The high-ranking mages sat sternly on the floating platform, applying the "Mechanized Mind" spell to themselves to prevent nausea, barely enduring the first round of live sacrifices. Afterward, they immediately retreated to the airship to discuss:
How to establish rules for these natives!
"I still say we must make them completely abandon live sacrifices!"
Salomon, the Archmage from the Protection School, slammed his hand on the table. Despite being from the Protection School, he was a staunch hawk with an extremely tough stance:
"Not only must they stop using people from the Radiant Church for live sacrifices, but they must also stop using their own natives! Otherwise, how will we develop the Eagle God’s country, have natives venture into the jungle to find special products, build plantations, mine and smelt? Where will the manpower come from if they’re all sacrificed!"
"Completely abandoning live sacrifices is impossible now." Mansfield, the Archmage from the Conjuration School, replied gently:
"You saw today's sacrificial ceremony. Live sacrifices are a crucial method for the native gods to gain power. Their domestic practitioners also rely on the gods to grant them power through live sacrifices to advance."
"Making them give it up now would mean the whole nation would oppose us," Haines the Archmage interjected calmly, trying to mediate:
"I think we should adopt a more moderate approach, step by step."
As a necromancer, he had personally dissected enough corpses to fill the airship. Apart from adding potions, magical materials, and replacing bones, one common method of growing undead was to have them absorb other undead...
Therefore, Archmage Haines didn't have much of an aversion to live sacrifices. His opposition was mainly due to his interests aligning with the council, his annoyance that Lynn almost got sacrificed, and thirdly, because if absorbing power is the goal, why make it so disgusting? Even necromancers have more efficient methods!
Need souls? Use more efficient ways!
Need flesh and blood? Feed magical beasts, it’s possible too!
Need mental power... You’re a god, can't you absorb faith power instead of using blood sacrifices! Blood sacrifices!
Shameful!
"First, we need a justifiable reason." The representative from the Enchantment School tapped the table softly. Twirling the rings on his fingers, rotating each gem from palm side to back of hand and back again, he continued:
"No one likes being accused arbitrarily. Claims like 'You can't tell who's ours' and 'We need manpower for work' are just interests and don't hold ground. It’s best to have a sufficient reason."
"You in the Enchantment School are best at intrigue," the Illusion School Archmage joked. The Enchantment representative waved his ringed hand:
"Aren’t you the same? Stop joking and help think of a way!"
"Isn't the solution obvious?" The Enchantment Archmage spread his hands, pointing to the gems on the other’s hand and then to the pyramid outside:
"Our payment is due, right? With so many of us—guess how much gold is in the Eagle God's treasury? When they can't pay, we’ll negotiate for a piece of land to build a mage tower..."
The mages laughed. Looking through the porthole at the blood-stained pyramid outside, it didn’t seem so unpleasant anymore:
If it weren't for this savage land, how could there be golden staffs, crowns, bowls, knives, and axes everywhere?
These gold pieces had already been cast into coins and scattered, exchanged for various weapons!
Before they could go demand payment, a representative from the Eagle God’s country, a servant or perhaps an official accompanied by a Golden Eagle Warrior, came respectfully with a golden box:
"This is a gift from the great Eagle God to compensate for the losses of the honorable Troka."
At once, all eyes focused on the box. Over half a foot long, three inches wide, and more than two inches high, the golden box was adorned with an image of the Eagle God. Two obsidian stones were set in the eagle's eyes, their black depths gleaming with a golden hue—rare gold obsidian. As the box moved slightly, the eyes seemed to come alive, reflecting the light.
"Does this box need to be opened under special circumstances? Must it be absorbed immediately after opening?"
Garrett gestured for someone to fetch Lynn while holding the lid of the box and looking up to ask. The visitor placed a hand on his chest, bowed with a smile:
"No need. Mr. Troka can use it anytime, or exchange it for something else if he wishes..."
Garrett breathed a slight sigh of relief. He stepped aside, waiting for Lynn. Around him, the mages whispered and discussed:
"I bet it's an egg."
"Hey, it's the Eagle God! Eagles! Do your eagles lay eggs?"
"Why can't gods lay eggs?"
"I bet it’s a mass of black gas... it matches that black cat perfectly, no digestion needed, just swallow it..."
"That doesn’t match the Eagle God's style... I’d believe the Serpent God giving black gas, as the Serpent God's form is just clouds of black mist..."
Before long, Lynn arrived with Troka in his arms. The black cat leapt out eagerly to open the lid. A paw lifted it, but couldn’t move it, so another paw joined...
Before it used its teeth, Lynn waved his hand, and with the combined force of two Mage Hands, finally lifted the heavy lid.
Inside, laid on soft black fur, was a single golden feather:
"Meow!"
Troka yowled, arching its back, tail straight up, fur standing on end.
"So it’s a feather," muttered the mage who guessed "black gas," shrugging in boredom.
"A feather... so ordinary..." the one who guessed "an egg" retreated in disappointment.
"Judging by the shape, it’s the longest flight feather?" Archmage Vicks of the Alchemy School stepped forward, examining closely:
"If it’s the longest flight feather, that’s not easy. It’s the toughest, containing the most power. Can Mr. Trokaabsorb it?"
Lynn tentatively picked up the feather, shaking it at his familiar. Troka meowed, stood on its hind legs, and leapt for it. Another shake, another leap, another shake, another leap...
So, Eagle God, did you just send a cat teaser stick?
Garrett's face darkened silently.
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