Where The Dead Ones Go Book 1 -Magistracy-

Chapter 2

"This is the first time in recent history that the southern nation has sent a full delegation entourage, right?"

"Indeed. Normally they will just quietly and discreetly arrive without so much fanfare and leave quickly."

"Imagine my surprise when I received the invitation!"

"I heard from a friend that they will also introduce the Sheikh of their country."

"Sheik means like the Prince? Next in line to the reigning Emira?"

"Wow, they brought their monsters with them!"

"When was the last time this happened?"

"Not in recent history, that's for sure."

The Auralians with me at the sides of the highways are talking excitedly among themselves on just how monumental and unheard of this event that I am going to see.

There are countless Auralian security officers and soldiers enforcing peace and order amongst the thousands of select citizens allowed to view the parade.

I am just happy that I am lucky enough to land a front-row place.

Southern country huh?

There's only one nation located south.

The Scythian Emirate.

It is a rather economically poor nation that has experienced severe famines but for some reason, they are still surviving in the middle of an unforgiving desert where no one barely comes. That country is actually the last among the list of countries I want to visit.

Severe heatwaves, sandstorms, and impenetrable fog that covered their entire nation periodically are also the reasons why they rarely left. Some say that the Scythians are the most resilient mortals there is in Gearth that's why Ares, God of War, is their patron.

Of course, wherever war is, there is love. That is why Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, call that nation her home. 

In the past centuries, they have been in wars and almost conquered the Cretonian Democratic Union if not for the Republic of Anoixi offering to support the Emirate in terms of food supplies because that is the very reason why they launched an attack on the Union in the first place.

They need arable lands to support their population or die in hunger. 

I just looked around and waited patiently as the other Auralians are beginning to wonder what is taking the Emirate's delegation long to arrive.

Suddenly, we felt what seemed to be a tremor on the ground that is slowly growing stronger every second.

We then heard loud beating of drums and from the skies, several dark-skinned soldiers flew from above and wearing desert camo uniforms. They then spread their arms and a sudden gust of ferociously hot wind blew from the skies.

I covered my eyes instinctively with my hands as I heard people starting to panic.

When I tried to open my eyes, I saw sands flying around all of us and I can even barely see what is right in front of me.

I heard several people claiming it is a sandstorm and just a moment later, it subsided. When I dared to open my eyes once more, what I saw really blew me away.

Several hundreds of Scythians seemingly appeared out of nowhere and are now marching towards the city center.

Leading the large entourage are women in red silken satin clothes who are dancing and prancing to the beat of the drums being carried by soldiers behind them.

The tamed monsters are pulling giant wagons full of tributes to our Patron Goddess.

Tons and tons of oil drums, rare-gearth metals, beautiful statues of Hestia are among the offerings they are bringing and showing to the onlookers as they continue their impressive parade showcasing the culture and military might of their nation.

"Impressive, aren't they?"

I looked at my side and saw a boy around my age looking gaunt, grimy and his thick and unkempt hair is covering half of his face. He is frail thin, and sullen-looking smiling at me before looking at the majestic parade in front of us, "They don't have the time to send a homeless git like me away when everything is so busy so they just let me hang around. What do you think of the Emirati Delegate? I bet you just found yourself in here like me, right?"

"You could say that," I said before looking at the grand parade and smiled, "I think it is really amazing and awe-inspiring. I am just so happy to be able to see all of these."

"I was kinda expecting that answer," he said quietly before smiling at me a little before pointing at the parade once more, "Looks like the main show is happening."

I quickly looked back and indeed, a beautiful and voluptuous woman just a year or so older than I am started walking in front of the entourage wearing a beautiful turquoise Scythian ceremonial clothes and confident expression.

"Bow before His Emirati Highness, Sheikh Vaski, son of Poseidon, God of Earthquakes!"

"What?!"

"Poseidon?!"

"What does the King of the Sea's offspring doing in the Emirate?!"

"Is this some kind of a joke or something?!"

"Absurd!"

"So she's telling us that a deity of water has a son in a country located at the middle of the desert?!"

"That's a joke, right?!"

"Wait, God of Earthquakes, she said?!"

"But Poseidon is an Anoixian Olympian. He is not in the best terms with Ares, Patron God of Scythian Emirate, right?!"

"Bow?! We are not even sure if she is telling the truth!"

"Where is this Sheikh of hers anyway?!"

"Yeah! Show us first!"

As if to answer the spectators' demands, a gigantic shadow suddenly covered us all and when we looked up, we saw a gigantic sand-colored dragon descending down in front of the Emirati delegates. 

Riding on top of its head is a handsome and dark-skinned boy around fifteen or sixteen years old with lean and muscled body build. His face has a strong, defined jaw and mesmerizing turquoise-colored eyes he shared with the girl who is now kneeling with the rest of the Scythians as the dragon finally landed on the ground.

He raised his right hand and the rocks and earth from the ground converged on his hand and it took the form of a large earthen trident that is the signature weapon of Poseidon and only him and his children have the authority to wield it in many differing forms.

The boy grabbed and raised it before throwing the earthen trident to the ground. A huge earthquake struck us all and we are forced to kneel and wait for it to subside.

After a few seconds of intense tremors, it finally stopped and the girl stood up and raised her hands. Several geysers burst around the delegates and she smiled confidently while addressing the soldiers guarding the gates, "The Scythian Emirate and His Highness demands that the gates to be opened so we can offer our tributes to Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth and receive her blessings! Our Patron God, Ares, and Patroness Goddess  Aphrodite demand it!"

The soldiers bowed and the giant iron gates where the Hearth is located behind opened as the foreign delegates began their joyous parade once more following the lead of the frightening dragon bearing the heir to their throne.

"Ismenia, the immortal dragon son of Ares. Said to be sent to mortals he favored," I looked at my right and saw the boy is preparing to leave as we saw the last of the Scythians entering the gates before it closes behind them, "And here I thought this will just be a bore of a spectacle. I think this is a great year to be alive, don't you think?"

I shook my head and smiled a little, "Not for me, at least. My normal life goes on regardless of what happened there. Speaking of normal life, I am already late for work."

"Well, then, I hope you all the best. But as for me, regardless of what happened here, I still think we will see each other around. Take care until then," he said before turning his back on me and walking away into the crowd of spectators and disappearing from my sight.

Why do I get the feeling that this is really not the last time I will see him?

-0-

I know I am dreaming.

I must be...

I still remember getting home after work and falling asleep.

That's why there is no reason for me to be back in the place where the parade happened earlier this day. 

Especially if the sun is still up when I am sure it is in the middle of the night.

The place is devoid of life and at first, I thought it is just me here but as I walked forward, I saw someone sitting on the street gutter and with its back on me.

Wearing only a boxer short and a white tank top, he has this lean but muscly build and a fair complexion. His hair is silver-coloured and being blown gently by the cold sunset breeze.

He looked up at the setting sun, "Beautiful, isn't?" he asked in a quiet and optimistic voice, "Another day has ended and a new tomorrow will be upon us soon."

"Who are you?" I asked warily as I looked around and it's just really the two of us here.

"Good question, I also want to know," he said happily as if he didn't care that he didn't know even his name.

"This is a dream, right? I am dreaming. I should be. There's no way I am outside right now. Why am I here?" I said in a panic as I try to walk away but I can't move all of a sudden for no reason.

He took a deep breath and sighed, "Calm down, will you? Instead of worrying about that, why don't you just enjoy the majestic sight before us and appreciate the message that it is saying to you? That no matter how your day ends, a new future will surely await you after the dark."

"I don't really get what you are trying to say but I guess it is a beautiful sight," I said as I also looked up at the burning sun slowly descending as the birds flew on the blood-red skies above us.

"Right? The darkness is at hand but you don't need to fear. For I am with you in the dark..."

-0-

"A daughter of a high ranking member of the Magistracy Court of Pagos was robbed blind while walking downtown of the Aurapolis City on her way to the Hellenic Citadel to take the entrance examinations early this morning. The Viceraine's Office received a formal complaint from the diplomat of the Magistracy shortly after, demanding for thorough investigations and reprimanding of the suspect. The demigod girl of unknown immortal parentage is reportedly unharmed and subsequently escorted to the Hellenic Citadel safely by the Viceroyalty Police Force..."

"What the hell is she doing walking there in the wee hours of the morning?" Ms Irene asked the television screen that now showed the thousands of aspirants flooding the entrance gate of the Hellenic Citadel, "Weird, right Vivet?"

I nodded and smiled warily before bowing my head apologetically, "Indeed. I'm sorry again for being late yesterday, Ms Irene. I lost track of time and before I know it, it's already sunset."

"As I said, don't worry about it. I received a message from Hermes that he gave you a V.I.P ticket for the Scythian Delegate Parade," she said calmly as my other workmates stopped what they are doing and looked at me curiously, "Tell us, Vivet. What do you think of their entrance?"

"It was grand, to say the least," I said truthfully that made her chuckle, "I think they really want to boast about the Sheikh who is the son of Poseidon."

She raised an eyebrow as her employees gasped in surprise, "Poseidon, you say?"

"Yes, Ms Irene. I don't really get why he has a child on the Emirate which is located at the center of a desert when he is a supreme God of the Seas?" I asked curiously that made the daughter of Iris, Goddess of Rainbows, sighed and shook her head at me.

"Come, now, Vivet. Poseidon may hold absolute domain over the seas and water but he is also known as the God of Earthquakes," she reminded me before standing up from her seat and nodding at me, "The Scythian Emirate is a country that experiences more earthquakes and tremors than other countries in Gearth. It may be unheard of but definitely not unreasonable for Poseidon's spawn to appear in that nation. Come to my office, Vivet. Let me give you the parcel you will be delivering today."

I followed the owner of our company back at her office on the ground floor of our headquarters.As I quietly walk after her, I looked at the walls of the hallway and gaze upon the pictures of the company's countless branches in the continent together with the happy employees both demigods and mere mortals alike working together happily.

The Goddess of Rainbows was the one who used to run her company personally but the moment that my foster mother graduated from the Hellenic Citadel many years ago, she happily gave control of the Iris Delivery Services to Ms Irene when her other demigod children refused the position for obvious reasons.

Iris' children are more of a carefree and relaxed type of demigods. They prefer hassle-free life and none inherited their one of their mother's colourful personality inclined for financial dealings except for Ms Irene.

One other unique feature of Iris' children is that unlike the spawns of other immortals, they don't have the same personalities at all.

Each of her children's totally different from the other and none are quite the same personality speaking aside from physical resemblance.

I met one of my foster mother's siblings and he is a very quiet and introverted man who prefers to be left alone most of the time while the last I met is very flamboyant and extroverted. But differing personalities aside, they all still seemed to be looking out for each other and supporting Ms Irene on running the company saying that they rather help her than be in her position.

"Lost in thoughts again, Vivet?"

I blinked when I realized that I was already at the rainbow-coloured office of the company owner that looked like a class of kindergarten students came in and splashed paints of different colours everywhere.

Most of my workmates find this room dizzying but personally, I find it very vibrant and beautiful. It is so chaotically colourful and mesmerizing in their weirdness, "I am just thinking about Lady Iris' children and how they are really different from each other, unlike other demigods who share the same personalities of their parents."

"Well in that regards, I guess my mother is truly unique among the Gods and Goddesses. Most of them have a single, narrow, if you will, types of personality that define them. She, however, like the rainbow, has a very colourful personality and disposition. I guess one of these days, you will meet her yourself and find her a rather odd but fun mom."

I smiled and bowed respectfully, "I do hope that day will come soon."

"Well, if you managed to do this specific task for her then I am sure that can easily be arranged," Ms Irene said as she sat on her rainbow leather chair and produced a rather small multi-coloured parcel from the drawer of her desk that can fit comfortably in my palm, "This is what she wants you to deliver to the Hellenic Citadel. Specifically the Headmistress of that school. It is from Khronos."

"Khronos?"

"Yes, the God of Time himself. To be honest, this is also the first time I've ever heard of him interacting with mortals. Heck, mother said that this was the first time he ever talked to her in eons," Ms Irene said thoughtfully as she carefully placed the lightweight parcel on my hand, "And that's what makes this particular delivery of yours more important than ever. Make sure you finish the job with utmost surety. Khronos is a feared primordial deity that makes my mother look like a newborn baby in terms of power and seniority. Don't let her down, Vivet."

I blinked and looked at the parcel on my palm that suddenly felt heavier than it supposed to be, "If its that important, why don't you just deliver it, Ms Irene? I don't think I'm qualified enough for this kind of job, Ms Irene."

"I know. I already offered myself and other experienced employees of mine to my mother but she is quite specific that it should be you," she said in disbelief as she looked at me carefully, "Remember what I taught you about immortals?"

I nodded and sighed, "They don't run on the same reason and behaviour as we mortals do. There are things that we can never fathom about them and their way of thinking and if I want to earn their favour or at the very least, live. Then I should just bow my head and do as they please."

"Exactly, Vivet. Mother didn't speak further when I pressed her further for information on why it has to be my foster-daughter and it can't be me or someone more experienced to handle such an important request," she said as she smiled a little, "But if you managed to survive this far and done each and every job sent to your way without a hitch then I think you should be fine. Do it."

"I won't let you down, Ms Irene," I answered promptly that made her nod seriously.

"I know you won't," she said as she stood up quickly, "You must deliver that parcel to the Headmistress of the Hellenic Citadel by any means necessary. Don't return until your delivery is complete. Don't let the parcel get damaged. The name of our company is resting on your shoulders at this very moment. Above all else, return to me alive and well."

"I will, Ms Irene. This might be the most important delivery of my life. I can feel it."

"I am inclined to agree, Vivet," she said before snapping her fingers and suddenly a rainbow coloured portal appeared on the right wall of her office, "This is the Rainbow Path. Usually, it is just us children of Iris who can use it but once in a while, we can let our close friends or relatives use it. This one here will bring you right in front of the entrance gate of the Hellenic Citadel. Mother might have said that I can't be the one who will deliver it but I sure didn't hear her stating I cannot help you as much as I can."

I smiled gratefully and nodded, "Thank you very much, Ms Irene. Off I go, I guess."

"Take care, Vivet. I'm counting on you."