Chapter 18
Even as she spoke, Lilith instinctively stepped back and swept one arm in front of Bonnie.
Every muscle in her body went taut.
Auriel reacted the same way.
The pressure of an Elite was impossible to ignore. They were only Veterans, and neither had ever stood before someone of the next Rank. They had no idea what an Elite was truly capable of.
They only knew that Elowen was far beyond either of them.
Warmth rushed through Bonnie when Lilith moved to shield her without a second's hesitation.
Regret followed close behind.
If she'd known the Wood Elves were this powerful, she would have warned Lilith to stay away at all costs.
Too late for that now.
Fortunately, Elowen showed no hostility.
"I am an elder of the Wood Elf Clan," she said. "It would be strange if I had not reached Elite Rank."
She seemed largely unbothered by their reaction, though a flicker of surprise crossed her face.
Apparently, she hadn't realized the System could reveal her exact strength.
Watching her more closely, Lilith reached another conclusion.
Elowen was no different from other native creatures.
She couldn't see the System interface.
Then how did she know so much about it?
Now wasn't the time to dig into that.
Once Lilith was sure Elowen had no intention of attacking, she asked carefully, "And if we refuse to fight the Orcs? Will you still let us leave?"
That was the real question.
Now that Lilith and Auriel knew Elowen's Rank, they also understood how dangerous the Howling Tusk Tribe had to be.
If even a Wood Elf Clan with an Elite elder feared them, the Orcs' true strength had to be terrifying.
Joining a war against an enemy like that could be suicide.
Next to that, abandoning Verdant Spire no longer sounded unreasonable.
The first Weekly Event had already ended, and neither Lilith nor Auriel kept a Territory in the Verdant Forest. They had no reason to gamble their lives for Kill Points alone.
Elowen understood their hesitation.
"Our strongest warriors will handle the Orc commanders," she said. "What we need from you is help against their ordinary troops."
She paused before going on.
"To be honest, the Wood Elf Clan is split into two factions, and we have struggled to agree on a response. More importantly, the Orcs field far more combat-ready warriors than we do."
"You would only need to help contain their main army."
Elowen looked between them.
"And the Wood Elves will claim none of the spoils. Everything taken from the battlefield will be yours."
That made the proposal considerably more attractive.
Lilith wouldn't have to face the strongest enemies herself.
She would only be risking undead Units.
More importantly, the war offered exactly what she needed most: rapid growth.
Only greater strength could buy her real security.
It would let her defend her Territory, stop fearing the Goblins—maybe even intervene in the conflict brewing across the Frostlands.
An opportunity to grow stronger had been laid directly at her feet.
Why would she turn it down?
"Of course, I will not force you to join us," Elowen added. "But if you refuse, the Orc army will occupy this region, and everything you have built around the Wonder will likely be destroyed—"
"I'm in," Lilith said immediately.
Relief washed over Elowen's face.
Before leaving the Wood Elf settlement, the Clan's Seer had given her a clear prediction.
If she recruited one of the two Lords, the defenders could repel the Orcs.
If she recruited both, they could defeat them.
Elowen didn't understand how two newly arrived Lords could tip the outcome of a war this large.
But she trusted the Seer's vision.
Auriel weighed the offer a moment longer before landing on the same conclusion.
Her reasoning mirrored Lilith's, though she cared more about the event ranking.
"I agree as well," Auriel said.
"Wonderful!"
Elowen stepped forward and clasped Auriel's hands.
Auriel went rigid, visibly caught off guard.
For an instant, Elowen looked less like an Elite-ranked elder and more like an excited young woman.
She released Auriel quickly.
"My apologies. I forgot myself."
"It's fine," Auriel said, though her expression stayed faintly awkward.
"Then I should explain the situation in more detail."
Elowen began laying out what she knew.
The Wood Elf Clan was nominally a Monarch-tier power. However, with their Monarch unable to fight for many years, their effective military strength had fallen to the Champion level.
The Howling Tusk Tribe had learned of that weakness and decided to invade.
Otherwise, no single Orc tribe would have dared challenge the Wood Elves.
Once word of the coming invasion spread, many of the forest's smaller races fled, abandoning their homes and scattering beyond the borders of the Verdant Forest.
Only the Wood Elves and the Centaurs had chosen to stand.
Both races had grown up within the forest, and their individual warriors were generally weaker than battle-hardened Orcs.
So the two races had chosen the southern edge of the Verdant Forest as their defensive line, where the terrain could offset the Orcs' superior strength.
Their fortifications were already rising south of Verdant Spire.
The Orc assault was expected to begin that very night.
They had less than twenty-four hours to prepare.
By the time Elowen finished, Lilith had the full picture.
A defensive battle.
Far simpler than she'd expected.
As long as she didn't have to face the strongest Orcs herself, the corpses produced by a battle of this scale would be more than enough for her undead to overwhelm the enemy.
And if even one high-ranking combatant died...
Lilith's forces might leap forward by an entire Rank.
She wouldn't be required to carry the battle, yet the potential rewards were enormous.
"When do we leave for the front?" Blaise asked, sounding oddly eager.
"Not yet," Elowen replied. "Before we go, the Seer of our Clan wishes to meet you both."
By now, everyone understood that Elowen had approached them on the Seer's instructions.
Lilith was curious about this mysterious figure.
How could the Seer be so certain her involvement would change the outcome of the war?
Did they already know about her Units and abilities?
Auriel said nothing, but nodded.
If the Wood Elves meant them harm, Elowen's strength alone made this elaborate charade unnecessary.
"What about me?" Blaise asked quickly. "Can I come too?"
Elowen shook her head.
"The Seer did not mention you—but you may accompany us if you wish."
Her only true objectives were Lilith and Auriel. Whether Blaise and Bonnie tagged along made no difference.
"If there are no further questions, we should leave now," Elowen said. "Anything else can be discussed on the way."
Blaise fell in behind her at once.
Bonnie started to follow too, but Lilith stopped her.
"You don't need to be part of this war. Stay here and protect our Territory."
Bonnie nodded obediently.
"Be careful, Lili."
With Elowen leading the way, Lilith summoned her skeletal warhorse while Auriel spread her wings.
Together, they set out for the Wood Elf settlement.