That made Isaura freeze on the spot. Darius, hearing this, staggered over to Isaura. "Don't, Isaura. If he gets Vegas, then the entire universe will be in danger."

Alonzo gazed at Isaura from the courtyard of his castle, beneath the stairs. A smile played on his face. "I won't force you to give Vegas to me. I'm just offering you a deal. If you want Xander to return to his people, then you must hand Vegas over to me. Listen, Isaura, you only lose Vegas. But the wolf clan will lose their heir."

The devil knew Isaura's weakness was caring too much for others. The wizard wouldn't bear to see someone suffer while he could help.

This was evident from Isaura, now silent, contemplating all her options. If she hands over Vegas, the universe might indeed be destroyed. But that can still be prevented, right?

But Xander's life cannot be restored if Alonzo has already spent it. Xander's life is more valuable than Vegas right now. Xander is a leader; he has his people to take care of.

"Are you willing?" Alonzo asked again, pressuring Isaura further.

In Alonzo's grip, Xander shook his head vigorously. "Don't, Isaura! I'd rather die than let your staff fall into Alonzo's hands! Think of the universe's future. Vegas doesn't just determine the future of Elvendria or others, but of the entire universe."

"But your people need you, Prince," Isaura replied softly. She looked at Xander with a melancholic gaze. It seemed she was already swayed.

Alonzo, seeing this, smiled once more. It was indeed so easy to persuade the wizard. If only he had done it from the beginning, perhaps he wouldn't have wasted time facing him.

Xander's headshake grew stronger. "Remember, Isaura. I sacrificed myself so Vegas could remain safe. My people do need a leader. But there are many who could lead, not just me. As for Vegas, it's your weapon as the last remaining sorcerer. Isaura, think about it. As the last sorcerer of this century, you surely have a special destiny. You surely have a noble purpose for your birth. So never think of handing Vegas over to him."

Beside him, Darius once again held Isaura's hand, trying to give her strength. This made the girl turn to their linked hands and then to Darius' face. They locked eyes, and the man gave a thin smile. "Remember what I said earlier, Isaura. Never feel that you are a burden to everyone, even to Xander."

The girl looked at Xander, who also smiled and nodded at her. Darius spoke again, making Isaura look back at him. "Everyone's happiness does not rest on your shoulders. Something you consider a burden or a bad thought may actually be your responsibility. Isaura, Xander may be a wolf prince. But that doesn't mean his life can be traded for the most useful staff in the universe. If you still have Vegas, you can still fix everything. But once it falls into the wrong hands, not even a god may be able to help you."

The girl was truly in a dilemma now. On one hand, she had promised to save Xander. But on the other hand, Darius' words did have some truth. Even Dhruv himself had said not to hand over Vegas no matter what happens.

Isaura's gaze returned to Xander, who was now rebelling, asking to be released. Her heart couldn't bear to see it. Especially considering that Xander was willing to intervene to save himself and Vegas.

"So, what's your decision, little Wizard?" Alonzo asked.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

---

Let's revisit the journey of Eliot and Evelyn. They have walked quite far in disguise. With the help of Vegas, they successfully disguised themselves as demons. Each had horns on their heads, fangs, and blood-red eyes.

"If it weren't for the disguise, I wouldn't want these fangs on my teeth. Ah, I really don't suit being a demon," Evelyn said. Since their disguise, the fire girl hadn't stopped complaining. Not to mention the all-black clothing they wore. They truly looked like demons!

Meanwhile, Eliot behind her was smiling, observing his own appearance. His long hair tied high and all-black attire made him look like a demon king admired by many girls. "I don't think this is bad. Once we reach Elvendria, I'll dress like this to tempt the fairies there. I'm sure they won't be able to resist my charm."

This caused Evelyn to jab Eliot in the stomach, making the elf wince in pain. "If that's the case, why not ask the Gods to turn you into a demon? You seem happier with this disguise than with your original identity as an Elf."

"Hey, this is cool. What's wrong with it?"

"Cool? Look at these horns. We're not bulls that need horns like these. I prefer my crown," Evelyn replied with a hint of frustration.

Eliot could only hold back his laughter. "Come on, it's only temporary. Besides, it's not that bad. Have you ever heard that someone's skin looks more radiant when they wear dark clothes? Look, your skin now looks brighter than usual."

Immediately, the girl rolled up her gown sleeves. "My skin has always been good."

"I'm thinking about Darius. Did they manage to bring Xander? Or did something bad happen to them? I remember Elder Carlos' advice that we shouldn't separate," Eliot asked, his gaze drifting ahead.

Listening to Eliot's words, Evelyn began to ponder as well. "But Isaura has a point. We don't have a choice. If we stay there with Vegas, our efforts to escape will be in vain. Besides, we're seeking help now, aren't we?"

"So, you've made peace with Isaura, huh?" Eliot nudged Evelyn's arm gently and teased.

This made Evelyn unable to resist rolling her eyes. "I've said that I never hated Isaura."

"Then what about your attitude all this time? You've always been cold and harsh towards her. What do you call that if not hatred?"

"Eliot, have you ever heard the saying? That if you want to make someone strong, you have to educate them rigorously. Because someone who is raised with excessive affection will only become dependent on others and not independent. I'm just trying to make Isaura a strong person who can stand on her own feet. She shouldn't rely on or depend on others."

"Why?"

Evelyn looked at Eliot, folding her arms in front of her chest. She even stopped walking. "Why are you still asking why? Of course, because she's a fighter. And as a fighter, there will come a time when she walks her own path. No one will help her, and her decisions will be opposed by many."

Upon hearing this explanation, Eliot simply nodded. There was a moment of silence until Eliot's gaze straightened ahead, his eyes sparkling. "I think we should rest for a moment, Evelyn."

With furrowed brows, the girl followed Eliot's gaze. "Ah, you're probably right. We'll need a lot of energy to get Bruno to Demonhold Castle."

They quickly descended the hill to reach Galaseta Castle ahead of them. But before that, they rested by a river. Not having eaten anything for days had weakened them.

Luckily, they were fairies. If they were human, they might have died from not eating for days.

"Ah," Evelyn sighed softly as the cold water entered her throat.

Similarly, Eliot splashed his face with water. "I didn't expect Demonhold to have such clear spring water. Do they drink like us too?"

"Fool! Of course not. Demons are made of fire; if they drank, they would surely burn," Evelyn explained.

"But you're a fire fairy too, and you drink water like a regular fairy."

Once again, Evelyn rolled her eyes at Eliot's words. "Fire is just my element. But I'm still a fairy created from light, just like you. You... you just don't understand."

This time, Eliot lazily narrowed his eyes. "I was just asking," he said quietly, splashing his face with water again.

But in the midst of this activity, an arrow suddenly shot towards Evelyn. Fortunately, the girl dodged it swiftly. Eliot, seeing this, moved closer to Evelyn. "I think we should end this."

Evelyn nodded in agreement. "Be on guard; they're coming this way."

And indeed, after Evelyn said that, several wolf troops appeared with bows in their hands. Swiftly, Evelyn unsheathed her sword and stared at each of them. Likewise, Eliot had already prepared himself.