“What was that?” Edgar whispered as Jonathan caught up. “You were gazing off into space for nearly a minute!”

  “I’ll tell you later,” Jonathan replied, waving his hand. “It’s not important right now.”

  The gates of the palace loomed before them, sealed shut. Made out of layered metal and gemstones, they were imposing to say the least. As with many of the decorations around the city, they were covered with images of the Queen. At this point, Jonathan recognized a few of them from earlier, and stopped paying attention. Many of them were recycled to some degree.

  The gates swung open with a slight hum, greased to perfection. Within was a richly carpeted hallway, lined with tapestries that seemed to be woven from threads of metal. Interestingly enough, from the inside, the palace seemed simply to be made out of stone, whereas its outside was that of diamond.

  A powerful aura made itself known to Jonathan a moment later, billowing out from the center of the palace. It was far stronger than his own, comparable to that of Exal’drin, the chained god he had freed in Mire. It was missing the note of Divinity that being had possessed, but it had everything else.

  Jarob shuddered slightly, which did not go unnoticed to Jonathan. Regardless, he led them down the hall, and into a much larger room. In the center was a throne, where a stately Uthraki woman lounged, a much larger man standing beside her, holding a sword in both hands, its tip touching the ground. Armor covered him, save for his face, which was grizzled and covered in pale white scars. He looked like a statue, but was undoubtedly the source of the aura Jonathan had felt.

  “Ah,” the Merchant Queen said, leaning forward. “Jonathan Harlowe. I have heard a lot about you from my subjects. I’m not sure if you are worth all the fuss. Two senile beasts are all that you have slain, confined to a meager level of power for billions of years.”

  “Senile beasts?” Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “They were the preeminent existences in two circles of the Hells. They fell to my hand, and those of my allies.”

  Sensing that the conversation was beginning to show signs of hostility, Jarob took a faltering step forward, and knelt before the Queen. “Please forgive Jonathan, your Majesty. He does not-”

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  “I know exactly what I’m saying, Jarob. I have no hostility to you, Merchant Queen, but I am confused as to why you want to insult me. You know, as well as I, that what I have accomplished is a historic feat.” He registered a slight flicker of a smile on the woman’s face. “Ah. You’re that kind of ruler. Is that what you think warriors are, brutes to be manipulated into senseless violence?”

  The Queen’s smile appeared, this time in full force. “You would be surprised how many of my own people are ruled by ego over common sense. Some have attacked me for less.”

  “And I killed them all,” the previously unmoving knight declared, shifting his blade a bit. “Will you be next?”

  “Alonak!” The Queen rebuked playfully. “Don’t intimidate the poor boy. He’s not even in his fourth decade yet.”

  Jonathan frowned. “How did you know that?”

  “An upgraded analysis type skill. It gives me a full breakdown of everything about those of a lower level to me. And I mean everything.”

  Jonathan fought to school his features. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Two Ancient skills, a level of racial refinement beyond the norm, multiple Expert Rank Advanced Pathway Skills… Need I say more?” A wicked twinkle was visible in her eye, but Jonathan cared little. As far as he could tell, the things that really mattered, his Divinity and his Runes, were hidden.

  “I appreciate this little byplay,” Arkanon interrupted, “but my liege is not here to banter. He has a greater mission to accomplish, and has visited you to see how our respective factions could better support another.”

  “He is, is he?” The Merchant Queen crooned. “And who might you be, my handsome fellow?”

  Jonathan was deeply confused by the ruler’s attitude at this point. It was as if everything was a joke or a game to her. Regardless, Arkanon played along, a little pleased if anything.

  “I am Arkanon, ruler of the second layer of Tartarus. Circumstances have brought me under the service of the Hellbreaker. He promised strength, and I answered.”

  “So he takes you to higher realms,” Sir Alonak began, “and in return, you are like a pet to him? Are you even an Uthraki?”

  Arkanon’s face flushed crimson, and Jonathan stepped in once more. “We want to establish trading relations with your realm. Tartarus has been a boon to me ever since the beginning of my quest, and I want to be able to rely on this realm too. Will you let me use this realm to train, and as a trading hub?”

  Suddenly, the Queen’s face steadied, and she snapped to attention. “Trading, eh? What exactly do you propose?”