NOVEL NEXT Book 6: Chapter 174
Vur and Volearden stared as the two chunks of ice containing Malvina’s fell from the sky towards the ground. The chunks landed with a thump, the ice so solid the blocks didn’t even crack upon impact. At the same time, the phoenix flames permeating the residence faded away as Malvina’s World of Fire came to an end. The armored dragon turned to look at Vur.
“Your wife seems pretty ruthless; there was no hesitation at all when she cut off Malvina’s leg,” Volearden said. “She doesn’t beat you, does she? Domestic abuse amongst dragons is a serious issue; if you need any help, we have resources for you back at the roost.”
Vur blinked before shaking his head.
Volearden shrugged. “Well, just remember there are dragons out there willing to help you if you ever do find yourself in a tough spot,” he said. The armored dragon paused as he watched Tafel melt away the ice blocking her from Malvina’s crystal sphere. Without any ceremony, the demon used her sword to pry open Malvina’s talons as if Chi’Rururp were a crowbar and took the flame-controlling item away.
Tafel threw the red sphere into a portal before turning her head towards Malvina. The ice chunks were steaming and bubbling, water flowing from them onto the ground as the phoenix’s body heated up.
“Don’t think that’s her only weapon,” Volearden said from his spot off to the side. “She has plenty of spares in her root bracelet. You have to inflict as much damage as possible before she recovers.”
Tafel furrowed her brow upon hearing Volearden’s words. Perhaps it was because the armored dragon was drunk that it didn’t realize there was an even better solution than the one it was suggesting. If Tafel could cut off Malvina’s leg to retrieve the phoenix queen’s weapon, the demon could just as easily cut off the phoenix’s other leg to take her root bracelet. “Acid,” Tafel said and raised her sword once more.
Chi’Rururp blew green, spit bubbles into the layer of water covering its edge. When all the water was tinted green, Tafel swung her sword down and cut the chunk of ice containing Malvina’s root bracelet, separating Malvina’s other leg from her body. The demon dug through the ice and retrieved the phoenix queen’s root bracelet before disposing of it in the same way as the red crystal: tossing it into a portal.
Not long after, all three pieces of Malvina’s body turned into blood-red plumes of fire, causing jets of steam to escape from all three chunks of ice. The flames surged out of the ice and condensed on the ground not too far away from Tafel. Malvina glared at Tafel, the phoenix queen’s reformed body a head shorter than it was before. “You cut my legs off!” the phoenix said. “That’s a very rude thing to do, and you should know better than to do something like that. Apologize!”
Tafel flinched and lowered her head. Cutting off someone’s legs did sound like a horrible thing to do, but Malvina was a phoenix, and evidently, she hadn’t been affected by the action too much.
“Hey,” Volearden said and walked over to Tafel’s side. The armored dragon stared at Malvina, his helmet giving off a pink and orange sheen. “Are you bullying my great-granddaughter? Do I have to step in and mediate?”
“Shut your metal face,” Malvina said and glared at Volearden as she swayed from side to side. “This is between two phoenixes. A dragon has zero right to mediate anything between us.”
“I’m closer to Tafel than you are,” Volearden said and puffed his chest out. “She’s part of my family. She’s just another phoenix to you.”
“Nonsense!” Malvina said. “I treated Marima like my own daughter! Now that her descendent has appeared, it’s only natural I become her god-great-grandmother! Great-god-grandmother? Great-grand-godmother?” The phoenix tilted her head to the side. “Regardless! I care more for her than you ever will, and you know it!”
“She cut your legs off,” Volearden said. “Both of them. Chop, chop.” The armored dragon pantomimed cutting motions with his front paws.
“Yeah, so?” Malvina asked. “Who hasn’t gone through a disrespectful, rebellious phase when they were younger? It doesn’t matter how many legs of mine she chops off; she’s closer to me than she is to you.”
Tafel took a step back, distancing herself from the two magical beasts who were now glaring at each other. Were they going to fight again? Since she had taken Malvina’s root bracelet, didn’t that leave the queen of the phoenixes with a huge disadvantage? The demon cleared her throat. “Since I’m so close to the both of you, how about the two of you officially end the phoenix and dragon war on my account?”
Malvina and Volearden turned to look at Tafel. Malvina snorted and gestured towards Volearden with her wing. “He’s the aggressor. Why don’t you tell him to stop?”
Volearden turned his head to the side as little sheep made of black and white lights appeared on his helmet. “I’ll stop if she stops,” he mumbled, his words barely audible.
Tafel blinked, raising an eyebrow at the so-called Tyrannical Dragon Monarch. She turned her head towards Malvina.
“Yeah, sure,” the queen of phoenixes said and nodded her head. “I’ll stop once the dragons return the lands they’ve taken from phoenixes.”
“Okay,” Volearden said. “I’ll return the lands I’ve taken, but you’ll have to resurrect all the dragons who’ve died during the war.”
Malvina snorted. “If I could do that, don’t you think I’d bring back the phoenixes we’ve lost first?”
“Well, in that case, you can always hand over all the phoenixes who’ve slain a dragon,” Volearden said.
Malvina sneered. “Sure, but you’ll have to give up all the dragons who’ve slain phoenixes first.”
“There you have it,” Volearden said, turning his head towards Tafel. “I don’t want my companions or myself to die or go unavenged—and they don’t want to either—so I’m not ending the war.”
Malvina nodded. “That’s one thing we can agree on.”
Tafel frowned before turning her head towards the tree where Lindyss was staying. There was no way the cursed elf hadn’t heard what was going on; maybe, she’d have a solution. She was great at running countries and politics. “Auntie!”