48: Adder Stone and Witch’s Brew
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”It says here that ‘Only those who are pure in their heart and soul will find their way to Kitezh.’” Alex was looking up Kitezh in Wikipedia.
“No, Sir. We are fortunate because that isn’t true,” Scott explained with a sigh of relief.
“…What do you mean by that?” Alex noticed Scott’s tone sounded a little strange. Was he implying something about Alex’s heart and soul?
*Cough* ‘Lord, what I meant to say was…I know the way so we will have no trouble arriving there,‘ Scott clarified.
“…Hmmm, ok,” Alex bought it.
Scott was sweating because he was almost caught him slipping.
Devana interjected, “If you’re going, then bring this.” Devana handed Alex gray palm-sized stone. It was flat, covered with numerous inscriptions in some arcane alphabet. Alex rubbed the rough texture as he inspected the stone’s most prominent feature, an eye-sized hole through the center.
“Oh wow. Are you going to give THIS to me?” Alex asked, staring at it as if he understood the value of the treasure.
Devana’s eyes widened, surprised that Alex recognized the object. “Of course, you will need it. After all, that is—”
“A necklace bought from that infomercial I saw. Goes great with an evening gown for a romantic night out. I know already, Tch.” Alex finished her sentence. These Goddesses may have been ancient but Alex doubted they spent more time watching infomercials than him.
If he wanted information on how to make hemp bracelets, then he’d ask for her advice. As far as this necklace, It’d be best if they stayed in their lane.
…
“No…That’s an Adder Stone. It can see through disguises and traps if viewed through the hole in the center,” Devana said.
“...Yes, that’s what they must’ve been selling in that infomercial. So we’re both right.” Alex was willing to compromise.
After chatting a bit, Alex prepared to leave. He’d been fighting all day and wanted to go lay on his wife Coco…and take a nap there. As Alex turned towards the door...
“Heca…” Devana was glaring at Hecate as if urging her to do something.
*Sneer* Hecate seemed reluctant but walked over to Alex and placed something in his hand. “It’s a Witch’s Brew of advanced healing. Drink it if you’re injured,” she said with a monotone voice.
Alex glanced at the potion and then Hecate, deciding to accept her thoughtful gift. With a grateful smile, he expressed his appreciation. “You just couldn’t resist the sting, could you?”
*Shatter*
Alex went flying out the window, rolling on the grass…
After a few moments, Alex rose, brushing the grass off his clothes as he looked at Hecate exit the house snarling. ‘This tsundere b*tch likes it rough.’
Devana and Scott diffused the situation with distractions.
“Lord, Coco must be lonely right now.”
“Hecate, didn’t you want to finish crafting your Nimbus 2000?”
…
Alex and Scott looked at each other. ‘Is she a Harry Potter fangirl…?’
It was time to leave. As they said their goodbyes and were preparing to walk away, Alex noticed something off. “Aren’t we forgetting someone…Where’s Hades?” Alex walked back to the house where he last observed him.
Hades was leaning against a wall, with his arms behind his head, trying to look suave. “So, Hecate…what you up to tonight?”
Hecate looked at Hades and showed a disgusted expression. “Don’t talk nonsense to me, I’m the Goddess of witches.”
“I’m the God of brooms.“
*Crash*
The wall of the house had a new coat hanger made of ice, as Hades turned into sparks of light.
Alex had already left and was now yelling at Hades through their soul link. “Hades, what the hell are you doing?!? That woman will bite it off!”
Hades revealed a masochistic, wretched smile. “But that’s what I like, Lord…I like my women like I like my Underworld, dark and hazardous to your health.”
“How were you ever a God?!?”
“Lord, please give me another crack at her. She won’t be able to take much more!”
“I can’t take much more!” Alex turned off Hades’ soul link.
…
Back inside Coco, Alex kicked back in his bed and relaxed, preparing to nod off when his eyes popped open. ‘I forgot to open my loot!’
He still had the Seal card he used on Luca. Opening loot was his favorite part of slaying an elite mob, but he was so excited by his successful fatality that he forgot about it. After the kill, all he did during his return to the village was talk to himself, sounding out various names for the artful fatality he designed. In the end, he went with: “Running with invisible scissors.”
“Might as well open the loot now. I hope I can steal Michael Scot from Dunder Mifflin and upgrade from that waste Bozo Houdini.” Alex withdrew Luca’s Seal card as he remained lying on his bed, yawning.
…
Wayland had been stuck in a pitch black space for hours. He was certain it was Purgatory, where he was sent after his master was killed, a terrible piece of news he received from Michael Scot. ‘Will I be here for eternity?’ Expecting the worst, his mind was already beginning to crack.
Alex peered inside the card. It was a middle-aged man, wearing a strange leather apron that was shaped like overalls, exposing his arms and chest. He had brown mid-length hair and a goatee. “You’re not Michael Scot…”
Wayland’s breathing became urgent and heavy, as he searched in all directions as tears formed in his eyes. “…God?”
…
He received no response and a while later, he understood. ‘God has judged me unworthy and sent me to Purgatory.’ Wayland was left in the darkness, which he believed would continue for eternity. He spent what seemed like endless hours reflecting on his life, all his positive and negative actions, and where exactly he was lacking compared to Michael Scot…who he assumed God had named as an example of virtue.
Meanwhile, Alex was snoring, dreaming of sheep and future fatalities.
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Author's Note:
Thanks for reading, the next chapter will be Monday by 1 pm Est. I'll get used to this new writing workflow by then. We will go on an adventure to Russian Atlantis.
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After having conquered some of the Russian lands, [Mongol leader] Batu Khan heard of Kitezh and ordered his army to advance towards it…The army of the Golden Horde followed Georgy and soon reached the walls of the town. To the surprise of the Mongols, the town had no fortifications whatsoever. Its citizens didn’t even intend to defend themselves and were engaged in fervent praying, asking God for their salvation. On seeing this, the Mongols rushed to the attack, but then stopped. Suddenly, they saw countless fountains of water bursting from under the ground all around them. The attackers fell back and watched the town submerge into the lake. The last thing they saw was a glaring dome of a cathedral...Soon only waves remained.
“Kitezh” - (Wikipedia)
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