When Telios mentioned his name, I couldn't help but be on edge.
This is the man whose name I've heard so much about. And how powerful he is...
"Diogen's brother..." I said, in complete shock. "You were both sent to this world together?"
"Not together. We were brought at separate times," Telios spoke as he walked over to the window of the room and looked out of it. "But we've always had a goal: to hide our relationship from all the other gods and work together, hoping to find a way to end this game and punish those who created it."
Things were starting to make sense to me. The other gods had mentioned how Diogen shouldn't have helped Telios, as he had become too strong. Now I knew why Diogen helped the man.
And perhaps he was helping all of the other newcomers to remove suspicion from his and Telios's relationship.
"We were not close siblings on Earth. In fact, I was angry at him for disappearing. We thought he had run away or committed suicide. Of course, we barely had time to rekindle our relationship here on Arnos; the constant battles did not allow for that."
Hearing the story made me think of my own brother.
No, he went missing before the god game began. The timing does not add up. Still, I will ask about him when I am able to. I just need to make sure I do not raise suspicion. Slowly learn the gods' names...
"Where have you been this entire time? How come you and Diogen did not stick together?" I asked, rising from my bed and putting my white suit back on.
I will need to wash this all soon.
"We couldn't stick together; it would only raise suspicion. As for me, I have been gaining power and causing chaos."
That explains why the gods all seem to hate him. But what exactly was he doing to cause chaos?
"You are the only god that knows of this, and I only tell you because Diogen entrusted you with his domain. This place was beloved to him, so he must have liked you."
I appreciated the fact that this man trusted me, regardless of whether I yet trusted him. All I knew was that I did not want to be alone, and if I could have someone as powerful as the Nineteenth god on my side, I would take it.
"That woman, though, the one who sleeps a few rooms next door to you, she cannot know about my relationship with Diogen. She is new, and I have no reason to trust her, so I do not. Neither should you."
I thought about the pretty, pink-haired lady and how I had met her. I wanted to help her and have her by my side.
"Fine," I conceded. "But she will stay with me for the time being. Her first blessing was incredibly strong."
"I am okay with that. However, it is only you that I want to speak to about my next plans. You can determine from there whether or not you wish to help me with my cause."
---
I agreed to hear him out and that Telios and I would speak before including Ruby.
"As you know, the world is filled with gods. Twenty two have been named. However, with the death of my brother, Lasandra, and perhaps Omiotres— If Diogen killed him in their battle—then there are only nineteen left."
We spoke as we sat around a table in my chambers. It was early morning, and Ruby had yet to wake up. The sun had not fully risen yet, but it cast a faint glow through the window.
"What's obvious is that Zir is one of the strongest gods in our region of the world. There are many other gods who might be stronger, but they reside in areas far from us. If we wish to put an end to this god game, we should start locally. By killing Zir in his domain. The Abyss."
I recalled what Zir said about the Abyss. Its name suggested it was a terrifying place. Not only that, but I remembered his Black Lion form and Body of Seven Blessings. He was strong enough to beat Diogen, even in his domain. But there were things I had to take into account, such as Diogen being hindered during battle for having to help me out.
I cursed myself for being weak.
"The location of the Abyss is known to me. Though I've never been there, or seen what it looks like up close. It's further north, towards the center of Arnos. If you, I, and that Ruby woman head there, we can end this quickly, before he can gain more power."
I thought about it for a moment before answering.
"The plan seems sound. I am stronger than I was before, and with the help of Ruby and yourself, I don't see us losing."
I did not know the strength of Telios, but from the rumors I had heard, he must be one of the stronger gods.
Telios nodded.
"Yes, the problem comes with the unknown. Zir will be expecting this and can prepare himself. We also don't know any about the properties of his domain. I'm a risk-taker, but even I have to be careful when making decisions. That's why I suggest we bring demigods."
Demigods. I had completely forgotten about them.
"Gray! Diogen's demigod," I shouted, remembering the butler who had come and spoken to me on the day of my arrival. Telios must have already known who the man was, as he did not seem surprised.
"Gray is no longer here. He has returned to Tress. Either way, he would be of no use to us; his god is dead, thus he has been left powerless."
I felt sadness within me. Gray had seemed like a good man. More importantly, I wondered how Telios knew where the man had gone.
Are there some gods that can sense the demigods?
"You and Ruby will need to find a demigod of your own, and your best bet will also be in the large city of Tress, where there are diverse beliefs. In the meantime, I will fetch a demigod from my domain, and we will meet at the Northern Temple of the city. You will be able to easily find it once you're there. Afterward, we will head to the Abyss."
Everything seemed to be moving so fast, but the plan made sense, and the reasoning for the rushing did too. I also looked forward to acquiring a demigod of my own and spending more time with Ruby, though I would not admit that to Telios.
"What will I do about my domain while I am gone?" I asked, knowing that Lasandra had left Petra in charge while she was away to fend off the domain beasts.
Petra. She would be left powerless too, with the death of her god. I hope she is okay.
Telios had a smirk on his face as he replied.
"You should not have to worry about that. Diogen's castle does not harbor any domain beasts. He used to say that they feared the weather that he could control, but I'm sure it's just some weird property of the castle."
That's right, Diogen had brought forth lightning from the sky before. How come he did not use that ability in his battle with Zir?
"Anyway, we shouldn't waste any time. Wake the Twenty-Second god and fill her in on our conversation. Afterward, head straight to Tress; you will both know what to do once you're there. I will be waiting for you in the northern temple with my demigod, and I hope to see you both bring one of your own."
"You will understand how to made a god your demigod once face to face with a believer. But make sure that you choose wisely."
Telios spoke these last words as he made his way to the window and opened it wide.
I still did not know whether to trust him completely, but his goals aligned with mine. I hated the creators of this game as much as he did. And if he wished to bring the games to an end, then he was an ally of mine.
We have a common enemy, and I will fight alongside him. For now.
Telios stepped out of the window and flew off into the distance, leaving only Ruby and me in my domain once again. And so I headed over to her room and woke her up.