Chapter 29

When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find myself in the council chambers yet again. I recognized the tall marble walls, marble floor and the balcony where the council would sit. The seats were empty, but I couldn’t see anyone up there. I began to hear slow, deliberate clapping and turned to see who it was. I wondered who I would see today and was disappointed to see Kali sitting in a chair behind me.

“You really know how to fuck with people’s plans don’t you?” she asked with a hint of malice and irritation in her voice.

“Well you seem to keep having your shit fall into my lap Kali, even if I don’t come looking for it,” I answered, wary of what she might do.

“Well, I could just keep you here, make it so you never wake, but that would draw the attention of people I am trying to hide from,” Kali said as she got up from the chair.

She was garbed in dark clothes, coated in robes. It was something that could easily hide her if she were walking among regular people. I wondered if I was seeing her in clothing that she is actually wearing, of it was just a projection of what she wanted me to think she had on

“Why did you pull me here Kail?” I asked her, letting some of the building frustration out. “You didn’t bring me here because you missed me!”

She got a cocky grin on her face, “I have actually. You interest me Pathios, with everything you overcome and the action you choose to take. I can’t help but be impressed by your actions, even if it makes me want to tear out your entrails. So, I am here to give you, my offer. The same one as the last chat we had. You can join our ranks, which we both know that you won’t do, or you can just mind your own business.”

My eyes narrowed, as I realized why she had chosen now to appear, “You are responsible for the issues that this village is facing. Both in the dangerous circumstances around the village, along with their attempts to ask for help failing.”

Kali’s smile grew wider, “You are right, it is us. After all, there are many ways to disrupt things around here.”

“What I don’t understand, is why?” I asked. “From what I have seen, it is balanced well and results in everyone thriving!”

“WE WERE GODS!” she yelled, energy crackling from her eyes. “Not all of us agreed with ‘retiring’ to this world and giving up our power, but we were overruled. My nature is change after all, to destroy in order to create! I am fulfilling my nature to make this world even better.”

“By killing people?” I asked, as my anger started to rise. “How many have to die for you to be satisfied?!”

Her eyes narrowed, “As many as I deem necessary! This world is soft and weak. There is no proper growth in the people here, only happy to live their lives. Adventurers have their hands held, not feeling the threat of death, and thus putting their absolute effort in. There are no consequences here anymore and it is infuriating. So I want to change that. I want everyone to know risk, loss, and struggle. That is the only way to feel truly alive! I want the gods to be gods again!”

“So you want useless wars against people of varied religions, just like there still is on earth?” I asked.

“That is useless to us too,” She replied, frustrated by the question. “There can be too many losses if this world would turn to that, but at the same time, we aren’t gods now. We are shadows of our former selves, the magic of our godhood powering the very mana of this world. We are ghosts, shadows of our former selves!”

“It sounds like greed and self-importance to me Kali,” I said, egging her on. “Oh woe is me. I am not an all-powerful being any more, but like the very people I used to have worship me, this is the worst! You sound like a petulant child that got their toy taken away and told to grow up. I will say this, I don’t disagree with your thoughts and opinion, as you have valid points, but I disapprove of your methods! That means if I continue to come across your shit, I will deal with it. I won’t let people get hurt and I won’t let my loved ones get hurt. Not to mention, the quests I get to clear caused by the threats you create are netting me some significant profit. Besides, I am sure that I am not the only one that is dealing with the issues you are causing or have already caused.”

Kali sighed, “No you’re not, but you have been one of the more active ones. You have taken out so many plots and threads in your short time here, and that is why you have our attention. While there are a few that are causing our projects to come to an end, you have been at the forefront for the particularly important ones.”

“I will never agree to help you Kali, but as long as you try to force these changes, I know that we are safe from your influence or the threat you represent.”

Kali let out a laugh, “Oh if only that were true, young Pathios. There are a few in my group that don’t care for rebirths. Seeing them as relics of our past and not worth the time or the effort to try and convert. Usually the ones that come here like the status quo and thus makes turning them impossible. They are just like you, and they see this world as a dream come true. However, there are many that are from this world that now wish for more and have the need to rise higher the council will allow.”

“So you are finding followers by promising to feed their greed,” I uttered as I moved closer to her. “Even when they are given the ideal life, they want to have more and take from others?”

“That is the burden of free will,” Kali replied, as her smug smirk returned. “If they didn’t, would their free will truly be free?”

Wondering how long this would take I asked, “Are we done here Kali? I have things to do and plans of yours to fuck up.”

“I am still debating on keeping you here or not,” Kali said with a devilish grin on her face.

I found myself with my wrist bound by ropes that were mounted into the floor. She snapped her fingers and I found myself naked in front of her. I couldn’t cover myself, as my hands were bound and I hoped things would get too weird.

“Well I can see what those women are so excited about,” She said as she approached and walked around me. “You have been changed by your increased stats, but I can see that you are a genuinely nice specimen. Especially right here!”

I felt her hand grope my cock and balls. Despite the disgust I felt for what she had done, I felt myself responding to her touch.

“I can see that you keep them very happy indeed,” She said, as she started to stroke my shaft. “I wonder who else has had the pleasure of this specimen of manhood?”

“Whomever that may be, that’s between me and them,” I said as I fought against the pleasure I was feeling.”

“You are quite rude, despite the fact that I hold your virility in my hands,” she said as she gave my balls a squeeze. “I could rip this off your body and what would you do then?”

I narrowed my eyes, “That would do what to me? Would it make my dick stop working?”

“Yes, it would,” She replied as she released my balls and slowly began to stroke my shaft. “You would be able to take a piss, sure, but you would never get hard again.”

“You are sick, Kali.” I groaned, as I tried my best to ignore the sensations she was creating.

“You have no idea,” she whispered into my ear. “While I would love to do this all day, I have things to do. Until next time, Pathios.”

She pulled me into a kiss, and I felt disgust at having her lips on mine. I began to drift off almost immediately, and I hoped that there wouldn’t be any lasting effects of being here with her. While I had some ideas of how the dreamscape worked, there was still no telling what might be possible in them.

I woke up to find myself on the floor of the inn, which was disappointing, but I made a mental note to talk to Freyja the next time I saw her to find out the status of those protections. I stretched out the kinks in my body, as the floor wasn’t exactly comfortable. I had nothing to worry about at least, as I had my usual morning erection and went to go to the bathroom. When I came out, Theresa entered, and I was left with Cassandra in the room.

“Where were you last night?” Cassandra asked. “We were all worried when you didn’t show up!”

I sighed, “I was pulled to a different dreamscape by Kali again, and that was just so unpleasant.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened in surprise, “I am sorry Pathios. Are you okay? She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

I shook my head, “No, but she alluded to the fact that if she were to rip off my equipment in that place, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy time with my ladies again.”

“Oh we are definitely not going to let that happen,” Cassandra said. “We all like your time with us too much.”

I nodded, “I will reach out to Freyja that right now. I hope that Esmerelda sends her raven soon with details about the quest.”

I spent the next few minutes relaying the information of what happened to the raven I summoned and sent it off to Freyja. At that time Theresa came out of the bathroom and Cassandra took her turn. Once she got out, we worked on donning our armor and went to check out. We thanked the young man at the counter for the room and wished him a good day. When we exited the inn, we were greeted by the soldier from the night before.

“Good morning,” he said, giving us a slight bow. “I was told to return this to you by the guild representative that we spoke to yesterday. I am happy to say that our elder was able to come to an agreement with the guild and the quest should be ready.” He handed me the stone, “Have a great day, and thank you for what you are going to do for us.”

I took the stone and poured some mana into it and was rewarded with Esmerelda’s face.

“Good morning, Pathios,” She said with a warm smile. “I hope you slept well. The quest has been set up and if you would please press the stone to the crystal in your bracer, I will transmit the quest to you and log it as yours.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you could do that,” I replied, as I pressed the stone to my bracer. “Do you want me to bring the stone back to you when we exit the dungeon?”

She shook her head, “No you can keep it. I am registered as your representative at the guild, but normally we don’t use these stones, as they aren’t cheap. However, given your knack for dealing with high-risk issues, as well as your track record, I have gotten approval for you to use it. This will allow you to check in and get quests without having to visit. We will take ten percent of your earnings until that is paid off, but given what you can bring in on average, it won’t be too long.”

I gave it some thought then said, “That is fine. The convenience makes it worth the inconvenience. Did Amenthia and the others complete their mission yet?”

“You haven’t seen them?” Esmerelda asked, surprised by what I said. “No, they haven’t yet, but I have no doubt that they will be in today to hand in the quest.”

A thought popped into my head, “Is it just the one stone? Or do we get a few? It will be useful to have more than one if we split the group like we have right now.”

“Well I can get another one for you, but that will extend the duration of your payments,” She explained.

“How much would it cost to just pay them off?” I asked, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

“Um, well I believe that they are one hundred and fifty thousand gold each,” she answered, looking rather sheepish as she told us the price.

“Three hundred thousand gold? Okay, I will make sure to hand you the gold when we arrive to hand in the quest,” I stated matter of fact tone.

“Oh, wow! Okay!” she exclaimed in shock. “I will make sure to have the other stone ready for when you come to pick it up.”

“Thank you, Esmerelda,” I replied. “Now what are the requirements of the quest that you have given us?”

“If you would please bring up your bracer screens,” Esmerelda requested. “Then select the quests tab.”

I tapped the bracer to bring up the menus and toggled the Quest screen. I almost never used this as we always were told the parameters of the quest we had been given, and thus I never really used it. I glanced at the quest line, and it was pretty straight forward. I had to clear certain numbers of goblins, hobgoblins, drakes, along with wolves and bears. There were numbers tied to each one, and I had a feeling that these would be the high-level ones, which they would be able to check. Sounded like we might be here another day, but this could also assist in helping Theresa to level up.

“I take it that the bracer will track when we kill the correctly targeted beasts?” I asked, as I looked at the list.

“Yes, it will,” she replied. “The thing will be killing the correct ones for it to count. The bracer will detect the much higher level in the beast and thus confirm the kill for the quest. We have confirmed that the stairwell is included in the quest area so be careful. There is a chance that the guardian could also be affected.”