Red returned with an armful of wood, dropping it next to Ikenga. "Got the firewood ready. What do you need for the barbecue?"
Ikenga nodded appreciatively. "Thanks, Red. Just grab some of those herbs over there and a few spices from that bush. We’ll need them to season the meat."
Red nodded and set off to gather the herbs and spices while Ikenga tended to the fire. As they waited for the meat to cook, Red recounted his journey and the events that led him to Ikem’s realm.
Ikenga listened intently, his expression shifting to curiosity. "So, what do you know about the demons and their recent behavior?."
"I know only as much as I can see like your counterparts and Björns ascension, apart from that I know nothing else" Red said downing the cup of wine he had brought out during their talk.
Ikenga smiled as he said "You got to give me more than that Red"
Red sighed as he poured himself another drink "The demons are a terrifying race, I would say your world was lucky and unlucky to come across one this early. Lucky in the sense that you got one no longer favored by the abyss and an Origin god who’s domain nerfs the demon to a great extent"
Ikenga, taken back by that, asked immediately which of his siblings is that, Red pointed down to the earth to which Ikenga said "keles" and with Red nodding to confirm his suggestions.
"What is it about Keles domain that nerfs the demons?" Ikenga asked.
Red closed his eyes, it took sometime before he said "It would be wrong to say that the domain weakens them, rather it is more appropriate to say that her domain has laid claim to their race primary source of power, meal and currency depending on how they plan on using it"
Ikenga eyes flashed as he thought out loud "Souls"
Red looked around like he was waiting for something before sighing and said "You said it not me"
Ikenga’s expression turned somber as he absorbed the implications of Red’s words "Why can’t they absorb souls?"
Red only said back "You have to figure the answer yourself"
Ikenga took a deep look at Red before putting his head down looking down at the cup he was holding which was not showing a reflection of his face from the wine inside the cup.
"He said Keles has laid claim to their main source of power"Ikenga thought to himself "Does that imply that because of Keles domain the demons are scared of touching upon dead souls"
Thinking back on Nana’s words about the only thing a god can lay total claim to is their domain and as i understood all souls in our world are destined to end up in Keles realm and if the demons does something to implicate that process then by right Keles is allowed to make a move.
Ikenga looked up to Red with a surprised expression "If they have such deep understanding of the rule, that makes them truly troublesome"
Red understood what Ikenga was saying as he nodded "Which is why the settled for the next best thing which is flesh and blood, only that this is good as their usual first choice"
"This is the last thing I can say about the demon situation," Red suddenly said, catching Ikenga’s attention.
"Find a way to end your war with them as fast as you can before the humans learn of their full existence" Red said with a serious expression.
Ikenga also looked serious as he asked back "Are you referring to the second choice?"
Red raised an eyebrow "It seems you know of it already but yes i am referring to that and more"
Not waiting for Ikenga to say anything, Red said "In a known verse Humans and the abyss demons has always being so compatible with each other for different reasons but in a grander scale it don’t always end up to be a good thing"
Red turned quiet, Ikenga knew not to ask again as he thought deep into what Red told him, but soon both their attention was turned to the smell of the cooked meat.
Red, not paying attention to the Flame and heat, grabbed him a handful of succulent meat which he tore apart immediately. Ikenga smiled as he tore off a piece of meat for himself too.
They both ate in silence not out of choice but Rather because Ikenga was lost in his thoughts and Red meanwhile was preoccupied by eating as much of the deer meat as he could.
Shaking his head, Ikenga looked at Red and asked with a serious tone "What do you know about killing of a divine being?"
Red paused halfway as he asked in return "Which one are you asking for, the one with price or one without the price"
Ikenga turned silent before asking "The one without the price"
Red ate up the last meat as he threw the bone he was holding into the fire, he drank his cup full of wine and filled it up two more times before answering "I can’t say much about that only that my mother Tiamat is an existence who lives without the price which is why she was able to cause the creation of dragons in your world which normally shouldn’t be done if the world originally doesn’t have a dragon race in it"
"Are you also thinking about killing a god, if so what price are you willing to pay for it" Red’s whole aura and sense of being changed, the same happened with his voice as it became more feminine.
Ikenga felt a huge presence descend to his realm as he unconsciously dropped his wine cup as he stared deeply at Red.
"I heard my name being mentioned and to my surprise it was one of spawn conversing with an origin god" Red feminine voice spoke out.
Ikenga, having regained his composure, asked "Am I speaking to your highness Tiamat?"
Ikenga got no answer in return except for the roaming eyes of the changed Red all over his body before she began speaking "You are asking something most usually doesn’t ask" she said as her nose twitched.
Looking at Ikenga, she said "Do you ask the question because you seek freedom?"
Ikenga wanted to answer but she cut him off "No you don’t seek freedom, rather you are just greedy to know more and the fact you don’t know is eating at you, hmm I can satisfy your greed for knowledge but I gain nothing from it"
Tiamat stared at Ikenga before chuckling "I gain more if you don’t easily gain access to what you want, the need to know and have more will drive you mad, desperate and that’s when i will answer you, your current desire for knowledge overpowers your need for freedom"
Ikenga listened to Tiamat’s words, feeling a mix of fascination and trepidation at her presence. He knew dealing with a being of her stature wasn’t without its risks, but the opportunity to gain insight was too tantalizing to ignore.
"You speak wisdom, Tiamat," Ikenga said, choosing his words carefully. "I am driven by curiosity, yes, but also by the desire to understand the forces at play in our world. Knowledge, in itself, is a form of freedom"
Tiamat all of a sudden looked to the sky of Ikenga’s realm "It seems I have made a mother angry, I will be taking my leave now young god. If your greed pushes you enough to learn of our existence and choosing our side then we will see eachother again"
From the beginning of Tiamat appearance to her returning back Red’s mind and soul, Ikenga the whole time was just stuck as he couldn’t find words for the moment yet the being known as Red mother was reading him like a book.
Red looked at Ikenga, as Ikenga stared back at him before a smile appeared at the edge of red face as he said "You might have just noticed this, but my whole family is weird"
Ikenga scoffed as he looked to the sky where he could feel his mother’s presence staring at him before he responded "Wait till you meet mine"
They were both silent before letting out a booming laughter that spread throughout Ikenga’s realm, Ikenga who was laughing all of a sudden stopped as he waved his hand where a scene of the outside world appeared. The screen showed the figure of Ikem speeding through the forest occasionally jumping from tree to tree.
Soon in the eye’s of Red and Ikenga, he appeared at the battlefield where he previously fought with the ape demon. At the huge gaping hole, he was greeted by three figures who seemed to have been waiting for him.
Ikem came to a halt, his stature getting bigger as the people he was about to meet are people whose height matches with his lineage.
Ikem was taken back when there were three figures as he was only expecting two but seeing the third figure juggled his memory as he asked "Aqua, Brix. Who is your new friend?"