Desert Gods

[Mesteno]

[Continued…]


When Aiden and Mesteno returned to Sanctuary, the demi-god newly energised thanks to a mage in Jason’s employ, they emerged at the edge of the treeline facing the cabin, the cold crawling like icy veins across the frost crisped grass, the natural shadows beneath the trees in no hurry to resume their natural positions.

Aiden had never been invited prior, and had the questionable pleasure of the rundown cabin with its ivy choked porch as his initial view. Kalari, Mesteno’s ill-natured feline, sat vigilantly upon the porch railing, observing them with her usual chilly disdain.

Stiffening his muscles against an impulsive shiver, the first thing Mesteno did was try and sense which direction they'd find Lexius in, head at an avian tilt and something distant about his eyes, a result of the concentration. "You know I'm sorry, right?" he asked Aiden quietly. He expected him to know what for.

Aiden blew a warm breath into his cupped palms along with a laugh. "Ain’t your fault that place will freeze your balls off. I think it was designed that way to keep the traffic light." He obviously didn't get what the guy meant. "Nice place. How often does Tarzan visit?” He went bounding toward the porch, distracted as a child by the disapproving cat. "Oh! Aren't you a beautiful Queen?" He was using his soothing and appreciative voice even if Kalari looked like she hated his guts already.

Kalari played statue. The flattened ears, wide, focused pupils and irritably flicking tail a warning enough that he'd regret getting closer.

"I meant for before,” Mesteno corrected, disapprovingly. “At the spice place. You know what I mean, don't play around."

"Oh, right. When you were being a dick." Aiden’s grin was wide and infectious. "It's all good, Whippet. I know you hate this crap and ain’t exactly Mr Trusting when it comes to my sort. Just try to remember I ain’t them."

"I know you're not. I won't make the same mistake twice." Whilst Mesteno seemed immune to that infectious grin, there was a suggestion of relief that his apology was accepted and over with.

He got a bead on Lexius somewhere to the south. The attempt to locate him got the Elf’s attention, and he sent a reassurance along the tie to the Sadist. All is well. They do not seem to be trying to keep anything in. He didn't yet mention he was talking to one of the vultures. Nor that it wasn't really a bird.

Guess I won't be picking them off with a sniper rifle tonight then. Mesteno responded. No way you can get in touch with their boss using them as messenger then? Should we come to you?

Aiden, thankfully, had paused to consider the cat with her flat ears and lashing tail, and wisely chosen not to provoke her claws. He returned to Mesteno’s side, and facing the same direction he was, almost as if he could he sense the link.

I believe we can use them as messengers. Lexius remarked, far too blandly. In fact, one of them has a message for us. If you wish to hear it yourself, I can bring you here. There was a trickle of dread along the tie. The emotion seemed rather foreign and now heartfelt at all and it was followed by a spark of annoyance that burned the dread to ashes.

Mesteno, frowned. A message from Aiden's boss? What's wrong? What just happ--

"One of my nephews is out there." Aiden suddenly announced. He looked hard at Mesteno. "You said there were vultures guarding the place?"
Of course, that only deepened Mesteno’s concern. Bring us over!

Lexius didn't reply with words this time. Instead, the Elf reached out with his Will and wrapped it around Mesteno from a distance, snatching him from Aiden's side in a blink. The demi-god was left cursing up a storm as he was left to make his way on foot through the jungle of Sanctuary's thickly woven trees.

Mesteno appeared on the southern edge of his property, outside of the wards and the boundaries that marked his property. He was standing on a dirt path that was probably a deer track, facing off with a hard looking man dressed in leather and armour. There was an immediate sensation of fear, as if it hung in the air about the stranger like a living thing. The first biting edge of that emotion was swiftly blunted by something the Elf was doing to insulate them both.

For just a moment, the god looked surprised, then he seemed to steel himself as if Mesteno's sudden arrival might be a very bad thing.

"Mesteno," The Elf spoke in a low, calm voice, "this is Phobos, son of the War God." Phobos had one hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist and his narrowed eyes on the Sadist as he fully expected the man to attack.

Left reeling from the usual disorientation, far from the best impression to leave on a stranger of the blood, and coupled with the cold, sharp shock of fear the being induced, Mesteno was not a happy man. Rather than squinting his eyes shut as he usually did to try and regain his balance, they widened, the flash of light off his retinas blindingly bright. Fight or flight instinct kicked in with all the impact of a truck, and naturally flight wasn't on the agenda. Mesteno from launching at Phobos... just.

One step forward, a hand raised in warning that he did well to keep from trembling, finger thrust out in accusation, a snarl twisted his mouth. "Keep your hand from that sword. Don't even think about it." Little by little, he gathered his composure. "You're all right?" he asked Lexius, standing a little ahead of him, nearer to Phobos. Territorial.

Phobos bared his teeth, but he managed to unclench his hand from the sword hilt with only a brief, muted growl that infested his words. "So, this is the fearsome god slayer my father harbours." Apparently, word had gotten around, Phobos wasn't looking particularly impressed, though he wasn't trying to slay Mesteno where he stood, either, "Have no fear," he said that with a straight face, knowing damn well how much fear he induced, "I've not harmed your...friend."

"All is well." Lexius assured, patience only slightly strained. "He was telling me of his Father's message."

Mesteno did not turn his attention away from Phobos even when he spoke to Lexius, whose response served to further help him gather his composure. Perhaps Phobos might note how rapidly the pair of them had recovered from his intrinsic power though. In fact the necromancer looked more irritable by his unsteadiness than he did by the jab of fading terror.

"Nor will you," he retorted sharply, of the 'no harm done' assurance. "And if you've any self-control, keep your talents contained if you have to play delivery boy, or next time I'll make damn sure you regret not doin' so." It might have been a bluff. Only it was plainly obvious it wasn't. No growl for show. No posturing. Mesteno had every intention of finding a way not only to nullify the ability with the tools at his disposal, but to find a way to punish anyone attempting it. "The message." Simple. Demanded. For all the lash to his tone, it might have come with a snap of fingers.

Lexius was, as usual, caught between varying degrees of pride, amusement, curiosity and exasperation with Mesteno's reactions. None of that touched the serenity of his expression or had a single muscle twitching in his deceptively relaxed posture, wrist folded in the cup of a palm before him.

Phobos sneered, but Ares must have had a pretty tight leash on his spawn, because he offered the message despite his obvious offense. "The Lord of War bids you take heed. He fulfils his promise of protection with his own blood" Something Phobos didn't seem all that thrilled about, "and will continue to do so, as agreed, so long as you provide shelter for his kin."

Lexius brow finally furrowed just a bit. That wording was rather vague! It could encompass far, far more people than just Aiden.

Mesteno seemed to have come to the same conclusion. "He's changing the rules of an agreement he's already given his word to, if he thinks he can suddenly insist on us providing a retreat for anyone he's damn well related to. Aiden can stay. He's ours. The rest of you don't set foot within my walls without an invitation, and I can promise you this, I'd have to be fucking desperate to allow you immunity if I can't even trust your most senior member not to try and make last minute adjustments."

Of course, that he'd just laid claim to Aiden might cause protest, but he was obdurate, protective, and that folded arms, tilt-chinned arrogance wasn't going to be argued with.

The Elf knew far better than to ever expect Mesteno to offer meekness willingly, and though it might have been easier had the Sadist displayed a bit more...diplomacy, he was hardly surprised the man didn't. What did startle him, however, was how openly Mesteno laid claim to Aiden, though outwardly he remained stoic, monitoring the exchange quietly.

Phobos was sneering again. His hand had returned to the hilt of his sword, though it seemed more an automatic reaction rather than anything that signalled immediate intent to draw the thing and do some harm. "We do not need the protection of mere mortals." He snapped in return, the tide of fear that surrounded him surging anew with the swell of his emotions.

"None of us here are mere mortals. And the Lord of War's promise was unconditional." Finally, Lexius spoke. His tone had that bland quality to it that seemed to cut through the oppressive waves of fear battering at his invisible shield as cleanly as a blade.

Phobos ground his teeth, but there was something satisfied in the harshness of the smile he displayed next.

"Then you willingly offer your protection to Half-Breed. The Lord will be pleased." All responsibility for Aiden seemed to have been assigned to them. Phobos confirmed that with his next instructions. "Keep him, and yourselves, away from the District until you are called for. And do not taunt the Lord of Death."

"You might want to remember that the mortals you're talking to, and the half-breed you seem to enjoy talkin' down about have done more than any of the rest of you combined to try and further your cause. What have you done, except sit sneerin' an' waiting for your estranged family to start a war?" Mesteno knew he should shut up, not because what he said wasn't true, but because he wasn't doing anything to endear himself to this particular Power. He railed inwardly against the tide of fear, and even the furtively coiled darkness inside him seemed to growl in echo to his viciously offered words.

One step closer to Phobos, though never encroaching in his personal space, and he snarled out the last few words. "No one calls on us. We don't worship you. Remind your boss of that and let him know we never intended to provoke old gloomy. He needs to get his fucking troops in line and restore some damn order." That last part probably wasn't part of the message.

"You cannot comprehend what we do." The god growled, taking a step forward as well. Their individual, personal space bubbles were definitely touching overlapping. "And do not presume to dictate to a god no matter what you are." His grip had tightened on the hilt of the sword.
"Oh I think I comprehend plenty," Mesteno shot back, making it plain by tone alone that he thought them capable of no more than the predictable procrastination.

Phobos actually quivered where he stood, as if exploding on the inside. One had to give him points for maintaining enough discipline to not lose it altogether at Mesteno's provocation. He was physically seething, though, a fine blackish-red mist emanating from his body, his armour, even his weapons. It matched the red-hot, fiery glow of his eyes as he ground out a response, his gaze never wavering from Mesteno. "You should pray war never comes, dog."

"Your message has been heard." Lexius interjected, his tone calm in the roiling air between Mesteno and the Power. "You may carry ours back with the added note we wish to be updated on the situation sooner rather than later. We will not remain in idle wait for long and there are other matters that require out attention. It would be unfortunate for all involved if this problem interfered with that in any way."

Mesteno subsided, to a point. He didn't step away, but he did turn his back to the God, the body language so blatantly disrespectful, so obviously intended to imply the he didn't fear him, that he might as well have cussed him out, or waved him away. A complete dismissal.

They're such a fucking mess they can't even protect one of their own from a bully in the ranks, Mesteno offered to Lexius via the link, but his eyes were slanting a sidelong look the length of the path they were stood on, searching for any sign that Aiden might have left the secured ground within the walls behind.

Lexius finally took a step forward, but the god was done with the banter. He pretty much exploded in that red mist and feathers, shifting from man to over-sized vulture with an ear piercing screech as he flapped heavily toward the sky and away from the pair.

It took every ounce of steel in the necromancer not to cave to the urge to turn and watch Phobos. The underused, restrained and logical part of his mind was berating him soundly, but here his pride gripped hard and so it was he only heard the ominous words, the avian shriek, and knew nothing of the way he quivered under the weight of his fury. The violent shift of air from the downbeat of massive wings tugged at his hair and flattened his clothes to his back, but even then he did not turn.

"They gotta come here with such a damn attitude!" He snarled angrily, as if stating the cause for his behaviour, even if unnecessary. "He didn't even ask how Aiden was, didn't ask if we were capable of makin' him safe here. Didn't even ask if Sulphur survived!" Now it was him that seethed, and ah how badly he wanted to strike something. It was for this reason he wedged his fists in his pockets, as if he'd no trust in his abilities to guard against the compulsion.

Lexius watched until the god turned vulture had flapped angrily away, then he levelled his gaze on Mesteno and waited patiently while he vented. He could practically taste the man's need to do some violence and he was pondering how best to direct those urges before they got the best of the Sadist. He chose his words carefully when he did speak.

"It is in their nature to be as they are. We cannot expect much different, especially from those so finely tuned to a particular thing." War and fear were Phobos' specialties, not familial concern. "It does not help our cause to alienate all of them." He added that with a certain light wryness to his tone. "At the very least we can be fairly certain the War God will keep to his word in this matter. How much control he has over his Uncle is unclear, however. Given their positions, I should think not overmuch."

"You know, if I were Aiden, I'd cut ties with all of 'em,” Mesteno muttered. “Even if it meant being a target, I wouldn't put up with that shit! He's done time f'them, be does all their dirty work, risks his neck-- I could understand them not giving a shit about whether we come through it, but him? The only ones that seem to care in the least are his boss and his brother. He's better than all of them."

He stalked away restlessly a few paces along the track, not denying one scrap of Lexius' reasoning, but becoming ever more disgusted by the side they'd chosen to help. It was only a matter of time before he came to hate the Powers enough that he found some way to punish them for their wrong-doings.

"It's safer to assume the War God has no control," he muttered, calculating as he paced and his expression no less savage for Phobos' absence. "Safer to expect trouble from his quarter. Maybe we need to find a way to distract him from us. Put too much on his plate so that we have time to finish the deal with the Egyptians. It's all we need to do, finalise that support, and we leave them to it. If the help of a second pantheon isn't enough to assure a win, then they're just screwed."

Lexius tracked Mesteno's restless pacing with his gaze, eyebrows twitching faintly for the outrage he expressed on the demi-god's behalf. Just a few days before the Sadist had been sure Aiden had betrayed their friendship, caught up in his habit not to trust too easily. Now he seemed ready to defend the man to the death.

"How, precisely, would you distract him from us?" That idea was mildly alarming to the Elf, mostly because of how it might backfire. "He did extend his protection to you, which means he will no doubt send others to do anything he wishes to be accomplished."

Aiden had made it into range by then. He might have even heard Mesteno's outraged comments. He was sitting on top of the wall, swinging his boots as he pondered if he should drop down or not. Probably not. He'd just have to climb the damn thing again. So he eavesdropped on the pair from the border.

"That part I need to put some thought to," Mesteno was admitting, oblivious of his nearness. "But it needs to be something personally concerning. Something the rest of 'em won't be so bothered about, so he has to handle it alone rather than focusing on us. Competition perhaps, in the way his bride's would-be husband did." One hand left his pocket, rubbed absently over his nape beneath the weight of his hair. There was some plot beginning to take shape, but it was ill-formed at present, nothing he would share until he'd convinced himself it would work.

Aiden was listening, but his gaze was on the dark skies above and the tree tops nearby, as if he expected more company to drop in at any moment now that he was on the scene. Lexius knew of the demi-god's presence but he said nothing to draw attention to him. He was much too concerned with the idea the Sadist was nurturing.

"Something personally concerning would require delving into their world. Do you think that is wise at this juncture?" To his credit, he sounded completely neutral. Of course, the tie betrayed his concern. He didn't try to hide it.

Mesteno wasn't oblivious to Lexius' concern. It nudged there, quite without intending to likely, distracting him from the vicious machinations he was nurturing, quite without any encouragement from his soul. In all probability it was concerned about his intentions as the Elf.

"No, I wouldn't call it wise," he admitted, and he ceased his pacing to focus more fully on the Elf. "But what're the alternatives? Sitting things out? Trusting the War God to kick him back in line when the negotiation is right around the corner? He'd no faith in Ares, apparently, and letting all their work go to waste with culmination so near was maddening. "What would you do?" he asked him earnestly. "I know you're not considering giving them the tablets, I know you can't mean to sit idle..."

[Mesteno]

[Continued…]


Aiden finally piped up, abandoning the wall to land with a heavy thump on their side.

"Don't be too hard on War Boy. He's not exactly in a position to overrule our Uncle. It's a hierarchy thing. The only reason Old Dark and Gloomy is on our side is because he knew it would piss off his brothers and there's been no love lost between them ever since they split things up." Hands tucked into the pockets of his ratty jeans, he gave them both a wan smile as he came closer. "On the bright side, I don't think he's pissed off enough at me to put the Sandy thing at risk. They need that and he knows it, so you shouldn't go out of your way to fuck with him if that's your concern. Besides, Miss Dark and Spooky," That would be Hecate, "was there to bear witness to his vow to protect you, so he can't exactly go back on it even if I'm here."

"You think we should sit quietly too, then." Mesteno stated it, sounding half-distracted.

"What?" Aiden cocked his head. "No, that's not what I'm saying. We just have to be extra sneaky about it." He smiled winningly at them before he explained. "You can’t go after him personally, but you can go after his turf. Which will keep him plenty busy making sure he's got full command of it. He hates the place, but it's his and he won’t give it up and usually gets really annoyed when something threatens it. Say...a few rogue titans trying to make a break from Tartarus."

"There's the small issue of us accessing the underworld in order to threaten it," Mesteno pointed out, having managed, with the help of Lexius gripping his shoulder, to anchor himself and let the rage begin to slide away. "Unless Hecate is willing to let us use her little patch as an access point, we're shit outta luck. And beyond sending in a zombie horde, I'm not sure what we can do that'd really threaten a realm like that. Eve those he'd just turn to his will with barely any effort."

The trio returned to the cabin, where Lexius stepped to begin brewing some coffee, while Mesteno crouched by the hearth to start a blaze. The kindling took the flame with predictable hunger, and the fireplace brightened with a ruddy glow. He fed the flames cautiously until he was certain he hadn't smothered them with too much firewood, then settled a larger chunk in the midst of it, the dry bark blackening and the light creeping around his sleek frame to help chase the lingering Umbral gloom from the living room.

The demi-god apparently thought the sagging, scary looking couch was his bed for he began to toss things from his pack onto the cushions. He pulled out a pad of lined paper, then turned to look at Mesteno dead on, suddenly serious. "I really appreciate you putting me up. That couldn't have worked out better for me. I just hope it doesn't work out worse for you. Which is why I'm suggesting this plan, so it doesn't."

He ripped a piece of paper off the pad and began to fold it as he resumed pacing. "Doom and Gloom only keeps a peripheral awareness of Tartarus unless something goes wrong. But He will put all of his effort into making sure nothing gets out if something does go wrong. So we have to do like...a delayed explosion so we can be out before the bad starts."

Mesteno shrugged out of his jacket, leaving it carelessly heaped beside one knee on the floor. Naturally he'd chosen to park himself there, not because he didn't want to share space on the couch, but because the floor was his space. And it was nearer to the fire, of course. Settling with one knee pointed upward and an arm slung about it, he watched Aiden pace from the comfort of his sheepskin rug, and duly turned his attention to the developing plan. "What 'bad' have you got in mind for when we get in there, though? It needs to be something that's gonna keep him occupied for days. Maybe a few weeks.”

The scent of the spiced coffee was filling the air by then, but Lexius did nothing to rush the brew. He was certainly listening to them plot their troublemaking.

"I haven't worked out the details yet, but it doesn’t take much to get the inhabitants worked up." Aiden furrowed his brow. "Not sure it would take weeks, though. Days, sure. But weeks would mean a major break and we can't risk that for real."

Mesteno observed the paper Aiden was folding, trying to discern what it was meant to represent.

"You make a fair point. Weeks would be too much. We just need long enough to finalise things with the Egyptians. I'm a little worried that word of this little family drama your people're having might reach them and put them off though. Do you think we need to do some damage control, or will your boss have been able to keep this under wraps?"

That paper started off looking like a boat, but Aiden kept on bending the paper into something much smaller. A bat. He pinched the pointed wings between his fingers and made the thing flap as he considered.

"I can't say who Mr Doom and Gloom might talk to,” Aiden admitted. “If he really wants us, and I know he really wants you" that last assurance offered with an actual frown, "then he might try to enlist their assistance in procuring one or both of us. I doubt he'd tell ‘em why, though. On the other hand, he won’t want to owe them anything. It might be best if you ask War Boy to attend. Or one of his chosen."

Absently, Mesteno watched the bat develop from the folded paper and wondered how long it would be before Sanctuary had as many origami creatures as carved stone ones.

"I doubt we could keep 'War Boy' from attending now if he wanted to. Surely y'blonde brother is gonna have to tell him everything he told Doom 'n Gloom, he'd be a fool not to demand it. And besides, he'd have to be the one to finalise it anyway, or the Egyptians would feel like they were being snubbed, signing off on it all with only an underling." He settled his cheekbone against his knuckles, elbow on the up thrust knee, and tried without succeeding to banish all thought of being claimed by Hades from his mind.

Lexius finally returned to offer Mesteno a mug of steaming coffee, his own kept cradled in his free hand as he perched himself on the arm of the couch and studied the pair while they plotted. So far, he had nothing to offer to the conversation and seemed content to let them hash it out!

Aiden flicked a rapid look back and forth between them, flapping the bat swiftly between his fingers. He seemed almost reluctant to say what he had to say next, mostly because it was sharing secrets! "You think he's in charge, but he really isn't. I mean, not in the way you think. Part of the reason for the break was to get away from one supreme leader dictating everything to everyone. How much power and influence any of them has is not a simple thing."

He finally set the bat to flying across the room in an awkward glide as he headed for the liquor cabinet, talking as he went. "It has to do with age and sphere of influence and current events and about a billion other little things. Anyway, my Uncle and two brothers are nearly equal in power when it comes down to it. Between them and the females we haven't yet had to deal with, it's more a committee than anything else. You got any whiskey?"

"There's some Dalwhinnie up there," Mesteno called across to Aiden, and whilst he knew he wasn't the most expensive brand on the market, he had it from an avid whiskey drinker that it was a superior brand, and even chose it himself now and then. The news about Ares not being a chosen leader had certainly not been expected, and it was of course, troubling.

"Democracy is a fine thing, but there's certain individuals who aren't exactly bein' team players and thinking of the greater good right now. We saw that with Snout 'n his pantheon already. Is there no way to give y'boss emergency powers, temporary authority until this war's over?" His eyes shifted from Lexius to watch Aiden through the steam of his coffee. "No way we could get lady Wisdom to use her influence to benefit logic right now?"

Lexius did not seem overly surprised with the demi-god's revelation, but there was a bit of a mental shift to the pattern of his thoughts once he took in the news.

Aiden, meanwhile, eyebrows lifted high for the sparseness of Mesteno’s booze selection, snagged the bottle Mesteno mentioned and closed the cabinet. He disappeared into the kitchen to rummage long enough to find a glass and was pouring (a lot) as he returned. "He already does have the edge because of the war, it's just not a big one because the war itself is cold and his kind of war is all about blood and violence and actual...well, fighting." He shrugged with a wry grin then drank down the glass he'd poured as if it was water.

Now, armed with the glass and bottle, he resumed his pacing. He used the bottle to point at Mesteno as he continued. "That's a good idea, actually. Cause this is Her kind of war, even if she's come late to our side. Which is why she is less powerful right now." he took another, more modest drink then nodded. "Ok, I'll try to get her attention and set up a meeting. Not here." He offered that assurance quickly. "You guys should try to set up a meeting with War Boy before he comes looking for you or just shows up at your meeting."

"The doors of that temple in the Roman district are still open," Mesteno reminded dourly. "It's only gonna be a cold war for so long before it comes to violence." But he knew deep down that it wasn't Aiden he needed to convince, and so he saved him the obvious statements and sipped from his coffee, scalding his tongue carelessly in the process. "If there's anyone who'd have a chance of convincing her to speak on our behalf, and on y'boss', it's Lexius. Wisdom comprehends logic, and I've never known anyone more competent to wield it." He turned an inquiring look the Elf's way, because he certainly wasn't going to demand he do it. In fact he didn't really want him exposed to another deity ever again, he could simply see the sense in it. "What d'you think? Would she listen to you?"

There was some amusement flickering behind the Elf’s seemingly bland look, but there was more thoughtfulness.

"I am not human. That is a disadvantage." Despite the comment, he wasn't dismissing the idea out of hand. He was actually considering it very seriously.

Aiden jumped in after a moment of surprise, the liquor swirling in his glass as he raised it the Elf's way. "Actually, that might not be a disadvantage. You'll bring a point of view to the table she might be more likely to consider because you're mostly a bystander. And being part of this world, where we're trying to get such a strong foothold, never mind how fucking..." he waved both the bottle and the glass at the Elf, as if to encompass him all, "powerful you are, that can only help. Great idea, Whippet." He bounced on his toes and drained his glass, fully expecting Lexius to relent.

The Elf released a slow, careful breath through flared nostrils. "And you will meet with the War God then?" The question sounded innocent enough.

Mesteno gave the question due consideration before answering. "I'm not sure how great that'd go, considering I attacked him when he opened the portal here earlier. You commented y'self how I'm not exactly reliable for diplomacy. You sure you'd trust me to go alone?" He didn't want to. The idea left him enormously concerned. But still he was willing, because they were limited for time, and he hadn't the luxury of saying no just because the idea scared him.

Lexius was no keener on the idea of Mesteno meeting with Ares than the Sadist was himself, but it wasn't the issue of trust that made him reluctant to agree to a solo encounter with the War God. At least, not his trust in Mesteno no matter how much he struggled with diplomacy. "And I bound him to a promise when he was at his weakest. I think, of the two sins, my own is more damning."

Aiden was nodding on the side-lines, unaware of any regret and already a quarter way through the bottle he'd pilfered from the cabinet. The alcohol had only served to slow him down marginally.

"He'd got a point there." The demi-god added. "But, on the bright side, War Boy ain’t much for diplomatic talk. You being you ain’t going to piss him off nearly as much as it does Doom and Gloom." He met Lexius’ sudden, pinning look with a remarkably steady one of his own. "He'll be ok.” He offered the assurance with utter seriousness, something Lexius sharp gaze seemed to demand. But Aiden being Aiden, he had to add a quip once the Elf had nodded. "Ya know, as long as he doesn't go off on a rant." As Mesteno was so wont to do.

Lexius flexed his jaw briefly, fingers pinching at a more delicate patch of skin between the scars. "Try not to rant, hmm? Very well then." He'd agreed.

Mesteno didn’t waste his breath denying that tendency. Nor did he show any compunction however.

Aiden knocked back another glass of that fine whiskey and chortled thickly. "Good luck with that?" Not exactly a private mutter, but he was mostly teasing Mesteno. Or so the glitter in his blue eyes and the wink he shot the man's way suggested. "Just remember, he's the hated child. That's half the reason he has such a big axe to grind with all of them."

"How soon do you think you'll be able to set up the meetings?" Mesteno asked Aiden, and though he seemed to behave as if the now inevitable meeting wasn't going to loom over him sword of Damocles style, the anxiety was knotting in his gut. His passenger was untrusting. He'd never come face to face with a Power alone before, save for when Hades had plucked him from the Prime plane.

Aiden finally set down the whiskey and the empty glass, as if he'd remembered he was a guest and probably shouldn't drink all of Mesteno's liquor in the first hour he was there. He resumed pacing, taking a closer look at the fireplace, the far wall, a stack of books, as he made his way around the room. He did not disagree with being the War God's favourite nephew! "Couple of days maybe. I have to do it the hard way since I can't just go visit in person. That means messengers. I'll try to snag one of the guardian vultures to carry it to him directly, but they can be fickle. Maybe he'll send another son out to keep an eye on things." The demi-god actually grimaced at that last idea.

Turning back toward the pair, he squinted at Lexius. "Can you get your hands on a reliable owl? Lady Wisdom likes owls...”

[End]