- Joined
- Aug 5, 2020
- Posts
- 126
- Awards
- 9
- Essence
- €45,320
- Coin
- ₡54,800
- Tokens
- 65
- World
- Mesa Roja
- Profile
- Click Here
The city of Uruk lay behind them now.
Ironing out the full specifications and plans for her newest construction had taken...time. Even with King Gilgamesh's unexpected generosity and agreement, it had not been an easy process. His initial review of the plans and orders to begin the construction was swift, but the full process had been...taxing.
His insistence on a deal that the eventual guns of her new ship not be turned against his city was frustrating, but understandable. And with only some minor grinding of teeth, she had agreed to it without question. Good business relations were essential in such delicate matters as these, after all. The deal had been signed in good faith, and after explanation of Galand's rather...terrifying ability, her word became effectively binding.
"I would never dream of attacking your city without good cause. I may be a demon, but I'm not a monster, Gilgamesh."
She had seen the spark of indignant rage at her lack of using proper honorifics, but he let it pass, seemingly satisfied with the deal. It was, at the end of the day, beneficial for him, after all.
But now, out here in the sands, Altanis couldn't help but laugh. "Your ability comes in quite handy, Galand. It makes any simple conversation an unbreakable binding oath."
The warrior demon threw back his head and howled with laughter to the sky. "It's a pretty good little trick, ain't it?" he finally rumbled out. "Cuts out all the nonsense and side-talking, prevents any sneaky lying or veiled meaning."
"Yeah, sure came in handy there. Old golden boy seemed pretty dead set on getting some real clear agreement about not wreckin' his precious city." Morgans took a drag from a cigarette as she paced alongside the other two. "Surprised you went along with it, though. Place like that seems like prime target for you."
"There would be no benefit to such a thing, at this point." Altanis sneered, waving a hand dismissively back at the city. "It is too well-defended and fortified to make any siege or attack against it worthwhile. Even in victory, it would result in nothing. Claiming a city, but one that would resent its new rulers."
"Ah. Yeah, guess I get that. Not like you can force people you just up and conquered to like you, right?"
"If it were that easy, more people'd do it!" Galand snorted.
"Indeed." Altanis turned her eyes skyward, where she knew the construction-to-be of her ship would soon be finished. The sourcing and gathering of supplies would be the longest part of the endeavor, she knew. Now that that had been accomplished, the actual construction would take comparatively little time. Beyond that...it would be a simple waiting game for the functions of the mammoth craft to finish their initialization and come online. It would be an impressive, mobile fortress when it was finally ready...and Altanis only had so much patience to wait for that day.
In the meantime, however, there were other matters to tend to.
"So what're we gonna do while we wait until that thing is ready?" Morgans finally voiced the question of the hour.
"There is work to be done here yet, before we depart." Altanis lowered her gaze once more. "When that cult stronghold was destroyed and its prisoners freed, there were clues toward something else. This world may be relatively safe and free from the deepest bite of the unmaking, but it is not unscathed. They still have strongholds and forces present here. I intend to correct and solve that problem before departing."
"Playing pest control seems kinda beneath you." Morgans chuckled. "Or maybe you just enjoy steppin' on the little bugs cause they had the gall to try and act too big for their britches, huh?"
"They have the audacity to place themselves in positions of authority, and speak for some higher power they believe they understand." Altanis's expression soured, her lips curling into a silent snarl. "Thinking themselves the better of all others simply because they are 'enlightened'. Fools, all of them; driven by fear and madness to an insane fever, desperately clutching at and clinging to any shred of hope, even an imagined one. The unmaking will devour them just as surely as any other, yet they somehow believe their devotion to Darkseid will see them spared." She shook her head. "I find their mindset idiotic, their actions futile, and their very presence repulsive. Removing them from this world will only be of benefit to it in the long run."
"And tearing down the actual unmade presence will help your ego and send a message to the big man, right?" Morgans tossed aside the spent stump of her smoke, shoving her hands into her pockets.
Altanis's eyes narrowed, flicking briefly to Galand's looming presence, before she spat out her answer. "Be careful with your choice of words, miss Morgans...but yes, you are correct. Whether this world knows it or not, it will soon be indebted to me."
Galand just snorted in laughter.
Ironing out the full specifications and plans for her newest construction had taken...time. Even with King Gilgamesh's unexpected generosity and agreement, it had not been an easy process. His initial review of the plans and orders to begin the construction was swift, but the full process had been...taxing.
His insistence on a deal that the eventual guns of her new ship not be turned against his city was frustrating, but understandable. And with only some minor grinding of teeth, she had agreed to it without question. Good business relations were essential in such delicate matters as these, after all. The deal had been signed in good faith, and after explanation of Galand's rather...terrifying ability, her word became effectively binding.
"I would never dream of attacking your city without good cause. I may be a demon, but I'm not a monster, Gilgamesh."
She had seen the spark of indignant rage at her lack of using proper honorifics, but he let it pass, seemingly satisfied with the deal. It was, at the end of the day, beneficial for him, after all.
But now, out here in the sands, Altanis couldn't help but laugh. "Your ability comes in quite handy, Galand. It makes any simple conversation an unbreakable binding oath."
The warrior demon threw back his head and howled with laughter to the sky. "It's a pretty good little trick, ain't it?" he finally rumbled out. "Cuts out all the nonsense and side-talking, prevents any sneaky lying or veiled meaning."
"Yeah, sure came in handy there. Old golden boy seemed pretty dead set on getting some real clear agreement about not wreckin' his precious city." Morgans took a drag from a cigarette as she paced alongside the other two. "Surprised you went along with it, though. Place like that seems like prime target for you."
"There would be no benefit to such a thing, at this point." Altanis sneered, waving a hand dismissively back at the city. "It is too well-defended and fortified to make any siege or attack against it worthwhile. Even in victory, it would result in nothing. Claiming a city, but one that would resent its new rulers."
"Ah. Yeah, guess I get that. Not like you can force people you just up and conquered to like you, right?"
"If it were that easy, more people'd do it!" Galand snorted.
"Indeed." Altanis turned her eyes skyward, where she knew the construction-to-be of her ship would soon be finished. The sourcing and gathering of supplies would be the longest part of the endeavor, she knew. Now that that had been accomplished, the actual construction would take comparatively little time. Beyond that...it would be a simple waiting game for the functions of the mammoth craft to finish their initialization and come online. It would be an impressive, mobile fortress when it was finally ready...and Altanis only had so much patience to wait for that day.
In the meantime, however, there were other matters to tend to.
"So what're we gonna do while we wait until that thing is ready?" Morgans finally voiced the question of the hour.
"There is work to be done here yet, before we depart." Altanis lowered her gaze once more. "When that cult stronghold was destroyed and its prisoners freed, there were clues toward something else. This world may be relatively safe and free from the deepest bite of the unmaking, but it is not unscathed. They still have strongholds and forces present here. I intend to correct and solve that problem before departing."
"Playing pest control seems kinda beneath you." Morgans chuckled. "Or maybe you just enjoy steppin' on the little bugs cause they had the gall to try and act too big for their britches, huh?"
"They have the audacity to place themselves in positions of authority, and speak for some higher power they believe they understand." Altanis's expression soured, her lips curling into a silent snarl. "Thinking themselves the better of all others simply because they are 'enlightened'. Fools, all of them; driven by fear and madness to an insane fever, desperately clutching at and clinging to any shred of hope, even an imagined one. The unmaking will devour them just as surely as any other, yet they somehow believe their devotion to Darkseid will see them spared." She shook her head. "I find their mindset idiotic, their actions futile, and their very presence repulsive. Removing them from this world will only be of benefit to it in the long run."
"And tearing down the actual unmade presence will help your ego and send a message to the big man, right?" Morgans tossed aside the spent stump of her smoke, shoving her hands into her pockets.
Altanis's eyes narrowed, flicking briefly to Galand's looming presence, before she spat out her answer. "Be careful with your choice of words, miss Morgans...but yes, you are correct. Whether this world knows it or not, it will soon be indebted to me."
Galand just snorted in laughter.
Starting faction quest "The Shine of Gems".
Word count: 836
Quest Count: 836/5,000