Page 1545 -- CLXVI.

((The 14 pages of Valentine's Day + Double Wednesday -- Page 13 of 16))
Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Six: ‘The Unworthy...’
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The booming, disembodied voice of Malast arrived before the fighting had a chance to begin.

“This will be a three way battle,” said the Idle God. “The third combatant is still being decided, so the two of you may prefer to wait for him to arrive in the interest of fairness. Or you can simply get started without him. It is your choice.”

A third combatant?

Ah. That would explain why Malast had chosen the Chamber of Grand Desire as their battlefield. It was much larger than most of the Vault’s other treasure rooms. Even after all this time, Seyos was still nowhere near filling it. He had hoped to remedy that during his next venture to Qenghis, but that was before Ettol had arrived and thrown everything out of balance.

For a time, Seyos and Hector merely looked at one another, not saying or doing anything.

Seyos knew more than the surface-dweller probably realized. He had been observing the invaders since their arrival in Himmekel. It had been his hope that they would simply leave without incident, but that was not to be, it seemed. Foolishness on his part, he now realized. He should have known that their claims of arriving here accidentally were lies. Of course they were here for his treasure.

This, too, was Ettol’s doing, he knew. That insufferable wretch. No doubt, this was the man’s true goal all along--to bring outsiders here, attempting to stir the Idle God to action.

It wasn’t going to work. Seyos wouldn’t allow it. Supreme Will or not, these meddlers were not going to simply show up and take that which rightfully belonged to him.

Especially not that ashen filth.

How could Malast possibly consider one of them to be a suitable vessel for Secho? It beggared belief. Surely, Malast had not forgotten what they had done, the misery that they were responsible for.

At length, Seyos could endure the tense silence no longer. “You should never have come here,” he said.

“...I don’t want to fight you,” said Hector.

“Hah!” He pointed at the mace in the young man’s hand. “And yet you steal the Moon’s Wrath from me!”

Hector glanced at the weapon a moment. “...Aren’t you the one who’s been stealing?”

Seyos scowled. “All such technology is derived from the knowledge pioneered by my brethren. That you would not understand this, is sadly to be expected.”

“...Okay, so if I give you this thing right now, you’ll stop trying to kill me and my friends?”

Those words took Seyos by surprise, but they sounded genuine. But no. It was just another trick, of course. Seyos knew better. “I did not expect you to say something so cowardly, but you are right to fear me.”

Hector made no response.

Seyos found that irritating. “If you surrender now and return the Moon’s Wrath, I will show you mercy. I promise to spare the lives of both you and your reaper.”