Survive As The Brute's Wife-Chapter 176: The One He Chose

"That’s enough!"

A loud voice echoed over the vast sea of golden sand. And that was followed by a loud clanking noise.

Ithildin turned to see the big beast flying fifty feet from the ground. Maximus who was slowly losing his mind heard that familiar voice.

"Alexandra!" he shouted.

He tried to look around but the sand was flying everywhere and he covered his eyes with his forearm. Even then he could not see anything. All they heard was a loud thump along with the loud roar of the beast.

The sand got to his lungs and he started to cough.

"Alexandra! Where—*cough*—are you?" he shouted, not minding his burning lungs.

He squinted his eyes and searched through the golden mist of the floating sand. He could hear the flapping of the wings of Kefir, and he knew she is near.

"I’m here, my dearest..."

Maximus’ lips curved to a smile hearing that gentle voice that was filled with love. He didn’t see anything else around him and his forearm slowly lowered. The sand ending up on his eyes hurt him no more as he saw the brightness approaching him.

The white, winged lion, riding the lion is the woman with golden hair wearing a pure white dress and donning a bright smile for him.

He saw her—his wife.

"Alexandra..." he smiled. Behind her, the beast landed on its four feet enduring the hard slap Alexandra gave it. But his eyes were on her. He forgot about Arioch too.

Seeing her smile, he jumped from Ithildin. This time, he knew he won’t fall. His wife is here. She will catch him.

Alexandra smiled from her heart. When she asked Kefir to find Ithildin, he couldn’t locate Ithildin immediately. They had to brainstorm to find his location. In the end, she knew that Maximus is where Arioch will be. And she was right.

Kefir heard the shouts of help from Ithildin and came here as fast as he could. When she came here, she could see that the situation is dire and she used her powers. She could use a majority of her powers. She still couldn’t understand how she has turned into a human.

The beast is not healed yet. But she heard Maximus shout and as always, she forgot everything to look at him.

He is here... her husband... the only man she has loved forever.

She saw him jumping from Ithildin and she jumped from Kefir. She floated through the air and reached him. It appears that his mana is drained and he is unable to float as always. And the box where she sealed his darkness is damaged. Ithildin’s mana needs replenishment too.

{Kefir, help Ithidin, please.}

She asked Kefir and Kefir acknowledged her wish and flew to help Ithildin. The beast was getting ready to spit another ball of fire.

"Max! Max!" she hugged him around his neck and without her permission, tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Lexa..." he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. "My Lexa..." he rested his cheek on her shoulder and closed his eyes to take a good whiff of her scent.

"Max... I missed you..." Alexandra kissed his cheek. She was so happy to see him, touch him, and feel him again, she didn’t know what to say. "I have a lot to say to you..." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Ah... me too, Lexa... I too..." Maximus brushed back the locks of hair falling on her face and cupped her cheeks to have a good look at her face.

"Oh, Lexa..." his eyes reddened. "My Lexa... It is you..." he kissed her forehead and rested his forehead on hers.

"Max..." Alexandra didn’t bother to wipe her tears. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his.

"Lexa... I love you," he said and kissed her. His hold on her waist tightened and the intensity of their kiss increased.

Alexandra’s heart fluttered. After staying away from him for a long time, she felt like she is reborn as she took in his minty fragrance. His gentle hold, his firm muscles, and his tasty tongue...

Arioch tried to stand up supporting his hands. Through his peripheral vision, he could see it. He didn’t want to see it, but he did.

<Those two... they are still rubbing it in my face!>

He fisted his hands. The burning sand scalded his skin, but he didn’t care for it. He saw the little darkness that escaped the Orb hovering around Maximus.

<Do you not want me too, Inanis?>

Arioch asked, his eyes stinging with hatred. His mouth was bitter and bile rose from his gut. He saw something approaching him at high speed.

It was the tail of the beast. It was sliding over the sand and Arioch couldn’t find the energy to stand up. He knew he is going to be hit by the tail.

Since he is going to get hit by the tail nonetheless, he decided to use this chance to free Inanis. This was his original plan anyway. To free Inanis by hitting the orb with the tail of the best.

Arioch pressed the Orb to his belly and laid on his side. He closed his eyes to not see the approaching tail. He knew he will get incredible pain from the cuts made by the sharp scales of the beast.

<Be free, ye great one! And remember this brave man who set you free>

*Bam*

The hit of the tail was as if he was crushed by a thousand pound anvil. He saw him bleeding from everywhere in his body. But the Orb in his hand had shattered to pieces just as he was told. And as the dark mist from the Orb rose from the sand and emerged towards the sky, Arioch felt pride.

<There he is... My right-hand man! With him, by my side, I will rule this world!>

"Heal me!" he shouted. His prideful smirk reduced seeing the darkest and the most beautiful mist rising from the sand joining the small hovering dark mist near Maximus.

<Do you prefer that nobody too?>

Arioch held his chest. There was a deep cut that was bleeding profusely, and his shirt has gotten wet and heavy. He couldn’t even move his body.

(Nobody?)

He heard a sneering voice and looked in the direction of the source of the voice.

(It is you who is a nobody. That man... is the one I have wanted all along. He is Lukyan!)

Arioch heard that voice that spoke in the ancient Alash language loud as a bell. And he could not believe it.

"I am the true Lukyan! I was the one you need to obey!"

Arioch shouted at the dark mist hovering, raring to get close to Maximus. Inanis answered him with a sneer.

(You are worthless. It was but a blunder that got you closer to the Lukyan line. You are nothing but a mistake. Look at you, fool!)

Inanis sneered and Arioch fell flat on the ground. He lost all his energy. He couldn’t even stand up. Inanis who was telling him till now that he will rule the world with him by his side is now telling him that he is worthless.

What about all the sufferings he endured for the sake of Inanis? Even now, he is bleeding. He lost his leg, he lost his sanity and put himself in danger, he is now losing more of his blood.

"Why? How could you do this to me?" Arioch shouted. "how could this happen to me?"

No one heard his shouts. He lay on his back and looked up at the sky. The sky was covered with sand. He couldn’t even hold his head where he wants to look and his head tilted to the side. The blood leaving his body wetted his hands. Even in that sand that hasn’t seen water for centuries, his blood flowed. That’s how much he bleeds.

<How much blood does a human have?>

He wondered.

<Where did I go wrong?>

His eyes ended up at the kissing couple floating mid-air. They seem to be the source of all his miseries. Especially that woman.

He remembered that day that day for some reason. The situation was different then. He was standing over her and she was the one who was laying on the ground. She was rightly stomped on by his people.

He thought punishing her for her betrayal would be the end of it. He was heart broken to see her die, and he thought that he should celebrate it when she was the one who betrayed him.

But it never ended. He was constantly reminded of her. He thought that he just needs to rid of anything and everything that reminded him of her.

So he killed her grandfather, her legions and destroyed her home. He made sure that no one will utter her name forever.

And still, he suffered.

Why? What is the reason for his pain? Why is that it is hard for him to get one loyal person by his side? Even the Dark Mage has betrayed him and left him to die in this forsaken place. Even the monster that thirsts for water, doesn’t bother about his blood that is flowing like a river.

<Am I truly worthless?>