GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

The royal guard replied to Helios's question. "Do not worry about that for now. We have brought the demigods out so we want an equal gesture of sincerity. Bring the items with divinity here. We want to see it before we accept it. We couldn't inspect them last time because of the Colossus and received some faulty items."

The ants want to confirm the authenticity of the items with divinity before they move on to the next request.

Helios agreed. "That's understandable. We will go back now and return when we have the items."

They returned to the camp for the priests to get the needed items from their gods. They don't have any Colossus that can enlarge and cave in the temple on the avatar of other gods in order to retrieve items with divinity from their gods. The gods have recalled their transcendents to the divine battlefield at the center of the plane.

Then the negotiation party returned to resume the negotiation. The priests displayed each item for the royal guards to see. Each item be it a jewel or a cup showed clear indications of divinity that proved that they aren't faulty. They glow and attract any sentient organism that gazes at them. One will feel a yearning for the items because it represents distilled power that can evolve one's state of existence.

"Now that the authenticity of the items has been proven, can we move on?" Helios asked impatiently.

The royal guard replied. "Yes, we can. We want one more thing. We want you."

He asked in a confused tone. "You want me to do what?"

"I mean we will only exchange all these 7 demigods for 50 items with divinity and you, demigod of the sun god. Either you agree and we make the exchange or you disagree and we can separate."

Helios was stunned. He didn't even know how to reply. He isn't the only shocked one. Apparently, someone else is and that person doesn't like what they heard one bit. This caused some changes to take place in the world immediately.

The sun in the sky suddenly brightened. It enlarged so much that it looked like it is falling to the earth. The temperature of the mortal realm increased to dangerous levels. It is obvious that the sun god is angry. Giants everywhere bowed their heads on the ground and pleaded for mercy from the sun god. They are asking him to forgive them for whatever has made him angry.

"What did you say?"

While Helios is still processing what he just heard and what was going on with the world, the 7 priests behind shared a look and nodded to each other. 2 of them went to hold off the priest of the church of the sun while the other 5 cast divine restraining spells on Helios. He was caught off guard without his runes activated so he became entrapped and unable to move.

"Don't do this. This is wrong. You can't do this to me." He pleaded with them with his divine sense.

"We are sorry but the request is reasonable. One demigod for seven." The priest of the god of mercy replied.

Helios didn't give up. "But you just thanked me and your gods owe me a favor. You owe me after everything I have done for you."

Another one answered indifferently. "We owe you a normal favor now. It will only become a divine favor after we get the demigods. Wait till we get the demigods first before you start trying to compel our gods."

Unlike the priest of mercy who had the decency to be remorseful, this priest didn't feel any regret. It is not that he doesn't feel bad for Helios, he does. But his god has decreed that Helios should be captured and handed over for the exchange. He doesn't feel regret because he is simply obeying a command from his god. Sometimes faith makes believers capable of doing terrible things.

Helios turned to the priest from the church of order and justice. He shouted, "Help me. You can't simply watch and let this happen."

The two priests had gone to hold back the priest of the church of the sun. It is common knowledge that the priests of the sun god are more powerful than others because of the quality of their Stigmata. So they sent two to stop the priest from interfering.

Meanwhile, the priest of the church of justice chose to watch without interfering and they didn't bother him. The priest didn't say anything even when Helios called to him.

Helios was bonded amid his cries for help. Then the priests restrained his mouth and covered him with a cocoon of power to stop any means of communication too. Partly to stop him from making noise and mostly to stop him from talking and using his divine favor immediately after the exchange has been made. That didn't stop him from giving them venomous stares. So they made the cocoon opaque to stop him from seeing anything.

He has been essentially bonded, gagged, and blinded. Then he is used as an item exchanged with the royal guards for the 7 demigods. He tried all he could but he was dragged to the colony. The priests received the demigods and left merrily with them. Their mission has been accomplished. The only thing out of place is the blazing sun. It is still close to the plane and it is bombarding the plane with heat and light beyond what is pleasant to have.

Back in the temple of the gods.

"What nonsense is this?" Stelios stood up and shouted in anger when the royal guards asked for Helios.

One of the 7 gods said to the Celestial Supreme, "It is reasonable. One demigod for seven is a good deal."

Stelios's face contorted with anger. He couldn't believe it that they are actually considering the demand but he will not have it. He will do everything he can do to stop it. He has too much invested on Helios to risk him.