"Wait a second." Thaqotul replied calmly. "Let me just check if my life insurance covers malelovent shadow gods. Ill only be a sec, you don't mind, do you?"
And with that he slithered off out of view. The room was silent and the mood was tense. The Blackpyre were fearful of Kuro, knowing what he was capable of, but they were more scared of Thaqotul. Not because he was cruel or had wiped out entire civilisations or anything like that. They weren't scared of what they DID know about him, its what they DIDN'T know about him that frightened them the most, and, to be honest, they barely knew anything about him.
Thaqutol reappeared. It was odd that he hadnt tried to get away, but then again he would never abandon his people.
"Believe it or not," he smiled "it does."
And with that a vial of blue - grey liquid liquid that had been levitating silently behind him as he returned to face Kuro suddenly hovered into view. The Blackpyre let out a sharp breath. They realised what had happened. They'd seen this before, where Thaqotul had suddenly turned the tables in his favour when it seemed that all hope had been lost. He had a habit of doing that. This creature, this mortal, this blind, old, doddering Thaqotul, had outsmarted warlords, demons, dragon kings and gods and had lived to tell the tale. He was a legend in his own right. He was just far less boastful about it, unlike so many other so called legends.
"Now." Thaqotul said softly "I believe they call this in chess a 'Checkmate'? Anyway, this vial is my life insurance. It contains a sample of the Echanii's power. If I drop it, it will turn into a gas and infect us all, well, except it would do, if it werent for one thing. You see, there was one flaw to the Echanii's power. He could assimilate gods and immortal champions, but he could never manage to convert those who possesed a biology like his own. He could NEVER convert his kin, the Blackpyre. Though this doesnt save us from being torn to shreds by the hybrids he does create, it does mean that we are immune to his power, and thus it wouldn't affect us if I were to drop this vial. However, YOU would be affected. You'd lose yourself, your mind, your infamous intelligence and wit, all that you care about. You'd become a slave to the Echanii, nothing more. Imagine that, Kuro, the infamed god of dark, becoming little more than a mindless thrall for some overpowered lizard. Imagine what that'd do to your pride. Not that youd actually have a pride to speak of, of course, as everything you once were would be lost. Furthermore, you'd lose all your power. You'd just become some mindless animal and we'd overwhelm and kill you in seconds. So think about it carefully, oh god of dark. If you attack me or one of my kindred i shall drop the vial and you will be no more. If I were you i'd leave this cave NOW and go and help Guy. But of course i have sense. Whether you do, or whether you shall keep it if you do, remains to be seen."