@khoc-week Day 2 - Olympus
“Ah, I haven’t been to this world in quite some time.” While he made his effort to not visibly show it, Lugh could feel every fiber of his being tense the moment he entered.
He felt as if the unseeing and shaded eyes of the towering golden statues guarding the arena gate recognized him, welcoming him back for what could very well be another round with the fates that be. They loomed, flaunting their agelessness and power while he sported the years that tolled on his soul.
Myst glanced at him curiously, “Oh? If I may ask, Master, what prevented you from returning?”
He hummed, arms folded behind his back as he continued staring down the statues, “That is a personal matter, one that has haunted me since my youth.” He paused, “However, if I am to prevent you from following the errors of the past, I suppose I may indulge. You must promise me you will never use this knowledge unless it is truly dire, understood?”
Myst looked taken aback. She pressed a hand to her chest and nodded, “Of course.”
He turned his attention to her, “In my youth, an advanced class taught at our academy had gone missing during their Mark of Mastery exam. Another class under them was sent out to find them by order of their Master, and they were directed here.” He swept a hand around the area, “This world houses gods and beasts that roam and protect the domains, but there was one god - the king of the Underworld - that could provide them with answers.”
Myst trailed the path his hand took, seemingly looking for something unseen to her.
“And they did find answers,” he continued, “However, the god asked for something in return - a life. One of the classmates was to be kept in the Underworld for an eternity serving this god while the rest were burdened with knowledge that would later get them killed.”
“Did… Did that student make it out after all this time?”
Lugh shook his head, “As far as I know, he was as good as gone, however the reason is a story I will have to spin another time. I witnessed all this firsthand, and my takeaway was that you cannot always trust a higher power. Hades will trade your soul for great things that no mere mortal can have, and you must promise me you will never go to him for any favors.”
Myst gave a nod, “You have my word.”
“What’s all this talk about Hades? I prefer not to think about that guy if I can help it.” From behind, a short and stout satyr came sauntering up to the pair, stroking his beard, and eyeing them until his face reflected with recognition, “Lugh! What a sight for sore eyes, it’s been ages! You look great!” His attention turned to Myst, “And who~ is this?”
“Phil, this is my apprentice, Myst.” Lugh gave a good natured laugh, but casted Phil a side-eye glance that made him stiffen, “Knowing your track record, I trust you will treat her as a student so long as we are here, especially if you know what is good for you.”
Myst politely bowed her head, “A pleasure to meet you, Phil.”
“My, my. It’s definitely been a long time if you have an apprentice. Man, where do those years go?” Phil rubbed his head, “Anyway, what brings you two here to the coliseum?”
“We are travelling around, seeing the sights, and revisiting old landmarks. A true trip down memory lane, you could say.” Lugh gestured to the gate of the coliseum itself, “I was hoping, if it’s not too much trouble, to see if we could borrow the arena for some training. Unless you retired from that business?”
“Well, I recently picked up this scrawny hero wannabe and took him under my wing, so my retirement has been postponed. I don’t see why we can’t let you borrow our stomping ground for a bit, if not to provide him some guidance on real action and skill. He’s… a work in progress.”
“Splendid.” Lugh followed Phil, with Myst not far behind them, “Once we get set up, you must tell me more of this new apprentice of yours.”
