"Thou hast left me at a loss. Why wouldst thou not accept the affections of a goddess? It doth not conflict with thy desire to leave no offspring behind after all." he said terribly confused.
"Slight misunderstanding there. I don't mind her interest in me, if anything i'm flattered. The problem is I don't want to get involved in any form of romance if I can help it. It's a distraction from my goal I don't need." I said clarifying the matter.
"Mayhap I am mistaken but Lady Hephaestus should not stand in the way of any goal from my reckoning." he said with a frown.
"It's a conflict of interests actually. I want to become a god, that unfulfilled promise that the falna represents. To do that I need to constantly push myself and make progress through risk to my life. Getting into a relationship with that fact being there is simply a bad idea." I said with a helpless shrug.
"Thou wishes to become a god? That is no small goal and one few haven't chafed to reach only to fall." He says seriously.
"I am aware but there's always a first. I made that my goal from the moment that was the theoretical potential I was told the falna held. Can you imagine any glory higher than that? To join the gods in eternal life and power in the heavenly realm?" I said with a far away look and a grin.
"Indeed the loftiest of honors, but also the hardest. For this instance however I doth believe the soup is done." he said changing the topic.
I portioned out our servings even though technically I never agreed to host him. The meal passed in quiet as we ate and once done I cleaned the dishes and packed them away again.-
I made me a nice tree house and settled in for the night after that as Emeth bid his farewell. Clearly his original intention was merely to mingle with a fellow spirit passing by and bum some food for free off them before leaving again. Finding out I wasn't a spirit threw that plan to the curb and stomped on it. But since I wasn't hostile he still got a bit of socialization and food in the end anyways. I woke up early the next day and set out after a fruit leather breakfast.-
The road got rougher and less maintained the further I went which made sense given few settled near the mountain range and thus little travel was made there. In fact it was almost exactly at the halfway point between Orario and the mountain range that the road flat out ended as no one bothered making it extend further. At the end of the road was a small village of hunters and gatherers who lived off the bountiful prey and herbs that grew in this region. The people of the town were wary of me as I passed through and murmurs followed me as I continued my journey towards the mountain range.-
I sped up after the village as the scenery while beautiful was very bland. It was trees, trees and you guessed it MORE trees. At least until I reached the foot of the mountain path in which case it became rocks for as far as I could see. Well that and the massive wall of fog that screamed "unnatural" at the far distance. When I got near it a firm but smooth female voice called out from the edge of the wall. -
"Halt traveler if you value your life! The calamitous Hundred hand giant has been released from it's seal and my fog traps it in place! Heed my warning and flee lest the beast claim another victim!" the voice called out from the fog.
"Afraid I can't do that. See I have been dispatched to slay the big fellow and leaving without even giving it a shot won't do." I said loudly.
There was a long pause where I almost thought the owner of the voice hadn't heard me before a reply came.
"Speak the name of the one who sent you!" the voice demanded firmly.
"Ouranos of Orario!" I called back and to my surprise the fog wall seemed to solidify in a spot as a gorgeous spirit walked out. She had smoky grey eyes and pale skin with a simple dress made of a gold and grey threaded mixture. She lacked hair though and instead had grey fog rolling over her scalp and down her back.
"I am Ochiru, spirit of the fallen mist, daughter of Raijin. Tell me kin, has lord Ouranos truly sent you to slay the beast?" she asked seriously.
"You know you are the second spirit in as many days to mistake me for one of you? I am not a spirit. I am the first of the Fallen, a race born of cursed energy and a mortal body and soul. Name's Alexander Drake by the way. Go by Alex and yes Ouranos sent me to kill the big bastard." I said bowing dramatically.
"Alexander Drake.... this name is known to me. You slayed the Knuckelavee. You will forgive my misunderstanding, I was under the impression you were human. Regardless of your race if it is you my heart must be satisfied as only two others have hope of defeating the giant and neither will ever come." she said with an apologetic bow.
"Ottar and the captain of the Poseidon familia, the only two level sevens alive. You are right in saying they won't come. Both are bound to their familia's place of power by responsibility. Thankfully I exist so I'll clean up this giant in no time. " I said with a grin.
"You are unusually composed for one about to face a dreadful beast that may well strike you down." she said with a confused expression.
"Pfft, I'm an adventurer! If I let a little thing like life threatening risk slow me down I may as well retire. Besides this thing is big and strong sure but I don't exactly plan on fighting it fair." I said almost offended by the insinuation I should be shaking in place.