Chapter 83: Zephyros
"Come with me," Draven said concerningly. "It’s time you understood the true scope of what you’re becoming a part of."
Jack felt the familiar grass beneath his feet shift and change, reality bending around them as Draven led him away from the peaceful meadow of his domain.
The eternal sunset began to fade, replaced by something far more vast and overwhelming.
Whoosh.....
When the cosmic winds settled and Jack’s vision cleared, he found himself standing at the edge of something that defied mortal comprehension.
The Hall of Eternals stretched endlessly in all directions, a space so vast that calling it a room seemed laughably inadequate.
The floor beneath his feet appeared to be made of crystallized starlight. Above, there was no ceiling. Only an infinite expanse where aurora-like energies danced between floating islands of pure radiance.
The very air hummed with divine presence, each breath carrying the weight of cosmic authority that made Jack’s mortal senses reel.
To his left, an area of brilliant, almost blinding radiance pulsed with warmth and golden light. Even from this distance, Jack could feel the overwhelming sense of righteousness and absolute moral certainty.
To his right, shadows writhed and coalesced into an area of darkness. It radiated an aura of primal power and barely contained malevolence that made Jack’s skin crawl with instinctive warning.
But between these extremes lay the neutral ground where he and Draven stood.
"This is where all divine business is conducted," Draven explained, his voice carrying easily despite the vast space around them. "This section serves as neutral territory where gods from every faction can meet without the risk of immediate warfare."
Jack turned in a slow circle, trying to process the sheer scope of what he was witnessing. "There are so many of them," he whispered, noting the countless divine figures moving through the various territories. "I never imagined..."
"Thousands upon thousands," Draven confirmed grimly. "Gods of every conceivable domain, from every pantheon that has ever existed across countless worlds and dimensions. Each one possessing their own agenda, their own desires, their own plans for mortal realms."
The storm god’s expression grew serious as he placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder. "Which brings me to something crucial you must understand, Jack. In this cosmic hierarchy, there are very few beings you can truly trust."
As if summoned by their conversation, a figure began moving toward them across the crystalline floor.
Jack felt his breathing becoming heavier as the approaching god’s aura washed over him like a tide of overwhelming charisma and barely contained arrogance.
The deity appeared as a tall, powerfully built man with hair that flowed like it was in the wind and features that seemed designed to be devastatingly attractive to mortals.
His clothing was minimal but elegant, designed to showcase a physique that radiated both physical perfection and sexual magnetism.
"Draven!" the approaching god called out, his voice carrying like a summer breeze filled with promises of pleasure and indulgence. "How delightful to see you in the Hall again. And you’ve brought a mortal pet, how quaint."
The god’s gaze settled on Jack with obvious dismissal mixed with predatory assessment. "Let me guess. Another chosen one seeking cosmic significance? They’re all so earnest when they first arrive, thinking they’re special."
"This is Zephyros," Draven said with barely concealed distaste, "God of Winds and Fertility. He represents everything you need to be wary of when dealing with divine powers."
Zephyros laughed, the sound like wind chimes made of silver and vanity. "Oh, Draven, you’re always so serious. The boy should learn to enjoy the benefits of divine association."
His attention turned back to Jack with a grin that was both charming and deeply unsettling. "Tell me, young mortal, have you discovered the recreational advantages of your enhanced abilities yet? Lightning users tend to be quite popular with the ladies, if you know what I mean."
Jack felt his face flush at the implication, while simultaneously feeling disgusted by the god’s casual objectification. "I’m here to learn about my responsibilities, not to indulge in whatever you’re suggesting."
"Responsibilities!" Zephyros threw back his head and laughed with genuine amusement. "Oh, you sweet child. Responsibility is what lesser beings concern themselves with. Gods take what they want because they have the power to do so."
The fertility god gestured grandly toward the vast expanse of the Hall. "Look around you, boy. Every deity here has learned that mortal concepts of duty and restraint are merely obstacles to true fulfillment. Your patron there," he nodded toward Draven, "clings to outdated notions of balance and neutrality. But power without pleasure is just elaborate self-denial."
Crackle....
Lightning began dancing around Draven’s form with increasing intensity, his patience clearly wearing thin. "That’s enough, Zephyros. The boy doesn’t need to hear your philosophy of divine hedonism."
"Of course he doesn’t," Zephyros agreed with mock solemnity before winking at Jack. "He’ll learn it on his own soon enough. They always do."
The wind god began moving away with the same casual arrogance he’d displayed throughout the encounter. "Enjoy your little tour, young Kaiser. When you tire of Draven’s lectures about cosmic responsibility, you know where to find more entertaining instruction."
As Zephyros disappeared into the crowd of divine beings, Jack found himself shaking his head in disgust. "Is that what most gods are like?"
"Zephyros represents one extreme," Draven replied grimly. "But his attitude toward mortals is unfortunately common among the newer pantheons. To them, chosen ones are toys to be played with until they break or become boring."
The storm god began walking deeper into the neutral territory, gesturing for Jack to follow. "This is why I must warn you about the cosmic forces gathering around your destiny, Jack. Most of the divine beings you’ll encounter will see you as a tool to be used or a threat to be eliminated."
As they moved through the neutral ground, Jack could hear fragments of conversations between various gods.
Discussions of mortal kingdoms like chess pieces, debates about which pantheons deserved dominance over specific worlds, casual mentions of chosen ones who had outlived their usefulness.
"But there is one group you can trust," Draven continued, his voice taking on a note of deep reverence. "The Old Gods. A pantheon of twelve ancient deities who predate most of the current cosmic hierarchy."
Jack’s attention snapped back to his patron with sudden interest. "Old Gods?"
"We were among the first to achieve divine consciousness," Draven explained, lightning crackling more gently around his form. "Before the current factions crystallized, before the newer pantheons began their endless political maneuvering, we established principles of cosmic stability and mutual respect."
The storm god’s expression softened with something that might have been familial affection. "My brother, whom you met as the God of Death, is also one of the Old Gods. We’ve maintained our bonds across eons, supporting each other through cosmic upheavals and divine conflicts."
"Twelve gods total?" Jack asked, fascinated by this glimpse into divine family structure.
"Twelve," Draven confirmed.
The storm god’s voice grew serious again as he met Jack’s eyes directly. "If you encounter any of the other Old Gods, you can trust them as you would trust me. We share bonds forged before current political divisions, and we honor our commitments to chosen ones who prove worthy of our blessing."
"And everyone else?"
"Everyone else will try to manipulate you for their own purposes," Draven said bluntly. "The good faction will attempt to recruit you for their crusades against what they perceive as cosmic evil. The dark faction will seek to corrupt you into serving their vision of unchecked power. The neutral gods will try to use you as a pawn in their elaborate schemes for cosmic influence."
Jack nodded slowly, processing the scope of divine politics he was being thrust into. "What about other chosen ones? Surely some of them would understand..."
"NEVER trust another chosen one," Draven interrupted with sharp emphasis. "They are the most dangerous of all, because they possess divine power combined with mortal ambition and jealousy. Every chosen one sees themselves as the protagonist of cosmic destiny, and they will eliminate competition without hesitation."
The storm god’s expression grew grim with old memories. "I’ve watched promising young mortals corrupted by the influence of other chosen ones who convinced them to betray their patrons or abandon their principles. Divine power combined with peer pressure creates some of the most destructive forces in existence."