Perissa Trotter and the Game of Truths

Chapter 5: A Grumpy God Stares At Me

Mr Brunner walked, or trotted, very slowly so I could take in my surroundings. It wasn't long before I realised I was in a castle, and not long after I noticed another few things:

1. The pictures were moving

2. The stairs seemed to change wherever you needed to go

3. Everything was classic, there were no electronics anywhere on site

4. Everywhere was basically empty, with only a few passing Satyrs or ghosts roaming about.

That last point made me think of Donald and my vision of him. What if he was alive somehow? I really hoped so. But that unsettling voice in my dream... who was it? And what did they want with Donald... or with me?

We stopped at a bronze statue of a man with a curly beard (like that rounds it down). Mr Brunner turned to face it and whispered "Kerosene Krunchables." To my not-not-so-utmost-at-this-point surprise the statue floated upwards rotating to form a spiral staircase behind it. We hopped onto it and spun upwards until the statue clanked to a halt.

I continued to follow the centaur as he led me past the room we ended up in into an office next to it. A man with a rather large nose and moustache was sat down at a desk. He had black hair and eyes and a rather unsettling stare. The way he folded his arms on the desk and lent forward to get a good look at you wasn't very welcoming at all.

"Now, now, Viognier. That's no way to receive a new student," chided Mr Brunner.

Viognier snorted. "Hmm, you must be the brat the Satyr brought back. Mes dieux! Anozer one..." He spoke with a very strong French accent, almost too exaggerated, like he was putting it on deliberately. Think Pascal Sauvage and that's more or less who he sounded like.

"Forgive him, he's just annoyed because his father punished him with becoming director of this place.

"Please, Uncle, go and announce it to ze world! Ze rest of Olympus are probably laughing at me now."

"Laughing at you?" Mr Brunner rose an eyebrow. "I see no reason for them to..."

"You were punished?" I couldn't contain myself. "What exactly for?"

Viognier's gaze turned into an even crueller stare. "If you really need to know, Mademoiselle Clutter..."

"Trotter," I corrected. He ignored me.

"I was sentenced by my fazer for chasing after a Dryad. Ze first time it caused ze prohibition era. Ze second... well, I couldn't stay away, she was beautiful, I was sentenced to one-hundred years directing zis place."

That's when it clicked. Prohibition, a hundred years, that all made sense.

"You're Dionysus, aren't you?" I asked just to clarify. Mr Brunner and the wine god both jumped.

"Yes, he was Dionysus, back when we lived in Greece," explained the Centaur. "The gods change their names depending on the locations they inhabit. They follow the flame of Western Civilisation, wherever it burns brightest. Old names are powerful things, be careful with how and when they are pronounced."

Something about what he said didn't add up to me. "Back when we lived in Greece?" I asked him. "Are you immortal too?"

Viognier snorted loudly again. "Mes dieux, mademoiselle! You really 'ave no idea of anyzing? Zat is Chiron, immortal Centaur and teacher of 'Alf-Bloods."

I looked back at my latin teacher. "Oh no, that exam question on you... you marked my paper, didn't you?"

Chiron stroked his beard and chuckled at me. "Well, I must admit that's not the usual reaction I receive. But yes, your answer was very interesting. What did you say about me? Guards the doors to the underworld in his spare time?"

I covered my face.

"Don't worry, you'll learn much more as soon as we get you registered," assured he. "Viogner, please sign the official paper and I will escort our early arrival to the Nicholas Common Room."

"Who's Nicholas?" I asked as we left down the staircase back to the corridor we came from. Chrion didn't properly reply. All I got was a smile and a "Merry Christmas."

Sorry it took so long for me to write just this, but with exams and everything je n'avais pas le temps as Viognier would say. Also,  I know that the Gods are supposed to have different form for Greek and Roman (I haven't forgotten) but there's a reason for me changing their names.

That said, I'll need you help to come up with names. Please comment below and idea for any God's new name (and which one alongside it, preferably), who you think Nicholas is and who you think Perissa's Godly parent is. Find out in the next chapter and until next time... farewell!