As soon as Hermes finished his blessing, I felt my body burning as I was engulfed by fire. Onlookers would say that I was glowing green, with a spiral of lights coming from Hermes's body towards mine. Actually, that divine power was really doing that, they were leaving Hermes for good and penetrating my vessel.
Yes, vessel. My body will be completely reformed when I say "yes" to Zeus. I have not felt anything, but when Hermes shared his Authorities with me, my body began to change, rapidly modifying itself to something more appropriate.
It did not look any different externally, but I was not any longer a mortal soul. I have become a "higher being," which is something above mortals and below the weaker of the gods.
I thought about all of that to forget the pain. But it was impossible, and it was becoming harder and harder as time passed. The lights dimmed after one minute and twenty seconds. And, yes, I was counting.
I felt on my knees, not for some reverence, but because I was barely conscious, Zoe approached me and helped me get up. Everyone was silently watching, and when Zoe returned to her seat and I stood up, trying to catch an air that I didn't need, Hermes said: "A new apostle has been born!"
A round of applause came from all the attendees. I thought Asclepius would bestow some authorities, perhaps they gave up.
Hermes approached me and put his hand on my shoulder, then said with a grin, "Welcome to the quasi-godhood, Rufus."
"Thanks... I wonder if everyone goes through this too." I observed, and that's why there are not so many apostles. Divinity 101 stated that the transition was hard, but even after the end of the ceremony, I felt it was difficult to stand.
"Fellow gods and invitee souls, I ask you if anyone else would join him in his tribulation."
Joseph, Helena, and Zoe stood up. They said in unison, "We will join the Saint Apostle!"
However, they were not the only ones that were raised from their seats. Unsurprisingly, Asclepius was patiently waiting for his turn, but when he was going to say something, a jovial woman holding a spear with an owl on her shoulder said loudly, "I will aid thou in thy journey."
I do not recall seeing this god, which looks much like the stereotypical goddess Athena that escaped directly from a mythological book.
The serene Zeus reacted to the interruption, declaring, "So join hands with Hermes and empower his champion". I smelled it—politics. Something was going on, and Asclepius was dumbfounded, as were my new three aides, who were also speechless. Even Hermes was unsure of what to do. Fortunately, for everybody, Zeus took the lead and stressed "his champion".
"I bestow upon thee, Hermes Apostle, the Authority of Justice."
The hall began to tremble again. My divinity handbook listed the main authorities for each god. Each one has several powers, called Domains, over some metaphysical concepts that allow them to nullify the Causality. Mortal souls cannot control a Domain, but they can have it bestowed upon them as authority over a Domain.
The pain started all over again. This time, perhaps because I have gained some endurance in this process, it was less painful than before. I could stand on my own.
"I beseech good fortune in your journey," Athena said solemnly after the complete Authority bestowal. She sat in her place, leaving all the presents perplexed.
"Were you going to say something, Asclepius?" Zeus said this as he was trying to get this ceremony back on track.
"Yes... I bestow upon thee, Hermes Apostle, the Authority of Healing." His voice was weaker than usual. I think Athena's intervention was unexpected.
Regardless of the politics, once again, I feel the flames of an authority invading my vessel and disrupting me. The fifth authority has worn me out less than the other four. I don't know if it was because I was getting used to the feeling.
Then, the ceremony continued to its end. Zeus declared, "A new apostle has been born. We pray that the blessings of Hermes, Athena and Asclepius aid you, O Mystical Apostle, in your tribulations."
All the presents, unbeknownst to them, cheered for me. Sounds of trumpets and music filled the hall, and a great feast took place.
---
"What do you think you were doing, Athena?" questioned with a low voice by Athena as soon as the festivities began.
"Just providing some extra juice to the apostle." Athena replied, with a wide grin on her face.
"Do you think this is a joke?" Hermes bluntly engaged in the conversation, noticeable enraged. "Do you know how hard it was to pick a proper soul?"
"I wonder. Zoe was likewise challenging to pick."
"She was not suited for your domains, and you know that." Asclepius joined the word war.
"What is done, is done." She said affectionately to them.
Oh, man. If I could take a picture of that, Hermes was so furious that I could feel his wrath boiling.
"I was planning to transmigrate him! How could you have done that?" Hermes was exasperated by her.
"I know. I know. You just need to shorten his training." Athena said it as if she were proposing it as an obvious solution. I understand the Hermes's point: the power to send a newly born apostle with few authorities had a payable cost. Fewer authorities, less cost. Divinity 101 did not quantify it, but I can imagine that the divine power required grows exponentially and not linearly.
"Reduce the training time? Do you want to throw Rufus with five authorities—two major ones, by the way—directly into a magical world? Did you know that he was going to Midgard?" It was Asclepius who was annoyed by Athena's mannerism.
"When did you decide to intervene, Athena? I remember that when we asked for your help, you said that you could not aid us." Zeus questioned her, now with a serious tone.
"Yesterday, after he spent all night reading your history, Hermes, and the Divinity 101."
"I believe I am the trickster among us. You did fit this bill, Athena." Hermes retorted, angrier than before.
"No, no, it is serious. Did you read the book all night, Rufus?" Athena turned to me and pulled me into their war.
"Yes, I did." I tried to answer as quickly as I could. Sincerely, I am missing my feast of apostle coronation hearing you fight.
Hermes halted his fury when he heard my answer. Zeus and Asclepius looked confused by it.
"I suggest that we all discuss the circumstances of Midgard. I thank you, Rufus, for your sincerity." Athena concluded while observing each reaction of theirs.
"Your three-month training is forfeit anyway, Rufus. Please — enjoy the feast. I think we need to address this matter with the intruder." Asclepius said this because everyone seemed to be lost in thought.
I felt that whatever that was going to happen, I would just be a powerless observer. So, I left to feast.
The gods walked way towards Hermes office.
---
When I, finally joined, the banquet, I was flooded with congratulations from everyone present. Some were more enthusiastic than others, and the merchants complained to me that if I were going to possess the commerce authority, I should have talked to them about that.
By the end of compliments, Joanna, Athena's librarian, came close and bowed, "I am deeply sorry. I did not know beforehand that my master had such intentions."
"To be sincere, Joanna, I couldn't follow the events quite perfectly. Why has Athena conceded to me her authority, and the justice one?"
"Well, the reason behind the Authority of Justice bestowal, I don't know. But she was looking through my eyes yesterday when you went to the library." She seemed ashamed.
"So, she saw additional potential in you." Joseph concluded while making a pensive expression.
"What do you mean, Joseph?" I questioned him.
"Gods can ascertain how much a given soul can grow. They call it fate-measuring, but the gods are not omnipotent. For instance, they can't see the growth beyond their own areas of expertise." His answer was enlightening, I understood why he was not flustered but pondering about what happened.
"Even though, it is very rare that another god intervene so bluntly over an apostle ceremony. It is a courtesy to discuss with the patron deity beforehand."
"Athena and Hermes are not on bad terms; even if she is upset about Zoe, it was not an enough excuse to do that." Joanna said, but the way she phrased it lacked any concern about her goddess.
While we were speculating on the reasons that made Athena act that way, I felt a voice in my head. "Rufus, could you come to my office. Athena has explained herself, I think we need to discuss with you the next steps."
"I just heard Hermes in my head. He called me to his office." I was a little flustered by this. I was ready for something like that, though.
"Yes, one of the perks of being an apostle is that he can talk directly to you. You don't yet know how to answer, but it is a two-way ability. Well, at least, as long as both of you are in the same divine realm." Joseph made a quick explanation to reduce my worries, then he continued: "I suggest you to go, you can talk later on."
I excused from them and some other people who were waiting to speak with me, and said that I was going to talk to them later.
I knocked on the office's door. "Please, come in." I heard Hermes's voice calling me.
When I entered the office, it was completely reformed, and even the decoration changed. For example, the constant caduceus was nowhere to be seen. The adornments were simpler than before; there were some waiters at the corners of the room, and only the gods were there.
They were sitting at a round table, there was only one spot right across Hermes position that, I suppose, was for me to sit. "Please, have a seat," he said.
After I took my seat, Athena was beaming: "We have two news for you."
"One bad and one good?" I gave it a shot.
Asclepius replied with a mournful tone: "No, two bads ones, actually."