"This is madness!" Thor barked, his face turning red from fury. His remaining fist clenched so hard that lightning cracked between his fingers.
That only made Max's mood brighten even more.
"If you don't want to negotiate, then take your army and scram back to your empire. I'll see how long you survive with only warriors and no women. They will run to me on their own."
Flickers of green finally returned to the exhausted Wind Emperor's eyes. His wrath cooled just enough for reason to return as he narrowed his gaze at Max, then toward the far horizon, where he spotted his sister Gertrud and his other siblings alive and well among Max's people.
Their eyes met for a moment.
For a brief breath, the madness in Oswald's face cracked, replaced by something rawer than rage.
Relief.
His grip tightened around his cracked spear.
"I'll give you twenty percent of my army for eighty percent of my people," he barked at Max, barely able to keep himself standing straight.
