âRaagu is all bark an no bite. Sharing knowledge is on a voluntary basis so we had no obligation to tell them anything.â The Hydra said.
âAlso, the Harmonizer was retrieved in my turf from people who were trying to frame me with Forbidden Magic so it was bound to be mine as compensation. As for Morok, heâs a rogue Awakened who was just protecting his interests.
âThe Council never did anything for him so he has no obligation towards its members as well.â
Raagu nodded, her annoyed grimace fully expressing how much she hated when she was caught bluffing.
âI promised to give you proof that humans can really evolve and here it is.â The Hydra said, ignoring the human representativeâs puffing. âUrhen is a Balor, a direct evolution of humans, and Ryla is a Fomor, one step further.â
âSo you say.â Raagu tried to act indifferent but she knew that Faluel would never give up on the monopoly of something precious like the Harmonizer just to waste her time. âIâve studied the life force of plenty of Balors and they had nothing human about them.
âIf you want my help, I need to take a deep scan with my breathing technique. Only then can we discuss the terms of a deal, assuming there can be any.â
Ryla stepped forward once again, but Faluel stopped her.
âNo. Raagu needs to examine Urhen first because sheâs the human equivalent of a magical beast. Your life force is as different from a humanâs as that of an Emperor Beast is from an animalâs.â
âSyrah, what do I do?â The Balor was terrified.
The small human woman emitted an aura as powerful as Glemos and looked almost as kind. Greed, ambition, and excitement made the human representativeâs eyes shine like those of a kid eager to tear apart a butterflyâs wings.
âDo as she says. Weâll be ready to intervene the moment they try something funny.â The Hati Queen channeled the power of 300 warg, spreading an aura that rivaled that of the Council members.
âI canât believe it.â Feela regained her senses next, approaching Syrah with such tenderness that the Queen took a step back in confusion. âSo much power without even being Awakened. You really did find a way back, sister.â
âNot us, Glemos.â Syrah half spoke half barked. âYou have no idea how much pain and blood reaching this faulty state cost us.â
âIâm so sorry.â Feela nodded, keeping her distance to respect Syrahâs boundaries. âI swear I had no idea of what your kind was going through or Iâd have rallied the whole beast Council after Glemosâs ass!
âHe betrayed us as well. That fucker from a bloodline of fuckers betrayed his own kin.â Her genuine outrage for someone she had just met really surprised the Hati Queen.
No one had ever apologized to her nor did they usually seem to care.
âBut Iâm with Raagu here. I need to check your life force as well or I canât help you.â
âDo you need me or any Hati will do?â Syrah asked.
âI need someone with a Harmonizer, otherwise the corrupted life force will mess up with my readings.â The Behemoth replied.
âThen do it.â The Queen extended her hand, preferring to put herself at risk rather than Xagra, the only other Hati with a Harmonizer.I think you should take a look at
âAre you really a Svart/alfar?â Aalejah and Brâey said in unison while pointing at each other, using the ancestral term of their respective species instead of the modern one in Tyrisâ universal language.
âGods, I canât believe it. The ancient chronicles were real. You guys are still alive!â They moved in a circle, one the mirror image of the other.
Yet while Aalejah held her Yggdrasill staff tight, Brâey clenched her mana crystal.
âThis is becoming embarrassing.â They both said and everyone else nodded.
âYeah. Raise your hand and take turns talking. You two are giving me a headache!â Raagu finished examining Urhen and moved on to Ryla, her hands shaking in excitement and a feverish light shining in her eyes.
âThis is amazing!â Feela finished first and had a hard time not hugging Syrah out of joy. âThere really is another path. By studying the perfect Elder Beasts and combining that knowledge with what we know about Emperor Beasts, we might find a way to move toward becoming Divine Beasts without the need for a Guardian progenitor.â
âI wouldnât be so sure.â Raagu was now done as well but while the Behemoth was brimming with enthusiasm, the fire of the human representative had gone out. âEven with the Harmonizers, Balors are still flawed creatures.
âThey are actually an involution, gaining a few abilities in exchange for the loss of their mana cores and the inability to cast any spell above tier three. As for the Fomors, they partly solve the problem, but they are artificial in nature.
âGlemos engineered them with the Harmonizer and thereâs no telling if they even have the potential to become permanently stable. Being dependent on a mana geyser for their powers makes them much worse than a Lich.
âHence Faluel hasnât fulfilled her promise with the human Council. She has brought no substantial proof that humans can evolve nor solid lead that might bring us to reach such a stage.
âI agree that the children of Glemos can be spared in exchange for the Harmonizers and their help with Jiera, but thatâs it.
âThey have no value for Garlenâs Council and they donât deserve our protection. Only once the monster tides crisis is solved and if they become capable of Awakening will we reassess the situation of the various tribes.â
âHow can you say that?â Feela shook her head in disgust. âYou canât just treat them like damaged goods. Artificial or not, unstable or not, they are our brethren! Even if in the end studying their life force doesnât get us anywhere, itâs still a start.
âWe have spent millennia stuck in our condition. How can you throw away the first glimmer of hope we have for a better future?â
âWe humans have spent millennia stuck in our condition. You beasts are the privileged ones. First, you got your Guardians, and from them came Divine Beasts and lesser Divine Beasts like yourself.
âAfter Xedros managed to tap into your Guardian blood and Thrud perfected the process, you beasts already have everything you need to move forward. The Harmonizer is relevant only for you. Humans, plant folk, and undead have never moved from square one.
âI have no reason to care for these creatures nor to help you in your research. If we are done, Iâm ready to discuss the terms of the truce.â
âTruce?â Syrah echoed in disbelief. âBut that means that you plan on reopening the hostilities in the future.â
âAs I said, you are unworthy of our protection. You are just a bunch of murderous monsters born out of Forbidden Magic experiments. A trinket isnât enough to pay your bill and you are going to help Jiera, not Garlen.
âIf they want you there, fine, but if you come back here, there are plenty of crimesto which you have to answer.ââHow can you be so blind?â Aalejah said.
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