The Achievement Junkie

Far from Gilga and the Trodan border, a tall mountain peak pierced through the clouds. It reigned over the small border country of Warmount, a small nation that formed from the remnants of an ancient empire. This peak was the tallest in all Kartonia, easily eclipsing all other mountain tops.

The peak was inaccessible to humans and virtually impossible to climb. Yet a man was pacing inside a pavilion atop the peak, wondering what that strange energy was that he felt moments ago.

"Naparn…"

That man suddenly turned around, utterly shocked to hear that faint, familiar voice. Naparn hurried out of his pavilion and entered the vast, golden palace connected to it.

Worry filled the god's mind as he wondered what could cause him to be summoned. It was the first time since the end of the Godly War that Naparn had been summoned. He was given control over the Holy Gods temporarily at that time, but what was so drastic for his sole superior to call upon him again?

"Naparn…"

"I'm here, Halmut, your excellency. What is it that you need of me?" Panting, Naparn rushed into the major god's chamber as quickly as he could. Never had he been called twice before arriving.

"Naparn…" The room shook slightly as a gigantic golden moved for the first time in one thousand years. His neck craned over Naparn's human form, revealing the crown of horns that decorated the dragon's mighty head. The beast's wings then swung open, generating hurricane-level winds as they stretched themselves. "Why are you in your human form, Naparn? You know better…"

"Oh, of course!" Scared straight, Naparn instant began his transformation. Hot energy coursed over him like magma as he took the shape of a long dragon with black scales and what seemed to be lava flowing between each scale. "Forgive my offense, Halmut."

"Very well… This time I'll forgive you since it's been so long," Halmut's voice echoed inside the chamber and Naparn's skull. "Naparn… It's begun."

"What's begun?" Confused, Naparn asked, "Halmut, your excellency, what's begun?"

"He's been summoned… Daruun's champion has not only arrived, but he's begun to make his move," stated Halmut, almost paling the Magma Dragon's black-scaled face. "You failed at the one task I gave you, Naparn. What shall your punishment be?"

"Halmut, your excellency, please forgive my failed foresight. I can assure you, this was not my intention," The Magma Dragon dropped to his knees, prostrating himself before the much larger Golden Dragon. "I've been so busy trying to keep the rebel gods in line that I must have overlooked Daruun's champion. But I'm sure that Lorwynn is far more prepared and able to hunt down--"

"Enough!"

Naparn almost bit off his tongue as Halmut exerted pressure over the Magama Dragon to shut him up.

"Never underestimate anything that man does… Since Daruun's champion has already begun taking action, then he must have already laid down some precautions to keep us from immediately attacking him," Halmut reasoned. "Besides… We can't send Lorwynn after Daruun's champion just yet, not with Skaryn's champion so near. I'm sure Lorwynn is preoccupied for some time. Once Skaryn's champion falls and that threat is lessened, then we'll make a move against Daruun's champion."

"But Halmut, your excellency… We outnumber the Neutral Gods and out level them as well. Why must we always avoid conflict with them?" questioned Naparn, still prostrated.

"Just do as I say. In time, you'll come to know just how difficult dealing with Daruun and his followers can be…" The gargantuan Golden Dragon sighed. "Now go. Keep an eye on Trodar, but don't make a move without my permission. Do you understand, Naparn?"

"I understand, your excellency."

"Then leave me to rest." Returning his head and neck to a pillow fitted to match, Halmut repositioned himself a started to softly snore as he had for one thousand years.

*****

"Moranti! Moranti!"

Shouts filled the underground cavern as a small band of humans rushed through the passage. Soon, they reached an ordinary door and threw it open without warning.

"Moranti! Did you feel that? What was that?"

"I don't know. Now leave since you all cam uninvited."

In the small, candlelit room behind the beat-up wooden door, sat a cloaked man with legs crossed, meditating.

"But Moranti, that felt like the time you opened up that massive spatial rift. Don't you remember when--"

"I said get out!" Taking a deep breath and uncrossing his legs, Moranti opened his eyes. Staring back at the other Chaotic Gods who dared visit him uninvited, the white in Moranti's eyes was taken over by abyssal darkness. "You've interrupted my meditation!"

"We're sorry, Moranti!" The god in front fell to his hands and knees, followed by the other two. "We apologize for our offense. We only wanted to know what kind of power could cause such a disturbance, and you're the only one we can ask."

"Don't bow to him. He's not Skaryn," stated another voice as a fourth human walked in. "Moranti, stop trying to scare them already. Now, tell us what that disturbance was."

The dark abyss disappeared from Moranti's eyes just when spacial energy was replacing his irises. "I don't know."

"Liar! You most definitely know what that was! There was an explosion of spatial energy coming from Trodar," stated the fourth man with his muscular stature. "Was is the Leisure Guild's teleportation hub? Did they reactivate it somehow?"

Moranti lifted his eyes to meet his fellow god's gaze. "Oh, that? Most likely you're right. I'm not sure how it happened, but that's the most likely cause. Is that all you wanted to ask me, Pestro? I'd rather not have your ugly mug distracting me from my meditation."

Snarling, Pestro turned around in anger. "Come one. This guy's useless. We've got other things to worry about for now. Ready the syndicate members and make sure Hadurt is ready to go. Leave him to meditate in his shackles."

Snickering and enjoying the chance to pick on Moranti, the other three gods laughed and followed Pestro out.

Once the door was closed, Moranti smile but he didn't return to his meditative stance.

Shaking the chains that kept Moranti from leaving that small room, the God of Space searched his tattered clothes to find a contact crystal, the only item that he had successfully smuggled into his captivity long ago.

Moranti swiped his finger across the air, locking the door and wrapping some chains around it. With another wave of his finger, Moranti cast silence.

He took a few deep breaths, relieved to know that his opportunity to be free would soon arrive.

But before Moranti activated his contact crystal, he quickly hid it away again and returned the room to normal. Moranti assumed his meditative position just before the door swung open yet again.

Sighing, Moranti opened his eyes. "What's so important that you came personally? Did you want to revel in what you've done to me all these years? Go ahead, I'll let you just this once."

"Shut up, Moranti," spat the new visitor. "Did you feel that, yes or no?"

"Feel what?"

That furious god charged Moranti and punched his stomach. As the God of Space coughed in pain, the visitor then punched Moranti's side and then groped him by the throat. "Did you feel that, yes or no?"

"Feel what?" completely unperturbed and unaffected by the violence, Moranti replied nonchalantly as blood dribbled down his lip.

"... You'd better not have. If I catch you trying something again, you'll end up much worse than this." Again, the furious visitor spat on the pitiful God of Space.

But as the visitor was leaving, Moranti chuckled loudly, "Or what? You'll kill me? Two of you died trying to do this to me last time. Imagine what I'll do if you actually try to kill me. Maybe even Skaryn would show you more mercy--"

"Shut it! That's enough!" barked the visitor. "Enjoy your isolation."

As the door was slammed shut, Moranti heard the various locks on the outside get set, proving that he had sufficiently provoked his former comrade.

Moranti then swiped his finger a few times and readied more chains on his side of the door, then casting silence. Now able to speak without the chance of someone interrupting, Moranti took one last deep breath before activating his contact crystal.