Chapter 51- Mortal God of Endurance

The group made their way back to Kronos's Keep, the young chimera barely batted an eye to the strategic city. The sun was now glaring down above a mountain top, drenching the stone bridge in the city’s shadow. They didn’t talk about the situation they were just in, nor did they talk about Theodore’s passing. Morpheus could barely keep his tongue from asking.

“What do you think is gonna happen?” Morpheus asked Big Sam.

“The Guild leader will be notified.” Big Sam replied bluntly.

“I mean with the Bright Light?”

Everyone stared at him and scoffed, it must be a touchy subject.

“Don’t mention their name.” Big Sam said, but winked as he did. Morpheus assumed the dagi was going to tell him later.

His shirt was covered in blood from his allies and his enemies, his right sleeve had almost been completely torn off. The old boots he found in Slime Central were already worse for wear and Morpheus was beginning to worry about his pockets.

He had 3 silvers and 20 coppers to his name, he would receive another two silvers for the job completion. He brought out his pen and paper and was about to write a new plan down as they approached the guard booth.

He saw all his previous notes about finding a god making the young chimera sigh. He still hasn’t found a god yet so he would definitely have to ask Big Sam again.

The dwarf who took charge explained to the guards the reduced group's situation. They took the girls in, even the high elf. She looked just as shocked as the rest.

The dwarf ran his hand through his hair as turned back to the group.

“Come to the guild n’we’ll sort ye pay.” He solemnly said to the group.

They all nodded and followed the dwarf to the guild. Hammer was extremely quiet, at least he knew it wasn’t the time to be flamboyant.

The slight smell of feces invaded his nose but Morpheus himself smelt worse. The streets were beginning to get busy and a few people batted an eye lid and then suddenly pinched their noses.

“Hey Sam, is there someone place I can get a bath for free?” He asked.

“I’m gonna head to the neutral church after, donations are a copper for a bath.”

“Mind if I join you?” Morpheus asked.

Big Sam nodded. “I need to do some praying if it doesn’t bother ya.”

“That’s fine.” Morpheus said, a copper for a bath was a deal of a lifetime.

The group had reached the guild and there were already the usual drunks sitting there. He had never actually spoken to the veterans but he didn’t want to start now. The old clerk behind the counter looked over her glasses at the group, with the vice-guild master missing.

“Where’s Theodore?” She asked him.

The dwarf shook his head.

The lady looked devastated but she still placed her hand over a green crystal.

“Go in and see him.” The old lady said.

The dwarf took a deep breath and headed into the back room. The old clerk faked a smile and went back to grab a bag full of coins.

“Right, line up and you’ll get your pay.” She said, trying to hold back her tears.

Morpheus joined the line and the lady placed the two silvers on the counter. He smiled to try and comfort the old lady but he knew he couldn’t do much. He picked up the two silver coins and waited until Big Sam had picked him up.

“To the bath.” Big Sam said in a cheery tone.

The two pair began walking out the door until an eccentric bard came running out after them.

“A fat man and a boring man thought of ditching me?” Hammer asked rhetorically, back to his usual tone.

Morpheus rolled his eyes and Big Sam let out a deep chuckle. Hammer skipped up next the duo and began walking with them.

“Where ye heading?” Hammer asked in a dwarven accent.

“Neutral for a bath.”

“Ah the piss poor peasants place!” Hammer exclaimed.

“Nothing wrong with Neutral.” Big Sam said.

“What is the Neutral?” Morpheus asked.

“Where you can worship any god of your choosing, it’s also an orphanage.” Big Sam replied.

Hammer rolled his eyes. “Orphans, ew.”

“You’re an orphan?” Morpheus asked Hammer, it was quite obvious.

“No.” Hammer replied with his chin in his air.

“He was adopted by a noble for his talents when he was young.”

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Morpheus looked over to the eccentric man, studying him. Hammer pretended to ignore them both and carried on walking.

“He was still dropped on his head though.” Big Sam added as he learnt into Morpheus.

Morpheus laughed, the two of them was like a comedy duo.

“You gonna tell me about the Bright Light?” Morpheus asked Big Sam.

The dagi looked around as soon as he heard their name in worry.

“The elves you’re referring to are elf elitists. Some live in Elusia, while the rest have their own elf city.” Big Sam answered.

“Can’t we go kill them?” Morpheus asked in anger.

The dagi chuckled with ignorance. “Good luck with that. Even if ya managed to kill one you’d have an elven army on ya ass.”

“Explain?” Morpheus asked.

Big Sam cleared his throat and looked around again. “They’re high elves jack, you don’t fuck with any high elf. Even if they’re from that group.” He said.

“So we can’t do anything about their deaths?” Morpheus asked.

“The guild-master will speak to the elders about what happened.” Big Sam replied.

“And then?”

“Fuck do I know.” The dagi said abruptly, this was the first time Morpheus had seen him slightly annoyed.

“The Dagi gets angry when he goes to the Neutral.” Hammer stated, trying to agitate Big Sam.

Big Sam stretched his arm around Morpheus and slapped the back Hammer’s head.

A wicked fire grew in Hammer’s eyes as he remembered something very important. He looked dead in Morpheus’s eyes.

“No.” Morpheus said, quickly darting his eyes away.

“I had your word.” The bard pleaded.

“My word means fuck all, bard.” Morpheus said.

Hammer grabbed Morpheus’s leg but he carried on walking, ignoring the many eyes staring at him.

“Please.” Hammer cried out.

Morpheus brought his elbow across on his face. “That’s all.”

“Good enough.” Hammer said, licking the blood from his nose.

The neutral church was in view of the trio and it was as boring as you could imagine. No intricate details, stone wall and a sloped tiled roof.

“This place always catches my eye.” Hammer sarcastically said.

Big Sam scoffed at him and opened the arched wooden door into the neutral church.

“Sam! How was your job .” A lady in her mid twenties said, she was wearing a plain brown robe and had long straight brown hair.

“Could have gone better. Ya just started?” Big Sam asked.

“Yeah, you guys smell terrible by the way.” Ariel said with a smile.

“That’s what we’re here for, me lady.” Hammer said with a bow.

Her face went emotionless when she saw Hammer behind the big dagi.

“Hammer… Have you found a place of worship yet?” She asked.

“No me lady, my body is already a temple.” He said with another bow.

Ariel internally rolled her eyes, and turned to Morpheus.

“I’m Jack, nice to meet you Ariel.” He said with a smile.

“You have a normal friend Sam?” She asked half jokingly.

Big Sam chuckled. “Are the private baths open?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yes, as you know, the donation is a copper for the public and two for a private.”

Hammer and Big Sam placed a copper each into the bucket, while Morpheus dropped in two.

“Oh the boring one is ashamed of his genitalia.”

Big Sam smacked him over the head.

“Ow, I don’t like it there fat man.” Hammer said with sincerity.

“Exactly, don’t pry into someone’s life.” Big Sam sternly said to him.

“Fine, fine.”

Ariel cleared her throat. “The public bath is open for you two. Jack can follow me to the private baths.” She said with another smile.

Ariel began waking away with the bucket in her hands so Morpheus followed her.

“Meet you back here in twenty.” He said to only Big Sam.

Big Sam nodded and walked the other direction with Hammer.

“I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions about gods.” He asked Ariel as they were heading down a spiral staircase.

“You may.” She responded.

“The mortal gods, what was the name for the god of Endurance?” He asked curiously.

“Natur is his name, not much is known about him unfortunately.” Ariel answered.

“So there’s no stories about him?” Morpheus asked.

“Not really, are you thinking of worshipping him?”

“Yeah.”

“We have a wooden symbol for the mortal gods if you’d like, I’m sure my father would allow it.”

“That would be nice actually, thank you.”

She looked back at him and smiled, they had reached a stone corridor underneath the church. Wooden doors lined it but without crystals.

Ariel opened a door for him which led to a small drop in the floor where the bath was.

“I’ll leave it outside your door.” Ariel said.

“Thank you.” Morpheus replied.

She closed the door and Morpheus stripped into his birthday suit. He began to wash his body and his clothes, wiping off the bits and pieces of Theodore off of him.

Fuzz jumped up from his cloak, the little shadow had not come out for a while.

“Hey buddy.”

Fuzz jumped up and buried himself in Morpheus’s neck.

The young chimera went to stroke Fuzz but the shadow jumped back in his cloak. He sighed, he didn’t know what he could do to help the shadow.

He carried on washing himself, the water had been dyed red by the amount of blood that came off him.

He still had the black and lilac T-shirt he received from Celene but he didn’t put it on. He would not risk being found at all. He preferred to not wear armour, it got ruined almost every time he fought.

He would need to buy a lot of shirts and jackets.

He put on his slightly torn T-shirt and opened the door, on the floor was a small piece of wood. It was circular and had nine stars surrounding the edges. It was very plain but it didn’t bother him, it was a way to pray to Natur.

He walked up the stairs and back into the main area in the church to find Big Sam praying and Hammer lightly strumming his guitar.

“You're not leaving?” He asked Hammer.

“Why don’t you like me Jack, am I too attractive for you.” He said sarcastically.

Morpheus sighed, arguing with Hammer was pointless.

“All gods, please watch over me and Ariel. Watch over my family and my people. Watch over those who do good and even those who don’t.” Big Sam whispered into his hands.

The dagi managed to push himself up and he stretched his whole back.

“Ya fancy a drink?” Big Sam asked.

“I need some more clothes.” Morpheus said, he didn’t feel close enough to ask about Ariel.

“Why don’t ya wear armour? I was wondering why you’re a warrior without armour.” Big Sam asked.

Morpheus shrugged. “Too expensive and I always ruin them.”

“Fair enough. Hammer ya coming.”

“Shopping is my third favourite thing to do!” He exclaimed.

Big Sam and Morpheus said their goodbyes to Ariel, and the trio headed for the market.