The Frost Orb exploded. Tiny shards of ice flew in every direction like shrapnel from a grenade, but they were even more dangerous: each carried not only the force of the blast, but its own freezing power.
The Snake Mother, Jia Gelila, screamed. Her first instinct was not to protect herself, but to retrieve the Hydra Figurine.
She was too late. Shards struck Jia Gelila and the ritual objects alike, briefly freezing them.
She was a lord, after all. In just one second, a crack appeared in the ice encasing her. The frost shattered, and she was free.
But Jia Gelila looked terrified and helpless. "No!" she shrieked.
A beam radiating scorching heat struck the frozen Hydra Figurine.
Light of Wisdom had automatically converted into a fire attack! Caught between ice and fire, the Hydra Figurine shattered into fragments.
Without its medium, the ritual failed.
Jia Gelila's face twisted. Through clenched teeth, she spat out a name. "Dio... Skellboom!"
Bai Xiaowen tilted his head. "I'm sorry, Lady Jia Gelila. I couldn't let you resurrect Amotava. The Black Tide Continent is already in ruins. It can't endure another rampage by that legendary monster."
The Snake Mother lived up to her title. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.
"You suspected me all along? Why?"
"To be honest, I trusted you for a long time," Bai Xiaowen said. "Even when the allied fleet was nearly wiped out by the Grand Overlord's surprise attack, and even when I was ambushed while attacking the Snakefolk base... I never questioned your loyalty."
"Then when did you start suspecting me?"
"During this battle... more precisely, when we entered Amotava's body."
The Snake Mother thought for a moment, then lowered her eyes.
"I see. I volunteered to follow you seven Sacred Artifact Lords into Lord Amotava's