The Achievement Junkie

"Halmut!"

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"HALMUT!"

Grixor pounded on the door while Torian shouted, having long lost his patience with calling the Sun God by his preferred title.

"HALMUT! You owe us all answers!"

"Perhaps we should ask tomorrow. It seems that--"

"If Halmut had the gall to hide the truth of Daruun's power from us, then he'd better give me a reason for his actions!" Torian roared. "If not, then I may consider my chances with Daruun and Jack. Clearly, they wouldn't mind helping me start over from lv. 90."

"That's--"

"If you go, Torian, then I go too."

"Are you--"

"Thank you, Grixor, but that should be your own decision," stated Torian. "I simply want an explanation. I don't believe Halmut is stupid enough to get on Daruun's bad side without reason. Before I do anything, I want to know that reason."

Nodding, Grixor replied, "But even if we left, would they welcome us that easily? After everything, I doubt we'd be able to join the others without unfavorable conditions… I want to know Halmut's reasoning too."

With more fervor, Grixor pounded on the door, having now left a small imprint of his closed fist from hours of pounding. "Halmut! Share your reasoning with us! We aren't going to let them monopolize the only divine dungeon, are we?"

To the surprise of the three gods at the door, a heavy knock came from the other side of the door.

"Gather everyone… I want Kylon and her Flood Dragons present as well…"

"Yes, your excellency!" Tralbok replied first with an instinctual bow, despite Halmut being unable to see him.

"We'll make sure everyone's there within five minutes. Don't keep us waiting, Halmut."

"Torian… I told you long ago to address me as--"

"If you want to activate the contract, go ahead," stated the Thundering God. "Sure, I'll lose my godhood and be expelled from the chateau, but I'm fast enough to get help before you kill me. And you need me and all of your strongest pawns."

A moment passed. The door finally cracked open and a giant draconic eye peered through the crack. "State the reason for your sudden growth of a spine."

"With me and Grixor at lv. 98, we're your greatest assets. Do you want us contemplating switching sides?" asked Torian, raising an eyebrow in confidence. "We know you don't. So why not let us be more than pawns. But that means you'd better inform us about the reality of our situation, including your true relationship with Daruun and his background."

"... Very well… That's understandable, but show me the respect I deserve as the man that made you the god you are today," Halmut reasoned. "I'll be in the conference room in five minutes. I begin my explanation then, whether everyone is present or not."

The door closed and resealed itself, leaving Torian and Grixor with smiles on their faces.

Tralbok, on the other hand, was internally furious. He had underestimated Halmut's relationship with Grixor and Torian, believing that Lyrun was the only one that was well-trusted by Halmut. Also, Tralbok wasn't a dragon, already putting himself at a disadvantage compared to the Thundering and Earthen Gods. Tralbok was the first to rush off and spread the word as he didn't like seeing the smiles on Torian's and Grixor's faces.

When word spread that Halmut finally answered the door and had ordered a meeting, all gods within Olympic Chateau hurried to the conference room. Three minutes passed when Kylon and four other Flood Dragons arrived at the open-air pavilion via amulets. But they weren't the last to arrive. At precisely the same moment that Halmut stepped into the conference room, Perchet entered from the opposite entrance and casually found his seat, one of the few that remained undamaged. The Nocturnal Dragon sighed and brushed his hand across the broken seat beside his, which was now empty.

Halmut wasted no time and was more serious than ever. "Before I explain some things, know that I'm entirely disappointed in you!"

Some knew this scolding was coming but soon all the new additions to the legendary gods felt Halmut's wrathful, verbal lashings.

"To think that we, the legendary gods, wouldn't be able to at least hold our own… I can't believe this!" roared Halmut. "You had more deities on your side! You had higher-leveled deities on your side! You fought mortals! Yet you still failed to get anything done besides weaken our forces drastically and get outmaneuvered by a low-level, upstart god!

"Apart from Perchet, did any of you successfully kill one person?!"

"I did, your excellency--"

"OF COURSE YOU DID!!!" A hint of flames leaked out of Halmut's raging breath. "Let's all congratulate Tralbok on his victory! It's not every day that a lv. 97 mage is able to kill a lv. 91 beast!"

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

The Sun God clapped three times, letting the echoes shake the table he leaned on due to his lack of having a seat.

"Did you kill anyone within at least three levels of you? Did you?!"

"No, your--"

"THEN SHUT UP!!"

Tralbok instantly sealed his mouth, struggling to meet Halmut's raging gaze.

Snarling, Halmut continued, "Lyrun and Oosam both passed but at the very least they had a reason for it… Oosam took on more than he could chew in order to buy everyone else time and Lyrun was up against the most offensively gifted god. Grixor failed to defend and save Lyrun, but the worst performers were definitely Torian and Tralbok!

"I--"

"Torian, there is no arguing this!" shouted Halmut. "You were tricked and led away from the other battles. You even let Jack sneak away and join the battle while you chased a cheap imitation of him!

"And Tralbok… YOU WERE THE WORST!" Spittled flew out of Halmut's mouth but evaporated from his heated breath in mid-air. "Not only are you too proud of successfully killing a god six levels weaker than you, but you've failed to realize how long you took! Then, after taking your time with Kori, Jack arrived and kept you from simply throwing an attack at the ascending mortals beneath you… JUST THROW AN ATTACK!!!"