The Cursed King

Alexei's entire body was feeling the effects of the fight and even for a war of god who enjoyed the sensations of battles and turmoil, the blood that was trickling down his nose and his swollen eye was injuries sustained from someone who could fight gods.

But it was incomparable to the rage burning within Alexei and he wasn't going to be stopped at all.

Alexei dodged Loriel's attacks, the sharp and cruel winds lashing out at him that put Alexei on the defensive. The young god was gathering his powers for one single attack to end it all.

That was until Elise suddenly appeared in the middle of the street. Even though Loriel and Alexei were already a great distance from the penthouse, Elise made her way to them without a moment's hesitation at all.

"Stop!"

Elise put her hands up and Loriel stopped in his tracks, his attacks put to a complete stop at the sight of his wife. Loriel couldn't dare hurt his wife at all and would never let Alexei lay a single finger on her at all.

"Elise," Loriel paused at the sight of his wife.. 

"Haven't you guys done enough?" Elise asked sharply and threw a look at the both of them. "Look all around your surroundings and tell me if this is what you guys really wanted."

"He attacked me first, I was only defending myself." Alexei spat. "It's only right that I make sure that he can never attack me again. Consider everything else as unintended collateral damage."

Elise tightened her fist at the remark and resisted the urge to throw fire in the man's face. "You could have made sure to avoid that, but you didn't. You really don't care about anything else, do you?"

Alexei didn't have any answers for that.

Elise shook her head. It was hard trying to put some sense into something that already happened. Elise didn't have the right to lecture someone who was already grown up and even much older than her.

Instead, there was only one person that Elise wanted to confront.

"Loriel… what did you think you were doing?" Elise turned her attention away from Alexei and focused solely on Loriel at this moment. Her heart was trembling, but Elise wanted answers first.

"I wanted to protect you from him," Loriel quietly said.

There was no more running or hiding after this, no more keeping secrets and the look on Elise's face made it more grave.

"You could have said something at first. There was no reason to attack him at all," Elise chided at him.

"Well, that's…"

There were so many things that Elise wanted to ask, but she was only slightly relieved to see that she came before the two of them could hurt each other even further.

Alexei had been helping her, even if he was under no obligation to do so. Heck, they were practically strangers when he helped her get rid of the man she accidentally killed, but here he was… taking Elise in and even promised to help her find ways to get her memory back.

She didn't want her husband to attack the man who had helped her. It would make her an ungrateful woman.

Loriel's entire clothes were singed and burned up, the entirety of his shirt and displayed the sight of scorch marks across his skin. Alexei himself was covered in cuts and punches that also put him in a terrible shape as well.

Elise's heart was pounding in her chest as there was static in hears, but she forced herself to pay attention and listen to what Loriel had to say for himself as she asked again. 

"Why did you suddenly attack Alexei? You could have talked like I said." Elise turned to Alexei and said apologetically. "I am sorry this happened to you. This is my husband Loriel. He didn't mean to attack you. He must be…. thinking that you kidnapped me when that's not the case."

"Loriel?" Alexei furrowed his brows. He had never asked Elise's husband's name and just found out it was Loriel. He looked at Elise in disbelief. "Loriel Ashborn?"

This time, it was Elise who was surprised. "Yes. That's my husband."

Alexei's expression gave Elise a bad premonition. Did Alexei actually know her husband? Was there any beef in the past between them?

"Hyaa…!!!"

Suddenly, Alexei jumped high into the air and with a wave of his hand, he sent two more lightning bolts toward Loriel. 

Yes. He did know Loriel Ashborn. This was the man who killed his parents and turned him into an orphan. 

Alexei had been looking for him for a long time. He finally gave up after several centuries because Loriel was very elusive. 

However…suddenly, when he least expected it, this man just stepped in out of nowhere?

Alexei called this good timing.

Loriel was surprised by the sudden attack after he saw Elise and Alexei talk. Judging from their attitude, he could tell that Elise was not in danger. She didn't show any fear and Alexei also looked gentle toward her. So, he didn't expect the other man to suddenly attack him again.

Loriel stomped his feet to the ground and jumped as high as Alexei and welcomed his lightning bolts with one blast of howling wind.

Both powers met in the air. However, before they could hurt each other like before, Elise had sent a fireball above and destroyed both charges.

"STOP IT!!"

She was dumbfounded when she saw what she could do.

And so did Loriel and Alexei who froze in their place with bulged eyes.

"Elise, honey..."  Loriel quickly went down and landed before Elise as soon as he was moved from his shock. He reached out his hand and looked at her dotingly. "I will stop. I will ignore him like a fly… I  just want you to come home with  me."

Alexei landed too, not far from them, his eyes were filled with anger but at the same time, confusion. He hated Loriel and wanted to kill him if possible, but he just realized Elise was much stronger than he thought she was.

If he was to attack Loriel again, it would be two against one, and he might actually lose his own life. Was it worth it?