GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

Mother High Heaven wasn't so optimistic about his situation. She said with pity, "I am afraid you have underestimated the power of dragons."

Legion-8 heard the pity in her tone, but he asked stubbornly, "What else am I to do except fight?"

He could surrender, but he is not going to do that. He is not going to allow the dragon spirit to bind his heart. Surrendering is practically dying for him. If he is to die, then he will rather die fighting.

Besides, he has something powerful to rely on. As long as world gods don't join in the fight, he should be able to do what he needs to hatch and escape from the dragons.

Mother High Heaven answered his question. "There is an alternative for you other than surrendering or fighting to the death. I can help you escape. But you will have to do something for me."

"Oh. You can help me? I thought you couldn't act in undue favor of anyone at all."

"My actions are limited to certain conditions. One of them is being attacked by the dragon spirit. I am allowed to retaliate and punish it. If my punishment helps you, then it is a happy coincidence. The other condition will come later."

"I see. What do I need to do to get your help?"

His interest was piqued. Getting the help of Mother High Heaven will increase his chances of surviving and escaping. In fact, it will make it all but certain that he will escape. After all, she is the strongest entity in the realm, apart from the realm lord. So he and Legion are willing to secure her help.

She replied, "The dragons are going to do something against the rules to keep you. That will provide the second condition needed for me to act against the dragons as a whole. I can choose to interfere and help you, or I can stand back and watch. If you want me to interfere, you, and I mean the whole of Legion, must do something for me in the future that I cannot say now."

The last part of what she said doused his excitement.

He said tentatively, "So it will be an open promise? Will we owe you something that we don't know and can be anything? I don't think we can make that promise."

Mother High Heaven tried to ease his worries. She said, "Don't worry. It is something that you can do easily."

That didn't ease his worries. An open promise is the worst kind of oath you can take. She will be able to ask him to do anything with it. That is not something he is willing to swear to. On the one hand, there are the dragons and their intention to break the rules of the realm just to keep him. On the other hand, there is salvation from the dragons but effective enslavement to Mother High Heaven. His choice is clear.

He said with determination, "I am sorry, but we cannot do it."

He has experienced enslavement two times already, so he doesn't want to be in that situation ever again. If he fails to hatch and escape from the dragons, he will be the only one to be sacrificed. Enslaving himself to Mother High Heaven, on the other hand, is effectively enslaving all of Legion to her.

The enslavement of Ragnarok and Legion-7 can't even compare to the enslavement of all of Legion at all. First of all, their enslavers do not have her power, so it will be more dangerous.

Secondly, Ragnarok and Legion-7 escaped both times due to the shard of power. The entities they escaped from didn't know about the shard of power and its capabilities. Mother High Heaven might not know the full power of the shard of power, but she has seen some of its abilities several times. Escaping from her would be very difficult because of it.

Plus, there is this nagging feeling that she is about to drag him into greater danger. It could be because he is instinctively wary of anything related to world gods. He doesn't know if she is working together with the realm lord or with someone else, as she should have no need to scheme against him, but he can't rule out that she might be scheming against him.

That suspicion was all but confirmed by the incredible, dangerous darkness that Soverick saw in their future if he accepts the deal with her. He doesn't know what the danger is, but he knows it is there in the future, and he can't see it. That means it is at least at the world god level.

So his rejection was firm. There's practically nothing that she can say to convince him otherwise.

Mother High Heaven was disappointed. He could feel it all around him. She didn't attack him, though. He had done nothing wrong by rejecting her request, so she just sighed. "I thought as much."

He had to ask, "What is so difficult that you need my help? You are so powerful. I doubt there is anything I can help you with."

"I can't say. But know that I have helped you and Legion just as I have helped all my children. I doubt you will move to help me when I need it because of your kindness. But I want you to help nonetheless because I will reward you for it."

Then the world broke apart, leaving Legion-8 more confused and afraid. He is confused about what Mother High Heaven said, and he is also afraid for her. Whatever will push an entity with the power of a world god into a state where it needs help cannot be taken lightly at all.

He said to himself, "I guess there is more to be known about this world. But that is for later. I have my own problems to deal with."

The new information he has acquired from Mother High Heaven has made Legion realize that his escape won't be so simple, but it hasn't changed much of their plans. After all, they have already prepared for the worst.