The Alpha's Revenge

Chapter 6: Althea

At first, it started with an uncomfortable pain in her body. It felt like her bones were having an itching sensation. As the pain becomes more unbearable, Kira’s eyes narrowed. Every minute, the pain increased.

From its dull pain, it became a sharp-knife pain. It’s like someone was sharpening a knife in her bones. She was drenched in layers of sweat as she bit her lower lip, trying hard not to make a sound and endure the unbearable pain.

The pain went on for an hour. Auntie Herma was starting to feel worried about her. “Lady Kira, what’s happening to you?!” She saw that Kira’s expression was not right. Kira clutched the sheets tightly so that her fingers had turned white.

“That must be the effect of the lotus seed she had swallowed,” Bariston said. He was also worried about her. They didn’t have any idea what was wrong with her, but one thing’s for sure, she was in great pain.

Kira didn’t speak a word of explanation. Her focus was on the excruciating pain inside her body. She endured and endured. Her clothes were drenched with sweat and soon after, a layer of black sticky liquid came out of her body.

Finally, she was free from this torment! She sighed in relief as she looked at her clothes. In her palms, there was a black sticky liquid that came out.

“Lady Kira! What’s that?!” Auntie Herma was beyond surprised when that unknown liquid came out of her body.

“That book is indeed useful,” Kira muttered. She tried to feel her body and noticed some changes in it. She could feel that her joints were more flexible and her body was lighter as well. “The pain was worth it… Auntie Herma”

“Yes, Lady Kira? Are you alright?” Auntie Herma said worriedly.

“I’m fine. Kindly prepare a bath for me. I feel sticky all over.” Auntie Herma immediately followed her orders.

Bariston was standing at the side but was silent throughout. “Do you believe in the effects now of that lotus seed, Bariston?”

Bariston nodded. No one knew better what that black sticky liquid was except for him. It was impurities in someone’s body. He had seen that black liquid before when he was still training to be a guard, so he knew the benefits better once those impurities were expelled.

Kira noticed Bariston’s gaze at the lotus seed in his hand. “Take it. It’s yours. It will be of great benefit to your training. But I must remind you, you saw it earlier, the pain you will experience is not something easy to endure. Are you prepared for it?”

“I am willing to endure any kind of pain. If it is something that can help me become stronger so that I can protect you better, then I’m more willing to experience it,” Bariston answered.

“Okay, but do it later when Auntie Herma is not present. She’s old and she can’t handle another shock. I will take back that lotus seed from her, it will be dangerous for her body to experience that tormenting pain.” Although Auntie Herma is a strong werewolf, her body is already old. Experiencing that unbearable pain might cause more harm than benefit to her body.

But she would find another way to help Auntie Herma increase her strength without the need to experience that pain. For Bariston, it’s okay for him to take it. He is still young and it’s good training for him. Besides, the effect of the lotus seed is something worth the pain.

If she wants to increase her power, she can’t do it alone. She needs the people around her to grow stronger as well.

“Bariston, I need to secretly get out of this place later this evening. Can you do it without getting caught?” she asked calmly. There’s a place she needs to visit tonight.

“Yes, Lady Kira. But, what if someone came into your room?” He was confident to sneak her out of the palace but someone might barge into his lady’s room, which would cause the problem.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it.” Kira heard the footsteps of Auntie Herma coming over. “You can go now. Come back later, before midnight. That’s the time I’ll go out.”

Bariston bowed politely and transformed into a wolf. He expertly jumped out of the window in a gust of wind. Auntie Herma came in sight right after. “Where is Bariston?”

“There’s something important he needs to do,” she replied. “Is the bath ready, Auntie Herma?”

“Yes, Lady Kira. The bath has been prepared. You can go in now.” Kira nodded and Auntie Herma left the room. Kira stood up from the bed and realized that the book had suddenly vanished… Where is it?

“Master!”

A soft voice suddenly appeared in Kira’s mind. She glanced around and she couldn’t see anyone. “Who are you?”

A light flashed instantly which made Kira close her eyes. Right then, a little girl appeared in front of her. She was wearing pink clothes and when she spoke, Kira knew that she was the one who was speaking to her in her mind. “Who are you?”

“Master! I’m Althea! The guardian spirit of the Book of Evolution! I was summoned because you finally used your ability.”

She didn’t expect that the way to summon this guardian was by using her ability. So, when she ate that lotus seed, that’s considered as using her ability. “How can you be here?… I mean, what are you?” Kira asked.

“Master, I told you, I’m the guardian of the Book of Evolution. I was here because of you.” She proudly lifted her head as she spoke.

Kira’s brows wrinkled, still confused about the sudden news. “So, why am I your master?”

“Because you have the plant attribute. Only the person who has this attribute can summon me. In that case, you are that person.”

“I understand... So, if I’m your master, can you help me?... I need to become stronger. Can you do it?”

“Master, if you want to become stronger, I can help you. But I can only guide you, it is still based on you whether you can become strong or not.” The little girl firmly said.

Hearing this, Kira felt moved. “Can you really help me?”

The little girl nodded. “Master, I am the guardian of the Book of Evolution. So, I know every cultivation technique, practice, and almost everything that can help you to become strong. But Master, I can see that there’s a poison in your body. Although you have eaten the lotus seed, it still can't detoxify the poison. It’s the reason why you are still wolf-less.”

“What?” Kira’s eyebrow creased instantly.

“It’s called Forbidden Poison. I don’t know how you came in contact with this poison, but it’s very potent. A person who was affected by this poison won’t have their wolves for their entire life because it targets first the strength of the body. When there’s nothing left, it will attack the organs of the body until nothing is left. So, this is called the forbidden poison because no one can detect this poison.”

Kira looked at the little girl, with eyes open wide. “Is what you are saying true? I had that kind of poison in my body?”

“Yes, but fortunately, you took the lotus seed, it stopped the poison temporarily and it didn’t completely eat the wolf spirit inside you. But we still need to erase that poison in your body for your wolf to appear.”

“Wolf Spirit? What is that?” It was her first time hearing that.

“ The wolf spirit is the one giving strength and power to the person. As you know, a wolf should be unleashed when you reach a mature age, but in your case, it didn’t happen. It’s because your wolf spirit is too weak to be awoken because of the poison. But don’t worry, master, we can detoxify it.”

“Really? How?” she asked after thinking for a while.

For her, unleashing her wolf is the most important thing. She can’t accomplish her revenge if she can’t unleash her power.

“Master, I can give you the prescription for the detoxification but, in your current state, you can’t accomplish it yet. You need an ice flower. The ice flower is a very rare plant and it only grows every 100 years. We are fortunate since this year is the 100th year, but you can’t travel there in your current condition. So, for now, we need to exercise your physique.”

“I understand.” Kira took the prescription handed by Althea to her. “By the way, how can I exercise my physique when I can’t unleash my wolf spirit?”

Althea’s face had a bright smile, and with a tender voice, she answered, “Master, don’t worry. With the lotus flower in your hand, you can improve your strength. Boil the lotus flower and drink it for 15 days. It will improve your strength gradually and you can practice martial arts at that time.”

“Okay, understood.” With that, Althea disappeared.

Kira held the prescription tightly in her hands as her eyes showed a glint of anger. ‘Who on earth poisoned her?! A poison that can’t be detected, only a powerful person can do such a thing. Who is it?!’