Scene 1
Juris POV
"We should aid our fellow mortals. Those stranded back in our homeland!" Watching the council argue again as they tried to persuade the Demi-God King of Hounds. The mortal-facing leader out of those who set themselves apart within the mortal armies.
"Your homeland! Not ours! We hold no responsibility for saving mortals!" Nik, one of my record keepers turned advisors, currently arguing with his rival from Apollo's domain who's migrated to our city.
"Yet we still sent our men to fight for the City of Hebe! If that is the case, then we can aid our fellow mortals with more support. If the King would give his approval, I'll be able to journey to other cities and get their aid in invading! As the messenger of the City of Hades! Our connection to Lord Tenebris can't be ignored by other cities!" Rebuking Nik as he held more vigor and aggression in his voice of false logic.
Everyone in attendance standing at least at the Low Demi-God ranks, while the King has been sitting at Peak Demi-God awaiting his office.
"Then you are a bigger fool than Zeus! Our empire isn't built on aiding those weak enough to stay where they are. Neither is it our responsibility to save your clan of cowards! A runaway who can't accept the fact he tucked his tail in between his legs!
"I dare you to bring my background up! It's not our problem your Fate sentenced you to be born under a different domain than us. Either join us fully or build your own city to make such stupid requests! Do not forget that your side is the minority in this council.
"Just as the Hounds are not yours to command or the Kings! They move under one God's command and one alone! You are a DEMI-GOD! Mind your station before I personally request Lord Juris to intervene in your request!" Invoking my name as his rival finally forced him to after ten years of constant debate on the same topic in each council session.
Watching the King lift his eyes to me before he decided to end the council meeting on another draw between the two factions. Before he stepped into the staircase in the rear to travel up to my office.
As I'm still seated here after a hundred years of taking a slight dive into the Timeline to verify the next steps of technological growth. Sidestepping any restrictions of jumping into our future by using cycles that were closed by the Blazing Sun Odin in his final ascent to Conceptual being.
Using my Divinity to open the doors for the King before he could knock. A habit he's never shed regardless of his closeness to me as his mentor. Our first mortal king who has done a fine job keeping the rest of the cities in line until everyone can develop to the set standard before warfare.
"Lord Juris, may I have your opinion on this matter?" Closing my book as I allowed sunlight to enter my Tower of Knowledge. A renovated Prometheus Temple attached to a Mortal city in an attempt to fuse the Pseudo Domain of Wisdom with the City of Hades.
"Take a seat. We can discuss that later. Let's go over your insights as King while I've been studying. These issues today are pointless if you decide so." Giving him a soft approval for us to discuss the reasons later for my stance of letting him take actions free of scrutiny. Besides my Record Keepers who record the act and results. Accumulating enough merits to decide his own placement when he considers himself ready for an office among the True Hounds of Tenebris.
Scene 2
"Young Rilk, being a Record Keeper is more than recording the official meetings. If you record your journey through Zeus's domain to here, the City of Hades, would that be less of a record than one officially written by Nik, the head of our faction?" Pausing as I thought about the words from my Mentor.
"So a story can be seen as a record of anything that's physically recorded is counted under Lord Juris's domain." Watching his normal smile show up when I'm close but still far enough from the truth to be considered incorrect.
"Not everything. If a God allowed anything we call as them would be like accepting livestock poop into your water supply. It'll corrupt the source eventually. A book telling a story isn't enough to gain his attention.
"Using his name might earn a glance. But misattributing his domain to other laws or half-truths has been his one rule. Dionysus, the God of Chaos, attempted that once. As explained in the chronicles of the Heir War.
"Dionysus weaponized Lord Juris's name to only call him the Heavenly Scribe, which is true but not the full truth. While his full title can only be spoken by those strong enough without drawing more attention than we want. A story would count, but whether its contents are worthy of recording is the best question for rookie Record Keepers."
Nodding my head to his words as I listened while heartily.
"Take Nik's words seriously. He may not be the most prestigious Record Keeper, but he is the one who's walked this path with me. Young Rilk, it has been some years since I've last seen you and your brothers." Speaking up from the entrance, the King of Hounds could be seen stepping in as he smiled at me.
"Yes, sir, and my brothers are out hunting for an Astral Core to help Alexisos step past the 2nd Order." Earning a nod of approval from the elderly warrior who doesn't look a day older than Volk, yet he's already touching ten thousand years of age. The theoretical limit of a Demi-God's lifespan before fully shedding the mortal body for a Divine body.
"Good, my Lord will be happy to know those two haven't stopped once. Yet you are remaining behind, Young Rilk. Wasn't your desire to live the stories of Woden or Odin, as we say?
"Why not learn Record Keeping and the ways of Warriors? After all, Lord Juris received training from the Founder of the Hounds, Lord Bale. Who also trained Woden." Looking up in confusion as the idea of the Hounds teaching Lord Juris sounded made up.
"He's a scholar, but one who can and will use his Temple of Wisdom and Knowledge as a club against his fellow divine children. You could say he had the worst temper out of his fellow heirs. With only Ares being comparable to him in temper." Laughing slightly as if he said a joke that I found even crazier to believe.
"If he wasn't restricted by his Rank as a Titan, he'd be more willing to handle teaching students himself. But his second domain of Time keeps him outside the standard time flow. Once you meet him when you become a Demi-God, then you'll understand how he is for yourself. He looks cold, but he's actually a very warmhearted God." Remembering the argument in the Throne Room as I found it hard to believe that I'm seen as one of them.
"You need a better mask for yourself. I can see everything on your face. Lon from Apollo's domain isn't here to assimilate into our way of living. He views the world in ways of growing in status like a majority of those raised under Zeus's Empire.
"While Mortals there strive to become Kings of Mortals, it's only an office to maintain balance among our faction. We could use a Mortal Hound leader as the King, but that'll demote Demi-Gods into servant class for mortals.
"When we are supposed to be the bridge between Gods who can't handle these issues without falling into the habit of treating one blink as a day. When it could've been hundreds to thousands of years in between blinks.
"Your situation isn't unique. You and your brothers may be the only ones to travel to the North with the least amount of assistance besides Tí, the Star Eater Wolf. The rest was of your own merit or your brothers, if you still can't accept that you weren't supposed to be fighting or seen as a fighter.
"You missed the coming-of-age warrior trials in Zeus's Empire that's required of every young man there. Yet here we don't allow mortals to start their warrior trials until they are a hundred years of age at minimum.
"Whether they train in their youth to be ready or blessed with a book that's more important than you can see. Your path may appear smaller than Mars, the War Star, but you are just as important to his path as Nik is to my rise in rank and power to lead our people in this new age."
Understanding that the King and his clan came from a Minor World just like a majority of those in the North. His view on the basic concepts I've struggled with always getting laid bare as the reason I try to avoid this grandpa.
"Then be my teacher and I'll—"
Feeling my mentor scooping me up as he tried to silence me.
"Accepted. Be at my abode by the next full moon. Kilt, go and tell his brothers when they arrive that he'll be staying with me. You'll continue your lessons there as well."
Grinning as if I walked into a trap as I felt my heart hit my stomach in realization.
Scene 3
Tenebris POV
"Your injuries along your soul are healing, but the stitches need to stay in for longer, brother." Feeling myself get angry before calming myself by focusing on Hestia's flames I've granted partial control over.
As it calmed the madness I've finally tamed after a thousand years of diving into my memories. The scars functioning as a leakage into my True Soul, something I've become aware was already in existence prior to my father's plan.
"Then Fate can still track me. Although Apollo isn't using Fate as much, it's still a hindrance the longer these threads are in me." Taking a seat in the chair in front of his desk as I cast my eyes throughout the city, checking the progress of different industries Juris is building.
"You're weaponizing it anyways, so why does it matter, brother? Our only concern is reaching Titan rank without drawing on our future selves. Athena is under the impression that I'm naturally at the Titan rank, but that'll come to an end once we come to blows.
"So picking on Apollo only won't be the strategy we have to carry forward. You'll have to decide on whether Artemis will take the seat with your support or if you'll drag your feet for Athena to compete in the Stars. Once she's stepped into the Stars as Earth, Artemis will be hard-pressed to fully assimilate the seat."
Reminding me of other dilemmas. While the soul injury is an issue, it's a minor one compared to Athena finding methods to create Demi-Gods by using her connection to life.
"Apollo will stand at odds with us if he hears wind of a union between the Star Seats. Although she isn't Olympus's Moon anymore, and neither does he own the Sun in this lifetime."
Deciding to press the issue with Artemis officially, as that'll require Hestia being the envoy between the Domains of the two brothers. My father and Poseidon.
"His opinion is pointless. Condescending a position to his mistress Hebe is more than enough reason to ignore anything he says. We aren't children, and out of the oldest group of divine children, you're the only one dragging your feet on embracing your full domain.
"You forced Yin onto me, so it's time for you, brother. Athena or Artemis, or will you give the position to someone else? But warfare against Athena is unquestionable. She must be hindered sooner rather than later.
"After all, we still need the Stars to shield us from the demons from outside the cycle. I've even found traces of different cults formed around outer Gods like the Angel of Death or one worshipped with sand sculptures. Ayin is already investigating, but it looks like Volk is going to run into her."
Nodding my head as I cast my eyes further north where the True Ice Fields begin.
Where dozens of 1st Order along with a host of Demi-Gods were all in that region for varying but similar reasons. Either to push past limits or broaden their minds. While Ayin has begun to embody the order that the North will maintain as the parent body the Hounds descend from. After officially taking over Abi's position as the Head Priestess for the Dark Sun.
Her nature of trusting in mortals to make the right decision even at the end of a path has placed her uniquely above all the Kings by their own hearts. As the only one vetting mortals and Demi-Gods alike. With the authority me and Juris have given her in overseeing the initial creation of the City of Hades. Evolving into a self-created office among our mortals.