Chương 123: What am I?

The rocky mountains were home to a vast encampment. Black goblin tents stretched as far as the eye could see, scattered among the rocks like a dark stain. The magical creatures who had survived the massacre of Loxia had been chained and forced to kneel in the dust. Among them were Teresa, Naomi, and the gnome. They were exhausted, filthy, and humiliated. The goblin chief entered the main tent and knelt before Xarath.

"My lord, you summoned me?" Xarath did not turn around.

"Yes. I want to know if you're enjoying yourselves". The goblin lowered his head with a crooked smile.

"Certainly. The creatures who have rejected and despised us for thousands of years are finally suffering the consequences of their actions. All thanks to you".

"Yes. All thanks to me". Xarath slowly turned toward him.

"I intend to use the Mother Queen as a hostage. No one is to touch her. I need her alive. And, above all, mentally intact. Do I make myself clear?"

"You have my word, my lord. Not a single goblin will lay a finger on her". The goblin paused briefly.

"And what about the other female soldier and the gnome?" Xarath merely shrugged.

"Them? Do whatever you want. I don't care". The goblin smiled with satisfaction.

"I shall take my leave, my lord". He left the tent. Xia sat on the edge of the bed in the dimly lit room. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. She was trembling. Cold sweat beaded her skin, and her stomach continued to growl, low and insistent, like a call that refused to be silenced.

"The me with my memories lived for over a thousand years…" she murmured.

"What did she do to deal with this hunger? And, more importantly…did she ever truly understand why?" She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

"Last time, I did something horrible to satisfy it…" She clenched her fists.

"I can't do it again. I can't… I still have nightmares about that time". She ran a hand through her hair in frustration, as if the simple gesture could anchor her to reality. For several minutes, she remained motionless. Then she forced herself to lie down. She would endure the hunger. She would endure the pain. She would not give in. Her stomach continued to twist, demanding something she did not even want to name. Xia closed her eyes. But just then, she felt something strange in her mouth. An irritation.

An unusual sensation in her gums. She slowly parted her lips. She froze. Her teeth had changed. They were much sharper than before, long and irregular, resembling those of a crocodile. Xia stared at them, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.

"What…?" She opened her mouth wider. And kept opening it. Her jaw stretched far beyond any human limit, widening unnaturally. It was enormous. Large enough to swallow an entire animal. Xia immediately closed her mouth and brought both hands to her chest. Her heart was pounding furiously. She struggled to breathe.

"But what…" Her voice trembled.

"What am I?" She received no answer, save for the growling of her stomach. The following morning, Felicity approached Leah, who was still asleep in her chair, her head resting on the table. She shook her by the shoulder.

"Wake up, you drunk". Leah opened one eye and yawned.

"Is it morning already?"

"Yes. And it's already quite late. We need to get going". Leah stretched, still half-asleep.

"Did you sleep well, Feli?"

"Not really. You drunkards were singing and shouting until well into the night".

"Hey, I fell asleep after my fourth glass…" At that moment, Ethan and Agnes also came downstairs. Felicity looked around.

"Is Xia still sleeping?"

"I don't know", Ethan replied. Just then, Xia appeared on the stairs. Her movements were slow and elegant. Her face was perfectly composed. There was no trace of the fear that had tormented her during the night.

"I'm here", she said calmly.

"Sorry for disappearing last night. I was rather tired. We can go". They left the inn, mounted their horses, and rode away. Behind the inn, where the garbage was dumped, human remains lay among the ordinary food scraps. Broken bones. Strips of skin still clinging to flesh. Dark stains had dried into the ground. Swarming worms slowly writhed among the remains, devouring what was left of the bodies. Behind a barrel lay a skull that still belonged to someone very young. It had not been completely stripped clean.

Small scraps of muscle and skin still clung to the bone. A worm slowly emerged from one of the eye sockets. It writhed for a few moments before returning to feed on what remained. The wind of the Frozen Lands swept through the alley. And carried the smell of death with it.