me…” He lifted his nose high in the air and grimaced. The thought of stepping foot on the filthy planet sickened him. “…It does to many others, and we would ensure you wouldn’t have to lift one finger to protect yourself, not even from the dragons.”
This was unheard of. The Yuledrakes were like the schoolyard bullies, everyone knew it. Jatorn took great pride in his reputation. Only, these schoolyard bullies were also chess club members and they wore shiny, pretty things, garnishing them attention and accolades. Quite aware of the Yuledrakes’ effect on others, they understood they were hated by many, but respected and envied by their share. They knew how to speak. They understood how to articulate their sentences in just a way to worm their little pale selves into the hearts of the most untrusting. Yuledrakes rarely offered their protection to others, but when they did, they stayed true to their word. Bosi would surely find this offer too tantalizing to pass up. The peace-loving man could once and for all put his paws away, and live in tranquility. He didn’t miss the glimmer in the monster's eyes.
“And what about us? Do we also receive this protection you offer? The Zarkstormians will be coming…” Vex’s voice shook the room, the warning thick and foreboding. Vex didn’t care much for the Zarkstormians, but he had a healthy fear of them, especially Xzion. The two had shared words and Xzion vowed to behead him if he saw him slithering around his planet again. Jatorn hadn’t disclosed the details, but he was certain the sly Morphitian had beefed up on plenty of information before his arrival. Why? Because that was what Morphitians did simply for sport.
“Yes, Vex. We will offer our protection to your planet as well.”
“For what duration?”
Jatorn smiled. One shyster could never trust another. Vex didn’t trust him as far as he could toss him, and he understood this. They had their underhandedness in common.
“For three spells…”
“Three hundred years? That’s it. What about the Lyalts? You gave them an eternity…”
“They will be risking their lives to assist us, going directly against the Zarkstormians. You will have no direct dealings with them, unless necessary. Not that your participation is not important, but you must understand the nature of the operation. Your job is to do what you do best: tease, torture and torment. You’ve been doing it for free. What is the difference now?” Jatorn sneered.
“The difference is… you need us.”
“Yes, I do, but please don’t believe I can’t find an alternative, Vex.”
“No one can preserve them the same way we can, to do your bidding. I would be delighted to participate, but I need a valued payment.” The fiend ran his scaly hands together.
Jatorn swallowed, gripped his arms and pursed his lips. “Speak. What did you have in mind?” he finally asked.
“I want the antidote to their cure.”
Jatorn burst out laughing.
“Now how would I have that, Vex? It took much persuasion for them to supply the elixir in the first place and trust me, we’ve tried to find out what’s in it. Then, when we did obtain it, it did nothing but make us even more nauseous than we were previously.”
“You’re not thinking ahead.” Vex drew closer to Jatorn, his form moving seamlessly, as if floating across the floor. “I don’t have the ability to decode the formula…but you do. Tell me what’s in it; tell me what can cancel it out. For every action, there is a reaction. For every up, there is a down.” The demon pointed to the slate black floor. “For every disease, there is a cure, and for every cure, there is a reversal. These are the laws of all the worlds.”
Jatorn turned away in disgust. “Who cares, Vex! You wish to discuss torturing the Zarkstormians, I suppose? You can’t! Even if you had, uh…” he waved his hand around in the air, his frustration now at a fever pitch at the valuable time being lost, “…even
This was unheard of. The Yuledrakes were like the schoolyard bullies, everyone knew it. Jatorn took great pride in his reputation. Only, these schoolyard bullies were also chess club members and they wore shiny, pretty things, garnishing them attention and accolades. Quite aware of the Yuledrakes’ effect on others, they understood they were hated by many, but respected and envied by their share. They knew how to speak. They understood how to articulate their sentences in just a way to worm their little pale selves into the hearts of the most untrusting. Yuledrakes rarely offered their protection to others, but when they did, they stayed true to their word. Bosi would surely find this offer too tantalizing to pass up. The peace-loving man could once and for all put his paws away, and live in tranquility. He didn’t miss the glimmer in the monster's eyes.
“And what about us? Do we also receive this protection you offer? The Zarkstormians will be coming…” Vex’s voice shook the room, the warning thick and foreboding. Vex didn’t care much for the Zarkstormians, but he had a healthy fear of them, especially Xzion. The two had shared words and Xzion vowed to behead him if he saw him slithering around his planet again. Jatorn hadn’t disclosed the details, but he was certain the sly Morphitian had beefed up on plenty of information before his arrival. Why? Because that was what Morphitians did simply for sport.
“Yes, Vex. We will offer our protection to your planet as well.”
“For what duration?”
Jatorn smiled. One shyster could never trust another. Vex didn’t trust him as far as he could toss him, and he understood this. They had their underhandedness in common.
“For three spells…”
“Three hundred years? That’s it. What about the Lyalts? You gave them an eternity…”
“They will be risking their lives to assist us, going directly against the Zarkstormians. You will have no direct dealings with them, unless necessary. Not that your participation is not important, but you must understand the nature of the operation. Your job is to do what you do best: tease, torture and torment. You’ve been doing it for free. What is the difference now?” Jatorn sneered.
“The difference is… you need us.”
“Yes, I do, but please don’t believe I can’t find an alternative, Vex.”
“No one can preserve them the same way we can, to do your bidding. I would be delighted to participate, but I need a valued payment.” The fiend ran his scaly hands together.
Jatorn swallowed, gripped his arms and pursed his lips. “Speak. What did you have in mind?” he finally asked.
“I want the antidote to their cure.”
Jatorn burst out laughing.
“Now how would I have that, Vex? It took much persuasion for them to supply the elixir in the first place and trust me, we’ve tried to find out what’s in it. Then, when we did obtain it, it did nothing but make us even more nauseous than we were previously.”
“You’re not thinking ahead.” Vex drew closer to Jatorn, his form moving seamlessly, as if floating across the floor. “I don’t have the ability to decode the formula…but you do. Tell me what’s in it; tell me what can cancel it out. For every action, there is a reaction. For every up, there is a down.” The demon pointed to the slate black floor. “For every disease, there is a cure, and for every cure, there is a reversal. These are the laws of all the worlds.”
Jatorn turned away in disgust. “Who cares, Vex! You wish to discuss torturing the Zarkstormians, I suppose? You can’t! Even if you had, uh…” he waved his hand around in the air, his frustration now at a fever pitch at the valuable time being lost, “…even
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