Ishtar did not arrive alone, flanking her were two Grand Magus whose presence alone carried considerable weight, both firmly within the Two Cosmos realm.
One of them seed slightly tense, his posture rigid as his stare shifted subtly around the chamber, and for a brief mont Ery felt a flicker of familiarity, he must be one of the few surviving Astiel who fought him. The other was older, far more composed, with a steady and observant deanor.
"Welco to neo Terra, let's talk inside"
Klea spoke with calm authority, her tone perfectly asured as she gestured toward the interior of the palace.
Although Ishtar's expression still reflected faint disgust, her reaction was noticeably restrained this ti. She gave a slight nod before stepping forward, following Klea inside with deliberate grace, as though she were entering a place beneath her status.
They soon arrived at the prepared eting chamber, where a long table divided the room into two clearly opposing sides. Ery, Klea, and Typhon took their place on one end, while the Astiel delegation positioned themselves on the other. The arrangent itself was simple, yet the tension it created was unmistakable.
What stood out imdiately, however, was who chose to sit.
Once again, it was Ishtar.
Not the older Grand Magus, but her.
Klea's lips curved slightly as she observed the gesture, her tone carrying a quiet edge as she spoke.
"i see one faction demise lead to one opportunity to rise"
For a fleeting mont, Ishtar seed pleased by the remark, her lips curling into a faint smile as though she appreciated the recognition. Yet that satisfaction quickly twisted into irritation.
"Huh.. what do you an!!... our Astiel clan might receive so loss but we are still strong as ever... definitely far in comparison to your tiny faction..."
The reaction making it clear that her words were less a statent of confidence and more an attempt to assert control.
At that mont, Klea's voice echoed quietly within Ery's mind, delivering the information she had gathered. Denard, the Astiel crown prince was still in recovery, rebuilding his body and bearing the weight of the bla for recent. failures, which had weakened his position within the clan. In his absence, Ishtar had risen rapidly, stepping into a role of greater authority.
Ery absorbed the information without outward reaction, his expression remaining calm and almost indifferent. The internal struggles of the Astiel clan held no real interest for him, nor did he feel any need to acknowledge her attempt at dominance.
"state your intent"
His words were direct, stripped of politeness, and delivered with a level of indifference that imdiately disrupted the atmosphere.
The reaction was subtle but unmistakable. All three Astiel representatives stiffened slightly, their displeasure evident even if they chose not to act upon it. The younger Grand Magus, the one who seed familiar, clearly recognized Ery's strength and did not dare respond impulsively, while the older one remained cautious, his attention drifting toward Typhon with visible concern. Ishtar, however, could not hide her irritation.
Her jaw tightened as she leaned forward slightly, her tone sharpening.
"You know why i am here!... we have sent our challenge... now do you dare to accept or not!!?"
The tension in the room rose, yet Ery remained unmoved.
He had already discussed this matter with Klea, and their decision had been made well before this eting took place.
"We have no obligation to accept such challenge or in any condition to do so.. we are too busy fulfilling the sentences that the magus alliance put on us" The refusal was calm and unwavering, leaving no room for misinterpretation. This was not a matter of pride, nor one of fear, but of priorities. There was no benefit in entangling themselves in Astiel's conflicts at this stage, and their focus remained firmly on strengthening their position rather than indulging in unnecessary confrontations.
Ishtar stared at him for a mont before letting out a sharp, mocking laugh. "so you reject? Huh... I know it... you are just scared of us!! You %#&!"
The insult was deliberate, ant to provoke a reaction, yet Ery did not respond. His silence was not avoidance but dismissal, as though her words carried no weight at all.
Klea, however, allowed herself a faint smile, her tone light yet edged with quiet mockery.
"tsk tsk... i didnt realize you have such a charming side.. now if you have nothing else to say, you may take your fleet and leave"
For a brief mont, it seed as though the eting had reached quick end.
Yet Ishtar did not rise.
Instead, her expression shifted once more, the earlier irritation giving way to sothing more calculated.
"Our esteed first elder has expected this... so i have ssage from him for
you"
At the ntion of the First Elder, Ery's attention sharpened.
The Sky Lord.
The atmosphere in the room changed subtly, as though the weight of that title alone carried presence.
"Dont you want to know what we have been doing to your planet the last two
millenia?"
The words landed with far greater impact than her earlier insults, stirring both Ery and Klea despite their composure.
Ishtar's smile widened slightly, as though she had been waiting for this
mont.
"Hahaha.. yes yes.. as expected you know nothing about what happened two
millenia ago.. and you..." She stared at Ery. "I just realized who you are... you must be descended from that stinky beast man..."
The reference was unmistakable.
Myrddin.
The ancestor of the fey lineage on Earth.
After Fuxi and Izta had been forced to leave Earth, his fate had remained
uncertain, a gap in history that had never been fully explained.
Ery felt the stir of emotion rise within him, but he did not allow it to surface,
forcing himself to remain composed as he spoke.
"No need to speak in circle... tell us what you want"
Ishtar leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on him with renewed intensity.
"Accept our challenge and you shall receive the answer you seek"
She paused briefly before adding, her tone sharpened with intent.
"you against our first elder.. fight to the death!"
Silence followed, the weight of her words settling heavily across the room.
This was, in truth, the very outco they had once considered seeking from the Astiel themselves, using such terms to force the information out of them. However, Ery no longer believed the Astiel would honor such an agreent. Even if he accepted, there was no certainty they would reveal the full truth. In his mind, a more reliable path existed-once he secured a position within the
council.
Ery fell silent for a mont, the ntion of his ancestor stirring sothing deep within him. Yet even as that emotion surfaced, his reasoning remained clear. Facing the Sky Lord now would be nothing short of reckless.
He turned his gaze toward Klea.
She understood imdiately.
"Like we said.. we are in condition to accept your challenge.. not right now"
The refusal was calm, asured, and deliberate.
Yet Ishtar's reply ca in a way neither of them had expected.
"if you think my first elder wanted to take advantage of your injury.. you are
definitely wrong..."
She shifted her gaze toward Klea, her expression now fully composed. "Your deal with the Amarhiks for Earth would end in twenty years... so our
demand is this..."
She allowed the statents to linger for a brief mont before delivering the
final statent.
"The duel in twenty years.. it will decide the fate of your planet"
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