Zu fumbled for the loop artifact, pressing his finger into it frantically to activate a private bubble, even as Othima Otta’s hand pressed a tiny concealed blade angrily against his chest.

"You impersonated an Otta family member, you disrupted our business arrangements, you made outrageous promises which could not be upheld, and you dare - you dare! - enslave an otter to your vile whims? Give me any reason you should not be immediately executed for your crimes."

"I'm on Cougar territory and you shouldn't murder their guest?" Zu tried.

He shook his leg in hopes of dislodging the angry otter. It did not succeed.

Othima considered his words, then relented and relaxed the blade a fraction though did not remove it from its threatening position. "I could make your execution a part of our countries' arrangement," she mused.

"You could! But, consider this. However badly you think of me right now, I am doing my best to care for Little Otter. If you kill me, she'll be sad."

Little Otter, hearing her name, climbed up onto Zu's shoulder and glared at Othima.

"Perhaps so, but her life will be infinitely better in the end once free of your vile enslavement. Forcing a child to bend to your whims is unforgivable. She will be forever tainted if she remains in your control."

Little Otter chittered furiously, shaking her tiny otter fist at the ambassador.

The otter on Zu's leg finally released, only to bite the other leg even harder. Zu yelped and kicked at it, but that only aggravated the otter and infuriated Othima. It remained firmly attached to his knee.

"You have yet to provide me any compelling reason not to end you."

"Why haven't you?"

She blinked uncertainly, and it was then that Zu realized she had almost no aura. Her core must be weak. In fact, the more he thought about it, the less impressive she looked. She had a knife, true, and it thrummed with power almost comparable to Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death. But she had no personal strength to back up that power.

"When this is over, you are going to teach me aura control," he muttered. Being able to forcefully impose his Protagonist Fragment's power onto someone rather than waiting around for it to affect them passively would be a major advantage.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

"I have tried before," said the sword, "but your inability to sense and manipulate your presence is a significant barrier. Now that we have Fragile Flower Wind and Flowering Vortex to assist, I am confident we can make real progress."

"You deserve to die!" Othima repeated, her expression firming. "I can make it up to the Cougars. There's no need for further words."

Zu held out a hand placatingly. "I swear to you, I will treat Little Otter well. And I have no plans to obstruct the business of the Otterman Empire further. What I did in the past was a mistake forged of necessity. It won't happen again."

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Mistake? Necessity? You disrupted a hundred days of negotiating! What necessity could possibly-- no." She stopped herself, drew a steadying breath, and lunged. In a swift movement, her blade darted for Zu's throat, scoring a deep gash across his neck as he twisted away. He was stronger and faster, her only advantage being her initial surprise attack. Now that she'd failed with her first strike...

Zu grabbed her wrist, twisting to force her to drop the knife. He slammed the ball of his other hand into her nose, staggering her, then snatched up the knife and held it to her throat. "Is this going to be a problem?" he demanded. "Are you going to seek vengeance, or can we let this go? I have no ill will toward you or your Empire. But if you will be causing problems for me, I can't let you live."

She coughed, blood pouring down her face, but spat defiantly, "I will never forgive you, impostor!"

Her otter continued mauling his leg, sending constant waves of pain up Zu's body.

"Then we'll try this again. Immolating Wildfire Breath."

A burst of searing agony...

"You impersonated an Otta family member! You disrupted our business arrangements, making outrageous—"

Zu didn't wait for her to finish. Now that he knew she wasn't a match for him physically, he grabbed her knife hand with both of his, twisting the blade from her grip, then kneed her in the stomach and drove her to the ground. While she lay gasping for air, he turned his attention to the little pest nibbling on his legs. The otter was big, much too big to be natural, and backed away with clear intelligence when it noticed Zu's attention. It even grabbed Othima's knife on its way.

"Taale, run for help!" Othima gasped. "The impostor is too strong for me."

The otter saluted and bounded away, only to bounce off the inner wall of the amber sphere holding them in.

"He can't escape, and neither can you," Zu said darkly as Othima staggered unsteadily to her feet. "Unfortunately, it looks like we'll be here a while."

"Who are you? What have you done? What is this prison?"

"I am Zu Mari, and this is a time bubble. Within it, I am complete master of the flow of time. I could kill you a thousand times and still have you alive to question, if I were that sort of person. Fortunately for you, I am a man of honor and integrity. I will not harm you so long as you swear to leave me and my family alone."

"I will make no move against you," Othima said, but Zu could hear in her voice that she meant it only technically. She would not move against him, but she would certainly set others on him who would.

"Not good enough."

"What more can you demand? I am but a lowly ambassador, sentenced to serve as emissary to the Beast Clans. Can you truly imagine I have anything to offer you?"

"I do not imagine that." Zu sat down on the grass, patted the spot across from him. "Let us negotiate."

----------------------------------------