It was amongst a field of blooming glaze lillies that their story began.
Although Morax was not sure whether the female had been purposely waiting for him, or if she too had been coincidentally meandering through the pleasant fields, their meeting in the lillies would mark the beginning of a prosperous and peaceful alliance.
As a gentle breeze swept around the pair, accentuating the young woman's billowing, lilac sleeves, Morax could not help but find her demeanour rather... curious.
"Morax." Her voice was sweet and graceful, and although she had initially greeted him with a warm smile, she now bore an expression of complete solemnity as she sought to state her business. "What a surprise to see you here."
"Is it really a surprise, Guizhong?"
With a coy smile, the female lowered her eyes to the ground.
"Ah, you've seen right through me," she chuckled, nervously scratching the back of her head. "There's no fooling you, is there?"
"That is disputable," sighed Morax, shaking his head as Guizhong straightened up and looked towards him once more. "If anyone were to be able to fool me, it would be you."
"I would never fool you!" exclaimed Guizhong defensively, both of her arms now resting tightly behind her back. "That in itself would be a death wish!"
"... right. To what do I owe this pleasant encounter? Judging from the way you're fidgeting like a little child hiding something behind your back, I can only assume that you have something you would like to flaunt before me."
"I wouldn't say flaunt," grinned Guizhong, revealing what she had been holding in her hands. A mere stone cube that was fashioned in such a way that it looked like an intricate puzzle, the object in Guizhong's hands glowed with a golden aura as she offered it up to Morax. "I come bearing a negotiation that would be of utmost benefit to both of us, and our people.
"As you are already aware, I am not notably powerful, nor do I possess as much strength and battle prowess as yourself. While I do admit that I have come here seeking an alliance with you, I also would like to make a case as to why you should at least consider my offer.
"As you are synonymous with brute strength, I would like to think of myself as being synonymous with knowledge, and one whose thirst for wisdom can never be quenched. My exploits have made the lives of my people easier- and most importantly, happier- and with your brawn and my brains, we could combine forces and create a flourishing city for both of our people! With our combined guidance, only positive things could come out of our partnership!"
Guizhong held out her gift to Morax, letting it levitate into the air as he stared down at her with an expressionless face.
"I understand your reasoning for approaching me, and I do think that the two of us working together would be a good idea, but why are you giving this to me?"
"To mark our pledge, of course," said Guizhong brightly, watching happily as Morax tentatively took the cube from her. "It is also a challenge I would like to give to you."
"Oh? What kind?"
"All my wisdom is hidden within this stone. If you can unlock it, then..." Guizhong slowly trailed off, interrupting her own sentence with a giggle. "Actually, I'll leave it to you to find out. Do you think you can unlock it?"
With a small frown, Morax lifted the cube closer to his face and squinted as he began scrutinising its exterior.
"... is smashing it open a viable option?"
"Absolutely not!! Why would you want to smash my precious knowledge like that?!"
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