Children of the Gods: Arc 2 [Game/Closed]

[Deu Sex]

Etna dear, it has been too long. Will you not embrace your mother?" Now that was a surprise. Although the two shared a similar appearance, Remus never would have guessed that the goddess was Etna's mother. It was only after she placed a kiss on Etna's cheek and backed away that he realized she had managed to slip by his guard unnoticed. Remus scowled as the realization enraged him further. He was alert as a hound seconds ago - was the goddess confusing his senses?

I only need one of you...but it is a lifetime commitment... Remus took a bold step towards Badb, trying to place himself towards her and Etna. He kept his narrow eyes locked on the goddess, yet still felt an air on unease wafting about his mind. Thought with a hardy will he resolved to ignore the sense of confusion as best he could. He wasn't going to risk her getting close to anyone a second time. "Nobody's going to go along with your deal unless you clarify exactly what it is." He paused, barring his teeth still, then continued. "How can we even trust you? How do we know you aren't with Dio, and that you didn't commit this atrocity?" Remus gestured to the corpses.

 

[Dogmatic99]

The group's break was short and awkward at best. The were cramped into a low budget hostel with a rotating cast of backpackers. Able had to wonder how good a job of conjuring up some magical cash Promy's sorceress friend had done if they were stuck staying in one flea bitten hostel and motel after another. There was some passing talk about a temple to nike nearby. He was kind of tempted to talk to Nicole about it but she was keeping to herself. In fact everyone was. With all the 'excitment' of the fight over with, reality had come storming back in to kick Able right in the head.

He still couldn't shake the images of the murdered passangers from his mind and everytime Abe closed his eyes he heard Loki's mocking voice. He'd known him, known who he was at least. Vidarr was a worthy opponent in battle... Was he going to have to be like that now? They'd already been in several fights and barely gotten out of them. And then there was Dan. Wonder how Aria's holding up? The days carried on in a dreary fashion until the time came to find the farm they were looking for.

* * *​

The Door creacked open and they were all greeted by the Dio's leftovers. Too late... damnit! Able was beginning to see a pattern developing. Dionysus was always one step ahead. And they were always two steps behind.

It was all set up. Dio had made himself a bloddy work of modern art with body parts thrown everywhre and blood sprayed in great curving arcs. He'd even gone so far as to make himself a centre piece. Was it really Dionysus doing all this, by himself that was, he'd already shown he had a healthy supply of minions.

There's no point in thinking of that now though. Prometheus seemed to have some kind of plan in store. On the edge of the dark room, something was stirring. A woman stepped out into view. She seemed pretty comfortable considering all the guts she was stepping in. She even looked at home in it all, quite the feat considering she looked like a cross between a substitute art teacher and a fortune teller.

Then she started talking and it all became clear. They'd found another god. We are the worst stealth team ever.

It looked like she and Etna knew each other. "Etna dear, it has been too long. Will you not embrace your mother?"

Holy crap!... Although, wait.... oooh now I see it. But Etna didn't seem very pleased to see her mother. Neither did her mother for that matter. But complicated parental relationships were another big theme of this group.

My sisters and I are offering our help...a blessing to turn the tides...yet we only need such a small thing...an oath to fight on our behalf, when the next Cycle begins.

And just what was that supposed to mean? Fight what, and what cycle? The whole thing felt like making a deal with the devil, something that would come back to bite them hard later on."I only need one of you...but it is a lifetime commitment..." And that certainly didn't make Able feel any better about this 'deal'. But this wasn't the time to try and write an essay of questions, not when the others were already asking what Abe was thinking.

He could wait a while and see how things went.

 

[IFS]

"You okay?"

She nodded, not wanting to actually say anything lest her tone betray her fear and nausea, also be rather weird to say "I'm fine" when surrounded by this... The goddess, for it seemed she was a goddess and indeed Etna's parent, moved swiftly about and spoke almost taunting them it seemed. Yet she seemed to be saying that she might aid them, I hope we can trust her, but a deal? Sounds faustian, it can't be good.

"Nobody's going to go along with your deal unless you clarify exactly what it is." He paused, barring his teeth still, then continued. "How can we even trust you? How do we know you aren't with Dio, and that you didn't commit this atrocity?"

Remus spoke up to the goddess, took the words right out of my mouth. She lowered her stance somewhat, at the very least they weren't fighting yet, the goddess could have ambushed them and caught them by surprise but she didn't so that was something. Lets see what she has to say.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Steven was so angered by the snicker he hardly noticed the woman move across the move.

That is a shame, truly. If only there was a way you could question the dead, discover what truly happened...

I only need one of you...but it is a lifetime commitment...

He pointed the shotgun at her face.

"How the @#$^ do we know your not poisoned with wine into doing Dio's bidding?" Steven yelled at the woman, "How do we know this commitment won't leave her like any of these people decorating the walls?"

 

[Terratina.]

'It isn't like I had a choice in the matter, mother.' Etna mentally retorted.

No, she wasn't pleased to see her mother and with that cold display of affection, Etna didn't really feel like embracing her either. Not with those taunts. Questions rang and echoed through her skull. Too many to ask at once, especially with the crowd around her asking questions of their own. At least they had struck at the heart of the matter: what exactly was the deal? Etna had left home in order to leave this sort of vague bullshit behind. Vague taunts, vague statements, vague deals. And now here she was facing Badb. Back to step one. Etna turned and saw Steven pointing shotgun. She could only roll at eyes at that.

"I won't waste time reiterating the same question that the others have asked." She said, folding her arms.

 

[Green Shoes]

The room grew dark as flocks of birds gathered at the windows. The goddess seemed to grow taller, stepping forward to face Remus, looking down at him. She spoke with biting contempt.

Do not think me so foolish to side with a Mad God..

She then flicked her wrist at Steven, causing deep uncertainty and doubt within him; his hands trembled and he dropped the gun. She had no reason to converse with coarse violence.

I am here to help you. But only if you will help me; he has poisoned the spirit of Cu'Chulain. Danu needs her champion, and I my...corpse-maker...So why not step to the challenge, Son of Mars? You are lord of War, are you not?

She cackled and pushed him aside. Spotting Able, she spoke.

Or you, silent Son of Vengeance? Yes, they speak of your strength. You would do well tied to a rock...

Spinning on her heel, the room grew darker still, until only vague shadows could be made out. Prometheus cast small lights at the feet of each member to ease the darkness. He had been oddly silent.

Will no-one answer the call of the Morrigan? Are you all cowards? What is your answer!?

 

[hiei82]

Vera - in warrior form due to the expectant fight - watched silently from the sidelines as Etna's parent spoke. While she had a particular distaste for gods, she wasn't gong to attack one who just appeared in front of them. She much preferred ignoring them and/or insulting them to using her sword.

That said, she was thankful she had it. Who knew what the god-parent might do. As to the divine offer, well as far as Vera was concerned it was just another deal with the devil - like most-every covenant with a god was.

So with all of the questions asked - several multiple times - she waited; not making a move until the Badb made violent move of her own. Well; unless it was against Prometheus. Vera doubted she'd lift a finger for him.

 

[Deu Sex]

I am here to help you. But only if you will help me; he has poisoned the spirit of Cu'Chulain. Danu needs her champion, and I my...corpse-maker...So why not step to the challenge, Son of Mars? You are lord of War, are you not? Remus felt a surge of rage when Badb pushed him aside. It seemed the goddess was responding to his antagonizing behavior with in kind with her mockery. He was tempted to draw his blade and take a swing, but restrained himself from doing so. Remus might have been mad, but he wasn't going to do something so foolish as to turn this situation bloody. That would put his friends at risk. "Besides it's not likely I'd even be able to hurt her."

Remus still stubbornly maintained his antagonistic stance however, glaring at Badb fiercely and gripping his hilt. Will no-one answer the call of the Morrigan? Are you all cowards? What is your answer!? Remus made an almost grow-like grunt. The goddess' taunts were getting to him. "I'll not stand about and get called coward by some irish witch." Remus stepped forward once against, placing himself within spitting-distance of Badb. "What would you have done, specifically?"

 

[IFS]

Will no-one answer the call of the Morrigan? Are you all cowards? What is your answer!?

"What exactly happens to whoever takes the deal? And what do we get out of it?" Nicole asked, managing to keep any trace of trembling from her voice. I am not a coward, and we need help, but I'm not about to rush into something like this. The whole idea of the deal still left her with a bad feeling, something she doubted would fade. She gave a nervous glance to Prometheus, what does he know about this? Why isn't he saying anything?

 

[Lunar Templar]

Aria just kinda rolled her eyes "Wonderful, none of that actually answers the question of 'what we'd need to do' given you just handed out two different answers for two different people" she said, her under lying irritation with not just Badb's question dodging, but this whole quest in general.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Steven sudden felt confusion. Suddenly beyond reason, barely containing himself from forgetting how to control his bowls. As the gun clattered to the floor, clarity returned.

Will no-one answer the call of the Morrigan? Are you all cowards? What is your answer!?

"What exactly happens to whoever takes the deal? And what do we get out of it?"

Why isn't this woman telling them anything? Really, why is Prometheus standing in silence? He knows something why would he...

"She can't," Steven said, getting back up, "She can't tell us. If it some rule of the gods, something about this call that can't be shared. She might be poisoned, she may be lying, but Prometheus should of said SOMETHING about this. Whatever this is... one of us will have to go in the dark."

Steven moved forward.

"I will accept the call."

 

[DarkRawen]

It seemed it was Etna's mother. And she wanted someone to fight for her, a champion. Someone who was good at killing, which obviously meant he could refuse without seeming selfish. Perfect.

Will no-one answer the call of the Morrigan? Are you all cowards? What is your answer!?

No way. Besides, only an idiot would accept only knowing what we currently know.

Most of the others still seemed to be hesitant, asking for more information. However, it seemed Steven, who had been the one to yell at her before like a moron, was the one to offer himself up. Odd, considering what he had said before. Andrew decided that at this point, he had no reason to talk, so he kept quiet.

 

[Lunar Templar]

"I will accept the call."

"You sure about that?" Aria asked Steven "Seems to me that if your going to spring a potential trap, you send in the one with the least to lose, and in this group, that'd be me." she said then stepped forward her self "So I'll go in instead, if it does go sour and something bad happen, eh ... not like anyone will miss me" she said with a shrug and waited for the goddess to reply

 

[Deu Sex]

"I will accept the call." Remus snapped his head around with a look of surprise as he faced Steven. He was half-tempted to offer himself up after Badb told specifics, yet it seemed he had been beaten to the punch. Before he could react however, he heard another voice speak up. "So I'll go in instead, if it does go sour and something bad happen, eh ... not like anyone will miss me" Aria offering herself was even more of a surprise. She hardly seemed like someone to suited to the business "corpsemaker" implied.

Remus turned himself around and frowned at both of them. "The hell you are. If anyone ought to go, it should be me. Neither of you should risk your lives for whatever this witch entails."

 

[Lunar Templar]

Aria turned toward Remus "Do you have any family waiting for you? Friends maybe? Anything at all of value waiting for you? If you can answer yes to that, then you have no reason to throw that away, best to leave this to the people that had nothing going into this." she said with a shrug and turned back to Badb

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

"Well what about you?" Steven said to Aria, "I have a mechanic shop to go back to. Who will ever miss Mr. Potatohead? You have a chance of finding someone in your life."

 

[DarkRawen]

"The hell you are. If anyone ought to go, it should be me. Neither of you should risk your lives for whatever this witch entails."

"Do you have any family waiting for you? Friends maybe? Anything at all of value waiting for you? If you can answer yes to that, then you have no reason to throw that away, best to leave this to the people that had nothing going into this.

"Well what about you? have a mechanic shop to go back to. Who will ever miss Mr. Potatohead? You have a chance of finding someone in your life."

Are you serious? Are you goddamn serious? Not one, but three people.

Remus was trying to be the hero, and offer himself up, should they have to. He was the type to do that, after all. However, Andrew wasn't sure what the other two were trying to do.

Deciding who has the worst life, from the sound of it. And they are both complaining so much, even though they are both in good health and far from old. They are both exaggerating, sounding like sulky teenagers.

He had seen cancer patients who weren't going to make it, talk to their families, operations failing and ending up doing more harm than good, and little children with terrible injuries and diseases, crying because of the pain. Andrew had never had a strong sense of empathy, but even before he had started his internship, he had seen stuff like that on close hold, dulling his sense even more. And yet this room made him feel off. Terrible. And they were fighting about who had the most sucky life?

"Is this really the time?" he said. He didn't sound outright cold, but serious rather than friendly. "Or place? Look around you, if you haven't noticed it, these people have it a lot worse than you, since they are very much dead." He sounded sad, although that was more of an added effect. "So please, let's just think this through and look at the facts, rather than deciding on whim like this." He looked towards Badb.

"Could we please take this outside? You must agree as well that it's not a decision to be made in a hurry like this, since it's a lifetime commitment. It can't benefit you to have a suicidal, unprepared and unwilling corpse-maker, can it?"

 

[Lunar Templar]

Aria looked and Steven and sighed "I doubt I'll find anyone interested any anything past a one night stand, or some ass hole thinking I'd make a fine 'trophy wife', and how long do you think some one will hang around when they find out I can teleport and shoot energy?" She said, sharing a bit more then she wanted to "Only way I'll be able to be happy, is if I shed the 'human' or 'divine' part of me, and I really don't care which goes. Being both has proven to be nothing more then a constant stream of problems" Adding the bit at the end with a bitter tone.

 

[Green Shoes]

She spoke to Andrew, bitterly.

The terms of agreement are mine to make, Mortal. He has offered, so I shall claim him.

Badb smiled as they began arguing over who would go; to fight over something none of them wanted brought her great satisfaction. She began staring at Prometheus, tuning out the bickering, flashing him a grin. He didn't move, seemingly frozen in contemplation.

Turning back to the group, she gripped Stevens wrists, her hands like icy steel. He offered first, so he would be the first to be sworn.

Do you swear by blood to fight for me? Until you breathe your last? Do you swear to relinquish your spirit to my realm, to harvest souls until I release you?

As she spoke the oath to Steven, Prometheus rounded to the back of the group unseen. He pulled Remus and Aria away quickly. He kept his voice low as he spoke.

"Do not offer yourself again. She will claim more than one of you; we can figure this out later. Right now we need her help; she knows the door into Hades. We can question them; find out what happened and where he's going. Are you with me or not?"

Light crept back into the room as the birds abandoned their posts; a strange wind filled the room, filling Nicole and Vera with anxious excitement; feelings of victorious competition and physical prowess. Though the wind passed and the birds returned, Nicole and Vera remained charged and fidgety.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Aria rolled her shoulder and batted Prometheus's hand away "Not by choice" she said bitterly to the Titan and started for the door