The Gods' Decree

Salber and Aquin made their way to the grand halls and entered a room where yelling could be heard coming from the door.

Aquin: I see Veta and Bracka have not changed.

He laughed because this was usually the case when the Crows and Blue mountain heads met. It has been happening for generations, but there would be two contrasting stories if you asked them what started the feud.

According to the Crows, it all started after an admired elder from their faction was poisoned, all because his influence became too strong.

  But those from the Blues say it was all an underhanded means for the crows to take complete control. They did not poison the elder, but it was an underling amongst the crows who sought to use it as a catalyst to start a war amongst factions.

Who spoke the truth no one alive knows, but the hatred only grew over the millennia.

Salber could sense a headache coming while he opened the large doors. As expected by the yelling, Veta and Bracka were at each other's throats.

"Vile swines, the whole lot of ya, Crows," yelled Veta. "To rely on you in battle is like a deer asking a hungry hyena to cover its back."

Bracka scuffed and retorted, "Well, if we are all hyenas, then you're all venomous snakes. Poison is your weapon of choice after all."

The Daybreak sect head giggled, watching the two old leaders go at it. She had a dark complexion, long hair and red pupils. She, along with Salber, were the youngest sect heads. As for the Scarlet Sect head, he ignored the two and simply hummed.

Salber: Gentlemen, please! We have come together because we face an issue that supersedes our personal squabbles. Each of us is under attack, and only as a united force can we content against our enemies.

Bracka: ...and who exactly is this enemy? Two years ago, the Dark Abylis Sect reported that one of their cities was attacked by Devils seeking to start a war. But after investigation, there was no tangible evidence of this claim.

Listening to the two speakers, Veta was next to interject. 

Two years ago, this was indeed the case. 

The grand elder at the time had gathered all the powers in the Fu province. But when the search was conducted, there was no sign of any devil movement. They then thought it was some form of a ruse by the Dark Abylis Sect and had lost some trust in them.

Aquin was the head who came to Salber's aid. He sought to look at everything through a wider lens.

Aquin: You're all speaking about what happened in your province two years ago, but what about the Teng. Is it now common for three powerful clans to be wiped out overnight?

Aquin's comment did cause a pause amongst the group with varying opinions.

Numerous things had happened over the past few days. From the powerful Godlike beings fighting and smashing the moon to the extermination of the three clans within the Teng province. So dismissing the devils might spell their doom.

The leader of the Daybreak sect spoke for the first time. .

Oshine: Old man Aquin does make a valid point. We simply cannot continue to operate in this fashion. We must come together as a united force for all of our safety. So the Daybreak Sect is for the suggested Alliance by the Dark Abylis Sect.

Aquin smiled and nodded in recognition of Oshine. Though they were different sects, he was like a role model for her, so it wasn't strange that she would be the first one to acknowledge his words. 

Now it was down to the Crow and Blue Mountain sects.

Veta: We from the blue mountains agree to participate in this proposed Alliance.

  It was Bracka who remained hesitant. He was caught in two minds as the others patiently waited for his decision.

  In the Crow Sect, they were taught not to trust outsiders and joining an alliance would be going against their teachings. But with all that was going on in the Chu Country, it would leave the sect vulnerable if he were to decide against it.

Bracka: Ok, fine, the Crow Mountains agree to this Alliance. But who would lead?

He asked questions that all the gathered leaders contemplated beforehand and why some might have been hesitant. With all unions, there needs to be a leader to guide them. But the ways sects were designed, all decisions were made for their own interest. So this could pose a problem in the future.

Hurriedly the sect heads readied to nominate themselves as the leader of the newly formed Alliance. But foreseeing this outcome, Salber interjected once more.

Salber: There is no need for a leader. We will simply vote on any significant decision.

HA-HA!—"You are wise beyond your years, Salber. Now let's drink in toast of this new alliance." laughed Aquin.

Aquin raised his glass to the other five heads and, with a smile, said, "A toast to prosperity." 

They all held their glass and were about to drink when everyone suddenly paused because they sensed something.

On the terrace where all the genius challenged each other, Niesha had just dispatched someone from the Scarlet Sect. A red liquid could be seen dripping from her broadsword, but it was not blood.

It fell from the skies, and Niesha and the others not only from the terrace but throughout the Dark Abylis Sect looked up. Red rain doused them, but there were no clouds.. Instead, purple inscriptions began to form like links to a chain and cover as far as the eyes could see.