Mammoth Clan!
It had been a month after the fight against the Boar King. By now, the Empyrean Tusks had accumulated enough resources to begin moving once again. Virala's actions already weakened them. And now, after facing the Boar King, it would take them at least five to six decades to make a full recovery, if not longer.
Though, with Blola's help, there was a chance they could recover a bit faster. Raaha was actively thinking of a plan to recover their strength as soon as possible, for that was the only way in which they could resist the Boar King's attacks.
The Boar King might target them in a decade once he reaches the 2-Life Stage. Therefore, recovery took tantamount importance.
In the caravan that had now been tethered to the tail of the 103rd Empyrean Tusk, seated in one of the largest houses was Grehha, having the entire house to himself. Elites at the peak of the Body Stage were posted around his house, meant to protect him. The leader of the guards was a master at the 2-Life Stage.
This level of strength was enough to handle any unforeseen situations.
Hovering before him was an Empyrean Incubator unleashing waves of Empyrean Tusk essence into an egg in the centre. And slowly, its colour changed, becoming ivory.
Upon seeing it, Grehha grinned, "It's done."
He shrunk the Empyrean Incubator until it layered the egg and placed it to the side, amongst a pile of ivory eggs, numbering in the thousands. He then used psychokinesis to carefully pack them in large boxes, around twenty per each.
And labelled on each box was an Empyrean Tusk's number. Once they were ready, he carried the box marked for the 1st Empyrean Tusk and exited the house.
Accompanied by his team of guards, he made his way to the 1st Empyrean Tusk, taking advantage of the time when the herd had stopped to conserve their energy.
Arriving at the foot of the 1st Empyrean Tusk, Grehha waited until a bone platform landed before him. Once he boarded it, a master lifted up the platform and brought it a quarterway up the Empyrean Tusk's leg.
Another master took control of it after that and sent it to the stomach. In such a way, after four masters took control, the platform arrived atop the 1st Empyrean Tusk's head. Grehha got down and approached an expansive building made out of the grooves formed on the exoskeleton.
The design was more intricate than other Empyrean Tusks, almost resembling a crown, meant to display it as the strongest Empyrean Tusk. There was a large door serving as the entrance.
"Wait for some time." The master standing guard before the entrance said curtly and turned silent, acting no different from a statue.
The Mammoth Clan Chief was always busy, so it wasn't an issue that Grehha had to wait. Rather, he was one of the few elites who received permission to approach Raaha whenever they wanted. Even Settlement Leaders didn't have that privilege.
It took an entire three hours, following which the door opened. Grehha stepped to the side and watched a group of old men walk out, emanating a bloody stench that was extremely nauseating. It was too strong, making Grehha feel an urge to barf.
Their gazes cold, the old men spared a glance at the box in Grehha's possession and walked away. Grehha made eye contact and felt like he was staring at a corpse. The eyes of the old men were bereft of life, their expression blank as if they were merely staring into the air.
Without a change in their gait, they walked away and entered a certain building on the 1st Empyrean Tusk's head to continue walking through a channel inside that probably trailed into the biome in the Empyrean Tusk's brain.
'Something like that exists?' Grehha was stunned, having never expected an Empyrean Tusk's brain to be a biome too, 'That wasn't mentioned in Sumatra Chronicles.'
"It must be your first time seeing them." Raaha's voice resounded in his ears as Grehha recovered his bearings, "Well, get inside first."
"Yes, Chief." Nodding in a hurry, Grehha entered the house and noticed the door close behind him. There was just him and Raaha in the place, separated by a long table.
"You want to know who they are?" Raaha eyed Grehha's expression of curiosity and motioned towards a nearby seat, "Take a seat first."
"Am I…supposed to know this information, Chief?" Grehha asked, nervous. The Mammoth Clan was infamous for silencing anyone who didn't heed their directive.
The only reason the reincarnates hadn't been offed was because of the Mystic Paths. That was why their actions were greenlit by the Empyrean Tusks who forced Raaha to turn a blind eye to whatever they did, irrespective of the consequences of their actions.
"Yes, it's a necessity, since you'll be working with them soon." Raaha stared at the box in Grehha's hand, "Today's meeting was regarding your proposal."
"They weren't exactly happy, you see." He said, turning silent after that.
"Who are they, Chief?" Grehha asked, "And why haven't I seen them before?"
"They are Mammoth Elders." Raaha replied, seeming as if he had been waiting for the question, "They are the ones responsible for selecting the Mammoth Clan Chiefs and determining who will birth the 1st Empyrean Tusk's successor. They are the deciding authority for a bunch of pivotal decisions that will change the Mammoth Clan a lot."
"I thought all that was done by you, Chief." Grehha expressed his confusion, "Aren't you the strongest? Only the Boar King is stronger than you on our continent. And those…Mammoth Elders were weaker than me. They're only at the Spirit Stage."
"In terms of strength, they have no authority. But, they are born for the role." Raaha took a moment to gather his thoughts and spoke, "They are from the first generation."
"First…Generation?" Grehha asked in shock, "You mean they are from the Mammoth Ancestor's time?"
"Yes," Raaha nodded, "To ensure the Mammoth Clan continued to function according to the Mammoth Ancestor's vision, she left behind a few arrangements. First of them is the Mammoth Treasury, which is how I gained the power of the Gold Empyrean Tentacle when I became Chief. Second are these Mammoth Elders."
"Before their deaths, a Mammoth Elder will use a special Skill created by the Mammoth Ancestor to condense all their memories into a Bone Slip equivalent. They'll pick a newborn for their purpose."?Raaha spoke calmly, his eyes slightly cold, "While it's still in the womb, this Bone Slip equivalent would be merged into its head through a secret Skill."
"Thereby, when the child is born, it is as if the Mammoth Elder had reincarnated. Any talent or intelligence it might have possessed originally would be rewritten by the Skill to ensure both the baby's body and mind are the same as the Mammoth Elder's." Raaha continued, "In this manner, the Mammoth Elders have continued their legacy for generations, continuing to live and breathe for the sole purpose that is to serve the Mammoth Clan."
"That is why, to avoid any external influences, they remain at the Spirit Stage." Raaha said, "And, they have vehemently opposed your plan. They feel your actions will pollute the grandeur of our Deities."
"Are they being serious?" Grehha asked, slightly irritated, "This is the only way to strengthen ourselves. Isn't that why you supported my research, Chief?"
"Yes, which is why," Raaha nodded and got up, his tone serious as he stared at the box, "Come with me."
"We'll prove to them that your plan is a must for our future." His expression was cold as a subtle layer of Prana congealed on his skin, "Honestly, I have been getting tired of their conservative ways and the recklessness pursued by the Empyrean Tusks."
"So, prove it to me, Grehha." He said, his tone solemn, "Prove that my choice is better for our future."