Lori’s vertical pupils narrowed as she turned her neck to regard the newcomer, her curiosity piqued by the soft yet authoritative tone.

Her gaze met a tall, elegant figure of woman, her skin shimmering with a twilight blue hue, her hair luminous white flowing down her back, and her dark sapphire eyes framed by delicate fins that made her look even more otherwordly.

“Ohuu…you must be the Umbralfiend Princess. You look prettier than those projections I saw… almost as pretty as me. That brat is having it too easy and good,” Lori remarked with a mix of admiration and a hint of envy, her voice carrying a playful yet challenging tone.

Isola, for her part, blinked in disbelief, the reality of seeing a talking serpent still surreal. Around her, murmurs spread among the Naiadon elders, “It talks… Is she related to the Dark Sovereign? He was the last serpent who could talk.”

Isola, already briefed by Asher about the ‘crazy old snake’ he was bringing home, found the description quite fitting as she faced Lori in the flesh.

“And you must be Senior Lori. My husband told me that you will be coming here to stay with us. But please let go of Callisa before you do that,” Isola requested in a calm, melodious voice as she Callisa was feeling hurt, not physically, but from being bullied like this.

“This cute little Kraken attacked me first. See… she is still looking at me as if she wants to snap off my dainty neck,” Lori complained, her head shaking in mock dismay as she observed Callisa’s large, beady eyes glaring at her angrily, her giant pincers creaking against Lori’s body due to still using all her strength to fight back.

How come such a young Kraken could be this strong already?

“Callisa is the guardian of the seas. She didn’t know about your arrival and only acted based on her instincts,” Isola explained patiently, then turned to address Callisa gently, “Callisa, it’s fine. She’s with us now.”

At Isola’s words, Callisa ceased her struggles, her eyes shifting away from Lori, her body language one of resigned annoyance rather than aggression.

Lori, somewhat miffed but recognizing the need to de-escalate, slowly unwrapped her coils from around Callisa’s massive frame.

She slithered back, maintaining a brief distance as she grumbled upon seeing Callisa not even looking in her direction, “Look at this haughty child. She isn’t even greeting her senior who is the last descendant of the true guardian of the seas. I bet that brat you consider as your Master must have imparted you his mannersssss.”

The Umbralfiends had shocked expressions upon hearing this serpent claim that she was the last descendant of the true guardian of the seas. She couldn’t have meant the mythical beast Hydra…did she?

Callisa responded only by shifting one of her giant pincers, snapping it together in a rhythmic, dismissive manner, still avoiding eye contact with Lori.

“Are you ssssseriously telling me to keep talking? I should be smacking your big bottom for thissss grave offence,” Lori hissed, her frustration evident as she faced the silent defiance of this little guardian.

As Lori and Callisa faced each other, an underlying tension persisted. Sensing she needed to defuse the situation, Isola raised her hand, signaling to her people and the onlooking Naiadon tribe, encouraging them to continue with their duties, ensuring that they left the resolution of this unusual situation to her.

With the crowd dispersing, Isola then positioned herself between the colossal form of Callisa and the massive form of Lori, making her look too miniscule compared to them.

She turned her attention to Callisa first, her voice gentle yet firm, “Callisa, this great serpent before you is your senior. She is much older than you.”

Lori, feeling a slight sting at the mention of her age, started to hiss in protest, “Sssss, you don’t have to spell that ou-“

Isola continued without pause, emphasizing respect and tradition, “So she possesses great wisdom and knowledge, far more than any of us. That is why you shouldn’t be rude to her, especially now that she is going to live with us, and you have to show her around our home.”

“Koooo….” Callisa emitted a low mewl, a sound of reluctant acknowledgment, as she looked at Lori.

Callisa then lowered her formidable pincers, a clear gesture of respect towards a senior.

Lori, visibly pleased by this development, puffed up her cheeks and raised her head with a renewed sense of dignity, “Sigh, finally someone who understands the depth of my age. That alien brat should learn these things from you,” she declared, her voice carrying a mix of pride and a slight rebuke towards a certain someone.

Isola, observing this interaction with a gentle smile, then addressed Lori with a respectful yet advisory tone, “As for you, Senior Lori, please treat Callisa respectfully as your junior. She is a kind and sensitive soul. As her senior, she will be looking up to you.”

Lori looked over Callisa thoughtfully, her eyes scanning the adolescent Kraken’s massive black carapace.

With a soft hiss that signaled her acceptance of her role, Lori conceded, “Ssssss, fine. Since I am the oldest and mature one here, I should pave the way forward for my juniors,” Extending her tail with a deliberate grace, she gently patted Callisa’s carapace, a sign of acceptance and mentorship, “You will be in my care now, Krakie.”

“Kooo?” Callisa seemed to be confused but at the same time her beady eyes flashed with a skeptical light, feeling a bit uneasy about this serpent’s words.

Isola watched with a tender smile as the tentative beginnings of a mentorship formed between Lori and Callisa.

Her heart warmed at the thought that Callisa, as a fellow beast of immense power and sensitivity, would now have a seasoned guide in Lori.

This companionship, she hoped, would provide comfort and guidance to Callisa in times when neither she nor Asher could be nearby to offer her company.

–

Minutes earlier, in the secluded, echoing halls of the Whispering Cove, Asher and Rowena stood alone, the atmosphere in the dark hall tender and warm around them.

“You don’t have to reassure me…I know you wouldn’t have done it if not for the sake of our kingdom,” Rowena said in a low voice while Asher held her in a warm embrace from behind.

“You don’t have to hide your feelings from me. I know I hurt you by getting intimate with the queen of our enemies. But I wanted to let you know that Lysandra is not the draconian you think she is. If she was…she wouldn’t have done this even if it meant losing her life. She is one of the strongest but hidden allies we have now. I assure you that everything will be alright,” Asher said as he softly kissed her cheek, making Rowena press her cheek against his lips as if to bask in his warmth, “Mmn…I never stopped believing in you. If you are that confident…then I won’t worry too much. But what worries me is when she gets pregnant. We don’t know what might happen then or what our situation would be like.”

“You know it won’t be anytime now. We will crush Drakar and his people before that time comes. We will make sure the draconians will never again get ruled by anyone like him by eradicating every last one loyal to Drakar,” Asher said with a cold, determined light in his eyes.

Rowena nodded slowly with a hardened gaze. She then turned around and asked, “It seemed like you had something more to say. What was it?”

“It is about the ‘key’…” Asher went on to explain with a solemn expression.

“So the Void Reaver is a key of destruction but was also the one that brought life to our world?” Rowena’s voice was tinged with skepticism and wonder, her eyes searching Asher’s for confirmation.

“Yes. I think we already have a very powerful weapon in our hands. If only we can somehow learn how to use its true power, we might not even have to worry about the draconians or the werewolves,” Asher replied, his eyes burning with a mix of hope and desperation.

However, Rowena’s expression darkened with concern, her voice low and measured as she responded, “No, Ash. I don’t think it’s a good idea. If even the Supreme One intervened to seal this…Key of Chaos and didn’t burden you with the knowledge of its true power; it could only mean that nothing good would come out of unleashing its true power. Even if we knew, how could mortals like us wield the true power of a weapon forged by a devil?”

“I am indestructible in my Hellbringer form. You know, in this world, only I stand a chance of wielding it. I just have to figure out how. Why do you think the Moon Guardian and Drakar are interested in this? Surely, it’s not out of concern for the safety of their people,” Asher countered, his determination palpable in the quiet of the cove.

Before Rowena could reply, a sudden interruption came. “No, you can’t!” The urgent, strained voice of Ceti echoed through the chamber, startling both Asher and Rowena. They turned to see Ceti, her face etched with anxiety, as she walked in slowly.

“Ceti?” Asher’s voice held a mixture of surprise and confusion, not expecting her sudden appearance.

Rowena’s brow furrowed, equally surprised.

“I-I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I came here to talk to you about something else, but I—” Ceti stammered, her eyes darting nervously between them.

“Why did you tell him he shouldn’t, Ceti?” Rowena interjected calmly, her gaze intense as she sought to understand Ceti’s abrupt warning.

Asher also furrowed his brows as the last person he expected to stand against his plan was a head-strong woman like her.

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