Chapter 117 — Don't You Dare
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"I can fight too.. why am I being sent out of the Underworld?" Zina protested.
"That's true... This is discrimination. Why is it only we the ladies that got sent out while you guys were chosen?" Kamira lamented.
"And you too Fatso.. you're wearing the robe of the Sky Pavilion.. do you forget I'm your mama?" Malena reprimanded.
"Mama... It's not my fault... The Northern Gladiator Guilds only accepts males..." Fatso almost burst into tears.
"Misogynists... Judas.. your guild is misogynistic.." Zina spat.
"Calm down Zina. The orders of the Northern Gladiator Guilds are to protect you all.." Judas stated.
"Yes. This is a war — anything could happen.." George flaunted his sky blue robe.
"And the three of you are women. We can't be fighting and still be protecting you three." Cleo added, also flaunting his blue robe. He had joined the Northern Gladiator Guilds too.
"Oh.. who needs your goddamn protection.." Malena's eyes shone with anger.
"Mama.." Fatso tried to calm her down.
"You think we are weak, right?" Zina glared at the men with contempt. Even Judas — whom she had feelings for — was irritating her now.
"No... That's not what we are saying.." Cleo voiced out.
"We are just trying to protect you all.." Judas completed.
"The Asura clan are a vicious clan.... They love toying with females..."
"Nasty things.. lots of nasty things.." Fatso almost gagged.
The ladies were infuriated. They stomped their feet and glared with anger.
Spidey rushed up to Kamira's wrist. Malena's eyes shone. Zina reached for her silver bow.
A fight was about to break out between the boys and the ladies — an inevitable fight because neither side would yield to the other.
The ladies wanted to join the group and fight the war against the Asura clan. The men wouldn't hear of it.
They all had their reasons. Valid reasons.
The Asura race were a race with no dignity whatsoever. They had no respect for humans. Countless females in the Underworld had been molested, harassed, raped and killed by the Asurans — and the men feared this fate for their ladies.
The ladies on the other hand wanted to contribute to the war. They felt the men were tagging them as weaklings and they wanted to prove them wrong.
This conflict of interest was about to spark war among the group itself.
And in the near distance, seated at the edge of a structure, was a young man in a white robe looking into the distance.
Kamira's eyes drifted toward him — his red hair tied in a ponytail, his hands constantly caressing a golden token.
'Why does he care so much about that token?' Kamira sighed.
Socrates was lost in thought. He wasn't even aware of everything happening around him.
His mind had drifted to the past. To the one figure who had made him reach where he was today.
His life without Mr. Jaggers might have ended on the Bermutha Island.
Mr. Jaggers had sacrificed his life for his sake.
Mr. Jaggers had been the push that made him endure to this point.
Mr. Jaggers was the true owner of the golden token.
"Socrates..." Kamira called sharply — pulling his mind back to the team.
Socrates snapped out of his thoughts and turned toward the group, immediately sensing the tension in the atmosphere.
He descended and appeared before them in an instant.
"What's the fuss about?"
Both sides explained their reasoning. Socrates listened carefully, his eyes moving between the two parties.
"You're both right.... You both have valid reasons.... If it were just up to me, I would have allowed you ladies to come along.." Socrates started — and the ladies lit up with joy.
"But rules are rules... If the Guild says no then no it is..." The ladies' happiness died instantly. Now it was the men's turn to laugh.
"The question is — do you know the purpose of this rule? Every individual has a role to play in this life.... In a war, not everyone is going to be on the frontline... not everyone is going to be on offense.... There are some who take the defensive role... some in the middle... some play the role of support... Anything can happen in war and our primary aim is to close this underworld...
There are a lot of people still in the Underworld... some can't leave — whether out of fear or because of ties they have here....
We won't be there but you ladies can be here... ensuring orderliness... evacuating the ordinary humans and helping them successfully leave the underworld....
You are also partaking in the war and your task is even more important than ours — because the lives of these mortals matter.." Socrates analyzed carefully.
Everyone was absorbed by his words.
The ladies understood perfectly. His words had fully convinced them.
"Brother Socrates.. you're so eloquent.. I'll play the role of support." Malena blushed.
"Brother Socrates.. well said — unlike certain people.." Zina flashed him a smile before turning to glare hard at Judas, who hid his face behind his golden fan.
Kamira stepped forward and hugged Socrates without a word.
Socrates was surprised but embraced her anyway.
Malena rolled her eyes, her face tightening with jealousy.
Socrates noticed — and opened one arm toward her.
Her eyes widened. She rushed forward and hugged him from the side — and Fatso's heart tightened at the sight of it.
Kamira cursed Malena in her mind as she found herself sharing the embrace, both ladies tucked into Socrates' arms.
"Brother Socrates.. you're being unfair... what about me?" Zina pouted.
"You can come too.." Socrates replied — and suddenly a burst of golden energy exploded outward.
"DON'T YOU DARE." A voice roared — and the rest burst out laughing.