The Achievement Junkie

'As for the issue about Glacier Keep, the hydras are unable to stop what's coming.'

Unsure how to take such a remark, Artrat squinted and asked, 'What do you mean by that?'

'I'm sure we'll get a chance to explain later,' replied Jack, 'when the Hydra Head can hear us out.'

'Interesting…' Artrat pondered what to ask next in hope of prying out at least a morsel of information on the topic.

Lunara then asked, 'Who's the head now?'

'Oh… That would be Head Raztol.'

'Raztol… He wasn't even a consul when I was here last…' sighed Lunara, trying to imagine how their next hearing would go.

Artur was taken aback. 'Really? Then you're undoubtedly older than I am, which only shows how poorly I've aged…'

'You said that the current head dislikes the discrimination… But--'

'Head Raztol is a changed man,' stated Artrat. 'Around the time he became a consul, Raztol began to have a shift in his ideology. It was his minor reforms and efforts that led to my faction being created and supported by the masses.'

'Really… I find that hard to believe,' sighed Lunara.

As the party entered the building and was led through a series of grand hallways that put the last manor to shame, they grew quieter. Artrat also showed more reverence inside the Glacial Palace as he guided them toward a massive chamber. The room was beyond huge, fitted for dozens of hydras to lounge at the center with three raised cushions at the head and an even larger space sized for an audience of hydras. It was a governing chamber beyond the scale of anything that Jack or the humans had ever considered constructing.

'Please, make yourselves comfortable there. Also, I'd like to ask the two guests to stand by your side, Lunara, and not on your back.'

Nodding, Lunara descended to the slightly lowered area and found a gigantic cushion at the center, larger enough for half a dozen one-headed hydras. That's where Lina and Jack hopped off.

'Please, take a seat. I'll handle our explanation and any negotiations.'

'Mom, are you sure you don't want my help?' questioned Jack. 'Just say the word and I'll step in to help you.'

'Thank you, Son.' Lunara sighed in relief, glad to have Jack's cooperation.

Jack was glad to see Lunara more relaxed and was also curious about how things would world, considering the divided factions that Artrat had mentioned. He kept his eyes peeled on the audience and the surrounding cushions as hydras began to trickle into the audience seats. Noting where Artrat sat, Jack assumed the hierarchy.

Artrat wasn't the only elder arriving. More than a dozen entered the room from a back entrance the moment after Jack's party took their seat. They scattered themselves across the floor and Artrat sat near the front, just below the three raised cushions. Also, dozens of more hydras entered from the same place Jack's party had, only they wore non-glowing headbands and sat near the back of the cushioned area.

'What's their rank?' Jack asked Lunara.

'I'm not sure… The Glacier Palace wasn't this large according to my memories…' answered Lunara, stumping Jack further.

Lina asked, 'Mom... what if they don't want us here?'

Smiling softly as only a loving mother can, one of Lunara's heads tenderly smiled and rubbed against Lina. 'Don't worry. We'll be fine. And no matter what, we'll make sure that to get entry into Glacier Keep.'

'Even if that means we force our way in?'

Chuckling nervously, Lunara added, 'No matter what… Even if they were against us, wouldn't it be best for us to force our way in then to have the hydras punished by Halmut's orders?'

'What do you mean?'

'The moment Halmut learns of how prosperous the hydras are, he'll do everything to either eliminate them or bring them under his influence. There's no middle ground for him…'

Jack shrugged. 'True… That's exactly what Halmut would do…'

The five dozen cushions to toward the back were already filled as those near the front were filling up slowly. Finally, one of the raised cushions was taken as well, causing the party to sigh.

As soon as Hindrad entered the room, he glared death upon the party and assumed his seat, one of the two raised platforms around the highest cushion.

'He's a consul…' Lunara explained. 'There are two consuls who act as the head's direct aides. Their combined influence can rival the head.'

'So I pissed off one of the most influential figures in Glacier Reef… Greaaat…' Jack chuckled and scratched his head nervously. 'Well, can't take back the past. We can only try to move forward.'

When the last of the elders entered the room, the party stared at the last remaining cushion like everyone else. Now, the hydra head made his appearance.

A bit larger than most one-headed hydras, the lv. 89 hydra head gracefully entered the room and assumed his position without any aura of arrogance. Head Raztol had softer eyes than Jack had expected and looked nothing like Lunara was expecting. Though he was larger, Head Raztol was noticeably older by appearance due to the looseness of his skin below the scales. But his muscle was still there, proving that he hadn't yet deteriorated from old age.

This was a stark contrast to the consuls below him. Apart from the crown of glowing ice on Raztol's head, their physiques were vastly different. Hindrad was more portly and obviously well-fed while the other consul had the usual physique of a one-headed hydra with loose skin in a couple of patches.

The audience was still growing, housing more than a couple of hundred hydras but Head Raztol wasn't going to wait any further.

'Let us begin the hearing!'

All hydras surrendered their attention without fail as they turned to face their leader. It stunned Jack for a moment as he recognized the amount of respect that Head Raztol received.

'We've gathered as the Body Council to meet and congratulate our long-lost sister on her return to us!'