NABC Chapter 130 – Horizon
Chapter 130 – Horizon
Chapter 130 – Horizon
"Queen Ikarus and Queen Petra... you two really are passionate!"
Sharing a quick breakfast inside the small dining area of the leaders palace, one of the servants gives us a glorious plate of fried food while also having a devious looking smile on her face. Normally, I'd just love to enjoy a fry up with all the sausages, bacon, eggs, it's got the full works but this servant in particular just said something strange.
Even though I say servant, she's basically a glorified maid without the uniform, Marcus arranges all these types of things so we didn't even know he was employing servants for us till a few days ago. Apparently, this is something we must have despite the slight complaints I made but hey, me and Petra have experienced this sort of treatment before so it's nothing new. It just looks like the more and more we do this role, the more these types of things keep happening.
"What do you mean by that passionate comment?"
The women still with that sly smile leans over and then reveals something I really didn't want to know.
"Don't worry Queen Ikarus! I'm not one for spilling intimate secrets! No one else will know what happened last night, promise!"
"Heh... looks like she might've heard us Ikarus"
It was at this moment, I realized just how loud we were last night. Petra just chuckles about the whole thing yet I feel like curling up into a ball and dying, how the fuck did I forget to keep it down!? If this servant heard, others might have as well!
"Erm... p-please try and be discreet about it if possible"
It's hard to tell what's redder, the fried tomato on my plate on my face right now. Nah, it's definitely my face, why couldn't she have heard us any other day when we weren't doing something kinda weird? It just had to be when we got the oil out...
"Of course! If you're that worried about being heard, there's always ways to be quiet! Normally, I try to bite my lip but sometimes that can start to hurt so a gag can work just as well!"
Okay, this girl is one of those people who don't understand the concept of sharing too much, it's the first thing in the morning and she's talking about you know what and even mentioning a gag!?
"C-Can we just eat in peace now?"
"Sure! I'll leave you two alone now!"
The servant leaves us with Petra trying not to crack up and me still feeling a painful amount of embarrassment, it almost makes me want to stop doing the nighttime activities but I seriously doubt all the embarrassment in the entire world could put me completely off it.
"Heh, I like her Ikarus, should have her around us more often"
"No chance Petra, we're sacking her later on"
I mean, we're not but I'm just feeling sulky now. All I wanted to do was enjoy an unhealthy greasy plate of mostly brown fried food and now I've got to deal with this embarrassment.
"Let's just eat this already, then get on with our day"
Not sure what we've actually got to do but definitely got to pay the treasury a visit since all that wealth from the monastery is currently doing nothing. Work will probably just be transporting stuff again, at least I no longer have to hide my actual form saving some time...
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(Temporary Perspective Change)
"Ah, nephew Dionysus! Looks like you decided to turn up to this as well! You smell a little bit nephew, looks like we both didn't bother cleaning up!"
"Alright Poseidon, haven't been dooming too many sailors to their deaths recently, have you?"
Having just arrived outside the meeting hall, a familiar bearded, muscular half-naked man greets me as Poseidon always seems friendly enough. He's still not to be trusted as I doubt he'd turn against father if a civil war were to break out but I've put him into the unsure category for now. Thankfully, most Gods and Goddess are pretty simple at showing emotions so knowing who would go against or side with Zeus is easy enough for the most part. There's only a few left I'm not sure on yet.
"Hah! You know I haven't done that in centuries nephew, follow me into the hall since we're already far past being fashionably late!"
Uncle Poseidon despite looking really similar to Zeus has always been way more relaxed and laid back even if I can never be sure where his true intentions lay. I used to be like him and still kinda am to an extent but trying to enjoy life stuck around so many paranoid Gods starts to take its toll on you, this is just one of reasons I envy mortals so much. If it wasn't for the enviable short life and death cycles, I'd have chosen a new body to possess years ago.
Should probably focus on what's happening right now, we both would've received an invite to another meetup at the huge Olympus hall and knowing Zeus, things are about to start heating up. Ah, that comment Poseidon made about smell was what I was going for, appearing and smelling drunk should allow me to avoid speaking to the majority of visitors however many have come.
Entering the grand hall, it looks like me and uncle are the last to show up I'm unexpectedly shocked just to see how many Gods are in here today. The hall is filled with representatives from every part of the heavenly realms and there appears to be people from every one of the four ruling factions as well. The hall is basically packed with most Olympus and Ragnarök Gods but there is a couple of angels and even just a single demon. If this wasn't a neutral venue, then heads would be flying right now, both looked pissed enough especially the angels to see the other faction of the never-ending good vs evil battle that is basically a passing joke at this point.
I'm also pretty certain nearly every major God from our side is here as well obviously excluding the underworld lot and Hephaestus. He's been missing for years at this point but everyone already knows that since he might despise father more than Hades himself. He's probably gone into isolation but he could be dead for all we know.
"Just put your faith in Zeus and trust your fellow Olympian! He'll guide us to safety"
And of course, it's the grey haired, old hag Hera who's backing up Zeus this time around despite the constant fighting that married couple do, you'd have thought she would have shrivelled up like the slug she is but Zeus has always had a thing for insane woman and she always comes around to his cheating eventually.
Huh, it seems I still hold hatred for her after she caused me to lose my sanity but that's an old tale long ago not needed for today. It is fitting mentioning madness though considering how often the word sister and wife get brought up around here, Hera may be Zeus's wife but there have always been others who seem to think there's an even closer connection. They both adamantly deny it but the less said about that, the better. Even we don't know completely what myths get thrown around down below.
Despite the moans and groins from Gods who know things are probably going to backfire now, it appears there's a simpler complaint then the dreaded approaching end times that this prophecy always seems to bring up.
"Enough about the serious stuff now, can we get onto the only good part about these meet ups?"
"Aye, we've been sober too long and just listening to you talk is making me want to smash something"
Both Odin and Thor have obviously only showed up for the alcohol and I'd be a hypocrite if I couldn't respect them for such willingness. Father is still clearly pissed about it all though.
"Bah, I wasn't finished just yet but you lot have the attention span of children at times, let's just move on and call this a day now, shall we..."
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And so, the heavenly party in this grand hall begins. It's mostly just bottled ambrosia and diluted wine since I'm the only Olympian who realizes other drinks don't cause madness but enough complaining. I'll stay for a drink or two, then leave because I've already had enough of Zeus's stench for one day.
As I'm going to pour a glass from the huge kegs we have stored away up here, a womanly figure stares me down. It's obvious he's been made an outcast too since most don't enjoy his gender changing antics.
"My old friend Dionysus! How many years has it been since we last spoke?"
"What do you want Loki? If you're looking for money or help with a prank, I'm not in the mood"
"Nothing like that, you seem pretty sober considering how bad you smell! I've just come up to share that we may have similar interests on what might be about to happen. Say, you wouldn't happen to know a nun or an orange bird perhaps?"
He knows... how does this wild and unpredictably guy know such a thing like that? If anyone here were to find out about such a thing, I'd end up screwed. How does the God that even Ragnarök consider to be crazy know this?
"Get to your point already or there will be more than split wine on this floor"
The threat may be forced but it is genuine though, just because I may appear to be a hopeless drunk doesn't mean I can't silence someone meddling in my plans. I couldn't see his brothers caring if he went missing anyways.
"You really wouldn't hit me while I'm looking like this sweet and innocent, would you? Actually, don't answer that but my entire point is to share some information to a fellow friend! We're more similar than you think"
I completely disagree with the statement he made but as long as he gets to his point already.
"What is this information then?"
Loki creeps in closer and starts to whisper, at least he understands some things are best kept secretive for now.
"Don't take this as fact but the word is... your father was seen leaving the hellish realm recently"
What!? Oh shit, this is could be really bad if this is true...
"You mean actual hell, the demonic place? You're not mistaking it for the underworld or something similar, correct?"
Mortals always seem to mix the two places up but they are different. Hell just gets used as a scaremongering tactic when to put it simply, it's just the demonic realms where demons reside constantly looking for things to kill or destroy. The underworld is solely for the dead.
"Yep, you can interpret that how you want but that information comes from a strong source that wishes to remain hidden, now's not the time for such discussions regarding phoenix business though... Odin! Be sure to get me some ambrosia from over there"
"You really are a disgrace to our kind brother"
"Don't be like that, this is just as effective as using an axe!"
Loki then abruptly leaves rejoining his brothers leaving me to ponder on what he just shared. If what he says is true, then this is extremely troubling. By the sounds of it, he knows just as much as I about the phoenixes.
If Zeus has made a deal with the demons, then something very bad is about to happen. They only ever have one goal in mind and that always involves as much death and destruction as possible, maybe that explains why Asmodeus has been looking so happy at this place. He's in on it as well.
'I've got to find out more as soon as possible and inform Charlotte as well. Whatever's incoming now, Ikarus may need her help as well...'