Elfinia staggered back as she clapped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes tight. The Goddess's ears rang like she was inside a struck bell, and then force had ripped through her body, making her feel sick. This thing was like nothing she had ever seen.
The Elf Goddess opened her eyes and stumbled over to the parapet of the wall, staring in utter disbelief. The fifty-foot-tall golem was missing the top half of its body, but it was regenerating. This was something that she could do, but not something anyone that wasn't at least on her daughter's level of strength could do.
"Are you telling me that a commoner with a hint of magic can use this thing?!" Elfinia sputtered out as she turned back to her daughter, that was grinning ear to ear.
"Yes, almost anyone can use it. If we stored magic in gems that could activate them, then even people without Mana could use them," Listenia smiled, but Elfinia's face became serious.
"This is not okay. This is Goddess-level power. Normal people should not be allowed to use this!" Elfinia declared, but Tallia shook her head.
"Firstly, Galio is the only one that can make this. We do not have the ability anywhere in our world to replicate something like this. Secondly, Galio is using these to defend our world. You know, the one that you refused to come help with the first time I asked today?" Tallia stated, but Elfinia crossed her arms.
"I don't like this! Where is this… Galio! Was she not supposed to be here?! Where is she!? I am going to give her a piece of my mind!" Elfinia snapped, but the three girls just shrugged.
"We are not close to anyone, so it's not like we can use the Vine. None of us can track him," Tallia said.
"I can actually tell what direction Galio is in. My life is linked to him, so I can always feel what direction he is in," Listenia said.
"And?!" Elfinia demanded.
Listenia just pointed north, and Elfinia threw her hands in the air.
"Really? That is all you have?" Elfinia declared.
"Why am I even helping you again?" Listenia asked, and her mother glared at her.
"Because you are my daughter!" Elfinia snapped.
"Oh? For how long? Didn't even hear anything about directly hitting the target. As usual, you only look for things that you can insult. You would think that you would learn something about me, but obviously, you don't actually care about me. That man does. Unlike you, he treats me with respect if I do the same. You are just an old woman that is bitter. Tallia, I am done here. Can you please send me home?" Listenia said, and Tallia opened a portal without a world.
"Where do you think you are going?!" Elfinia demanded, but Tallia had enough.
"Silence!" Tallia snapped at Elfinia, and the woman turned on her. "You are on my island, and you are about to get a very rude removal if you do not settle down. Galio isn't here, and none of us know where he is. Leave. When we find him, we will tell Galio that you wish to talk to him. If and when he chooses to see you, Galio will summon you!"
"You think that you are so high and mighty here? That creature is just wasting his time with-"
"Elfinia, Goddess of the Elves, you are denied access to this island!" Tallia snapped, and an invisible force ripped her off her feet and threw her off the island and into the ocean.
"Well, can't say that I didn't see that coming, but she really has gotten worse over the years!" Goldy said as Tallia tried to control her breathing.
"She hates what she has become but is too stubborn to change. Galio will see to that, of that, I am sure. There is no one in the world that needs it more than her. If Elfinia doesn't change, I think she might end up on a dark path. How much do you know about Island Seven?" Tallia asked, and Goldy shrugged.
"Not much. I don't really concern myself with the others," Goldy said.
"There are very few elves left on the island, and they have relatively few children. I don't know what the reason is, but I would assume it has something to do with Elfinia. There are many Elves here in Northwall, but there are even more to the far north in the forests," Tallia explained.
"Really? I didn't know it was that bad over there. I mean, I make the girls wait, but then I force them to do the Mating Ritual at least once. We have people that raise them, even if they are secretive," Goldy explained, and Tallia nodded.
"Yes, I know that your birth rates are normal," Tallia said, and Goldy rolled her eyes.
"You know? You are the only one of the Goddesses that cares about what the other races are up to. Yet, your and your people are the shortest lived. Why do you waste so much time?" Goldy asked, and Tallia smiled.
"While I might be bitter and cold, I do care about everyone. Even if they don't care back. That is all of our jobs. We are not just the Goddesses of our islands, we are responsible for the world, but we are all divided. I think Galio is right that there might be Blood Witches among us, and not just the Origin," Tallia said.
"You don't think that Elfinia is, do you?" Goldy asked with a shocked look, but Tallia shook her head.
"No, but there might be someone trying to direct her. Galio will be able to tell better than we can," Tallia said with a sigh.
"Remarkable just how much we have come to rely on… him. That feels weird in my mouth," Goldy said, pressing a finger to her lips.
"We are going to need him much more before this is all over, and I am going to have to work on how I deal with him. I keep looking at Galio like a mortal, but the man is more of a Goddess than we are," Tallia said, and Goldy nodded.