User blog:AloofComputer/The man who walked alone: Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Negotiations

The six participants sat quietly for a moment, before Druella broke the silence. “I suppose you would like to know of the fate of your agent, Alatar Moriatan, first?”

“Correct. This was the very reason we came here, after all.” the commander answered.

“He is alive, and held prisoner in the castle of Lescatie. And, before you think of it, no, you can’t break him out of there. He is an incubus now. He needs his wife to survive.”

“Wife?” Pallanto asked.

“Why, yes. The succubus whose energy turned him. She is by his side, even as we speak. Besides, I learned of your… ritual. Honestly, I don’t know what to think, that you would impose-”

“This was his own choice!” the priest protested. Frederic put a hand over the priest’s shoulder, gripping it tight, but the damage was done.

“I… see.” Druella’s troubled tone intrigued the commander. He expected a smug smile, but this bit of leaked information seemed to trouble her even more. He decided to test Druella’s intentions.

“What do you intend to do with him?”

“That remains to be seen. Needless to say, tonight’s negotiations will be critical for my decision.”

''Keeping your cards close, eh lilim? All right then, let’s change hand.''

“You wrote about truce negotiations.”

“Yes, I did that. Here is a proposal, directly from my mother, the Demon Lord. I had it copied to a parchment without monster mana on it. At least not too much. The seal at the end is genuine though.”

The commander opened the scroll and read through the proposal quickly but carefully. He passed the scroll to Pallanto, who did the same.

“I’ll have to take this to the upper command to make use of it. I can’t agree to such a document on my own.”

“That is already known, commander. That is why I asked for you. After the rather spectacular way you mobilized the entire Order, your name has some pull. Your link with Alatar was the other reason.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Alatar’s name raised the tension on the table.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“While not human anymore, Alatar isn’t a complete incubus, yet. That puts him in a gray area on where he stands. By all accounts, he was to be put to death.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Raising the stakes, lilim?

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I assume you want something in return to give him back?” the commander asked.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ As I told before, he isn’t coming back. He can’t come back anymore. Isn’t that right, commander? Or are Forgotten ones welcomed back by the order?” Druella smiled.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">''Damn, she knows of this. Of course she would know, she was alive even back then.''

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella’s smile disappeared. “Such a procedure is an affront to our very ideology. Such a being can’t exist among us, and can’t exist among you. Banishing him to neutral territory would be the most reasonable punishment, if he didn’t have anything else on his conscience. But he has. Many things, in fact.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Acts of war are not-”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Please don’t try to act ignorant, commander. Acts of war are different from plain terrorism. Besides, he isn’t human now. He falls under my subjects. So, here is my offer. As per the truce, I will pull back all of my forces, including those stationed at Lescatie. I will forbid the smuggling of goods and any means of subvert conversion on countries that are not willing to accept them. However...”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Here we go.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“You will pull your forces surrounding Lescatie and anywhere else inside monster territory. All acts of aggression are to stop on both sides. And finally, you are to provide me with a way to remove the Seals of Nemesis.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“What?!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The commander held the priest by the shoulder again. Pallanto took over. “There is an impediment regarding your last request, Lady.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh? What is that? I suppose you understand, if Alatar can’t become full incubus and face trial according to monster law, the solution would be summary execution.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Damn it!

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Pallanto sighed. “The problem is, Alatar altered the procedure himself. The seals don’t contain just his emotions and the like. Let’s say, if the seals break, things will get… messy. Too messy.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Your turn, lilim.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella’s look remained enigmatic, but her mind worked furiously. He not only willingly took on the Seals of Nemesis, but he altered them himself, to be unable to undo them. That was something out of a religious fanatic’s book, yet that man was anything but. She traced the scar that Alatar’s blade had left on her cheek absent-mindedly. Pallanto noticed it, and went for a probing question, covered by courtesy.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Ehm, Lady, if I may? On your cheek...”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“That? Oh, it’s just a… loving reminder from Alatar when we first met. Among other things.” She could almost feel the smug grins of the commander and the mage. But she would be the one smiling in the end.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“It seems that we reached an impasse regarding Alatar. No matter-”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“If I may, Lady?” Pallanto replied quickly.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Regarding the seals, may I request to meet again here after a month? It is a matter of great importance to us as well, and something… well, unprecedented.” He put on his best awkward smile.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">''Quite the actor, that Pallanto. Just like his performance before the Order.''

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“We will try to find a way to lift those seals. After all, that was never tried, so we don’t know if it can’t be done. But I may need support from your mages as well.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> Druella pondered a bit. “Fine, I see no harm in doing just that. After all, my main mission was to deliver the treaty proposal. We’ll meet again here after a month. And without those… unpleasantries .” She waved over the seal and the forest.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Understood, Lady. Thank you.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ Just you, the commander, me and my mages.” Druella stood up, Everyone else at the table followed suit. “So long commander, gentlemen.” And with that they disappeared into the horizon.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“That went better than expected.” Pallanto commented.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Was that a bluff to gain some time, or do you really think you can do it?” The commander asked.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“A little bit of both.” came the smug reply.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The commander sighed, mostly in relief. If the mage was acting this way, he had something in mind. “Fine, keep your little magic secrets. But know that Alatar’s life is in your hands.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I know. He’ll never live this down, either.” Both men laughted, and even the priest let out a small chuckle.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Did you see her face?” Pallanto started talking, excited. “If he could actually injure Druella, imagine the havoc he brought upon the city! The reports claim...”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> After a month, the table was set again, but with one chair less. The old man refused to participate in the negotiations, claiming that he had no knowledge on how to lift the seals, and such an act would lead only to destruction. He clearly had his own regrets on the whole affair, and didn’t want to have Alatar’s blood on his hands.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Yet Pallanto and Frederic were willing to take the risk. They took their seats on the table, soon joined by Druella and two new escorts. “Greetings, gentlemen. Let me introduce you to Lucella and-”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Mimil. I see you haven’t grown a day.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Pallanto. Never thought I’d see you in a high-ranking position either.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Well, people change, don’t they?” Pallanto smiled.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Friend of yours, Mimil?” Druella asked.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Not friend, more like… acquaintance?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Still bitter over the parfait business?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Humph!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella sighed. “I suppose not. Commander, would you walk with me and let the mages to their magic secrets? These things bore me.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Pallanto gave Frederic a reassuring nod, before laying diagrams of his plan on the table.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> Frederic felt nervous, and rightfully so; he was taking a stroll with public enemy number two, the lilim Druella. If word of this ever came out, death would be the least of his worries. They might lift the ban on the Nemesis Seals just for me.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Don’t be so nervous, commander. I feel like I am walking with a moving log.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Pardon me, Lady, but you can understand my circumstances.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella laughed. The sound of her laughter caused the commander to grip his sword to keep his mind in order. It sounded so… perfect. “Yes, that I do. Times do change, though.” Her face became serious. “What became of the proposal?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“What exactly I thought it would.” The commander sighed. “Infighting, councils upon councils, meetings upon meetings. The good news is, it wasn’t discarded at first glance. The bad news is, it will take some time. But it progresses, and more people are becoming open to the idea. Don’t take me wrong; they are fully prepared to order all-out war should it be breached in any way...” he shot a side glance at Druella “...but still, it is something everyone on the Order states has been looking forward to. I suppose the same goes for your side as well?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ You can say that. That harassment campaign went too well for you.” the barbs in her voice made the commander smile, despite himself, feeling proud for the first time. The mask was hiding his face, but he felt that Druella knew. “As long as there are no further hostilities, people are contend with the peace. The younger and unmarried monsters are restless, but they tend to blow off steam at the monster-friendly territories. So all is calm. For now.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Let us hope it lasts. So...” there was an awkward pause.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Alatar?” Druella asked.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I must say, I don’t know what my… colleague has come up with, or if it will work. If it doesn’t, there is nothing more to say. But if it does… what of him? If he is to be sentenced to execution, isn’t it just a waste of time to go through this?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“That is not something to be decided by me alone. That man has injured many innocents, and even took out an entire werewolf patrol, as you already know. Harming another is one thing, something that can be forgiven, given time. Killing though...”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ That buy was always reckless as all hell.” The commander’s voice swelled with pride. “I don’t know how you got him, but I can say, he must have pulled off some pretty audacious things.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Humph! It’s not wise to irritate the head judge before the trial, commander.” Druella’s irritation seeped from her tone. She turned around. “Come, let’s see what the mages came up with. Frederic followed her, still smiling smugly beneath his mask.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“...so, in theory, we can try to weaken the seal, allowing small amounts of leaked energy to seep through and containing them. Keeping the monster mana as low as possible is essential, as any interaction with holy energy would result in violent reaction.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“This thing keeps getting nastier and nastier, the more I hear about it.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“It was his idea and his modifications. Anyway, what I will try to do is botching the seal in a specific way. I’ll need devil gems. A lot of them. I’ve calculated a rough estimate of the energy trapped into the seals, but I may still be off.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“You know, you could just tell us of the seal directly.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“No can do. You know how it goes. I will do this myself. Which reminds me: bring mana potions. For people, not monsters. You remember how to make them, right?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Mimil glared daggers at Pallanto in response.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Right. The place must be without monster mana, so probably here. No need for making this an international incident.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ Finished?” Druella asked, her face still sour after the exchange with the commander.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Yes, Lady Druella. We will meet again here, in a week, with the needed materials.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Good. I want this resolved one way or another. Let us go.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">P.S. Chapter 18 is out. Criticism welcome.