Upon entering the workshop, Alex didn't want to disturb Nyx, who was venting her anger on the snacks laid out on the table. He understood how difficult it was to realize that someone you considered close had betrayed you. There were many ways to cope with this, including the desire for revenge.
But for now, Alex was in no hurry to help Nyx since he didn't know how extreme her actions had been. If she hadn't done anything truly terrible, he might consider helping her release her pent-up anger. "If she hasn't done anything radical, then I'll help her deal with it," Alex thought as he headed to his workbench.
He approached his workspace, trying not to distract Nyx from her activity. Alex was contemplating how to introduce the wonders of cinema to the residents of this fantasy world while avoiding potential problems.
Opening his notebook, he began flipping through it, hoping to find something he might have jotted down earlier and forgotten about. In the process, he came across one of his projects for creating a beacon to avoid losing connection with his world. "I can't navigate the multiverse like Barry Allen, so I need to be prepared in case I can't find my world during my travels," Alex pondered, forming a plan to create the beacon.
When he opened that page, his paranoia intensified, signaling a looming danger. Alex's hand froze as he realized that something serious was about to happen, although he didn't yet know what it was.
Previously, he thought the group of misfits just wanted to cause chaos, but now he understood that wasn't the case. Alex paused for a moment, then approached his board and erased everything that was written, starting anew with the information he had gathered after capturing nearly all the members of the group.
"Some details don't add up. Everything I've learned about Erebus's plans points to radical changes. And the main question is, why?" Alex mused as he wrote down new details on the board.
Thanatos turned out to be just a minor pawn, carrying out trivial tasks, Indra was cannon fodder, a distraction. Nyx was supposed to be sacrificed to help a certain being attain godhood. Dionysus was likely collecting souls and fear emitted by people in desperate situations. "But why all this?" Alex pondered, trying to piece together the puzzle.
"What are you aiming for, Erebus?" Alex thought, looking at the board and lighting a cigarette to clear his mind.
Nyx, hearing noise in the workshop, nervously turned around, fearing that Dionysus had woken up and wanted to do something. But when she saw that Dionysus was still lying in a pool of his own blood with broken limbs, she realized it wasn't him.
Then she turned and noticed Alex, who was standing by the board and smoking. She couldn't understand why he was so tense and why he was staring at the board until she noticed the photos of her group and the notes beneath them. She began to read what was written.
Nyx saw a photo of Thanatos with the caption "Minor Pawn" and a photo of Indra with the caption "Cannon Fodder." Next to her own photo, she saw the caption "Sacrifice," and next to Dionysus's photo, "Collector."
All of this puzzled her, but now she understood how Alex had managed to capture them all—he knew too much about her group. Nyx wanted to ask what he was doing, but decided not to interfere and enjoy the last moments of peace.
Alex didn't notice that Nyx was also looking at the board, but even if he had noticed, he wouldn't have cared. His main concern now was figuring out what Erebus was planning. From all the information he had, Alex knew that Erebus was a radical who believed that without sacrifices and war, humanity couldn't progress.
But one day, Erebus began to change, becoming more withdrawn and distant, isolating himself from the other gods he knew. He even held the gatherings of the group of misfits less frequently. If before, his motive was chaos to advance humanity, now something entirely different was driving him.
"What are you planning, Erebus?" Alex wondered, staring at the god's photograph. "Maybe now you want more power and authority, or has madness consumed you?"
"But if you've allied yourself with the one I suspect, you've made a terrible mistake, Erebus, and condemned this world to serious trouble," Alex thought, realizing that this was one of the most likely scenarios.
Alex couldn't yet precisely determine what Erebus's motives were at the moment, but he understood that he had changed drastically. Deciding to set this problem aside for later, he chose to focus on his current tasks and prepare for any surprises that Erebus might spring.
"Alright, Erebus, to hell with you. I'll deal with it as I go. Right now, it's important to finish what I've started, and then I'll think about it," Alex muttered, extinguishing his cigarette.
Alex sighed tiredly and decided to take a break from the complex thoughts, shifting his attention to preparations for the evening's movie screening. He already had a rough idea of how to organize it, and for that, he needed several devices.
First on the list was a memory crystal capable of recording memories of movies Alex had seen in the past and then projecting them onto a large screen. This would allow everyone to enjoy the viewing.
With a plan formed, Alex first created the memory crystal and began testing it. He checked how the crystal recorded memories and how it then displayed them on the screen. "Well, let's see how you do," he murmured, starting the projection.
Fragments began to appear on the screen, and Alex squinted. "Hmm, some gaps... Maybe it's because the memories are too distant?" he wondered, examining the crystal.
After an hour of rigorous testing, he finally managed to create a stable version. Alex recorded several movies to check and made sure everything worked smoothly. Now, the memory crystal transmitted all the scenes without interruptions or glitches. The next step was the projector, which was supposed to enhance the effect of using the crystal.
"Now everything works perfectly. No gaps, no interference," Alex thought with satisfaction, holding the crystal in his hand with a smile.
While Alex was working on his new inventions, Nyx silently watched him from the corner of the room. Her attention was drawn to the crystal, from which voices and images of people and places she had never seen appeared.
She desperately wanted to get closer and see what this wonder was, but being bound to a chair by a spell, she could only resign herself to observing from afar.
"What is this crystal? What is it showing?" Nyx thought curiously, feeling an increasing desire to know the truth. "Maybe if I ask, he'll tell me?" she wondered, but she was afraid that his kindness didn't extend to such questions. However, she remembered that Alex had promised to be more open if she behaved well.
After finishing his work on the projector, Alex decided to test it to ensure it wouldn't break down at the most inconvenient moment. Stretching after a long session of work, he got up from his chair and turned around, noticing that Nyx was watching him intently. At that moment, he remembered his "new friends" with whom he hadn't yet had a proper conversation.
"Sorry, Nyx, I completely forgot about you," he said with a slight smile, which made Nyx tense up involuntarily. "I'll check the projector now, and then we can discuss anything that interests you."
"What is a projector? What is it for?" Nyx cautiously asked, hoping not to irritate Alex.
"It's a device that helps project memories," Alex calmly replied, inserting the crystal into the projector.
"And why did you make it?" she continued with interest, watching as images of battles and conversations began to appear on the wall.
"I want to show my family the adventures of other people. It's like a book, but you don't have to read it—just watch and listen," Alex explained, which only piqued Nyx's curiosity further.
She was intrigued by this invention but was afraid to ask too many questions, not wanting to anger Alex, so she decided to just observe silently.
Alex carefully monitored the projector's performance, checking it from all angles, hoping to spot any flaws, but there were none. Satisfied with the result, he smiled, realizing that his idea had succeeded and that his family would enjoy the movie screening. However, when Alex realized everything had gone smoothly, a mischievous plan formed in his mind.
He knew that the movies he liked weren't always suitable for family viewing—they were more for watching with friends or alone in a dark room to set the right mood. And now he couldn't wait to see his family's reaction to the movie about the dancing clown Pennywise, whom he both hated and loved.
"Heh-heh-heh... This is going to be fun when they see the movie about Pennywise the clown," Alex chuckled mischievously, anticipating the girls' reactions.
Nyx flinched at hearing that ominous laugh, and seeing his sly smile, she realized Alex was up to something.
Alex finished recording the movies onto the crystals and smiled, knowing he had completed the initial stage of his work. Now it was time to talk to his new "friends." Placing the crystals in a special box, he carefully put it in his bag, then turned to Nyx. She flinched under his gaze and began to grow nervous, which only made Alex shake his head, noticing how timid this goddess was.
"Well, now we can talk a little, my new 'friend,' Nyx," Alex said, grabbing a chair and sitting down across from the goddess, who was visibly trembling with nervousness.
"What do you want to know?" Nyx cautiously asked, trying to hide her anxiety.
"Let's start simple. Why did you join that club of misfits?" Alex asked, looking at her intently, noticing how she seemed lost in thought.
"I became part of the group because Erebus asked me to," Nyx answered, avoiding his gaze.
"So, you joined just because Erebus asked you? And there were no other reasons?" Alex tried to gauge if she was lying, recalling how rude and arrogant she was during the group's meetings.
"Yes," Nyx nodded, now a little less nervous.
"Then why don't you like Ishtar? And why did you act differently at the meetings?" Alex continued to question, observing as the goddess looked away.
"I saw how the other gods behaved and thought that's how it should be, so I followed their example," Nyx replied, lowering her head in shame.
"You... I don't even know what to say. But what about Ishtar?" Alex realized that Nyx was much more naive than he had thought and decided to change the subject.
"Ishtar was always surrounded by others, constantly having admirers both in the mortal world and in the heavens," Nyx answered with irritation.
"So, you were just jealous that she was popular and you weren't? Then why don't you hate Freya? She's popular too," Alex asked, noticing how Nyx's irritation deepened.
"Freya and Ishtar are different. Freya looks noble and keeps her distance, while Ishtar takes advantage of it," Nyx replied, not hiding her dislike.
"Oh, for heaven's sake…" Alex wearily rubbed his temples.
"What?" Nyx didn't understand.
"If you didn't want to be alone, you could have joined Hestia or other goddesses who don't care about your power," Alex said tiredly.
"I... I didn't think of that for some reason," Nyx said, realizing she could have found company among kind goddesses, feeling embarrassed.
"Then why did you take Hestia hostage when we were in the dungeon?" Alex asked, noticing Nyx tense up.
"I saw mortals doing that and thought it would work," Nyx replied, causing Alex to shake his head.
"Alright, one more question. How did you meet Erebus?" he asked, observing as Nyx delved into her memories.
"We were born together and were similar, though different. Erebus always took care of me, but after descending to the mortal world, he began to change," Nyx answered after some thought.
"Do you remember when he started to change?" Alex asked, seeing the goddess strain to recall.
Alex realized that Erebus was different in the divine realm and only began to change after descending to the mortal world. The reasons for his changes could be varied—from external influences to internal shifts that Erebus himself might not have realized. Alex now suspected that someone might be intentionally influencing Erebus, aiming to turn him into a new tool.
"I can't remember the exact moment, but his personality started to change drastically a few months ago," Nyx replied, shaking her head.
"A few months ago, you say?" Alex asked, looking at her thoughtfully.
Nyx's answer puzzled Alex, and he began to search for possible connections and reasons for everything that was happening. It all boiled down to one simple fact: Erebus began to change exactly when Alex appeared in this world.
"This could be a coincidence or part of this being's plan," Alex thought, deep in contemplation. "What if this being chose this world just for games, until it sensed my presence and decided to play a bigger chess game to see how things would unfold?"
Alex continued to toss around possibilities in his mind. "If we follow Master Oogway's logic—'There are no coincidences'—then I ended up here for a reason. Maybe the old man knew something was happening here and sent me to this particular world?"
Alex rubbed his eyes in frustration. "If the old man knew but couldn't intervene himself, it confirms that he's bound by some rule of non-interference with what he created and simply sent me to deal with it."
He looked at the ceiling, trying to gather his thoughts. "Well, to hell with it. I suppose I owe the old man, so I'll fix what's happening here," Alex sighed wearily, making his decision. "So much for my peaceful life that lasted only a few months," he thought, clenching his fists in frustration, wishing to hit something.
Nyx nervously watched Alex, who remained silent and rubbed his face in irritation. She couldn't understand why he was reacting this way and what troubled him so much. Perhaps he had realized something she hadn't and was therefore so upset.
"Are you okay?" Nyx cautiously asked, noticing Alex take a deep breath.
"Not sure," Alex replied with a tired expression. "It seems the problem is much more serious than I thought."
"Well, that's not important now. Let's wrap up our conversation quickly, and I'll go do other things," Alex said, wanting to change the subject.
"Are you going to kill me?" Nyx asked fearfully.
"No," Alex replied, shaking his head.
"Then what are you planning to do with me?" she asked cautiously.
"For now, nothing. Just tell me what you were doing when you descended to the mortal world and what crimes, according to you, you committed," Alex asked, staring at her intently.
"When I descended to the mortal world, I traveled like other gods until I returned to Orario and met Erebus again," Nyx began to explain.
"And what did you do during your travels?" Alex asked, watching as Nyx pondered her actions.
"Well, I did…" Nyx started to say.
The more Alex listened to Nyx's tales, the more his face twitched. What she considered evil seemed entirely opposite to him. Alex became increasingly convinced that the goddess before him was a complete fool with a terrible understanding of what evil actually was.
"What could 'scaring children until they stop being afraid' possibly mean?" Alex thought, watching Nyx list her deeds. "How can making a husband who beat his wife go gray be considered evil? And what's with the case of the criminal she drove to hysterics so that he feared his own shadow? Does she really think these are acts of wickedness?"
Alex lit a cigarette, not wanting to interrupt her story, but he was seething inside. He was utterly convinced that Nyx was just an idiot who didn't understand what she was doing.
She thought her actions were evil, but in reality, she was helping people, albeit in her own peculiar way. She resembled a psychiatrist more than a goddess who created evil out of boredom.
"Well, that's it. What will happen to me now?" Nyx asked cautiously, glancing at Alex, who was smoking with a crooked smile.
"Are you really sure you're an evil goddess?" Alex asked doubtfully, wanting to hear her response.
"Didn't I tell you everything I did?" Nyx asked, genuinely not understanding what he was getting at.
"Oh, why do I keep meeting such strange gods in this world," Alex muttered tiredly to himself rather than to Nyx, which only made her more confused.
"Everything you've done seems more like helping people rather than committing evil acts. You were just helping in your own way," Alex said, looking at her.
"What do you mean?" Nyx asked, not understanding where he was going with this.
Alex started to explain to the naive goddess what she had actually done, trying to convey the essence of her actions from the perspective of mortals. The more Nyx listened, the more she was astonished, realizing that what she thought were evil deeds didn't look like that from the perspective of ordinary people. At one point, it seemed absurd to her, and she wanted to argue, but she couldn't find the words to defend herself.
"Do you understand now?" Alex asked, noticing how Nyx, like a fish, was opening and closing her mouth in shock.
"But I... I thought I was committing evil acts," Nyx said, bewildered.
"Well, that's because you're antisocial and your understanding of evil is a bit… strange, to say the least," Alex said, shrugging. Nyx noticeably flinched at being called a loner again.
"And if you didn't lie to me, you can consider yourself pardoned," he added, looking at Nyx, who clearly felt relieved by these words.
"And what will happen to me next?" she asked cautiously.
"You'll go through rehabilitation to stop living in isolation," Alex said, getting up from his chair.
"And how will that happen?" Nyx asked with caution.
"You'll have to interact more with others. That way, you might find friends, though I'm not too sure about that," Alex said with a hint of doubt in his voice, understanding how difficult it is to change introverts.
"Maybe we can skip that?" Nyx asked hopefully, clearly not wanting to interact with strangers.
"You'll have to go through it, at least to better understand what good and evil are," Alex said, removing Nyx's restraints.
"And now your friend-finding program begins," he added, heading towards the exit of the workshop.
"What about Dionysus?" Nyx asked, pointing to the god lying on the floor.
"Leave him. He won't be able to escape even if he wants to. Now follow me," Alex said, opening the doors and letting her go ahead.
As they climbed the stairs, Alex walked behind Nyx to ensure she didn't run away. Nyx, with a sad expression, realized she would have to interact with other people and that all the façades she had built around her personality would be useless here.
She didn't know how to communicate properly because she was used to acting arrogantly, imitating other gods. At that moment, Nyx wished more than anything to return to the realm of the gods, lock herself in her home, and never come out—it seemed far better than the forthcoming interactions.
Alex ascended with Nyx and went into the main hall, which was very noisy. From the sounds, Loki and Hestia were fighting again, and no one was even trying to stop them. Entering the hall, Alex saw that, as expected, Loki and Hestia were once again in a quarrel, having started a fight over something.
Despite all the time spent together, they were still bickering, and everyone had long stopped trying to intervene. Even the usually stern Hephaestus had thrown up her hands in resignation. Nyx hid behind Alex in fear, not forgetting how Hestia had broken her nose— that memory was still too fresh.
"Hey, you two, stop it already!" Alex shouted, clapping his hands to get the fighting goddesses' attention. "What are you fighting over this time?" he asked, looking at them. Loki and Hestia stopped but continued to pull each other's cheeks.
"She stole my snacks!" / "She didn't want to share!" Loki and Hestia said simultaneously, pointing fingers at each other.
"Hestia, why didn't you share? And Loki, how many times have I told you not to steal snacks from Hestia? If you want something, just ask," Alex said sternly, like a father reprimanding unruly children.
"I had very few snacks left, so I didn't want to share," Hestia replied, lowering her head.
"I just wanted to try them; I've never seen a flavor like that before," Loki said, looking away and whistling.
"What do you mean 'wanted to try'? You flat-chested thief! You grabbed the whole pack and devoured it like a seagull!" Hestia shouted angrily, pointing at Loki.
"What did you say, you chesty shrimp? Want to fight again?" Loki retorted challengingly, glaring at Hestia.
Alex rubbed his forehead wearily, watching as the two goddesses began fighting again. All he wanted at that moment was to relax and watch a movie. But if they continued, it could drag on for a long time.
"Enough, you two. If you don't stop, there will be no movie for you," Alex said sternly.
The goddesses immediately froze and looked at each other. Their gazes still conveyed hostility and a desire to compete, but the prospect of missing the movie was too strong an argument.
Reluctantly, they agreed to a temporary truce, shaking hands like old enemies who had reached an armistice. The others could only smile wryly, knowing that this peace wouldn't last long and the war could flare up at any moment.
"Darling, have you prepared everything?" Freya asked, sipping her tea and looking at Alex.
"Yes, I found a way for everyone to enjoy the viewing. Now we just need to set up the place," Alex replied, giving a thumbs up. His words caught the attention of the whole group, and everyone eagerly anticipated the upcoming viewing.
"Why is Nyx with you?" Freya asked, a fleeting shadow passing through her eyes.
"This lonely goddess will be going through a socialization process to find friends," Alex explained. Nyx's face immediately contorted—she clearly wasn't thrilled about participating.
"You're saying Nyx hasn't done anything wrong?" Hephaestus asked, watching the goddess who was hiding behind Alex like a frightened fawn.
"On the contrary, she's helped more than she's harmed," Alex replied, nodding. Everyone turned their attention to Nyx, who shrank even further behind his back.
"Darling, did you find out anything?" Freya asked, clearly more interested in other information than Nyx's rehabilitation.
"I'll tell you later. For now, we all need to head to the training ground," Alex said, smoothly changing the subject. Freya narrowed her eyes but chose not to press further.
"Why the training ground? Can't we watch it here?" Daphne asked in surprise.
"There are too many of us. Look, just from our family, there are seven people, plus Hephaestus and Freya—two more. From Loki's family, there are five more, and don't forget about Ryuu. That's already fifteen people, so it's better to choose a larger place," Alex explained, and everyone began to look around, counting the number of people present.
"You're right," Riveria said, standing up from the table.
The group began to rise, grabbing snacks and drinks, and headed towards the training ground. Loki and Hestia were the first to rush off, eager to claim the best spots, but they didn't know that Alex had yet to prepare anything and would be disappointed.
Once everyone had left, only Freya and Nyx remained with Alex, who clearly didn't want to leave. Freya took Alex's hand and silently looked at him. She sensed that something was troubling Alex, and his behavior revealed his unease.
Alex, noticing her concern, simply shook his head, signaling that it wasn't the time to talk about it.
To be continued…