Alleendelle smiled, but said nothing. He wondered what she was thinking. He assumed she might be thinking denigrating thoughts about him, but decided not to challenge her on it.

Eventually, they arrived at the foot of the hill, and Alleendelle took a break, sitting down and sipping water from her flask. 

"Why are you taking a break, slave?" Kaz asked, poking his head out of her bag. 

Alleendelle rolled her eyes. "I'm thirsty, that's why."

"Thirsty? How weak you humans are! The demigods and gods have no need for food or drink! … That being said, I demand you share your resources with me as tribute and give me your water." Kaz said with the most commanding voice he could muster.

"I suppose you could say please…" Alleendelle made a face, filled the cap on her flask with water, and passed it to Kaz. He drank heartily, and wiped his lips after. 

Alleendelle stretched her legs, and then she said, "Your father is well-loved amongst my people--those of the wide eyes. You would be well-loved in one of their temples. Are you sure you don't want to take refuge in one?" 

"No. I must ascend to God level." Kaz stated. "But tell me why they love my father."

"According to legend, your father created us of the pale skin and wide eyes. We are meant to worship him because of that, and because he encourages us to be independent, brave, and intelligent." Alleendelle explained.

"But of course. My father would never create creatures who are uneducated, reliant, fools..." he trailed off, thinking about how his father had left him in a paludarium filled with hostile animals. He swallowed audibly. 

My father has treated these creatures who bare not his holy touch greater than he has me, his own blood. Maybe he didn't create these humans at all, then… 

Alleendelle looked at him curiously. "You look perturbed, My Lord."

Kaz cleared his throat. "Perhaps I was hasty to treat you so unkindly. If my father saw worth in creating you, then you must indeed be worthy."

"Gee, I feel so honored." Alleendelle'a voice was laced with sarcasm. 

Kaz was about to bite back with a rude remark, but held his tongue. My father has seen fit to treat these creatures better than I. Perhaps I should treat them well, too.

"Welp! I'm rested! Time to go!" Alleendelle climbed to her feet once more, and continued up the mountain. 

***

Jan slept fitfully. At first, he dreamed he was back in his paludarium, where the world was small enough for him to understand, and was worthy for him to live in. But then, the world got ripped away and he was thrown into a hideous world with a mermaid purusing him with a spear, and then forced to do menial labor by ungrateful humans. He tossed and turned and moaned in his sleep, until he was shaken awake. He panted heavily when he came face-to-face with Shiske, who had awakened him. 

“Do not wake me, peasant!” Jan yelled.

Shike pressed a finger to his lips, indicating Jan should be quiet. “There is a demigod named Kaz claiming to be your twin here to see you. Do you want to see him?”

Jan nearly jumped out of his skin, he hid under his covers. “No! Send him away! Tell him I’m not here!” 

“There is a woman with him who is highly respected named Alleendelle. She is saying he wishes to merge with you to become a true god.” Shiske said. 

Jan tried to struggle free of his coverage to run, but was stuck underneath them. "You! Human! Free me from these shackles and get me somewhere safe."

"Stay there. I will tell him you're not here." Shiske said. 

Jan's hands clutched the blankets, his fingers turning white on them. 

Shiske padded out of the room, and Jan pensively listened to voices he heard in the other room.

He heard galatea's muffled voice saying, "Jan was here, but now he's gone. He went back into town."

There was a squeaky voice, similar to his own, which he assumed belonged to Kaz that he couldn't hear well. Then, there was a female voice, pleasant to the ears, saying, "Truly? Do you mind if we go in to offer prayers to the goddess then?" 

"But you are…" Shiske began, but the woman of the sweet voice interrupted.

"I know I am of pale skin and wide eyes, but I am not entirely convinced of the god of thunder's sovreignity. He seems so cruel and uncaring. Hw never answers prayers. I want to see if, perhaps, the goddess of love might be a bit kinder." The girl said.

"How dare you talk about my father that way! But… I suppose I should like to try and pray to the goddess." Kaz agreed.

Jan nearly fainted. He used his powers to lift the blanket off himself, and then scrambled off the side of the bed. Since he was so small, there were plenty of places to hide. He looked round the room frantically, and saw a closet. He took control of the blanket and used it to open the door, and then ran inside. He saw a small box inside the closet, looked both ways, and then unlatched the lock on the tiny wooden box, crawling inside afterwards. 

He shook uncontrollably, and waited. In the adjacent room, he hears muffled voices. 

Time seemed to creep slowly by, slower than a slug, leaving him in a permanent state of dis-ease. 

His heart was pounding relentlessly when he heard footsteps padding outside the door. "May I stay the night in this room?" Kaz asked. 

There was a long pause, and then Galatea said, "Apologies, but our son returns tomorrow, and he will need the room…"

"Why is the bed not made, then?" Kaz demanded. "Everything else was spotless! You must be hiding my twin! I demand you produce him!"

"Kaz! Be kind to these people, they have been nothing but kind to us…" said the gentle-voiced girl. 

"Gentle? To These liars? Never!" Kaz replied. 

Jan heard a mighty, thunderous noise, and plugged his ears--assuming his twin must have blown down the door with his sneeze. He felt something hit the ceiling of his box, and assumed it was the door falling down on top of the box. 

“He must be in here! Lift the door so I may find him.” Kaz demanded.

“Little god, you go too far. This is my home, and you have destroyed my door. Kindly leave.” Shiske said lowly.

“Leave? I would never.” Kaz retorted. “Besides, you couldn’t make me leave if you wanted me to.” 

“Come on, Kaz, let’s just go…” the sweet-voiced girl pleaded. 

“Not until they produce my twin.” Kaz stated firmly. 

There was a long pause, and then Shiske asked, “What do you want with him?”

“I want to become the god of war.” Kaz answered.

“The god of war…? There was alreaddy a god of war. What would happen to you and your twin if you did that?” Shiske asked.

“We will cease to be, and the god of war will be born–a greater creature, who serves his purpose to humanity.” Kaz explained. 

“I see… what if your twin doesn’t want that?” Shiske asked. 

“Then he is a fool. Giving up a lesser life for a greater one is the height of arrogance and stupidity. Give him to me.” Kaz repeated.

There was another deafening silence, and then Jan heard the sound of metal ringing in the air and Shiske said, “No. He is the son of our patron goddess. He will not leave the grounds unless he wants to.” 

Chapter

Kaz looked at the arrogant human, Shiske, who had unleashed his blade. Kaz had nothing but contempt in his eyes for this human. He was in complete disbelief that the man should deny him access to his brother. I have fought and clawed my way out of my paludarium and into this disgusting, human realm. How dare he delay me a second longer. 

Shiske glanced at his wife, and she left the room. Alleendelle, the girl who had brought Kaz with her to the temple, dropped him to the floor and said, “I will take no part in this if you insist on forcing your twin to do something he doesn’t want to do.” 

“Fine, I don’t need you. If you won’t step aside, I will forcibly remove you!” Kaz, who was now on the floor, inhaled a swathe of air into his nose, and with a mighty gust of wind, expelled it.

Shiske, hand on the hilt of his blade, stood his ground as the gust of air, like thunder, crackled through the sky–destroying the wall behind Shiske in the room and letting cold, fresh air in the building. The air lingered like fog until it dissipated, and Shiske was nowhere to be found.

Kaz grinned and rubbed his hands together, assuming Shiske got blown out the window. He faced the closet again and inhaled another deep breath through his nose. 

Suddenly, he was up in the air, and his sneeze fizzled out. He looked up to see Shiske was holding him by the collar. Astounded and enraged, Kaz struggled, sucked in more air and unleashed it on Shiske. 

He was dropped to the floor, but Shiske was again nowhere to be seen. Impossible! Humans can’t move that fast… can they?