Chapter 4 : surprise under the table

Arnie and Zeus stepped into the garden, exhaustion etched on their faces after enduring countless hardships. The unknown loomed before them, igniting a sense of unease. Though both were tense and afraid, they masked their fear, unwilling to appear cowardly in each other’s eyes. Determined to press forward, their resolve was abruptly interrupted as two strangers emerged from the shadows, striking them from behind.

Arnie succumbed instantly, collapsing unconscious, but Zeus, resilient and unyielding, retaliated. Sparks ignited around him as he unleashed a surge of electricity, burning their assailants to ash. As the smoke cleared, Zeus glanced down and was startled to find Arnie lying beneath him, lifeless.

“Come on, man, seriously?” Zeus muttered as he shook him. “Wake up, damn it!”

Arnie stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. He groggily met Zeus’s gaze and smirked weakly. “Why are you staring at me like that? Did I wet myself or something? Wait a second… who were those guys? And did you seriously turn into a dragon to fry them? Damn it, we’ve been exposed!”

Zeus rolled his eyes. “I didn’t transform. Lightning is my essence—it doesn’t require a form. Fire, on the other hand, needs a vessel to manifest, hence the dragon form.”

The pair trudged onward, arriving at a glimmering town nestled within the garden. Everything shimmered in white and gold, from the smallest building to the grandest tower. At the town’s center stood a colossal palace, its spires reaching toward the heavens. Atop the palace was an enormous statue of the king, his figure dwarfed only by the mountain beside him, gazing imperiously down at his subjects.

“Now that’s some eccentric taste,” Arnie quipped, his tone laced with sarcasm.

“What’s taste?” Zeus asked, puzzled.

Arnie chuckled. “Something you’ll never need to understand.”

Their journey took them to a bustling restaurant, where Zeus declared, “I’m starving, and it’s not my fault. Let’s eat.”

Inside, they ordered food and settled into idle conversation. Zeus leaned in. “You never told me what happened when you died. It was surreal—you turned into a flock of ravens and were… drinking tea with Hades?”

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Arnie paused, setting down his fork. “Do you remember the fruits we stole from that strange room on Hell’s second floor? The old man said they were powerful. When I died, I encountered someone who called himself the Rain Crow… or something like that.”

A deep, disembodied voice interrupted: “I hear you. My name is the Rain Crow.”

Arnie froze, his voice trembling. “Y-yeah, I heard you, I heard you…”

Zeus sighed, unimpressed. “You’ve officially lost it. Just finish your story.”

Clearing his throat, Arnie continued. “Right. So, the Rain Crow told me he could use my body whenever he wanted for twenty minutes at a time. In exchange, he brought me back to life. After that, he left to chat with Hades. Turns out, they’re buddies. Crazy buddies. And that’s how I’m here.”

Zeus chuckled. “That’ll make a fantastic bedtime story for kids.”

After finishing their meal, they slipped out unnoticed and resumed their search for the priest Baradoc. The streets were lined with shops, merchants bustling to secure their goods.

In one dimly lit room, a man cursed under his breath, “Damn you, Hades, for sending us these two fools!”

Another man addressed him, “Priest Baradoc, what should we do with them?”

The speaker, revealed as Priest Danger, dismissed the question with a wave. Rising from his chair, he called out, “Cobra! Cobra! Get over here!”

Cobra, leaning casually against a wall, replied with a smirk, “What is it now, Baradoc? Your shouting is giving me a headache.”

Baradoc gestured toward Zeus and Arnie. “Take these idiots to the exit gate. Get them out of my sight.”

Without a word, Cobra motioned for them to follow. As they walked, Arnie and Zeus noticed the peculiar metallic fang protruding from Cobra’s wrist. When they asked about it, Cobra merely cast them a disdainful glance and lit a cigarette.

The journey led them to the palace, an architectural marvel with open ceilings revealing the sky. Cobra explained the plan: they would sneak in through the back. His metallic fang extended into a chain, ending in a neutron-steel scythe, which he used to break a rear window. Inside, Cobra quickly dispatched three kitchen servants with swift, lethal precision.

Arnie stared in horror at the scene, but Cobra barked, “Strip them. Wear their clothes. We need to blend in.”

Disguised as servants, they carried trays of food into the king’s chamber. The king, Amun the Great, sat in a throne of unparalleled splendor. His thin frame, long white beard, and downcast gaze projected an aura of otherworldly arrogance. Cobra whispered, “He believes nothing is above him. To look up would mean acknowledging superiority, which he refuses to do.”

Their next challenge was the councilors’ chamber, a critical passage to the exit gate. The councilors were deep in discussion, plotting to destroy Baradoc’s hidden sanctuary. Alarmed, Cobra grabbed Zeus and Arnie, fleeing through the open ceiling. Zeus transformed into a dragon, carrying them to Baradoc’s hideout, only to find it obliterated.

The scene was devastating—dust, blood, and the screams of the dying filled the air. Cobra knelt beside Baradoc’s severed head, tears streaking his face as he removed the priest’s necklace and donned it. With a heavy heart, he burned the remains of his comrades.

Turning to Zeus, Cobra growled, “Didn’t you want to escape? Let’s go. Transform again and burn that wretched palace to the ground.”

Zeus complied, raining fire down upon the palace as they soared above. The flames consumed everything, and in his final moments, the king looked up—his last sight was Zeus in dragon form.

They arrived at the gate, where Cobra used the necklace to unlock it. Arnie asked, “How did you open it now when we didn’t have it earlier?”

Zeus smirked. “That’s none of your concern. This isn’t about you. I’m done being a slave.”

As they stepped through, a voice echoed: “Well done. You’ve passed the First Hell.”

Meanwhile, back in Hell, Priest Danger effortlessly annihilated Hades’ forces. Hades descended from the heavens, his voice resonating with fury. “So, it’s you. I didn’t think you’d show, but now we settle this once and for all.”

Danger smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Bring it on.”

End of Chapter.