"I should be the one thanking you for rooting out the Rose School's poison," The Evernight Goddess said, meeting Alaric's gaze with soft eyes, clearly in a good mood. "Without Tolzna and Suah, the Mother Tree of Desire's next moves will be far more difficult."
"It's just what I do," Alaric replied with a smile, equally pleased. "Once I've sorted out the spoils from this operation, you can pick something as a reward. Or if there's anything you want, just name it now."
Though protecting the world was everyone's duty, Alaric wouldn't overlook Amanises's contributions just because it was her responsibility.
"No need for a reward, but if you uncover anything about the Mother Tree of Desire's power, I'd like to know the details," Amanises said. Rather than trivial rewards, she valued Alaric's research into the Outer Deities.
This wasn't surprising. Know your enemy, and you'll win every battle. As Earth's foes, the Outer Deities were a subject of interest for Amanises, who had always gathered intelligence on them. She'd considered studying them herself, but their corruption was so potent that caution was paramount, and her efforts had yielded little.
Her lack of progress didn't mean Alaric would fare the same. In many ways, he was an expert in the domain of Outer Deities.
"Deal. I'll share the relevant data with you and notify you of any findings," Alaric said with a casual nod. He had no issue sharing his research on Outer Deities.
Amanises's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
With the Astral World still needing her to seal the rift... The Ancient Sun God's power was only temporary... she didn't linger long. After a brief chat with Alaric, mostly about their views on various Outer Deities, she bid farewell and returned to the Astral World.
After her departure, Alaric cast a disdainful glance at Suah on the ground. He thought for a few seconds, then turned to Bethel. "Can you seal him into something? He's not exactly portable like this."
"I can seal him into a gem for now," Bethel replied, producing a beautiful ruby. With a snap of his fingers, the gem glowed brilliantly, enveloping Suah and drawing him inside.
"Done," Bethel said, about to hand the ruby to Alaric, who stepped back with a grimace.
"How about you hold onto it, Bethel?" Alaric suggested, blinking. "He's just too ugly."
Bethel paused, giving Alaric a helpless look before nodding. "Alright."
He didn't find Suah particularly repulsive... having seen all manner of bizarre things in the Fourth Epoch, he was desensitized. What surprised him was this side of Alaric.
On reflection, though, Bethel realized Alaric had always been like this... a bit vain about appearances, just less obvious before.
Bethel had no strong opinion on it. He, too, appreciated beautiful things, like gems. "What's next?" He asked.
"Dealing with the Rose School's mess, of course. Lil' Tolz's out of commission for now, so I'm hoping Reinette can be of some use. Otherwise, I'm really worried Lil' Red might keel over," Alaric said, his plan already clear. He turned to Bethel. "Take Suah to the biological lab in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Explain the situation there and keep him sealed until I arrive. With the True Creator watching, there's no need to worry about accidents. And honestly, given the state of the Forsaken Land, even if something goes wrong, it's not a big deal... no one's around."
The biological lab had been set up days ago, with researchers like Frank already at work. Progress had been slow due to limited time and lack of high-quality materials, but Alaric was confident Suah's arrival would bring Frank some exciting breakthroughs.
He just hoped those breakthroughs wouldn't turn into a global scare.
Alaric kept that thought to himself, maintaining a healthy respect for the "Mushroom King."
Then, turning to The Ancient Sun God, he said, "By the way, Grisha, want to come with me to meet the Dragon of Caution? I need to talk to him about those 200 assistants."
Alaric hadn't planned to meet the God of Knowledge and Wisdom so soon, but with work piling up and someone on the verge of collapse, he figured it was time to secure those assistants.
Plus, having just reclaimed Tolzna and captured Suah, their side was riding high. No better time to visit the Dragon of Caution.
"Dragon of Caution?" The Ancient Sun God blinked, taking a moment to realize who Alaric meant. After a second's thought, he nodded. "Sure."
He did need to see Herabergen himself.
…
When Herabergen received the visit, he was attempting to contact the Evernight Goddess, hoping to glean details about Alaric's recent actions.
This wasn't unusual. As the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, renowned for his true divine status, Herabergen couldn't ignore the recent events in the Astral World. Even if he hadn't noticed Alaric early on due to regional differences, he became aware when Alaric and Roselle stormed the Stiano's divine kingdom.
Herabergen, a patient deity, didn't act immediately. Instead, he observed and gathered intelligence, learning much about Alaric... mostly through Roselle, who, alongside the God of Steam, had shared plenty during a visit.
This was, of course, with Alaric's tacit approval. He didn't mind the Seven Gods knowing of his existence... in fact, he welcomed it.
Through this, Herabergen came to understand just how formidable Alaric was, making him all the more cautious. He monitored Alaric's actions while pondering how to approach him.
In this context, Herabergen noticed the Evernight Goddess's movements and learned of Alaric's campaign against the Rose School. Both shocked and intrigued, he reached out to her for more details.
He hadn't expected that, just as he contacted her, Alaric would show up at his doorstep... with The Ancient Sun God in tow.
Sensing the presence of the two outside his divine kingdom, Herabergen fell silent for a few seconds. He politely ended his communication with Amanises, then took a deep breath.
What was coming had to be faced. The time had arrived.
***
Hey, everyone! I'm currently working on a new Marvel project, and I'm really excited about it. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, feel free to give it a read:
[Marvel Apex Predator]
Synopsis:
What would happen if you were born into a world filled with bizarre races wielding even stranger powers, as a species whose sole purpose is to evolve by devouring every other race?
Chaos.
That's exactly what happens when the universe's one and only true Apex Predator is born into Marvel.
This is the story of how Xenomorph tears apart the cosmic food chain and reshapes the hierarchy of life itself.