Chapter 208: Parley

"Can I have a little chat with you?" The winged man asked Cthulhu, although he was speaking a foreign language.

Nero watched the winged man and muttered, "An angel? But he doesn't look like one."

Cthulhu turned to Nero and asked, [Is this flying creature with you?]

"Certainly not," Nero replied and shook his hand.

Cthulhu moved its hand to grab the winged man, but he raised both of his in the air as though he was trying to surrender.

"I am not here to fight," said the winged man. "I am here for parley."

[What parley? I am here to show my wrath!]

"I understand that, but can't we talk first? What are your demands, and why are you trying to harm humans?"

Nero flew and stood between Cthulhu and the winged man: "Excuse me, but who the hell are you?"

The winged man glanced at Nero and uttered, "It doesn't matter who I am; what matters is I am here, and I want to talk to know the reason why Cthulhu is furious."

[You damned humans killed my daughter!]

Nero flew a little higher so he could look down on the winged man.

"Cthulhu wants to avenge its daughter's death. So get out of here so it can kill and punish the humans, or die here with them," Nero asserted.

"I am a little confused here, but first— who are you?" Winged man asked with a curious yet calm look on his face.

"...." Nero raised his brows and stared at the winged man as he thought, 'This man is standing in front of the great Cthulhu, and he doesn't look scared. Heck, even I was scared when I saw him the first time when I was 15 years old. I mean, who wouldn't be afraid of the celestial beings.'

'This man is not even an angel. Although his wings look angel—ish, there is nothing angelic about them. He doesn't seem to be a fallen angel, and my god's eyes didn't sense anything in this man.'

After pondering for a while, Nero opened his mouth to say, "I am speaking on Cthulhu's behalf. You may consider me as his officiant."

Nero had taken a liking to Cthulhu as it was one of the first celestial creatures to ever talk with him respectfully.

"Okay then… uhh… officiant," the winged man stuttered with a confused look on his face and said, "May I ask what exactly does Cthulhu mean that humans killed its daughter?"

[Three months ago, a ship sailed in the sea at night and killed my daughter who was watching over the sea!]

The winged man stood in silence and pondered for a while.

Nero was also lost in his thoughts.

'No ordinary humans can kill a celestial being. They have to be some strong ass humans if they truly managed to kill a celestial being.'

Nero gazed at the winged man to see he was still in deep thought.

"Cthulhu's daughter was probably a Kraken," Nero remarked.

"Oh!" The winged man suddenly exclaimed and uttered, "The remains of a Kraken were indeed washed to the shore."

[I will kill all the humans in sight!]

"But that won't bring your daughter back," the winged man commented.

"It's not about that, though. It's about revenge," Nero quipped.

"I agree with that. But Cthulhu," the winged man looked at Cthulhu and said, "If you truly want revenge, then I can help you."

"...." Nero raised his brows and thought, 'What is this man up to?'

[Then get out of my way, or I will crush you too!]

"I would, but killing these travelers won't avenge your daughter's death. If you want revenge, then you should take it on the ones who killed your daughter," the winged man asserted.

[I don't know which humans killed her, so that's why I will kill each and every human I see.]

"I can help you find those humans if you give me some time, and promise not to harm any other humans until then," the winged man stated with sincerity in his voice.

[Why should I believe you?]

After a brief silence, the winged man sighed and uttered, "I am the king of the capital of the continent next to this island, so this sea and this island also comes under me."

"I get it now!" Nero said in a loud voice. "You are simply trying to save you citizens from the wrath of Cthulhu, aren't you?"

"I suppose you can say that," the winged man nodded. "But the creatures in the sea and the sky that are below and above the continent are also my citizens." 

"So if Cthulhu's daughter was killed by humans, then it is my duty as a king to find and punish the ones who did such a hideous act," he added.

[So the killers are hiding on the continent?!]

"They might be, or they might not be," the winged man answered. "And that's why, I am asking you to give me some time, so I can find and catch those humans. But first, I will have to find out who."

"Why should we believe you?" Nero asked with a smirk on his face. "What I'd you are just shitting on us to protect yourself and the humans?"

The winged man ignored Nero and looked up at Cthulhu's face: "I promise you, I will find and bring the heads of the humans who killed your daughter."

"What if you bring the heads of some random peeps and pretend as if they were the ones who killed Cthulhu's daughter?" Nero asked with a curious look on his face.

The winged man placed his hand on his chin and uttered, "Good point."

"..."

"Okay. I will bring them alive and make them confess in front of you," the winged man remarked.

Cthulhu turned to Nero, as though it was waiting for Nero to say something.

Nero shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's your call. Do what you want to do."

After pondering for a while, Cthulhu lowered its wings and asserted, [I give you seven days. You have seven days to bring those humans in front of me. Until then, the humans on this island will be taken as hostages.]

[And if you fail or try to fool me, I will annihilate this island, your continent, and everything else in this world.]

The winged man bowed down and said, "I won't let you down."

"Well then…" Nero uttered. "I will excuse myself."

"Hey… Officiant!" The winged man called out to Nero.

Nero ignored him and turned around.

"I would like to invite you to my palace if you don't mind," the winged man offered.