Athena smiled politely. "No, you are not. I am here because you wanted to see me, and I just spoke with Bahamut and Asura. I let them know you accessed Ash’s original contract and thought it was very big of you to think of it as bothering us. You refused his offer. It was a very easy solution you could have taken, yet you chose not to. Why?"
"Uh, because if I’m supposed to be beyond human and act as a god someday, I shouldn’t run to you with every little problem and thing I have? Plus, who wants to go near death again? That’s not a fun experience!" Tyler laughed nervously.
He wanted to maintain who he was, but he was speaking with a goddess again. As much as he wanted this to happen, he didn’t anticipate it, especially after just falling asleep.
"Yet you handled it so effortlessly your first time. You accepted it. You are fascinating," Athena said calmly.
"Thanks..." Tyler said while nervously running his hand through his hair, only to realize he was in his spiritual form and couldn’t really do that.
’Oh... right. Dreaming, spiritual realm.’
"Wait, how are you here if I’m not dead or near death? This looks exactly the same. I’m really confused," Tyler admitted. His honesty was always laughably transparent.
"Because I’m the daughter of Zeus?" Athena smiled. "There are so many things you don’t know, Tyler, but one thing you should know is that you are following the correct path. Asura and Bahamut will be great for you when you are able to summon them. Feel free to use their full power and not hold them back. That is my message for you." She smiled.
"PLEASE, ONE MINUTE!" Tyler panicked. "I really appreciate this, but I do have a question, if that’s okay."
Athena paused. Had he not reacted this way, she would have ended the conversation. But this was something she didn’t anticipate. Now she was even more fascinated by and interested in Bahamut’s selection and wanted to know what could possibly be on his mind.
She laughed gently. "Okay, Tyler. What’s on your mind?"
"Why let him free so easily? He suffered for so long, and now he’s at his full power, and you’re allowing me to be an Eidolon and Bahamut’s plan to go through. Gods and goddesses can’t interfere with affairs outside of Paradise, yet that’s exactly what’s happening. I don’t understand, and if I’m supposed to be one and my wives are going to be goddesses... I can’t come in with no information. That’s just too much. I’m not some perfect person here!"
Normally, she would have dismissed this. Gods and goddesses were expected not to react with such strong emotion and to stay away, but he wasn’t a god yet, and he had a valid point. All gods and goddesses were born with inherent knowledge of how the rules worked. Even Bahamut and Asura knew the fundamental laws of Zeus when they were born and had experienced time in Paradise. If her father allowed this experiment to happen, she felt that Tyler deserved an answer.
"So, you know that you were not allowed to reincarnate and were chosen by the gods. This means my father allowed Bahamut’s plea for your soul to be picked and Asura’s system test to move along in the process. All gods and goddesses are born with fundamental knowledge of these rules, so you should know some. There are some crises in which my father will allow some intervention due to the need. He is also giving me more decision-making authority to test me because he wants to rest. We feel you are worthy of proving Bahamut right. That is why Ash is free. You can’t do this without him, and we feel he’s atoned. Rest well, Tyler. This is just the beginning."
"Thank you so much..." Tyler said, but she was gone. There was nothing left but lucid dreams.
’These feel so... real. I miss football sometimes. Damn, I had a good game.’ His mind reacted naturally to the dream as he fell back into a slumber.
Zed noticed the man’s voice was altered.
’That’s not his real voice. This might be a big lead. I hope Dak picked up on it.’
The three of them walked in, and the immediate standout was the all-purple kabuki mask. The man was larger than most humans and had pointy ears.
’An elf!’ the two vampires thought.
"Who are the new guys?" the masked elf asked.
"Useful vampires. Work your magic." Zinnia smirked.
"So, you two. Get over here," he said while standing up.
’Thank the gods I can block spells. Dak, be careful...’ Zed thought.
"Understood, sir," Dak said matter-of-factly, willingly stepping forward.
Zed followed his lead and stood right next to him.
"Vampires, huh? Well, let me see your faces."
"No," Dak said sternly.
’Good. He gets it,’ Zed thought.
"I’m with my brother. I’m not revealing my face. We were given these masks and told not to tell anyone," Zed added.
"Good choices, Zinnia. Now let’s see how they handle some elven truth magic." He smirked.
"Who are you two, and what are your goals?" he asked Dak first, thinking his spell had automatically worked on the two.
Fortunately, Zed was an Atwood, and Dak was well trained in enchantment blocking. He wasn’t a real brother to Zed, but he was close. They grew up together and trained together, and Zed was the one who approached his parents about having Dak join the nobles. It was a huge upgrade for his family, and Zed felt it was the least he could do for such an honorable family and friend.
He remembered the conversation vividly. His mother was the younger sister of the current king, Nyxara’s father. His father had married into the royal family and had a different perspective. He knew Zed would never be king but accepted that. His wife loved him for his selflessness. He hadn’t known she was royalty when they met in school. He was just a young man interested in her for who she was, not her status. That’s why she loved him so much, and she never understood how he hadn’t figured it out.
"To redeem myself for being kicked out of the vampiric military and bringing shame to my family," Dak answered honestly.
"Good, good," the masked man said.
"What about Tyler? What do you think about him?"
"Fuck that egotistical asshole," Dak said angrily.
’Good, he remembers his training about elves. Their charms are different. They don’t remove all emotion. Excellent!’ Zed thought excitedly while remaining calm. Zinnia was staring at him, and he knew he was supposed to be under the spell.
The boss’s grin could be seen moving with his unique mask. Unlike theirs, it had a certain authority to it. It was purple, and the details of his face showed. It wasn’t just a mask that revealed only the eyes.
’Must be a mask that allows spells to hit the eyes but nothing else to be seen. This guy must be higher up, but not the real boss,’ Zed thought.
"And you, charmy guy, what’s your deal? What are your abilities?" the boss asked directly, implying he knew some of Zed’s skills.
"Charming people is what I do best. Teleportation is just a cool trick I have," Zed overshared on purpose, making it appear that the charm had landed.
"Excellent choices, Zinnia!" the man said and clapped his hands.
"So, you two, what do you remember?"
"That you just made me tell you the truth... That doesn’t work on me most times. I’m the charmer," Zed lied excitedly.
"That’s what that was?" Dak said in well-placed "confusion."
"Gotta respect the purple masks. We’re different. Anyway, you two have potential. Take a seat. Zinnia, hun, here’s a little gift," the man said, handing her an all-black mask.
"Thank you so much!" she said excitedly.