THEOS

Luke scratched the side of his neck, a hesitant expression on his face. He had spent a lot of the previous night thinking of responses for just his kind of scenario. Unfortunately, at the moment, none of them felt up to snuff. He had to say something though.

“So here’s the thing…” He drummed his fingers along the grip of his sword.

Lukeus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

“I can’t tell you much. But, the gist of it is that I need to find something and give it to someone.”

“Find what and to who? And why, you?” He asked.

“...There’s a Son of Zeus on the island.” Luke said, carefully watching Lukeus’s expression. “I have to get him his storage ring. As for why I was chosen… Uh, I don't know.” He answered honestly. “But believe me. I can’t, and I mean it, tell you guys anymore. If that doesn’t satisfy you, then I guess that’s it. I’ll find some other way.”

“No. That’s enough.” Lukeus nodded. “I’ve heard about this kind of thing before.”

“You have?”

What kind of stuff has he been hearing?

“Mhm.” Lukeus grunted.

“That’s nice… So are we good to go?”

If he bails the same way he’s done every time up till now, I’m gonna be pissed.

“Yeah, we’re good. Honestly, I’m kind of excited to meet Heracles again. I had no clue he was already on the island. Otherwise, I probably would have gone and gotten him already. Can’t believe he’s been stuck out west this entire time.” He shook his head ruefully. Patting the pegasus on its nose one last time, he walked back to the side of the chariot and climbed in. “I should have known he’d find some way to sneak past that winged lady. The guy doesn’t know when to give up.”

Luke's thoughts ground to a halt as he tried to process the information.

I didn’t mention Heracles, did I?

“No need to look so shocked. Honestly, this is probably a mistake. You see your Luke and I’m Luke, and you live in the castle and I live in the castle, so it makes sense that you got the message and not me. But, me and Heracles are friends. I’ve known the guy for years now actually. It was probably supposed to be me that went and got him anyway. It’s a little weird that the message went to you, normally they don’t make mistakes like this, but…” He lifted his hands in that air. “It happens.”

Message? What’s he even talking about?

Luke turned to Rex only to see that he looked equally surprised at the revelation.

“Right. Let’s set off” Lukeus clapped his hands together, before pointing at Luke. “Do you even want to come? I can probably take care of it myself, but I’d appreciate some company besides Rex. He’s kind of boring.”

“I’m not!”

Well. This is working out better than expected. Do I want to go though? Is it even possible to outsource a quest? Should I risk it?

“Would Cyzicus care if I left?”

“The Old Man’s so busy, I doubt he'll even notice, besides we’ll be back before that dumb tournament too, so it shouldn’t matter.”

“Alright then. Let’s go. You uh, packed everything we needed right?”

“Did you Rex?” Lukeus asked.

“I did. Enough food, lots of beer, and some clothes.”

Seeing as everything was in order, Luke took one last look around the garden, before climbing onto the chariot. SIghing in pleasure, as he wiggled into the softly padded bench. The leather conformed to his body in the perfect way, and at just the right temperature.

“Is this enchanted?”

“Of course. I had it specially made by the best crafters on the island. I owe the Old Man a fortune in merits, but I had to have it, you know? And Nutbutter doesn’t like to be ridden either, so I kind of needed one after my last one broke. Bumming rides from Nel was getting old too. This is actually my first time riding this one though.” He said. Taking the reins, and tugging on them gently.

The pegasus immediately took off, galloping a short distance, before extending his wings and taking to the sky with a single flap. All without a single jolt being felt inside.

Luke stared mesmerized, as its muscles rippled underneath its fur. “How did you tame him?”

“Hmm.” Lukeus glanced out of the corner of his eye and scoffed. “You don’t know? I don’t know why I’m surprised.” He grinned. “You don’t even know how to make talismans.”

“His education is lacking, but that’s only expected from someone who didn’t grow up with the finest tutors, brother,” Rex said. A mischievous grin, teasing his lips, he leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head.

“I suppose that is fair. Taming animals it rather simple if you have a –”

“Despite his lackluster education, he is stronger than you.” Rex interrupted him.

“If he’s stronger than me, he’s stronger than you. And while he’s definitely stronger than you, he can’t be stronger than me.” Lukeus shook his head.

“Why don’t you fight him, and find out? Luke hasn’t lost a single spar. That’s probably why the gods picked him to find your friend, and not you.”

This guy.

“Like I said before, I’m sure that was a simple mistake. As for your little club, the only reason it even exists is because I don’t want to participate in that dumb tournament. Gramps wouldn’t need you if he had me. ”

It does? Luke looked at Lukeus doubtfully. Is he actually strong?

“That’s not true.” Rex argued.

“Oh, it is.” Lukeus grinned.

“Why don’t you want to compete?” Luke asked.

“Because I’m not entertainment.” He puffed his chest. “There are plenty of fools, like you two, who will jump when someone stronger says up, but I have my pride.”

“What are you talking about?” Rex said. “The Olympic Tournament comes with a lot of prestige. Most people can’t participate even if they want to. Some of the people who win even end up as Emperors. And the prizes!”

“Yes. Many deluded prodigies end up competing, and after they cultivate enough, they can go beg some god for an army to take over some land for the amazing opportunity to pay them taxes. It’s all very dandy. If you're a real man, why not load a ship with your friends and set sail for lands unknown. Clear out the monsters yourself, name yourself Emperor, and at the end of it, keep all your money?”

“You can do that?” Luke’s eyes lit up.

“Don’t listen to him.” Rex shook his head. “No one does that. It’s nearly impossible. Sailing without a destination is suicide, and if you do find uninhabited parcel, chances are its crawling with monsters. Not to mention that if you leave a piece of wilderness alone for long enough, you’ll have Hero-tier or higher beasts cropping up. You’d have better chances conquering an existing empire.”

“Gramps did it.” Lukeus argued.

Rex shrugged. “He’s also the one that says doing it that way isn’t wise.”

“We’ll see.”

“Arrogant much? You haven’t even become a warrior yet.”

He grinned in response, and turned away. Grabbing the reins with one hand, he started to play with them. Making Nutbutter swerve from side to side.

“What are you doing?”

“In my old chariot, if I did that, you’d have fallen out. This new one is nice, but I don’t get nearly as much feel. It doesn’t matter. Luke, do you know where to go? Like exactly, west is pretty vague.”

“Yeah.” Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a map he had drawn the night before.

“Hmm.” He scanned the map,pulling his own out of his robes, and compared the two.“Impressive drawing. We should be there in three days.” He leaned back, marking the two points on his own, and handing Luke back his.

“If we don’t get attacked. Luke, do you remember the Sky Snake?” Rex asked.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. That thing was disgusting.”

“It was stupid of you to kill it. You should have let Nel do it.” He said, looking straight at his brother.

Lukeus raised an eyebrow. “Sky Snakes are Warrior-tier. Who are you trying to fool Rex?”

“Nobody. I told you Luke was strong, didn’t I?”

Luke sighed. What’s he trying to do?

“I just… Executed it. Nel already had it defeated. What were you saying about taming animals again?”

“Oh. Yeah. I don’t know how most people do it, but I just use my bloodline. It’s pretty simple.”

A bloodline? Luke perked up. Not exactly what I was hoping for.. But, “What is that, exactly?”

“Uhhh. It’s basically just an ability. Kind of showed up when I unlocked my mana. When I put my hands on an animal, I can make a bond with it, if it likes me. This little rascal,” Lukeus reached around and put his arms around Rex’s shoulder, “has it too.”

Luke’s eyes glimmered. So I finally learned your secret.

“Are you bonded to anything Rex?”

“Rex. Bond. Hah. The only things he’s been able to make bonds with are bugs.”

“That’s not true!”

“Are bugs impossible too?”

“No.”

“Well, I don’t see your griffin anywhere. Or your pegasus. Have you ever even bonded to a cat?”

“I’m just waiting for something inter–”

“You don’t have to give me excuses little bro. I’ll always love you.”

“Shut up. I’m taking a nap.” Rex said, rolling over on his side, and covering the morning sun with his arm.

“Ah, come on. You know I was teasing you right? You take everything so seriously.”

“No. I. Don’t.”

“I don’t know. What do you think, Luke? You’ve spent a lot of time with him lately.”

“I think this is gonna be a long trip.”

“You’re not wrong.”

Kind of wish I was. That might be more pleasant. And less cringe. He thought, focusing his attention on the ring as he began the torturous process of filling it with mana.

Having a higher Arcana stat hadn’t made the experience of filling it any easier, but he had discovered something rather fascinating about it. Namely that every eighty-seven points of mana he put into the ring, gave him one Stat Point.

The relationship between Stat Points and mana invested hadn’t been clear in the beginning. Back when he had gotten the ring, there was still room to grow, and growth seemed to vary, and he would gain points in his Arcana seemingly at random.

Since he had maxed it out though, it had been the same number of points every time. He didn’t know exactly why, but his best guess was that since his Arcana didn’t grow anymore, it took the same amount of effort to accumulate the same amount of Aetherial Mana within him.

However it worked, Luke was happy that it did. If he pushed himself, he found that he could put in the required eighty-seven points, in roughly fifteen minutes. Averaging four Stat Points an hour. What excited him even more though, was that a few weeks ago, it had taken him seventeen minutes to add the same number of points to his ring.

If I can keep bringing my time down even more, and add it to all the other training and the points I get for killing stuff, then I should be able to reach the Warrior-tier soon. Maybe even in a couple of months. And if there’s a lot of the giants wherever Heracles is, I could do even better. Maybe even get there in a few weeks.

The rest of their trip passed without much fanfare. They managed to cross over the river without being assailed by any beast, and they made quick time. Stopping only at night to camp, and taking quick hour long breaks every once in a while for Nutbutter.

The pegasus, while strong and quick, was neither as fast nor as hardy as Nel’s griffin. Requiring both a lot more food, and down time. Something that Luke was fine with.

The three of them were having a good time, and he had come to appreciate the small moments of inactivity, and with the points he was able to accumulate with the ring, it didn’t feel like a waste of time.

“Is this where his ring is then?” Asked Lukeus. A deep frown marring his face.

Luke looked at his map, and then peaked his head over the side of the chariot. “I think so.” He winced.

“Does this Heracles fellow really need his ring? I can convince Gramps to give him another one.” Rex said.

“We have to get it.” Luke said resolutely. “And it isn't that bad.”

“Are you seeing the same thing I’m seeing?”

No. I see true freedom. “Yes. Now, let’s not be babies about this okay. We have a job to do.”

“Well technically, you got the message, so am I really needed?” Lukeus asked.