The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: 02/15-Gutt-Feeling

Aeliana’s heart raced as she ventured deeper into the dense forest, her footsteps light and quick. The air was thick with tension, a sense of urgency hanging in the air. She had felt it—an unshakable pull that led her here, deep into the woods, where something was amiss. She had to find Leona. Her thoughts raced to Lucian, who was still recovering, but the vision he had shared of Leona’s capture had set Aeliana’s mind into motion. She knew she had to find Leona, if only to ensure her safety and confirm what Lucian had warned her about.

As Aeliana pressed forward, she spotted broken branches, evidence of a struggle. Her pace quickened. She needed to find Leona and bring her back—Lucian would be counting on her. The forest’s shadows seemed to grow longer, the whisper of leaves rustling in the wind like the echoes of some distant, unseen danger. The deeper she went, the more intense the feeling became. It was not just a search for Leona—it was a quest to understand what was really happening. What was Lucian’s warning all about?

Finally, she arrived at a clearing where the faint glow of moonlight illuminated the chaos. Leona was standing, surrounded by a group of orcs. Aeliana’s heart leapt into her throat, but she stayed hidden in the shadows, watching. Leona, though clearly exhausted, stood tall, her eyes flicking between the orcs as she tried to protect herself. Aeliana could sense the struggle, but there was something else—a connection between Leona and the orcs that wasn’t just one of captive and captor.

One of the orcs laughed, pointing at Leona, who stood there in defiance despite the situation. “She’s the Oracle, right? Well, tell us what’s going to happen next, little Oracle,” the orc sneered, the sharpness of his voice cutting through the air. Leona, to Aeliana’s surprise, didn’t flinch. Instead, she stepped forward, ready to face whatever the orcs threw at her.

Aeliana, not wanting to reveal herself too soon, quietly took in the scene. She could see the tension between Leona and the orcs—her dignity not fully broken despite the obvious danger. Then her mind raced back to Lucian’s warning about the possible betrayal and the forces that had been moving in the shadows. The orcs weren’t acting on their own; there was someone else pulling the strings. She needed to get to Leona without exposing herself just yet.

Aeliana’s thoughts turned to Lucian’s cryptic message. “If anything happens, find Leona.” She had to act quickly. Lucian would never forgive her if she didn’t succeed in protecting the Oracle—Leona was a key player in everything that was unfolding. Her resolve hardened. She would do whatever it took to protect her, just as Lucian had protected her in the past.

With careful precision, Aeliana called upon the magic at her disposal, weaving an invisibility spell around herself to make her presence undetectable. She moved through the trees like a shadow, unseen by the orcs, but never losing sight of Leona. The orcs were beginning to grow restless as they argued amongst themselves, unsure how to deal with the powerful Oracle they had captured.

When the moment was right, Aeliana sprang into action. She released a wave of magical energy that rippled through the air, knocking several orcs off their feet. They growled in anger as they scrambled to their feet, but they were now momentarily disoriented. Leona, sensing the shift, turned sharply, her eyes meeting Aeliana’s through the thick mist of magical energy that surrounded them both.

“Come with me,” Aeliana whispered, her voice carrying only for Leona’s ears.

Leona’s face softened with gratitude, but there was still a wariness in her expression. She looked around at the orcs, now recovering from Aeliana’s magic. “I don’t know if I can trust you yet,” Leona said, her voice laced with suspicion. “There’s something happening here I don’t fully understand, and I can’t just leave without answers.”

Aeliana took a step closer, feeling the urgency of the situation. “We don’t have time to figure it all out right now. I’m here to get you out. We can figure the rest out later, but Lucian—he’s waiting for you.”

The mention of Lucian’s name seemed to shift something in Leona’s expression, though her wariness remained. Finally, after a long, silent moment, Leona nodded, signaling her reluctant agreement. “Fine. But this isn’t over, Aeliana. We need to find out who’s behind all of this.”

The two of them moved quickly, their steps silent on the forest floor. As Aeliana led Leona to safety, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The shadows of betrayal loomed over them, and something far darker than the orcs was at play. She could only hope that Lucian’s warning had been enough. They weren’t out of danger yet.

Aeliana couldn’t help but sigh, a mix of frustration and resignation washing over her as she stared down at the group of orcs that surrounded them. The situation had spiraled in ways she couldn’t have anticipated. She had come to rescue Leona, but now she found herself negotiating with orcs, the same creatures that had been holding her and the others hostage just moments before.

“Why am I not surprised?” Aeliana muttered under her breath, reaching into her pouch and pulling out a heavy bag of coins. She had hoped to avoid paying, but the orcs were relentless, and the only way to secure their release seemed to be through gold—something the orcs respected more than their captives’ pleas.

She glanced over at Leona, who was still in the thick of the situation, but now there was a look of cautious optimism in her eyes. Skye, though still heavily guarded, had managed to regain his composure, and the father priest, Seraphiel, stood behind them, glaring at the orcs with distaste. Aeliana knew it was only a matter of time before their situation worsened again. If they didn’t act now, they could very well be stuck in a standoff where none of them would come out unscathed.

Aeliana held out the bag of coins, watching as the orc bandits shifted uneasily at the sight of the gold. Their leader, a massive orc with a scar running across his face, stepped forward. His tusks jutted out from his lower jaw like two curved daggers, and his armor was a mishmash of crude, well-worn metal plates. His eyes narrowed as he examined the bag of coins.

“You think gold can buy your freedom?” The orc leader’s voice was deep and guttural, full of authority. He cracked his knuckles, the sound of his bones popping echoing across the clearing.

Aeliana stood firm, not giving an inch despite the orc’s imposing presence. “If that’s what it takes to get you to release them, then yes, it can. I believe the price is fair.”

The orc leader snorted in derision. “Fair? You don’t know the half of it. The Oracle, the dragonkin, the priest—your friends have stepped into our territory, and it’s not every day we get such a feast to consider. But I’m a reasonable orc.” He snatched the bag of coins from her hand with a swift movement and inspected the contents before giving a nod. “This will suffice.”

Leona stepped forward, her gaze wary. “You will keep your word?” she asked, her voice steady, though there was an edge to it.

The orc leader chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep, Oracle. But this is as much as I’m willing to offer, unless you’d like to see if you can pay more.” His tone was dripping with malice, clearly amused at his power over the situation.

Aeliana’s patience was wearing thin, but she remained calm. She knew that angering the orcs could lead to far worse consequences. “You’ll release them now,” she said with finality, her voice low but commanding. “And if you don’t, the consequences won’t be to your liking.”

Her words seemed to catch the orc leader off guard, and he let out a gruff laugh. “You think you can threaten me, little human? Maybe you forgot who holds the cards here.” His eyes narrowed, and for a brief moment, the tension in the air thickened, like a storm about to break.

Aeliana took a deep breath, then nodded. “We will see about that.” With a swift motion, she muttered an incantation under her breath, and a deep glow emanated from her palms as she prepared to speak directly to the orc’s leader in their language. Aeliana had studied the orc tongue in her spare time, knowing it could come in handy during situations like these.

“Durok, sa’khol!” she said sharply, the words coming with the full force of her authority.

The orc leader’s eyes widened, and he instinctively took a step back. The magic embedded in her words seemed to resonate with him, as if reminding him of the weight of what he had just agreed to. “You speak our language, human?”

Aeliana stood tall, her eyes locked on his. “I do. And I speak to you now, Durok, not as a captive, but as someone who commands you to follow your agreement. You will release them, and we will leave in peace. This is not a negotiation. This is a command.”

For a long moment, the orc leader didn’t move, his gaze locked with hers. There was a tense silence, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind. It seemed like a battle of wills, with Aeliana’s calm composure pushing against the brute force and pride of the orc leader.

Finally, the leader growled and nodded begrudgingly. “Very well, Oracle. I will let them go. But you—” He stopped and pointed a tusked finger at Aeliana. “You’ve made a powerful enemy today.”

“I’ll take my chances,” Aeliana replied, stepping back and motioning for Leona, Skye, and Father Seraphiel to follow her.

As they moved away from the orcs, Aeliana turned to Leona. “Let’s get out of here before they change their minds,” she said, her voice serious but relieved. They walked quickly, but Aeliana couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The orcs may have been placated for now, but she knew the true challenge lay ahead. There was a far more dangerous force at work, one that the orcs may have unknowingly served, and Aeliana’s instincts told her that their troubles were far from over.