I knocked on Ruby's door, knowing it was impolite to barge in, and when I did, I heard her voice come from inside.
"Come in."
I pushed open the door and found her sitting by her table, drinking a cup of tea.
"Do you usually wake up this early?" I asked her, and the woman flashed me a smile.
"I haven't slept. I wasn't tired at all."
I had completely forgotten that gods hardly get tired. The only reason I had needed sleep was from the battle the day before.
"Well then," I said as I took a seat opposite her. "There's a lot I need to fill you in on."
I explained my visit with Telios and the reputation I had heard about the man. She didn't seem worried about it, trusting my judgment that he was safe, at least for the moment.
When I mentioned our goals—to find a demigod and search for Zir in his domain, which required me to explain what domains and demigods were to the best of my knowledge—she seemed to be onboard with the plan, which confused me.
"Aren't you worried?" I asked her. "Or skeptical about our plans? As far as I know, we could be walking to our deaths."
Ruby let out a sigh as she shrugged.
"We've probably already died once, on Earth. The life that held any meaning to us is gone, the friendships and aspirations we chased vanished. The least we can do now is try to put an end to this game and punish the one who brought us here. I am happy with you and the Nineteenth god's plans."
The words filled me with a mixture of hope and sadness. She was right; there was no reason to waste time doing anything else in this world. This is not our home.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. We should get going, then. I'll teach you how to fly and track the presences of other gods, and then we will head out to Tress. I know the direction."
---
Teaching Ruby to fly was easy; she was as fast a learner as I was. Teaching her to track gods was also easy, and it did not require much teaching either, just a short explanation of the process.
After she got the hang of it, we took off into the air and began flying in the direction I remembered seeing the city before.
I often turned my head while flying to see if Ruby would feel the same rush that I did, but it wasn't there. Her personality had been replaced by a perpetual sadness.
Can I blame her? Who knows what sort of life she lived on Earth? To be dragged from that , and into a world where you're forced to become some sort of deity can bring all sorts of emotions.
We flew for what seemed like forever, passing over the same scenes I had with Lasandra.
I wished she was still with me, both her and Diogen. Now I was left alone, surrounded by people I had not yet learned to trust.
As we finally reached Tress, I slowed our pace, hovering in the air much higher than the city streets below us.
"We're here. This is Tress," I said to Ruby as she struggled to maintain her flight while stationary.
"It's huge," she said, inspecting the vastness of the civilization, and she was right. Tress was so large that I wasn't able to see where the city ended. It did not matter; our destination was there.
We were at the outskirts of the streets, so we continued our flight, heading to the center. When we reached there, we saw a large, open space made from stone, with a water fountain at its center. Many civilians seemed to pass through there to head to the other side of the city, while some lounged by the fountain, eating lunch or taking in the scenery.
I knew that's where I wanted us to land, but I had no idea how gods went about finding those who worshiped them. I could only think of one way.
If what they say about Tress being a diverse civilization is true, then I see no reason why this shouldn't work.
I sensed for gods nearby and felt the presence of three, though they all seemed to be far from the city.
"We're going down. Stick close by me and follow my lead," I said to Ruby as I slowed my descent and headed towards the fountain.
As we were within eyesight of the people below, I saw humans staring up at us, pointing in awe. It must not be every day they get to see a man and woman wearing regal clothes flying down to their city.
By the time I landed on top of the fountain, my smart shoes getting wet from where the water sprouted, we had amassed an audience. At least a hundred humans circled the fountain, and it was a surreal experience.
Ruby landed beside me, and we both watched, trying our best not to seem surprised at the reactions.
The humans did not speak, only watched us, perhaps afraid of offending us gods. They were waiting for one of us to speak. And so I did.
"Greetings, civilians of Tress. I am the Twenty-First god, Fate. And this is the Twenty-Second god, Ruby." I gestured to the pink-haired lady standing beside me, and she bowed.
I don't think gods are meant to bow to humans. I thought to myself, but ignored her.
"I would like to ask a favour of you all," I spoke, prepared to take the risk. "Spread the news of our arrival among the streets, and let it be known that any of our worshipers can come and pay their respects. We will only be here for an hour, so make sure that they do not waste any time."
As soon as I said the words, the crowd began to disperse, running through the cobbled streets of Tress.
That was easier than I expected.
After the crowd was gone, leaving only civilians who had been going about their day, staring at us with amazement, it was only Ruby and me by the fountain.
"Will this not cause complications?" Ruby asked, and I shot her a confused look.
"Well, we are out of our domain and will remain in the same location for an hour. Does this not present a good opportunity for the other gods to attack?"
She made a good point, but it was not something I had considered before.
"I assume the gods avoid fighting in the cities. I see no damage to the infrastructure, so it's unlikely that any has happened yet. However, if I'm wrong, we will have to cut it short and head for the northern temple. If Telios arrives early, then we will be fine."
Ruby, satisfied with my reasoning, nodded, and we continued our wait.
---
It only took five minutes before the first worshiper arrived. It was a young girl, and she came to the edge of the fountain, prostrating herself, facing towards Ruby.
"Oh, honored Twenty-Second, it is a pleasure to see you in person," she said trembling as she kept her head bowed as she spoke. "You are an inspiration, to see a woman so strong and so beautiful."
Ruby's face was surprised at first, but afterward, a smile appeared.
"You may rise, blessed child," she said, playing the role of a god perfectly.
The woman looked up at her with awe on her face. She was perhaps sixteen years old, with hair as blond as mine. She wore brown robes and reading glasses.
"What is your name?" Ruby asked her, lowering herself from the fountain and stepping to stand before her.
A tear began to fall from the girl's eye, honored to stand before the god she and her family worshiped.
"Melissa, your holiness. Melissa!"
Ruby looked up at me, a smile etched on her face.
"I like this one." She said confidently, as she placed her hand on the girls head. "I don't need to meet any other worshippers. Melissa will become my demigod."