The Achievement Junkie

While Eliza and Dragas were hugging each other, Jack let loose a sigh of relief.

Outside of that conversation, both Maura and Daliea were at a loss of words. The idea of Eliza having a child was jarring to them, but not in a bad way. It was startling because it evoked a similar spark of desire inside of them. They didn't want to mention it at that moment, but they both understood the jealousy that overtook them as fellow wives.

A few moments later, the now mother-daughter couple released each other. Both of them felt glad to have either a mother or a daughter figure in their lives, something that they both had wanted for a long time.

"So, Dragas, I was wondering--"

"Son, speak clearly," stated Dragas, implying something.

Jack clicked his tongue and restated, "So, Mother, I was wondering something. My view of the Neutral Gods as a hero during Ancient Kartonia was very different from what I've been learning lately. Can I ask you a few things about the Neutral Gods?"

"Of course, Sweetie," replied Dragas.

"Then, why did the Neutral Gods never face either of the other godly factions?" asked Jack. "Us ancient heroes saw the Neutral Gods as misfits that couldn't fit into either the holy or the chaotic pantheons, but I'm starting to think otherwise."

Smiling, Dragas answered, "Well, you're not wrong, first off. None of us would ever fit into the other panthons, that's a fact. We're too free-spirited for their rules and needless structure. Unlike the other pantheons, each of us Neutral Gods have their own desires and passions to pursue and act upon. Taking orders isn't what we do. We're completely independent and can do whatever we wish. That's what it means to be a Neutral God."

"But why did all the Neutral Gods decide to fade from history before the Godly War?"

"Well, none of us care for war or needless bloodshed, so why should we have joined the Godly War?" argued Dragas. "Though we're more than capable, that doesn't mean we have to act according to the standards and expectations of the other pantheons. Besides, do you think a lot of the other gods were so willing to partake in the Godly War? I've heard a few things and know of a few different gods that were punished for their lack of participation.

"Take Lunara and Kori, for example." Dragas continued, "One only joined the fray at last minute due to her egg being stolen and one refused to join the war entirely. Now, both are being isolated and aren't allowed to leave their temples without facing grave consequences."

Thinking back to the contracts that Daruun mentioned before, Jack sympathized with Dragas's words.

Bowzer, on the other hand, started to feel some anger begin to swell inside him. Hearing that his father was punished for refusing to enter that bloody war of old was fuel for his inner rage. The fox spoke up, asking, "What kind of consequences do they face if they leave their temples?"

"Hmm… I believe it was the loss of a limb on the first offense," answered Dragas. "And after that, it was either losing godhood or their life. Something like that, I believe."

Suddenly, a heat wave burst over the area. Everyone felt a rush of heat emanating from Bowzer even though his flame body wasn't activated.

"Calm down, little fox," Dragas stated, startled to see the fox's temper. "Who are you exactly?"

Bowzer hesitated, trying to not activate his flame body by accident. He spoke through gritted teeth, "I'm Bowzer… Kori's son…"

"Oh… I see…"

Dragas was amazed to learn that Jack had not only gathered aid from the gods so far, but that Jack had also found such a powerful ally outside of the influence of the Neutral Gods.

Eliza, Maura, and Daliea were astounded by that fact as well. It had never been mentioned by Jack or Bowzer, so that news was mind-blowing to discover.

"Calm down, Bowzer," Jack approached Bowzer and started to run his hands through Bowzer's hot fur. "Calm down, for now. I'm sure he's alright and we'll see him again. Don't worry about him. He's a god so I'm sure he can handle himself."

Gradually, the temperature of the room began to lower and return to normal. But Bowzer's cold glare didn't change.

"Dragas," Jack continued his questioning, "are the other factions afraid of the Neutral Gods?"

The goddess chuckled, "Of course not! Why should they be? Both of those factions have more gods then we do and they were chosen mostly for their strength. Skaryn ended up making a more well-rounded pantheon, but that's only because he had Moranti to back him up. In terms of raw battle strength, the Holy Gods have the edge but, in terms of battling in a group dynamic, the Chaotic Gods have the edge. That's why neither side won the Godly War.

"By comparison, us Neutral Gods are very different. Though we are powerful in battle, we each specialize in an aspect outside of battle as well. We're the most versatile and adaptable pantheon, and our information system is better than the other two pantheons' combined," reasoned Dragas. "That's why they're not afraid of us, but I would say that they're more cautious of us than they are of each other."

Glad to hear Dragas's perspective, Jack then asked, "Can you tell me more about the specialties of the Neutral Gods, Mother?"

"Sure thing, Son." Dragas giggled and answered, "I think you understand what I specialize in now, seduction and support. Your father, Sterfen, is the master of stealth and secrecy but he was also the most feared assassin to ever roam Kartonia."

Hearing that, Jack was both taken aback and emboldened. He was proud to learn that about his dad.

"Eedaj can read minds and see almost everywhere within Kartonia with his personal spell God's Perspective, but he's also the most torturous manipulator of the mind. He's the only god to successfully torture and extract information out of another god. Also, he's one of the few gods that has killed another god," added Dragas, giving everyone goosebumps.

"You already know about Daruun, so I'll skip him," Dragas continued, not letting anyone ask more about Eedaj. "Guuro is an amazing cleric but he's also the shrewdest businessman to ever live, and he's the man behind the creation of Federal City. He's got a habit of disguising himself and becoming a ghost investor in mortal businesses.

"Jin is a man among men who diligently wields his katanas with a precision that even Tyres, the Sword God, can't match. He's also a master of calligraphy and map making, though no one would be able to guess that from meeting him."

"Seriously?!" Jack shouted in shock.

"Oh, so you've already met him," laughed Dragas. "Anyway, the final Neutral God is Rikko, who shouldn't be underestimated. He's very simple-minded but he's a master tactician. His personal strength isn't anything special among the gods, but his quick wits and natural battle instincts can make up for that. And since even playing chess against him is absurd, I can only imagine that warring against him wouldn't be any fun either."

"No way?! The Goblin God is a master tactician?!" That was something that Jack couldn't process easily.

"Don't be fooled by his simple speech, he's too tactical and is almost always underestimated. Why else would he be so good at sleight of hand? His simple speech will get you to drop your guard, allowing him to pillfer from even gods if they're not careful," reasoned Dragas.

"That… Wow, I never would've guessed all that." With a new perspective on the Neutral Gods, Jack tried to picture how they might fight as a unit.

If the Holy Gods were camparative to a powerful, uniform army, then the Chaotic Gods were like guerrilas that fought smarter and not harder. And then there would be the Neutral Gods, a special operations team that would always be three steps ahead and ready to snipe or assassinate any single foe.

Clearly, in a straight forward war, the Neutral Gods would have the biggest disadvantage with Jin being the only front-liner of the six active Neutral Gods and with their fewer members. However, Jack wasn't yet counting himself or the other godly candidates they had, which could flip that scenario in their favor if they were given time.