“So, then, Endbringer,” said Kui as he crossed his arms again. “You have taken the power stored within this mountain. Power that the Draconids no doubt have tried to access but failed to. I had suspected this before, but now I know: that shard upon you, the shard that grants you audience with the White Voice, that is the shard of the Jotnar, is it not?”

It truly was a difficult ordeal to hide anything from the fighter specimen. Not that the Collector was actively attempting to conceal anything of itself other than perhaps the full details of its Great Purpose, but it came to calculate that in the future, the fighter specimen’s perception might prove to be a risk.

Yet, as of now, the fighter specimen’s combat ability and allegiance significantly outweighed hypothetical risks.

“It is so,” said the Collector.. “Tell me, fighter specimen, what information do you possess of the Jotnar species?”

“Little to none,” said Kui. He sighed deeply. “I have heard tales of them, yes. Those in Xia who try to attune themselves to the wilderness, to the world proper, know well of the great Cycle. Life and death come in equal measures like the ebb and flow of the tide, and both are equally important to the greater good.

Thus, the monsters that kill and the monsters that breathe life are the same. Simply reflections of the same shade.

It is in this way that I had heard tale of the Jotnar as one of the great beasts that heralded the Life cycle. But only tales, for they are native only to the realm of Terra.”

Kui shrugged. “In my decades wandering the Wailwastes, I had remained hopeful that perhaps the Jotnar still remained, though I knew that they had suffered greatly under the Grand Hunts initiated by the New Gods.

But by the time I walked the Wailwaste, it truly was a wasteland. There are naught but ruins of their great peoples, laid low by Draconid lust for wanton chaos.”

“Of these ruins, were there any remnants utilizable for combat purposes?” stated the Collector.

“None I could tell,” said Kui. “But then again, I did not travel far into Jotnar territory. There may yet be remnant cities deeper into the east that still hold some fragment of their former glory.”

The Collector clicked its mandibles, understanding that the fighter specimen known as Kui had truly simply just wandered with no clear purpose in sight for the Wailwaste. But now, the Collector would make use of the fighter specimen’s strength.

“The Jotnar Shard that I possess is one that has allowed me access to their magics,” said the Collector. “It functions as an identification factor that will allow me to tap into any functional defensive systems, artifacts, and any other hidden facets of their civilization.”

Kui put a hand to his beard in understanding. “Ah, so you are their true Successor. I thought I could sense familiar mana from you. The type that lingers faintly in the winds of Jotnar ruin.”

“You will not ask how it is that I have come to possess this shard of Jotnar power?” said the Collector.

Kui shook his head. “I care not the nature of your power and how you have come into it. I merely care how you will use it, and for now, you fare the best chance to bring forth a rightful End of Draconids, New Gods, and Undeath.”

“Our paths are agreeable, then,” said the Collector. It projected its voice louder so that the goblin swarm could hear it. “I have formulated our next course of action. These specimen known as ‘Jotnar’ hold significant armament hidden in their capital city known as ‘Gimli’.

This city will require a significant commitment of time to reach and there is a ninety nine percent chance that we will encounter considerable amounts of resistance from the species known as the ‘Draconids’.”

“For the Sovnar, no threat is too high, no task is too low for us,” said Goromir. He smirked. “And I myself would like to become a ‘dragon slayer’ too.”

“Yes,” said Kandak.

“Me too!” said Thokk,

“Know this, fellow blood of Gob!” shouted Goromir. “In our time, those that slew monsters possessing even a shade of draconic blood were considered warriors of the finest and best caliber! Worthy of respect and treasures for the rest of their lives!

The Sovnar understands tradition. He will ensure your glory and bravery is recognized.”

“Indeed, said the Collector. “All of you shall be commemorated in great reverence in fulfilling the Great Purpose. Any material desires you require until then shall be met freely, for I require nothing related to the such.”

“The Draconids may not be as fierce an opposition as you believe,” said Kui.

“Explain,” said the Collector.

“From what I can tell, they are unified, but not organized. They number a great many, but the vast majority of them are not of any meaningful power. From the beginning, I suspect that it is their ability to replace their numbers so quickly and so freely that allowed them leverage against the Jotnar.” Kui shrugged. “The twenty-five Fangs are certainly impressive, and fifteen of them lead tribes of Draconids whose numbers can easily overwhelm any ordinary army.

But they possess no concept of military stratagem. They are forces of nature loosely yoked together and sent vaguely in a direction, not aimed and controlled like a proper army. There is no true sense of communication between Valtr, their leader, and the rest of them, even the Fangs.

Each Fang does what they want, and Valtr cares little of exerting any mass control over them.”

“How is it that you have come into possession of this knowledge? Of a seemingly significant understanding of their military organization and stratagem?” said the Collector.

Kui shrugged. “Just a guess. I killed hundreds of them on this mountain for several weeks before one of their Fangs challenged me. When I defeated the Fang, it took several more days before Vatlr himself appeared.

After I proved Valtr’s worth, I escaped beyond the Rift to secure my life, for even I cannot face against multiple Fangs at once. But though I would find Draconids here and there, defeating them, there was no organized force meant to seize me.

When I asked Draconids of what they were doing and what they desired, many of them did not even know of my existence. There is no typical ‘chain of command’ wherein information flows through.”

“I see,” said the Collector.

“But I would not stay here long as you have said,” said Kui. “The Fang we have defeated is one of few that are closely tied to Valtr.”

“In what manner?” asked the Collector.

“Ten of the Fangs are Valtr’s wives,” said Kui. “Thus, they posses a stronger bond than he does with the other Fangs. His wives possess no tribes under them, but are absolutely devoted to his being and cause. It may very well be that the Fang we defeated desires to bring forth Valtr and the other nine Fangs, particularly considering she seems to possess some level of displeasure against you.”

“Your deduction matches mine to acceptable degree,” said the Collector. It filed the information of the Draconids to mental note and then considered the impact the information would have on its current plans.

In the long term, not much. The goal to reach Gimli was still clear. However, the lack of coordination and organization on part of the Draconids meant that there was now far greater flexibility within which the Collector could potentially levy strikes against the Draconids or spend additional time investigating ruins or other areas of interest.’

“The immediate decision to leave this area is one that I shall enforce now,” said the Collector.

“And what of the other half of the magical energy present in this mountain?” said Kui. “Twin ranges with twin hearts. One half of the mountain’s power is now imbued within you, but the other? Will you leave it?”

“I have already calculated how to utilize the remnant magical energy,” said the Collector. Kui was correct in stating that the Origin Rune possessed only one half of the mana laden inside of the mountains. The other half was spread throughout the mountain, utilized all throughout to keep Draconids from accessing the Origin Rune by hiding it in its own dimensional space.

“Oh?” said Kui.