POINT OF VIEW: DYLAN
Monday, October 24, 2028, around 05.00 P.M
Dylan was scanning through the list of transactions on his shift and matching them with the cash he received as a cashier, when he was suddenly distracted by multiple message notifications coming at the same time. If there were pauses between the notifications, then he usually ignored them. But since they came in sequence, Dylan decided to stop and see whether they were all crucial.
The sender of the messages turned out to be Hephaestus. In short, he notified Dylan that Voulos had finally returned, and indeed Talaria was in William's possession. Surprised with the fact, Dylan replied that he would visit Hephaestus after he had finished the job for the day.
After roughly an hour, Dylan finally arrived at the Fixed My PC store. The hour was 18.35, so Hephaestus had already set the board 'Fix My PC Has Closed' on the entrance. Dylan peeked through the glass door, and realized Hephaestus was standing with his back to Dylan. He seemed to be busy checking the computer mouses, hence Dylan softly knocked the door.
"Come in!" Hephaestus' muffled voice was heard after he noticed Dylan standing outside the store.
"Okay," Dylan replied, before he pushed open the door. "Are you still busy?" he asked as he walked towards Hephaestus.
"No actually," Hephaestus said. "I actually have scheduled this job for tomorrow. But since I'm waiting for you, then I decided to just do it now."
"I see," Dylan nodded. "So ... It is confirmed then that William has Talaria."
"Yes. "Voulos found the shoe in William's display room. He was convinced it was the real one because one of the shoes had lost its wing."
"Match the severed wing object you picked up earlier," Dylan said. "Did Voulos find Hermes?"
"Unfortunately, no," Hephaestus looked disappointed. "But when Voulos was still investigating, he overheard one of William's bodyguards say 'More has appeared' to his friend."
"More has appeared?" What does it mean?"
"I can't conclude anything because there was no more conversation after the sentence 'More has appeared'. But I am pretty convinced that 'More' can refer to anything that clearly is something unusual, at least in this present world."
"Anything that is unusual ... ," Dylan paused. "Do you mean it can refer to any other gods or magical objects like this Talaria?"
"Yes, they could be," Hephaestus said. "We really need to let Athena know about this."
"I agree."
"I will spruce up everything now," Hephaestus said. He then locked the mouse shelf and went into the staff room to do some other stuff. Ten minutes later, Dylan and Hephaestus were already on their way to the LRT station.
*****
Leaning against the train seat backrest, Hephaestus sighed a breath of relief. Stretching up both of his hands, he said, "Finally a proper place for myself to rest."
"You couldn't possibly be exhausted, could you?"
"Nope," Hephaestus shook his head. "I am just relieved after passing through the sea of people earlier. Even after two months being here, I still cannot get used to this situation. You know, even big cities like Thebes and Athens could not even be compared to Carlasco City. So well, I am still not that comfortable squeezing myself in this crowd."
Dylan nodded a few times. "Anyway ... Where have you lived these past two months?"
"I have rented an apartment two stations away from the store. But in the first two weeks after I got out, my boss allowed me to stay at his unused flat."
"Your boss allowed you to stay at his place?" Dylan responded incredulously.
"Yeah, why?"
"You're still a stranger at that time. I am surprised your boss can trust you easily with his flat."
"Well ... about that ... ," Hephaestus paused. "I actually have told him about who I really am."
"Your boss knows you're a god??"
"Yes!" Hephaestus exclaimed. "To convince him that I wasn't bluffing or even lost my mind, I have demonstrated my super strength, super endurance and manipulation magic."
"Why would you tell him that?" Dylan asked. "I mean ... is it dangerous to let other people know about you?"
"I have no other choice, Dylan. I really have been driven mad with every new thing I was witnessing. Fate then showed me a way by making me save Mr. Smith from a group of thugs."
"Wait ... ," Dylan held up his hands. "A group of thugs?"
"Yes," Hephaestus nodded. "He was jogging at that time when a group of thugs stopped him and asked him for money. He did not have much, thus displeasing all of them. I stepped in and saved him, thus it granted me the opportunity to talk to him."
"That explains."
"I told him I needed to learn everything about this world. As expected, he was confused. That's why I decided to tell him the truth."
"I now understand the reason," Dylan said. "Then how did you end up working for him?"
"After I demonstrated my power, it was clear he still needed some time to accept it. Being prudent, he brought me to a coffee shop to have breakfast. After we talked for quite a while, he got a phone call from his ex technician, whom he had tried to persuade to keep working for him. That ex technician had been firm with his decision, thus disappointing Mr. Smith terribly. I saw this as a quick and easy opening to learn about this new world, so I offered him my service. Once I learned the basics of computers and showed my crafting skill, he immediately hired me."
"Your crafting skill will surely come in handy for him."
"Definitely," Hephaestus said proudly. "Once we had a project to build 100 new computers for a school. I managed to build them properly in only 10 hours, while the promised time was ten working days."
"Wow!" Dylan's eyes flew wide with amazement. "With this skill, you surely are able to earn more!"
"I did earn more, Dylan," Hephaestus admitted. "I have a side job of crafting unique clocks or furniture. I sold them on Etsy and managed to make quick bucks there."
"Ah Etsy is the best platform to sell unique crafted objects," Dylan said. "Did your boss know about it?"
"Of course I told him about this side job. "Having him think I steal his products or do other things violating the law is the last thing I want to do."
"That makes sense."
"Enough about me. Now it's your turn to tell me about you."
"Mmm ... Well ... I am just a mortal man who's working at a Japanese-style mini market named Konishi Convenience Store."
"How long have you been working there?"
"4 years. I started working there when I moved to this city."
"4 years," Hephaestus repeated as he nodded a few times. "You're indeed a loyalist. In my time, people like you can become a lieutenant, or even an advisor to the king."
Dylan scoffed. "Well ... my boss has been so generous to me ever since I moved. So even though he once suggested that I should try another job, I decided to stay with him."
"Your boss suggested you try another job?"
"Yes, he did."
"If your boss has allowed you to take the chance, why didn't you take it?"
"The job requires me to get well-acquainted with more people," Dylan said. "I ... ," he paused for a moment. "Don't feel comfortable with it."
"That's odd," Hephaestus said. "But well ... As long as a decision does not put anyone in harm, I should not judge it."
Dylan smiled, but said nothing.
"Anyway, where did you live before you moved to Canada?"
"In an orphanage in San Francisco."
"An orphanage?"
"Yes," Dylan nodded. "I lived there after my adoptive parents passed away."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Please don't be. It's been a long time ago."
Hephaestus nodded a few times. "How about your biological parents? Have you ever met them?"
"My biological parents have also passed away. That's why I was taken in by my adoptive parents."
"I originally thought your biological parents gave you up for a particular reason. Turns out they have also passed away. I am now even more sorry for you."
"You really don't have to. I've moved on from sadness a long time ago."
"You are a strong man, Dylan. I hope life will someday pay you back with great things."
Dylan only smiled upon receiving the compliment and good wish.
A little while later, the station announced that the LRT had been near the platform. Dylan got up, followed by Hephaestus. Both then walked towards the entrance, waiting until the LRT stopped and opened the way for them.
After another sixteen minutes of walking from the LRT station, Dylan and Hephaestus finally arrived at Gafner Library. When he was about to step up the stairs, a Rottweiler suddenly came out from behind the plant pots beside the stairs. Immediately the black dog walked to Dylan. It then sat right next to him and stared at him, while at the same time sticking out its tongue.
"Such a refined dog," Hephaestus said. "Is it yours?"
"Definitely not," Dylan shook his head. "Pets are certainly forbidden in any libraries."
"Hmm ... then who's the owner?" Hephaestus responded. "Seeing from how it looks, I don't think it is a stray dog."
"Let's just leave it here. If it has an owner, then surely he will come back for it."
Hephaestus only nodded. He then followed Dylan into the library.
"So you live on the fourth floor of this building," Hephaestus said as Dylan was unlocking the door to the reading hall.
"Yes," Dylan said as he pushed open the door. "It was quite big because the previous tenant was a family of four. When I moved to Carlasco, they had moved to another city, hence I could use the room."
"You're so lucky then. If the room is small, then I reckon Athena will order you to stay outside," he said as he laughed.
"I think so," Dylan laughed too. He then shifted his attention to the stairs, ready to head there. Nevertheless, he was surprised by a Rottweiler already sitting in front of the stairs. Also surprised, Hephaestus said, "Is that the dog outside?"
Dylan looked over his shoulder. The door connecting the receptionist and the reading hall was shut tight, making the dog impossible to enter the room. "It cannot be, I have closed and even locked the door."
"Is it possible if it's another same dog? Probably some naughty visitors brought it and left it here?"
"I'm not sure. Melissa would have caught anyone bringing a pet."
Suddenly, Dylan heard soft walking steps that sounded closer and closer. They came from the stairs, so he looked back at them. Not too long after that, he was surprised by the coming of six Rottweilers.
"It cannot be!" Dylan exclaimed. "How on Earth could they enter the library?"
"Dylan ... ," Hephaestus said. "Pay attention to them,".
The six Rottweilers dematerialized, in a way similar to Athena dematerializing any objects. They all quickly blanketed the first Rottweiler, gradually the dog became bigger. At the end of the process, it became a buffalo-sized dog.
Hephaestus immediately extended his right arm, soon a sledgehammer materialized in his grip. "Dylan ... ," he called forward. "Find a safe place to hide."