Alex watched as the others left the hall where the family usually relaxed and spent their free time. Only Freya and Nyx remained with him, the latter unwilling to leave but still curious about watching the so-called movie.
Despite this, Nyx still felt fear toward Hestia, who had recently broken her nose, so she avoided any encounter with the small goddess.
Freya held Alex's hand, looking at him with concern. She noticed that the fatigue that had appeared before he went down to the workshop had only worsened, and now he looked even more exhausted. Freya wanted to understand what was causing Alex's condition and why he seemed so troubled after returning from the workshop. She squeezed his hand tighter, hoping to get his attention. Alex, feeling this, turned to her, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, looking at Freya.
"Darling, is something bothering you?" she asked quietly, gazing into his eyes.
"Sort of, but it's rather complicated," Alex replied with a tired smile.
"Did you learn something that's troubling you?" Freya continued, squeezing his hand even tighter.
"Remember how I mentioned that there are beings capable of interfering with different worlds for their own amusement?" Alex asked, looking at her intently.
Nyx, trying to stay unnoticed, caught the gist of their conversation, and questions began to swirl in her mind about what they were talking about and what beings Alex was referring to.
"Should I really be listening to this?" she thought, staying in the shadows.
"But I'm curious about which beings he's talking about. Maybe they're the ones who influenced Erebus?" Nyx pondered, glancing at Alex.
Nyx's eyes followed Alex closely as he spoke with Freya. Freya fell silent for a moment, processing his words. The gears in her mind began to turn, recalling past conversations about beings from the vast multiverse.
"Darling, are you saying you've figured out who's behind this?" she asked, looking at Alex.
"Nyx's words today only confirmed my suspicion. I'm almost certain who's responsible, but I still can't understand this being's motives," Alex replied, noticing how Freya was watching him closely, waiting for more details.
"And what did Nyx say that made you realize who's behind all this?" Freya asked, turning her gaze to Nyx, who was trying to blend in with the surroundings to remain unnoticed.
"She mentioned that in the divine realm, Erebus was different and began to change after descending into the mortal world. But his drastic changes happened just a few months ago," Alex replied, turning to Nyx for her confirmation. Nyx, noticing Alex looking at her, quickly nodded.
"A few months ago, you say…" Freya said thoughtfully, recalling something.
"That was when you arrived in Orario," she continued, looking intently at Alex.
"Yes, and when I arrived, I wasn't hiding my power yet. They probably noticed me, and that's when it all began," Alex replied with a wry smile.
"So, if you hadn't come, none of this would have happened?" Nyx asked cautiously, and Freya immediately focused her gaze on her. Nyx got scared and hid behind Alex.
"Unfortunately, my arrival only sped up the process," Alex said, patting Nyx on the head to calm her as she still feared Freya's gaze.
"What are you trying to say?" Freya asked, pulling Alex's hand away from Nyx. Nyx, who had been enjoying the affection, was startled and quickly hid behind Alex again, hoping Freya wouldn't see her.
"This being may have chosen this world as its playground," Alex tentatively suggested.
"So, even if you hadn't arrived, we would still have been doomed?" Freya asked with concern, looking at Alex, who only smiled sadly.
"But why is it doing this?" Nyx asked, not understanding the motives of the mysterious being.
"Before my arrival, its possible motive was simply entertainment, but after I appeared, I'm no longer sure of its goals," Alex said, shaking his head.
"You mentioned that your power is quite unique. What if this being wants to take your power?" Freya suggested after some thought.
"Such an outcome is possible only in one case," Alex said, lost in thought about Freya's words.
"In what case?" Nyx asked anxiously, worried about her future.
"It's too early to talk about it, so don't trouble yourself with unnecessary thoughts," Alex replied, flicking Nyx on the forehead.
"It wasn't necessary to hit me; I'm just curious and worried about my future," Nyx complained, rubbing the reddened spot.
"You're not planning to do anything dangerous, are you?" Freya asked, squinting at Alex, who just smiled.
"I'll prepare something. I haven't shown my trump cards yet, so the puppet master shouldn't know what I'm capable of," Alex said with a slight smile.
"What worries me more is where the battle will take place if the puppet master shows up," he added, gently stroking Freya's cheek.
Freya felt his touch on her cheek and, taking Alex's hand, pressed it against her cheek even more, savoring the warmth from him.
Nyx, seeing this, turned away, unwilling to watch the affectionate couple. Her face twisted as if she had just eaten a lemon. Nyx also wanted such warmth and attention but would never admit it.
"I believe you'll manage, as many more adventures await us," Freya whispered, pressing even closer to Alex's hand.
"Of course, you can't escape from me, even if you wanted to," Alex replied, brushing his thumb across Freya's cheek, which reddened from his words.
"I should be the one saying you can't escape from me," Freya said with a smile, her eyes dark as the abyss.
"You're right, we'll spend a lot of time together and see many amazing things," Alex said, leaning in to kiss Freya.
Freya let out a soft moan of pleasure, wrapping her arms around Alex's neck to hold him even tighter. As they shared this romantic moment, Nyx's face grew increasingly sour, as if she had been forced to drink an entire lake of lemon juice.
"I wish I were shown the same tenderness," Nyx thought, watching the couple with a blank stare, hiding her true feelings. "I also want to hear words of love and be kissed," she continued mentally, observing them as they whispered loving words to each other.
"I'd rather go with everyone else than watch this couple," Nyx thought, turning away to avoid worsening her mood.
As Alex and Freya's kiss ended, they rested their foreheads against each other, savoring the moment. However, the pink atmosphere around them grew increasingly intense, as if pink hearts were starting to appear in the air. Witnessing this, Nyx's mood darkened with each passing moment until she could no longer bear it.
"Could you two stop creating this pink atmosphere? We're not alone here, you know!" she exclaimed, unable to hold back any longer.
"Alright, alright. You see, sometimes it's hard to stay alone and enjoy the moment; I just got carried away," Alex said, embracing Freya and pulling her closer to his chest. Freya, feeling his embrace, wrapped her arms around his waist and held him even tighter, her face glowing with happiness.
"No, I don't understand," Nyx replied sulkily, looking at the hugging couple.
"One day, you'll find someone to love, so don't worry. You just need to stop being a loner," Alex said with a slight smile, irritating Nyx even more by calling her a loner again.
"Hmph," Nyx snorted and turned away, unwilling to continue the conversation.
Alex looked at Nyx, who turned away with a frown, and just shook his head, contemplating that perhaps he should introduce her to Yun-Yun, another loner who might deserve the title of the universe's loner. Maybe they could become friends, but that's a plan for the future; for now, he needed to focus on the current matters.
"Alright, stop sulking. Let's go watch the movie instead," Alex suggested, drawing Nyx's attention as she squinted at him with one eye.
"Dear, what are you going to show us?" Freya asked, lifting her head and kissing Alex on the chin.
"A very interesting film about a clown who loves to dance," Alex replied with an inscrutable expression, hiding his true intentions. He was curious to see how the fantasy world's inhabitants would react to this clown.
"What's a clown? Is it some creature from another world?" Freya asked, her question surprisingly close to uncovering the clown's identity, causing Alex's eyes to widen.
"A clown is like a jester in a king's court," Alex answered monotonously.
"Then why do you have that look when you talk about it?" Freya continued, noticing his expression had become vacant.
"I just don't really like clowns, or rather, they scare me," Alex admitted, turning away. Both goddesses widened their eyes in surprise at discovering his fears.
"You're afraid of something? How is that even possible?" Nyx exclaimed, turning her head with a shocked expression, not believing his words.
"Consider it a childhood trauma, so don't worry about it," Alex said, not wanting to delve into the details of his fear of clowns.
(A few words from the author: Although I'm an adult, clowns still scare me. But I really like the movie 'It,' and there's nothing I can do about it, even though clowns are still creepy.)
Both goddesses looked at Alex's embarrassed face, trying to grasp how it was possible that he was afraid of something. Freya was intrigued by why Alex was so afraid of clowns and decided to investigate.
Nyx, on the other hand, observed him with suspicion, trying to peer into his soul and see his fears but couldn't as a dense fog obstructed her view of Alex's inner self.
Alex didn't go into details and led both goddesses toward the training ground, reminding himself that they were already late and others were probably losing patience. He walked with Freya's hand in his, while Nyx clung to the edge of his clothing, afraid of getting lost.
When they reached the door leading to the training ground, Alex opened it, expecting to see another scuffle between Hestia and Loki, but instead found everyone sitting peacefully and enjoying food. This scene reminded him that no matter how much food is brought for the movie, it's always insufficient.
Alex drew the attention of the group relaxing nearby and approached them. Nyx still felt shy being among a large crowd and silently stayed close to him. Alex noticed that most of the attendees already showed impatience, only the most reserved members of the group remained calm.
"Why is it taking so long?" Hestia asked, running up to Alex.
"We had a romantic moment," Freya replied with a smile, looking at Hestia, who immediately puffed up with indignation.
"Oh, I missed such a moment," Hestia said in a despairing voice, falling to her knees. Hestia realized she could have been in Freya's place but instead had rushed ahead.
Everyone stared at her in surprise, not understanding what was happening. Loki's family expected such behavior more from Loki herself, but certainly not from Hestia. Hephaestus, seeing her friend's distressed state, decided to approach and support her.
"Don't worry, Hestia, you'll have your chance in the future," Hephaestus said gently, patting Hestia on the back.
"Right. Plus, unlike one goddess, I can sleep in bed with Alex," Hestia quickly replied, recovering her composure and looking at Freya with a sense of superiority.
"Hmm, I think I'll stay here tonight," Freya said with a slight smile, looking at Hestia, who froze at her words.
"Maybe I should stay here tonight too," Loki interjected, clearly intending to stir the pot.
"No, you can't! I won't agree to this!" Hestia exclaimed indignantly, pointing a finger at the two goddesses.
"Well, we'll see about that," Loki replied with a mischievous smile.
Hestia started arguing fiercely with the two goddesses, who decided to spend the night at her place. Alex, being a true gentleman, chose not to get involved in the conflict and made a tactical retreat to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
If he intervened, he would inevitably be asked whether he was against them staying. There was no right answer in this situation: if he supported Hestia, he would upset Loki and Freya, but if he sided with the goddesses, he would disappoint Hestia. So it was better to stay out of it.
Hephaestus noticed that Alex was leaving and followed him, not wanting to be drawn into the argument either. Nyx, who was quietly holding onto his clothes, felt his movement and instinctively followed him.
Alex decided that while the goddesses were sorting out their issues, he could prepare everything for the movie. Looking for a suitable spot to set up the projector, he aimed to find a place where the image would not be distorted and everyone would be comfortable watching.
"What are you doing?" Hephaestus asked, approaching from behind and drawing his attention.
"Looking for a spot to set up my little device," Alex said, showing the projector.
"Is this your new invention?" Hephaestus asked with interest, examining the device.
"Something like that," Alex replied, marking a suitable spot.
"And how does it work?" Hephaestus asked, always curious about his new inventions.
"It uses a memory crystal that projects an image over a large area. To simplify," Alex explained as he moved toward the setup area.
"Let me guess, you invented the memory crystal too?" Hephaestus asked with a smile.
"Yes," Alex confirmed, giving her a thumbs up and a kiss on the cheek for her perceptiveness. Hephaestus no longer blushed from such closeness and simply smiled, while Nyx frowned, realizing that she might have to witness this romantic atmosphere again. But she sighed in relief when Alex didn't continue and moved on.
Alex approached the spot where he intended to set up the projector and began to think about where to aim it for everyone to have a good view. He stroked his chin and considered possible options.
"If I project onto the wall, it might be uncomfortable if there are scenes blending with the background," Alex thought, looking at the wall.
"What are you thinking about?" Nyx asked, observing his concentrated expression.
"Trying to figure out the best way to set up the projector so there are no viewing issues," Alex replied absently, continuing to ponder.
"Why not just create a wall suitable for projection?" Hephaestus suggested. Alex paused, realizing he had missed the obvious solution.
"Ugh, sometimes I forget the simplest things," he said wearily, rubbing his forehead.
Choosing a spot for the wall, Alex created it wide enough to resemble a movie screen. Covering the wall with a white cloth to make it look like a real cinema screen, Alex glanced at the goddesses, who were still arguing and not paying attention to him.
The girls from both families noticed that Alex had created a wall and covered it with a white cloth. They approached closer, wanting to find out why he did it.
"Why the stone wall and white cloth?" Riveria asked, examining the setup carefully.
"The cloth is to prevent the movie scenes from blending with the background of the wall and ruining the viewing experience," Alex explained as simply as possible.
Alex was finishing the last preparations, setting up the projector. He just needed to create comfortable seating areas. He knew that theater-style seats might not be the best option due to their firmness. So he decided to check with the ladies about their seating preferences.
"So, ladies, before we start, what would you like to sit on?" Alex asked, drawing the girls' attention, who were already inspecting the wall and the projector aimed at it.
"Can't we just sit on benches or on the floor?" Tiona asked, expressing the general sentiment.
"A movie will last at least an hour and a half. And you want to sit on something hard for that long?" Alex raised an eyebrow.
"I want a pouf!" one of the girls exclaimed.
"I'd like a comfortable chair," another suggested.
"I wouldn't mind a sofa," added a third.
"And I want to sit on someone's lap," Ais unexpectedly said, drawing the attention of everyone present, including Alex.
He was slightly embarrassed hearing this from the usually reserved Ais and didn't immediately understand why she had become so bold.
"Ais, whose lap do you want to sit on?" Alex asked, hoping he had misunderstood.
"Yours," Ais replied calmly, not taking her eyes off Alex.
"Are you sure?" he asked, looking at her emotionless face.
"Yes, it's my wish as the winner," Ais said, blushing slightly.
The girls, realizing that the opportunity to sit on Alex's lap was missed, sighed with frustration.
"Actually, you don't need to use your winner's right for that. You can just sit on my lap," Alex said, which made a faint smile appear on Ais's face.
He began arranging the seating so that it wouldn't obstruct the projector. The girls quickly took their places, but the three goddesses continued arguing. Hestia, upset that Loki and Freya decided to stay overnight, couldn't calm down, while Loki and Freya only added fuel to the fire, stating that whether they stayed or not was not up to Hestia.
Alex loudly called the goddesses, informing them that everything was ready and only they were left without seats. Hestia immediately ran to him, claiming she would sit on his lap. Alex simply pointed to Ais standing nearby, causing Hestia to grind her teeth in frustration.
"You shouldn't have argued while the others were choosing their seats," Alex said, patting the little goddess on the head.
"Then I'll sit next to you," Hestia muttered, resigned to missing her chance but not forgetting to glance at Ais, realizing that she had become a new competitor for Alex's attention.
Freya requested a chair similar to the one she usually sits in and a small table. Alex created everything she asked for, adding a bottle of wine and a glass so Freya could enjoy the movie. Smiling at his attentiveness, Freya kissed him on the cheek and took her place.
For Loki, he created a comfortable chair and a table similar to those used for watching football matches, with space for snacks and drinks.
Once everyone was settled, Alex dimmed the lights to create the right atmosphere and started the movie.
"I should mention that the events in the film take place in a world very similar to mine. So you'll get an idea of what my world looks like," Alex said, further intriguing the group.
Ais leaned against Alex, deciding to enjoy the movie. Hestia snuggled up to him on one side, holding his hand, while on the other side, Hephaestus did the same, focusing on the screen where the movie's opening credits were flashing. The new words were unfamiliar to the girls, but they continued to watch with interest.
"Alex, what is the movie about?" Hestia asked quietly, drawing the attention of Ais and Hephaestus.
"The movie is about a clown and some children," Alex replied calmly.
"Who are clowns?" Ais asked, turning her head.
"You'll find out soon," Alex said, already anticipating the girls' reactions to the clown's first appearance.
The movie began with a rainy scene, showing a house unlike any building in this world.
"Does your world look like this?" Hephaestus whispered, staring in amazement at the unusual structure.
"These events take place about 35 years before my time," Alex replied softly.
"Has the world changed a lot in that time?" Hephaestus continued to ask.
"Not much," Alex said, focusing on the screen. Hephaestus stopped asking questions and returned to watching.
The film continued, showing two children: an older brother and a younger one, with the older making a paper boat for the younger. The girls watched intently as the younger brother went outside into the heavy rain to launch his paper boat. The boy ran after it until it got stuck in a drain, where he saw a pair of yellow eyes watching him from the dark depths.
"Alex, what is that creature?" Hestia asked anxiously, noticing the yellow eyes.
"You'll find out soon," Alex replied with a slight smile.
All the girls began to feel nervous watching the creature, which was talking to the child. Some instinctively sensed that the clown was not as simple and harmless as it appeared. Its gaze towards the child was predatory, as if it was looking at prey.
The tension mounted as the boy reached for his boat to retrieve it from the clown hiding in the drain. At the moment the child's hand was almost touching the boat, the clown's mouth distorted, and sharp teeth appeared, sinking into the boy's hand. At this moment, the most impressionable of the girls flinched.
"Are all clowns in your world like this?" Freya asked, watching the boy trying to crawl away from the drain with a bloody hand.
"I said this world is similar to mine, but not identical," Alex replied, feeling Hestia gripping his hand.
"And who is this clown really?" Loki asked, slightly opening her eyes as she watched the clown's elongated arms reaching out towards the escaping child.
"One could say it's a very powerful evil entity, but it follows the laws of the world it inhabits," Alex explained, simplifying his answer.
The events on screen continued: the child was pulled into the drain, and the scene shifted to a school where a crowd of children hurried about their business.
"What is this place full of children?" Hephaestus asked, not taking her eyes off the screen.
"It's a school. They teach children there," Alex explained.
"And what do they do there?" Hestia asked, now somewhat calmed.
"That's too long to explain, so don't worry about it," Alex replied, not wanting to spend time explaining what a school is and why one needs to study there for 11 years.
The girls watched as one of the children sat in the library studying the city's history, until the book started showing images of a decapitated head hanging from a tree. Then a red balloon appeared, which the boy followed into the library basement and encountered a charred headless body that chased him.
"Why did that headless body chase him?" Tiona asked, watching with interest rather than fear.
"Probably to scare him," Riveria answered, already understanding the situation.
The movie continued, and in one episode, an overweight boy encountered a group of bullies, one of whom decided to carve his name into the boy's stomach to torment him.
"Why is he doing that? It's so cruel," Hestia said, frowning.
"This bully is a repressed, insecure loser who tries to assert his superiority over others to hide his own worthlessness," Alex explained, watching as the boy managed to escape his pursuers.
"You mean he's compensating for his own patheticness in this way?" Freya asked, sipping from her glass.
"Something like that. They'll show just how pathetic he really is later," Alex replied, observing the boy as he met his future friends.
The film's tension continued to build. In one scene, a girl was in the bathroom, which became flooded with blood gushing from the sink like a fountain. The girl screamed in terror, and her father came to investigate, but he couldn't see the blood that had filled the entire bathroom.
"Why can't he see the blood?" Nyx asked, watching closely as the children reacted to what was happening.
"Adults can't see what this clown does," Alex explained, noting that the clown only preys on children.
"So, he only kidnaps children and leaves adults alone? But why?" Nyx continued, trying to understand the clown's motives.
"Children are easier to scare, and he does it with a specific purpose," Freya said, watching as the clown pursued the children.
The plot gradually escalated, showing how the group of children found new friends, confronted their fears, and triumphed over the bullies who tormented them. Their friendship grew into true brotherly bonds, where each was ready to stand up for the other. In the end, they defeated the evil clown who loved to scare and devour children.
"So, how did you like the movie?" Alex asked, watching the girls as they looked at the credits.
"I'm going to strangle you!" Hestia screamed, unable to contain herself any longer, and lunged at Alex, with Ais sitting calmly on his lap, enjoying the movie.
"What's wrong? Why are you angry?" Alex asked, holding Hestia's hands to prevent her from choking him.
"Are you seriously asking? Now I won't be able to sleep properly because of that clown!" Hestia yelled, trying to bite Alex.
"Actually, it was interesting to watch the children overcome their fears, become braver, and defeat evil. There were moments I didn't like, but overall, it was good," Freya said, evaluating the film like a true critic.
"It was a bit scary because I didn't know what that clown was capable of, but I can say I'm impressed too," added Hephaestus, agreeing with Freya.
"It was fun. I'd watch something similar again," Loki said, smiling and sipping from her glass.
"You see, many people liked it, except for you and Lefiya, who's looking all pale," Alex said, nodding toward the pale elf, trembling in her seat.
"I don't care! If I have nightmares, it will be your fault," Hestia stubbornly declared, continuing to struggle.
"Okay, how about we watch the next film, an adventure one?" Alex suggested, trying to placate the enraged loli-goddess.
"Hmph, you're still not forgiven," Hestia huffed, returning to her seat. Despite her displeasure, she took Alex's hand again, still pouting.
"Don't be mad. I'll put on something adventurous. I think you'll like it. There definitely won't be anything scary," Alex said, carefully lifting Ais off his lap to stand up.
Alex smirked and took out a box of memory crystals to find a film that would help them relax after the horror movie. He chose an old classic film about a man with a hat and whip who loved searching for relics. Alex enjoyed this family atmosphere and wanted it to continue. Starting the new film, Alex returned to his seat, settled Ais back on his lap, and prepared to enjoy the show.
To be continued…