The Achievement Junkie 193 Discussion with Gods

Giving Jack a peculiar look, the hydra nodded. "You know who I am? How is that possible?"

"What do you mean? This is your shrine, isn't it?"

"Yes, but how did you find it? My previous shrine was destroyed and I've never revealed this place to anyone since before the Holy War." Lunara's tone was getting colder, suspicious of Jack's intentions.

"Well…" Realizing that Jack again stuck in a hard place from his lack of information, he pondered what would be best to say next. "Lunara, by any chance is this also Sterfen's hidden temple?"

Suddenly, everyone felt a bestial pressure suppressing them.

With fury in her eyes, Lunara asked, "Who sent you?! Was is Halmut?!"

"No, no! I'm pledged to Daruun!"

"Daruun?!"

The hydra's long tail was about to lash forward at Jack, but the rage quickly disappeared from Lunara's eyes.

"You… You're really pledged to Daruun?"

"Yes, he's the reason I found this place. We came so that a member of our party could pledge to Sterfen, but I only realized that it was your shrine after seeing the hydra heads carved along the path," explained Jack, hoping that Lunara didn't have a grudge against Daruun.

"Can you prove it?" asked Lunara, still acting warily.

"Can't you just inspect my class and level?"

"I tried, but I was still unable because you're hiding it with a legend-tier item," stated Lunara.

"Oh." Storing his cloak that had turned coat, Jack asked, "How about now?"

A moment passed before Lunara smiled. "Why didn't you tell me you were Daruun's champion? This changes everything."

The others in the party were too confused to do anything. From the moment that they discovered the hydra to be an ancient god to the moment Jack admitted to having a legend-tier item, they were shocked to process everything going on.

Then, the cave filled with bright blue light, emanating from Lunara's giant body. It easily overwhelmed the light from Bowzer as her body started shrinking. Gradually, it started to take on a humanoid shape and eventually became their size.

The blue light from her body faded, but the carvings of hydras on the walls stayed lit, letting them see the entire room.

"Jack, since you're with Daruun, we're on the same side," stated Lunara as she appeared before the hero in her human form.

She was wearing a long, celestial-blue dress that faded to light blue at the dresses edges. It was neither form-fitting nor frilly, but it couldn't hide her outstanding, immortal beauty.

Curious what she meant, Jack asked, "What do you mean, we're on the same side? Aren't you one of the holy gods?"

"I was at a time, but I also refused to fight in the Holy War," answered Lunara. "There were a few battles that Halmut forced me to join, but I've been against that lying pestro for a long time now."

"So, does that mean you're like an unofficial neutral god?"

"Well, my husband is a neutral god, so that should count for something."

"Husband?!" Not expecting such an answer, Jack asked, "You mean…"

"Sterfen, yes," replied Lunara with a chuckle. "Sterfen and I have been together for a long time now, since before the Holy War…"

She stopped talking and let her words trail off as if she was recollecting her memories from long ago. But sad frown appeared on her face, not a smile.

"You came here for him, right? I see you've already gotten one of his cloaks, so he'll like that. Come, you and your friends can follow me." Lunara turned around and started walking toward the spiral staircase at the center of the large room.

Looking back to the others, Jack shouted, "Come on guys, let's get going!" He followed behind Lunara, not waiting for his confused party members.

He wasn't worried about Bowzer. Jack wanted to leave Bowzer down there since he was in the middle of evolving, and it's not like there were any threats to him so he could be alone. Once he was done evolving, he could just come upstairs.

Eventually, the party members ran toward Jack, not wanting to be left behind.

"Jack is she really…" Maura was hesitant to ask, too caught up on the fact that she might be standing so close to an ancient deity.

"Yeah, she really is a god. It explains a lot, now that I think about it."

His earlier confusion about there being two gods sharing space was cleared up and it explained how a holy god could share space with a neutral god. It actually made Jack happy, since it would allow him to ask them all kinds of questions.

It took them almost ten minutes to reach the top of the staircase and reach a trapdoor in the ceiling.

Lunara waved her hand and blue energy covered the door, opening it for them. "Everyone, please come in. We haven't had guests in a while, so we're glad to finally have some company."

Jack just smiled. 

The others nodded nervously. During this trip, they had expected to face some of the strongest opponents they would ever meet in order to enter a god's hidden tomb.

Now, after being cordially invited by one ancient god to meet her husband, another ancient god, in their own home, it was too much.

Lunara entered first, followed by Jack and the others.

To there surprise, they walked into what looked to be a luxurious living space with white and blue everywhere. With four elegant blue couches and a white table between them, there was enough room for everyone to sit comfortably.

Not sitting down, Lunara left the trapdoor open for Bowzer and went to a hallway. "Just make yourselves at home. I'll send my husband in while I prepare some hot tea for everyone. I'm sure you would like that after your cold journey to get here."

Everyone looked at Jack, not sure what they should say.

"Just relax guys, it'll be fine, we're their guests after all," Jack joked.

Eliza gave Jack a stern look. "Jack, how come I feel like you're not telling us everything? And you didn't mention that the cloak you bought from us was a legend-tier item!"

"Actually, I already told your father about that," stated Jack. "As for everything else, can you blame me? I barely knew you."

"I'm your wife! If you can't tell your wife your secrets, then who can you tell?"

"Well, I don't have to tell anybody… That's an option too," reasoned Jack, trying to keep everyone calm. "Besides, something tells me you're all about to learn everything."

"Oh, so you're the ones my wife told me about."

They all looked and saw a man coming out of the same hallway that Lunara went into. He was wearing a white robe. It was cozy and casual, nothing that seemed worthy of a god's status.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The man bowed his head slightly. "I'm Sterfen, God of Secrets. I'm amazed that you all were able to find me. Then again, if my wife was correct, it shouldn't have been too difficult if Daruun was the one who sent you."

Taking the liberty to speak, Jack stood up and bowed to Sterfen before he spoke, "I'm Jack, the champion that Daruun has chosen."

"Yes, I can see that," laughed Sterfen as he joined them on the couches. "I also heard that you own one of my precious cloaks. I'm willing to trade you for it, I'll make it worth your while."

"Actually, I'm not the one looking for you."

"Oh, then who is?" asked Sterfen curiously.

Knowing it was his time to speak, Rydel stood up and bowed deeply to their host. "My name is Rydel and I've come to pledge allegiance to you."

"So that's what this is about… What if I say no?"

Rydel kept his head down. "Then I'll ask again, but I can't possibly force you."

"Hmm… I'll think about it," stated Sterfen, looking back to Jack. "As for you, I've got plenty of questions I'd love to ask. I'm also willing to answer any questions that I'm able to. Sound fair?"

"I can agree with that."

Seeing Jack acting so calm and being treated so highly by a god, Maura, Daliea, Eliza, and Keela all admired Jack even more. It reinvigorated the drive they had to be with him. There was no way they would ever find another man like Jack.

"So Jack, since your that man's champion, I can assume you're nothing like common heroes. Please, tell me who you really are and don't you dare lie to me. Not even my wife can hide the truth from me," Sterfen laughed, making sure that he was warm with Jack since he was sent by Daruun.

Jack knew that if anyone could keep a secret, it was the God of Secrets. "Technically, I'm a summoned hero with my own unique class and subclass. The thing I know you'll find interesting is that at one point, in a different body, I was a hero from Ancient Kartonia, one at the very top."

"Oh, really?! Then, tell me your title."

"Like every hero at the top, I had more titles than I can remember, but I had my own title given to me by the other heroes which you may know," stated Jack. "I was a cofounder of the Leisure Guild in Trodar, Founder of the Trodan Council, and the more accomplished of all heroes in Kartonia. The others would call me the Achievement Junkie."

Chapter end