"My people move slowly. We rest for months at a time and provide homes for the monsters that seek shelter. We wish to continue to do so despite our small numbers." The voice was soft spoken, almost a whisper. Yet, the words were strong and clear. The coral treant representative had made this decision and spoke out sharing their values.

The other races spoke up agreeing. They too had a reason to stay if they could. They did not hate their way of life, but they knew they needed help to maintain it. A bind with another group, one capable of living in multiple elemental planes could do that.

They were willing to take the risk.

There was more to it though, their glances at the ground, at the back of the continent whale. It showed Walker everything.

They were not willing to risk losing the very guardian that they had grown accustomed to. That they viewed them as a member of their own family and their own races. They cared and so they would make sure that they showed that support, even if they felt that they were about to become nothing more than food for a larger being.

"I will take note of all of this. Just relax there and let me speak." With a soft humming, Walker put some distance between himself and the continent whale. He felt that he had misinterpreted the situation at first glance.

He had taken the words that the continent whale used as an arrogant response. Yet, he gave himself the open mindedness to move ahead and learn more.

It allowed him this view, one of a similar council to the one he had met on the Earth elemental plane and begun trade with. Their delicate balance showed a lack of territory and a rough situation of years of fighting for resources.

This situation showed the opposite.

It showed acceptances and growth. The forming of bonds to ensure survival in a vaster unknown where territory was too large to truly understand where someone may sit. These bonds formed something that Genesis was growing and could learn from as they grew even larger.

It was more like he had found a potential spark to fuel their flame of unity if he could show the example safely and clearly. He just had to make sure it happened.

The figure approaching was a bright and clear orange. Smooth skin with drifting tentacles. Some having deeper ends with hooks, a clear predatory growth to help them battle and hunt.

The eyes were surprisingly the same size as the continent whale’s eyes. It surprised Walker a little bit but he was also just taking in the massive size.

Gargantuan was right. It could easily fight the continent whale at its young age for its species. This gargantuan squid was most likely older and more used to fighting. Meaning that they might have to use some force before they understand that this needs to be a conversation and not a war.

As Walker manipulated the water to condense and become a clear sheet of ice, the larger eyes widened. Clearly, the gargantuan squid did not expect something with such control over water mana to halt it or even try to stand in its way.

"Hello. I know you might find this inconvenient, but I will need to stop you here. I understand your race and the continent whale race have fought for generations. You both evolved because of your battles. Your races became what you are because of one another competing. That is valuable, but I hope to spur both of you to change."

A rumble of water mana moved about, it caused cracks in Walker’s ice wall. Enough to tell it wasn’t happy to be stopped for what seems to be for a reason outside of its intentions.

The rumble continued a bit until words finally became clear.

"My people have fought and died. It’s our right to hunt. Our right to battle one another. Just as they have hunted us, it is the way of our existence."

The pause felt as if it was heavier and heavier until a rumble of water mana was released and the gargantuan squid turned to look directly at Walker.

"You hold power. You are not small and are not weak. Even though I intended to fight and claim my prey, I would be willing to wait. You are not powerful because you do not deserve it, you have struggled as is intended. You have become what you are because you have claimed it."

This mentality felt somewhat similar to the echidna and Demi-human thinking. The echidna respected nature and natural mana. The Demi-humans respected battle and training. Both had their unique strengths but the gargantuan squad race appeared to harbor some of both of those values.

Their fight and wars with the continent whales did not seem brutal and monstrous, they saw it as part of what they were. They preyed on them because that was necessary and what they did. They also understood that they too could become that prey.

"The continent whale you have been chasing has seven different races in its back. They survive separately but with its assistance. Defeating it in battle is not a challenge for you, but may cause their extinction as well."

A rumble of mana came as acknowledgment of this.

"You may see it as natural that they would perish, however, the world I come from and the alliance I have built respect all races as equals despite some being weaker or stronger. Their unity has created things no one else has seen in their lifetime or even the lifetime of their race. That is why I ask of you and the continent whale..."

Walker took a deeper breath then spoke clearly. "I ask you both to halt your fight. Allow yourselves the chance to change your races battle toward one that can foster growth for smaller races. Become protectors and guardians. Join the Genesis council and discover relationships you may find grow your race and yourselves." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The offer clearly intrigued the gargantuan squid. It moved its tentacles causing pulses of water mana to spiral. "My people are spread out. We travel. We grow. We fight. We could not call any one of us the leader of all. The same for those we pursue and are hunted by. The continent whales are far between."

"Then it would be a deal with just the two of you. A chance to become greater than your fellows." Not this seems to be what the gargantuan squid wished to hear.

They wished for strength to travel freely through the water elemental plane more than they desired the fight with a younger continent whale. It wasn’t just the greed to grow stronger, it was the knowledge that they could be hunted down by another because they were not strong enough.

It had lived longer. It knew that the weaker younger continent whale was never the proper fight it wished for. It wasn’t even close to the power it had seen from its mother when it was nothing but a developing egg floating in the water.

"Then share with me these benefits. I will guard your bridge to the world as it moves within this plane. That continent whale may remain there as long as they guard as well. As long as they contribute to growth and strength beyond our equals. I wish to see the center."

This comment made the water mana vibrate around them. The continent whale also reacted, a small desire within their heart all resonating.

The moment surprised both of them.

They hadn’t realized their desire to enter the grander aspects of the water elemental plane could be the same. Their race fought when they saw one another. Chased one another. Killed one another.

They never had the chance to grow enough to go to such places. The central aspect of the water elemental plane where more powerful creatures existed. Better herbs grew. Stronger fights could be had. Greater growth was a given because of the purer and more potent mana.

Now that they saw this, they understood that their races were more than just the spark that caused them to evolve further.

They were also their chains.

Two races locked together in a fight that kept them outside of the true paths beyond what they were now. They had isolated themselves entirely from chances to become purer and more powerful.

Could some of their races have made it closer? Maybe, but with their instinctual desires to fight and chase one another, it was extremely slim.

"I would agree to that. Those on my back may grow and live with me, but they may venture elsewhere. May not wish to travel to where my destiny may take me. I have killed and eaten those of your kind and you of mine. I understand. I know. But we need to grow."

It was like a snap of the fingers had been enough to bring a grand realization to both.

They were not growing. They were not moving forward. They had stagnated.

That must change now!

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