Hades threw the fish back at Elmar. It landed in Elmar’s tea cup. Elmar didn’t mind. He was not going to drink from it either way.

“You have no restraint,” said Hades and Elmar smiled at him, the last fits of laughter leaving his system. “You have to measure your words more carefully. What were you thinking, saying bane of the moon?”

“How do you know that was what I said in my mind?” Asked Elmar. Hades regarded him like he was just a foolish child.

“This is my domain,” said the deity. “Nothing escapes me here. Now, that you have the life-extending ring, when are you going for the other two?”

“Well, can’t it wait for a couple of years? I have the right to remain at the orphanage for another three years,” said Elmar, but Hades’ blank expression didn’t give him much hope.

“No, I have been waiting for five thousand years. I can’t even talk to my wife.”

Elmar felt for Hades then. If he was torn from everything he knew and from his beloved, he’d want to either get back to her or get her over here as soon as possible.

“Can it wait until Yule? It is just four days from today. We have a big celebration planned,” asked Elmar, voice full of hope.

“Ok, but you better pack and go towards the forest of plenty after that.”

“Hades, I have been thinking. Can’t I make a message saying I can trade a life-extending ring for a teleportation ring? Surely, that ring is not just found in the forest of plenty?”

Hades smiled at him and reached out to pet Elmar’s hair.

“It is not. Although, the only one that might be willing to part with it is duke Orlock. The Emperor’s father-in-law. A powerful mage that knows plenty about portals.” Said Hades and Elmar regarded him more carefully. He knew what the deity wanted.

“You want me to apprentice under the duke? I am just an orphan. He won’t consider me.”

“Just like Albert wouldn’t have considered adopting you?” Asked Hades, head to the side.

“Albert?” Elmar knew no Alberts.

“Your very own grandpa Thinker. He made up many names for himself to hide from me. He doesn’t know that he is not needed for my plans anymore.”

“Should I sent a missive ahead of time? To the duke, I mean?”

Hades nodded, and Elmar noticed that the sun was setting in the dream world.

“Am I waking up?” He asked, and Hades nodded.

“There is one more thing I want to ask you,” said Elmar as the first rays of the sun caressed his skin.

“How did you end up trapped in here?” Even in a make believe world, the sunset was breathtaking. The sky was painted in reds and oranges, and the surroundings were becoming more silent. The obstacle course disappeared too. Melting down into the earth.

“My Persephone banished me. It was a misunderstanding, really. The humans of my native world created something called a nuclear bomb, and they bombed two cities one after the other. Persephone blamed me for not stopping it, and she pushed me into a portal. Grandpa Thinker is the only one who came from that world, four thousand years ago. But he said that it was destroyed in a great war now.”

“And, how do you know that Persephone is not dead too?” Asked Elmar, and Hades pulled out a necklace. It had a giant green stone that pulsed like a beating heart.

“As long as the stone remains not cracked, she will be fine. Good morning and goodbye for now, Elmar. Master of the exploding fish.”

And Elmar’s surroundings bled around him, and he was staring at the ceiling in his house. There was no one left in the room with him, and so he stretched and went to the bathroom to wash up.

After he was done, he got out and hoped he was not late for breakfast. He found everyone around the bonfire, eating oatmeal with honey. He was given a bowl, and he sat next to Dereck.

“I will be going on an adventure after Yule,” said Elmar, and Dereck stopped eating.

“What for?” Asked Dereck, who set his bowl down.

“I need to find a teleportation ring and a special necklace for a friend,” he didn’t give the name of the necklace to Dereck because then he would have figured everything out. He was smart like that.

“Don’t summon an eldritch horror. And I am coming with you,” said Dereck, picking up his bowl and resuming to eat without a thought.

“You can't, it is too dangerous,” said Elmar. He was genuinely worried about Dereck’s future if he came.

“What, are you going to fight a dragon?” Snorted Dereck.

“Something like that. Maybe even Marferik the Dread,” joked Elmar. Dereck whistled.

“Diana would want to come too. She is better at fencing than you, and I am better at picking locks than you. You will have to pick up the slack with the mage work and healing. When are we leaving?”

“There is no talking you out of it, is it?” Asked Elmar. He felt a fondness bubble in his chest at his best friend’s decisiveness.

“No. Hey, Diana. Di, come over here. Elmar wants to tell you something.”

Diana, bowl and all, came over there and a child scooted away from them to make more space.

“Diana, how would you like to come to an adventure with Dereck and I?” Asked Elmar nervously. Diana was the most mature of the three of them and had always been the leader of their group. Should he tell her about Hades?

“When are we leaving?” She asked with a grin.

“After Yule. Don’t you want to ask more questions?” Asked Elmar, surprised that he was not asked at least three how’s by now.

“You will tell us everything when we go. You always do, Elm. Will you be the healer of the group?” She asked and Elmar nodded.

“Then you need to get trained by Larriel,” said Dereck. Elmar felt good that he was not going to have to go alone. He had good friends. He just hoped he was not leading them into danger.