King Titanium sighed quietly as he read the message from one of his soldiers who entered into contact with Van Bloot. He read the report. He let out a small satisfied smile, "Looks like Van Bloot found out more about the Jewel," he put his hands on his back and wondered if it was actually showing off or not. He couldn't be sure until he got a sign of it.

Still, it was his big chance to get something big. He had no intention of failing this mission. He turned around and went to get the telebracer and meet with the Underworlder.

Chapter 48: Another Meeting

Atrapol wondered where his lord went. He knew he had a meeting with a creature to get weapons and intelligence against Chaor the usurper, but he didn't know anything about that creature. He did ask his lord why he went alone and why he didn't give any detail. Sometimes, he wished he did that and knew everything. It angered him a bit to be left in the dark. Still, he didn't complain.

The only answer he got was that he was taking a risk to find a way to defeat Chaor. He didn't ask anything else after he got that answer. The creature had no idea if this would work out. If this failed, they might lose their lord and Chaor would win by doing nothing. He couldn't be in command of everyone and he would never be welcome to any tribe anyway. He didn't have the reputation to even get a chance.

"Lord Van Bloot. I need to know who you are in contact with," he spoke alone. He couldn't directly ask him if he tried to face him. He had to mentally find the strength to ask that question. He had to be ready with his lord came back. He would ask it then. Not only that, they needed a plan to find Kaz enter into contact with the guide again.

He was sure that the priority of the human was about his missing friend and not the truth of the underworld. He closed his eyes and put his large hands over his face. He had to wait. He could only wait for now.

Lord Van Bloot waited at the designated spot. It was the same as before. He made sure that no one followed him. Either one of his soldiers or the enemies. He rested his wings as he waited. He held a bag that contained the scrolls and books important for the deal.

He glanced around. He was a bit nervous. He had a bag with a few clues about this Jewel. He decided not to read the documents. He couldn't afford to be tempted into breaking the deal for something else. He just knew enough that the Jewel was real and it was pretty powerful. He didn't know what it could do and how it worked, "I hope this is enough," he grumbled. He needed to seal the alliance.

He thought of his soldiers. Atrapol was suspicious of the creature he entered in contact with. He never told them it was the new tribe that showed up, the Metalist. He told them the minimal and the risk that he might ended up dead. It wouldn't be the case from what he saw from the ruler of the metalist. Still, he couldn't act like the creature could be trusted. He had to remain cautious until he got what he wanted.

It took a few minutes before the creature showed up. He saw the metalist ruler.

Titanium watched the harpy. He sat down and looked in the good eye of Lord Van Bloot. He saw nothing treacherous and only hope and nervousness. He knew it was about the alliance. He crossed his fingers, "Sorry if I took a bit longer. I have been busy for a while. Things slowed down for now. I hope this extra time allowed you to get more information about the Jewel."

Van Bloot nodded, "Yes. I managed to get some scrolls and books about it. Some of them barely mentioned it, but maybe you can see more and some of them spoke about its power and legends. I no idea what many of those things meant," he offered everything he managed to collect.

The metal creature grabbed them. He opened a scroll and read it quietly. He frowned a little bit and replied, "Indeed. This one only mentioned the Jewel, but it is about a guardian in the Underworld," he looked at the underworlder, "It is something important, but that is for the one who is chosen by the Jewel of the Cothica. This is a lot more than it first appeared."

"Guardian? Guardian for what?"

"I do not know that much. The knowledge we have for the Jewel diminished since we were sent to exile here," he put his hand on his knee while the other slowly rolled the scroll, "The humans also have little knowledge of the Jewel. The Guardians of the Cothica might know more about it than we can think."

"Guardians of the Cothica? You think it's a guardian like that?" Lord Van Bloot was a bit curious when he heard that. He closed his eyes and tapped his chin. He didn't get an answer, "Or am I wrong?"

"I cannot answer that. They know more about my kind, so maybe," he let out a small smile. He grabbed a book and opened it. He read it a little bit and closed it. He checked a few other documents the underworlder brought to him, "This is more than I expected from you."

The other one looked at him right in his eyes. He wondered if he managed to obtain the alliance.

"I believe this will put my council to ease about forging an alliance with you. We know of your reputation and the others have no trust in you. This will be enough to officially forge one."

"I am honored to reach your standards," Lord Van Bloot politely replied as he bowed to the creature. It was better than he expected. Maybe he didn't fully understand the scrolls. He had little knowledge of this Jewel, "I have one question before we begin," he tried a little nervously. He couldn't just turn this alliance sour. They were about to get the resource needed to defeat Chaor and he could reclaim his throne on the underworld.

"We can help you keep an eye of Kaz, if this is what you were about to ask."

The harpy was taken aback. The creature was wrong about his question, but he nodded, "It wasn't what I wanted to ask, but thank you. This will help us meet with Kaz again."

"What did you want to ask then?"

"Did the Jewel already chose someone?"

Titanium grumbled. He scratched his chin, "I have no idea. Only the one chosen by the Jewel might know for now. Maybe there is no one, but the chosen might come soon. It can only be a human or a metalist which can be chosen. We both originally came from the Cothica. With my kind situation, you can forget that a metalist would be chosen this time."

"A human will be the one who get the Jewel," Van Bloot concluded. The question was which one, if it would come soon. He could guess the guides to the Cothica, but he wasn't certain if it was the case. He heard of the Messenger of the Cothica. It might be him too. He never met the human, but his spies managed to get the importance of that human existence. The very fact that he saved Perim by uniting the four tribes together, was an impressive act. Still, it might be someone no one could think about. It was chosen by something. He stopped wondering about that, "We should begin forming our alliance officially."

The king nodded, "Right. Pondering about this subject is pointless. The answer will come out eventually."

The two began the negotiations afterwards. The subject of the Jewel of the Cothica pushed aside in their priorities.

"As I told you last time, I am willing to give you resources to help you in your quest to defeat Chaor. As you know, I have little care who rule the Underworlds," he crossed his fingers. He let out a small smile, "And I also told you I can help you track down Kaz. It might help you find him when you want to talk with him," Titanium added one last thing, "I do suggest not to kidnap him all the time. He might grow resentful or might prepare himself to avoid capture."

"I don't intend to kidnap him all the time. I don't want to get Chaor's army attack all the time and the need to move around constantly. It would tire the troops and more," Van Bloot knew he could risk some mutiny if he pushed his soldiers around. He crossed his fingers, "Resources are what we need the most. We cannot get any supplies and we survive with what we can get, one way or another. With your help, it will be an improvement and we won't have to risk it any times we need supplies. Battlegears can be helpful too," he doubted he could get that. No one would give to a potential enemy their weapons.

"I won't fill you with battlegears immediately. The council would never accept something like that. I might be the king, but the council has a word on this too. I meant mostly for advanced battlegears. Swords, axes and other weapons like that, I'm sure it can be acceptable."

"I would greatly appreciate it," he didn't say anything else. The supplies of food will allow them to collect the materials needed to make powerful battlegears. The basic ones like swords would allow them to focus on the magical battlegears. This was better than he expected.

Van Bloot felt that luck finally was by his side and it would run out soon enough for Chaor. If he managed to convince Kaz that he should join as the guide of the Underworld, it would be perfect. The support of the Cothica, just by believing he was the legitimate ruler would be enough. Still, the harpy knew it was some foolish hope. It was clear Chaor himself liked the human quite honestly. He had a feeling he already made a mistake in some ways. He couldn't remember everything he did before he lost everything because of the M'arrillians.

In the end, the cause of his downfall was the M'arrillians. His fatale mistake that cost him what he controlled in the Underworld. It was unfair. He was under the control of Aa'une after all. He chased away the thought that the division of their land by him and Chaor could be a cause of it.

A quick snapped if metallic claws near his face brought him back to reality.

"You have a lot on your mind," Titanium commented.

"Yes. I'm sorry for the distraction," he replied.

"I rather enjoy seeing your face changing as you think of something different. A small smile filled with hope, turning into anger and frustration," the metalist kind replied. He grinned a little bit when he got a glare for telling the creature that, but ignored it, "We should focus on the smaller details and how everything will function. I'm sure none of us wants to give the location of their base."

"Right," he didn't want the risk of their tribe knowing where to find him if they decided to backstabbed them.

The negotiations went on. They picked a plausible and safe location for the supply to be sent, the went and the frequency. None of this was confirmed. They needed another meeting once Titanium finished explaining everything to his council, which would be a day to wait.

Lord Van Bloot could already see the moral of his troop increasing. He insisted that the quality of the food should be good and not just the leftovers. He also accepted to give a few precious minerals they collected for it. Nothing was free after all.

Once it was done, the two creatures parted their own ways.

AC: This is the end of this chapter.

Next: Her Protector.

Sarah and her family adjusted their life with Ekuud living outside.