The Negotiations Begin

Swain's face darkened at once. He was about to let Bullet have it when Bullet continued, "But I can narrow down the general area."

Swain's expression eased slightly, and he listened with urgent attention.

As it turned out, just as Swain had entered the underground passage, Bullet had slipped through the east gate to investigate. Luck had been on his side: he had come across a family of Celestial Dragons riding slowly toward him on the back of a tall slave. Their defenses had been remarkably thin. Pangaea Castle was vast, and Bullet had seized the chance to capture and interrogate them.

"Heh, killing those beasts felt good! No wonder you're so keen on it," Bullet said, a trace of cruel satisfaction on his face.

"Cut the crap!" Swain snapped. "At a time like this, you still want to stand around chatting?"

Bullet frowned slightly but told him the location anyway.

"Right here!" He circled a spot on the map with his finger.

Swain studied it. Just about where I thought. It was the Governing Hall of the Five Elders.

Then he looked up at the sky. Bullet followed his gaze and asked curiously, "You don't think it's up there, do you?"

"I don't know," Swain replied after a moment's thought. "If I were Imu, I might build it in the sky." He recalled that the Five Elders had once climbed a long, towering staircase to meet Imu. Whether Violet Garden and that meeting place were in the same location, he had no way of knowing. With Imu's lofty, contemptuous nature, perhaps he had built his lair underground instead. But if it really was in the sky, dealing with it would be troublesome.

Swain's goal this time was to find the Ancient Weapons and have Pluton try to destroy them.