[h3]Duchy of Pelgaid, secluded pond[/h3]
[IMG]http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u79/SharpshooterJack/markerGerald_zps253683a8.png[/IMG]
Frowning upon hearing Jillian’s concern, Gerald was fairly sure that he knew how the Grand Master would respond even before he did so.
“Firstly, I don’t think you realize the full extent of what you are up against in this,” the lord of the Crimson Dawn started listing, holding up a long, slender finger as he made his point. “The Death Clan, the servants of Kreshtaat, is almost certainly a lot bigger and more powerful than any of us suspects, and they are known to have infiltrated nearly every place and every group in Reniam. Whether the Wardens are capable fighters or not should not be your concern, but rather whether you can trust them and the other inhabitants of Fokon in the first place. Kreshtaat will surely learn of your intention to seek him out in the Spirit Realm as soon as you start preparing to go there from one of his agents, and he will be free to command whoever serves him to kill you. He might send an assassin, or he might send an army. Heh, he could even send Himyth, if he really wanted you dead, or any number of demonspawn loyal to her.
My point is that since you need the help of the people in Fokon, the Death Clan will know you are a target... and even presuming that the Wardens themselves won’t turn against you, they won’t stand a chance if the enemy moves against them in force or infiltrates without them noticing.”

Gerald nodded to himself, having confirmed his suspicion that things would not be simple once they spoke to others of their intention to pursue Kreshtaat into the Spirit Realm. He had to agree with the Grand Master that they needed additional protection, though the more he thought about it, the less of a good idea it seemed to trust this particular source of protection.
“The contract did not mention your involvement,” he said hoarsely, eyes narrowing at the demon. “How do we know that your agent would not simply kill us, making you win the wager?”
“Have you not been listening at all?” The visage sighed, shaking his head in resignation. “I [I]want[/I] you to succeed, I [I]want[/I] Kreshtaat stopped. Besides, I know that I might employ the occasional trick in my deals and exploit a loophole here and there, but I [I]never[/I] cheat. If I did that, no one would want to make deals with me. In fact, I will personally make any servant of mine that even [I]thinks[/I] about getting in your way pay sorely for that mistake.”

The fiend turned back to Jillian, and extended a second finger on his upheld hand. “Secondly, I am not sending a [I]monster[/I]; the only ‘monsters’ I’d be capable of sending to your aid in my current state are much too valuable to me to give out freely, even for a cause as important as this. And had it been a monster, your little friends at the Temple would be entirely safe looking at it... though I imagine they’d still prefer not to. No, the servant I would be sending is human. He’s exceptionally capable, even more so than many of my immortal minions, and obedient to a fault. He just... doesn’t like his existence being known, and makes a habit of murdering witnesses unless they satisfy certain criteria. If he is there, I guarantee that your physical bodies will be safe if Kreshtaat sends anything less than Himyth herself to stop you.”
A third finger extended. “And thirdly, you can dispense with the pleasantries, Jillian. I don’t expect your servility anymore. You are not in my service, and we have made a bargain; as far as I am concerned that makes us partners, and thus equals. I would honestly prefer you to accept this and treat me as an equal, as well.”