Chapter 104 - Agreement

"Did you call," a voice said from inside the black fog. His tone was so cold it made them shiver in freight.

"A..are you the face..faceless god?" Ella asked holding on to Avan tightly. In all her years of being a fire maiden, she had never once come across something so scary like the thing she was looking at.

"You are the one who summoned me. Shouldn't you know who I am?" the voice questioned once again with a sense of anger and irritation. "Tell me why you have summoned me before I lose my patience," it demanded.

"An..answer my question first," Ella demanded standing straight to appear brave.

The fog neared her, she froze in fear. Her breath caught and her hand on Avan tightened. She felt death nearing her with nowhere to run, she didn't think that it was possible to outrun a fog that had no feet and moved around by floating.

She gulped when the fog stopped right before her, the one she was holding onto was terrified beyond words. No wonder the thing scared Annak, just its presence was giving him goosebumps.

"I am," the voice replied to her. "And you were seventh on my list but now I think I should you to number one and kill you right now," it said in a threateningly low tone.

Ella tried to move back but her foot was rooted to the ground. Fear ran down her spine making it difficult for her body to respond to the urgent need to flee from there and ran for its life.

"W..we wanted to sp..speak to you," she said finding her voice. It didn't come as a surprise that neither Avan nor Amaru dared to talk to the creature. They gave tall talks but were nothing but a bunch of cowards.

"I'm all ears. A story would be nice before I need your life," the voice said.

Ella ignored the threat and took a deep breath to calm down and think about the plan they had made. She needed to negotiate with him but she needed to get herself under control. He might not take her seriously if she was trembling with fear.

"We want to discuss your recent killing spree," she said her voice sounding confident.

"What of it?" the voice asked raising its tone. Ella jerked at the sound of its scary voice. She had a scoff from the fog, her body was quivering all over.

"We were hoping that...that we could change your mind," she said not backing down from it.

"You think that a lowly peasant such as yourself can change the mind of a god?" the voice asked with a hint of mockery in its tone. It gave off evil laughter that sent the poor girl to the pits of despair.

"I..it isn't bad to try," she said to him.

"Tell me, how do you hope to achieve that?" the voice asked its interest is piqued. It was a miracle that the girl was still talking to him despite being terrified to death. It was worth his respect.

"You want us dead but surely there must be something that we can offer you to change your mind," Ella said getting straight to the point. The sooner they got to an agreement the faster she can get rid of the annoying god that felt like death.

"I see, what if there isn't then?" the god asked challenging her.

"Everyone wants something, gods included. Name your price and this lowly peasant will try to fulfill it," she said confidently.

"True but there is a possibility that you can't fulfill my desire. If that is the case then don't you think you have only wasted my time. And for that shouldn't I make your death slow and painful," it said stressing the last sentence to ensure it got the ensured effect on the girl.

Ella gave off a weak smile when indeed her inside was turning in all the wrong ways. She was trying her best not to show how much his words affected her but she was failing.

Having a tongue laced with death, even the smallest of threats from the god made her skin shiver.

"There must be something. Give us a chance, please," she pleaded.

The fog backed away from her giving her space to breathe and turned into a boy with his face black. No eyes, no nose, no lips, and no ears. He faced her direction, she wasn't sure if he could see without eyes but she understood why he was the faceless god.

The boy had no face at all.

"Well, other than killing all of you. I will find pleasure in your misery," the god said. Ella looked closer to see where the god was talking through without a mouth. She couldn't pinpoint where the sound was coming from.

"Explain?" she asked not understanding what he meant by his words.

"If I see you leading a miserable life, it might persuade me to forget about my vengeance," the god said raking a seat on the bed. He sat with his legs crossed and his arms folded on his chest.

"Okay. That can be arranged," she said to him.

"Fine but I get to decide how you live. The punishment will be mine to decide," the god said to her being stern on his statement. He wanted to make sure that she understood what he said.

"That is also fine," she stated.

"Since that is the case, I will start with the prince of Arimelari. I need him to do something for me," the god stated in a matter-of-fact tone that left no room for discussion.

"He needs to start dating," he added.

Ella's jaw dropped. If she wasn't mistaken, he was talking about Avan and the boy had yet to move on from Ander. He spent most of his time on the few memories that he had with the male while the male was still alive.

He was no ready to date again and being in a relationship would be devastating for him. But it made sense because this was to be a punishment and not a vocation.

"And he has to wear this pendant at all times," he added throwing the pendant to her. "If he dares to defy my order then I will show no mercy. As for the others, they should stay put. I will be in touch with their punishments," he added.

"Sure," Ella said her tone was weak and low. She had just agreed to her best friend having the worst next days, weeks, or even months of his life only to stop him from dying. The worst part was the fact that he wasn't the only one who had such a fate in store for them.

"This boy seems interesting," the god said pointing at Amaru who looked like a statue.

"He is perfect for Avan. He is the one that Avan has to date. I will be watching so don't disappoint me," he added and vanished from the room.

Ella released the breath she was holding when death left the room. It made it easier to breathe when her end wasn't in the room with her, terrifying her with its presence.

She turned around and snapped her finger in front of Avan's eyes to get him out of his shocked state.

"What happened?" he asked getting back his lost composure.

"He left," she said and strode over to Amaru's side to get him out of his dazed state. She dropped on the bed, her trembling legs giving out. "The next time we confront a remain remind me not to count on the two of you for help," she said disappointed at their lack of courage.

"Did you talk to him? What did he say? Is he willing to negotiate with us? Is he going to kill us? Why is he doing this?" Avan asked questions after questions trying to know what happened.

"One, you were right here. Two, stop asking me so many questions," Ella snapped at him.

"So..sorry," Avan said apologetically.

"He did listen to me and we did agree. He has decided not to kill us but for that, he will just punish us," she said to them. Avan frowned. He didn't like the sound of that but it was better than dying.

"Did he mention the punishment?"

"Only yours. He gave this pendant," she told giving him the pendant. "He said that you have to wear it at all times and you have to date Amaru," she added.

Avan halted. His eyes were wide open listening to the words coming out of her mouth. Wearing the pendant was fine but having a lover. That would be betraying Ander who was still alive, he couldn't think of ever hurting the dragon prince like that.

"What?" they asked in unison. Amaru neared the bed with a shocked expression on his face.

"Why am I being dragged into this. I had no part in what happened in the palace. I have never even been to the palace," he complained.