As I was walking through the corridor of the palace, I encountered an open area that was filled with green silk. The area was wide, wide enough to do anything on it. The green silk waved as wind flew through the open area, and from that chance, I saw Thena in the middle of the open field, sparring with a local soldier that was using a peculiar shield.
"Cap's shield?" I questioned myself. It's definitely not Cap's shield, but the design is awfully similar…
I walked to them, I saw the fear of that Soldier as Thena conjured her weapon. When she attacked the soldier, the green silk waved, following Thena's rhythm. The soldier was desperately trying to block and dodge, so far, he's successful, but who knows how long he will last…
"I think that's enough Thena, look at the poor guy." I announced, making Thena stop as her spear was about to hit the soldier's shield.
She looked at me, and deconjured her spear. "You're interrupting me." she hummed as she walked back to her position.
"What's with you today?" I raised my eyebrows. "Why are you hostile to me?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." she said, crossing his arms and tapping her foot.
I sighed. I looked at the man and pointed at the shield. "Can I borrow it?"
The soldier nodded vigorously and gave the shield to me, he then ran away from us…
"Look at the poor bloke, he's scared of you." I commented. I examined the shield, it's really like Cap's shield… "Cool shield right?"
Thena just stared at me with a deadpan expression, and said. "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" I questioned back. "Come on Thena, you've been cold to me ever since we've arrived. Talk to me."
Thena stared at me intently for a while before saying, "You know why."
I sighed and looked at the ground below me and tapped my foot. "What? You want to marry here as well? Along with Ikaris and Sersi?"
"Yes." she nodded as she walked away, sitting on the corner.
I followed her, and I sat beside her. "Do you really want to? It's just a bit cheap you know… Ikaris and Sersi are marrying here… I just wanted it to be more special, where the whole day is about us, and us only."
Thena raised her eyebrow. "So you want to marry in a different place?" she questioned.
"I mean– it's up to you honestly, that's just my opinion." I answered.
Thena looked to the ground below, wondering about the idea. "I get your thoughts… But… okay, let's marry somewhere else."
"You're okay with it?" I questioned again. "If you don't want to, we could just do it here, just another day."
Thena shook her head. "No, you're right, let's marry somewhere else. Maybe in the next place we visit?"
I smiled, grabbed her hand, and squeezed it tightly. "Sure. I'll talk to Ajak later."
She smiled widely, she cupped my cheek, and gave me a quick peck in the lips. "Okay."
She stood up, and walked away from me. "I've got to go, I need to help the others."
"Sure. I'll see you later."
—
I walked to the place where we were staying, where I saw Phastos sitting on the dining table, focusing on some papers in front of him. He looked focused, not breaking his concentration at all.
I sighed. I walked up to him, and sat in front of him. "Phastos, did you stay here all day?"
"I need to check my designs," he said. "Make sure that there is no fault."
I shook my head, and raised my feet to the table, making Phastos annoyed. "You know, I never know, I remember that Ajak asked you to go somewhere when I was dealing with the apes in Africa, where did you go?"
"I went to the east." he said, still focusing on calculating and shit.
"What did you do there?"
"Kill some deviants," he said. "Although I met this guy that liked alchemy, and he was experimenting on things…"
I hummed. "Then?"
"I taught him this substance. It's a black powder. It combust when lit which is quite handy for a lot of things. He was quite satisfied with himself, and he used it for making things that he called fireworks. It explodes in the air, making these unique patterns… the kids there loved it."
Ohhh shit… "Phastos… you don't think that those black powder won't be used as anything else… right?"
"What kind of things?" he questioned again, still focusing.
"For example… a weapon?"
He froze for a bit, I saw his thinking face, but then he continued to work. "Even if they did that, it's a part of the evolutionary process, in fact, it's a good thing, if they really made it a weapon, they could think outside the box, and they could discover more things because of that, also, I can't do anything about it."
I just sighed, and stood up. "Well, you should learn to communicate with the other Phastos, get a life. Sersi and Ikaris are about to get married, you should congratulate them."
"I will, later."
I shook my head, and left the place, leaving Phastos alone.
Chapter 66: May the gods hereby bond you in matrimony. 400 CEAs I was walking towards the hall where the marriage would take place, I saw Ikaris standing on a wall near the palace. His expression looked empty, but I saw the nervousness radiating from his body, and… guilt?
I walked up to him, he was wearing a blue Sherwani, and he was grabbing the cloth tightly.
"Ikaris." I called him out, making him turn to me. "What are you doing here? The wedding's starting."
"Pluto." he nodded, and turned away from me, looking at the beautiful landscape in front of him. "Just… calming myself…"
I hummed, and I stood beside him. "The demigod is nervous?" I said, teasing him.
He just chuckled. "I am." he said honestly. "It's just… I don't know if I could do this…"
"Do what?" I questioned.
"Lie." he continued calmly, a trace of guilt and pain could be seen in his face. "I am going to marry her… yet… I could not tell her the truth…"
It's because of that… "I know how you feel." I said. "But… it is your duty, is it not?"
"It feels… wrong, you know?" he said. "I know the truth, yet I could not tell her… that all of this would be over… that ultimately, this marriage is meaningless…"
"Is it meaningless though?" I asked him. "You will spend time with her for the rest of our mission, and you could just… not do it, you know?"
Ikaris frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Not following Arishem's order." I answered. "Cancelling the emergence. Problem solved."
"Do you think we could fight against Arishem, Pluto?" questioned Ikaris demandingly. "No. compared to him, we are but a mere ant."
"For you, maybe." I hummed. "But there is always a way, Ikaris." I patted his back, calming him down. "But you can decide what you will do later, for now, Sersi is waiting for you in the hall."
Ikaris just nodded. He walked to the hall with me, the entire journey was silent, as he was nervous, and doubting himself about whether this decision was right or not.
"Do not doubt Ikaris." I said. "Focus on Sersi's happiness, if you can't focus on yours."
He took a deep breath, and walked to Sersi, where she was waiting. Meanwhile, I walked to the others, I could see Druig eating like he always do, Ajak smiling like a mother seeing a daughter marrying, and everyone else were quite happy, except Sprite of course.
I walked up to her, and ruffled her hair, making her scowl. "Don't be like that Sprite."
She pushed my hand away from me, and walked away in annoyance. "Whatever dude."
I then turned around, and saw Thena, standing with the others, but she was looking at me, smiling so brightly. She was wearing a beautiful white dress that added to her charm. I smiled, and walked up to her.
"You look beautiful in that dress." I commented as I kissed her hand.
She smiled. "Thank you, it's called a Saree."
"Well, you should keep one." I suggested. "It might be useful later."
"I will keep one." she said. "Quite comfortable… and airy."
We then walked up to the others, and the ceremony started.
Sersi and Ikaris entered the hall, and they both stood in front of a priest. The two of them were smiling brightly. Ikaris's broodiness was nowhere to be found right now, only happiness.
I could hear Ajak weeping besides me, and when I turned around, I saw Druig eating…
I took the mango that was in his hand, and spoke. "Bro, stop eating."
"What?" he defended. "It's just some fruit." he said as he took another mango.
I shook my head, and let him be.
The Priest then spoke to the two. "May the gods hereby bond you in. matrimony."
The Priest then smiled. "Congratulations." The Priest then walked away, where Ikaris and Sersi sealed the deal with a kiss.
It was a weird wedding… there was no kiss in Indian marriage… right?
Anyway, I saw everyone's reaction, and to my surprise, only Sprite was unhappy.
"I'm quite tempted to just marry you right now." Thena whispered from beside me.
I just shrugged. "Hey, it's your choice, if you want to wait, I'll wait, if you want it now, then fine."
Thena shook her head. "I'll wait." she then leaned closer to me, whispering to my ear. "But I'll be waiting for you in my room."
I just chuckled at her usual boldness. "Yes Ma'am."