Chapter 66: Betrayal 2/2

Lhum'Baggar sprinted through the darkened pathways of the Dreadmaw Clan's settlement, he could feel his heart thundering in his chest as his brother mentioned his wife.

There was a storm of emotions swirling inside him.

His feet barely touched the ground as he rushed toward his home, his mind racing with confusion and anger after the unsettling encounter with his brother, Luk'Tar.

The knot of dread that had been forming in his stomach tightened with each passing second.

Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

As he reached the entrance to his tent, the sight before him sent a shockwave through his entire body.

His wife, the love of his life, was there, but she was tied to a thick wooden post, her arms bound tightly with ropes.

Bruises marred her usually flawless skin, her face twisted in pain and humiliation. But it wasn't just the bruises that caused Lhum'Baggar to stagger back in horror.

"Lhum'Ba…" she tried to utter his name.

Lhum'Baggar was heartbroken, his eyes traveled down her body, and what he saw shattered his soul.

Between her legs, the delicate protective scales that only she could close—scales that once symbolized their bond, their unity—had been pried apart. An orc and elf's bond was sacred; once formed, the elf could choose to seal her most intimate parts, ensuring that no other could touch her.

Now, those scales were forcibly opened, ripped apart, and something vile, something unspeakable, was leaking from her.

Lhum'Baggar's breath caught in his throat.

He took a step back, his mind unable to fully process what was in front of him. His eyes widened, his hands trembled uncontrollably, and his legs threatened to give out beneath him.

"No...no...this can't be happening..." His voice was barely a whisper, choked with disbelief. The reality was too monstrous to comprehend.

His mind screamed at him to move, to untie her, to do anything, but he was paralyzed, frozen by the sheer horror.

His wife's whimpers of pain and her broken gaze tore through him like a thousand knives.

Suddenly, a cold, mocking laugh filled the air, shattering the silence like glass. "Riririririri..." The voice was unmistakable, and it made Lhum'Baggar's blood run cold. "I didn't think you'd find her so soon, older brother. I was just getting started."

Lhum'Baggar spun around, his eyes locking onto the shadowy figure standing at the edge of the room—Luk'Tar.

His younger brother stood there, a twisted grin plastered across his face, his eyes gleaming with sickening satisfaction.

"You...you son of a bitch!"

Lhum'Baggar roared, his voice booming through the tent as rage exploded inside him.

His entire body shook with fury, his fists clenching so hard that his knuckles turned white.

Luk'Tar took a step forward, his smile widening as he continued to mock.

"I was going to pay a visit to Solluha'r first, you know, but her place was too well-guarded. So, I thought...why not visit your wife instead? And, brother, you never told me she was such a gem! She's even tastier than I imagined."

He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with perverse delight.

That was the final straw.

Lhum'Baggar's world turned red with fury. He let out a primal roar that shook the very ground beneath them.

Without thinking, he lunged at Luk'Tar, his fists swinging wildly.

"You filthy bastard! I'll kill you! I'll rip you apart!"

Lhum'Baggar's first punch connected with Luk'Tar's jaw with a sickening CRACK, sending him flying across the room. But Luk'Tar only laughed—a crazed, maniacal laugh that echoed through the tent, RIRIRIRIRIRIIRIII! fueling Lhum'Baggar's rage even more.

With a speed fueled by pure hatred, Lhum'Baggar closed the distance between them and continued his assault.

His fists hammered down on Luk'Tar, one after another.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Left, right, left, right—punches rained down like a relentless storm.

Each strike was a thunderous blow, one could hear the sound of bone crunching and flesh tearing filling the air in the dead of the night.

"Is this what you wanted!?" Lhum'Baggar bellowed, his voice raw with fury. "You disgusting coward!"

But no matter how much he hit Luk'Tar, no matter how much blood spilled from his brother's broken face, Luk'Tar only laughed harder. His laughter was a twisted, maddening sound, one that made Lhum'Baggar's skin crawl.

"You...think you can kill me?" Luk'Tar spat through bloodied teeth, his voice laced with insanity. "You think...you're stronger than me? Go ahead...hit me...HIT ME MORE!"

Lhum'Baggar's rage surged to a new height, his body trembling with the intensity of his emotions.

He lifted Luk'Tar into the air and slammed him down into the dirt, the force of the impact shaking the ground.

"I'll rip you apart limb by limb, you bastard!"

Lhum'Baggar roared, his voice cracking with the strain of his fury. He raised his fist, ready to bring it down on Luk'Tar's skull, ready to end it, to crush the life out of the monster his brother had become.

But just as he was about to strike,

Luk'Tar's hand shot up, grabbing Lhum'Baggar's wrist with inhuman strength. Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Lhum'Baggar's eyes widened in shock as he felt a surge of power radiate from his brother's grip.

With a sickening KABOOM, Luk'Tar unleashed a burst of force, sending

Lhum'Baggar flying back through the air. He crashed into the side of the tent, the impact knocking the wind out of him and leaving him gasping for breath.

Luk'Tar stood up slowly, wiping the blood from his face with a twisted grin. His eyes glowed with a dark, unnatural energy, and his entire body seemed to pulse with raw power.

"You think you can kill me, brother?" Luk'Tar sneered, his voice now laced with a sinister, otherworldly tone. "Let me show you...my true power."

Lhum'Baggar struggled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the figure standing before him.

This wasn't the Luk'Tar he knew.

This was something else—something far more dangerous.

Something far more monstrous.

Luk'Tar's body began to shift and grow, his muscles bulging grotesquely as the dark energy within him surged to the surface. His eyes blazed with a malevolent light, and his twisted grin stretched wider than seemed possible.

Lhum'Baggar's breath came in ragged gasps as he watched in horror.

He had never seen anything like this before.

Whatever had happened to Luk'Tar, whatever dark power he had tapped into, it had turned him into something...unnatural.

"You...you've gone mad," Lhum'Baggar whispered, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and terror. "What have you done?"

Luk'Tar laughed—a deep, bone-chilling laugh that sent a shiver down Lhum'Baggar's spine.

"I've embraced what you and Volk never could. Power. True power. And now, brother...I'll show you just how weak you really are."

With that, Luk'Tar lunged at Lhum'Baggar, his movements a blur of speed and violence.

Lhum'Baggar barely had time to react as his brother's fist slammed into his gut, sending him crashing through the side of the tent and into the dirt outside.

Lhum'Baggar coughed up blood, his body wracked with pain as he struggled to push himself to his feet. But before he could fully stand, Luk'Tar was upon him again, his fists a whirlwind of fury as he pummeled Lhum'Baggar into the ground.

WHAAAAAMMMM!!

"Is this what you wanted, brother?"

Luk'Tar snarled, his voice dripping with venom.

"Is this what you wanted to see? Your precious honor, your precious strength—it's nothing compared to real power!"

Lhum'Baggar groaned in pain, his vision swimming as the world around him blurred.

He could feel his strength slipping away, his body breaking under the relentless assault. But even as the darkness threatened to consume him, one thought burned bright in his mind.

He had to stop Luk'Tar.

He had to protect the clan.

The Dreadmaw Clan!

With one last surge of willpower, Lhum'Baggar lashed out, catching Luk'Tar by surprise and throwing him off balance.

He staggered to his feet, bloodied and bruised but still standing.