Inferno Ascended

The goddess continued to enjoy her bath in the warm mist. As far as Glax could see, and it wasn't that much, Cybele Rhea's appearance was goddess-worthy, with long dark hair and sparkling eyes.

"Goddess, if I have offended you, forgive me." He spoke with a respectful voice and even bent a knee for her. "It was not my intention. I was also fed up with that woman's machinations."

"I don't know what I did, but thanks for not killing us," Lais added.

"Calm down child, and help me here," the chthonic goddess called the maiden to her side.

Lais looked to her brother for advice. She was trembling, but Glax squeezed her shoulder to reassure his little sis he would be around to protect her. Then she entered the mists and helped the goddess into a cloak.

Glax was apprehensive. He didn't hear any sounds coming from outside, and he believed they were in a magical place in the underworld. Far away from all the tragedy and death in the earthquake that shook the entire temple hill.

It was the only explanation. 

Cybele Rhea brought Lais by the hand closer to her brother again.

Glax was astonished, as the two looked so much alike physically, with only a ten years gap between them, apparently. Although it wasn't really the case. And Cibele Rhea looked nothing like her statues.

"Ah, Goddess Cybele, let me introduce us. I am…" He started.

"Glax. Son of Chronos." She completed.

"Wow. Erm… My Epithet changes every week depending on the source, hehe. Glax of Valosia, Lord Glax of the Kroton, Glax of Valya, Li'l Glax… And every week my real dad changes. But that's the first time someone calls me the son of the father of all Olimpians… May I ask… How do you know?"

"You look like him," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Uh… I thought I looked like Emperor Achmeron."

She snorted in disdain. "My dear, the imperial bloodline descended from our bloodline. And Achmeron contributed something for the making of you… His life. After all, Chronos today can't really do it the old-fashioned way..." She sounded amused, in the end.

Glax grimaced. He would have to do more research on the subject. "Ah, thanks for the enlightenment. If I may change the subject a little, goddess, your priestess... Well, she was making a big mess out there."

"That ungrateful bitch could not resist the temptation to use the power I lent her to her own schemes. It wasn't enough to have everything I gave her; she still wanted to speak for me…" The beautiful goddess narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed. "And make grotesque caricatures of me?! To reinforce her agenda and her personal power? I thought she was smarter than it. But as always, power when thwarted can make a person foolish. 

"I think I've been through this." He had to admit that he was sometimes a brash, inconsequential asshole because he thought he had everything under control.

"The hubris gets fixed eventually," the goddess shrugged, and started walking, taking Lais by the hand. Glax followed. Entering a small tunnel, they exited into another cave, this time so high you couldn't really see the ceiling. Someone had carved a palace out of the rocks.

But it wasn't a dead, silent place. The sun came in through an opening at the top, at least a hundred meters above, and the vegetation climbed and creeped on columns and walls. At least five waterfalls fell and formed streams that flowed in glistening channels. There were butterflies and birds, flowers and fruits. The huge cave was a lost and hidden little paradise. Glax noticed that nymphs, the kind who wore strange hats with lanterns on their heads, were busy in a distant orchard.

"I thought it was vital for a god to have worshippers. That it fed his power. But… You just killed hundreds of them in your main cult. Not sorry?"

"Not even a little. A god must also be feared and respected. Gods of gentle natures are easily destroyed, through easy tricks that will get you by the heart. That's advice, Glax."

Anything he was thinking about talking at that moment died in his throat.

"But you, great Goddess, have even put the Archigeos of Pharys in danger."

"I didn't care that she decided on things I have no opinion about. But she was just an idiot who knew more tricks than anyone else. And… I've already chosen my new priestess." The goddess squeezed Lais's shoulder, and her eyes widened.

"Me?!"

"You have the gift dormant within you. You can become a witch if you study… If you want to go back to the surface, you will be my voice."

"And if she doesn't want to…" Glax probed, fearing the worst.

"She can stay here with me, keeping me company," the goddess grinned.

Glax felt the proverbial sweat trickle down his forehead. "What if she doesn't want that too?"

"This is the first time she has been able to pick her own fate, and you want to take her choice from her hands? Tsc tsc. Don't be a bad big brother. Glax, let's deal with what you wanted to talk to me about."

Annoyed, he shook his head. "Goddess, it looks like I chose a hard path for myself. I thought I would get the support of Pharys and get the galeon. It's needed to build a machine capable of traveling to the ends of Tartarus and destroying Anankethon. But the Priestess is dead."

"The Archigeos of Pharys doesn't need my opinion to decide on this. As for me… I abhor machines with all my being." she looked Glax straight in the eye. "These unfair inventions only serve to violate and destroy. If they had listened to me from the beginning…"

Glax realized she would have little support there.

"We thank you for sparing us your fury. And I will spread word that you were furious with the priestess and the direction of her cult. But I think we'll have a lot to explain so we'd better get going…"

"Wait. I have a gift for you," the goddess said. She let go of Lais' hand for the first time and disappeared between the columns of her underground palace.

Lais hugged her brother, and whispered, "I'm afraid of her!"

"Hm. Take it easy. Just don't accept anything or say anything." Glax didn't intend to leave his sister there if she didn't want to stay. But who, in their right mind, would want to stay there?

"Hey, psiu?!" Glax heard a whisper behind him. Looking into the shadows of a building, he saw Hermes waving discreetly from his hiding place.

"Why are you hiding, god?"

"Glax, don't be an idiot. I don't have time to explain right now. Just take what she gives you with her right hand, and run as fast as you can!"

"What?!" Of course he needed explanations! Running was easy, but running where?

They heard the goddess' footsteps returning over a small bridge from her stone palace. The siblings straightened up to receive her apprehensively.

Cybele Rhea kept a smile on her face, speaking as she approached, "You have more important things to do than become a second Daedalus. Or even a second Hephaestus, hun. You have shown not to know anything about yourself. And that's something you need to fix before continuing."

"Your advice is important goddess, thank you," he said, looking at her hands. 

In one hand, on the right, was a hand mirror made of ivory and gold, decorated with ornate reliefs. Definitely a feminine tool. He realized it was magic, but it was a simple artifact with no mechanical parts, so his cheat was of no use.

In her left hand, the goddess carried a dagger, also very ornate. Glax could also swear it was a magical weapon, and likewise, too simple for him to have more information than that.

But beyond that, Glax noticed the disguised look the goddess gave her little sister. It was a cold look from someone not satisfied to see that Lais was clinging to her brother's clothes. Cibele suggested,

"My dear girl. You're all dirty with dirt. Why don't you take a bath at the same fountain where you found me? Take your time. I'll be here talking to your big brother."

"I certainly don't deserve that much attention," Glax drew attention to himself again, feeling now the goddess's greed at having Lais all to herself. 'Ugh, these old people are weird!'

"They are what you see, Glax. You still have a long journey ahead of you, but carry my blessings with you. Choose one and only one, and the object will accompany you on your adventures. You will soon have a taste of my generosity, son of Chronos."

Glax had to admit that if not for the unexpected and peculiar arrival of Hermes, he wouldn't have paid so much attention. He would have grasped without a second thought the black-handled, golden-bladed galleon dagger.

But he pretended to hesitate.

"Why would the goddess have brought me a mirror?" He spoke out loud. "I can only imagine this to be a genuine treasure?"

"Maybe I just want to play with your imagination, or get to know you better. Are you a vain man, Glax?" A small rictus at the corner of her mouth betrayed her anxiety. Hermes hadn't lied. There was a catch.

However, Cybele had no measures and could simply bury them if he failed to be too fast. And it would be game over. He focused on his clock.

"A dagger is for attacking, and for defending. But a mirror is for knowing yourself. Wasn't that the advice you gave me earlier?" Glax gripped the mirror with one hand. So suddenly that it got a startled reaction from the goddess.

And just as he did that, Glax grabbed his sister, and ran.