Chapter 5 - Gods and Heroes

"Take me to a private room to discuss the details," Zagreus ordered the elf.

Royman was perceived by many as an arrogant prick. It was common knowledge that he looked down on anyone who was not a god or pureblood elf. However, when he listened to the prince's voice, he was unable to refuse him. Zagreus surrounded himself with an aura of certainty that distinguished those at the very top of the social ladder. Giving the impression that he was talking to the god himself.

Royman nodded and began to lead the prince to his private quarters.

Riveria stood and watched as Zagreus, by his very posture, ordered Royman to move to a private room, to which Royman complied.

Now able only to wait, she began to wonder about this mysterious person.

He was 190 cm tall. He wore a black and red tunic revealing part of his chest and right arm. On his left shoulder he was sown with trophies, the skulls of some three-headed monstrosity, but what really heightened the fear were his eyes. The right eye had the colour of a black abyss with a bloodshot lens, probably the residue of some curse . He appeared out of nowhere, like some guardian of the netherworld.

If he were a god, his manner of dress would still not be surprising, as gods had a misunderstood nature and strange tastes. However, standing next to him she did not sense divinity as in the case when she stood among other gods, only a feeling of terror.

When she returns, she will have to tell Lady Loki. Her god would never let her live if she forgot to mention something so interesting. Strange for a goddess but she was good for the familia members.

Before leaving Babel Square, she had left Lefiya with the others, so she didn't have to worry about her. For that she had to worry about all the rest. She was convinced that today's expedition would be delayed. With a key member of the team missing, she was sure that her familia would end up in the host of fertility tavern again.

After 10 minutes she saw a mysterious stranger coming out of the back room. This time no longer bloodied, without wounds with a book in his hand.

Zagreus, lighter by a crystal of black goliath, headed for the guild hall. As he walked he recalled a recent conversation.

"How much?" - Asked the prince

The still terrified elf struggled to formulate an answer, but years of practice in the profession had helped him to articulate.

"At least 500,000 valis."

The prince mused. From the elf's tone he guessed that it was a lot but he did not know the currency. Contractors in Hades were usually paid in diamonds or crystals, even though material goods did not matter; the souls retained greed from their lifetime.

To his misfortune he had none with him. A couple obols in his pocket had a more symbolic meaning.
The last currency honoured in the underworld, though the least valuable, was darkness.

He had scrounged a few minor ones into his pocket before his encounter with the dying girl, but if anything was going to be of greater value it was the crystal from the goliath.

"And what could cost that much?" Asked the prince

"Elixir" The elf replied nervously "As sir know, due to the difficulty of preparation and its rarity it is highly prized"
Zagreus could sense no lie in his words.

"At least 500,000 valis" repeated the elf. "If we care about time it may cost more"

Zagreus waved his hand and a crystal of darkness appeared in the room reaching to the ceiling.

" Will this suffice?" asked the prince

"It will" he looked puzzled at the crystal "I will take care of the supplies immediately"

"Which familia do sir belong to?"

"Excuse me?"

"What god is the head of the house"

"Aah, which house do I belong to?" I prefer to keep the name of the Lord of my house a secret. "Let's just say it's a place you can't leave"

Royman remembered the chalice and moon symbol on the girl's cloak. "Indeed," he muttered under his breath and his face became more serious

"Before you go, I will also need a healing potion for wounds, a shower to wash up and if you have a book on the gods praised in this city."

"A strange request, but I should have an index about the gods who reside in this city"

Reside here? thought the surprised prince.

Zagreus looked around the guild hall. Across from the entrance he could see the counter where the receptionists would receive adventurers. The door from which he exited was used for private conversations with counsellors. On the other side were couches where, apparently, travellers wishing to venture into the dungeons met. Though no one was currently there aside from one elf.

The prince decided to approach and thank her for her help

Of course, as he walked past the counter, he didn't forget the teachings of Achilles and checked to see if the pink-haired daughter of Aphrodite had returned. Unfortunately fate did not favour the prince today.

He continued walking until he stood in front of the green haired elf.

"Thank you for your help..." Said the prince questioningly.

"Riveria" replied Larfal's daughter looking him in the eye, but she quickly averted her gaze.

"Thank you for your help Riviera" Zagreus smiled. "Or could I repay you in some way"

"That's perfectly normal, anyone would do that if they were in my place" the elf replied "but if I may ask what you hold in your hands"

Riveria's jade eyes flickered towards the book.

"Aaa this?" Asked the prince "I asked the guild for a list of the gods living in the city"

The prince, like any of the gods, was sly in his words and so from a simple question he asked his own that bothered him. What did the previous elf mean by living in the city

"Are you interested in joining a familia?"

"Not at least not now, are you recruiting?" joked prince

"I would have to arrange a meeting with the goddess, It's all up to Lady Loki, but I'm sure you would get her attention"

So you can meet the goddess face to face - thought Zagreus.

"Unfortunately escaping from my House is not that simple" he replied

"And yes, not all gods care for their children in the same way"

"Children?"

"Members of the Familia"

"From what I have learned from my goddess, life with Soma is not..."

"Lord Soma - corrected the prince. "As forgetful as mortals may be one should not expose oneself to their ire"

"Sorry, Lord Soma of course. Whatever the gods may be one must be wary of their capricious nature"

"Capricious? I wouldn't say so. The gods are primarily driven by their intentions."

Riveria didn't expect a simple question to turn into an interesting story about the gods. She was becoming more and more curious about this stranger. She had to keep her guard up, because she was slowly starting to think like Lady Loki.

"What drives us is first and foremost our intention" Zagreus had accidentally linked his person to the gods, but by the elf's face she apparently took the statement more generally.

"Yes gods have all sorts of hobbies, sometimes, though they still seem to make decisions in a moment of euphoria"

The prince of the underworld smiled. It was difficult for mortals to comprehend divine thinking.

"Did you say you belong to the Loki Familia?"

Zagreus opened the book in his hands.

"Loki, Loki, Loki... I got it" in the index was a jester symbol signed ["Deity of deception and mischief"].

"It seems obvious that the descriptions were added by the gods"

"You're right...the Gods when they arrive in Orario are obliged to inscribe a brief information about themselves that will help adventurers find a Familia for themselves and include their symbol that is placed on their backs after they have been granted a Falna for their children."

I'll have to find out more about the Falna - Zagreus thought