Haley started walking away from Brickton, trying to track down her father. She is furious at her mom for calling her dad a monster. How can he be a monster? Just because he can absorb people? She tried finding a track, but even when she tried to catch a scent, she could not find a scent of her dad. She kept on walking towards the ocean. It is in the void, but she has no problems with entering the void.
Before long, night started to fall. Haley set up a tent and made a campfire. She warmed up a sausage on the fire, and enjoyed her solidarity at this moment. She missed Shirley, she wished she could have seen how traveling worked. That Shirley had been here with her, to see the land below, to actually see the void. But, she has been buried, her soul laid to rest. A portal opened up, and Melin stepped out. “Hello Haley, if you are enjoying being alone, I will leave.”
Haley gestured at the log that she can sit down. Melin did so and asked for a sausage. Haley looked at her, “What are you doing here?”
Melin smiled, “I felt lonely, and I thought, maybe we can both be less lonely together?”
Haley smiled, “Do you think my dad is a monster?”
Melin looked at Haley with a questioning stare, “Is a dinosaur that attacks you, to find food, to make sure it does not starve evil?”
Haley shook her head, “No, it is just trying to survive.”
Melin nodded, “And is your dad, or you, a monster for trying to figure out who and what you are?”
“No, I don’t think so, and I think my mom is trying to understand that. What are you doing here, Melin?”
She sighed, “I am an outcast, considered a monster by the gods, even if I have an important rank. I am light and dark, my mom and dad do care for me, don’t get me wrong, but the other gods fear me.” “Khione and I have a vendetta going on.”
Haley took a bite from her sausage, “Why the vendetta?”
“Khione had a husband, a mortal one. Making a bastard child, a demigod. But Khione was mean to her husband, or they grew apart, I never understood clearly what happened. Her husband left her, and came to me. He loved my dark attributes, we spent a lot of time in the underworld. We had a child together, another demigod.”
Haley nodded, “Go on.”
“My husband decided to come live in the underworld, and just as my mom and dad did, he wanted to eat the seeds of a pomegranate to bind himself to me. Unbeknownst to us, Khione had poisoned the seeds we had for our ceremony. Before he was bound to the underworld, the poison killed him, and his soul ripped away from me, sent to the ethereal vortex, out of my reach. Khione killed the man I love, and she blamed me for taking him away from her. But he left out of free will, Khione can be a kind soul, but she has a nasty side. I have no idea where my child went. His name is Seraph.”
Haley continued eating her sausage, “Do you know what happened to Khione?”
Melin shook her head, “After she tried to let Steve kill me, I have not seen her.”
Haley laughed, “She is dead.”
Melin gasped, “What? How did she die!?”
Haley let out a sly smile, “Steve absorbed her.”
Melin started to giggle, slowly bursting out in laughter, to hide her worry. “That is justice served! Where are you going, Haley?”
“I am going to the sea. It should be two more days of traveling. Then about three days to get back, I hope my dad is near the sea, in the void. That is a place that throws my scent off, and in the void, only certain people can find him.”
Melin nodded, “I am coming with you, I want to see Khione, unless you don’t want me too.”
Haley looked at her, “You helped with Shirley, you are welcome to join me, whenever you want. Maybe we can become friends.”
Melin smiled, “That sounds nice, but I cannot fight, dabbling in mortal affairs and all that.”
Later that night, Melin had sent up a tent, next to Haley’s tent. The next morning, Haley got up and cleaned up her stuff, along with packing up. Melin got up and put her tent back in her inventory. Together, they went into the void and started walking towards the sea. Melin stretched her arms and enjoyed the wind, “It feels good to travel like this, it has been a while.”
Haley nodded, “Things have been quite hectic since you left after the funeral. My dad is trying to figure out his new powers, and my mom is not very accepting of his or my powers. She thinks, he is unstable and mentally insane.”
Melin chuckled, “He is a bit insane, but he is not unstable. He is a handsome man, and very strong mentally. Sorry if I hurt your dad too much.”
Haley laughed, “My dad can handle many things. He is just waiting for mom to cool down, I am sure of it.”
Together, they traveled to the sea, it was a quite calm journey. They talked and exchanged many stories with each other. And after a long time, they reached the sea. Haley set up camp, with a nice campfire. She sighed deeply, “I am trying to catch a scent,” she pulled out a shirt, Steve’s shirt.
Melin beamed at her, “It amazes me, how you totally put yourself in that wolf role at this moment.”
Haley glanced at her, “I have his scent, but I don’t think he is near the sea, this is the Basecamp, do you mind splitting up? I can go left, you can go right.”
Melin got up and put a barrier over the camp, “I can do that.” Haley started walking left over the sandy beach, looking at the purple sea.
Haley kept looking around, but she was sure, her dad was not around here. She sighed, “I wasted three days for nothing.” In the distance, she saw some kind of horse. Even from so far away, she could see it was bigger as her. It splashed around in the water. Haley scratched her head, “What is a black horse doing here?”
The horse slowly came closer, Haley smiled, “Oh, maybe you are friendly?” She petted the horse as it came closer to her. Haley smiled, “You are indeed friendly.” The horse started walking further into the sea. Haley shook her head, “Do you want me to follow you?”
The horse nodded and continued walking deeper into the sea. Haley shrugged, did that horse just nod? She followed the black horse. When Haley stood in the sea, it reached her waist. The horse suddenly bared sharp teeth and jumped towards her.
Haley tried to spawn her void blade, but the horse already rammed her down and she got pushed underwater. Haley tried to struggle to get up, she managed to shoot a void beam and the horse stepped aside. While she was free, Haley quickly got up and gasped for air. The horse came for her and a bit down on her right arm.
Haley punched the horse with her left fist. The horse did not let go and started dragging her further into the sea. They continued to struggle and trade blows with each other. Haley managed to get free and started swimming back. A long tongue wrapped her leg and continued dragging her down into the sea.
She lost her weapon somewhere. The tongue slid over her body and came close to her ear. Haley grabbed it and tried to stop it from entering her ear, it probably wants to pierce her brain.
Haley started losing the battle, she needed air rapidly. She is not well versed in fighting underwater, against a big horse, or anything for that matter. Haley got an idea, a terrible idea. She launched herself against the horse’s back and grabbed it. She let dark void mist encircle the horse, Haley started inhaling the dark void mist, with the horse in it.
Haley swallowed her mist up, along with the horse. Then she quickly swam up, and gasped for air. She also had inhaled a lot of seawater. Slowly she swam towards the shore, she bent forward and coughed up water. Completely drenched, Haley went back to the campfire and waited for Melin to come back, she did so after an hour. Melin looked at Haley, she was still drenched. Melin grabbed a towel, “What happened to you?”
Haley looked at her, “I think, I accidentally ate a horse. I had no other choice. It stood near the sea and beckoned me over. It tried dragging me to the depths below the ocean.”
Melin blinked a couple of times, it did not take long for her to figure out she was talking about a Kelpie, “That sounds bad. Did you, assimilate the horse?”
Haley looked at her, “I am afraid to look in my mind space.”
Melin smiled, “Go check.”
Haley nodded and closed her eyes. She saw a mirror in her mind space, slowly she walked over to the mirror, expecting a horse to be locked up inside the mirror. When she looked inside, she saw a woman. Black, curly hair clumsily hangs over a craggy, charming face. Squinting black eyes, set appealingly within her sockets. She is wearing a seaweed dress, but no bra at all. Haley pointed at her, “What the fuck?”
The woman stood up and walked over to Haley, “I can say the same, one minute, I am about to pierce your brain and eat your body as a tasty snack, the next moment, you swallow me up. Do you know how bad it feels, to get swallowed down your throat when I am still alive?”
Haley pointed at her, “You were going to do the same to me!”
The woman laughed, “No, that is not true, I would have killed you first. Where even am I?”
Haley sighed, “I cannot take care of this right now! Just stay dead, here in your mirror until I have some time to process, a shapeshifting horse will be stuck forever, in my head!”
Haley quickly left. She looked at Melin, “It’s not a horse, it is a woman. A horsewoman, or whatever it is supposed to be!”
Melin scratched the back of her head, “It must be a malevolent creature then,” she grabbed a bottle out of her inventory, “Have you ever had booze?”
Haley looked at her, “I have only been eighteen for barely a month, what do you think?”
Melin offered her the bottle. Haley shook her head, “My dad told me not to drink booze.”
Melin shrugged, “Alright.”
Haley chuckled, “But, I am quite shocked by that thing in my head. It could not hurt, to try just a sip.”
Haley grabbed the bottle and took a swig. She coughed a few times, “Holy fuck, this is strong, is it supposed to be burning like that in your throat?”
Melin laughed, “This is booze brewed in the underworld! It is the finest strong liquor that gods drink.”
Melin took a few swigs. They both leaned back and traded back and forth while talking and drinking booze. Haley sighed, “I need some distraction.”
Melin looked around, “More than booze?”
Haley tried to nod, “I think, my vision is a bit blurry, maybe, we are just blurry.” She put her hand on Melin’s cheek. “You feel solid, though.”
Melin came closer, “You should watch out, I might turn into mist, and you will fall through me.”
Haley grinned, “Can you seriously turn into mist?”
Melin nodded and showed it to Haley. She gasped, “That is amazing,” Haley took a considerable swig of the booze. She stared at Melin, she kissed her, Melin reciprocated.
As Haley backed off, she smiled, “You are a good kisser.”
Melin beamed, “Thanks, not many people kiss me because they want to. It has been a while since I lost my beloved.”
Haley smiled and gently pushed Melin to the ground, “I think, you need some distraction too!”
They woke up the next day by the chirping void birds, Haley immediately put her hand on her head, oh my head hurts. She looked at Melin laying next to her. Haley gasped, “Oh fuck.”
Melin stretched and yawned, “Yes, that is right.”
Haley jumped up and wobbled as she quickly started grabbing her clothes. “This was not supposed to happen, I was drunk. The booze, oh my god that is why dad told me not to drink booze.”
Melin yawned and checked out Haley from all angles, “Calm down, your head might explode from the hangover.”
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Haley crashed down on her buttocks. “Yeah, you are right, do you have something for that?”
Melin offered her some milk, “This will help, milk from Olympian cows.”
Haley took a sip, and she immediately felt better. “Thanks for that Melin, look about last night, that was just, the booze.”
Melin nodded while grimacing at her while grabbing her dress and drinking some milk. “It was good booze, though.”
Haley smiled, “I am going to freshen up in the sea.”
Melin laughed, “What happened to getting dressed as fast as possible?”
Haley sighed as she wiped sand off her wings, “You already saw everything, there is no need to hurry.” Haley freshened up and got dressed, Melin had also put her dress back on. With a serious look on her face, Haley looked at Melin, “Can we keep this, between us? Don’t get me wrong, I had fun last night. It is just, Shirley recently died, and then my mom and dad fighting, dad leaving town, my mom getting angry, almost getting killed by that horse. It was just too much and, well, I kind of fell into you.”
Melin snickered. Haley looked at her, “What is so funny?”
Melin kept snickering, “You fell into me.”
Haley moaned with annoyance, “Fine, screw my wording, can we please clean up camp and go?”
After packing up camp, they started their travel back to Brickton. Melin looked at Haley, “I had fun last night. It felt good to be wanted.”
Haley glanced at her and tried to hide her fluttery feelings, “I understand, but things with Shirley, the wounds are too fresh. If I was not drunk, I would not have acted on my primal impulses.”
Melin frowned her left eyebrow, “Primal impulses?”
Haley sighed, “You were there for me when I needed it, when I picked up Shirley in Stratos Isle, you were guarding over her body. In the airship, you told me you would take Shirley to the Immortal Dimension. You are nice, and were things not as they were with Shirley, I would have been interested in exploring things with you. Even if you are an older god. As of now, if you have patience, then, maybe, just maybe, this can be something.”
Melin smiled and nodded, she had patience, “I see what you mean, your family has something special too, I felt drawn to it, finally something happening out of my bubble. Can we be friends, Haley?”
She smiled and nodded, “Friends, that sounds perfect.”
“And you need to accept what you are malady. Something unknown, and you assimilated someone.” Melin stopped walking, “Do you want me to come, as a visitor, and help you with this?”
“Would you do that for me?”
Melin nodded, “of course I would do that for you, Haley.”
Melin stretched her hand, “I trust you. Completely”
Haley took her hand and took her to her mind space. Haley walked over to the mirror, the woman sat there. “Hello, welcome back, Haley is it, right?”
“Yes, I am Haley, this is Melin.”
The woman stood up, “Did you eat her as well?”
Haley shook her head, “no, she is a friend. Who or what are you?”
“Well, my name is Lisa, I am what you call a Kelpie. Here I was, scouring the void seas, and I saw life. Karen warned me about not hunting down too many beings for food. We should just live on blood weed. Why can’t she understand, I need some real meat! And Karen kept saying, it is going to cost you your life once, Lisa!”
Melin pointed at Lisa, “You are dead.”
She sighed, “I feared as much.”
Haley put her hand on the mirror, “I am sorry that I ate you. You see, I panicked. The price I need to pay for my mistake, is your death. While I don’t shy away from death, no matter how painful it might be. I did not intend to kill you. You made me bite, scratch and claw, Lisa. I am not a fair, or a kind being. A wise man once told me, it is a cold, hard and cruel world. But it is meant as such because when life becomes too easy or pleasing, then you will stop caring about what truly matters. You will no longer be in touch with your strongest self.”
Lisa smiled, “That wise man sounds smart, who said that?”
Haley grinned, “My dad did. You are now me, a personality of me. At your core, you are you, Lisa, your own experiences, your own memories. But, you are me, I am the prime controller around here.”
Lisa nodded, “I understand, I am an assimilated being.”
Melin looked up in amazement, “You actually know what this means?”
Lisa shook her head, “Karen would understand. What is our plan here, Haley?”
She sighed, “If you promise to lend me your power, and if we can work together. I can let you wander around in my mind space, we need to make a command center, and a small house.”
Lisa nodded, “Alright, I think co-operating is the best thing to do here. My water magic, and shifting, are yours to do with as you please. You will also be able to breathe underwater, and you will even be able to talk.”
Melin smiled proudly at Haley, “See, you are a natural at this, just like your dad.”
Haley slid the mirror aside. “Thanks Melin.”
“Lisa?”
“Yes?”
“Could you start with making a command center?”
“Alright Haley.” she made a portal, Melin left through it.
Haley glanced over her shoulder, “I am truly sorry.” Lisa just nodded. Haley left through the portal.
Melin looked at Haley, “You are going to need some time to get used to your new powers.”
“Yeah, we should focus on getting back to Brickton.” They traveled for the next three days to get back to Brickton, it had been six days since she left. She saw Abby at the entrance.
She ran her way, “Haley!?”
“Hey Abs,” she hugged Abby. “I looked for my dad, but I did not find him.”
Abby nodded and focused on Melin, “What is up with her?”
Haley looked at Melin, “She is my friend.”
Abby shrugged, “Alright, if you are looking for your mom, she is probably in her house, looking at the map again.”
Haley nodded and walked towards her home. Melin followed her. Haley could hear Lisa spoke up in her mind, “I have to admit, seeing how the landlubbers live, it is cool. I have never been this far inland.”
Haley mumbled, “You only come to the shore to eat people.”
Lisa giggled, “I deserved that, so we are going to see your mom?”
“Yes, we are going to see how my mom is doing.”
Haley stopped in front of her door, she took a few deep breaths. Melin looked at her, then she knocked a couple of times. Haley chuckled, “Thanks.”
Lory opened the door, “Munchkin!?”
“Hey mom, I am home. Can we talk?”
“Of course, you don’t even have to knock.”
Haley walked inside, “I am sorry for leaving like that. I have been searching for dad.”
Melin walked into the home, “What a quaint little house.”
Lory looked at her, “What is up with her following you around?”
Haley rubbed Melin’s back, “She is a friend of mine.”
Lory tried to ignore her, “Look, what I said about dad, I should not have said that. I don’t think you are a monster.”
Haley sighed, “I cannot believe you thought dad had become mentally unstable.”
Lory looked at Melin, “Does she have to be here when we talk about this?”
Haley nodded, “I already told her everything.”
Lory blinked a couple of times, “Why?”
“I needed someone to confide in, and Melin was there ”
Lory reluctantly nodded, “Alright. Yes, I probably held the stick on the wrong end, but try to see it from my point of view. He talks to himself all the time, he murdered Khione.” Melin gave Lory a thumbs up. Lory grunted, “Really?”
Haley looked at Melin, “She has a good reason for that.” Haley sat down, “I can understand, but I need to tell you something, how I almost died a few days ago.”
Lory gasped, “What!?”
“I was looking for dad, near the sea. Hoping he would be there, since that place is difficult to track with your nose. And being inside the void eliminates countless people looking for you. A horse beckoned me to the water. It turned out, she was a woman, she dragged me into the depths of the ocean and tried to drown me. Besides, putting a long tongue in my brain. In a moment of panic, I ate her. As in, I used dark void mist to shrink and swallow her up.” Haley pointed at her head, “She is in here now.”
Lory gulped a few times, “I see. Which means, you now have a second personality?”
Haley nodded, “She is creating a command center, currently, she is working on the color of our chair. Her name is Lisa, she is a Kelpie.”
Lory sighed deeply, “Your dad was not lying then, he truly absorbed Khione?”
Haley nodded with fervor, “Yes, and having felt how hard it is, I understand the reason he did it with the sneak element. If Lisa had expected that attack from me, she would have blocked it. In her eyes, she was already victorious and did not expect me to put up much of a fight.”
Melin held up her hand, “I really need to hear how he killed Khione!”
Lory looked at her, “He said, he was going to go all the way with her, then Khione undressed herself and Steve went tentacle on her ass.”
Melin giggled, “That sounds awesome.”
Haley giggled with her. “Oh, mom!?”
“Yes?”
“I did something bad.”
“What else did you do Haley?”
“I drank booze, a lot of it” Melin started giggling louder.
Lory grunted, “Come on, did you do something stupid when drunk?”
Haley chuckled awkwardly, “I did someone alright.”
Lory got up, “You did what!?”
Haley pointed at the map, “We should work together to find dad. We are good, right, mom?”
She looked at Melin, “You touched my daughter!?”
Melin held up her hands, “She is trying to be honest to win your trust. So, I am going to be honest too, she jumped me.”
Lory gasped, “Lies!”
Haley poked her mom, “Not really, I had a bit too much booze. Are we alright, I am trying to do the right thing here.”
Lory hugged Haley, “Yes, just don’t drink booze anymore.”
Haley nodded, “Yeah, one time was good enough for me. Damn, the underworld makes good booze. Oh, I drank godly milk, as in the milk comes from the cows where apparently the gods live.”
Lory sighed, “We need to find your dad.”
Melin pointed at the map, “He is most likely hiding here.”
Lory looked at her, “How would you know that?”
Melin pointed at the map, “You seem to have checked this area, Haley the other side, in the middle is a forest with a lake. Both of you would have missed his scent from this point of view. Meaning that both of you looked in the wrong direction.”
Haley smiled, “I told you she is nice.”
Lory stared at her. Haley sighed, “We are just friends mom, a case of too much booze. We are good, right? I hope.”
Lory nodded, “we are alright Munchkin, I love you, and I am glad that you are home, I apologize for my harsh words.”
Haley hugged Lory tight, “I love you too mom, let’s go get dad and fix our family.”
The three of them left and Funk ran their way. “Hey Haley, I heard you were back, leaving already?”
“Yes, we have a solid lead on dad.”
Funk nodded, “I am coming with you. I need to apologize to him for meddling in his affairs. I am glad to see you that you are unharmed, Haley.”
She smiled, “Melin took good care of me.”
Funk looked at her, “You have a way of worming your way into people’s lives, don’t you?”
Haley stretched her hands and shot a gigantic beam of water at Funk, he flew over the ground. Lory looked at Haley, “What the fuck was that?”
Haley shrugged, “He was being mean to my friend.”
Funk got up, “Damn, why do I always end up being the punching bag?”
Haley tilted her head and smiled, “Because you never fight back.”
Melin nodded, “Come along, Funk.”
He sighed, “Alright then.” The four of them walked towards the forest, and it did not take long for Haley to catch a scent. Slowly they made their way through the bushes. They hid behind the bushes and looked at, many Steve’s.
Funk sighed, “Are they seriously having a BBQ?”
Haley pointed, “There, dad is over there.”
Lory looked at him, she only saw his back, Khione was clearly on one side, leaning against him, and Eris on the other side. There was also a woman sitting across from him, she took his hand. Even if he now looks like Eris. Lory wanted to rush forward, but Haley grabbed her. “Not everything is always what it seems. Lisa tells me, something special and intimate is going on here, some kind of ritual. It is best if we do not disturb it.”
Lory looked at me, “He has been here with that woman for a week! And now they are holding hands.”
Melin looked at her, “Haley is right, that is Rose, I saw her at the funeral, all alone. We should wait for a while to see what is going on.”
Funk nodded, “I think we have learned that judging Steve too soon is not a good thing to do.”
Lory sighed, “Fine, we can keep watching him for a while.”