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Chapter 677 An Unexpected Reunion
Chapter 677 An Unexpected Reunion
Chapter 677 ?An Unexpected Reunion
"So? What do you think of the women picked?" Draconia asked Elfinia, but the Elf Goddess let out a long sigh.
"I don't really get to have an opinion on it since I already lost my position as a Goddess. I am just happy that Galio is letting me come with you all when we leave this island," Elfinia said as the group of goddesses walked through the new city their husband, Galio, had made.
"Even so, you should still have an opinion about the women that were picked. One of them will be taking your place to watch over your children, even if they are not all born of you, right?" Goldy asked, and the others nodded as they walked by a new coffee shop that was being set up with a help-wanted sign.
"I worry about Wendria and her fellow High Elf Elders. Yes, they are crucial figures amongst the Elves but their superiority complex might prevent them from working efficiently with the others, especially non-elves," Elfinia confessed, her brows knit in worry.
"They are all strong and devoted to the preservation and prosperity of the Elfindel Empire, but their disdain for the other races..." her voice trailed off as she glanced at the other goddesses.
"They are very proud, aren't they?" Claire interjected, recalling her own encounters with the High Elves.
"Quite so, and often that pride is the key to their downfall," Draconia agreed, her arms folded. "But we have some promising candidates too."
Elfinia's eyes sparkled at this, and she gasped, "Are you talking about Astara, Lulena, and Nafria? Oh, you should meet them!"
"Nafria's a Dark Elf, right? It's rare to have one among the elves. Her introduction to shadow arts should prove intriguing," Goldy piped in, showing her interest.
"She may be a Dark Elf, but she's warm and kind-hearted. Despite the dark arts she studies, Nafria is conscientious and makes sure they're not misused," Elfinia explained, her tone full of warmth when she spoke of her apprentice.
"And Astara, she's talented. She can communicate with beasts, both great and small, and each of the tattoos on her body signifies a different creature that she has tamed. She's firm in her convictions and commands tremendous respect," Elfinia continued, her gaze thoughtful.
"Ah, and Lulena, the enchanting spirit of nature. A botanist who blends into the forest so seamlessly, that it's hard to distinguish where she ends and the greenery begins. Her knowledge of healing herbs is unparalleled," Elfinia concluded, a proud smile on her face.
The others nodded in understanding, but Elfinia's concern was evident. She was worried about her three youngsters, their inexperience in large-scale battles, the prejudice they might face, and if they were strong enough in general. She kept most of her worries to herself though, not wishing to burden the other Goddesses, and instead turned the question on Draconia.
"What of you contestants?" Elfinia asked. "You have more at stake since you actually enjoy your job as goddess."
Draconia laughed out loud, making other women who were passing by them look over. "True enough, but I could hardly say that I am good at it. While some of you reject outside contact, and others just don't like people, and keep them from the continent, we do not. On the other side of that coin, I don't really have good control over my population. The best that I can do is keep them within our empire's borders, but that does mean I get to fight a lot!" Draconia chuckled at her own admission, her eyes exhibiting an inherent combatant's joy.
"My soldiers look more like barbarians than anything else, and although that might seem unappealing to you, it actually works for us. We don't believe in rules and hierarchy as much as others do." Her eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and amusement, remembering some of the wild antics of her soldiers.
She paused, glancing towards where most of her kin gathered in the city. "My candidates, are strong and bold, much like me, but clearly different. My daughter Cherry actually has a head on her shoulders, so I expect her to go far, and maybe even win! This is that like dragons, she has a rival in Glacia, the icy worm. They are both fire and ice, always up against each other."
She took a moment to smirk, her proud eyes twinkling with mischief, "And then we have Viridis, the green forest wyvern. She loves mischief and is always up to some trick or another."
Goldy couldn't help but let out a small laugh, "Sounds like there's never a dull moment with your contestants."
"You got that right, it's like a circus sometimes," Draconia admitted, letting out a hearty laugh.
"What about the rest of you contestants? Any surprising picks?" Claire asked, her large eye blinking with curiosity.
"To be honest, the rest of the ones picked are a bit too much like me,:" Draconia laughed, smoothing down her red hair.
"For the dwarfs, we have two contestants, Mynydd and Dwyn. Both are semi-final champions in our biannual TCG Championships." Goldy chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Besides their passion for TCG, they also happen to be skilled blacksmiths, which might give them an edge during the games," she added.
"Let's not forget about Titanis, who is representing us Golems," Amanda piped in, chest visibly puffing with pride. "She's an automaton who has absolute control over the earthen elements and also possesses an unmatched memory prowess."
"The Orc tribe also sent forth their champions, O'Lee and Me'Tal. Both have strong tribal influences and are quite the dedicated contestants, prepared to go to any lengths to accomplish their goals," Orchalla shared, a soft hum of agreement filling the air around them.
Just as they were discussing, a figure in the distance caught Draconia's eye. For a moment, she blinked in disbelief before confirming the sight. "Pyrrah?" she murmured, a wave of nostalgia washing over her.
The figure in question was a tall, fiery-haired woman who walked with an air of authority. As she came closer, her distinct features were clearer. Pyrrah - Draconia's old friend who had gone her own path years ago.
"D? What are you doing away from home?" The evil goddess asked, and Draconia crossed her arms over her breasts, quirking her eyebrow.
"I could ask you the same thing, but you should already know that I am here," Draconia said and then narrowed her eyes. "I thought you were stuck on an island somewhere?"
Pyrrah laughed and then smiled a devilish grin back at her old friend. "Oh, you know. A certain, shall we say, a mutual friend of ours asked me to join in to have some fun! I hear that you are stepping down, and that daughter of yours we made might be taking your place! Quite interesting, don't you think?"
Before Draconia could speak, Goldenia spoke up. "I think that she is one of the Angels of Havoc that Galio hired. We are supposed to be observing the encounters that they have with the contestants and scoring them."
"See? I am allowed to be here!" Pyrrah laughed, but then let out an airy sigh. "So disappointing that everything I break will just get fixed, but even then I was told not to take things too far! Hardly something fair to ask of a dragon of my caliber, especially after the power that I was given! That creature that is your new partner is very interesting," Pyrrah snickered and then leaned into Draconia. "Too bad I have to play the villain! I would have loved for a chance to become partners with that creature! I wouldn't mind changing my ways if I could know what all the fuss was about that creature and his growth!"
"Galio is a person, and god to all, including you. You would do good to remember that," Elfinia growled, pushing back Pyrrah.
"Oh? Aren't you the powerless goddess? Stripped of all your powers? You are hardly one to stand between two real goddesses, do you think?" Pyrrah taunted, making Elfinia clench her fists in anger. "Still," Pyrrah said, turning away. "As much as I know we would love a good scrap, I think that it is time for me to get started, and look at this! Dragons and Orcs are headed our way! You girls best get to hiding so you can watch me wipe the floor with these runts!"
As Pyrrah sauntered in the direction of Cherry, Glacia, Viridis, O'Lee, and Me'Tal, the women exchanged troubled looks.
"Perfect timing," Goldenia said drily as they hustled off to a more hidden location, allowing them to monitor the upcoming encounter between the contestants and one of the Angels of Havoc.
From their concealed spot, they watched as Cherry was the first one to notice Pyrrah's imposing figure cutting through the crowd. The fire in her eyes matched that of Pyrrah's as she let out a challenging roar, flaring up her scales in response.