Inferno Ascended

The Sorceress took his face in both hands, bringing him on top of her.

"Men like you turn me on."

"Women like you turn me off." He let himself be touched and led, but his gaze remained cold as ice. "Don't try to mess with my mind. You're hot and stuff. I don't need you forcing these thoughts into my mind."

"You say that because another woman is on your mind."

"That is none of your business, High Priestess. I'm starting to think you're stalling me. You looked at my face, but you didn't answer what I asked. Fucking you might be delicious, I don't doubt it. But I didn't travel hundreds of kilometers for that."

"You did that to ask me who you are?" She glared at him mockingly.

"I couldn't imagine finding an answer like that with you. But for a moment I thought you might surprise me." Glax could only respond in kind.

"You've become quite arrogant in the short time you have some victories under your belt. You could even be an Olympian or a Chthonic, but you'd be messing with fire if you really turned against me." The implied threat almost made him laugh. Was she saying he was one thing or the other?

"No. I'm kind of a down-to-earth guy. After all, I'm a mountain man. I just want to make it clear that your mental manipulations won't lead to anything."

"Ahhh. Consider this just a light joke." She pouted, pushing his chest lightly with her hand.

"Okay. I would like to talk about business now." He finally got off her.

"Do you withdraw your question about yourself?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not paying you for this, let's make it clear."

"Ah, Valosians. Of all the Echelians, the Valosians are the ones who stink and act like wild rams… For a moment I thought you were different."

"Oh, you know. You might take a man out of a mountain, but you don't take a mountain out of a man."

"Is this really a saying?"

"The galeon. Oh, and a Cyclops. I want him too." He tried to put the conversation on the track it should be. A bit bluntly, but women like her had this power over him. The power of pissing him off, that is.

"You said you were humble, but you came here full of demands. Is that how you 'make business'?" She questioned.

"You also make business in a peculiar way. Or was it a free sample?"

She laughed. "You've been dealing with the gods so intimately that you've even lost your fear of everything else. But there aren't just fallen Olympians and Idle Chthonic. Take this as a second and final warning to control this savage mouth of yours. Before I stop considering you a guest and possible lover."

Glax blinked. "Oh, in that case, accept my apology. I have a bad habit of over-stressing my limits."

"Remind me why I should just give you the galeon and the 'cyclops' just because you asked." She reached for her glass of wine again to take a sip.

"Because I have important things to do with this. Because if you know what's going on with Stygia, you know someone needs to do something. I'm here for it." He knew he was acting and bragging like he was the last action hero on Stygia, when at best he was a mediocre warrior with undeserved fame. But fame had to be good for something. "Come on, High Priestess. This is simple. With a mountain of galeon I can do something that hasn't been done yet."

"I don't know." She stood up abruptly. "I need to consult The Great Goddess' Will."

"If she says yes…" Glax waited for the High Priestess to complete her answer.

"Learn at once that the point of view of a failed Olympian does not necessarily reflect the opinion of those who have faithful worshipers who empower them. As you might suspect, things can look bad from his point of view… OR it could be an attempt to regain relevance."

'Is she saying this is nothing more than a Hermes' marketing strategy? Where have I ever read something like this?' "High Priestess... Then ask your goddess."

"We'll ask together tonight. But tell me now. What's your sincerity about it?"

"I don't know if I understand your question."

"You're a mountain man, and a Valosian can be stubborn and boorish, but they're not stupid at all. How far would you go to get what you want? To save Stygia as you say you will? Why? In the end?"

"I've been really wondering that. Why? It all started because I got married and lost my wife. It really unsettles a guy, ma'am. She was the big star of the show. And I have a problem with bossy women. But I failed a few times. I think I can only get over it when I solve this."

"Pathetic."

"Yea. I should have gone down to buy the granola. But I was playing video games."

"What?"

"That's it. It may seem like an exaggeration, but it's not. This is my hell. I can't stop. I have to make sure she rests in… Are you doing it again, bitch?!"

Though his mind was reluctant to hit an unarmed woman, in two steps he closed the distance between them and caught her by the hair. But she just laughed, as if the physical threat only excited her.

"Oops, the force of habit," she scoffed. "A man's motivations are always power, sex, or love."

"Or XP." He released her, turning away from the woman's confused expression. "Listen, woman. I'm really sick of your games. You know too much for me to keep repeating. If you called Echelian Archigeos here, it's because there's something very important going on. And if that's not it and you're not interested in Anankethon, why do you want to talk to me?"

"You still have a lot to learn, Glax… of Valya. But I await you for the service tonight, where I'll ask the Great Goddess what we need to know."

"Um, seems fair." Glax didn't like the cults of the gods, whoever they were. His modern mind was still not satisfied with animal sacrifices, let alone the power of pseudo intermediaries. But he was not there to lead a religious reform. "Is there anything I need to know about the service?"

"You will be taken to the location, don't worry. I'm sure you'll like it, and maybe even pay your respects to the gods truly unshakable by some mere Ascension War. But you still haven't told me… How far would you go for what you believe?"

"It's a little cliché, but… to Hell. In fact, I plan to do it soon."

She nodded, liking the answer.

"You won't be disappointed by your decisions, Glax. This least I can say. And… Have you ever thought about asking a god to remove that mark on your face?"

Glax touched his own face. It would be great not to wear that stupid mask. Sometimes he felt comfortable with the prop, which certainly hid his emotions a little. But it was too uncomfortable. "Are you saying your goddess could do this?"

"You would have to ask the right way… The hubris would only bring you punishment. So be sensible."

"I look forward to meeting your goddess. Can you tell me about her?"

"Cibele Rheia. The goddess of mountains, of the fertile land, mother of the Olympians. Don't forget she sheltered you in her bosom…"

'Oh my god, I shouldn't have activated priestess mode on her. What did she mean metaphorically by 'sheltering me in her bosom'? Is… she referring to the fact that I grew up in the mountains between Pharys and Valosia?' He nodded, disguising his impatience. But if the goddess had to approve, and the great eminence grise of the Pharysians, the High Priestess, would obey… He must endure some preaching.

"… she chose me. A descendant of the Great Circe, to be Her Voice." He missed a part of the lecture, but kept his eyes bright and his body turned towards her as he had learned in a neurolinguistics course at YT. At least that was smoothing the clash of wills and personalities between the two.

"Were you very young when you were chosen?"

"Yes, I was barely out of childhood. The goddess spoke through me, as she speaks to this day."

"So will she speak through you tonight too?" he asked, standing up. 'How convenient. She must take advantage of this quackery to do as she pleases and say that the goddess told her to. I know the type.' He remembered the priest he had met in Echelion.

"You will know the difference, you fool." She spoke as if reading his thoughts. "Be ready for tonight."

::::::::::::

Glax still spent some time with Alekos and Lais. They were told that Demophon and Adrastos would not return until the next morning because of bad weather in the Port. Of course, he noted how convenient it was for High Priestess Demetria that Archigeos Emilos was not in town. It was her name.

But he needed to risk it. He asked Alexander for common sense and to take care of Lais while he was away taking care of some matters.

"Alekos, think of the Principles and remember that I am a very, very concerned older brother. I know you are capable of protecting her from others. What I want is to not forget about Me. All. The time."

"Haha. All right, Master! No need to remind me. Lais will be the mother of my children, but not now…"

"Keep that in mind. And about me. All the time. Watching. You. When. You. Expect. The. Least." He threatened, making a gesture that he would keep an eye outon them, even in his absence. It didn't hurt to reiterate.

He got into a carriage. Glax wasn't afraid of an ambush, but he would rather see the way. But he was told that this was part of the ritual.

He had no idea what awaited him.