Apparently Moroni wished to reduce the tension sufficiently to permit the two leaders to talk sensibly about the terms of an armistice, therefore Moroni had his troops disengage from battle and the two leaders withdrew a short distance from them. This was a tense and dramatic moment. Moroni had exhibited great restraint in not allowing his troops to exterminate the Lamanites, therefore he was very blunt in addressing the murderous Zerahemnah. Moroni first made a preliminary statement:
Now Moroni was ready to get down to business and he left no doubt as to what his demands would be.