Chapter 673 Trying to Reach an Agreemen
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
Just when the legendary gods began to gather energy to shatter the dark, illusory spell they were trapped in, the darkness began to hastily dissipate.
"No, no! You're supposed to say, 'Are you sure about that'!?" shouted a new yet familiar voice without any distortion.
"Right… Sorry for ruining that," chuckled the warped voice.
The legendary gods found themselves back where they once were, just outside of Glacier Keep's entrance. However, there were now two more people standing beside the rapier-wielding swordsman.
Assuming a portion of control over the situation, Jack sighed, "Oh well… No use in crying over spilled milk or wasted memes… I assume you all have had your fun?"
Sensing the playful yet condescending tone, Torian squinted at Jack. "So you've made him a god, big deal. What's stopping us from--"
"Us four."
"... Four?"
Right on cue, another figure appeared in a subtle blink of spatial energy. All at once, a majority of the legendary gods let loose sighs of discomfort.
"Did I miss the fun?" Moranti jovially asked, wearing an enchanted wetsuit under the new legendary cloak Jack had gifted him.
Jack chuckled, "Of course not, but we did have to stop our friend from scaring them too badly. If not, who knows how many of them would be left for us to play with."
"Great!"
Lunara sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Men… Can't we just get this over with?"
"Sorry, Mom, I got carried away." Showing a more serious face, Jack met Torian's gaze. "So, we've got about a day till the keep opens yet everyone was in such a rush to get here. I'm sorry to break it to you, but we don't have enough rooms prepared for you all with such short notice. But I think there's plenty of room at the stables where they keep--"
"Enough nonsense!" Tralbok shouted. "Tell me, why shouldn't we take our time enjoying your demise here and now?"
"Someone's getting excited prematurely… I'd ask if that's how you always were but you don't have a woman to confirm the truth."
"You--"
"Jack, state your purpose before we spill blood," Torian interjected.
Shrugging and looking away from Tralbok, Jack replied, "Why don't we have a ceasefire like Kylon promised? That way, we aren't bothered by you and you remain alive to enter Glacier Keep. Sounds logical, doesn't it?"
"And why should we accept that logic when we outnumber you, even after you call upon those hiding back in Trodar?"
Moranti answered with a wide grin, "Do you think your faction was the only one that got stronger these past few days? Or do you need another deserter to leave you for that to sink in?"
"I believe a ceasefire would be best."
"And I second that…"
Torian had opened his mouth but stopped himself from speaking after Grixor supported Kylon's claim, caught off guard. Sensing his old friend's mood, Torian clicked his tongue and began to rethink things.
"We're out of range of the viewing table, right? So what are you so worried about?" asked Jack.
Of all the legendary gods, those that were most tense were the three Flood Dragon gods that had arrived alongside the last batch of gods. They were almost shaking but didn't appear to be fearful of Jack's party. If anything, their faces seemed riddled with emotions of sadness or loneliness by the look of them. Kylon and Lunara were the first to recognize this but they were uncertain as to why.
"Can we reach a ceasefire or not?" Jack asked again, lowering the temperature of his tone little by little. "It's not every day that you can negotiate for your lives without much consequence…"
"... I'll also agree to a ceasefire."
"Torian?! How dare you?!" Tralbok turned and grabbed the Thundering God by the collar of his robe. "You dare go against our orders?! You're no leader!"
But Torian remained silent. He shared no reasoning. What swayed him wasn't logic but the words Grixor had shared and the meaning hidden behind those words. It was rare that the tankiest of the gods showed genuine caution toward someone, and Grixor's tone said it all as the Earthen Gods eyes stole glances at the helmed swordsman.
"In that case, feel free to stay here," stated Jack. "Don't start anything you can't handle, not while he's here to keep watch."
Jack turned around toward the exit, patting the helmed swordsman on the shoulders. He then shouted, "You can come out now!"
A few silent seconds passed before two people entered the sacred grounds, a hydra and a human. But as that hydra carried the human woman into the entrance of Glacier Keep something happened.
Out of nowhere, a cruelly frowning individual appeared above the two people. His long-prepared wind blades were unleashed upon those two without question or hesitation.
'LINALA!' Raztol roared and rolled onto his side as energy rushed out of his frost body. He forcibly used himself as a shield and pushed Lina off of his back while trying his best to protect her. Yet no attack reached the heroic hydra head.
Instead, three figures disappeared and reappeared in flashes of purple energy. One had retrieved a scythe and placed himself in front of the attack to counter the wind blades. Another had his rapier's tip barely pressing into Tralbok's neck, drawing a single bead of blood. The third had his hand gripping the top of Tralbok's head without an ounce of mercy or hesitation.
"Tralbok!"
"Torian, will you act according to orders or not!" the God of Time shouted, trying his best to peer through the helmet of the anonymous swordsman to no avail. "Let it be known that I followed our orders, not you!"
"You…" Jack groaned through gritted teeth. "I hope you survive the keep… at least till I can see you perish with my own eyes…"
"Why not right now?" asked Tralbok, ready to cast time magic when needed.
"Who wants to call Halmut for me?" Jack questioned loudly, surprising the legendary gods. "It's either someone contact him right now or we find out what's faster, my friend's rapier or Tralbok's time magic. I'm curious who will win in the end…"