Last night, I decided to forfeit my personal promise. I will sleep, not because I needed, but to relax a bit. It was a full month without food, water and sleeping. I stopped breathing in the last week, and that was really hard. Those aides of mine could have told me that managing countless basic needs was stressful. And Hercules was excited about that, as Hermes said he would be, when he noticed my efforts towards achieving a mortal (eternal) existence in this realm. The training intensity went up by a level.
I tried to go to sleep. Failure. I was mentally exhausted, but my existence had already become one with my mind. So, relaxing sessions must happen as meditation ones, and thus a new soul may wonder if this is a nice way to remove tiredness. So wrong. Meditation means that my mind and soul are merging, improving my rule over both of them.
This leads to relaxation, as calmness overflows your entire soul. It is a pleasant experience when you do not possess divine energy within yourself. Divinity collides with the soul and mind as a third entity that tries to impose itself over everything else. When a mortal soul meditates, he becomes each time a being of the divine realms, but when higher beings (and I discovered that I am one) or gods do the same, they must find an equilibrium between the three forces.
Here, I was amazed that gods need to contain such forces internally, as it is like a constant struggle. The first days I was beaming with my considerable growth, then I stumbled into the wall and found myself on a plateau. Meditation was the tool I found, which caused more pain at the beginning. But I would rather not remember that now, the influx of memories, traumas from my mortal life, and my own worries flooded me in the first tries.
So, after I noticed, this long reflection led me to a meditative state. Oh, Lord, I am doing that again.
When I noticed, Helena, whose help these last weeks has been remarkable, was shaking me, trying to disrupt my concentration. I think I got lost in meditation one more time.
"Rufus? The transmigration will happen in one hour." Helena said while gently shaking me.
I broke free from my mental entanglement and answered her, "Yes, thank you." We are now more casual among ourselves. My divine helpers are now treating me as a friend. I did not feel right to have my seniors as my assistants, but they said that one day I would be in their shoes and would understand.
Helena brought a small breakfast for me, a cup of coffee, and some bread. As simple as I requested, I did not want a feast for my departure. In these last months, I have understood more about the mortal realm that I was going into, so I prefer it as the residents have.
Asceticism was not obligatory for my training, but coincidentally, Asclepius praised me a lot for my posture. Avoiding indulging was a good characteristic of mine, although I think that this came from the authority I inherited from him. Authorities reinforce some elements of my personality while reducing others.
After I took in the food, the first in a month, I asked her about the ceremony. She had a longing expression as soon as I mentioned it. I discovered later that she was eager to teach me the aspects of the Authority of Language, and was saddened by Athena's actions that void all my lesson planning. I have received only her schedule, which I used as the cornerstone for my self-taught program.
Then, we went together to the main hall of the mansion, where there were all personnel that helped me through this month, except for Zoe and Joseph that should be waiting for me at the ceremony location. However, Hermes was there and made a short speech.
"Today is the last day of our paradoxical ascetic apostle in this luxurious mansion. I will remain in touch with you, nevertheless others will not. They helped to provide materials, targets, summonings and every other kind of supply that you needed in the last month. I think everyone would like to say their farewell." Then, everyone in the mansion bowed silently in a respectful manner.
I did not feel the need to hold back my tears, as they were a small symbol of how much their action meant to me. Although I said, "You all aided in many ways that I cannot list now, I was here for so little time that one might dare to think that I do not care about you. I feel like you all are my new family, and I thank you for everything. I thank you too, Helena and Master Hermes, for your support in the last month. Likewise, I hope to continue contributing to Hermes Domain while in Midgard."
After giving an individual farewell to each one of the servants, I accompanied Hermes and Helena to the main door of the residence. This time, the teleportation was not set to the temple but to the Olympus pier. When we finished crossing, there were the others: Joseph, Zoe, Joanna, Asclepius, Athena, and Zeus.
I noticed the sorrowful expressions in my aides and the satisfied look on Athena and Asclepius faces. Zeus was the only one uninterested, as if this were nothing different from going to buy groceries. I thought that was a bit curious because the memories from one month ago were quite different.
As soon as we got closer to the pier, Zeus began to speak, "This is a curious day. The day of the journey of an apostle from Olympus. It was an unnatural event because our Mount is the home of heroes, apostles and gods. This abode is saddened by the departure of his son. His presence was short, but nonetheless remarkable for every one of us."
Zeus made a short stop, then continued with a more thunderous voice, "Our adversaries joined hands and are trying to destroy a new land. Rufus, apostle of Hermes, was assigned to impede the doom that will befall that brilliant world."
All of us understood what it meant. I have read about world corruption, its consequences for its inhabitants, and their soul obliteration within the hellfire pits of Tartarus.
"Do not forget your mission, Apostle." His words were not a request, but a command. "Do not enforce salvation. Midgard people shall seek support by themselves. Protect the weak ones and those who are alien to their own doom."
"I am bound to these orders and will follow them." I answered solemnly to Zeus.
His expression softened, then he went to me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, "Your mission will be long and require a lot of determination. I hope that you find success there, Rufus."
I looked for my combat teacher, but I could not find him anywhere. Zoe seemed to have caught what I was looking for, then said, "Hercules dislikes farewells and does not usually come."
I did not reply to that, as it was not as if I were going forever. But I was amused by his mannerism. Meanwhile, the other approached me and complimented me about my growth in the last month, saying that it surpassed some of their expectations. Except Athena, who was as smug as ever, saying that she did estimate my development correctly.
After 30 days, I was used to this banter between her and Asclepius who was mocked by everyone because I was barely able to complete half of his tasks. Even Hercules said that cleaning a certain stable was probably more reasonable than that.
A moment later, a known friend arrived at the pier.
"Hello, my friend. I think this time your journey is the other way." Charon said cheerfully.
"Hello, Master Charon. I hope you guide me to Midgard this time." I said to him.
"Stop talking like that. It is giving me goosebumps. I am not one of these old folks. Just Charon is enough."
"Some fee to pay for the travel?" I asked him.
"None. Hades and Zeus have an agreement about this matter." He nodded to Zeus.
Zeus replied with a nod, saying, "Yes, Rufus. Your return was also agreed upon. He only requests that you present yourself to him at the end of your new life."
After these pleasantries, Hermes walked before all the others and wished me good luck, gave me a fraternal hug, and then I went to Charon's ferry once again.
---
Charon seemed uneasy about something, and I knew what it was. I was just teasing him a little. Who would begin to speak first?
Charon lost our unilateral silence competition, by saying, "By the way, Rufus. Did you think about my investment proposal?"
I gave a hearty laugh for him and replied while taking off my satchel, "Yes, I did. Please support free of charge the crossing for the ones that are devotees of the Olympian gods."
"You definitely have become an apostle of theirs. I comply with your request, Mr. Apostle. And the leftovers?"
"Invest them the best you can."
"That is why I love discussing with Hermes and his people; they understand how business works." Charon replied, beaming with joy.
Our journey went on for some time, then we reached the Styx River again, where I could see the shore from when Charon firstly met me. It seemed to me that a long time ago, the continuous training of not sleeping distorted my notion of time.
Charon's ferry continued beyond that point in a darker direction. When we reached Olympus the first time, there was a continuous fog, but now the vision was clear. The river continued until its waters fell into nothing because there was no shore anymore.
That unrealistic scenario was too impressive. It was like we were navigating a river with only stars above our heads and nothing else. However, the constellations were impressive, and the universe observed from there was colorful and moving. A mesmerizing vision.
"I don't come here too often. In general, only transmigrants navigate the Styx in the wrong direction. But I am always in awe when I see it too."
Some time after, Charon stopped his ferry and said, "It is here. Do you have everything?"
I grabbed a small piece of fabric from my satchel and tied a knot in my arm. Then I told him, "Please, make good investment decisions, Charon."
"Feel at ease. I have been doing it for a long time now, Rufus." Charon looked into the water and continued, "You can jump here. I can't be sure of your precise location. In the worst case, you will be 20 kilometers from your desired destination."
"Yes, Hermes explained the procedure to me."
"So, are you ready?" Charon asked me with a curious face.
"No, but I need to go, right? Until later Charon" Then I jumped from the ferry into the Styx river water.