"Those scum bastards…!"
It wasn't a conclusion that just anyone would reach. Blaming every calamity that took place in the vast universe on the Nox was nothing more than escapism.
But for the Elf Queen, seeing through this matter was simple. Because she had personally experienced it.
10,000 years ago during the second war, she had been there when the Nox invaded, and she had seen as her home world was slowly corrupted and destroyed.
Anger and resentment that had been buried in the deepest recesses of her heart began to boil forth once again. 10,000 years of repressed feelings came back to haunt her.
She looked to Damien for confirmation, and he could do nothing but silently nod. He was never planning on keeping it from her.
Taesi, meaning defector in the language of the elves. Even if everyone else forgot, the Elf Queen, who had named the elven city after the shame of their past, would never do so.
The flames in her eyes burned heavily. "If I follow you, what are my chances of getting revenge on those scum bastards?"
She asked it seriously. Even though the boy was only a 3rd class, she could no longer look at him as just another weaker being. Clearly, he was far more embroiled in the conflict with the Nox than she was, and he was someone who would have a major stake in the coming war.
She thought she was safe. The sacrifices of so many people had allowed her and a few million of her clansmen to escape the hellish war, and after that, they had lived many years in peace.
'I've been too complacent.'
She realized it instantly. She had become soft-hearted and weak-willed. She had become used to living in safety and prosperity due to the blessing of the World Tree.
But in the blink of an eye, the World Tree was gone, her new home was gone, and everything she cherished was gone as well. If it wasn't for the boy in front of her, even her people would have been victims to the calamity that had ensued.
A boy that her Ancestor trusted enough to impart the Ancestral Seal onto, a boy who was unfathomable even while being so weak that she could crush him within seconds. She was willing to stake it all on him.
Damien stared into her eyes. Her thoughts were written on her face. A desire for vengeance was something many people learned to repress, but in the heat of the moment, it would burst with splendor and refuse to be suppressed any longer.
The Elf Queen was currently experiencing that. Her rationality was being overwhelmed by that desire.
But that wasn't such a bad thing for him.
'I needed to gain her loyalty anyway, and this is a perfect opportunity. And since she has such a heavy grudge against the Nox, she should be a great help in the war.'
Damien thought it over. He didn't want to give any false hope or meaningless numbers. If she was gambling on him, he would give her the chance to gamble properly.
"Whether or not you can get revenge isn't something for me to decide. It depends wholly on your own determination and ability." Damien finally said.
"However," he continued. "If it is an opportunity for you to get your revenge, I can set the stage for you and allow you to reap the benefits. I need allies for the coming war and beyond. If you are willing to swear true fealty to me, I can promise that I will do everything in my power to help you."
It wasn't empty words. Damien spoke with sincerity to reciprocate her sincerity.
And the Elf Queen could feel it as well. Slowly, she calmed herself down. The fire in her eyes dimmed, becoming a raging inferno that hid beneath a calm exterior.
"Very well." She finally made her decision. She got down on one knee and lowered her head. "From this point forth, I, Elvira Moonwind, and all those related to and under me, swear total fealty to the Lord. If this promise is broken, may the Heavens bring down their wrath upon us."
Damien's eyes widened. Not only at the oath she had made, but also at her name. He let out a wry chuckle.
'Fate truly is a strange thing.'
Elvira Moonwind. The name held no particular meaning to him, but it did to someone else. Someone who he unwittingly got to know very well.
'Senior, are you seeing this? The woman you loved so much that you were willing to sacrifice yourself for her safety, a woman with the same name and position is standing in front of me today and burning with the desire for revenge on your killers. If this isn't a working of fate, then what is?'
He smiled and turned to the other three clan leaders. The conversation between him and the Elf Queen wasn't hidden at all, so they had heard everything the two discussed.
"What about you three? What are your plans from now on?"
The White Dragon King snorted. "Kid, didn't we already make this promise? As long as you take me to the outside world and help me find my son, I'm willing to swear the same oath that she swore just now."
Damien nodded. "Don't worry. I never planned to go back on that promise from the start. The Sanctuary is probably the safest place in the universe right now, so even if you want to spend the rest of your days peacefully with your son after we find him, that can be arranged. As long as you help when you're truly needed, that's enough."
The White Dragon King nodded as well and extended his hand. Damien reached forth and grabbed it, shaking it strongly.
After the two men had made their agreement, he turned to the final two. Their decision was much more complicated, but at the same time far simpler than the other two.
Damien knew their concern.
'Where can we even go now?'
That was probably the thought going through the two Matriarchs' heads at the moment. They had lived their entire lives in the 3000 Beast Mountain Range, and knew nothing other than it.
Even if they were powerful 4th class existences, the fear of the unknown wasn't something they were safe from.
"The outside world is a cruel place, but it is wondrous and beautiful at the same time. Phoenixes are true descendants of Godbeasts, so if you go out flaunting your true forms, it is undoubted that you will be hunted. However, with your power, living while mixing amongst humans is also possible.
"I can vouch for myself and the Sanctuary as much as I want, but in the end, it is simply my desire to keep your two clans that will motivate my words. So think carefully and decide for yourselves what you wish to do from now on. Don't let the rest of us interfere with that decision."
Damien hated being led along by the whims of others, and he didn't want to become the very thing he hated so much. Especially since he had some relationship with Feng Qing'er, he wanted to give the Phoenix clans the ability to make a free decision.
But as he hoped, the two Phoenix Matriarchs shook their heads.
"We may be powerful, but our clansmen aren't all the same. The safest option for them is to remain within the strange world you created and grow their strength along with the dragons and elves." The Ice Phoenix Queen said.
"Right. If the day comes when we can confidently declare that we will set off and establish ourselves, we will do just that. But until then, it's better for us to rely on your protection." The Fire Phoenix Matriarch continued.
She felt a bit embarrassed by it, asking a mere child for protection, but it couldn't be helped. His capabilities allowed him to receive such a request.
Damien smiled. "Of course. And if I have the capital to help you establish yourselves when that day comes, you can be assured that I will aid you in any way I can."
After a few more talks, the negotiation between Damien and the four clan leaders came to an end.
The fealty of these four clans, even if some of them were temporary, was something Damien was delighted to have.
His preparations had just started. Now that he understood the true calamity that a war with the Nox could bring, he needed to move with more fervor than ever before.
So that he could build a foundation that was sturdy and stable enough to keep everything he held dear safe.
