue. Five of his warriors surged forward at once.

They unsheathed their swords, the metallic scrape mingling with the rush of wind as their wings carried them to fly.

Two of them angled toward the two Elves while the other three dove straight for Krono, Eccar, and Aesa.

But before steel could clash or feathers could tear the air, time stopped for them.

The five warriors froze in the middle of their flight, their wings locked in place. It was not a barrier or resistance force. They simply stopped.

The leader’s eyes widened, his beak slightly agape. Around him, the other Arakocra moved uneasily with shock. Their eyes opened in shock as well.

"What sorcery is this?" the leader thought, his mind racing with a cold dread crawling up his spine.

Krono walked forward calmly. His golden gaze locked on the leader. He said, "I need to see your oracle."

The words snapped the leader out of his shock and anger flooding in its place again.

His feathers puffed out and his beak clenched so tight until it clicked sharply.

With a screech, he unsheathed his own sword and his stance lowered.

He had recognized his strength that was stronger than he had expected and now he knew he must fight personally.

But before he could move, Lyrel’s voice cut in. "You’d better agree to his request. You’ve seen it and it’s useless to fight them."

The leader’s head snapped toward her, his eyes burning with fury.

"Silence!" he roared. "You will die first for daring to speak out of turn!"

Lyrel let out a long sigh, her shoulders easing as if the weight of fear had finally lifted. Beside her, Caelthar’s lips curled into a mocking smile aimed at the Arakocra. It was a smile that was sharp enough to sting.

He knew now that they were going to make fools of themselves.

The Arakocra leader’s feathers bristled, his fury only stoked by the sight of that mocking smile. His talons clenched tighter around his jagged blade. "Arrogant wretches. Just because they have one strong sorcerer among them they think they already win? I’ll show them!"

His beak clicked sharply as he barked an order.

One of the Arakocra Mages stepped forward and weaved through the air as he chanted in their tongue.

The air thickened. From the ground twisting brambles of green and thorn sprouted unnaturally fast and writhing like snakes as they lunged for Krono.

But before a single thorn could graze him the brambles froze in midair. The writhing vines hung suspended as though the concept of time had abandoned them just like the five Aracokras above.

Gasps erupted from the group. The Mage’s eyes widened in disbelief.

And then, before their shock could even settle, Krono was already in front of their leader.

The distance between them vanished in a blink without any sound of step or rush of wind, no sign of movement at all, as if he had simply appeared there.

The leader’s bird eyes shot wide and his instinct screamed danger. He didn’t hesitate, his body flared with power. White light surged across his body as he unleashed his strongest Magic.

But the glow stuttered. The air around him thickened then locked still as well.

The white aura froze, stopped in time like the brambles and his warriors above him.

Krono’s eyes bore into the Aracokras behind him with calmness. "Stay still. If you move, your leader dies."

Every Arakocra stiffened. None of them moved an inch further.

One by one their fury now turned into a growing fear.

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