Perhaps it was the way with which Divyat had done it, or just the fact that he was human and was excelling. The battles on the other clusters took place at a faster pace than should have been possible. In under 30 minutes, the first cluster after his own moved forwards, and then soon after the others followed, until within the hour all 16 clusters were already on the central island and gearing themselves up. And after that they all started making their way into the pagoda. Divyat did not stand on ceremony or wait to be the last in an attempt to look unnecessarily cool, he picked himself up and went in, trusting the rest of his cluster to follow along as quickly as they could.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the same inky blackness that had been responsible for teleporting him across the tunnels, appeared and swallowed him. Quickly, Divyat found himself standing from the ramparts of a wall overlooking an expansive valley. He turned to look that the wall only surrounded what seemed to be a small tent with a blazing flag within it. Divyat could not help but to roll his eyes as this obviously is a capture the flag kind of moment.
He turned around and noticed that there were sixteen other fortress walls on fifteen other peaks. All of them placed in a circle overlooking the valley plains that was obviously the spot for a battlefield. Uneven hills and mountainous terrains separated the fortresses from each other, making it extremely hard to cross, but not impossible from what Divyat could see. However, crossing that much uneven ground with members of his cluster would make it so that the enemy can see them coming, which was probably why there was a battlefield down there, whatever had to happen, the clusters would have to make their way through the open field, even though they have no intention of fighting.
Divyat felt another presence beside him and turned to see fang Bin looking at him with what was an imperceptible look on her face. He raised an eyebrow in question as she turned to look over the ramparts, her gaze picking out each fortress before turning to him quickly.
"I would advise that you get down from the ramparts quickly. As it stands no one knows which cluster is in which fortress, so that way there cannot be any prior allegiances before we're dropped right in here. Now there's a big target on your back, and by extension all of us. It would be better if you're not seen, so that the other fortresses won't band together to wipe us out, because even with your power, that is not something we would be able to deal with. Let's go down and make a plan of attack or defense depending on whatever manner you want to lead in." Divyat smiled in response as he turned around and jumped down from the rampart, and waited for Fang Bin to join him whilst ignoring the looks they all pointed in his direction.
After Fang Bin made it to his position he said to her. "You're really good at manipulating people, but I'm human…. Manipulation is in our very nature. Plus, I've been dealing with your kind since I found myself in this secret world within the Ghadovara Mountains. You're leading but making it seem like it's my idea, however, I'm tolerating it because the cluster would be more likely to receive my orders if they have the preconceived notion that I'm just a warmongering human and you're the snake in the grass directing me…. However, don't be mistaken, Fang Bin... I'm not the kind of beast you manipulate…. I'm the kind you fear and run away from."
Fang Bin nodded her head, her expression not giving anything away, but perhaps she was just taking his threats at face value and was more than sure of her own capabilities to manipulate Divyat. It worried him, but in the end it didn't matter, at least not right now. He had to come up with a plan for all of them and win. He turned to the cluster as they had all gathered and were paying close attention.
"We're outnumbered and definitely outgunned. Should the leaders of the other clusters know that I am here, they will target this fortress first and attempt to turn it to rubble and ash before anything else? But be that as it may, I have a plan, and if you guys, all of you want to make it to the next floor, then you will listen. Or else you'd either just die here, or become failures, and at what cost, that is completely up to you. Either way what I intend to do is assassinate the leaders of the clusters two fortresses left and two fortresses right. The rest of you will remain here while our new leader, the apprentice Bandit queen Fang Bin makes a delegation to make an alliance with the clusters bordering our east and west.
It would be an alliance to fortify themselves and be stronger together so that they can hunt down the dastardly human who had escaped from an encirclement from his cluster, getting defeated in the process and ending up making the opponent he ran from, the only Apprentice bandit Queen in the trial. Make your alliances and move on the other clusters in quick and rapid succession, I will play my part and make sure I weaken the other clusters by assassinating their leaders or retrieving their flags. When there's just the three clusters left I will return and reassume my position as Apprentice bandit king and move on to the next floor after leading you all to victory."
Divyat had a smug look on his face, and from the shocked looks on the face of the people around, they could not possibly fathom how it came to be that there was such a scenario that Divyat would give up the hard earned power he spilt the blood of hundreds for. Fang Bin had something to say about it though.
"That's impossible, without the Seal of authority, the Sigil on your hands, there's no way they would believe that we defeated you, it won't w-"
"I surrender to you Fang Bin." Six simple words, but it made all of the difference as the tattoo on his hand vanished and went over to her own red scaled arm. Of course her's was a lot different than Divyat's but in the end it worked and she was now the apprentice bandit queen. The fact that it worked wasn't the problem, it was the fact that Divyat could actually give up his power, either way he drew Fang Bin close and whispered softly in her ear as one would do to a lover.
"When the time comes, I will know whether your ploy of loyalty and submission is true or not, but whether it is or not, when I come back for my sigil, should there be any scheme, I will kill you, and I will end everyone else who stands in my way…. And I will enjoy it. See you soon snake!" and with that he went to a corner of the fortress and sat down, waiting for nightfall, and the time for him to begin his very own hunting expedition.