That night, Fei decided she had to check that restaurant personally. Minjae was attacked because he found something and with how precise he was shot and the complications that followed, she could only guess it was someone not of this world.
It was midnight when she got there and barely anyone was outside in that area. She looked up at the name banner and narrowed her eyes at the meaning behind it. Not even a minute passed when she felt a light breeze towards her right. She didn’t even flinch when she caught the arrow just a few centimetres from her face. She broke it in two and waited only a few more seconds before her attacker tried his chance again. He approached her just like a serpent but Fei was not a newbie warrior. She didn’t need the lance in order to catch the culprit. She literally lunged and grabbed him by his neck, throwing him into the lightning post.
“Just because I don’t fight anymore does not mean I cannot.” She said in a voice that she rarely used nowadays. Her eyes were set in a glare that could intimidate even a creature from the underworld.
“It’s too late. They’ve already changed places.” The archer said, his breath smelling of burnt flesh.
If Fei was to take a closer look at it, she could have probably identified what this poor creature was before falling into the pits of the underworld. But somebody else stepped from one dimension into another and Fei decided it was not her business anymore. She threw the creature so hard that it landed right at Hades’ feet.
“You should clean more thoroughly.” She said turning to look at her boss.
Hades rolled his eyes and even scrunched his nose in disgust at the rotten archer that was way too close to his new and expensive shoes. Much like a grim reaper, a sceptre materialized in Hades’ hand, one that looked far simpler than the one Death had. However, it was enough to scare the creature. Its eyes widened as the god thumped the ground with the sceptre and a loud growl seemed to echo throughout the whole street. A three headed dog literally appeared out of nowhere and dragged the creature away, into the underworld.
Just as the creature vanished, somebody else appeared next to Hades. Fei scoffed at the more modern yet still antique style in which Hwanung was dressed.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Fei. You shouldn’t be here.”
“No, you shouldn’t be here. This is a problem that you ignored at all costs and look how well that worked.” She replied coldly, knowing that Hades was on her side on this particular case.
“Shut up and let’s see what the problem really is. I don’t want to be here with you two either.” The god of the underworld muttered, feeling suddenly very fussy.
The restaurant was empty and dark. Nothing exceptional seemed to lurk in the shadows and it looked completely abandoned. Hwanung was not impressed. On the other hand, Hades and Fei could feel a chill down their spine as soon as they stepped over the threshold.
“Do you feel it too?” Fei asked her boss, knowing that Greek entities have a different frequency on Earth. Hwanung frowned because he still couldn’t feel anything.
“It’s trembling in anticipation.” Hades’ answer made Fei even more worried.
She walked around until she felt this incredible pulse under her feet. She took a step back and crossed her arms in front of her face in an X shape. Hades backed away and Hwanung decided to do the same, just to be safe. The nymph’s innocent facade broke and her crystal eye shone in the dark. She swayed both hands and the furniture was pushed aside, uncovering little trenches that were spread all over the floor and led into a basement. They all approached the trapdoor none looked like they wanted to be the first to go down.
“What is down there?” Hwanung asked very unhappy with this outcome.
“If we’re lucky, nothing.” Was Hades’ answer.
“And if we’re not?”
“A titan.” Fei answered this time, making both deities give a shaky breath. “Well, let’s go.” She said as she opened the trapdoor and jumped in.
One after the other, they landed on their feet as if the distance of approximately 4 meters was nothing. The basement was just as dark as upstairs but the darkness was more poignant. Hwanung could feel it as a suffocating mist, almost as if he was in the middle of a burning building and smoke was filling his lungs.
On the other hand, both Fei and Hades felt the insane terror that was looming over them. There was a tunnel that seemed to lead towards what smelled like death. They only took one step towards it when a ball of light appeared in front of them. A grave roar came from down the tunnel and they all froze.
“It’s coming.” Fei whispered, afraid that Hades and Hwanung were not enough to contain whatever was there.
When the titan was so close to reveal himself, the ball of light moved and went straight into Fei, separating her soul from her body. She was thrown several meters in the air, having her crash on a table in the restaurant.
“What the heck just happened?” Hwanung asked before something even more horrible appeared.
“So you finally found me, hm?”
Hades’ eyes widened as he watched the naked man coming out of the tunnel. His hair was long and he looked to be still in a state of weakness. The titan had not reached his true potential yet which meant there was still a way to mend this problem. But that didn’t make it easier or less frightening, mostly because Hades knew now that there was a chance that more titans could return.
“How unfortunate, Hades. You arrived too late, like you usually do. And what’s worse, you don’t have your big bad brothers here to help you.” The man continued his watery blue eyes giving Hwanung the creeps. “Are you an eastern god?” He asked while leaning against the wall.
“You cannot be here.” Hades said growing angry with himself.
“And yet I am.”
“But the world should be crumbling! Dimensions should mix together and yet it’s not happening. So then...then who took your place? Who is holding the whole world on his shoulders?” Hades asked getting Hwanung even more crept out.
“That means he’s...he’s...” Not even Lord Hwanung was ready to admit what was already becoming reality.
“Who has taken your place, Atlas?”
Atlas, the titan who was condemned to hold up the celestial heavens or sky for eternity was free. He seemed very pleased with himself but he didn’t scream murderer just yet.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Meanwhile, Fei’s soul was pulled in a place that wasn’t the afterlife nor the underworld. For her, the change of scenery happened in a blink. One moment she was in the basement and in the next, she was in this infinite hallway that was incredibly tall and wide.
“You haven’t changed at all, Fei.”
That voice made Fei kneel by reflex. She fixed her sight on the marble floor and swallowed nervously as she felt him approach her. It was only when he stopped in front of her and she could catch a glimpse of his shoes that she rose. He chuckled and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.
“Lord Ares, it’s- how am I here? Am I on Olympus?” She asked looking around just so that she wouldn’t have to face those crystal eyes.
“You haven’t really done your job lately, have you? No war, not even small battles in the name of your great god.”
He was teasing her and they both knew the world has changed to the point battles weren’t like in the past. People were just as selfish and savage but the weapons changed.
“Peace and order are still very frail, aren’t they? Especially when you add a little bit of love into the equation.” He added raising one eyebrow at her guilty expression.
“Why did you pull me here?” She changed the subject.
“To save you, of course. When I gave you this eye, the powers of a demi god and my lance, I did it because I knew you will always be loyal to me. And yet your judgement has been altered. What are you fighting for now, Ophelia? And for who?” He asked not necessarily sounding like he was scolding her. It was genuine curiosity mixed with the worry of a military man.
Fei didn’t have a clear answer. She has been floating through her life without a clear purpose ever since she regenerated. She looked down at her hands and realised she was herself. Her unique body that disappeared because of her foolishness. Ares noticed the way she was inspecting herself and swayed his hand, making a mirror appear next to the nymph.
“Just because your body changed that doesn’t mean your soul did too. You are and forever will be Ophelia, daughter of Demeter. A nymph from Crete with high expectations from her irrelevant existence.” He said growing rather cold.
But Fei was mesmerized by her figure. She moved closer to the mirror and touched her face with a heavy heart. Those green eyes that remind of the trees and leaves, the light blush in her cheeks that gave her the look of innocence and her black long hair that was braided in the back. Even her clothes were the same ones that she woke up in when she was created: a pale pink mid-length dress and a thin shawl.
“Do you know what is down there, Fei? It’s chaos. A war is brewing and yet you are messing around with that boy.” Ares continued seeing how the nymph was straying from her original path.
“That boy can do things that no other men can. It’s just like he has his own little Ares inside of him.”
“Of course he does, I sent him to you!” Ares said glaring at her. “He is drawn to you because of the power that binds both of you to me. Of course, his was dormant until he met you.”
That realization hit Fei in her heart quite harshly. She did think about it and she hoped it was not true or that it was because of her that Dohyun was changing. But it wasn’t.
“Is that why he always comes to me?”
“Yes and no. I’m not attracting you to each other, but giving you a common ground. That’s a story for another time, though. Favours for warriors, I should stop doing that.” He mumbled the last part to himself. “I saved your soul by dragging you here. Your living force cannot compare to Atlas. You became weak.”
Fei’s eyes widened as her scariest worry proved to be real. A titan did return to Earth.
“I am punished so I cannot use my full power.” She explained although Ares seemed unconvinced.
“No, Fei. Your weakness is your fear of dying. Isn’t that why you worked so hard and begged me to give you immortality?”
Fei looked down at her feet, knowing that he was right.
“Don’t be so harsh, brother. She has done well until now. You cannot blame her for having feelings.”
Fei’s head moved so quickly that Ares was surprised it didn’t fly off her body.
“There is one way to get rid of this earthly problem.” Athena, goddess of wisdom said as she stopped next to Ares. “You have to sacrifice someone, Fei. Of course, we cannot choose in your place.”
“Are you going to say that fate has already chosen?” The nymph asked with a roll of her eyes.
“No. You will have to do that.” Athena said with a frown before she literally pushed Fei back into her body.
Her big green eyes opened so suddenly that she heard someone gasp in surprise. To her misfortune, it was Lord Hwanung. But to her delight, he had scratches all over his beautiful face and half of his attire was torn apart.
“What have I missed?” She asked getting up all by herself. Her eyes widened when she noticed that the restaurant was burning and they were outside, on the pavement.
“It’s Atlas. He’s not at his best but he is strong enough to put up a fight.” Hades replied looking even worse than Hwanung. “That little shit played with us, even tested us to see what he will fight against. Next time, a restaurant won’t be the only building in flames.” He added, patting his lip to check the damage.
“If he’s here, who’s holding the sphere?” She asked as they all stood there, watching how the building was burning. “Wait…no way, did he fool Hikaru in changing places with him?!”
“It’s possible. Although he is not a god, he can do that much. But we all know Atlas is searching for the Thief of Words. That book better not appear out of nowhere.” Hades’ tone was enough to imply that if Fei knew its whereabouts, she should make an effort and have it remain hidden.
“The Thief of Words…I never imagined I’ll heard that title anywhere but in legends.” Hwanung mumbled to himself.
Fei glanced at Hades and decided that maybe leaving Seoul for a few days is not a bad idea.
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