The Martial Unity

“While it is true that our civilizations are interconnected, that does not give you the right to intervene in our matters to such an extent.” Mother Alicia’s tone was one of pure displeasure. “We have a pact between dark elves and light elves. An armistice and a vow that we will not intervene in each other’s civilizations, for as similar as we are in our way of life, we still share many crucial differences that make a shared polity impractical. Do you think you are the only one who doesn’t like how the other side conducts its foreign policy? Do you have any idea…?”

Her sapphire eyes sharpened.

“Any idea how much trouble you light elves have given us?”

Mother Molidia’s expression grew severe as it was her turn to remain silent.

“Because of you light elves, many races, polities, and civilizations in the world do not trust us. They think that we, too, must be untrustworthy because half of greater elven civilization is indeed hostile to all outsiders. You light elves and your horrible xenophobic insularity have made life very difficult for us! And yet, when was the last time we decided to attack your lands in order to change this?”

Mother Alicia’s words came with a resentment to her sisters that she had buried for many years, as had every other dark elf. The dark elves were open, outgoing, and extroverted in temperament, which manifested in a foreign policy that loved befriending new people and spreading nature to new races.

Unfortunately for them, whenever one learned about how unhinged the light elves could be with outsiders, some of that naturally rubbed off the dark elves precisely because their civilizations were not absolutely separate and because they were of the same race.

“And yet, we respected your decision and your aversion to outsiders,” Mother Alicia continued with a stern tone. “We never once complained about it to you and never once tried to force you to change. We certainly never launched a military attack on an individual in your civilization because we disapproved of the way that you did things, even though your actions have harmed us indirectly as well. So what gives you the right to launch an attack on our soil when we have respected your sovereignty for eons?”

Her expression was harsh.

“Enough with this equivocation,” Mother Molidia huffed, shaking her head. “We did what we did because we were concerned about our survival, and our actions ended up proving that we were right.”

Her ruby-red eyes bore deep into Mother Alicia’s eyes. “You see, the deathliness that all of us elves sensed within the demon was nothing but a poison of pure death that instantly snuffed all life within it. He killed a Mother of Nature swiftly with the power of that poison of death. It proves that he is a threat to nature itself. He is a threat to us Mothers of Nature.”

“He never once used the poison despite staying with us for five months, even during intense training where he came close to suffering critical harm,” Mother Alicia retorted. “If he was a threat to nature inherently, then how would he have mastered nature manipulation that he did? Because you cut us off from the battlefield, we didn’t get to see the entire battle, but I know for a fact that he used nature manipulation in front of you, did he not? Is someone who can bond with nature and manipulate it a threat to nature? I think not. As for killing Mother Mara…”

Mother Alicia’s eyes sharpened.

“She deserved it. She brainstormed and led an operation to annihilate him and ended up dying in the process. That is the textbook definition of self-defense. If you are prepared to kill, you must also be prepared to die, and it is clear to us that Mother Mara was not. We do not mourn her death nor offer our regrets, as far as we are concerned, her death is just.”

The light elven delegation grew furious at those words.

“How dare you insult our elder sister?!” Mother Varaschia glowered at Mother Alicia. “She regarded you dark elves with great affection, ignoring your foolish ways of opening our sacred continent to outsiders!”

“If she conducted an attack on our soil, I highly doubt this great affection for us that you speak of,” Mother Pruschilia, seated beside Mother Alicia, retorted with a huff. “Anybody who violates a friend to such an extent is no friend.”

“So you will not apologize for bringing that demon to our continent?” Mother Molidia’s tone was furious. “You will express self-righteousness, defending his killing of a sacred, elder Mother of Nature?”

“We are not the ones who need to apologize,” Mother Alicia glared at the light elven delegation. “You have made a mockery of us in the international community. Many races and civilizations do not trust us because of you, and this event has only validated that belief! We have lost credibility and respect in the international community because of your actions! They think us fools for not being able to protect a guest helplessly while our sisters, whom we trusted with all our hearts, violated that trust!

“I DON’T CARE FOR THE RAMBLINGS OF FOOLS!” Mother Molidia roared. “I DON’T CARE FOR WHAT THE WORLD SAYS! WE ARE ELVES! WE ARE THE PROTECTORS OF NATURE, THE OPINIONS OF LESSER RACES ARE IRRELEVANT!”

The air boiled with tension as the atmosphere crackled with peril.

The leaders of the two elven civilizations glared at each other with furious eyes.

“I will give you one last chance.” Mother Alicia’s tone was low. “Apologize for what you have done. Swear you will never do it again. Find and return Rui Quarrier to us alive and well. Compensate us for the damages that we have suffered. Then, and only then, will we forgive you and maintain our sisterhood with you.”

Her voice was dead serious.

She meant every word she said.

But alas, Mother Molidia simply shook her head.

“Impossible.”

Mother Alicia closed her eyes, heaving a deep breath, before getting up.

“Then, from this day forth, we are no longer sisters.”