Chapter 1819 - 1819: Are You Sure?

"It's a randomized ability – the one I just used. Through multiple uses, I always end up getting exactly the kind of weapon I want, hence why I insist on joining the auction. I have something even more absurd that I want to pitch… if you'll allow it."

Nothing Skullius said was a lie. Given the chance, he would have embellished his explanation a little in an effort to mislead Thyrgga about his true intentions. He was, after all, sure that despite how convincing he sounded when waxing on about how his intentions were unpredictable, Thyrgga didn't buy it. At least not entirely.

'That Treasure I just gave for damn free is no simple one,' thought Skullius, eyeing the chakram. 'Either this old man has seen Treasures of this caliber plenty of times, and really is just desensitized, or… he knew beforehand.'

That was easily the most vexing part about the Hybrid's encounter with the Sovereign General. Thyrgga seemed privy to things that he shouldn't. Skullius was almost certain that he had the guidance field, but there was something else, something that allowed Thyrgga to know about events, choices, Direction… both from the past and the future.

This conclusion – Skullius had thought – would have been more palatable if it was attached to Navvexr, whose eyes were brimming with the green, which Skullius was now sure was Conste.

…But Thyrgga had no traces of the |Greater Cosmic Law| whatsoever.

It didn't make sense even when Skullius tried to rationalize it, but the trend was that the higher one climbed up the power ladder, the less designations of power abided by established rules – at least in ways common Divines could understand. This was especially true with the |Greater Cosmic Law|.

Thyrgga considered the Hybrid.

"How earnest," he said. "You really want to be part of this."

Skullius said nothing. Something about the way the Sovereign General said that unnerved him.

Navvexr had the chakram levitate towards Skullius, who took it, surprised. He'd been sure she would keep it.

'Perfect! I don't have to agonize over them having an extra powerful Treasure, especially one like this.'

Skullius was about to store away the chakram when he stopped.

'I can't open any spatial storage units here.' His nerves flared in surprise at the realization. No matter how hard he tried, it was simply impossible. 'Not even a gateway to the Bosom, huh?' Indeed, that too.

How… horrifying.

"Since you insist," said Thyrgga, and he reached for the space to his right. Suddenly, his hand… changed. It became transparent and then turned into a single, strange shape that was somehow an infinite number of shapes performing an infinite number of tasks at the same time.

Skullius recognized this phenomenon at once.

'He's transcending three dimensions…'

And indeed, Thyrgga was.

Beings able to access higher dimensions often appeared incomprehensible to those in lower dimensions. Skullius himself could only access power to that effect when he equipped all three of his Great Revelations – the Storm Baker, the Kharnio-Glyss, and the Garmma Mail – something he could only do once the Second Phase of the War Body was accessible.

Something suddenly appeared somewhere between the extremities of Thyrgga's fingers – it was pinched between his thumb and index, held in his palm, and trapped between his ring and middle finger all at once. Another plaque, like the pass Fortus had given Skullius.

'He must have grabbed that thing from somewhere inside the Paradigm. How convenient,' thought Skullius as the Sovereign's General's arm returned to normal. 'From four dimensions, all three-dimensional matter is as close as you want it to be, barring a few exceptions.'

Skullius inspected the plaque. It was drenched in Amras of a super high quality.

Holding it between his fingers, Thyrgga mused silently. Then, he turned to Skullius, stern.

"Are you sure you want to be considered for the auction, Skullius?"

The Hybrid frowned. "Why are you saying it like that?"

Thyrgga had the plaque swim through the air and into Skullius' hand. The instant Skullius received it, wary beyond limits…

The Amras attached to the plaque unfurled like a cloth and was transmuted into a roll of parchment that floated still in front of the Hybrid, next to it, a beautiful fountain pen.

…!

'An Andori?!' thought Skullius. 'What caliber of Andori?'

He couldn't tell.

He couldn't be sure!

It was not Grand Tier, Sage, or Ascendant – that much he gathered. Was it Cosmic? He could not tell!

"All the other Stellars agreed to the conditions you see there long before they came here," said Thyrgga. "You're welcome to review them and make a choice. There is no shame in having second thoughts."

'This old man…!' thought Skullius, but he managed to keep a poker face.

On the parchment, a product of a sophisticated Andori, was a list of conditions indeed.

Sovereign General Momem Thyrgga the Sheathed is hosting a fair game of bargaining. An esoteric auction.

You, Skullius Festos Dawn, through the gall of your abilities and/or knowledge, have insisted on being chosen for this event in addition to other prominent, renowned persons. An admirable and unprecedented decision.

Should you find the following conditions agreeable, please sign below with the provided apparatus to be registered as a participant.

1.All registered parties are forbidden from leaving the host's domain until all proceedings, a total of three events, have concluded.

2.All registered parties must participate in a dangerous preamble before the auction.

3.All spoils acquired fairly during the course of the preamble will be fairly distributed between the registered participants and the host's party.

4.All registered parties must arrive at the auction's venue by the time designated by the host.

5.During the auction, only Fortune Articles will be allowed as bargaining mediums for presented artefacts.

6.Collaboration between registered parties during the auction is strictly forbidden.

7.At the auction's close, all auctioned items will remain in the venue until the last event is scheduled to commence.

8.All registered parties must respect ALL other registered and invited persons regardless of Nature and Status. Violating this condition will invite the highest consequence.

Only after signing this agreement will the domain of Sovereign General Momem Thyrgga the Sheathed be revealed, and you shall be guided towards it appropriately.

Skullius read through everything once, twice, and then thrice.

Before he made his decision, Elita's words resounded in his head:

You're taking on too much, Skullius.

'She might have been right,' the Hybrid thought, frustrated.

He looked up from the parchment at Thyrgga. The Sovereign General had that fatherly smile planted on his face, his eyes bright and expectant as he awaited Skullius' decision. The Hybrid had an inkling that this old monster knew what that was too.

'You're good, old man.'

There were practically no merits to Skullius signing or not. He had much to lose with either, even with his confidence, his strategies, his powers.

Indeed, he was taking on too much, as the former Paladin Champion had said, but then again…

'Screw it. When has anything ever come easy for me? Enlightened or not, there are always unfair odds,' he thought as he grabbed the beautiful pen floating beside the parchment. 'In any case, I'm not alone.'

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[Author's Note]

Thanks for reading.