Chapter 1140: A Marriage Pact

Silverwood Realm, the Black Tower.

The tower Orion had conquered now served as a command post for the Deputy Commander, Alexander, and Arthas.

Arthas surfaced from his meditative trance, his eyes opening to see the Deputy Commander and Alexander already awake and alert.

"Trouble with Hulk?" the Deputy Commander asked, his gaze finally shifting from the southern horizon to meet Arthas’s.

"He ran into a demigod phantom on the second level of the Abyss. I think it spooked him."

Arthas was right. Getting jumped by a demigod phantom right after entering the second level had been a serious reality check for Orion. It wasn’t that he was scared to fight. It was that even if he won, it was a losing trade. The only resource he could burn to fight something like that was his Faith, and every drop was irreplaceable.

"Without divine power and a mastery of cosmic Laws, his efficiency with Faith is garbage. The burn rate is just too high," Alexander commented, his voice a low rumble. "There’s a massive gap between guys like him and a true demigod. He leveled too fast, all power and no foundation. A grind in the Abyss, seeing what real threats look like? It’s good for him."

The Deputy Commander gave a single, sharp nod, and the topic of Orion was closed. The three of them hadn’t woken simultaneously for something so minor.

After a moment of shared silence, Alexander spoke again, his tone serious. "The Cult of Four is on the move. They’ve completely surrounded Staghelm City." He paused. "We’re getting spammed with help requests from the Moonwell demigod and her Moon Elf."

The news didn’t surprise anyone. It was the predictable outcome of Staghelm City’s last move—hitting the Cult’s supply lines to relieve pressure on the Champions Alliance. From the Cult’s perspective, that was a declaration of allegiance. And they weren’t wrong.

"Staghelm City is a trap," Alexander stated, looking directly at the Deputy Commander. It wasn’t a real question. He knew the Commander’s appetite for risk. It was a prompt. Are our contingencies in place?

"We’re going," the Deputy Commander said, his voice leaving no room for debate. "They’re our allies. We don’t leave allies out to dry. Besides, if we can secure Staghelm City, we’ll have a dagger permanently pointed at the Cult’s throat."

The decision was made.

"I have a suggestion," Arthas interjected, drawing their attention. "Before we ride out, we should solidify this alliance."

He let the idea hang in the air. "A piece of paper is worthless. We all know a dozen ways to sidestep a pact if we have to."

The other two gave tacit nods. Among demigods, a contract was just a contest of will and spiritual power. The stronger party set the terms.

"What are you thinking?" the Deputy Commander asked, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.

"You want to bind interests? You need more than a simple alliance. You need marriage, trade, cultural integration. War makes trade and cultural exchange impossible, so that leaves one option." Arthas leaned forward. "We force the Moonwell demigod, or her Moon Elf, into a marriage pact with the Alliance. That’s how you drag them into our camp for good."

A heavy silence fell over the top floor of the Black Tower. It was a dick move, plain and simple. Staghelm had helped them, and this was kicking them while they were down.

But Arthas didn’t see it that way. Their previous actions were self-preservation, not charity. To make the alliance real, it had to be sealed in something more binding than gratitude.

"You don’t casually offend the dignity of a demigod," Edward said finally, his voice a low warning. The message was clear: the marriage couldn’t involve the Moonwell demigod herself. She’d never agree, and even if she did, the fallout would be a nightmare.

"Then it’s the Moon Elf," Alexander chimed in, shooting Arthas a look that said, I see your angle. "Send Hulk. A warrior on the verge of apotheosis is a worthy match for her. It’s no insult."

"Works for me," Arthas said with a shrug, not bothering to hide his intentions.

"Then it’s settled," the Deputy Commander declared, bringing the matter to a close.

Alexander had seen right through him. As Orion’s mentor, Arthas knew his protégé’s greatest weakness was his shallow foundation. The Moon Elf, Isilra, wasn’t just an arch lord at her peak; her white tiger was an upper arch lord in its own right. Marrying her would instantly give Orion the backing and resources he desperately lacked. With a powerhouse like the Moonwell demigigod as a mother-in-law, his path to becoming a demigod would get a hell of a lot shorter.

It was a bro move, calculated and ruthless.

***

Titanion Realm, Stoneheart City.

In the silence of the castle, Delilah moved like a shadow. She flowed into the room, a whisper of silk and perfume, and settled herself gracefully onto Orion’s lap.

"Miss me?" she purred, her voice a sultry, intimate murmur. Her presence was a captivating mix of vulnerability and raw power, an intoxicating dance of seduction. She leaned in, her warm breath ghosting across his chest.

"You’ve been avoiding me," Orion said, his eyes finally opening. His voice was perfectly calm.

Ever since the Dragon Crucible had closed and Lilith had ascended to her Lordship, Delilah had vanished. She’d returned to Stoneheart City but had kept her distance, cutting off the playful, illicit messages she used to send.

"Never," she whispered, kissing his chest. She could feel the tension in him, a quiet displeasure with her absence. He thinks I wasn’t being aggressive enough, she realized.

"Why would I? But with Lilith now a Lord, it wouldn’t be right for me, the Witch Queen, to be so... visible. People might think I’m throwing my weight around."

"You are the Succubus Queen," Orion stated, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her tight against him as his hands found the ties of her clothes. "Why would you care about appearances?"

"I don’t," she murmured against his skin, responding to his touch. "But a wife has to."

Orion’s body went still for a single heartbeat.

Then, his response became infinitely more passionate.