Chronicles of the Red Sovereign

I woke up for the second time with a resounding groan. Thankfully, I was inside my room in the cabin I had been living for the last five years. I thought meeting Hestia and Anubis was a dream but then my gaze stopped on the four items mounted to the wall of my room; the coat, the swords, the map and the mask.

“Good morning?” greeted a familiar voice. I turned to my doorway and saw Anubis in his human form. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah, the best I’ve had the last few years in fact.”

“That’s good.”

“What are you doing here, Anubis? I thought you’re hanging out with Hestia?”

“I did, but then she told me I needed… friends that are close to my age range.”

“I am a few thousands of years old, spiritually at least. I still have the mentality of a teenager though.”

“She meant my mental age as well.”

-Oh. Anubis’ other form is a young man in his late teens after all.

“Congratulations on passing the trials of the Pagoda Tower. Everyone’s happy for you, especially Buddha.”

That caught my attention.

“Why Buddha specifically?”

“Well, did you know they had a bet when you entered the tower?” he asked in which I answered with a nod. “Right. So they bet how long it’ll take you to complete the tasks. You finished everything in six and a half days, which meant Buddha won the bet with his seven days, since it was the closest one.”

“Right. Zhong Kui said something like that.” I muttered. “And he also told me that a week inside the tower is actually only a day in the real world. Did I finish the trials too fast?”

“No. Some guy more than half a millennia ago finished the trials in three days.”

That got me stunned. “How the hell did that guy do it?”

“He punched through the floors and only started taking the trials when he reached the sixtieth floor. Even then after finishing the trial, he’d punch through the floors again and only take the trials in every ten floors and not face the monsters that litter the other floors.”

“Wow. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Probably a good thing. That guy defied logic and common sense.”

“You’re talking a lot for a former death god. People like you are usually dark and broody. At least Hades is.”

He only shrugged and got up. “Come on, there are some people who wanted to see you. They’ve been waiting for three days.”

-What?!

I was shocked, again.

“So I was out for three days?” I asked.

“No, a week actually but they arrived three days ago.”

His statement made me wonder who had been waiting for me. He just said they arrived, so that meant they were not from Avalon Isles and were possibly outsiders too, as in locals; Afasians. But Avalon Isles was hidden from everyone else in the world, unless special circumstances.

-Special circumstances then?

I followed him out the door. I suddenly heard a very familiar laugh which made me stop from my tracks.

-This particular laugh… No way!

I dashed out of the room and headed to my living room where the laugh was coming from. When I got there, I stood frozen. In my living room were my friends from Praiji! They looked a little older, but I could definitely recognize them!

“”LUNA!””

Before I knew it, I was engulfed in a group hug with statements of ‘I miss you’, ‘How have you been’ and ‘Did you ever get laid’. The last one was from Bernard.

-Good to know he still doesn’t have a filter in his mouth. I think it got worse.

From my peripheral vision, I could see two others who were only watching us; Anubis and surprising, Freya.

Once the others released me from their hug, I took this time to head to Freya and offer a handshake.

“Good to see you again, Freya.”

“Likewise, Hysi.” she replied and shook my hand.

I offered for them to take a seat again. I couldn’t help but beam at the presence of my friends. I haven’t seen them in five years! We never even exchanged letters! So of course I missed them and was so glad they were there!

“How have you guys been?! It’s been quite some time! I miss you guys!” I exclaimed, still smiling.

“We missed you too Luna.” Bernard responded with the same beaming face as me. “School has been dull ever since you left. I think Freya got frustrated too since her rival left.”

“Wow. Didn’t think you guys would think stuff like that. Oh, and I go by Nyxtriel now.”

“”NYxtriel?”” they all asked.

“Like the one from the myths?” Andrea asked. “Why would you want to name yourself after a fallen goddess?”

“Uh… I ‘am’ that fallen goddess guys. Honest.”

Silence hung in the atmosphere. I could see their faces in between shock and disbelief. I took this time to observe them and see how much they’ve changed. In doing so, I noticed two people missing from our usual group of friends.

“Where are Kai and Peter? They didn’t come with you?”

Another silence hung in the air, that time, more awkward.

“Guys?”

“I think we have a lot of stories to tell.” Thomas said with a sheepish smile.

“No kidding.” I commented.

“Let’s wait for one last person though.”

-We’re still expecting someone?

“He got snagged by Athena this morning.” Anubis informed me. “I already sent word to her, he should be returning to this place soon.”

As if on cue the space above the small table in front of me, which is right in the middle of our gathering, started to get distorted. All of a sudden something, or rather someone, fell from that distortion and fell on the table.

“Ow!”

“Senior Andrei?” I called. “What are you-“

“Luna!” he suddenly lunged at me and enveloped me in a hug.

-This guy is as hyper as ever, I suppose.

“It’s so good to see you again! Sorry if I wasn’t here when you woke up. I had some intellectual discussion with Athena which was very fascinating.”

-Yea, and he’s still as weird.

“I go by Nyxtriel no Senior Andrei.”

“Nyxtriel? Like the fallen goddess?” I nodded my head. He started looking at me from my head to my toe. “Hmm… Good choice. It suits you.”

“It’s my name as well.”

“Huh?”

-Right. That went well.

“Let’s start with you guys, what happened with you for the last five years.” I questioned, curious of the story they were about to tell.