Supreme Magus

Chapter 2574 A Different Power (Part 2)

2574 A Different Power (Part 2)

”Heck, my fight with Lith has even given me enlightenment about the violet, but even if 1 reach it, I would still be much weaker than you or Ajatar. This isnʼt a problem I can just blast away.”

”Wait, you did what now?” Quylla was flabbergasted.

”I mean, itʼs not that hard, right?” The Tyrant let his aura burst forward, revealing several violet streaks burning at its end. ”You got it from the start and even your sister reached it a while ago despite being Awakened for just a few years.”

”No, itʼs damn hard!” She replied. ”I got the violet only because my mana core had already reached that level and by talking with Lith back when he was researching the auxiliary cores, I shared the fruits of his experiments.

”As for Friya, she had no clue about it until she got major help from a legendary array that temporarily allowed her to reach the violet and experience firsthand its effects. She received the next best thing to a practical lesson and yet sheʼs still stuck at the bright blue.

”Not to mention that Iʼm supposed to be a genius and Iʼve researched Awakening for years and sheʼs an epta-streaked Awakened whose talent is allegedly on par with people like Silverwing and Menadion.

”You, instead, are...” She blushed, managing to steer the conversation in time. ”I mean, Ajatar says that since the marriage proposal, youʼve been neglecting both body casting and the study of your bloodline abilities.”

”In other words, Iʼm an idiot. Feel free to say it.” Morok sighed. ”Iʼm an idiot and we both know itʼ

”Your words, not mine.” Quylla nodded.

”Wow. That hurt.” He lowered his gaze in humiliation. ”Maybe we should cancel the marriage.”

”What? Why?” She went pale at the idea.

”I mean, who is more stupid? The idiot, or the person who agrees to marry him? Maybe I set the bar too low. Do you know someone smart you can introduce to me?” Morok said with a chuckle, sweeping Quylla off her feet before kissing her.

”You idiot.” She giggled. ”You almost gave me a heart attack.”

”Okay, genius. I need to pick your brain on this. Letʼs assume that Syrah is oblivious of our ruse. Should I tell her the truth or not?” Morok asked. ”If I do, I can ruin everything off the bat. If I donʼt, Iʼm just postponing the confrontation.”

”Either way, the monsters will feel betrayed and be exterminated the moment they refuse to cooperate.”

”Thatʼs an excellent question.” Quylla wrapped her arms around his neck to sit up. ”As you said, this isnʼt a problem that can be solved by using violence. You need a power of a different kind.”

”What do you mean?””I mean political power, but not the Royalsʼ. They have no influence in Jiera and they canʼt be involved in matters regarding Awakened. I mean the Council.”

”If the Council could be trusted, we wouldnʼt have gone incognito after dealing with the raids. What good can do involving them now?” Morok asked.

”It would open the eyes of the children of Glemos to the rest of Mogar. It would give them the possibility to strike a deal not with a single person they might or not trust, but with a wide community they can hope to be a part of in the future.” Quylla replied.

”I know it means giving up on a lot on your side, but if on top of the Harmonizers, the monsters could also use the Tyrantʼs bloodline legacy as a bargaining chip, they could have way more leverage in the negotiations.I think you should take a look at

”For example, those who wear the Harmonizers could be allowed to not move from Zelex at all and use the self-destruction arrays as a deterrent to make sure that the Council holds its part of the deal.”

”It makes sense.” Morok nodded. ”As long as Syrah can only talk with the Council via Faluel, they have no way of confirming our goodwill. The monsters will feel isolated and with their back against the wall exactly like with the Undead Courts.

”By cutting off the middleman, they can keep the negotiations going even in case their relationship with us goes sour since the Council had no involvement in the demon invasion and has different goals from me.”

”Forget about my earlier request. I think I already got a brainiac.” The Tyrant paced the room while holding Quylla in a princess carry. making her giggle. ”I like your idea but thereʼs a huge flaw that I canʼt solve.”

”Which is?” She asked.

”The monsters have no reason to trust the Council more than they do us, especially if our little play comes to light. Also, the Council has no real reason to agree on any term the monsters set.” Morok replied.

”From the Councilʼs standpoint, letting them live is reward enough. The members of the fallen races cannot Awaken and the Council only cares about their own. People like Raagu would rather take the Harmonizers and my legacy by force or a trick than waste time talking.

”They would feel entitled to them, considering the artifact and books as reparations for all the damage Glemos caused with his experiments.”

”Yeah, I hadnʼt thought about that.” Quylla pondered. ”The lack of trust is a big issue that canʼt be solved unless we find a way to make sure that both parties benefit from the deal.

”Even naïve creatures like the children of Glemos know that their ally would never turn on them if they gain nothing from betrayal and lose a lot.”

”Thatʼs it! You are a damn genius.” Morok dropped her on the bed and took his communication amulet out of his dimensional amulet.

”Thanks, but what have I said exactly?” Quylla looked at him in confusion. ”Also, I donʼt think itʼs a smart idea to talk with the Council before running whatever idea you had by me first.”

”Hey, I may not be the sharpest tool in the crayon box but Iʼm not that dull.” Morok replied. ”A rogue Awakened like me lacks the smarts, the political backing, and the experience to deal with the Council.

”They would eat me to the bone and spit me out without me even noticing. Iʼm calling Master Ajatar and Faluel. If Iʼm right, I can give them the arrows they need to make a compelling argument.”

***

City of Zelex, a few days later.

The joy of having Xagra back had eased Syrahʼs grief for the loss of her husband. Both mother and son were mourning Ikaraʼs death but at least now they were together and there was hope that things would remain that way.

The Hati Queen had spent every waking moment of her son talking with him, doing activities together, and watching him from a distance while Xagra talked with the future members of the senate who had returned from the Gardens of Time with him.

It saddened her to see the youths form a grief counseling group instead of playing and running around, but they werenʼt regular children anymore. If the negotiations failed, their duty was to age fast, rule, and pass their Harmonizer the moment a better generation arose.

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