Negotiations!

Cherub wanted Odin to lay out his plan?

What plan? He didn't have one.

Odin said readily, "If the Winged Folk want to become lords of the Fourth Era, the first mountain in your path is the Human Race.

In fact, you aren't helping me right now. I'm helping you."

"???" Barely half a meter tall, Cherub blinked his big eyes and floated up to Odin, the halo above his head. "How can you say that with a straight face?" he asked in a childish voice.

"Mm." Odin nodded, then calmly analyzed the situation. "What are the Winged Folk doing right now?

You're using the Dark Creatures' invasion as a chance to seize Human Race territory.

But honestly, if the Dark World hadn't acted now, would Sky City have made a move?"

Little Cherub was about to speak.

Odin cut him off. He pulled out a map of the Middle-earth Continent, spread it before them, and pointed to Asgard and the Winged Folk's territories. "Look at the situation. The Winged Folk already had two Kingdoms on the Middle-earth Continent. Add the territory you've seized during the Dark Invasion, and that's another Kingdom.

Three Kingdom-sized territories, all in the west of the continent, all connected!

With you holding the Middle-earth Continent for now, those three Kingdoms could even unite into a Winged Folk Empire.

But do you think the Human Race will leave you alone forever just because they aren't attacking you now?

No. They won't. You've grown too strong.

Of the Seven Continents, the Winged Folk are strongest on the Middle-earth Continent.

The more territory you seize there, the more wary the Human Race becomes.

Think with that halo on your head. If Asgard were destroyed—if it really were destroyed—what would surround those three Winged Folk Kingdoms?"

Cherub raised an