By the time Suna went out of their tent, he was suddenly ambushed with a hug. He staggered. Looking down at the Lunarian. Wendy sobbed, then punched his chest lightly, shooting him a grin. “Thank god we made it in time,” she sighed with both hands on her knees.

  He tilted his head. What is she talking about?

  “Believe it or not,” Slea stepped up, wrapping her hand around Wendy’s neck. “We almost died after the Godknight died. If not, thanks to Wendy and others arriving.”

  “Almost dead?” Suna asked, wanting more explanation. Before he could hear their answer, a rather giant tent was erected not ten meters ahead of him. The tent’s roof acted as a large gathering of snow that would trap any adult to death who might get unlucky enough if they fell.

  “I sent my fellow Runebearer to get the Third’s Tiefling as a reinforcement. Amidela insisted, because she claimed she would be useful againts the Godknight when we stumbled upon her.” Jack explained.

  “Then,” Slea continued. “Turns out that Pyre-tornado? That was a call for direction. The King had already prepared an army and planned to flank us with the Godknight act as the top of the sandwich.”

  “But, he was too weak to do so, so he tried to buy time with that tornado,” Suna concluded, to Jack and Slea nods. “What happened to the corpses by the way? I don’t mind if someone else wants to use it as a sacrifice for the Moon Altar.”

  “Yes, that.” Noa scratched the back of his hair. “Apparently, I will be the one using it. Can I, Suna?”

  “Its fine, I got the rune from him already. Well, what does Floundea want us to do in these negotiations?”

  “Hold On!” Reki skipped through the snow and stopped the whole group from advancing toward the Tent. “Before any of you offer to this Altar. Let's make a plan on what to do if the gods start to reach out.”

  That seemed wise. Suna wished he knew what to do when the Rabbit God demanded his service.

  “The Altar can come later, honorable human,” Jack said. “I’m sure like Suna and I, all five of you, including the Prowler, shall receive a worthy item.”

  “We still need to figure out why Jack’s spear comes with no meddling god compared to my cloak before we send you guys there, though.”

  “Wait, you’re counting me?” Wendy asked, pointing to herself.

  “Why not? Your quest recovered, right? Let's cross the gate together.” Slea said, bumping her shoulder with Wendy’s.

  “Ah, it's just a bit surreal, I guess,” She mumbled. “But, yes, I will come too, of course. Anything to help? Oh! Should I go and see the King too?”

  “About that,” Jack said, motioning the group to follow him. “Floundea had planned your entry. She is planning to use you to prove the Necromancer control is breaking. So, please stand by near the Tent’s opening.” He finished as Jack opened the tent’s flap.

  “Smart,” Wendy muttered. “Go get them then.” She held a fistbump.

  --

  The inside was surprisingly grand. Well, half of it at least. The huge tent was split into two parts.

  In one part, tables formed in a crescent, and they were draped with a pure, silky white cloth. Metallic candle holders that were formed like tridents steadied on top of the table by an Undead.

  [Undead Servant—Lvl 10]

  Five of the servants bow deeply, pushing their bulky dress puffing. They bowed to the undead, who were seated and did not even glance at them.

  The crescent table formation held five seats behind them. Four of which were taken by undead with different clothing—those clothes, they were extravagant, with one wearing an open dark coat with golden chainmail proudly shown inside. The others wore a similar manner, from a silver embroidered jacket to pure merchant-like clothes that tied with a golden shash.

  [Undead Lord—Lvl 43]

  [Undead Lord—Lvl 45]

  [Undead Lord—Lvl 43]

  [Undead Lord—Lvl 42]

  And lastly, seated on the seat of honor was clearly the king. Heavy cloak dappled over the bizarre throne that was clearly out of place inside this tent. He wore armor of ice, which should have looked intimidating, but had been brutally ruined by the engraving of various symbols. The King had his feet up, showing golden boots with dark bronze soles, and a bronze sword he held with both hands across his hip.

  The King was a creature of ice, unlike the other Undead. His skin could not decided wheter to show greenish pus of the usual undead or bluish creeping frost. Those eyes tightened the moment Suna’s group entered.

  Beside Suna, heat suddenly bristles. Slea stepped up, crossing her arms and casually pulled a seat right beside Floundea, who gotten the seat of honor from their side.

  Six seats were prepared, with each having its own table for Floundea and Amidela, who both headed the center. Then the rest were for the Integrators. Suna, Reki, Noa and Slea. Behind them was Jack with a couple of other Runebearers, ready with their spears propped, along with another three from the Third’s factions with their swords.

  “You,” The King growled between their great distance.

  “This is quite far,” Slea remarked and smiled at Floundea. “Master, I assumed he still requests more bodyguards despite this distance?”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The twenty Undead Knights behind the King tensed, each holding a sword with the pommel down like they were forced to do so.

  [Undead Knight—Level 30]

  Twenty of them… Should be doable. Suna was sorely lacking Mana, but that was easily solved. In fact, he pleasantly found a mana vial waiting for him above the table, which he eagerly drank.

  Floundea did not reply; the Thiefmaster drew her lips thin. Her complexion was not good, a black bag sagged under her eyes, and her body slumped under obvious stress.

  “Floundea?” Slea whispered, noticing this.

  The other humans tensed, and they glanced at each other.

  Right, she lost a lot of her husbands.

  Reki then mouthed, ‘Let me take over.’ And the officer worker did so eagerly.

  Suna was about to protest, but then the Undead King put his feet down and slammed his hand onto the table, with blatant disregard for the expensive cloth.

  “Murderer!” He roared.

  Suna raised his eyebrow, cocking his head. What a ridiculous thing to say.

  “Yes, proven by your dead wife's body,” Slea snapped back.

  The King stood abruptly. He briskly lifted his hand, summoning a dozen shards of ice that appeared like the air just frozen over. A brief cold went through the tent.

  Suna watched as Slea gripped her wand, about to weave her spell. In a way, Suna hoped she did. He was confident they could take them.

  “That is quite enough,” Floundea finally spoke.

  “You did not get any say in here,” the King declared.

  “Clearly, I do, for it was you who requested this meeting with me.”

  “Very well,” the King said, and sat down. The ice shard broke apart, falling as crystalline powder. “I want her head now.”

  “We can always arrange for another duel. This time you're against me,” Slea smiled.

  The King's hand tightened around his sword. One of the Lords even had to calm him down from the raging anger he held.

  “I did not come here to listen to an unreasonable demand,” Floundea said. “Now that everyone is here. Let's listen to your surrender term and our future once I get rid of the Necromancer.”

  “Surrender? Preposterous! We intend to co-exist. Do not push your luck, Tiefling; my forces still had over a thousand ready to throw themselves at you for my sake.”

  “More level to the Integrators then? Now that I think of it. It's not a bad idea; they should get as strong as they possibly could before facing the Necromancer. Tell me, King. Should we conduct another war? Where now I shall have these Integrators with me as I burn your village one by one, just as I had been doing?”

  Floundea continued.

  “Need I remind you that they would get stronger the more kills they got? Tell me, what kind of force would be able to muster to provide even a tiny challenge aside from you yourself? Do you truly think your army wouldn’t just serve as their food?”

  “Co-existence, not surrender,” the King said through gritted teeth. “I will retain the depth, and you can have the Upperworld.”

  “No, we Tieflings are sick living with poison under our feet.”

  “I will not recid—”

  “The second depth only. Third and First depth, and the Upperworld will belong to the Tieflings. I shall not surrender on this matter.”

  The King scoffed, “You do realise, I could still open the gate that currently seals the necromancer, right? Why should I let you rule over me instead of him?”

  “Because,” Floundea said. “You would have already done so if you prefer him.”

  “Perhaps, I’m waiting for this meeting before deciding.”

  “Then looked like the negotiation was done.” Floundea made a show to stand and turned, until the King shamed his pride.

  “Wait.”

  Suna could see the brief flicker of a smile on the Thiefmaster’s lips. She shared it with Jack as her husband shot her a grin. But behind their eyes was a sadness that stopped their mouth from blooming into a full smile.

  “Second depth is all mine,” the King relented.

  “Why do you not intend on opening the door?” a voice, neither Floundea nor the King asked.

  It was Reki, the office worker, who leaned both elbows on the table and rested his chin on his thumbs. That was a bloody good point to press on.

  “This does not concern—”

  “It was a valid question,” Floundea cut the King off.

  The king bristled at her and Reki before saying. “The Necromancer had held control over me long enough.”

  That was clearly not the reason. Chances were that the King would be executed by the [Necromancer] for his coup. And, now that he lost Landfred, the King no longer had any card to play.

  This reminded Suna of his deal with James and Delia. Both times, he felt he could have gotten a better arrangement from them when they clearly were the ones who needed him instead of him.

  Which was why he would push.

  “No,” Suna stated.

  “Excuse me?” the King said, dumbfounded.

  And he was not the only one. Suna could feel the stare from the Humans and Tieflings. But, Suna did not meet their stare.

  Instead, he wryed his lips and said. “I want you to provide force for when we storm this Pyre-lab.”

  “You want us to join in?!” one of the Lord snapped, standing up and pointing a shaky finger at him.

  “Giving up, both depths are not enough?” another Lord joined.

  “What kind of Authority you hold among the Tiefling to make such a demand?” the King questioned. The lords were taken aback by these questions. Well, perhaps not by the question, but by the calm nature the king took this. The king sat and held Suna’s eyes.

  “My King, surely you did not—”

  “Silence,” the King said. “My lords, look at his level.”

  The Lord did, and their eyes quickly quivered.

  “I was an integrator, so I knew that Integrators’ capability will always be higher than shown. So tell me, are you the one that kill Landfred?”

  “It was more of a group effort,” Suna said honestly. Then, he held up his index finger, and blue flame appeared in a pinprick.

  Soft gasps escaped the lords, and the last of them seated down.

  “You truly have no play here, do you?” Suna asked. The King once again did not answer; all he could do was clench his hand tighter and tighter. “Swore as a vassal to the Tieflings.” He looked at Floundea, who bobbed her head.

  “A wise precaution,” Floundea said.

  “Fine,” the King let out a defeated sigh.

  “Also, I want corpses, all your corpses.”

  “For Pyre-flame?” the King asked.

  Oh, so he knew. Well, it was not a huge surprise. “Yes.”

  “That can be arranged.”

  “I also want Pyre-Amulet,” Suna added.

  “That can be provided.”

  “All your items. Any that have a connection to Pyre-flame I will take.”

  That earned him a satisfying hesitation from the King, but ultimately he nodded his head.

  Slea then chimed in. “I want your wife’s corpse.”

  “You shall not have her!” He snapped.

  “Oh, she shall,” Floundea said, leaning againts her chair. “Or, I will shut down the Negotiation if you do not provide her with what she wants.”

  Life fled the King’s spirit. His shoulder was hunched down. “She is my wife.”

  “Noa, Reki, Amidela. Anything you guys want?” Slea asked, ignoring the King's plea.

  “I want their greatest treasure,” Amidela said. “To be shared among the Tieflings. Also, I would request a space, preferably a huge towering house, for my Thiefmaster Trial.”

  Thiefmaster Trial? Suna did not know what that would entail. And he wanted to watch it.

  “Greatest treasure? Once a thief, always a thief,” the King mirthlessly snorted.

  “And she shall have it,” Floundea said, “With proper space for the trial too.”

  “Well? Noa? Reki?” Slea asked again.

  “Information about this Pyrelabs, all of the data, and I will require a lone room for my research,” Reki said.

  “I don’t think you need to ask for that,” Slea mumbled. “Follow Suna here, who went all greedy.”

  “This coming from someone who wants his wife's body? That fucked up Slea.” Suna remarked.

  “Really? I don’t think so,” Slea shrugged. Well, whatever, he was the one who told her about the Moon Altar in the first place, so it only made sense she wanted the best body to offer.

  “I just want room, a place to rest, and a bath,” Noa said, scratching his ear.

  “A place to rest sounds nice,” Reki added. “A proper building, there is plenty inside the wall, right?”

  “And bathtub too,” Suna said. “I can make a hotbath easily now.”

  “Oh!” Slea exclaimed, “Yes, I will add that too. Min would be ecstatic—”

  “Why don’t we just ask for the entire palace?” Floundea smiled.

  All eyes went to the [Undead King], who Suna swore let out a tear.