The value of the Thryskai’s promise weighed heavier. By comparison, the Trakar were trying to sell a dream—one where they almost inevitably ended up on top.
However, even so, the Trakar were still the far more manageable enemy to withstand. The Kaelthar were often ignored by their people as well, but that would almost certainly change if one of them became the Progenitor of an entire Galaxy.
Of course, this was just speculation. No one knew what the exact rewards for being the final “Chosen” would be. Only Sylas had received a directive to become the Progenitor of the Galaxy.
It could be said that had others seen this message, the ultimate result would have been even more feverish than what it already was.
But none of that changed the hard decision that lay before Soryntha and her family. Or another familiar Florineth, for that matter.
…
Soryntha reclined almost lazily on a couch, her red, split-leg dress hardly covering her decency as she stretched one thigh over the other. The ruby sparkliness of her gown played against her pale violet skin as though they were both ornaments to one another, the darkness of what should have been the whites of her eyes showing off the signature look of the Florineth.
Across from her were two other women who seemed to be in a competition of seduction with one another. Or, rather, all three of them seemed to be radiating the same sort of delicate and alluring aura.
But one of them seemed far inferior to the other two.
Of them, one was familiar. She was none other than the woman who the galaxy currently thought of as Sylas’ fiancée—a delicate Florineth of barely five feet tall, a far cry from the much taller variations that were her mother and elder sister.
As for the other… she was none other than the mother in question, though the three truly did look like a trio of sisters.
“Look at my two little girls, each one promised to a True Chosen. It seems I’ve raised the both of you right.”
Matriarch Valeria giggled away as she sipped her wine, the dance of her tongue looking particularly alluring as she played with the cherry that dangled within.
However, neither of her daughters seemed to take this joke as something to be celebrated. Though they maintained their seductive airs, there was something particularly heavy in the air. They were acting as though children caught in the trap of their parent’s words—not wanting to take a step forward, and certainly not wanting to admit guilt by taking a step back.
Soryntha was technically a bachelorette. In fact, after Nyssa had announced her betrothal to Sylas of her own accord, their mother had warned her that she couldn’t control what Soryntha might try to do.
Soryntha could be considered the number one woman in the galaxy on the lists of best talents. She was not only an impeccable beauty, but her strength spoke for itself, as she was listed as the Fourth Titan before Sylas appeared.
However, she faced the same issues that Lorien did. She wanted to marry a powerful man—but one she could control.
Ironically enough, that led to Sylas as well, because among the best bachelors for women like Lorien and Soryntha to pick from, he was one of the few who stood out. So when Nyssa somehow got her hands on him first…
Well, at first, Soryntha didn’t really care—until quite literally a day later, Sylas went from a man who was just a great Rune Master talent to 13th on the Titans Leaderboard.
Then he went from 13th to third.
And now he was first.
These things hardly took a matter of weeks—in fact, it felt like days most often.
There was a part of Soryntha that felt she had lost to her little sister for the first time in her life, and that left a bad taste in her mouth. Nyssa had seen something she hadn’t, acted on it, invested just a little—and the result, in the end, was shocking.
No matter what the situation was now, just by the rules of the system, Karma, and how these matters worked, Sylas was forever tied to Nyssa whether he liked it or not.
Because of this, Soryntha knew that her chances of stealing Sylas from Nyssa were now practically zero. The difference in Sylas before and after meeting Nyssa was far too great.
In fact, the system had already rewarded Nyssa more than once for Sylas’ feats, proving that it wasn’t just speculation on their part that they were tied, but something that the system had long since acknowledged as well.
When Sylas was granted the rank of True Chosen, Matriarch Valeria had sensed the shift in Nyssa’s Luck as well. There was a great amount of it gathering around her, and it had only been supercharged after the most recent announcement.
In the end, in order to attempt to counter what seemed to be her little sister becoming a rising star that might take her position in the future, Soryntha had no choice but to make a conditional engagement with Thalrik—the Trakar.
She agreed to marry him so long as he became the final Chosen in the end.
Somehow, this led to both Florineth heiresses becoming tied to Chosen of the Galaxy-wide Quest. But by the same token, it showed just how much power Soryntha hoped to keep under her control.
Although the Trakar were dangerous as well, she still felt like she had a better chance at controlling this husband. In fact, if she played her cards right, she might be part of the foundation that helped the Trakar rise up and challenge the Mortal Thryskai Clans for dominion over this Sector.
She didn’t know exactly what sort of abilities a Chosen might have, but if it was the concentrated Luck of an entire Galaxy… how could this be missed out on?
Unfortunately, all of this left Matriarch Valeria upset, which was why her two daughters were acting as though they sat on pins and needles right now.
The Matriarch didn’t care if her daughters fought or vied for position—even in this situation. The real problem was that neither of them had any results.
Nyssa’s so-called fiancée hadn’t contacted her even once.
And Soryntha, too scared to relinquish any power, didn’t dare to step out on a limb.
They were going to run her Valeria Clan into the ground like this.
