REM: Seven - Awakening of the gods

How to kill a god 101 - ARLO

Arlo loved cookies. His mum used to make them all the time when he was at home. Now that he lived away, not so much. But today, the sweet aroma of cookies filled the room, wrapping around him like a warm hug from his childhood. It was almost like being back in that sunny kitchen, watching his mum's hands move deftly as she prepared another batch. Arlo felt a pang of longing; it had been too long since he'd seen her. This—her baking again—felt like the perfect reunion, almost too good to be true.

Across from him, his dad was glued to his phone, scrolling through Twitter like it was his morning paper, a cup of coffee balanced in his other hand.

"Dad, I've already told you," Arlo sighed, shaking his head. "Twitter's just a cesspit full of nonsense. You shouldn't go anywhere near it."

"Blasphemy!" his father replied without looking up. "It's where I get all my news. Did you know that Ted Lasso is returning for a fourth season?"

"Yes, Dad, I did," Arlo replied, rolling his eyes. "I found out by reading an actual newspaper."

"Oh, you two, stop the bickering," Arlo's mother interjected, turning away from the oven with a knowing smile. "However, Arl is right in one sense. No phones at breakfast. Put it away."

Arlo's father grumbled under his breath but slipped his phone into his back pocket with a heavy sigh, as if he were parting with a dear friend.

"So, Arl," his mother continued, her voice light and teasing, "are you ready for school? The bus is coming any minute now. You wouldn't want to miss it."

Arlo frowned, confused. School? What was she talking about? He hadn't been to school in nearly two years. "Mum, I'm nineteen," he began cautiously. "I stopped going to school ages ago."

His mother looked at him with a mix of concern and amusement. "Arl, dear, what's the matter? Your face has gone all pale."

Before he could respond, the room began to tremble, a low rumble that quickly escalated into a violent shake. Plates rattled, bowls clattered to the floor, and the entire house seemed to sway like a boat caught in a storm. Arlo tried to stand, but the ground buckled beneath him.

"Looks like the bus is here!" his mother called out, her voice cheerful and steady despite the chaos. "Get going, dear, have a fun day at school!"

And then, just like that, everything went black.

"ARLO... ARLOOO!"

The voice pierced the darkness like a shard of light, dragging him back from the void. It was familiar yet distant, muffled like it was underwater. 'Who is that?' Arlo thought hazily. 'Why can't I see? Why can't I move?'

"You have to wake up, Arlo!" The voice was closer now, urgent and desperate. "Don't you dare leave us!"

'Leave? I'm right here. What's going on?'

Suddenly, the darkness peeled away, and Arlo's eyes snapped open. The light was blinding, but after a few blinks, a face swam into focus—Elanise, her expression a mixture of relief and fear.

"Elanise?" Arlo mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. "What... what happened?"

"Good, you're awake," Elanise said, her voice tense with relief. "Thank the gods."

"What did I miss?" came a distant, annoyed voice.

"Oh, nothing much," Yuzuha shouted back sarcastically, "just a battle between me and a freaking industry-scale walking fan!"

Arlo turned his head, wincing at the sharp pain in his neck. Yuzuha was fighting like a whirlwind himself, wielding a long, staff-like weapon covered in black wrapping. He swung it wildly, as if trying to fend off an invisible enemy, each swing generating gusts of wind that lashed back at him like a retaliatory slap.