15 The road of truth

But while I was terrified I couldn't help but wonder. What is in front of me, the three-headed dog looks strange, they look nothing like before. I gaze at the tail of the beast in front of me. It wasn't a normal tail, it didn't even look like a tail!

Not like the tail of the other dogs, this beast in front of me… First, I consider it as a dog even though it's a giant one that has unusual three heads but right now I don't consider it anymore. I considered it as an unleashed monster.

Just like what I said: they are nothing like before. They were nice to me and they look completely different.

The dog in front of me right now has still three heads, some snakes are protruding from the multiple parts of its body. The snakes look like they're ready to bite me and poison me. And mostly, the tail is a serpent.

I'm currently terrified as the snakes slithered into the neck of the beast in front of me, hissing as their long tongues come out on their small mouth and their sharp teeth coming out.

Both the snakes and the three-headed dog have eyes ready to kill. The eyes burned with a fire of passion as they look at me, staggering helplessly in their presence.

I mean, what could I even do?

I am small and a fragile human, even if they just tapped me I'll be flying away because of the impact.

They growled at me and I immediately closed my eyes in fear. A growled that almost made me wet myself, I am completely hopeless and have no match for them.

I shouldn't have left the village.

That thought started running into my head, I started blaming myself.

Why did I ever think about leaving that village!? Look at me now! On a block of thin ice.

"Oh? Cerberus what are you doing?" A formal yet somehow playful voice suddenly appeared.

Cerberus immediately look back and also me, I followed its gaze to see and know whose voice is that. My brow immediately raised and my forehead furrowed when I saw an unfamiliar man, a man I have never seen before standing in front of us who looks confused and his expressions shouts: "Who the hell is this?"

A man who looks young and athletic is standing before me. He looks like a mature man. Dressed like a traveler or a shepherd with petasos on its head. My eyes gaze at his shoes, he wore weird-looking shoes. A shoe that has a pair of wings.

"Well, well… Look what you caught Cerberus." He chuckled and started walking towards me.

When he got near me, he suddenly bowed a little and gave me his hand to help me stand up. I hesitated but he gave me a playful smile and wink at me, my handshakes as I slowly brought my hand into his and when he caught it he immediately helped me stand up.

"It's bad to scare a young lady wandering alone Cerberus. Look what you've done to her," the man looks disappointed as he tries to scold the three-headed dog in front of me.

"A lady should be treated right," he said with his chin up. He caught my hand kissed it which to my shock, my cheeks blushed.

He chuckled at my reaction, "What are you doing here young miss?" He asked but there is something in his tone.

"I-I'm l-lost," I tried to tell him, nervous but he looks nice so I tried because he might help me and fill the questions in my head.

"Really?" He looks like he didn't believe what I said. "A lost lady, wandering off alone here in this dark and gloomy place? That's unusual…" He said and brought his fingers into his chin.

"How did you get here?" He asked again and to my desperation, I answered him again.

"I saw a tree and there is an entrance on the center of it and I crawled over there and I got here. And I saw some weird things, like a big boat and ghosts." I tried to explain but he laughs, even more, he is now even holding his stomach as he laughs.

"That's impossible! Am I hallucinating because I'm tired from guiding literally 100 souls here to be judged by the ministers?" He laughed in disbelief.

"A what?"

"What?" He looked back at me, look shocked because of what he just said.

"I just gave away myself," he said on the verge of laughing and at the same time tearing up.

"This is a dream right?" I muttered to myself but he eventually heard it.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, my lady, this is not a dream. What made you think this is a dream?"

"This is not a dream?"

"Yeah?" he said in a confused tone and look.

"What did you mean this is?"

"A dream, I close my eyes and when I open it. I am already in a different place." I explained again and he looks like he is listening carefully to every word I said.

"Damn," he cursed and turned his back to me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked nervously.

"Does he knows that you're here?"

"Who?"

"This is will be the talk of the town," he said in an amazed tone.

My forehead furrowed when he started stretching out, jumping, he looks like he is getting ready to do something.

"Aren't you cold?"

"N—"

"I'll take that as a yes, come." He said and started walking but when I just stood there, never leaving my place he looks back.

"Do not worry, I will not harm you. Right Cerberus?" He said smiling as he turned his gaze to Cerberus who is sitting obediently on his side.

"Where are we going?"

"Inside," he pointed to the big castle.

"A-are you sure?" I hesitated and he nodded.

"Why would I be not sure?" He chuckled. "I literally entered in that a while ago and I'm sure Cerberus will let us enter. Right mate?"

Cerberus bark and he laughed and I just stood there, watching them communicate in a way that I have no knowledge about.

"Come, you can't stay in here for too long." He said and started walking again and I had no choice to walk by his side.

We entered the palace but confusingly, he ordered Cerberus to stay. It made me confused so I asked him.

"Why did you let him stay?"

"It's because he is guarding the castle, he can't be away for too long. Someone might leave here and that will be unfortunate if that happens."

"Can you tell me where am I?" I asked again.

Instead of answering my question, he asked me a question. "Hmm, how long have you been here?"

"I don't know," I sighed.

"I'll take that as 'I've been here as far as I know."

"Did no one ever said anything to you?"

He asked again but I didn't complain. If this is the way that I will get the truth then fine…

"W-well, I didn't really have someone to talk to here. I've just wandered and wandered here."

"But, there was a woman and she said something strange to me. She told me how I need to get away before he founds out. And she told me I am in the village of the dead." I told him and he nodded to every word I said as we both walk.

"Nothing else?"

"And I once had a friend here, he introduced me to the field of mourning and I eventually didn't see him anymore."

"Interesting…" He muttered.

We both turned left, we are surrounded by walls that are cobblestones and torches around. There is nothing much to see for its looks plain and kind of gloomy. There is no attractions that I see.

"You might be thinking where I am bringing you," he suddenly said. "I brought you to the underground path, I can't afford to let anyone sees you. Especially the ministers… and him," he sighed.

"Why?"

"There is something going on on the main floor, there are guests up there." He answered. "I'll let you go home, there is a way here." He added.

"What way?"

"Away outside your so-called dream." He answered, "Or I could call Hypnos or Morpheus to help you out."

"W-what? Who are they?"

"The god of sleep and dreams. Well, Morpheus is the son of Hypnos so w—" I cut him off.

"What are you saying!?" I said confused, "I mean what? The god of sleep and dreams? You're literally playing with me? Are we in some kind of ancient place?"

"Yeah," he said seriously which made me cursed in my head.

"Can you just please tell me what's going on?" I said in frustration. "I don't understand anything. Not a thing!"

"And gods? I mean who I am to interact with them? They might be just stories and not true!"

"Wait what? I thought we are still getting worshipped?" He said in a confused tone.

"What? What do you mean we?"

"Yeah, I mean we are still getting visits to our pantheon, the humans are still being cautious to us, giving us offerings and things. And literally, Athena is running around on polis and how could you say the gods are all just myths and stories?" He said in a tone as if he got offended but his face says that he is having fun.

He chuckled, "But where do you live?"

"I'm from the city of the great gods," I answered and his eyes fell wide.

"Oh! The póli ton megálon theón."

"R-right…"

"But how dare you say that we are just stories, your city is literally the city of the great gods. Where my Father Zeus and Poseidon played dodge ball but they used big rocks that they both stole from Sisyphus."

I stop walking and so is he, I look at him with a face that doesn't know what to say, react. I mean is this serious? Or am I dreaming?

"I totally get your reaction, I mean you're a mortal who doesn't even believe in us, and with all the information that I told you I mean who wouldn't be stunned?" He chuckled and open a door.

"For now, stay there. I'll call Hypnos." He smiled at me and waited for me to enter but I just stood there. "What? You can't move on? How a mortal wouldn't be blown away when we the gods are in front of them" He grinned at me.

"Why do you keep saying us?"

"It's because I'm a god also?" he said and gave me a look.

And the strength on my legs eventually left me the second he said that, I started to fall but he catches me as fast as a lightning bolt.

"Oh my," he chuckled and carried me on a bridal style, and walks into the room. He gently laid me on the bed and sat next to me.

"This room is kind of a torture room but I think it's okay, "My eyes widen when he said that as he scratched his head.

A what!?

"I guess, it is wrong to surprise a mortal since I believe that their brain can't handle the capacity of the information." He sighed, "But I guess, I'm kind of your road to the truth." He laughed and stood up.

"But in any way just like what I said, I'll call Hypnos. I cannot let you stay here." He said.

"It's nice meeting you lady, but once I get help your memories will be erased and you can't do anything about it." I didn't say anything as he walks towards the door, as I watch him open it. I just laid there unable to comprehend what just had happened to me. He closed the door and it made a sound.

But to my surprise I heard another voice behind the walls, I almost lost consciousness and lost strength but I brought myself to sit on the bed with a furrowed forehead.

There are two voices talking, I couldn't hear it properly so I forced myself to stand up and stick myself and my ear to the door. When I got near the door, I slowly crouched down and listen to the conversation on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" A familiar voice said.

"Well, I forgot something. How did you know I'm here?" The voice of the man that brought me here said.

"How would I not know? This is my castle and besides my guards reported to me that you went underground."

"I told you I forgot something."

"What thing?"

I suddenly saw a small hole in the hall, it's really small but I think I can take a peek at the underside with that. I crouched down again and leveled my eyes to the hole but I couldn't see their face, just half of their body. The other one wore strange clothing but it's all black and it goes all the way down to his body.

The man that I was just with didn't answer him, "Did you go in here?" The other man asked.

"No," he immediately answered.

"Are you hiding something from? I know there is," the other man scoffed. "What's the precious thing that you're hiding?"

"You've bruised my poor heart, I am not hiding anything from you."

"If so, then why is someone listening to us on the other side of the room? "And with that, I got stunned in surprise.

How did he know?

And suddenly the latch of the room slowly turned and to my surprise, the door suddenly opened violently and because of the impact, I fell down. My face felt on the floor and it made a huge thud just like the door as it smashes into the wall.

My heartbeat started beating fast as I see the shadow behind me, I'm scared to see who the man is. I put my hand on my forehead and slowly look back, to see the people behind me.

I saw the man who brought me here and made a peace sign at me. "Hello there! Didn't know that we will meet so soon." He laughed, my gaze slowly turned to the man beside him.

I gasp to my surprise when I saw who was with him. He looks at me with surprise on his face but the surprise on his face immediately faded and turned into nothing but just a look of anger.

The man that I've been looking for is now standing in front of me.

"You might lose your consciousness again because of this but I am still going to say this." He laughed and I look at them innocently, not knowing what is happening. "You have been asking questions to me, questions like who I am, where you are… those of kinds of stuff…and I'm going to answer it now."

"I am Hermes, the herald of the gods, protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. There are too many so I won't tell it anymore." He sighed and continued. "And I'm with the god of the underworld, Hades." He pointed the man, whom I thought was a friend or a companion to me.