Pantheo High: Enrollment

Unwilling Guests

Three days before the orientation...

Rose, Bragi, and Loki were at the grilling joint near the coast of Asgard, several nautical miles away from Pantheo High. The sand was pristinely white, as the ocean was sparkly blue. A few feet away from the shoreline of Asgard's Great Hall of the Slain, where the three of them gathered beside an open grill, with Rose was on the grill cooking steaks over flaming coals, Bragi was rummaging through a pair of black duffel bags, and Loki was sitting cross-legged on the sand, reading a hardbound book with the Valknut, the symbol of three triangles linked together in the middle, etched in silver on the cover. Loki was wearing snug-fitting, red cotton long sleeve, khaki pants with brown leather boots covering his pant leg. Bragi was shuffling in his grey robes and leather sandals, with his guitar/ax, slung unto his back. Rose wore a puffy white cotton long sleeve, suited with a red waistcoat, black pants, and dark red loafers with gold buckles. Bragi looked up at Rose while holding up a fistful of coins.

Bragi: So, the billion drachma question: What do we do with this?

Rose shrugs and looks at Loki, who then closes his book and looks at the sea, contemplating with his finger touching his lips. He then points lazily at Rose.

Loki: We'll split it. each of us gets one-third and that's it.

Rose: I think I can agree to that. Bragi?

Bragi looks at both of them and throws his hands up.

Bragi: Aye. And can those steaks cook any faster? I'm hungry.

Rose flips a steak and sighs.

Rose: It'll be done in a few minutes, so just shut your-

Suddenly, a raven swooped down from the sky, carrying a letter on its claws. It drops it in front of Loki and flies away into the sky. Loki picked up the letter: a folded, light brown piece of paper, sealed by green hot wax. Loki removes the seal and threw it away, pulling out the note. As he read it, Bragi tuned his guitar. 

Bragi: Well, your acceptance letter came early.

Loki looks at us with a wary look, his eyes showing caution.

Loki: It's for all three of us.

To Bragi Odinson, Loki Laufeyson, and Rose Thorne,

You are officially summoned to Pantheo High to discuss matters that are highly confidential and can only be further discussed in person.

Yours,

The Eldest Son

Rose: We received a letter of summons right after our last score. No details, no official stamp, only a request for our... Presence.

Psyche: Wait, what about the money? Where did you get that much?

Rose: Heh, yeah. That's a story for another time.

Psyche: Okay, so, what did you do with the letter?

Rose: Same thing we do to anyone who gives us a letter and not an email.

Rose inserted the letter into the grill and smiled as the yellow flame ate away at the scroll. 

Loki: GAHH!!

He ran towards the grill and tried to retrieve it by blowing on the coals. He backs away when the fire roared and burned hotter as he did so.

Loki: You i***t!! Why?! 

Rose continued tending to his steaks with a metal spatula, which now sizzles and steams with the scent of cooking oil and seasoning, the meat cooking with a light brown color.

Rose: Deals between people like us and authority never end well. It always ends up with either being set up or hiding in a barn, with multiple cops pointing their guns at you.

Bragi shakes his head.

Bragi: I dunno. I just think this isn't something we can back out of.

Rose rolls his eyes. 

Rose: Please. What's he gonna do? Send an angry letter?

But then, the fire started burning cold. The fire's hue started to turn blue, torching the steaks. The three of them back away and watch as the flame roared and shot upward like a comet, appearing smaller and smaller as it flies. Loki gulps with a wistful look on his face.

Loki: M-maybe it's just 

Then, the blue fireball starts to fall, appearing larger as the clouds darken and the flame grew brighter. Loki grabs the lid of the grill and uses it as a shield, while Bragi looks at Rose.

Bragi: Rose?

Rose turns to him.

Rose: Yeah?

Bragi: I hate you.

Rose sighs as the fireball falls on them and incinerates their bodies on the spot.

Rose: The end. That's it.

Psyche: No it isn't. 

Rose sighs.

Rose: Okay, fine.

Rose clears his throat.

Rose: We weren't disintegrated. We were transported. Some kind of old-timey magic trick Hades used. Anyway...

As the three of them were consumed by the fire, it didn't really feel like they were being blowtorched for burning an invitation. They felt their beings shoot into the air and rocket across the sky. As they fly, all the three can see if blue flames. All they feel is cold; the cold that freezes not just your skin, but your bones and nerves. They still felt themselves being flung across the sky, the G-Force felt in their beings, even if they are now just nothing but flames in a flying blue fireball. As it descended, it flew into an open window on the second floor, east from the school. Right as they were about to hit the chairs, they materialized seated right on three chairs facing a desk. As they materialized, the three all had the same faces: Shocked to the point of no reaction. Just wide eyes and jittering bodies. Behind it was a man sitting on some sort of throne, pressing on a candy blue tablet.

The man had a ghostly look to him: flowing white hair that curled on the tips, a growing white stubble, morgue pale complexion, and a very thin scar line that cut from his left eyebrow, through his eye, and across his cheek. He wore a black, white-striped suit that seemed to shimmer with the souls of the damned. The man laid down his tablet and smiled, at least, he tried. It was hard to tell from his yellow eyes.

Hades: Hello there. 

There was no response, as the three were still in shock. He takes a deep breath and exhales as he snaps his fingers and the three spring to life: Rose stood up with his fists wrapped in throne riddled rose vines, ready to brawl, Bragi grabbed his guitar and held it up, ready to chop with his ax as Loki instinctively turned into a bear whilst seated and flattened the chair beneath him. Once Rose lowered his guard, Hades leaned forward on his desk and smiled.

Hades: Now that you're here-

Rose: Not by choice.

Hades leans back.

Hades: In the letter, did I ever say you had one?

Rose shrugged as he leaned on the stone walls. 

Rose: I thought burning the letter was a clear enough message for you.

Hades tilted his head to the side as he clasped his hands together.

Hades: It was. But, your answer didn't matter. A summon from one of the First Six is non-negotiable. You will appear before me, willingly or otherwise.

Bragi hefted his guitar on his right shoulder, while Loki reverted back to human form, sitting cross-legged on the remains of the collapsed chair. 

Bragi: Alright, I'll bite. What do you want from us?

Hades looks up to him.

Hades: We'll get to that. But first, it is time I get to know you three...