Many of the groups were extremely well-established, and it was a rare occasion to see them all gathered at one place.
Some of those powerful parties thought they could easily win the family over and successfully take Forlevia in as their disciple, given their solid track records and reputations.
No one expected a record-breaking seventy-four parties would vie for a little girl.
The decision on which master to pick would be a difficult one for the family.
“Yes, this merit a proper discussion. A prodigy like her would be wasted if she joins a mediocre party. However, we, The Anseri, would be the perfect choice for her. Why don’t the rest of you give up and let us have her?”
“No! The Iris Palace ain’t inferior when compared to you!”
“Forlevia is a girl, so it would be best for her to join us at Lilac House!”
The different parties started to argue with one another, creating a chaotic scene.
The Lopez and Black families had mixed emotions. They were pleasantly surprised Forlevia’s talent was widely recognized and valued, and she was creating a stir not only in Erudia but internationally. However, with so many choices, it would be tough for them to choose the right master for her.
The situation was getting a little out of hand. The Lopez and Black families were worried a physical fight could break out, as the different parties became more emotional and the arguments turned heated.
“Stop these arguments!” Just then, someone shouted out, and the crowd stopped their arguments and turned toward the speaker. It was one of the warriors from Foinix. They were the first to arrive and had fought off many of the intruders.
“Why don’t we gather here again three days later and every one of us does a presentation to showcase our own strengths? Allow the family to get to know about us, and then they can make an informed decision on which master Forlevia should learn from,” she suggested.
“That is a good idea! We may end up fighting one another if the arguments continue.”
“That’s right! Let them make the decision. May the best man win! This will also show those crude foreigners how we resolve issues with sophistication in Erudia.”
All the leaders nodded and agreed to the suggestion, so it was decided they will hold a discipleship ceremony in North Hampton in three days’ time to present themselves, and at the end of the day, the selected party can officially accept Forlevia as their disciple in a public ceremony.
On that day, the different parties would do a presentation to showcase their strength and reveal their trump card.
After the presentations, Forlevia and her family can make the decision on who she would join.
It would be difficult to decide which is the strongest party, as every party has its own unique strength. A few parties would likely emerge as forerunners based on their prowess and credibility. However, other considerations such as the style of the skills, the environment of the party’s base, and its people would affect the family’s decision.
There were many factors to consider, and the ball was in Zoey’s court. She and her family would have to make the difficult decision for Forlevia.
Despite the foreseeable difficult decision, the Lopez and Black families were excited. They knew that with the strong support behind Forlevia, their own futures would be bright. Even the Great Family of Westford would benefit from their relationship with Forlevia.
Soon, Levi rushed home and what greeted him was more scoldings from the family. His in-laws and Emma were furious, and they had valid reasons to be. Levi, being the father of Forlevia, was not there to protect her in times of danger.
If the invited and volunteer warriors did not turn up to defend the family, Forlevia would have fallen into the hands of the attackers.
“I don’t want to hear your explanation. Forlevia was in grave danger, yet you were not around. Talk is cheap. We are disappointed in you!” Zoey was furious too, and she gave him a piece of her mind.
Levi knew what happened, as his team had updated him on the event unfolded.
He did not expect so many people would turn up to defend his daughter, leaving his team with no chance to fulfill their duty.
“Three days later, there will be a discipleship ceremony. Close to a hundred parties will be here to invite Evie to join them. We will select the most suitable master for Evie.” Despite being angry, Zoey shared the good news with Levi.
“They want to take my daughter as a disciple? Well, we will have to see if they are qualified to be her master. I will be there!” Levi laughed.
