Dylan King and His New Roommate Called Goddess Athena [1st Book]

CHAPTER 32

POINT OF VIEW: DYLAN

Friday, October 28, 2028.

Carlasco = Around 11.30 A.M

Greece = Around 7.30 P.M

Arriving at Hephaestus' house, Athena walked to the door and knocked on it. It did not take long until a robot – which reminded Dylan of Voulos – opened the door. The robot bowed down and spoke in the language Dylan assumed to be Ancient Greek. As Athena and Nike immediately entered the house and the robot remained still in the same position, he was convinced that what just came out from the robot's mouth was none other than the greeting and invitation to come inside.

Inside the house were plinths and torches hung on the wall, and some other furniture that would certainly be discussed in the book '101 - Daily Interior Design in Ancient Greece Time'. There was also one object Dylan considered to be unusual. It was like a gigantic chimney made from bronze covered bricks; Santa Claus would definitely face no difficulties if he entered through it. A metallic square-shaped vessel was placed on top of the chimney, and inside it were piles of brown dirt. Not a single plant was cultivated, Dylan asked what this object truly was.

"This object is a means to receive prayers, offerings, or messages from other gods," Athena explained. "If there were prayers or offerings, the dirt would be shaped into the place where they originated, including the miniaturized humans who sent them. But if it was messages from other gods, then the dirt would be shaped into their very own faces."

"Ah ... I get it now."

"Once when humans still believed in our existence, we would often receive prayers and offerings," Nike said. "But since we were considered to be a myth, I have got rid of this object."

"You got rid of it?" Dylan responded incredulously.

"Storing it in my storage actually. The space was much better to keep my TV. Plus phones are more effective, efficient and faster," she continued as she took out her phone. "Because the altar served no purpose anymore, I decided to just keep it as an antique."

"I see," Dylan nodded a few times.

A little while later, another robot resembling the one opening the door, came down from the second floor. Speaking in the foreign language to Athena and Nike, it motioned everyone to go to the stairs. Athena nodded, before she turned around and said, "Let's go, Dylan."

"Okay."

The second floor had large metallic shelves with a lot of iron stuff deposited in each shelf. Several long tables were placed near the shelves, and almost ten robots were working on something Dylan could not pin down what they were; he was so impressed on seeing how they moved smoothly in building whatever they were working on, or when they went to the shelves and picked up stuff or tools. He began to wonder how the robotic world would progress, if only Hephaestus was never dumped into Kolaseos in the first place.

Reaching the third floor, Dylan saw Hephaestus was cleaning some stuff scattered on his table. The god raised his head and said, "Oh, you guys are finally here."

"Yes, we're finally here," Dylan said.

"Why is your owl perching on your shoulder?" Hephaestus asked as he looked at Athena. "It's not like you're going to observe me, aren't you?"

"No. I just want an upgrade to this owl."

"An upgrade?"

"Something like the owl can be connected to the internet, and she can report to me without having to fly back to me."

"Ah I see," Hephaestus said. "I can work on it, just not now."

"I know," Athena said. "Anyway, what is it that you want to convey?"

"Let me start with the disappointing news first," Hephaestus said. "I didn't manage to get anything from Dylan's DNA. Therefore I cannot study the source of his power, or even try to duplicate it."

"I see," Dylan said.

"What's the opposite news?" Athena asked.

"Even though Dylan's power was not something inherited genetically, it inexplicably runs through his strands of hair. That's why I was able to manipulate them into a material that can withstand Kolaseos' energy."

Dylan, Athena and Nike raised their eyebrows. Athena asked, "What do you mean, Hephaestus?"

"Better to show you some things you will surely remember," Hephaestus said as he walked to a box resembling a treasure chest of a pirate. Athena followed him, so did Nike and Dylan. Hephaestus then opened the box, inside it were metallic boxes with some kind of flexible metallic arms. Most of them had their iron skin peeled, showing damaged wheel gears and other deformed machinery components. Looking over his shoulder, Hephaestus said, "Athena, Nike, you do still remember these, right?"

"I do," Athena and Nike said in unison.

"Dylan," Hephaestus called. "Do you remember I've said that I've built more than twenty machines to shut Kolaseos portal?"

"Yeah, you mentioned that."

"Prior to building these twenty machines, I've built another type of machine. It's the machine to pull out the other Olympian gods that has been dumped into Kolaseos,". Hephaestus' eyes trailed back at the wrecked machines inside the box. "They were all what's left after I attempted to operate them."

"Are you saying these machines were those you built to pull out the other gods?"

"Yes," Hephaestus nodded. "I built these machines with various resources I could find. Unfortunately, every time its limb went into Kolaseos, its energy would wreck the machine. Long story short, because I always failed and more gods were dumped as days passed, I decided to ignore this project and build the machine to shut the portal."

"But unfortunately these new machines also did not succeed," Dylan replied.

"That's because when the machine was about to shut the portal, Kolaseos unexpectedly released an inner energy. Therefore even though my machine was outside, it ended up wrecked too."

Dylan nodded a few times, but said nothing.

"The metallic board there ... ," Hephaestus said as he pointed at a board the size of a plywood. "Is the material I got after manipulating one strand of Dylan's hair. Now I and my automatons could fix the wrecked machines and blanketed them with the new material. If my assumption is right, then the new layer would protect my machines from Kolaseos energy."

"Ah!" Dylan clenched his right fist and softly bumped his left palm. "If the new layer can protect the machines, then you will be able to pull out everyone."

"Theoretically yes. If it's proved to be working, I can jump to fixing the machine to shut the portal."

Hephaestus looked back to the wrecked machines inside the treasure chest box. "My estimation is I can finish the upgrade on this machine on Sunday. Then we can start pulling out the others on Tuesday."

"From where?" Athena asked.

"Obviously from where I got out," Hephaestus said. "I'll be needing some help on the trial day. To avoid any unnecessary commotion, I'm planning to do it after midnight. So we need to consume Ambrosia and Nectar for sleep replacement."

"If it's Tuesday, then I and Nemesis cannot come," Nike said. "Anyway, don't forget to disable the CCTV near the location. Doing this at midnight will do no good if you're still recorded."

"The area where I got out had no CCTVs. Only the main path has several of them, but I reckon we won't need to pass through it."

"It's supposedly safe then. I'm sorry I and Nemesis cannot assist you."

"I'll help you then," Athena offered. "Not because of my personal request, but because I want to have everyone back as soon as possible. Furthermore, we need more powers to anticipate any incoming threats."

"I agree," Hephaestus said. "Well then ... ," he said as he looked at everyone. "I'll update you all as soon as possible. May good fate be with us."