I chose to remain seated against the golden pillar. If the Avatar acted against me, then I needed to conserve my energy and I was hoping they would not target the pillar with long range attacks. The airship matched the descent of the tower and hover in front of me.

Well it was more of an air boat with its small size and I counted six people on the deck and the Avatar, upright on a metal table of some kind, where she was strapped down on, so she didn’t have to remain seated.

Why it mattered with her eyes removed and limbless, no clue? But it was probably so she didn’t look weak and frail to her people. “Champion Michael.”

I could sense the minute vibrations of energy that caused her words to reach me. The Astrologer had explained it was a minor trick, using energy imbued with words and then lobbed at another person. That also confirmed she controlled who she spoke to.

“Avatar. Come to finish me off?” I asked. There was silence at that.

“I have come to discuss the future.” It was hard to contain my hatred for this woman. Plot after plot, centered on me. Well, she could die in the void for all I cared. I had to work to bury my anger. You show up now? After all the battles are over?

“What is the vote for?” I asked. If I was going to have to suffer the Avatar I might as well get some useful information out of her.

“There are several things that can be voted on.” That was not helpful in the slightest, but I didn’t expect anything and rolled my eyes a bit at the non-answer. Well, it was kind of useful. There was more than one thing that could be voted on, but it was still a terrible answer.

I saw the landscape behind the airship as we all continued to descend. “Well, get on with it,” I said. Might as well hear what she has to say. I didn’t want to fight right now, and I didn’t trust her to get on the airship in the slightest.

“Three cities. You leave the Fifth Caliphate alone and I won’t act against you,” the Avatar said. Oh, now that was interesting. She was bargaining for her people. They were up there on my list now, of people to kill.

“You would trust my word?” I asked her. Because I wouldn’t trust me either.

“Just as you much trust me. Acting against you, while annoying, I am not an easy opponent.” That was very true. The Avatar was the worst. I couldn’t kill her, but I could try and capture her. But she was not going to leave that airboat, I could tell.

It was an interesting request. “And a lift back to the city of Heaven to the West. You can have your three cities. You and your people don’t interfere with me or my Empire, and we won’t interfere with you. We can each appoint one ambassador with ten guards to the other’s capital. Also, you cannot help, aid, or speak with the Astrologer if he leaves.”

I let go of my hate. It was hard. Probably the hardest thing I had ever done. Even harder than climbing up this stupid tower. But it needed to be done. I could give up three cities, but no more. It was fine in my mind. Also having a hostile power, would be good to put the pressure on my soldiers and a reason for my existence as a deterrent.

The first part of the request was simply the fact that I didn’t want to drag myself back to a city a second time. I could do it and would do it. But I didn’t want to do it. Also, it meant the Avatar had to allow me on the air boat. A huge risk and it felt good to put the ball into her court.

If she refused, that clearly showed she didn’t trust me and there could be no peace. If she accepted, then she was taking a big risk. I honestly didn’t know if I would betray her and kill the people off on her airboat, but I was considering it.

I had a single die in my shorts pocket. The others had fallen out and had been lost, but I had one left. I would roll it to decide what I should do in case she could predict the future or read my mind. Well two rolls. One to decide the criteria for my decision and the second roll to determine the outcome.

The part about the Astrologer at the end of my request, was to see how she would respond. Was he still alive? The fact that the Astrologer had said he had talked to the Avatar and knew how Qi Ji Long looked like, clearly showed she had been meddling.

This climax, this was all her plan. The Divine Empress was a threat, but the Avatar was something much more dangerous and insidious. Time to see what she would go with and if she would agree to my requests.

“I agree to all of them.” Oh, that was surprising. That was very surprising. I pulled out the die from my shorts pocket that was ruined and rolled it. It came up a 3. If another odd number came up, I would betray her. I rolled again. It was a 4. “Deciding things by dice roll, really?”

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“A countermeasure against you. I don’t know if you can predict the future or my decisions, but having random outcomes sure is fun. Never know what might happen,” I said with a malevolent grin. “So, what can be voted on? You have to know something?”

“It is something I cannot speak on. But if you wish to decide the future, then collecting votes is not a bad thing. Michael, I apologize. Manipulating you was cruel, but necessary to defeat and kill the Divine Empress.” That was surprising or she was desperate.

The fact she even was willing to apologize spoke volumes. I didn’t know if I would accept it or not. The silence stretched out as we all continued to descend. The Avatar, was a horrible person. The kind of person I detested. Manipulating and plotting for no good reason.

Still, killing the Divine Empress was a good reason, as much as I hated to admit it. I had also come off the victor in the three way battle. I would never trust her. But risking my life to kill her or spending time fighting her was something I didn’t want to do.

It was hard, incredibly hard to put my anger aside. I took a deep breath, let it out. I took another deep breath. “I…I accept your apology, but you will never be welcome in my sphere of influence and will have to send messages through your ambassador in the future.”

I was tired. Too tired for this nonsense. That was probably why she had shown up now. “I can accept that. I honestly thought you would fight.”

Did you really? Or are you just saying that to put me at ease? There was no use in calling her out. “What can you tell me about this place? Anything?” I asked. I wanted some more useful information and might as well try and get it.

“Nothing you don’t already know. Your strength will be needed.” In other words, you needed me to kill things for you. The tower came to a stop. The tower of the tower aligned with the base of the tower that was level with the entry doors. The steps leading up to the tower hadn’t been changed or altered. Now there was a plateau with a golden pillar in the middle.

“Where is my meta-point? At least answer that?” I asked. I wanted to get an answer to that question at least, since I was talking to this woman. If she couldn’t answer that question, then she was clearly lying or hiding behind the Almighty System in my mind.

“It is a question of contribution and combat ability. If the Divine Empress had not killed the level 6 monster at the top of the tower and the Astrologer was not present, you would have earned a meta-point for your climb.” Of course, I would have.

“And another tower?” I asked.

“That opportunity will be much harder. Meta-points are rewards by the Almighty System for going above and beyond. Your climb, while impressive, was not enough. Even injured as you are, it is not enough.”

“That is unfair. I want to file a complaint,” I muttered loudly.

“It is. I do not deny that. But that is the way of things. Do you wish help getting up here?”

“No, I can get up to the airship myself. Just clear a spot at the front.”

“High Priestess, are you sure-yes, I live to serve,” a man quickly said and bowed. She had a tight grip on her people apparently. Air Burst. Air Burst. Air Burst. I landed on the deck. I was at the front, I slowly propped myself up to face the Avatar and the rear of the ship. Her vertical table, which she was strapped to, was rotated to face me.

The air boat took off at high speeds. Now this was traveling. “That was your plan all along. To have the Astrologer use the appearance of the Divine Empress’s child?” I asked.

“Yes. A complex plan, but it came together, and you won in the end.”

“No claiming the vote for yourself or your followers?” I asked.

“I cannot. Nor can I aid anyone. One of the benefits of my position is that monsters don’t bother me.”

“Then what are you trying to accomplish?” I asked. I didn’t understand her in the slightest and planned never to meet or speak with her again if I could help it. Now that I was committed to not betraying her on this ride, I would hear her out.

“Saving lives. It is not simple. People are selfish, greedy, cruel, and filled with hate. Our position is incredibly fragile. Even my own.”

“Not manipulating the Russians and Indians?” I asked, probing for information.

“They are on the other side of the Rift to the West. Crossing that is much harder than crossing a smaller void gap. Even for me there are risks involved with traveling and seeing the other side of the Systemic Lands.” That was interesting to know.

“You are being quite forthcoming,” I replied.

“These are things the Divine Empress forced out of me. The risk of sharing that information no longer exists. While we are no allies or friends, I hope we can converse in the future if need be.” I shook my head at this.

“You manipulated me. You are still manipulating me. I don’t know why or for what purpose. You say saving lives, but I don’t believe that,” I replied.

“That is your choice. But I will not apologize again. The Divine Empress had to die. The risk she posed was too great.” I wouldn’t be surprised if you also wanted some personal vengeance. I know I would if someone turned me into a human nugget.

“And the Astrologer?” I asked out of curiosity. “You, his lover?”

“No. The man is a pig. But I will tell you something for free. He lives and I will stay out of the battle between both of you. Neither hindering nor helping.”

“You couldn’t have finished him off while coming to visit me?” I asked.

“I would prefer to remain neutral and for my people to do the same.” And taking three cities would give you a power base to work with. I would have refused anything more, but she already had two and probably wanted a third. Also, that comment about being neutral was nonsense. I noted she said that she preferred to be neutral, not that she actually was.

In the end, it was a matter of picking my battles and not gaining enemies all over the place. I had just finished off the Divine Empress and the Astrologer was still out there. I would need to finish him off as well. The Avatar could wait as I recovered and built up my strength.

I didn’t like it, but I could live with the outcome. “What day is it?” I asked as we continued to soar across the sky.