Getting to know you

Zantano started his walk down the steps each stepped echoed and complaining about the amount of the steps there was to this tower, however this was broken up the sound of a second pair of boots, softer in their nature and faster in an attempt to catch up and keep up with him, “Zantano wait up!” he stopped and seeing her rush to meet him groaned in relief seeing his feet come to a stop. “Freyja, why the rush?” “I just wanted to talk with you about your plan and perhaps in the meantime a tour of our land” “I suppose it can’t hurt!” he contemplated before speaking, “The plan is simple, if she follows the story each time to the letter we can get an translation and know each step she makes and when she makes it. If we can take each major threat out in order it will provide us with more time and potentially **** a mistake from her” “If she has to use another beast to fulfil the others job it could cause more trouble in the long run for her or for us!” “Hopefully leaves her open for the takedown... on parchment it’s simple enough but in practice not soo much!” she nodded before stopping at the first location threw her arms up wide to motion to the large area, “The feasting room where the Gods and the very best warriors dine, wait you don’t eat do you?” he shook his head studying the area around him and the warriors waiting to be called into Ragnarok causing him to almost wonder if they knew of what was about to be unleashed on them, “No, I drink but that’s just to be polite, the closest I get to feeling drunk is mixing herbs into my drink to make me feel dizzy, nothing else. I don’t sleep actually neither” “Have you tried?” “Multiple times, I used to be able to but as time went on I didn’t want to sleep and felt the same whether I was laying down for 9 hours or not” “What did you do during those times?” “According to my grandmother, I found a way to keep myself occupied!” she dropped her head in an attempt to hide her blushing before leading him to the next stop tried to change the subject, “So... your family, do... well where would I start? Do you all have those darken-golden lines?” “These? Well yes but also no. The Isu that monitor the living realms lines are a lot brighter and lighter in nature where mine and my family’s lines are darker in nature; something about the lack of proper sunlight” she nodded before asking, “I heard you all practice ****...” “Yes and no. The problem is we all descended from the same people. We call them the Ancient One’s or Titan’s. Their children branched off to marry each other or marrying their siblings children. My grandfather Hades, married his niece which makes her technically my grandmother and Aunty, the only time this doesn’t happen is when one of us falls in love with a human or hybrid. My branch of the family is different” “How so?” “Well whilst Zeus is sleeping with his sister and his son sleeping with daughter and so on and they all are having multiple Orgies and affairs my family do not. The policy for us is to marry someone not directly related to us. For example me marrying my aunt Aphrodite is a big NO. However me marrying Nyx is okay, my great great aunty, this being Hera is the great niece of Nyx, Nyx being second generation Isu whereas Zeus and Hera are third generation. So my blood relation is tiny compared to others. My family also promote marrying human or Hybrids due to it being “less trouble” so when I was in love with a human called Triss Merigold they loved the idea, just hated the result” “Why say it like that? You make sound like it is a game” “Because it is. Everything is practically political. I may love you but if me and Leto is a better match for children they would partner us two up. Love means nothing officially; all that matters is the most powerful baby and the orgies, affairs etc. is merely the production of being able to indulge in the true loved ones!” “Isn’t that dangerous? You know a baby being too dangerous?” he nodded before raising his arms up and spoke, “Looking at one!” “Wait you?” he nodded before leaning over the balcony to look out the vast mountains and the bridge spoke, “My mother is Melinoë who involves nightmare and fear, she fell in love with a son of Ares known for his brutality who was descended from a Isu known for war but also the mother being emotions. What did that produce? Me” “You aren’t that bad...” “You think so? *laugh*” “What?” “Well I suppose you wouldn’t know. Each Southern Isu has a role to fulfil most are chosen by the characteristics a child shows or the way they act when growing up. Mine... well my mere existence brought fear to everyone around me, they fear me soo much that when I was baby my parents signed me off to Zeus with an agreement that by a certain age I would have wed to someone who isn’t considered powerful that failed. Nevermind what I am trying to say is my role sums up how bad people think I am. When a human dies or a god there is 3 places one can go. Where you have for the main part half go to Helheim the other half or warriors come here, we have the brave and courageous go to Elysium, the others go to Hades’ realm and then the worst of the worst; the criminals, insane and opposition of Zeus to Tartarus, where they are punished... I was sent there” he confessed almost ashamed, “What did you do?” she queried trying to offer him some questionable comfort, “Nothing, I was sent to run it. I punished people day in, day out the only difference to my predecessor is the administration, I actually released people after a fitting time was served and if they did it again then it was permanent, I also never punished political prisoners and instead let them go. It doesn’t change the fact of what I was... an emotionless monster to punish all monsters” she nodded understanding why he would see this but respecting him stated, “What you do is honourable. Gruesome but honourable, I hope you recognise that. You punish the bad and let the misjudged go. Perhaps people would see you as one but I don’t. You do a job and keep others safe, I can respect that... it’s what I am meant to do but as you can see I’m failing” “You are doing better than Zeus would have. He can’t even make an decision without consulting his cock unfortunately!” she nodded before asking, “Surely it can’t all be that bad. Your parents for example, surely there where some good things about them?” “None. When they found out about my danger they abandoned me in a forest to be eaten by wolves or some other beasts, it was my grandmother who saved me and Hades who agreed to raise me as their own. They taught me everything I know apart for emotions... that’s a different story!” she continued to lead him to the next stop before asking, “How so?” “I was born without most of them. Hence why I was abandoned. I didn’t love, laugh, lust, frown, weep; most of them didn’t exist. I felt anger, fear or nothing. Persephone threw endless love on me and I still didn’t understand it. I later stopped fearing after the Hela incident” “Yeah, I heard about that, she lured you into Helheim and held you hostage as love **** or something right?” “Wrong. I was kidnapped and **** multiple times by her, I was barely 14 when it begun. Problem is be down there for long enough and you will soon become numb to the horrors down there and when you have overcome that the only thing that matches that is Tartarus, I didn’t fear anything and never have since” “So that’s how you know her?” “She isn’t all bad, we did become friends whilst down there and she taught me how to use my abilities and linked me into Helheim’s system but it was always, I am you friend but we must fuck now!” she nodded before explaining, “They call me whore because I use seduction as one of my ways to get what I want but it’s not true. I don’t see value in smashing peoples brains into the ground for what I want where more peaceful ways could be achieved!” he nodded smiling before asking, “You should take them south and then they will see what a Whore truly is. Zeus has over 35 children alone and his sister punishes the women for his faults. It’s ridiculous really!” “What’s your grandparents like?” “Grandmother is kind and caring, she tries to make everyone in her realm satisfied but with that comes with the overbearing feeling of her controlling everything. To me she cared for me, listened to me, taught me the basics to fight and the idea of knowledge being the better solution; she was my lover as one point and had my child but something happen that I don’t remember and I can’t see it anymore. Hades despite outwardly being aggressive, he does care even though looking at his realm it looks otherwise; he believes in complete freedom and with that brings chaos. He taught me to track, hunt and the idea that sometimes the bad are bad and we can’t do anything about it. Both of them opposed me being thrown in Tartarus as it’s Keeper and the marriage agreement; both also threatened to kill my parents for doing it. They later let me handle it, you should see Elysium though. I find it too bright and too sweet but you would love it. Warm beaches, long summers, endless flowerbeds, warm seas, giant elks, countless feasts, beautiful temples, parties, and peace for those who earned it.” “Like this place then... would eventually get boring” “Well Hades’ realm first rule is to always expect the unexpected. Mine was sometimes called an twisted museum of art! Doesn’t matter now, I merely live in inn’s and sometimes squat in Persephone’s temple” she nodded before remembering why he was there, “I forgot you lost everything! This is our baths; careful though some women Isu here are fussy unlike the south” he nodded stopping to study the mountains as he asked, “Let me ask you something... your extended family; Odin and all them, do they deserve to suffer from Ragnarok?” “What an stupid suggestion, would you say the South did?” he looked to her and shamefully nodding replied, “Yes, the purpose of Ragnarok has it merits, the South is plague and only a few should be spared so we can start again. Alas it doesn’t matter either way, I can’t die and Hela is the one behind it; so we would be the only two left!” “Not exactly...” a voice boomed behind them and seeing the golden lines of the blonde women she simply opened her arms to great the walking up Zantano.

“What are you doing here?” he spoke in his usual trying to act grateful manner and holding the parchment up Persephone handed it over looking around, “You know, I have never seen the North and I can’t be bothered listening to Kiera’s moaning, I suppose that’s why you left her!” he shook his head before saying, “Here I am a free man, I don’t have expectations from Zeus, no imposing marriage proposals, I don’t need citizenship because I’m not from here and a situation I can actually dig my teeth in to. I know the problem and I know the challenge but it doesn’t mean I can’t help!” she laughed before nodding to see the life in his eyes replied, “There he is, the spark that has been missing since... since Triss. It’s good to see such a thing once more.” he nodded immediately starting to read the story to himself where he was immediately interrupted by Persephone frustration, “You just have to pick the impossible task to find your flame on!” he laughed before continuing to read it, “Don’t you see? Sutr is a very minor general in this war. Loki betrays you, Fenrir kills Odin and Jormungand will kill Thor. It’s a blow for blow contest which you can’t win!” “Loki betrays us? Arrest him!” Zantano shook his head before claiming, “That is what happens and he escapes. Execute him; it saves one of your best fighters in the process!” she nodded issuing the command and studying it in more detail Zantano replied, “This requires a lot of thought. How can I kill a giant snake at the bottom of the sea which spits venom... Fenrir; simply find the wolf and butcher it. The ship... surely we can explode it or something” Persephone rolled her eyes before pulling his arm to look at her she spoke, “I’ve talked to Hela” “You’ve done what?!” he yelled back and raising her hands up to calm him she carried on, “I haven’t told her anything, just wanted her to release you from the deal. She agreed in exchange for the Southern Titans to help fight, now if we can just leave here you will be free!” “No chance in hell, Persephone. I will kill them and the others one by one if I have to” “Think smart, it’s going to end no matter what; you know from the story that fighting it will just make it longer!” “Not if we time it right. I won’t give up on her...” “Her?!” “It. I won’t give up on IT.” Freyja seeing the tension slid in between the duo and pushing both back spoke, “How about we get a table some food and a drink and discuss it. Zantano you know you don’t want to hurt her” he sighed and taking a **** breath walked away leaving the two women to interact and Freyja looking over to Persephone saw the other woman glare at her, “What?” Persephone took an step forward and leaning into Freyja’s face snapped, “The last time he did something stupid he did it for a woman. Don’t forget that whilst we ‘talk it out’ because I won’t.”