Mana couldn’t hurt its user so her spells phased through her body, catching Phloria by surprise. Being close to Friya had turned into a mistake because she was now a conduit for the elements.
Quylla had just finished healing herself and moved to Phloria’s back, having the care to remain outside Full Guard’s area of effect.
‘Going to battle with a full stomach is a dumb move unless you gorged on nutrients.’ The healing spells would have made her faint if not for that.
Phloria cursed and activated the Give and Take ability of Reaver. It converted part of the mana from the spells stored and cast by the blade into a flow of energy that empowered its master’s physical prowess.
Give and Take was the secret behind Phloria mastering Blade Spells since it allowed her to exchange energy with her weapon at will. It was a happy side effect whereas now she was using it as intended.
Between Give and Take and her deep violet core, a simple punch sent Friya flying. She had used Full Guard as well, but from so close she had failed to react in time due to the gap in their speed.
“I need help!” Phloria knew that two against one she wouldn’t hold for long.
“Wow, Ufyl sucks. As soon as he gets out of the rebirth chamber, I’m going to retrain him from scratch.” Iata the Sekhmet came out of her hiding place from which she had been spectating the fight all along.
“Nonetheless, you were right, General Ernas. Your sisters may not be as good as your father, but they will make a fine addition to the True Queen’s army.”
Five meters (16′) thick cubes of light appeared from thin air, trapping Friya and Quylla at their inside.
They were surrounded by a Sealed Space that made it impossible for them to escape.
To make matters worse, Iata used a bit of Life Maelstrom to further empower the constructs.
“Everything went as planned.” Phloria said with a smug grin. “Aside Ufyl’s defeat, of course. I knew that, with Lith out of the picture, someone would’ve tried to play the hero. I underestimated my father’s brain and overestimated my sisters’, though.”
“Are you sure of that?” Faluel’s voice said as seven tier five Spirit Spells blindsided Iata and Domination turned the cages into light blades that impaled the Sekhmet. “I’m not scared of a cat, no matter how big.”
The Hydra was in her true form, that of a stumpy yet sturdy body carrying seven serpentine necks and as many heads. Her long tail whipped the air in fury and a thick Adamant armor covered her from heads to toes.
She wore seven crown-looking artifacts and the eyes of each head shone with a different elemental light.
If not for the Life Maelstrom empowering both Iata and her armor, her body would have been blown to bits and she would have been sent back to the Golden Griffon as well.
“And there she is.” Xoola the Fenrir appeared from a dimensional Gate along with Rimo the Fire Dragon and Rayne the Storm Phoenix. “The little Faluel. How nice of you to deliver us the Hands of Menadion.”
She pointed at the crowns that the Hydra wore.
“I wouldn’t try anything funny if I were you. I’m already boosted by Life Maelstrom and once I activate Doom Tide, there will be no world energy for you to manipulate. Without the Hands and the element of surprise, you’re just a puny Lesser Beast.”
“Don’t listen to her. Go ahead and use Domination or something. I’m dying to learn how to use it.” Rimo said with a chuckle.
“Wow. You are way smarter than I thought you to be, kid.” Faluel said with a sigh.
She was outnumbered, outmatched and she knew it.
“There’s no pride in this.” Phloria shook her head. “You are too kind for your own good. I knew that even though I’m not really your apprentice, your bleeding heart would have forced you to rescue me.
“I doubted you would follow my father, but the moment I saw Friya, I was certain you couldn’t be far. You would never let your precious Harbinger at risk and with her the secrets of your bloodline.”??ee???n????.???
“You are right.” Faluel nodded. “Too bad you didn’t follow your own reasoning to its very end.”
“What do you-” Seven more Spirit Spells of untold power blasted the Divine Beasts off the sky and cut Phloria short.
A Davross-coated fist grabbed the still-stunned Rimo’s head and squashed it with a wet pop.
“No peeking at a lady’s secrets, child. That’s beyond rude.” Fyrwal the Hydra looked very similar to her daughter.
The main differences were that she reached 25 meters (82′) of height and she opted for a humanoid form. That and the Royal Fortress armor she wore. Fyrwal was one of the four founding pillars of the Kingdom and had her own Guardian-crafted artifact.
“My name is Fyrwal Aurea Verena Nyxdra. Mother of Faluel. Rainbow Dragon. Godmother of the descendants of Juria and Oghrom. Follower of King Valeron, the only man I ever called friend.” She walked into the open with the bearing of an Empress.
“If you think you can beat me with your newfound toys, children, come forward and I’ll prove you how wrong you are.”
“I suspected you might come, Fyrwal. After all, your daughter’s secrets are your own.” Thrud came last, flapping her two sets of golden wings while sunlight reflected on the Arthan’s armor, making her look like a sun god.
“They even called you the Rainbow Dragon even though you are just a Hydra. It’s a testament to your power and of the might of your Domination abilities.”
At a wave of her hand, more Divine Beasts appeared and her dull white aura spread around, forcing Friya and Quylla on their knees with its sheer killing intent.
“I don’t want to fight you, Lady Fyrwal.” Thrud kept her hand raised in a fist, signaling her Generals to stay put. “You helped Valeron the First to build the Kingdom. Help me to build mine.
“I promise you that the new Griffon Kingdom will be nothing like this corrupt pile of trash. With your help and your wisdom, we can turn the First King’s dream into reality.”
“Well said.” Fyrwal nodded. “I hate humans and I despise Valeron’s descendants who over the centuries twisted his opus. The Kingdom has become something so abhorrent that not even he would recognize it anymore.
“Yet your words are as empty as your soul, kid.
“You speak of Valeron’s dream, yet you wear the armor of the madman who killed my friend. You taint his lands with Arthan’s academy. You dare to enslave the descendant of my companions.
“I’m angry beyond what words can express, yet I’m merciful. Release Phloria Ernas-Gernoff, let my daughter and her hatchlings go, and I’ll walk away. I don’t care who sits on the throne nor do I have any love left for the Kingdom.
“You have my permission to do with it whatever you want as long as you don’t bother me.”
“I don’t see why I should agree.” Thrud shrugged. “It’s you who interfered in a fight between kids. Us old farts should let them play and may the best Awakened win.”
