"Honestly, Hypnos," I mutter to myself, shaking my head. "Can't even stay awake during a dungeon raid." I bend down and gently shake him awake. He groans, blinking his eyes open, and rubs his temples.
"What? Did we finish?" he asks, still groggy from the sleep.
I nod. "Yeah. Boss is down."
Hypnos stretches his arms and lets out a loud yawn as he stands up.
"Are we heading to your castle now? I could use a good night's sleep on an actual bed," he says with a hint of exhaustion in his voice.
I nod, rolling my eyes at his lazy demeanor. As we walk, I can't help but study him more closely, bringing up his player stats. My eyes widen as I see that his level is higher than mine! While my level jumped to 200 after defeating the boss, Hypnos is already at 800. How is that possible?
Jealousy starts to creep up inside me, but I quickly push it down. There's no point in comparing ourselves, I remind myself. He may seem laid-back, but his high level indicates that he has fought countless dungeons or perhaps even more challenging battles than I have.
As we arrived back at my castle, I noticed one of my demons waiting for me outside. I quickly instructed him to show Hypnos where he could rest for the night. However, I was not yet ready to join them inside. Instead, I opened up my skills and unlocked a few, including the ability of invisibility which would last for 30 seconds and could prove useful in future battles. Then, I turned my attention to the key I had been given as a reward and took it out of my inventory.
I retrieve the key that was given to me and take it out of my inventory. I'm determined to find out what it unlocks. I close my eyes and try to remember what I learned about Greece in school and why this key might be associated with the sea. The Aegean Sea comes to mind; a beautiful body of water stretching between the coast of Greece and Turkey, known for its stunning islands and clear blue waters. But it doesn't make sense for a key to lead me there. Why would it?
Approaching footsteps alert me to Thanatos' presence. As he approaches, I can feel his energy. "How did your hunt for Lilith go?" he asks, crossing his arms.
I massage my temples "I completed a dungeon and picked up a hitchhiking god named Hypnos, who is probably sleeping right now. But I'm currently stuck with this reward I received. Oh, and I didn't find Lilith," I add as an afterthought.
Thanatos raises an eyebrow, his expression filled with curiosity and perhaps a hint of amusement. "You managed to complete a dungeon and find Hypnos? That's... impressive," he says, his voice laced with sarcasm. "But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You always find a way to make things interesting."
I let out a sigh, my emotions a mixture of annoyance and amusement at his jab. "Well, not every quest goes as planned," I retort. "But don't worry, we can always go after Lilith later. Right now, I'm more intrigued by this key and what it unlocks."
I show Thanatos the key, and he bursts into laughter. "Phoenix - I mean Hades," he says between chuckles. "I remember in college how you would always fall asleep during lectures but still manage to ace the classes. Yet somehow, you don't remember anything about the Aegean Sea. Hades, that's where Poseidon lives. Did you forget that besides Zeus, Hades has another brother named Poseidon?"
A realization dawns on me as I connect the puzzle pieces in my mind. "Poseidon... the god of the sea," I say, my eyes widening with understanding. "This key must lead to something related to him."
Thanatos nods, his laughter subsiding. "It seems likely. The Aegean Sea is his realm, and he holds immense power over the waters. Perhaps whatever lies behind that door has a connection to him or holds significance in his domain."
I examine the key once more, realizing that it's time for my next journey. To encounter Poseidon, but will he be an ally or an enemy?