Logging into Odyssey was the biggest mistake of Reis's life.
What was the first, then?
Ever using the words 'hair' and 'pull' in the same sentence. And ever learning any of the words he had thought of regarding the Guardian.
The very man, if it was right to say that, who stood behind him, with a height reaching for the sky. Eyes that looked down at Reis from there shone brighter than any star.
It was no human. From the soft glow of the skin to the ink-black strands that flowed, defying gravity, nothing about him was humane;
Reis would rather pull his own hair out than risk losing his fingers, if not his entire existence, by touching those strands way out of his reach. He was an idiot, sure, but not that much of an idiot.
"Hmm?" The tilt of the head made his heart stutter.
This creature, who might as well be called a giant, was actually expecting an answer. But the ant-like human had suddenly forgotten how to form words.
Was there anyone in the world who could answer with a ten-foot giant looking down at him like he were a small animal at the zoo? Sure. In this day and age, especially in the world of Odyssey, there were definitely tons of such people.
Reis wasn't one of them. At least not after all that he had said up until now.
The ant-like human still remembered the last time the guardian had made an appearance. Although he couldn't see, he was certain that the body wasn't the size of a mountain. His ceiling wasn't tall enough for that.
|The phantom body automatically adjusts to the land it's in.|
And the actual person doesn't?
"Are you dissatisfied because I don't match your mental image?"
No. He was dissatisfied because he felt like he was going to die after all. Benevolence was too much to ask for at this point.
As if to give him a bigger heart attack, the surely divine creature leaned down to bring the building-sized head closer to Reis.
If body parts had personal legs, they would have detached themselves from Reis and run away by now.
Yet, he couldn't run. Taking a step back was his limit.
But even that earned him a glare from those glowing silver eyes. "Why are you backing away instead of answering?"
Because, for one, he felt like his legs might fail him if he delayed moving for any longer. Two, it was definitely impolite to stand so close to a being who can crush you with a thumb.
|You do not need to be afraid. The Guardian will not cause you any intentional harm.|
Did he really need to? Reis would die if this being just mistakenly stepped on him. Like an insect. Gone because the stronger race couldn't see them existing.
This wasn't even an exaggeration. Reis really could die if the man simply held him wrong. Even if with the intention to save him.
"Why is this creature shaking?"
The question wasn't for him, but directed at the blue screen. It wasn't even about him. Reis was too numb from shock to even shake. The truck-sized piece of limbs that could be called hands, as a compromise, pointed at the small furball pasted onto his shirt.
On a positive note, if the giant could see the ten-inch furball, Reis probably won't die by being stepped on wrong.
|Your appearance is too fearsome.|
"This is the most human appearance I could come up with. Why would it be fearsome?"
Really? The twenty-foot-tall, glowing-eyed, titan-like appearance was the most humane one he could think of? Reis could simply bet that one of those ancient-looking pieces of jewelry hanging from that shoulder could send someone into system failure.
|...|
But the so-called titan was distracted by something else.
"You actually found something weaker than yourself."
Actually, the furball had found him. Under the worst circumstances, too. This stubborn thing refused to leave when it had the chance, and now it was trembling under Reis's palm, probably regretting its life choices. You and me both, buddy.
Reis too was regretting many things. Guardian? The one before him was closer to an ancient god that had no mercy for humans. On second thought, even they tried to appear normal to mortals.
"Oh, great being! What called forth your presence in our land?"
Reis peeked behind to see the source of the reverence. Unlike him, who could still stare above like a lost child, the ones behind had managed to make the ground their hope by pressing their foreheads against it. "Please do not take offense at his uncouth behavior!"
Wow. Was the counselor pleading his case? "He is the only one who lacks so much decorum in this land." Nevermind.
Reis actually felt a bit better after seeing the counselor kneeling and pleading fearfully. Maybe he should try it too. Dear lord, your hair is nice. I would never dream of setting my unsightly hands on it. Please have mercy.
"Stop thinking nonsense and look at me when I'm talking to you." Reis's head was forcefully turned to meet the scary creature's eyes again, this time, not as high as before, but still ten feet at the least. It must be great to have the power to move things at will. If only the thing wasn't his neck. "Why is it still shaking?"
Why was poor cat still shaking now that his magnemous self had taken a smaller form? Did it not know how to show gratefulness? Like this human creature?
Reis, no, no one knew how to answer this question or the underlying meaning of it. Hell, even the kitten probably didn't like the attention it was receiving. But that gaze, that bone-chilling gaze, wouldn't go down until he received an answer.
The ungrateful human was hoping that the system would give an explanation. It was only fair for the most knowledgeable of the bunch to answer such questions. And explain in the most respectful terms that, ten feet was still a giant.
But the useless blue thing didn't even show its face.
"Uh…so…um…"
"Speak in your usual human language, I understand just fine."
Reis would.
As soon as he remembered how to.
But the man didn't have that much patience, forcing him to recover his voice sooner through glare alone.
"It's…it's probably overwhelmed by everything." Reis croaked, "It's too young to adapt to all this."
The newly semi-humanized being tilted his head once more. "Odd how he finds you, who can't even protect yourself, safe. But it still finds me overwhelming. I will never understand mortals."
"...uh-huh..."
The counselor found his courage to look up now that the looming presence of a cold spell was mostly gone. His eyes glowed with a newfound ambition. Ambition to get rid of the prince once and for all.
"Lord! You do not need to worry yourself about these things. We will take–"
The words died in his throat. Not because the heavenly creature who brought them to their knees by presence alone didn't even spare a glance their way. Why would he look at mere humans anyway?
But because the said being was looking, not at them, but at the stick for human limbs, who might just pass as a ghost. And making sure that the same ghost was looking back directly at him at the same time. "You lost a lot of blood. I'm surprised you haven't fainted."
Blood. The prince had lost a lot of it indeed. Marks of it were still left on the shirt. Behind the veil of darkness, monsters lurked close by, drawn by that very scent of that blood. Too scared to approach now that it was enveloped under the presence of a higher being.
What have I done... In the eyes of the foolish counselor, the scene was clear as a day. He had, in all sanity, dared to think of harming someone who could hold the gaze of divinity. The prince who held the care of a divine being.
All in his head, though. One-dimensional scenes can be misleading like that.
"What do you wish to do with them?" But the caring creature had very little patience for their sugary-coated idea.
Reis had half forgotten about that in the midst of everything else. The kidnappers. The counselor who tried to take a limb from him. The reason the guardian was here right now, in whatever form it may be.
If Reis had the guts, he'd probably demand a limb in return.
But the blood wasn't really their fault. It was because of the herb. The herb he took for the summoning. So...no. He couldn't think like that. Not if he valued his life. It was an honest mishap. Yep.
"Which limb?"
Reis's eyes widened. He guessed that his mind was still public property for this being. But he wasn't expecting to be asked such a question outright.
But the leader of the enemy felt the weight of that question. Way more than Reis possibly could.
"Mercy! I did not know his highness is favored by the heavens. Please forgive my foolish mistakes. If I had known, I would have never…"
Favored by heaven? Reis? Yeah right. Because people favored by heaven have a fate like his. What a great favor. May it befall his enemies.
"We still have matters to settle. Answer fast."
Reis, who spent all his life until two months ago in the modern age where punishment was carried out by a handful of people, didn't really have it in him to choose a limb to cut off like choosing cookies for his tea. But this man stared at him as though he asking Reis to pick a shade of paint.
"Tsk." The answer was red. Always red.
"Ahhhh."
"No!" Screams tore through the silence with no chance to plead.
Reis was about to look back, startled by the sudden string of screams. But his head was turned back again. "Your demands have been met."
Reis didn't want to meet those eyes again, not when they seemed capable of burning him alive.
"Now, let's talk about the offering."
Reis flinched, feeling smaller than before. He just had to make promises to a demon.