Chapter 237: A New Race War?

With his training and with him helping the Queen deciphering the Gate, Ned must have a good reason to make up an excuse to fully examine the pistol and create his schematic based on the pistol he traded. He could do so after his training but as if time was a hindrance to him. The Queen requested for Ned in her throne room.

It has been several days since Ned has gotten the pistol from a trade, and he doesn't have the time to fully examine it. All his days were composed of trainings, and rest. 

Inside the throne room, Moloatiss was seen talking together with the rest of the humans and other beasts. 

"Queen Sas Koron," Ned said upon entering the massive double door of the room. "Why am I here?"

Calling him a Queen was only appropriate since Ned was housed in their Hive. But Ned never bowed to her, not just here, but to anyone with higher statuses. He would never do it again, last time he bowed, he was almost killed. Thanks to his friends that he only survived Emperor Pontus's wrath.

"You've been busy lately," the Queen said.

Ned's gesture gained him a glare from the men present in the throne room, even the once-abducted humans.

Near the table were beasts Ned hardly recognized. Aside from the four humans, Moloatiss, and the Queen herself. There were additional beasts. Arachneas, gnoll with scratches all over its deformed face (must be one of the commanders, Ned thought), near him was a goblin, much smaller than Gogmurch, but sure his eyes were staring at Ned as if he wanted to rip him apart. They knew that it was Ned who put their general in the hands of humans.

Ned shrugged off their intense glaring. "I am. Yes," he said.

A moment of silence made the Queen gesture to Ned to join them.

In the throne room, in the middle was a massive stone, that looking almost like a table for sacrifices. This was the spot the Queen was standing the first Ned met her. At the side of the room, below the inclined pavement, was another table. Wood. Hardwood, varnished with brown. Ned wondered if the intricate designs were also crafted by the beast. If so, then they might have a fully working community inside the Hive and fully able craftsman.

Ned stood beside the long table. At the far end was the Queen in her bestial form. She towered the rest of them as she stood with her eight-legged limbs under her abdomen. The rest saw this quite normal.

But unlike the first time Ned met the Queen. Her feeling of dread and vicious aura was gone. Under her was Moloatiss with a newly installed cylindrical glasses. Perhaps to honor the agreement between Ned and the Queen. Moloatiss fished off the human heads inside the glasses. They must have thought that Ned was bothered by the inhuman sight. But he wasn't, he saw dreadful things more than just heads.

"I'm sure all of you met the new human."

He said and her eyes laid to Ned and swept back at her people.

"Now that we all agreed. Let's proceed."

With the Queen's word, Moloatiss started to move closer to the table. He was under the Queen's massive abdomen and between her footing.

"Two days ago," he began. His body wiggled with his movements. Ned wondered if he chose to have that kind of body or was randomness given by the Core he ate. Ned brushed off the thought as Moloatiss continued. "In the Eastern part of the continent."

He was talking about Cassan. As it was the only continent they were close to.

"Our Biri-biri scouts spotted something unusual."

He stopped and let the mysteriousness sunk in.

Biri-biris were flightless magical birds that were hunted mainly for their meat. But if trained properly they could use their Core to communicate with their masters to send information gathered from their eyes. The distance of their communication depends on its grade. Higher-level Biri-biris could send information kilometers away. How far? Ned wasn't aware of it as he listened to Otik explaining over Kon Arkable how the Biri-Biri birds were used as a scout.

Moloatiss coughed which prompted the two to focus on him.

"A troop of elves was spotted sailing at the Great Divide."

Kon Sas Koron was silent. She might have known it the first time before they were summoned.

But then humans were murmuring. They haven't seen elves. Even elves as slaves were uncommon in the kingdom of Griffith. Even if nobles had one, they would probably keep it away from others. Elves were too valuable even as slaves, not to mention their beauty unequal to any other human princesses and queens.

As the commotion was ongoing, Ned realized that Cotilis—Roy in human name, wasn't around to join the meeting.

"How many and where are they going?—no. Where did they come from?"

It was an arachne that asked. She was female with her hair braided behind that reached her exoskeleton covered butt.

"Hundreds of them. As for their destination, I'm not sure where," Moloatiss said. If only his brows were existing it sure would be knitted by now with his voice of uncertainties. "They came around the edges of the Great Divide."

The Great Divide was a massive reap of an ocean that divides the continent of Cassan and Ekan. It was still unknown what caused or what kind of force that could reap a massive continent in two.

According to Anita's map. The elves came out of nowhere from the Great Divide. And since elves were hunted by both the Kingdom of Griffith (Cassan continent) and the Zolin Empire ( Ekan Continent). Then there could only be one place where they came from. In the Dark Continent. North of both Cassan and Ekan Continent. It is said that whoever ventures the Dark Continent was said to never return.

"If only we knew their destination," Moloatiss muttered.

"Why?" Ned said. All eyes were on him. "Why is it that you all were so concerned about the elves?"

Silence. The statement made Ned's stand. He wasn't part of it.

"It's not that we are concerned about the elves."

It was Sas Koron that spoke next.

"Elves were never seen for hundreds of years. There might be slaves out there. But those were Blood elves. And the ones we are talking about is Wood-elves, Dark elves, and High elves. This could only mean one thing. A new Great Race War is coming."