Chapter 290
The Divine Matriarch has revived!
Their patron deity had truly came back!
Looking at the resplendent sacred statue of the goddess in the temple and the world tree beneath her feet brimming with the essence of life, Selena's expression was filled with excitement.
"My fellow brethren, welcome home. After the welcoming ceremony, you can choose to live within Florence alongside the clansmen of Rageblaze Clan. The Chosen Ones will assist you in quickly settling into your new home," said the Godwarden Zero, whilst looking at the hundreds of elves before her.
Alice's eyes involuntarily flicked towards her.
Today, the elven maiden seemed to discerned a buoyant air surrounding Zero, evident in the cheerful tone she adopted during today's conversation.
The Chosen Ones...
Upon hearing this term, Selena recalled those rather strange individuals from before.
After defeating the humans that pursued them, the players finally shed their disguises, revealing their original elven forms. With Alice attesting to their authenticity and the rescued elves firsthand witnessing the manifestation of the goddess's power, Selena and her companions harbored no more doubts about their identity.
However, thinking about these Chosen Ones rather... unconventional personalities, Selena still found it somewhat incredible that they are indeed the summoned enjoys of the Goddess!
Not to mention that their seemingly immortal beings!
Selena still felt a profound shock when she thought about that time wherein her group had just arrived after passing through the teleportation array and seeing once more the fellows that they thought had already died, came back alive and kicking right before her eyes...
Immortals!
These chosen ones summoned by the Divine Matriarch can actually come back to life!
This discovery made her even more in awe of their Matriarch's power.
"So...is this the power possessed by the patron deity of our elven race?"
A fleeting sense of uplift enveloped Selena, yet within the surge of excitement, a subtle undercurrent of disappointment also lingered inside her.
She thought back to the countless Oakhand operatives that sacrificed their lives over the years, her comrades, and those fellow brethren of theirs still living under human oppression...
"Can we also... stay?"
In that instant, a feeble voice suddenly spoke up.
All eyes then shifted toward a delicate half-elf girl, as her gaze remained hesitant yet brave as it met Alice and Zero.
The half-elven lass' fingers clutched tightly at her hem, and her slightly pointed ears trembled with unease.
After the courageous female elven halfling broached the topic, all the remaining half-elves in the temple also looked toward the two prominent figures ahead, anticipating their decision with a blend of hope and apprehension.
This time, there were quite a few half-elves rescued by the players.
About a hundred people exactly, with nearly half of them being half-elves!
Alice looked at Godwarden Zero, who nodded slightly.
The saintess felt a slight relief, then turned towards the Elven halflings with a smile.
"If you wish, of course, you can."
"Even if it is half, our elven blood still courses through your veins, and thus, should you willing choose, then you shall become a part of our Elven Forest."
Alice's gentle and reassuring voice resonated through the air.
In response to her proclamation, a glimmer illuminated the eyes of every half-elf within the vicinity, and the brave girl who spoke first bowed deeply towards the two, with her voice choked full of emotion.
"Thank you! Lady Alice! Thank you for accepting us!"
Seeing her like this, Alice sighed inwardly.
"Don't thank me as you are also the children of our Divine Matriarch, hence you're naturally also under Her protection. If you wish to show gratitude, then please devote yourselves more fervently to the service of our Divine Matriarch."
The saintess gently shook her head, with words filled with fervent emotion.
The situation of these elven halflings are not much better than that of elves.
Particularly, in the eyes of humanity, they do not recognize such existences, even with them having a trace of human blood. Instead, they view them more as commodities similar to elves.
Moreover... because these half-elves haven't even inherited the long lifespan of pure blooded elves, they are seen as inferior beings by mankind.
Even worse, many of these half-elves are deliberately bred by slave traders for their rapid growth and elf-like beauty, to purposely be sold as slaves.
Thinking about this, Alice also felt pity for these elven halflings.
At this moment, Godwarden Zero spoke again, interrupting her thoughts.
"Alice, take everyone to Florence. I've already arranged for Philothea and the others to receive them."
Alice snapped out of her reverie, offering a subtle smile to those below.
"Follow me. I'll guide you all now to your new home."
For a moment, the elves and half-elves kneeling below stood up.
However, the dozens individuals led by Selena remained motionless.
"...Selena?"
Seeing her like this, Alice showed a look of puzzlement.
After hesitating for a moment, the Oakhand leader looked at Zero, bit her lip, and said,
"Lady Zero, we... don't want to stay in the Elven Forest!"
"Selena!"
Alice furrowed her brow slightly.
Selena, on the other hand remained insistent and only gave her sister an apologetic expression.
Hmm?
Looking at these fresh batch of elves and half-elves, Zero raised an eyebrow.
At this moment, Selena elaborated:
"We... are all members of the Oakhand Resistance and our organization is still active within human territories. If possible, we would like to return to inform our remaining members of the Divine Matriarch's revival and continue lurking in mankind's society to save our fellow brethren still trapped back there."
Selena lowered her head and spoke softly before belatedly adding,
"This... is also my self-atonement as a priestess who betrayed our faith and deviated from the beliefs of our Divine Matriarch has laid upon us."
"Selena..."
Alice's face bore a complex expression after hearing that.
Zero, on the other hand, had her expression shift, revealing a look of understanding before she broke into a smile.
"Of course."
With that, a green leaf suddenly appeared in palm of her hand:
"This is a leaf of the World Tree, imbued with the power of our Divine Matriarch. By carrying it with you as its holder, you can not only protect yourself but also hear the Goddess's oracle."
After saying this, Zero gracefully extended her hand, and the leaf gracefully sailed toward the Oakhand leader.
Taking it within her hands, Selena bowed deeply before the goddess statue...
After concluding the welcoming ceremony in the temple, the newly arrived elves finally departed from the sacred grounds.
The majority of them followed Saintess Alice, utilizing the teleportation array to embark upon their new life in Florence...
However, many members of the Oakhand Resistance, led by Selena, decided to momentarily take a brief rest before returning back to the human lands to continue their cause.
However unlike before, this time around... they would go back with renewed vigor and faith.
Perched on the World Tree's trunk, Selena gazed upon the sprawling and grand city beneath, seemingly lost in contemplation...
"This is the Chosen City, a metropolis built by the Chosen Ones." Alice said behind her.
"The Chosen City..."
Selena whispered, her eyes reflecting a mix of wonder and surprise.
"What a great city!"
"I never imagined the Elven Forest could experience such prosperity... in my childhood recollections, it was only a place of ruin and desolation. Back then, we were just children, dwelling here together, whilst evading the relentless pursuit of the half-orcs..."
Her words held a touch of nostalgia.
"The Divine Matriarch has finally returned, and everything else is in the past now."
Alice took a step forward, placing her hand on Selena's shoulder.
"...Selena, are you really going back?"
She couldn't help but ask.
"Of course."
Selena nodded.
After that, she looked at Alice again and sighed:
"I didn't expect that you'll become a Silver-ranked Expert after so many years of not seeing you."
"This is all bestowed upon me by the grace of our Divine Matriarch. You have regained your faith and broken free from the shackles that have bound our kind. I'm sure your rank shall arise soon too."
Alice smiled.
Selena nodded slightly, returning the gesture.
"By the way..."
After smiling, Selena suddenly changed the topic, looking puzzled:
"Who is Lady Zero? Why do I sense such profound respect from you towards her?"
"Lady Zero serves as the Godwarden under the Divine Matriarch."
"But... you're a saint, and aren't saints like you technically also Godwardens, right?"
"It's not the same."
Alice shook her head and continued,
"Lady Zero is a high-ranking expert and can harness the power of our Divine Matriarch. She is much closer to Her Highness than I am and I still has a long way to go before I reach her level..."
"I see."
Selena realized.
Then, the Oakhand leader hesitated for a moment and suddenly reached out her hand to stab her own throat.
In the surprised gaze of Alice, Selena retched for a moment and spat out a spatial ring. A radiant light then appeared on her hand seconds later, revealing a book.
Selena picked up the book and handed it solemnly to her sister.
"Alice, this book contains information about all the members of my organization, including some intelligence we gathered in human society. Now, I am imparting it to you as the Saintess of Nature."
"Also... be wary of the God of Despair. He's a deity with a profound animosity towards us elves... You'll find more details about Him in this book."
Alice, on hearing this, adopted a grave expression and took the book.
"I understand."
They exchanged nods.
"It's getting late; it's about time you take those fellow brethren of ours who were brought along with us to the Holy City of Florence," Selena said.
"Won't your group come together with us? Even if you're leaving, you and your comrades could have stayed in the Elven Forest for a few days before going, you know..."
"No."
Selena shook her head, releasing a wistful sigh.
"I fear that if I linger here for too long, then returning to the land of humans will become far less appealing to me anymore."
Alice hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say.
A brief silence lingered between the two before Selena waved to the Oakhand members, who were still curiously admiring the City of Chosen Ones.
Turning back to Alice, she spoke:
"Well then... take care."
Alice sighed and ultimately nodded.
"You too, take care."
The two friends who hadn't seen each other for many years hugged each other, then set out upon their own respective paths once more...
Back in the Temple of Nature.
After the elves departed, only Meryer remained within the vicinity, lying down at the sacred grounds with his gaze seemingly lost in thought.
"Wake up, you've been in a daze for so long...Tell me, what did you see back then?"
In the midst of Meryer's contemplation, suddenly, a laid back and ethereal female voice echoed from behind him.
Upon recognizing the familiar voice, Meryer jolted and swiftly broke free from his trance.
Instinctively shuddering, he pivoted around to find an elven maiden with platinum hair and amethyst eyes, adorned in regal garb and an exquisite crown behind him.
Currently the Elven Goddess was seated upon a divine throne made of wood that materialized out of nowhere, whilst she observed him with a leisurely demeanor.
Feeling the formidable aura and overwhelming presence exuding from her, even though it was his first time seeing her, Meryer immediately grasped the other person's real identity.
Startled, he promptly bowed, stammering,
"G-Goddess!"
Evé, in her manifested avatar form, looked at the somewhat disoriented little black dragon and offered a faint smile.
"Alright, no need to bow."
"Now, tell me, what did you experience during your battle with that Scaled Demon?"
Meryer hesitated after hearing this.
However, soon, he lowered his head and said somewhat dejectedly:
"Meryer doesn't know either...I... at that time, only seemed to have seen some strange scenes..."
"Strange scenes?"
Evé raised an eyebrow.
— 290 —
[ THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE PATHS ]
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