"Can I please have so quiet?" Quylla massaged her pulsing temples. "Also, what about Orikan, Dad? Why don't you call him your little fairy as well?"
"Because he's a boy!" Orion snorted. "Do you think he would like sothing like that stuck to him while he grows up?"
"Not a chance." The entire male audience made gestures of denial, even Valeron the Second.
"Orikan needs sothing cool." Orion continued. "Sothing that reflects his natural talents that he sadly has yet to display."
"You have a point." Quylla nodded. "Gods, I'm out of my mind from weakness. Please, Urhen, apologize to everyone on my behalf. I don't think I will be going back to work on the people of Zelex for a while."
"You have nothing to apologize for!" The Balor replied. "You have just given birth. You need ti to rest, and your children need their mother. We've waited millennia to undo our Fallen state. We can wait a bit longer."
"Do you want so Vital Storm?" Ryla asked.
"Gods, no." Quylla shook her head. "It would make things worse. I need to get used to my pre-pregnancy strength. I'm not really weak, but after months of boosted power, I feel like a larva."
In the few days after their birth, Orikan and Jirya had already demonstrated they liked their own personal space. After sharing a womb for nine months, they quarreled the mont they were brought too close.
At the sa ti, they cried for their lives if the other wasn't in their line of sight. The twins considered each other to be annoying and pushy, but also the only constant in their lives.
They had been together for as long as they could rember, and being alone scared them even more than sharing their space annoyed them.
"Damn, if this is your larva form, when you turn into a beautiful butterfly, I'll have to chase n away with a mace." Morok said while serving her honeyed tea and her favorite biscuits, making her blush.
"Thanks." She giggled. "How did you know I was getting hungry?"
'Easy. You're always hungry.' He thought.
"Husband instinct." Morok actually replied. "Don't worry, Kamila, this storm will soon pass. Or at least it will abate when Master Ajatar does his own reveal. When is the election for the Beast Representative in the Council?"
"Soon." Lith said. "The Council waited until now only because Friya is Faluel's 'soon-to-be' Harbinger and my guest. Even though I don't play politics, I have a certain weight in Council matters. Now more than ever."
"How soon?" Morok asked.
Ajatar Warped in the room and replied:
"Tomorrow."
***
The Awakened Council Headquarters, the following day.
The election of a new representative was always an important event, no matter the faction. The other representatives always participated to take a look at the candidates and push for those who would make the Council's job easier instead of harder.
Much to everyone's chagrin, no one was better at evaluating political and de-escalation skills than the Liches of the Undead Council. They were short-fused creatures who hated to spend a single second longer than necessary out of their labs, which gave them a keen instinct for troublemakers.
The other factions, instead, would rarely participate to the election since they had nothing to gain or lose from it. Moreover, they had no vote in it, and their opinion mattered nothing.
This ti, things were different. The courtroom where all Council discussion took place had been stretched to its utmost extent with dinsional magic, yet it was crowded nonetheless.
There was enough space for everyone only because the spectators had been instructed to keep a humanoid size. Fae, humans, and non-Lich undead had co in droves to witness the event.
If Fyrwal won, the Hydras would rise to the dominant spot in the Council, which would give them the resources and authority to further whatever research they were performing on Ufyl the Seven-Headed Dragon.
If that project were to succeed, the other Lesser Divine Beast bloodlines would beco vassals of the Hydras just to get a glimpse on the process that might allow them to beco Divine Beasts as well.
At that point, with unlimited resources and volunteer workers, the Hydras needed to give the rest of the Emperor Beasts a spark of hope that they could benefit from the project to beco the rulers of the beast race.
Humans, Fae, and non-Lich undead had co hoping to see Fyrwal fail and do what they could to sabotage her if necessary. As for the Liches, aside from Inxialot, they were still at ho, oblivious of everything irrelevant to their research.
"Off with the head!" Inxialot stood up and turned to leave. "Case closed. I'm going ho."
"This is not that kind of trial, you moron!" Raagu said. "Sit down and keep working until I call your na."
"Fine." Inxialot did as bidden, his phalanxes detached from his right hand, and each finger started to write on a different piece of paper.
Lotho peeked at the complex rune-math, but it was in code and so cramped that he doubted he would understand anything about the Lich's research even if it weren't.
"Silence!" Raagu yelled over the hubbub.
Hushing conversations and mind links were considered rude in the Awakening community, so everyone had to speak out loud. The magically amplified voice of the Human Representative resounded across the courtroom and put an end to all conversations.
"This is a matter of the Beast Council only. We are here only as witnesses." Raagu said, not believing her own words. "Since the beasts have lost their representative and need a diator, they are allowed to choose an interim representative until the end of the election. Have the different bloodlines reached an agreent?"
"Yes, Representative Raagu." Seryl the Behemoth replied, and Fyrwal nodded.
The answer surprised everyone.
The Awakened expected the Hydras to press for Lith and the others to oppose a Behemoth to him. After the Indech reveal, the Tiamat had many enthusiastic supporters among beasts and humans, which would play in the Hydras' hands.
The other beasts, instead, were supposed to pick a Behemoth to keep continuity with Feela and their advantage. The late beast representative was well-loved, and her mory was the best bet at stopping the Hydras' ascent.
"We would like to ask Leegaain, the Guardian Representative, to act as diator." Seryl said. "We believe in his wisdom and need his advice. Even though the Hydras are of his blood, we believe he will be an impartial and fair judge."
"So be it." Raagu turned toward the Guardian, and the annoyance mixed with surprise she saw on his face told her that Leegaain hadn't expected such a request either.
The Father of All Dragons moved from his seat to Feela's before gesturing for Seryl to continue.
"My fellow Awakened beasts." The Behemoth said. "Today, we have not co to elect our new representative. Our respective bloodlines didn't have ti to vet their candidates and pick the best one to challenge one another in a Spirit Duel for the seat.
"Today we have gathered to approve or reject Fyrwal the Hydra's proposal to ignore all customs and appoint her as interim representative until the threat of the Dead King has been neutralized."
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