"Yes." Aldir answered, and we began to walk inside the room. "Wait here." Aldir stepped in front of us, and started to manipulate the portal, making it change colors to a more brilliant shining blue. "We are going to Slore."
"Where the hell is Slore?" I asked, not knowing.
"It's about twelve miles south of Etistin." Elder Virion answered as we stepped into the portal, and we appeared on a clearing, on a hill overlooking the town. "It's a fishing town I believe."
I yawned and spoke at the same time. "I've never been fishing." I activated "Blood Oath." I knew I was going to need it.
"I'll take you when we win the war." Arthur said and sent me a smile. "I've never been either, but it sounds like fun."
"You two, focus, it's nice to have brotherly love, but not right now." Elder Virion said as we looked out into the ocean. "Are we sure we don't want to bring more people?"
"They won't try anything if I am there with you guys." Aldir told him, that's probably true, he could kill two Retainers easily.
"How long do you think Agrona has been planning this, I mean the dungeons, mutants, portals, and now the ships?" Arthur spoke as we got ready to leave.
"This is just a game to Agrona, but he still wants to win." Aldir told us all. "Remember, Agrona is an Asura, he may not be allowed to fight in the war, but he is manipulating everything in the background."
"Then who is manipulating our side." Elder Virion asked him.
"You are, Commander Virion, you're in charge of Dicathen as a whole." Aldir told him and we all fell silent. "Now, let's go, the meeting place is in the middle of the ocean." An aura started to surround Elder Virion and him. "You two don't need my help, right?"
The two of them floated off the ground, and I joined them floating in the air, we all looked down at Arthur. "I forgot you were white core." He shook his head at me with a slight smile.
"Catch up." I told him as we flew up towards the clouds, leaving Arthur behind. "How far out is it?" I asked Aldir.
"It won't be a long trip." Aldir spoke as we entered a cloud, it was weird, this was the first time I flew this high.
We entered above the clouds, and I followed Aldir as he made his way to the meeting place. I spun around, keeping myself moving towards Aldir, and watched as Arthur came flying up, on top of Sylvie in her dragon form. I spun back around and faced Aldir's back again.
We flew in silence; it gave me time to think. I couldn't tell them this was pointless, but it was. They were going to give us some ultimatum, and we aren't going to accept. The only good thing we are getting out of this is that Arthur can see what a Retainer looks like.
I still think we should just kill them, Agrona wouldn't see that coming, but it is a war crime of some sorts.
Flying was awesome, it's honestly something I never thought I'd be able to do, but I am happy I can. However, it was fun riding on the back of Avier during our battle, so I wouldn't mind having a bond to fly on.
What if Scythe Cadell is the messenger, oh, that would be awesome, Arthur and Sylvie seeing the person who killed Sylvia. They wouldn't give him that type of job though, it's beneath him, so it has to be a Retainer.
Aldir and Elder Virion stopped moving. "Here." Aldir said as I stopped next to them, and Arthur and Sylvie joined us. "Listen, we don't know what the Vritra know about you two, Arthur you should hide your abilities, meaning Lady Sylvie should transform back to her fox form. Virion, they most likely know who you are by now, but both of you need to refrain from showing anything in case they don't."
"Alright, you heard him, Sylvie." Arthur patted the dragon.
"I'll carry you down Arthur." Aldir told him as Sylvie transformed, the the two started to free fall beneath the clouds. Aldir and Elder Virion chased after them.
I flew after them, through the clouds, and as I did, they came back into view. The four of them were gliding down, Arthur shot me a look, and then turned his head.
I looked in the direction he was looking, and in the distance to the north was the Alacryan fleet of ships. The ocean reached in every direction, this was an awesome feeling, the wind against my face, the ocean breeze, and the excitement coursing through me.
As I looked down, I noticed a platform alone from the fleet, standing there, on the platform, were two figures, they kind of blended into the platform.
"I don't think those are normal messengers." I heard Arthur say out loud. Aldir shot me a look, probably because I predicted it to him.
They landed on the platform first, and then I followed behind them. I picked up my pace and walked next to my brother, the two before us had pale skin, one had red eyes, and the other had this weird ass mask on, they stood at the center of the platform and waited for us to reach them. I mean they both kinda had masks on, but this one was weird looking.
"Welcome." The male Vritra spoke as we stood across from them.
"Damn." I said out loud, and everyone turned to me. "My bad." I waved my arms for them to start talking. It was only Cylrit and Jagrette, that's no fun at all.
"You two don't seem like normal messengers." Elder Virion examined the two Retainers before us.
"We are messengers at the moment." The female Vritra spoke, her voice annoying my ears, it was so scratchy. Also, she was wearing ponytails, would asking about her mask be rude? Why were both of them so much taller than me? I need to grow, I think I was only around five foot four at the moment, and both of them were well over six foot.
"I am Retainer Cylrit and this is Retainer Jagrette. It is an honor to be in the presence of you, Aldir. We have heard a lot about you Asuras." Cylrit wasn't even looking at us, the man just stared at Aldir.
I turned away from them and looked at the ocean. I wish I could go for a swim, but I guess this isn't the best time. "Both sides will uphold the treaty that still stands between us, is this right?" Arthur hit my arm, and I turned back to them. Aldir was staring at Cylrit after he finished speaking.
"We will." He answered the god.
Jagrette spoke up. "So, this is the boy wonder, Arthur Leywin, why are you here before us." I wanted to slap that mask off of her, what a weirdo. "And his younger brother, the boy who defied reality, by taking out one of our own."
Arthur spoke up first, with a calm voice, I couldn't even tell if he was nervous or not. "I could ask the same thing, why are two Retainers here as messengers?"
"To make sure our message gets to you clearly." Jagrette snarled at Arthur, and I raised my hand. The two Vritra turned to me, peering into my soul.
"Uhh, why are you wearing mask?" Arthur turned to me, wide eyed. "What? I'm curious." Jagrette's aura exploded, but it did nothing to me because of my blood magic.
"Don't mind him." My brother said, as he hit my arm. "He doesn't know better."
"Then you shouldn't have brought the brat." Jagrette's voice was laced with anger, I'm pretty sure the black dressed, ponytail, mask wearing girl was obsessed with her beauty if I remember. "He did defeat Retainer Uto, I can't wait to meet you boy, on the battlefield."
"Sorry, Retainer Jagrette, I was only curious, and have zero filter when it comes to talking." I told her, but what I really wanted to say was, let's fight right here, right now, no need to wait.
The Retainer just stared at me, Cylrit spoke next. "Jagrette, he's a boy, let him be." His red eyes turned to me. "You were the one who defeated Uto, but you're truly only a boy." It seems like Aldir's plan worked.
Since no one else was going to respond to him, I decided to respond. "It's good to know, that not all of you have a big mouth like he did." Jagrette seemed to have a big mouth though.
Jagrette went to speak, but Cylrit interrupted her. "Uto doesn't represent all of Alacrya."
"We know." Elder Virion responded.
"So, the two brothers came to what, scare us? I mean, I understand bringing an Asura, but these two boys, not at all." Jagrette hissed. "I doubt this one killed Uto, and if he did, I'm sure Uto was messing around and killed himself."
"Jagrette, is it?" Arthur said, and she turned to him. "I wouldn't underestimate what we are capable of."
"The boy wonder protecting his younger brother, how adorable, you two would make perfect pets for me." Jagrette told the two of us, and I responded.
"What the fuâ-" Arthur stopped me before I could finish my sentence.
"We appreciate your kind words, Jagrette, and I can't wait to see you in the field." This bitch was crazy, I forgot this was how she spoke.
"I hope you keep this weird ass energy too." I added, and Arthur and I stared back at her.
"Oh, I will, you brats!" Jagrette's energy was still coming at us.
"Enough, Jagrette, calm yourself." Cylrit told his companion.
"What's the message the two of you have for us? We don't want to sit here all day." Elder Virion asked the two, stopping the bickering.
Jagrette glared at me for some reason, Cylrit was the one that answered Elder Virion. "The message I was told to give you, is this, give up the royal families, and the rest of Dicathen will be given mercy. If this does not happen, we will continue on with the war, and kill all who stands against us."
"Tch, really, you expect us to consider those term?" Elder Virion spoke harshly. "You might as well say surrender or die."
"That's precisely what is it." Jagrette spoke up. "We will take the royal families and let the rest of you scum serve under Vritra law, or kill most of you, and have the survivors serve us as slaves." The Retainer tilted her head towards us all. "Old Elf, if you choose to not surrender, I hear your granddaughter is out there, I'll make sure she dies slowly in a pool of acid."
Instead of Uto being sent here, where he wanted to cause chaos, Jagrette took his place, doing the same thing he did. I could feel Arthur and Elder Virion getting angry, so I spoke, making sure nothing happened, because I knew Arthur and Elder Virion reacted strongly to Uto in the novel.
"Acid?" I said questioningly, causing everyone to calm down from my realization. "Are you saying your powers are acid based?" She froze, the Retainer froze as she stared at me. "I'll take that as a yes, because I don't know where there is acid just lying on the ground."
"You damned brat." Jagrette took a step towards us but was stopped by Cylrit's arm.
Elder Virion and Arthur shot me a smile, seeing what I picked up on. "I'm sorry." Cylrit said. "But you know the terms, it's up to you to make a decision."
"We aren't accepting that one sided offer." Elder Virion told the two Retainers.
"Then you'll all die, just like that one Lance of yours." Jagrette was trying to get us to react to her. "That Elf girl, that Uto killed, you remember her name Cylrit?"
Cylrit shot the Retainer a glare, Arthur spoke up. "Look what happened to that Retainer." He paused for a second, then said something else. "I hope you can back up your words." I knew that Alea was a hard topic for Arthur, he did see her dying body.
"We are done here." Cylrit took a step in front of Jagrette. "You have two days to consider our terms, if there isn't a response, we'll consider that your response."
"We will leave it there then." Elder Virion turned around. "We can show ourselves out." He shot Aldir a look, and they turned away from the Retainers.
Arthur and I took one last glance at the two, and spun around, following Aldir and Elder Virion.
I whispered to Arthur. "Sorry, I had to ask about the mask, it just weirded me out. I'm still curious about it."
Arthur shot me a smile. "Me too, next time though, keep it to yourself."
"Virion, he's right, we were all weirded out by it, just don't bring it up in front of them." Elder Virion turned back and said, he must have overheard me.