UL1 - Book 10 - Chapter 23

The Demon King, Gykewotik, grunted as Max finished his list of demands.

“All you want is for me is a guarantee that I will come the next time you summon a demon and that then you will inform me of what my actions have cost me?”

“I would be foolish to trade away such a thing as what I am owed,” Max said. “We both know if our positions were swapped, you would probably have me enslaved or worse to you for the rest of my existence.”

A low chuckle emanated from the oversized demon, which nodded; small droplets of lava sent tumbling through the cracks of its obsidian skin.

“You are wise, Max Hoste,” Gykewotik replied. “You cannot begin to imagine the things I would do to you and have you do if you owed me.”

“Which is why you’ll guarantee that when I return, your debt will not change, and I promise not to enslave you or attempt to steal your power and position,” Max said, nodding. “Know that it will be a while before I do, and most of what I want is knowledge.”

“Which in the right hands is more powerful than any weapon,” the demon replied, his grin growing. “I will see what I can find out about the things you asked. You must realize that the one you met in the dungeon is not a name I can speak. What I can tell you is that he is another like the dragon god. His power is…” Gykewotik shuddered, lava dripping from the cracks in his skin again. “I have only been granted an audience with him once and that moment is not one I wish to endure ever again.”

“I appreciate that knowledge,” Max said. “Tell me, one last thing before I go. Was there a reason why you protected Sog and if so, why?”

A bit of smoke and ash escaped the demon's mouth as he huffed, crossing both of his massive arms. 

“You ask a question I would prefer not to talk about but I will consider this some of the debt I owe,” Gykewotik replied. “I was instructed by the one I call my god to do so. He came to me and told me that my life depended upon keeping Sog’thollech safe. I did as I was instructed, never being told why but knowing it wasn’t my place to say.”

“Thank you then for that kindness,” Max said. “Then I shall go. And remember, next time I summon, you come to me. I’d like Sog to get to see you once more.”

What Max guessed had to be a frown appeared on the demon’s face as he nodded slowly.

“Be safe human… er god. Know that you are in a game I know little of, beyond the fact that death comes sometimes quicker to gods than to mortals. The illusion of being a deity is one that most do not understand as well as they should. Just like any life, there is always a being strong enough to squash one like a bug without even noticing it.”

Max nodded and waved once, willing the spell to end and watching the domain that he had been summoned to shatter around him.  As the world began to return to normal around him, Max saw the kaleidoscope barrier between him and his friends disappear.

“MAX! DON’T–” Sog shouted, his hand outstretched and then the demon stopped, stumbling a step. “You… you returned?”

“I did,” Max replied with a grin, waving a hand at Rakonath who had also taken a step toward him. “I met Gykewotik and he told me to tell you hi.”

One of the few times Max could remember his demonic friend ever looking surprised took place right then. Sog’s jaw dropped, his eyes widened, and his body went slightly limp.

“You… met with Gykewotik? My king–”

“Not any more,” he replied. “You’re a god now, no longer bound to him. Besides, the next time I summon him in a month, he’ll come here and you two will get a chance to talk again.”

“Wait, he’s coming here? Again? Why? What? How?”

This is going to get old fast. Perhaps you should wait till everyone is around before we have to tell the same story over and over.

Max nodded and held out his hands.

“Let’s get everyone together first and then I’ll share the details. Bob’s right, I’d rather not repeat this thing five times if I can do it just once.”

“I wonder if Wekime knew you would be like this,” Rakonath said as the massive humanoid dragon moved to where he was and placed his large hand upon Max’s. “Always causing problems and doing things most shouldn’t ever be able to do.”

***

With Jazzjak and the rest of his friends gathered around the table of their main hub room, Max sighed and handed Miranna back to Tanila.

“So for those who remember, that demon we met upon attempting the 50th level dungeon–”

“The one that tried to kill and cheat us?” Fowl asked.

“Yes, that one,” Max replied. “It would appear he is one of the nine, though I’m not certain which one.  It somewhat contradicts some of my previous assumptions about how the god system works. Jazzjak, is it possible for one of the nine who isn’t part of the triune we discussed earlier to have something like that outside their normal domains?”

Everyone turned and looked at the vorpal bunny, who looked shocked at the sudden news. His pink nose twitched as he smacked his mouth a few times.

“I… I couldn’t say,” Jazzjak replied slowly. “Everything I know comes from serving the gods before you. I have thousands of questions I would like answered, if I ever got the chance, but it seems possible. How the nine work seems like there is a system that operates in a specific way. But I’m also not naive enough to think I know everything about it.”

“So that could be how Yukoreek knew your name,” Tanila said. “While one might wonder if it was random or not, if someone outside of the realm we thought we understood knew who you were, it could have been one of them.”

“Or one of the many gods they have under them,” Jazzjak said. “Don’t forget, upon reaching the 6th tier, you’ll be able to venture to the Archon domain and can interact with a multitude of gods there.  You can also petition as I said before to speak to any of the nine. Most have a cost associated with meeting with them.  But… if one of them summoned you, there isn’t any god I can imagine who would turn down or delay such a request. Angering one of them could be dangerous for any god or creature.”

“Angering a god. Sounds like something our Max would do,” Cordellia said. “So what, now everything we thought we knew might be wrong? How do we operate under this new line of thinking?”

Max shook his head and held up a hand.

She’s right and you know it. Everything hinges on knowledge and we need it more now than ever.  Getting to the 6th tier is our main goal and hopefully answers.

But in doing so we’ll leave them behind. I didn’t like how that worked out last time. They and I felt the pain of carrying them through everything. Only when they finally came into their own power did it feel like a real party again.

Max… do not forget, they will never be your equal. 

Bob’s words stung as if Tanila had slapped him across the face.

“Max?” his wife asked.

He shook his head and turned to see everyone looking at him.

“Sorry, Bob and I were talking,” he replied, grimacing. “Bob’s right… We need knowledge and the problem is that so much of it lies beyond the tiers we are in right now.  Until we can access the Archons, we’re behind a wall. Even if Gykewotik can help us a little bit, figuring out the next part of everything is going to take time… Which, as Sog has mentioned multiple times, we have lots of.”

“Bah, so what then? We go back to our cities, keep helping people grow stronger and work on getting as much DP as possible?”

“Well, yes, but that’s after I decide who to fight,” Max replied.  “But it has made me realize that Jazzjak is right about us waiting before I declare that fight.”

“Wait, what?” their helper asked.

“I need to wait about four or five more years. Heck, maybe even ten.  If they save all that DP earned in that time, we can then wager it all, hopefully doubling, tripling, or quadrupling what they have. Each of us needs to get stronger as fast as possible and the only way to do that is through gaining tiers and DP.  The right bet, with the right amount, will result in them being able to get bloodlines, hitting the next rank as well as the sparks needed for their people. 

“The only reason we can take this path is because I’m absolutely certain I won’t lose.”

A few chuckles came from those around the table as their helper shook his head, left ear flopping over.

“You do realize that there is no certain thing when it comes to the arena?” Jazzjak asked. “Kherbann was certain he would win. Do not think for a moment that one cannot lose. I have warned you already, and I sometimes think you’re a little bit too much like the others I tried to warn before. Having the option to choose the battlefield can shift a close battle into a one-sided victory. Even though you feel that none of them will be a problem, do not be like the other gods who have died because they believed the same thing and were wrong.”

“I won’t,” Max replied. “Everything you’ve said, I’ve made sure to remember. Trust me, Tanila won’t let me do something stupid.”

“Please, we both know you’ll do stupid stuff anytime you want,” his wife replied. “It’s never stopped you from doing so in the past and I don’t see you changing that much even now. Besides, I think I know why you made this change in this course.”

Max smiled as he sensed everyone staring at Tanila, as she didn’t even look up the entire time she had been talking.  All her focus was on their daughter, gently tapping and playing with her as they clapped and made faces.

“And why is that?” Batrire asked.

“Because he knows we’ll be left behind,” Tanila replied. 

The room went silent except for Miranna who was laughing, stopping when she saw that everyone was staring at her.

“Me in trouble?” their daughter asked.

“No, dear,” Tanila said. “Daddy is just being silly.”

“Daddy is always silly,” Miranna replied, turning to face Max. “I love silly daddy.”

“And daddy loves you,” Max said. “Momma’s right, though. Daddy needs to help everyone get as strong as possible. That means we’ll need to consider when I pick a fight, as it’s 100 years between this time and the next. Doing so now… doesn’t make as much sense.”

Other than Miranna’s laughter when Tanila tickled her some, no one else said anything for a few moments.

“So… I guess this means I have to return to my capital and get back to work,” Cordellia said. “Any chance I can get a ride there?”

Fowl started to choke, laughing until Batrire elbowed him.

“I would be happy to give you a ride on my back,” Rakonath said, glaring at his dwarven ally. “Unlike some, my mind doesn’t immediately go to the trash heap.”

“Tis a shame,” Cordellia replied with a wink. “Perhaps it should.”

Everyone broke out into laughter as the humanoid dragon’s face became so flushed that one might have thought Rakonath was a red dragon instead of a silver dragon.