After Moltherak vowed to owe Leo a lifelong debt of gratitude should he ever grant him a new body, the chamber fell into a heavy silence once more, the golden intent threads still shimmering faintly around them, as they slowly began to fade one after another.
Leo remained still, his gaze fixed upon Moltherak’s radiant form, as the red glow around the dragon’s body burned a brighter shade of crimson.
For a while, neither spoke.
The promise they had just forged lingering between them, weighty and unspoken, as they both took a moment to digest its enormity.
Then, Leo exhaled softly, his expression shifting from satisfaction to quiet concern.
"There’s something else I need your help with...."
"The subject this time is tricky and will probably need some ingenious solution on your part."
Leo said, his voice low yet resolute, as Moltherak tilted his head slightly, his massive soul form stirring like a slow tide, as curiosity returned to his golden eyes.
"I hope it’s not advice on how to lure a God here. For if I knew how to do that, I wouldn’t be stuck here for so long."
Moltherak joked, as Leo’s lips curved faintly, though the seriousness in his eyes betrayed no humor.
"My brother was captured by the Righteous Faction recently....
And word is that they’re holding him hostage.
And to make matters worse, I have no idea as to where exactly he’s being held...."
Leo began, as his expression turned more and more sour after every line he spoke.
The anger visible in his eyes.
"What I do know though is where his execution will take place.
And it’s a place called ’The Pit’.
I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but it’s apparently the home world of a God called Helmuth.
He’s a tough guy of sorts, and there’s a chance that he, and a few other Gods might be in attendance for this execution....."
Leo explained, as Moltherak’s eyes widened in disbelief the longer Leo spoke.
"So, what I need your advice on.... Is how to save him? For the plans that I have come up with so far are pretty useless."
Leo admitted, as for a couple seconds Moltherak just blinked blankly as if waiting for the punchline of this joke to arrive, however, it never did.
"What? Are you actually serious?"
Moltherak asked, as Leo nodded, his expression as serious as it could be, as Moltherak immediately burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA—"
Moltherak’s laughter roared through the chamber, echoing off the walls like rolling thunder, as it shook the very air around them.
"So let me get this straight," he began, his voice dripping with disbelief as his massive form trembled from amusement.
"So your brother was taken away, and you don’t even know where he’s being kept," he said, snickering as his laughter began to build again.
"The execution is going to take place on a God’s home world," he continued, his tone rising with each absurd detail as he struggled to contain his amusement.
"And there will be several GODS in attendance, yet you still hope to save him?"
By the time he finished, he was howling with laughter, his deep, booming voice shaking the chamber as the molten streams of light across his scales flared and dimmed in rhythm with his uncontrollable amusement.
"Hahaha, oh, you truly are something else, Leo Skyshard," Moltherak said between fits of laughter, wiping away a tear that wasn’t there, his tail coiling in delight.
But through it all, Leo simply stood there, silent, unmoved, his eyes calm and unflinching.
He waited patiently, his expression betraying not a shred of embarrassment or frustration, only resolve.
Gradually, Moltherak’s laughter slowed, fading into a deep sigh as the echo of his mirth died in the molten air.
"It can’t be done, boy," he said finally, the humor draining from his voice. "Give it up."
He lowered his head slightly, his golden eyes narrowing in something closer to pity than mockery.
"Although I admire your spirit as a brother, truly, I do, this is not a battle you can win. If I were in your place, perhaps I’d feel the same desperation, the same need to try. But that doesn’t change the truth."
He leaned closer, his immense form casting a shadow over Leo as his tone hardened.
"This fight is far above your league. We are talking about Gods here, several of them.
While you are not even a nascent soul cultivator. At some point, you must accept your limits."
Leo nodded, his expression still perfectly calm.
"Alright," he said quietly, "I acknowledge my limits."
Then, meeting the dragon’s gaze squarely, his next words came out firm, steady, and without hesitation.
"So now tell me, what’s the bare minimum I would need to make this happen?"
Leo demanded, as the faint amusement vanished from Moltherak’s eyes completely, being instead replaced by a genuine respect as he realized that Leo was dead set on making this happen.
"Alright boy. For starters you will need a God as your Ally.
One as strong as your ancestor the Timeless Assassin.
For only a God of that calibre can guarantee the safety of you puny mortals behind him."
Moltherak began, as he waited for Leo to confirm that he could enlist the help of such an individual.
For if not for this key personnel, the rest of the plan would become pretty much pointless anyways.
However, to his surprise, Leo nodded confidently at this demand, as he said—
"Although I can’t enlist the help of the Timeless Assassin, I think I can convince his son, Soron, to help us.
Afterall, I’m only the temporary Sect Master of the Cult. While he is the real one."
Leo assured, as Moltherak raised a surprised eyebrow to his words.
Moltherak had thrown that first condition out there rather jokingly, as he did not expect Leo to have the ability to enlist the help of such a God, however the fact that Leo could, now made this plan go from absolutely impossible to just nearly impossible.
As a chance to save his brother, however small, was finally created.