Chapter 453 Custody (1/2)
A fearsome pressure was exerted from the powerful monster. Even surrounded and tied down with heavy weights, Granin couldn't help but take a step back as that voice echoed in his mind through their link. He swallowed hard and sought to quickly clarify himself.
[You've spoken to one of my order before. A Kaarmodo, named Ivran'tep?]
A pause.
[The Wizard Lizard? You know him? You're a member of his… conclave… thingy?]
The Golgari shaper felt his skin itch. The tone of the monster was light, airy, but from it he sensed a dangerous and potent air. The dichotomy of impressions was enough to put him on edge.
[Yes and no. I don't have much time, so I must speak quickly. Will you give me a moment?]
[Do I have much choice?]
[You do. It's not our intention to force you, but circ.u.mstances have forced my hand.]
[Alright then, Stone Man. I'm listening.]
Granin secretly took a calming breath as he put his thoughts in order.
[My people are called the Golgari and among us those who wield magic are called Shapers and we are regarded beneath those who employ the warrior arts.]
[Stupid.]
[I won't disagree, but it is important I explain this so you understand the dynamics of this hunting party and the reason we have sought you. I must urgently tell you that I am not in charge of this expedition and not all of my people here are members of the cult. I want you to come alive, but others would be happy to see you dead. I encourage you to cooperate, even though it may not seem to be in your best interests, as otherwise you will surely perish.]
He was mostly thinking of the imminent arrival of their moronic leader to break the legs of this precious specimen.
[Keep talking and I'll think about it.]
[… As you say. Let me quickly tell you how I came to be here. The cult enclave where I study was contacted by Ivran'tep because we were the closest members to where it was a.s.sumed you would travel. He told us he had identified a promising candidate monster and that we should attempt to be aware of your progress and growth. Normally the matter would drop there, it's not our policy to attempt to force a monster to ascend, but circ.u.mstances have taken a dramatic change recently.]
[So you and the Kaarmodo are members of the same group?]
A brief hesitation. How to explain several thousand years of interconnected history between secret societies?
[Sort of,] he hedged, [you could think of us as branches of the same organisation. More accurately, my cult and the conclave are separate ent.i.ties that share common purpose.]
[You want to raise the twentieth ancient.]
[Exactly. So we cooperate. Since you were known to be coming into our sphere of influence, he pa.s.sed his knowledge of you onto us.]
[Which led to me being hunted down like an animal… how?]
[I was getting to that…]
”Step aside, Shaper,” came the cold and superior tones of Balta.
Stifling a groan, Granin raced to inform the monster of what was happening.
[This idiot is the warrior leader of the expedition. I cannot overrule his commands in the field, even though I represent the people who funded it. He has demanded that we cripple you for the journey.]