Chapter 403 Heart-to-Heart With Gwendon
"Yes, and no."
Jack's answer left the elders baffled, but Jack added, "The reason I say both yes and no is very complicated. If you want to discuss that further, then it will have to be between Gwendon, myself, and Eedaj. Is that okay with you, elders?"
The elders all looked to Gwendon, giving him a variety of looks.
Taking that in, Gwendon replied, "I'll agree to a more private meeting, but I'll still have to gain the consent of the elders before agreeing to any sort of deal between us."
"That's fine," stated Jack. "There are just some details that I don't believe should be shared with anyone but the elven chief. As for everyone else, there's another conference room beside this one or a lounge on the opposite side. Feel free to wait in either of those places."
Taking their leave, those on Jack's side of the table were the first to exit. The elven elders followed. Now, only three men remained at the center of the long conference table.
"So… what did you wish to speak about?" asked Gwendon.
Jack sighed, interlocking his fingers and laying his arms on the table. "Should you share any of the unmentionable details I'm about to speak of, I'll make sure Eedaj personally deals with you. Do you understand, Gwendon?"
"Right…"
With the elven chief beginning to sweat, Jack got straight to business. "Like I hinted at before, at some point the war of old will resume between the gods. However, this time the Neutral Gods won't be sitting on the sidelines. As the chosen champion of Daruun, the god leading the Neutral Gods, it's my duty to act on their behalf. Would you like to know the aim of the Neutral Gods?"
As Gwendon nodded, Jack continued, "Their aim is simple. To have peace. Unlike the other pantheons, the Neutral Gods aren't bound to follow the orders of their leader. Each Neutral God can act for themselves, allowing them to coexist peacefully and not be influenced by the power-hungry desires of other gods."
Jack noticed Gwendon in deep thought, so Jack asked, "Have you heard of any tales about Ancient Trodar? Have you ever heard about any of their wars or skirmishes?"
"No…" Gwendon tried but failed to recount a single war or major battle involving Trodar before the Godly War.
"My point exactly," stated Jack. "Trodar was the only neutral state, meaning it was the only nation to worship only the Neutral Gods. That's why I'm again gathering the Neutral Gods to Trodar, attempting to bring back that era of peace.
"But to do that, we'll first be faced with another daunting war between the gods. And since I'm getting involved this time, neither the Holy Gods nor the Chaotic Gods will come out unscathed. There's a chance that peace can only be realized after the other two factions are destroyed," mentioned Jack, stunning Gwendon further. "Should that need arise, then I'll have to make sure it happens. Do you realize now why I said both yes and no?"
Gwendon swallowed some saliva and sighed. "... Because of Lyrun?"
"Correct," Eedaj answered in Jack's stead. "And why would Estonya's allegiance to Lyrun bring trouble, since you understand why his presence might interfere with our alliance?"
"Because… if another godly war broke out, then Korten is a likely target," reasoned Gwendon. Also, with the perspective of the Leisure Guild rising with the aid of the Neutral Gods, Gwendon realized something else that startled him even further. "Are the syndicate and the association under gods as well?"
Jack smiled. "So, you finally figured it out, huh? If that's the case, what would you have to do as the current elven chief? What decision would you need to make in the possible future?"
Swallowing more saliva, Gwendon replied, "Eventually, should we ally with you, I would likely be forced to abandon the alliance to side with the association and the Holy Gods…"
"Or?" Jack lifted his eyebrow, waiting for Gwendon to mention his second option."
"Or… Or we would have to leave the protection of the Holy Gods for the Neutral Gods at that point…" admitted Gwendon, struggling to imagine the situation could be so serious.
Eedaj spoke up, "I'll give you my honest opinion, Gwendon. I don't trust Lyrun. I firmly believe that he had something to do with the Greis elves being scattered and hunted down. Also, I'll admit that Lyrun's been a master manipulator since before he ascended to godhood. In all of your interactions with Lyrun as the elven chief, has he ever been cold to you?"
Thinking back, Gwendon shook his head. "No."
"Has he ever been warm to you?" asked Eedaj.
"... No…"
"Has he ever spoken his opinion plainly or does he like to beat around the bush till you understand the bigger picture that he paints with his words?"
"... We've never spoken like we are now, so no." Gwendon had plenty of thoughts rushing through his head at that moment, beginning to question many things.
Jack inserted himself back into the conversation, stating, "Gwendon, I'm not asking if you'll outright abandon Lyrun or the Holy Gods. But before I can agree to any sort of partnership between Korten and the Leisure Guild, you'll have to decide what your answer will be to that eventual question. Would you rather ally with the god of your ancestors, the same god who is impossible to read or understand beyond face value, or with the pantheon of Neutral Gods, who I can introduce to you personally and you can meet with like we are now with Eedaj? Which option is better for Korten's future, regardless of tradition or what the elves might think at the moment? What's better, going to war over empty traditions or fighting for your personal freedom? The war is coming so, no matter what, you'll eventually be faced with some sort of question along these lines."
Finished with their side of the story, Jack and Eedaj let Gwendon sit and marinate in thought. A minute passed. Five minutes passed…
After ten minutes of thought, Gwendon sighed and looked to Jack. "In the case that your offer is the best option that we decide on, how can you guarantee more protection than the Holy Gods?"
"An excellent question," chuckled Jack. "In total, there are seven Neutral Gods, but Daruun won't be doing anything so there are only six able to act in Kartonia. That's compared to ten gods in the chaotic and holy factions each. But… what if we suddenly gained an influx of new gods? And what if there are some gods, either chaotic or holy, that aren't willing to die for the cause of their faction and would rather join the Neutral Gods? In that case, what do you think would happen to the balance between the gods?"
"Then… their previous balance would be destroyed," reasoned Gwendon.
"Actually, the balance has already been destroyed, all thanks to the Godly War long ago. Right now, they're trying to keep the scale from tipping in favor of the opposite faction." Jack then started to laugh, stating, "That's why I'm simply going to destroy that scale, throwing everything off balance and forcing them to face the consequences of the war they started long ago. But by the time that happens, it may be too late for us to help you."
Gwendon sighed, unable to say more.
Jack sighed too, shrugging off his seriousness. "No matter what happens, I wish Korten the very best and hope that, should you decide to remain with the Holy Gods, you're not so unlucky as to war with Trodar. Being that unlucky could mean the end of your entire nation and possibly your race."
The casualness behind Jack's comment only made it dig deeper into Gwendon's side. And since Jack was the same outstanding ancient hero known to rob from all the gods and contend with entire nations or guilds on his own, the weight of Jack's words was almost unbearable. Gwendon felt Jack's pressure almost as much as Lyrun's influence over Estonya, making the elven chief want to cry. Such a decision was something Gwendon wouldn't even be faced with in his nightmares.