The Achievement Junkie

A great flash filled Dragov's chamber as the party returned to the Leisure Guild.

Jack turned to his party members and asked, "Do any of you want to come with me to see Eedaj?"

"I will."

"I already knew that, Daliea," Jack chuckled. "Anyone else?"

"I'm going to stay here and train with Dragov." Bowzer hurried over to the massive centipede and shouted, "Dragov! Can I attack you with everything I've got?"

"Go ahead, Bowzer. I'm always willing to help a friend." Dragov bowed his head, respecting the fierce look in Bowzer's eyes.

While Bowzer started to activate his flame body, the party started to ascend the stairs. Everyone wanted to tag along with Jack, excluding Phoro who immediately returned to his nest along with Appa, who had also made himself a nest.

Soon, the party was in front of Eedaj's personal courtyard and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The party entered the main chamber and found Eedajwaiting for them. Lina enjoyed the comfy leather couches that Eedaj had brought from Korten as the rest of the party paid close attention to Jack and their host.

"I'm guessing you'll be asking about my people and the turmoil they faced long ago…" Eedaj looked to Jack, who nodded. "Very well… I'll try to not ramble but still give you the information that you're seeking, Jack."

Eedaj pulled a pot from cooking fire between the couches and poured himself some tea. He took a sip. Then, he placed the pot back over the fire. Finally, Eedaj sighed and looked back to Jack.

"It was long ago, before a majority of the gods were even deities. Your father, Sterfen, was only a demigod when this took place." Eedaj hesitated before continuing, "After Halmut and Skaryn came Moranti. After them came Lyrun and finally myself."

Blinking, Jack asked with a smile, "You were the fifth god?"

"If you're not counting your grandfather," added Eedaj. "The sixth god was the first of a large batch of demigods to arise at the time. He was regarded as the most powerful genius of that generation, a generation far after my own. And since he had just joined the Holy Gods, he was quite cocky and boasted about his powerful bloodline, stating it was second only to Halmut's"

"What bloodline did he have?" asked Jack.

"He was a Magma Dragon."

"The same as Naparn?"

Eedaj nodded. "In fact, it was Naparn's elder brother. But that's beside the point… That sixth god, as idiotic as he was, decided to push the limits of stupidity. I had called him out a few times for acting without reason, only for Lyrun to shelter the immature god.

"Soon after… that idiot dragon had the audacity to attempt what he stated as 'teaching me a lesson'." Pausing, Eedaj took a long sip of tea before continuing, "While I was away visiting Lyrun at Olympic Chateau… that foolish god laid waste to the city my people had built to rival Estonya. We were a stange race, one that started with me from a mutation I was born with. Rather than wield holy magic like other elves, I wielded dark magic. That wasn't something the other elves took kindly to… Even my elder brother…

"For that reason, we had built a city in another country, where Stladen stands now. But that emerging nation never had a chance to rise… At the time I was preoccupied by Lyrun, who was trying to sway me to join the Holy Gods. I had no clue that he was merely distracting me while the foolish dragon dared attack my people… By the time I came home, the place was in ruin and not a single building stood…"

Dark energy began to swirl around Eedaj, leaking out from rage. The god took another deep breath and a sip of tea, calming that energy.

Eedaj continued, "It was then that I could no longer forgive my brother nor the Holy Gods for backing that dragon's efforts. I used my personal spell God's Perspective to track down that fool… And then… I developed my second personal spell specifically to torture and extract every morsel of information out of him…"

With Eedaj pausing so often, Jack found a moment to ask, "And what skill is that?"

"Cerebral Collapse…" answered Eedaj. "It renders the brain malfunctional, leaving behind memories but also leaving it unable to activate any motor skills or even speak. All the victim can do is move their eyes, that way they can watch me inspect their minds thoroughly, ripping their consciousness apart bit by bit… And thus was the fate of the sixth god, and the fall of my people…"

Jack swallowed some saliva and asked, "Do you think Lyrun had a hand in--"

"Yes," Eedaj answered before Jack could finish his question. "Don't fall for his ploy. I've heard what Sterfen had to say about Lyrun acting as a rebel in secret, but I refuse to believe it."

"Why?"

The fury in Eedaj's eyes returned. "Because that's who he is. I may be branded as the great manipulator of the mind, but he's the greatest manipulator I've ever known. And should someone he knows, especially a mutant younger brother, show more potential than him, he'd rather plot in secret than let the world know his true colors. He's more loyal to Halmut than anyone, I've witnessed that with my own eyes before any other Neutral God had even became a godly candidate."

"I see… Then, you never managed to find your people after that?"

"Eventually, I did," stated Eedaj. "But they had already taken to new customs and called themselves something else. Most had forgotten that they once had their own proper language, let alone how to speak it… And the few tribes I had found that retained our language and most of our culture weren't being targeted by anyone. So… I decided that it might be best for them if I didn't get involved again, keeping a target off their backs."

"But…" Daliea spoke up with a shaky voice, "You said you were the first… Doesn't that mean they're your family?"

Looking Daliea in the eye, Eedaj sighed as a shiver ran down his body. "I lost my family to that foolish beast… And considering the spite that already existed between us and the other elves, I felt it was best that they don't bear the added resentment. But I also didn't know that you would get hunted again… I'm sorry for not protecting you as I should have."

"It's okay, Palpo." Daliea got up and sat beside Eedaj. "Even though we were scattered, we're back now. That's all that matters, that's what you said."

"Dhendi…" Eedaj wrapped an arm around Daliea and leaned his forehead into hers. "Thank you…"

"I'm sorry, Father-in-law," Jack bowed his head to Eedaj. "I'm the reason you remembered all those old feelings, forgive me."

"You're not to blame, Jack. I would be curious too, it's only natural," Eedaj replied, lifting his head. "If anything, now you understand that I will never again trust Lyrun, and I don't think you should either, no matter what anyone else says."

"Then… what do we do about Lorwynn? He's Lyrun's disciple."

Eedaj shook his head with a frown. "I tried to warn him, but that young mage refused to believe me, ignoring all of my warnings. He had finally escaped Lyrun's control, so I can only hope that he remains outside of it from now on."

"Well, it's getting late, so we should get going. Thanks for sharing." Jack again bowed his head. He then looked to everyone else, adding, "I think it's time we get some rest."

Everyone stood and bowed to Eedaj. However, Eedaj kept his arm around Daliea. The god asked, "Dhendi… would you mind staying here tonight? I have a spare room ready and I can prepare you some classic Greis dishes."

"I'd like that." Daliea smiled and looked to Jack, stating, "I'll be staying here tonight if you need me."

"Sure thing. But next time, I'd like to try the food too," Jack laughed, waving goodbye as he led everyone else out of the room, leaving the father and daughter to share some ancient traditions and tales.