Pantheon Book 2: The Way of the Tao

A Game of Riddles

        Melody stares at herself in the mirror, rubbing the dark bags under her eyes. Another night gone, lost to the crushing waves of guilt. She can't even remember the last time she managed to sleep peacefully. She digs into her bag, huffing when she can't find her makeup. Normally she hates dolling herself up, but considering the train wreck staring back at her, she takes the time to at least make herself presentable.

She snaps her fingers, conjuring her usual kit. It's easy enough to bring things to her as long as she can picture both the object and the place it's kept. She dabs some concealer under her eyes, adding a thin layer of foundation and blush to give her skin some of its usual colour back. She applies mascara and a subtle eye shadow to make her look more awake than she feels. Nodding to herself, she changes her outfit with a flick of the wrist. A plain black skirt and white blouse, separated by a thick brown belt around her waist. She keeps her jean jacket and handbag, looking herself up and down one more time before stepping into the main room.

Oliver sits on the couch where she left him, a basket of muffins and bowl of fruit completely untouched in from of him. He doesn't notice her emerge, and Melody takes a breath, closing her eyes to gather herself. I just need to be strong for a few more hours. Then, when Marcus is free, I can let it all out. She walks up, tapping his shoulder softly.

"You should eat something," she says, doing her best to sound casual. "We'll need our strength for today. It may just be riddles, but it's going to be tough." To prove her point, she plucks a shiny red apple from the bowl and takes a bite out of it, despite her lack of appetite. Oliver nods, his lips pressed into a thin white line.

"R-Right," he says weakly. He doesn't say another word as they eat. Melody tries pitching various ideas to him, ways they could use the original Hermes's memories to trip up Odin. She also outlines her plan for beating Thor, which she has more confidence in. If there's one thing she's sure of, it's Thor's disinterest in anything but physical force.

After a couple of hours of strategizing, Frigg appears at the door, looking grim. Her eyes droop sadly as she hugs Melody, and she leads them through the quiet halls of Asgard. Melody holds her head high, pouring all of her focus into appearing confident. We can win this, she tells herself with a firm nod. We will win. No matter what.

Frigg leads them back to Asgards main hall, where the rest of the Aesir stand waiting. The smashed meeting table has been cleared out, and Odin's throne is gone. Instead, a bland, grey fold-out table sits in the center of the massive chamber, with two smaller wooden thrones on either side. Odin sits in one, his twin ravens Huginn and Muninn perched on the back. Thor sits next to him, his eyes half-closed as if he's falling asleep. But he bolts upright when Melody and Oliver enter, flashing a cocky grin.

"You actually showed up!" He jeers, waving his hands at the gods lining the walls. The rest of the Aesir stand in clumps, most of them holding steins and hunks of meat. Some laugh along with Thor. Others watch sympathetically, their arms crossed. Frigg leads Melody and Oliver to the table, gesturing to the two empty chairs.

"Please, take a seat," she says gently. Melody nods, grabbing Oliver's sleeve and whispering in his ear.

"Remember - we should focus on stumping Thor. There's no way we can tell what Odin does and doesn't know." Oliver nods hesitantly, and they take their seats. Odin sits up a bit straighter, offering a respectful nod to each of them. Thor sneers, flicking his chin at Melody in an attempt to provoke a reaction. She straightens her back, meeting his challenge with a cold stare.

"Here is how this game of riddles will go," Frigg says, her voice carrying throughout the chamber. The onlookers fall silent as she continues. "Each side will ask one question to their opponent. This question must be one that they know the answer to themselves. And, to keep things fair..." She glances at Oliver. "All questions must pertain only to those in this room. You cannot ask questions about Pantheons that are not represented here." Oliver's jaw quivers, and he looks to Melody for support. She gives him a short nod, ignoring Thor's proud chuckle.