Autolycus strode into the temple head high with absolutely no concern. He considered himself a man of conviction, a man who understood himself and his strengths and weaknesses and had little to fear from any mind game. The temple walls rose high and golden around him burnished to a shining reflective surface but the room was completely empty. He looked around the room expectantly and paced the length of the temple before sighing. "This is a waste of time."
"These things usually are." a voice… his voice… said from behind him and he spun to face his twin.
He raised an eyebrow and his twin did the same. "So what… you're supposed to reveal some deep inner truth, or reveal some dark twisted desire?"
"I don't have to. You already know all your darkest desires and the deepest truth about you is that you're a greedy, gold loving, manipulative thief with delusions of mattering and you know it."
Autolycus smirked and held his hands spread out to his sides. "It's the truth."
"It's not even close."
Another Autolycus stepped up. "I am the truth of your loss. The loss of purpose, the loss of direction, I am the truth of the loss you hide under mountains of gold."
Another Autolycus stepped up. "I am the truth of your anger. Anger at yourself, anger at your sentiment and desire."
Another Autolycus and another and another all speaking the truth of themselves, truths he hated, truths he feared and truths that made him so angry he could barely see straight until he screamed in fury and pain struck out at them clearing a small space around him. They all fell silent and he panted for breath feeling like someone had rubbed him raw with sand. "My Truths! Fuck my truths! Everyone has these truths and everyone learns to deal with them. I've learned to deal with them! I'm not fucking special and it doesn't fucking matter because I don't fucking matter!"
They stood in silence around him and he ran his hands over his face trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. One by one they began to vanish until only one was left and he glared at it. "So which one are you?"
"The one you ignore the most. Belonging."
He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Belonging kept talking his voice cool and quiet. "You remember how it felt when you were in the Spartan Army, you had purpose and direction and comrades and then along came Hercules, he made you feel like you were part of something bigger. You and Hercules against the world. And then you left the Army with him, still you and Hercules but now you could name your own price. Then came Thaddeus, basically an animal, you were ok with that and then he joined the Argonauts but just as a crew member, it was still you and Hercules with Thaddeus tagging along. You met Amphiaraus and suddenly it wasn't just you and Hercules. Then came Atalanta and finally Iolaus, people you barely knew but one by one they filled the void in Hercules and you wondered if you had any purpose anymore. Then you abandoned him in Thrace, left him to face Lord Cotys without you. And even though you came back you wonder if you'll ever belong again."
He swallowed hard and felt his heart hammering in his throat and he had to acknowledge that since this Autolycus was here it was part of him, part of his inner truth. He thought about it for several minutes before shaking his head. "You're right, I don't know if I'll ever belong again, or even if I really want to, if I even deserve to. But I have to try."
Belonging vanished and so did the temple around him.