Their last war went on for more than a hundred years, and at some point both nations stood on the brink of extinction, but even then they were not going to make peace, their hatred for each other was so strong.
The birth rate, both among the elves and the nagas, was very low, but the large-scale massacres that they staged with enviable regularity claimed thousands of lives on each side.
And perhaps very soon they would completely destroy each other.
But one day, an unsurpassed power appeared to them from the depths of the ocean.
The almighty being, the boundless Lord, before whom their miserable lives faded, appeared to them personally and, under the fear of instant destruction, persuaded both nations to peace, personally dividing all the disputed territories.
Over time, fear could develop into respect and even reverence for the great Lord, and hatred for the hateful neighbors faded into the background.
Nagas and elves, under the iron leadership of their all-powerful master Inmir, prospered. Their hitherto dying cities were again filled with children's laughter and parental happiness.
Of course, centuries of wars and fierce hatred could not just go away, and many still had a negative attitude towards their neighbors in the territory. But no one dared to dare to go against the lord of monsters. Especially after ten elves, who were considered the strongest magicians, having decided to go against the Lord, were literally wiped off the face of the planet in the blink of an eye, without even having time to understand what had happened.
After that, all the elves who were previously striving for rebellion, who could not come to terms with the fact that the nagas continue to live in this world, shut up, afraid to even utter a single word against.
As for the Nagas themselves, they literally bowed before Inmir.
Therefore, they already did not care at all about the elves and everything connected with them, the main thing was to please their beloved master.
* * *
The elves who teleported to the eighth floor barely kept their expressions from distorting with anger at the sight of Birgit, who was standing with the Lord, holding two lizards on a leash.
"You are ready," Ynmir asked in a calm voice.
Hearing the voice of the master, the elves realized that they had not yet bowed their knees, forgetting about it because of the hatred that blinded the mind.
"Yes, Lord," they said, bowing at the same time.
- Well, Birgit just found you excellent mounts, these are chameleon desert lizards, they are perfectly adapted to the sands, and are also able to disguise their bodies under the environment. And, of course, their driving characteristics are also on top.
"We are very grateful to you for your concern, lord.
- You thank the wrong Sen, thank Birgit, because she found these pets for you.
But Sen simply could not squeeze out gratitude for the naga, even though he tried his best to please the Sovereign.
There was an awkward silence.
Inmir silently looked at the elves, who lowered their heads and still kneeling, who, although they wanted to please him, could not begin their burning hatred.
As for Birgit, she did not give a damn about everyone and everything, except for the gentleman standing next to her, from whom she did not take her eyes off for a second.
Her head was filled with a far more important dilemma than some of the elves who hate her.
"I wonder if I ask, Vladyka will allow me to hug him? What if I hug him without permission? How will I be punished? I wonder if he likes hot springs? - the girl looked down a little: "If I move the tail a little more, I can rub the tip against his leg!"
Birgit's thoughts were interrupted by Inmir's steel-cold voice.
- You didn't hear me?!
From the power with which the words of the Lord were filled, the elves were seized by primal fear, and the chameleon lizards tried to disguise themselves as the surrounding area.
Even Birgit, frightened, bowed her head and tucked her tail.
"We are very grateful to you, Mrs. Birgit," said Leiko.
"Thank you for your work," Sen said quickly.
"Not at all," Birgit, equally frightened, mumbled.
But these labored words of gratitude could not satisfy the lord of Inmir.
"I want you all to remember that we are one nation, we are one people, we are the Empire. And if someone has problems with this, they can express them to me personally, okay?!
The elves trembled like aspen leaves in the wind, their hearts filled with a fear they had never felt before.
Unlike their ancestors, who just signed an unspoken vassalage to the empire of Inmir, they were born already at the time of the complete subordination of their people to the Lord of life, so none of them have ever experienced his anger on themselves.
From birth, they accepted the power of unsurpassed power that ruled all nations for granted, and did not think about how terrible this very power is when it is directed at you.
"Please forgive us, Vladyka, we didn't mean to upset you," Sen could hardly speak, the fear raging inside him was so strong.
Leiko, on the other hand, was literally paralyzed and could not even move an eyebrow.
"Lord, I beg you, forgive them, it was all just a misunderstanding," the snake queen said in a soft, gentle voice.
Not that she protected the elves, no, just the power of her master frightened Birgit herself, although it was not directed against her.
"Okay, let's take this as a misunderstanding.
"Of course," the brother and sister immediately answered, from the hearts of which the horror subsided.
"Now take these lizards and I will teleport you outside.
- Yes!
* * *
After the elves were teleported away, and the Lord went to his place, Birgit in frustrated feelings again climbed into the hot spring.
The girl was very upset by the fact that her beloved master left her, and even in such a harsh mood. And, although she herself was not to blame, the sediment of sadness still remained.
"Lord, I hope you will come to me again," said Birgit sadly, barely holding back the tears that rolled from the thought that the master would never come to her again and stroke her.