The Achievement Junkie

"As the sole side with a champion alive, what can they do?"

"You know very well that they play by different rules, Lyrun," snarled Naparn, letting smoke emit from his burning body. "We're the one who can't attack them, not the other way around. Even with their champion, they should be allowed to fight us should we attack them. So how are we going to handle this now? And are you sure Lorwynn died?"

Lyrun nodded. "His blessing has gone inactive…"

Still fuming mad, Naparn scratch his head furiously. As he scratched away at his skin, molten lava started to ooze from the scratch marks.

"I think there are still a few options for what to do. First, is there anything wrong with selecting a new champion?" asked Lyrun.

"That's impossible," replied Naparn. "Halmut was only allowed to choose a single champion. Those were the rules set by the main gods. For him to choose another… There's no telling what would happen."

"What if both sides chose a new champion?" Lyrun continued questioning. "And can't we go visit Daruun since he happens to be here? Then we can ask to rediscuss the terms of the champions."

"Why would he rediscuss the terms?! His champion is clearly doing well for himself to have summoned Daruun personally," argued Naparn. As Naparn got madder, more magma started to ooze from his person. "What if we just target the neutral champion? Then we could at least remove the variable of mortal interference from the equation."

"That's the second option I wanted to mention. It'll be difficult since the chaotic gods still have most of the syndicate to use as they wish, but after some time we should be able to refocus our efforts against the neutral champion," reasoned Lyrun.

Naparn squinted, somewhat calmed by Lyrun's agreement. "Why can't we attack the neutral champion now?"

"Do you want to throw away the remnants of the association that Lorwynn built?" asked Lyrun. "If we don't patch things up there right now, who's to say that the syndicate won't arrive and finish them off while we're preoccupied. Then the mortal influence would be even greater against us, wouldn't it?"

"Right… Things were easier when this was only a two-front war," Naparn stated in an annoyed tone.

"Also, you're forgetting something extremely important, Naparn."

Baffled, Naparn asked, "And what's that?"

"The information network of the neutral gods. Combining our information gathering abilities with that of the chaotic gods just barely lets us compete with their information," stated Lyrun. "Sterfen is the most notorious assassin, but he's also the greatest spy to ever exist in Kartonia throughout the ages. And we can't underestimate Eedaj's abilities either, that I can guarantee on my life as his blood brother.

"Perhaps that's why Halmut is hesitant to attack the neutral gods? Though Daruun supposedly cannot harm any of us gods, when you have him fill in few gaps of information that Eedaj and Sterfen can collect… The neutral faction will always have the edge on the most important part of war, information."

"I never thought about it like that… That must be why I've never been able to sense their champion but he somehow summoned Daruun. That level of information is a terrifying thing to war against, I will agree with that." Naparn nodded, finally letting the magma oozing from him dry up and crust over.

"Then, are we going to go with the second option?" asked Lyrun.

"Most likely… We'll have to go with the second option," Naparn replied with a sigh. "But that means we'll need Perchet's help, doesn't it?"

"I'm afraid so. Without him gathering information, taking on the neutral faction would lead to an unknown outcome," Lyrun stated.

"Blasted rebel gods… How dare they stand against Halmut, the one who gave them immortality?!" Naparn's shout shook the pavilion that he and Lyrun stood on.

Lyrun sighed, "There will come a time to punish them accordingly, Naparn. But for now, we need his assistance. Without it, we would be blind when compared to the endless information that the neutral faction can access."

"I'll send Torian and Grixor to handle him then. With both of them, they should be able to get him to cooperate," added Naparn. "But what should we do about Kori and Lunara?"

"Lunara's situation is complicated thanks to her secret marriage to Sterfen, so I don't think we should attempt to control her just yet. Kori is different though. At least Lunara stays tucked away in her temple like she was ordered. Kori does whatever he wishes and goes wherever he likes. Didn't you find outside of your temple recently?"

"Yeah… and he put up a bit of fight before he finally turned tail and ran home," replied Naparn. "How can we control him, though?"

"Last I heard, there was a new hero in the association that has a Hell-flame Fox for a companion. Maybe we could look into that and find something," answered Lyrun.

Naparn finally smiled. "A member of his species survived? And it's already under our control? My, my… How much does fate hate that deplorable fox?"

*****

Far from Federal City, a forest was still. That forest was so dense that sunlight could barely pass through the treetops. Silky thread covered nearly every trunk and enormous webs could be spotted everywhere.

Then, a purple pulse of energy abruptly appeared within that dense forest, hiding the natural purple hue within the dense foliage.

As the purple energy faded, a circular barrier made of green energy was left behind. Two figures stood within that barrier as it started to break apart and disintegrate.

"Lorwynn, what's the meaning of this?! What have you done?!"

"Shut up and listen, Hadurt! I saw you thinking about my last question, that's why I brought you along," replied the mage. "But if you want my explanation, then you'll have to deny Pestro's blessing immediately."

"That's--"

"Do you want to work for them till you die?!" shouted Lorwynn, forcing Hadurt to accept the reality of the role they had been coerced to accept long ago.

"... Fine." Hadurt sighed. Closing his eyes, Hadurt grunted and forced some black demonic energy from his body. When it dispersed, he noticed that his armor was still basically untouched. Yet he also saw Lyrun's Staff breaking apart like Halmut's Scepter did to cast Holy Castigation. "If you're defenseless now, tell me why I shouldn't kill you here?"

"Because you're also curious if there's another way to end all this. You want to know if there's a way to survive till the end and possibly get revenge on the gods that turned you into a weapon of mass destruction," Lorwynn replied with a smile.

Hadurt frowned and pointed his blade at Lorwynn. "Did I ever say I disliked my current self?"

"Did you ever say you liked it?" argued Lorwynn. "Five hundred years is enough time to force you to think their way, but by giving in to the mindset they forced upon you, doesn't that make you nothing more than a tool for them to throw away once it's useless?"

"I won't ever become useless!" shouted Hadurt, thrusting the blade toward Lorwynn's neck.

The mage didn't move, letting Hadurt's blade stop just before piercing Lorwynn's skin. "See? If you really want to be their puppet, then why didn't you kill me just then?"

Since Hadurt remained silent, Lorwynn continued, "Do you want revenge against them? Be honest, admit it!"

"... So what if I did?" Keeping his greatsword at Lorwynn's neck, Hadurt glanced away and replied, "There's no way for that to happen. All I can do is make myself useful."

"But what if there was a way, Hadurt?"

"Impossible… To fight a god, I'd have to become one. It's impossible Lorwynn, I've already looked into that route."

"But now it's not impossible." Lorwynn smiled while nudging the sward away from his throat. "Come with me to the Leisure Guild."