Inferno Ascended

"FOLLOW-MEEEEEE!" He heard the command of the god with wings on his feet. "USE YOUR DAMN POWER, GLAXXXX!"

Glax felt the rush of air and the hiss of Hermes' hovers as the god passed him, and took his sister from his arms. At the same time, he felt the magic ether bubble where that cave existed burst with Cybele's angry scream. 

The hill was still crumbling, and he heard the screams and moans around him. Something heavy even nearly hit Glax, and discovered in horror that it was part of someone. 

Glax just concentrated on following Hermes where the god wanted to go. And not only with his will, but with his legs as well. He ran after Hermes as fast as he could, while everything collapsed behind him.

Then he saw a strong light that engulfed the god and threw himself in it too.

His body hit the ground awkwardly, burying his face in a reeking muddy puddle that nearly made him vomit. Hermes' hovers stopped in front of him, and Glax looked up.

Hermes held Lais in his lap with a heroic pose. His sister was clinging to the god's neck with her eyes squeezed shut in fear.

"It's okay, cutie. It's finished now. We made it through. You can open your eyes now." Hermes spoke with a big smile. And looked at Glax. "I didn't expect this one, phew. How did you get into this mess with HER, of all the shrew goddesses?"

"Let's say it led me to this." He looked at himself in the mirror, but the reflective part was smeared with mud now. After wiping his face with the sleeve of his tunic, he looked around.

They were in an icy harbor and in the light rain, in the middle of the night. The wild waves crashed against the pier where they were, and the moored vessels rocked hard in the restless sea.

"How... the hell did we end up here?"

"I was hoping you'd stop being stupid for a moment and use your powers consciously. But it worked the other way too!" He placed Lais on the ground carefully and took off his own cloak to lend to the teenage girl. Glax's sister was looking all in love with the handsome young god now.

Glax was sure Lais was shaken by so many adventures in a row, considering her humdrum life in Valosia. He had to overlook her silly reactions for now.

"Please, I appreciate the help, but stop throwing shadow on me. I'm playing blindly here. And you know this. I just learned from Cybele that I'm supposed to be the son of Chronos."

"Each one has the right to try to guess who are you, by the way," Hermes said, and looking around, he pointed to a tavern a few yards away.

"Can we have a drink while we talk? Maybe you can clean up there too."

"At least we've got to talk." Glax grunted, and led the way.

Today's adventure was possibly the one that most distressed him. He would never have imagined that things would end this way. He almost had his sister taken by a greedy goddess, for God knows what. Plus, he'd had proof that the goddess was too temperamental, for her own sake.

Lady-in-wait, lover or priestess. None of this sounded like a happy ending to the girl. 

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Glax discovered they were in the main port of Pharys. After getting cleaned up and waiting for steaming, comforting food to be prepared, they sat at a table in the corner to talk. 

It was late, and the tavern had only the usual troublesome customers and common port types. It wasn't the friendliest place in the world, but at least it had a roof and was protected from the cold winds of the Sea of ​​Mists.

"I'm grateful you showed up. I know this probably saved me from making a deadly mistake… and maybe losing this little nuisance forever." He squeezed the shoulder of Lais who was beside him, wrapped in Hermes' cloak and looking like a scared, wary little kitten.

"You can always thank me properly later! Ah, my soft heart! You know, I was particularly offended when she said that all gods are to be feared and was talking bad about me behind my back. Sheesh that bitch…" Hermes confided. "But you have a problem now. She is furious at you right now. And speaking for everything I've seen of my own kindred, she'll chase you whenever she can."

"And isn't she mad at you?"

"Of course she is." the god shrugged. "But I don't think you can help me with this. However, the Cybele cult is particularly strong in Pharys."

"I didn't quite understand who she was. I mean, she's not famous…"

"Hm. I know you are particularly forgetful. But Cybele Rhea is our confused ancestor. She was known by other names and lived many adventures in her glorious old time. Until she retreats to the Underworld in search of her lost love. I was born a lot after that, but she and Uncle Hades have an eternal squabble about this lover. She's supposed to be my grandmother, but the old man was always vague…" He spoke with a knowing look. "But as you know our family is beyond complicated. Sex, murder and power struggles are our blood and core, it seems."

"Why did Glax have to get the mirror, Lord Hermes?" Lais asked, changing the subject to something more practical. The food arrived and Hermes served a spoonful of soup for her, although he didn't touch the food himself.

"Ah, well little kitten, by meeting our old ancestor… She was not at all happy to see another time bender showing up. Cybele has the unpleasant habit of inciting people to castration and self-mutilation… I thought Glax would miss something, in the end."

The brothers looked at each other, terrified.

"And the mirror?"

"I think it's just something she thought you wouldn't choose. But maybe there are benefits."

Glax shrugged.

"What matters now," And Hermes turned to Glax once more, "Is that you need to get out of Pharys right away and stay away from mountains for a while. She has enormous power over the mountains and as you have seen, she would not even spare her followers to exact revenge. Or have what she wants…"

"Impossible, I…" Glax thought of Stimhena, his current base. Where his projects and friends were. And even in their hometown, Crona, at the foot of the huge mountains that separated them from Pharys. And wondering what the goddess could do, he pursed his lips with a dark, thoughtful gaze. "In the end, that damn priestess ended up screwing me, one way or another."

"Don't worry so much. Maybe you've just found a new way to get what you need. And I'm the one who says that."

Glax looked at the god, nodding. "Coming from the god of roads, I think I must agree for now. And… What were you doing on that train?"

"Haven't you found out yet?" Hermes winked at him. "It doesn't matter that much anymore. I tried to make things easier, but I think I ended up pushing him for it. That's why when a god interferes, everything changes. Every action has a reaction. Etcetera."

Glax guessed he meant putting him near the galeon, which put the valosian in that situation in the end. And if not for that, he knew Hermes wouldn't answer anything he didn't really want to answer. He had to enjoy the moment when his patron was feeling slightly guilty.

"Um, yes. We almost died. But it's true? Am I the son of Chronos?"

"I have no way of knowing what happened so far away, Glax. It's possible, isn't it? And it could also be something totally different. I sincerely hope not…"

"Why?"

Hermes got up. "Find out for yourself. My interference shouldn't have been so dramatic. A ship leaves for Hylan at dawn. I would be in it if I were you."

"And Alexandre?" Lais asked faster than Glax.

"He will be fine." Hermes accepted his cloak back, and covered his face to leave the tavern.

Glax waited a few moments before saying to his sis.

"I'm sorry, but you mustn't go home now."

"I don't want to be a priestess, nor to be kidnapped by a god or goddess… I just want a palace and lots of servants…" She whimpered, but he saw it was just a joke.

"Your request is easier to solve than all the others I've been asked for. I happen to have a mansion with many employees."

"Then let's go there."

"Unfortunately, we can't go straight to Echelion now. Let's go to Hylon. It seems I can no longer avoid meeting the emperor…"

"Do you really think you are not the son of the god Chronos, but of the emperor?" she asked.

"It looks like both options aren't so good, Lais. But at least I'm sure the emperor knows the whole truth."

"Are you just going to go out there and ask to speak to him, like Lady Kalanthe's son?"

Glax looked thoughtful. "It doesn't look very smart. There are rumors he is reclusive and strange. I think we'd better arrive discreetly, and as soon as I know how to act, I will. And as soon as I can send you to Echelion, I will do it."

She nodded, yawning. "For a moment I felt very important, Glax. It was the craziest night of my life. Even if I have a very boring life in the future, I'll remember when a goddess wanted to keep me with her…"

"But it's better that it doesn't happen again, isn't it?"

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As day dawned, Glax and Lais boarded a ship heading for Hylan, the capital of the Empire.