Chapter 293: Different Choices (2/2)

”I am Nonet, Anointed of Hive Kundevi. Strength to your hive,” Nonet said with some surprise.

”I assume you joined Lord Atwood to reconvene with your brethren at the nearby hive?” Henry asked, drawing a simple nod from the Anointed. ”I will have my men escort you in a car at your convenience. If you could relay the message that we simply wish for peaceful co-existence I would be in your debt. Our own tries at diplomacy have proven unfruitful.”

”I will relay the message to the council,” Nonet said without promising anything further.

Nonet was anxious to visit the hive, so Henry arranged for an escort for Nonet and Ibtep, and they immediately left the manor.

”Thea is not coming today?” Zac suddenly asked as he looked around.

There were only Henry and a handful of family members that seemed to act as advisors and aides in the large room. Thea was nowhere in sight, and neither was Billy for that matter.

”When she heard that you got delayed she decided to head into the wilderness to fight. The beasts are progressing quite rapidly and unless we regularly cull them we would risk a beast tide. But mostly it was her competitive spirit that wouldn't let her sit still while you improved,” Henry explained with a smile. “Your large friend went with her.”

Zac nodded in understanding as he sat down at a table that could seat over twenty people. For a moment he thought they tried to hide Thea to avoid returning the items he lent her, but he felt that Thea wouldn't go along with such a thing. A luxurious dinner was soon served, and the topics were kept light. The family members from the Marshall clans were great conversationalists, and it soon felt like a gathering of old friends.

Clearly, their goal was to dig out all kinds of information through the occasional and seemingly innocuous question, but everyone knew to keep quiet about sensitive matters. Besides, only Kenzie and Ogras knew of the truly sensitive intelligence on Port Atwood. Even Emily who lived on his compound had no idea about the true identity of the Creators.

After the dinner was over Zac noted that Henry gave the sign to the servants, and they all left the room in quick order. Left were only Henry, four aides, and Zac's retinue.

”I hope that we will be able to forge a strong alliance between our forces during your visit, and take the first step toward purging our planet from invaders,” Henry began as his eyes swept toward Adran and Alea. ”However, before that there is something that I would need clarified. I think you know what I am talking about.”

”The demons?” Zac said with a smile.

As he expected the issue cropped up almost immediately.

”The Demons,” Henry confirmed with a somber face.

”It is as you expect, they were once part of the Incursion close to Port Atwood,” Zac said. ”As you might have heard from Thea, the integration left me alone on an island along with a Demonkin Incursion.

“I am not sure how clear your people are about the details, but after the conditions for closing an Incursions are met, the invading force is given a grace period to escape through their Nexus Hub,” Zac continued. “There was a group that chose to break ties with their old force, and instead join me in founding Port Atwood.”

”We are aware of the mechanics,” Henry nodded. ”However you must understand the risk you are putting yourself and Earth in. In one hundred years they will be able to contact their former clan, leading them back here at full force.”

The two demons at the table threw Henry cold glances, but he completely ignored them.

“So what would you do if you were in my situation?” Zac asked.

“We were in your situation a short time ago when we finally managed to close the Incursion that plagued the area. My granddaughter managed to assassinate a few of the leaders, allowing us to win the war. Most fled through the crystal when defeat was inevitable, but a few stayed on,” Henry explained, a ruthless glint shimmering in his eyes. “We killed them to the last man.”

Zac felt a shiver when he looked into Henry Marshall’s eyes. The old man was nowhere strong enough to be a threat to him, but Zac knew that he himself lacked such ruthlessness. Henry was ready to go to any length to protect his family and their interests, and Zac had a feeling that was what he was conveying by telling Zac about their handling of the incursion.

“Well, our situations were different. I needed people and information, and the demons provided both. Besides, they would be the first to get killed by their clan if they called them over,” Zac said. “As for how I handle the other Incursions, that will depend on their actions.”

Besides, Zac already knew that the few D-Grade powerhouses Clan Azh'Rezak possessed were right at the start of the grade. They had barely managed to pass the hurdle of forming their core, but they wouldn't go any further on the path of cultivation.

Only the clan leader and the supreme elder were slightly better. There was no way that they would be able to mount an assault on Earth unless their planets for some reason became neighbors through some cosmic joke.

The atmosphere in the room started to become quite heavy, and the advisors threw Henry worried looks. They were no doubt unhappy about an escalating conflict, especially when Thea was out hunting. But suddenly Henry reclined in his chair with a shrug.

”The strong make the rules. Such is our reality now, and the rest will have to accept it and adapt. This brings us to another issue, have you been able to connect with the underworld?” the old man said.

Zac was slightly thrown off by the change in subject, but the two were connected in a sense. Since Henry had stepped back on the issue of the Demons, then so would he.

”No. Either their teleporters are not public or there is something else causing interference,” Zac said with a shake of his head.

He still didn't feel it was time to disclose his theory of the second continent.

“You should know that most forces are currently desperately digging downward to connect with the underworld. The fact that there are massive riches has spread far and wide because of a few bigmouthed hunters,” Henry said with a sigh. “It’s a modern-day gold rush, and many are even ignoring the threats of the Incursions.”