Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

Artemis doesn't seem very amused by Xlentia's joke, hugging Onyx to calm herself down, who doesn't seem to mind the attention.

"They have a place in my palace, I'm sure they'd rather sleep there than have to switch realm. I'll say...a hundred mage for each forest guardian." I barter.

 

"If my palace was in the shape it was long ago, I'd have spat in your face and tell you to extract your brains from limbo, but it's not and you're not that stupid. How about fifty per for each with the condition that my library is of full use to your citizens, a portal is maintained for free travel for shadows and guardians, and a personal appearance if and when you need it. Nothing says 'get back in line, delinquent' like the Goddess of Decay towering above."

 

"If the portal is only for citizens of my kingdom to enter and exit, and not used as a hub for transport to the Shadow Realm, you have a deal." I say.

 

"My servants will not tread upon your realm without asking explicit permission beforehand. It will be clearly off limits to us, and will be within the library for its explicit purpose."
Xlentia slides a paper with a signature line empty.
"Upon this signature, the gods' pact of nonfraudulence with mortals takes effect. If you break it, I have right to claim your life. If I break it, I must serve you for an equal amount of time agreed upon."

 

Artemis holds my hand worriedly, Onyx having been put on the ground.

"And how would I break this?" I ask, looking up at Xlentia.

 

"Pull back before producing enough medicine to heal my wound. Since I like you, however, I marked it as such that we may renegotiate at a later date. If renegotiations fail, the original contract stands." She explains, sliding a pen your way.

 

"And if I were to fail to deliver the medicine, however not be deliberately witholding it?" I ask.

 

"It would be produced here. Your side handles the flower growing. That's it. Thus, failing to deliver, deliberately or otherwise, if renegotiations fail, costs you your life."

 

Artemis squeezes my hand tighter, looking at me with concern.

"Then, I offer you this question: Are you sure you're prepared to face the rammifications of killing me should you do so?" I ask.

 

"If you choose to sign, your goddess Tenebrae cannot spur action against me. Were your death to cause your people to attack me, the contract gives me the protection and aid of other gods."
Xlentia pauses.
"In retrospect, we may need to rewrite these things. Apparently several trillion years is enough for mortals to start having new concerns."

 

"What about Gaia?" Artemis asks.

 

"Same. However, it is on my end to see they are not overworked."

 

"And if I decline this contract?" I ask.

 

"Literally nothing. It works like every other contract you've ever signed or had someone else sign. It's an agreement to terms, and if you don't sign, then nothing happens."
She pauses.
"I just get frustrated."

 

"Then I'd rather not sign it. I think we're trustworthy enough to provide exactly what's been asked. I give you enough medicine to fully heal your wound and no less, and you provide fifty mage to every single forest guardian who worked on creating the flowers, free access to your library to the citizens of my kingdom in a very strict system that allows them and only them, and should an outsider wish to use it they must gain permission from you and I, and you protect my realm for the years it takes to make the medicine in milennia," I say, "If I fail to provide, you may have the Forest Guardians work for you until the medicine is created and the wound is healed, and you may restrict any and all items from your side of the deal. If you fail to provide, however, the remaining medicine shall be destroyed and I shall see to it the healing is reversed."

 

Xlentia hesitates.
"I don't know if I feel safe without the contract. However, owing you my life and all, I will let it go without the god's contract for a year. Sign a normal piece of paper, just stating the terms." She says, sliding over a more normal looking paper.

 

I read the paper to make sure everything is in order, checking the fine print and looking for any hidden terms.

 

Which foot?

 

The only fine print is an agreement to a flexible meeting date to discuss the full contract in roughly a year.
"I wouldn't push the mortal-to-immortal contract so much if your category wasn't so rambunctious. Mortals seem so incompetent nowadays with all the attempted godslayings. My brother even mentioned having to aid poor Gaia a few months back. What will it take for everyone to realize we are not the enemy?" Xlentia sighs.

Right.

 

I pivot, only moving the location of my right side, making a half-hearted swing with my axe in my left hand to prevent advancing.