((Edited, ref of new character Curaxu up above XD))

While our adventurers continue onwards to Morwick, how about we change our perspective for a little while? Surely, there must be a few of you wondering what a certain assassin is up to?
------
After his disaster of a mission, Luke and his other followers departed to Alverton. They took chariots back to The Empire, waiting and silently worrying about their fate. The Emperor doesn't take kindly to failure, and most are certain they won't see their families for a long time.

Unlike them, Luke's worries were different. While his followers had homes and families to go back to, The Emperor was the only one he could rely on. He provided the boy a home, an education, even a high title as his Royal Assassin.
Of course, he only earned it after betraying a ex-friend of his, but it's not like he regrets it. That ex-commander deserved it for the treason he commited against The Emperor. Besides, in this world, you have to think for yourself. Thinking about others would only get yourself killed in the process.

Speaking of getting killed, Luke's completely certain he'd rather have death than confront The Emperor about his failed mission. Anything would be better than seeing the disappointment in those cold eyes of his, and what comes next after. He rubs his left arm, hissing when a sharp pain still comes from it.

Looks like that bruise hasn't gone away yet.

The lavender-haired boy huffs, looking down on his lap. Everyone assumes that because he lives in the royal palace he has life easy, that nothing could be worse than being a simple peasant under The Emperor's rule. On the contrary, it's not even all that different. He still gets the same harsh treatment, if not worse than that. Luke doesn't get these injuries from just his missions.

Yeah, he sure has a great life back at the castle.
------
Well, wasn't that an insightful section? But, obviously, this chapter isn't just join to overlook our penguin hat-wearing boy. Where's the fun in just sticking to one perspective?

Meanwhile in another realm, days before The Crew's arrival...
------
A young god was humming to himself, walking on the soft white clouds of his realm. He paces back and forth, scribbling down on a jeweled, gold-encrusted brown journal. When he finishes what he's drawn, the godling smiles brightly. He walks over to the edge of his cloud, looking down on a clear, green plain.

"Perfect!" He says to himself, picking up his pencil.
The young god turns his sketch upwards, and blows a wisp of air onto it. Specks of gold sparkles from the page, then explodes into a hurricane of color. That hurricane falls down to the ground, colors splashing everywhere as lines from the sketch connect and intertwine.
The godling smile grows wider when he hears a loud roar from the hurricane that would soon disappate and reveal his greatest project.
Suddenly, a large clawed foot steps out of the hurricane's smoke. Wings that could've covered the Earth spread open, flapping slowly as the godling's creation flew out of the hurricane.

ROOOAAAAAAAAARRRRR!

A giant dragon emerged, with scales as dark as obsidian, ebony horns that curved elegantly on it's head, long golden claws that shone like the sun's rays, and eyes that burned ruby-red. It continued to fly up, until it finally reached it's creator's clouds. The dragon huffed smoke from it's nostrils, watching calmly as the young god stepped closer and placed his hand on his creation's snout.
Compared to it, he was but an ant, about the half size of it's claw.

"Oh look at you, you beautiful creature!" He exclaims happily as he continued to pat the dragon.
It purred softly, closing it's eyes.
"I wonder what i'll name you?" The godling wondered to himself, trying to come up with dragon names on the top of his head.
Unnoticed by the god of this realm, a portal had opened up. Red spirals swirled around a figure as it stepped out, ready to speak.

"Well, if it isn't the 'God of Creation'?" A mocking voiced called out from behind.
The young god turned around, staring straight at his uninvited guest. The first thing he's greeted with are white eyes, blazing like fire. The next thing he notices is the stolen corpse that hosted the dark entity. The corpse the godling revived for him.

"Oh, it's you." He hissed.
"Hello, Curaxu. You have a new creation, I see." Collinbrine says, waving off that impolite greeting.
"Yeah, and you have a new host I see- oh wait, I already knew that because I "helped" you get it back." Curaxu replies, glaring at the man infront of him.
The dragon by his side growled as well, making the world under it shake. The godling noticed and petted it's snout again to calm it down.
"It's okay Goldie, I was just about to show him the way out." The godling told his creation, his eyes now glowing a bright yellow hue.

Collinbrine instantly puts his hands up in surrender, offering a joking smile when Curaxu starts to walk towards him. "Hah, calm down there godling. I only want to offer you some "fun"."
The young god stopped a few feet away from him, arms crossed and eyes still lit. "...I'm intrigued. What do you mean by "fun"?"
Collinbrine drops his hands down, his smile growing. "I'm glad you asked!"

"How about playing a little.. 'bet'?"

Curaxu raised an eyebrow at him, eyes' softening slightly. "A bet?"
"Those friends of yours? The Crew, was it? Ugh, terrible name. In any case, why not see how long they'll survive in my realm?" The dark entity suggests, placing his hands on his hips.
The godling put a finger on his lips, tapping lightly with thought. "What's in it for me?"

"If they survive for god knows how long, i'll leave you be and let this walking corpse free." Collinbrine replies.
"Awh, how sweet of you!" Curaxu cooed with a fake smile, that instantly fell. "But no. I need a little more, you know what i'm talking about."
Collinbrine's smile faltered, but he then laughed. "All or nothing. You'll earn my life source and powers if you win. If I win, I earn the same, plus your realm."
The young god grinned. "Now that's more like it."
He walks forward, then lifts up a hand for shaking. "Let's shake on it."
The dark entity stares at the hand for a moment, before looking up smugly and taking it. "It's a bet."

"Great! Now get the fuck out of my realm."