Master Of Myths

"Hmm, so what your offering is a mutual alliance where all sides are equally responsible, the benefits of which lay in constructing trading routs between each other and setting the living grounds of each race as part of one whole territory that is to be fully guarded"

Summarised the Elven Queen after hearing Mia's detailed recounting of the rules

"Ideal goals aside, you have yet to give me the names of those who shall partake in the alliance"

"Always leave the best for last no?"

Every the witty one Mia replied while sorting her words for the last time, everything needed to be said in order or she would lose control over the tempo of the conversation

"My patience is running thin, do speak your leader's origin"

"My Master? He is of the human race, but those who he worked with have a more renowned reputation, I believe even you who have lived under the shades of your trees must have heard of them, their group goes by the name of'¦"

She paused a little, allowing them to seeth at her cheap tricks at raising their curiosity, then opened her mouth to reveal the big surprise only to be beaten to it by the Elven Queen herself

"Vencula Hortus?"

"...Well  thats no fun"

Pouting at the interruption and smug face of the queen Mia explained more thoroughly

"Yes, Vencula Hortus, as well as High Fageroth, who should be just as known, will be part of our alliance"

"I do not know this High Fageroth, but what do you mean by will be part of the alliance? Are you approaching us with an offer to something you have yet to form?"

"Indeed, though it won't be long before-" "Silence!"

The queen spoke calmly yet her voice shook the hall with its bountiful energy, clear was the sign of her anger

"What mockery is this? You come here bearing the offer of an alliance, use the names of those big groups to back your claims, yet you have yet to accomplish any of your absurd goals? Do you take our kind for fools?"

"Oh come now, you're just jumping to your own conclusions, have I not stated that my Master works for them?"

This reminder instantly calmed the queen's anger, after which she motioned for Mia to continue speaking

"You see my Master is a pretty big deal there, so much so we would be able to get our hands on a little Watch Tower Seed for you, something I can guarantee, but for that, you'll have to do more than just join the alliance"

Her words made everyone here frown, so much for equality, they were basically wanting them to be goons in exchange for a favor

The queen also looked down on these arrangements, still she considered the matter more carefully, the seed she spoke of was not so simple, it would have even sent shivers down her spine if it really was part of the deal, only she did not believe this bloody liar

In fact, she even recalled another bunch of similar beings in that tower, trowing her mind to more plausible conclusions

"Hmm, your words sound promising, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline"

"? Why so"

"For one clear reason, I believe you may be able to get your hands on that seed but by means not so..friendly to the dwellers of that tower"

"And what makes you think so?"

"Because there is only one crazy bunch I could think of that would associate themselves with vampires and dare to steal that seed, yes, I refer to none other than Genus Insania"

There was a mum that took over the garden, broken by Mia's confused question

"Who?"

"Dare you play dumb in my presence?"

"I am honestly clueless about those you mentioned"

"Humph, I will not further pursue this matter with you, neither will I keep you here, trouble with those madmen is the last thing I want for my people, you may leave unharmed, but do not return"

With that the Elven Queen waved her hand to undo the bindings and stared Mia down in a dismissive manner

"...I think we have a misunderstanding here"

"I care not, leave"

For the first time since she arrived MIa felt a little flustered, what tempo of the conversation, the entire negotiation just broke down

'I better spill the beans or I will fail my task'

Forgoing the matter of goading them by the nose she proceeded to blurt out everything at once

"My Master is actually one of the guard leaders working for the commander Aminta, he is also one of the leaders of the human race who will be heading this alliance, I really do not know which group you mistook us for but please do reconsider, it would do neither of us good if an alliance is not formed"

She meant both their races and the queen and herself personally, why that was she did not explain

"...."

Alas there was no need for the last bit, in fact, everyone present only registered one part of her entire sentence, the first and most shocking one

"A guard leader'¦you say? Who'¦who among the seven generals is your esteemed Master"

The queen put on a pleasant smile, shifting her attitude for the third time this meeting

"Well, he is not a general but the newly appointed Black Guard leader"

"Oh, I see"

There was a relieved air about her, as if afraid she might have insulted one of those legendary figures, still if this person was appointed such a position they must also be quite capable, at least something far beyond the remains of their race

"If your Master is such a person then we would indeed consider joining the alliance, but you must bring us proof of your words"

"I believe that would be easy enough, along with the seed I should soon receive a badge confirming the identity of my Master's position, that should be enough no?"

"More than enough, in the meantime however'¦"

There was no need to say anymore, Mia instantly understood that while the queen's words were polite she had yet to be fully convinced, until then her stay in the elven territory was unwelcome

"I won't overstay my visit, I do have others I need to attend to"

"Oh? Who might you be inviting if I may ask?"

"Not inviting, exterminating, as for who, well, there happens to be a giant dwarf settlement nearby, me and my daughter thought we should have a go at them"

"I see, good luck"

With that Mia bid the elven court farewell and left with Zero in tow, exiting the illusion barrier and returning to the normal scenery of the forest

"Did everything go well Mother?"

Zero who could not understand a word asked, knowing that they shouldn't have given the rapid change of expressions the queen had

"Not too good but Master's position did the trick, sad I wasn't capable of goading them by the nose like Master does, if only I knew a little more about the situation and the opposing groups in Hortus I might have been able to talk things over more smoothly"

Sadly her Master wasn't big on sharing sensitive information, everyone only knew what they needed to know, the rest was kept hidden

"Anyway we have it easier than the rest, at least I have an easy backup plan when things go awry, the rest on the other hand"

She gazed toward the direction of her second daughter, the one she was worried about the most in this recruitment mission

"Hopefully she would have it easier than I thought"

Mia muttered, then left toward the giant dwarf settlement to grind some levels, she and Zero were not against wiping out an entire civilization, especially one her Master told her would be keen on destroying everyone else

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Ika was also gazing far into the distance, her eyes dim and the fire surrounding her gloomy, burning away at the piles of bodies at her feet ever so slowly

Some distance away the Witness and its kin were spreading their flames across the dark valley, lightning the place up with the echoing screams of its horned dwellers, turning their blue skin into red before being melted away leaving nothing but ash to the wind

"Care to give them a break? It's not like they are even trying to defend themselves at this point"

She spoke to the many eyed monster yet the creature ignored her, releasing its pent up frustration on the poor sods who prided themselves as the ruling demons of the Slumbering Valley

"Haaah, even if they are demons you can't treat them like this"

She muttered under her breath and stood up, bursting into battle with searing blades of fire that would put a quick end to any that stood in their path, a merciful end unlike those who met her companion on this mission

"I am sorry, it may not be fair but'¦.we also have it rough"

She apologized knowing that it meant nothing to the dead, demons or not they were beings who barely eked out a living in this harsh world, much like her own race

"Soon it will be over, your kin will live better lives, no longer hiding in the darkness"

She continued, trying to convince herself more than anything else