Discerning Eyes

"Haa..." A hot pant comes from a large bed, white sheets tossed around with stains littering them. With her usual neat and combed brown hair now disheveled, Eina breathes heavily. She lays naked, her voluptuous breasts and plump curves exposed for all to see. The Elf stares at the ceiling with a thick gloss over her eyes and a giddy smile on her lips.

A large window sheds light on Eina's sweat-covered body, and a certain woman sits upon a lavishly designed golden chair with scarlet cushions positioned closer to the window. The woman's dainty hand holds a glass of wine, held up before her smirking lips. With silver hair and purple eyes, the woman, known as Freya, wears a black and red dress that exposes her stomach and some of her breasts, "Aah... This is extravagant... Almost too much for me to keep to myself... Almost," she says, a small giggle leaving her lips as she stares down at a certain duo from her window.

Suddenly, Freya's brows furrow, "Why are they... Oh, that flat-chested trickster seems to have caught an eye for my prize... No matter, she does not stand a chance," she says, "Ottar, what do you think?"

Ottar, the man that had approached Eina the day before stands with his hands behind his back. He dons a skin-tight sleeveless black shirt with a red armor piece covering one of his breasts and a collar around his neck, "My goddess, it is your choice... But I do not believe we should bother with those people," says Ottar.

Freya glances at Ottar with a smirk, "Oh? Did the Elf's words bother you?" she giggles, "Do not worry, I will handle their... coaxing. I will just need you to help here and there. They are too interesting to pass up, and I must get my hands on them before others notice," Freya says, a sheen falling over her eyes as she stares at the very souls of the man and boy. Her body vibrates suddenly as she stares, a hot sigh leaving her lips. She sips on her wine, "...It may be difficult, but that makes me want them all the more."

---

"Woahh..." Atreus stands with parted lips as he stares up at the so-called Twilight Manor. It's massive, a victorian styled home with towers overlapping each other between the many branches of the mansion. A tall metal fence surrounds the mansion with a courtyard laid out before it. The grass and bushes are trimmed to excellence, and it seems the inhabitants are living well off, "Our home suddenly seems like a shack," Atreus says, stepping with his father as his eyes stay glued to the mansion.

"Our home held the necessities... This is excessive," Kratos responds, now traveling behind the Loki party as they enter the large gate that leads to a stone path. As he stares at the mansion, Kratos is reminded of a certain mountain that caused much trouble for him, "...Such excessiveness is merely a show of power, and nothing more," he says.

Atreus' father's words enter one ear and leave the other without the boy acknowledging them, "It is an awesome home though. The Loki familia must be very powerful," he says.

Kratos grunts as they walk along the stone path, "...Exactly," he responds.

A moment passes, and the group reaches the double doors to the mansion. The door creaks open, and a short boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, a purple dress shirt, and a yellow vest with red embroidery steps out, "Hey, you're ba-" suddenly, an amazonian launches towards him, and he steps to the side. Tione slams into the door head first, and the boy sighs, looking towards the group with a smile, "Riveria? How did it go?" he asks.

Riveria approaches Finn with swift steps, "It went well. Ais is getting closer to level 6," she says, glancing at Ais.

Finn's smile widens, "That's great!..." his brows suddenly furrow as he sees the duo in tow, "...Who are they?" he asks, tucking his hands behind his back.

Riveria turns with a smile, "This is Kratos and Atreus..." she gestures to the father and son, "They... want to discuss something with our goddess," she says.

Kratos' brown eyes meet Finn's blue, and he nods. Suddenly, the pallum's brows furrow, and hidden from the rest of the party, he squeezes his thumb tight behind his back, "...I see," he says, "Riveria, may I speak with you for a moment?" he asks.

Riveria raises her brows slightly, "Of course," she says. Finn nods, and the Elf and Pallum disappear through the large door, leaving the rest of the party to twiddle their thumbs outside.

Silence falls, a comfort to Kratos. Though that is soon thrown out the window as a werewolf steps in front of him, "So how did you do it?" Bete inquires with furrowed brows, staring up at Kratos.

Kratos' eyes rip from the sky to look down at Bete, "What?" he rumbles with a deep and commanding voice.

Bete glances to the side, unable to keep eye contact with the greek god for long, "How did you reach the middle floors with no blessing? You're just a normal human," he says.

Kratos grunts, lowering his chin as he stares at Bete, "Even if I were to tell you... Would you be able to guard the secret with your life?" he asks.

Bete scoffs, "What? Are you gonna kill me if I tell anyone?" Bete chuckles to himself.

Silence. Kratos stares with a stone face, not an emotion to be seen. Bete scoffs again, turning to walk away from Kratos, "Fine, don't tell me then. It's not like I really wanted to know anyway," he says.

"What's wrong with him? He seems mad... All the time," Atreus says, watching as Bete stomps away with his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Mmh... Comparing yourself to others can destroy your happiness," Kratos says.

"The wanker is downright sorry, isn't he? I think the dog needs a friend," Mimir chimes in.

Suddenly, the double door creaks open, and Kratos looks to see Riveria and Finn reveal themselves, "Okay, right this way," Finn says, glancing at Kratos.

Kratos nods, walking past the party, "Come, boy. Let us speak with this god," he says.

"Yes, Father," Atreus responds, his eyes still glued to tanned skin.

As Kratos and Atreus pass the group, his eyes meet a pair of large yellow eyes, and Ais stands with her hair tucked behind her ear. They exchange glances, and Kratos nods with Ais returning the gesture as her eyes trail to the stone below. Eavesdropping at its finest.

The duo step through the doors and are met with a lavishly designed lobby, sofas positioned to the side with elaborately crafted tables and vases. Finn glances behind at Kratos with Riveria traveling beside him, "Loki is in the shower now, but Riveria will let her know that you two have arrived," he says.

Kratos nods, his eyes locked forward as the group passes through another door, stepping through hallways just as lavish as the lobby with white paneling below cherry-colored walls. A moment passes, and the group arrives before a wooden double door. Finn and Riveria open each door respectively, and the father and son duo step through the threshold.

"Riveria, will you do that for me?" Finn asks.

"Of course," Riveria responds, closing the doors behind her.

Finn approaches a sofa and stands before it, gesturing to another positioned directly across it, "Sit, please."

The gods take the opportunity, sinking into the cloud-like cushions, "Woah... Even my bed isn't this comfortable," Atreus says, his eyes roaming the large windows with sunlight leaking through and paintings hung on the walls.

"The finest furniture in Orario..." Finn chuckles, dropping his smile instantly as he switches to a calm expression. He sits forward with elbows to knees. Finn's brows furrow as he sees a severed head beside Kratos, his eyes quickly returning to the man, "...Now, why are you two here?" he asks.

Kratos furrows his brows at Finn, "We meant to speak to your goddess," he responds.

with slightly curled lips, Finn stares back at the Greek God, "I know, but I'm the Captain of this Familia... And as the Captain, the safety of my Goddess and her Familia is my top priority... So, why are you here?"

Kratos pauses, staring at Finn for a moment with that same stone expression, "...We have a secret, and your... Familia... has found us out. We want to make sure that you are the only ones that know," he says.

Finn squeezes his thumb, "I see... And if I may ask, what is this secret? Don't worry, it will not leave this room. That is, until my goddess arrives," he responds.

"The fewer people that know, the better. Right, father?" Atreus suddenly says, glancing at his father. Kratos nods, and Atreus returns the gesture, "So it should be fine if only the Loki Familia knows right?" he says.

Kratos pauses, staring at his son, "...Do what you see fit, boy. Just remember what I've said," he says, looking back to Finn.

Atreus nods again, "So if we tell you, then you'll need to keep the secret as your life depends on it. Because if you don't... My father will murder all of you, and there's nothing I can do about it," Atreus says in a nonchalant tone.

Finn sits with raised brows and parted lips, glancing at Kratos, "...You're going to murder an entire familia over a simple secret?" he asks.

Kratos meets the blue eyes of Finn, "...I do not wish to... But the safety of Atreus and myself are above everything," he says, "I'm sure you understand."

"How bad can the secret be that you would do that?" Finn asks.

Kratos glances at Atreus, and the latter takes a deep breath, "We've been to the middle floors... And we're not a part of a Familia," says Atreus.

Finn furrows his brows, "Oh..." he mutters. Though the Pallum's mouth suddenly sticks ajar, "...oh, that's... Does anyone other than our members know?" he asks.

"No... Well, do you know Eina from the Guild?" Atreus inquires, tilting his head.

"Of course, everyone knows Eina," Finn says, "She's worked with the guild since she graduated high school... Five years ago."

"Really?" Atreus says with a smile.

"Yep. She has a lot on her shoulders, and I wish I could help her-" Finn purses his lips.

Suddenly, the double door to their side opens, and River steps through along with another, "Alrighty, who am I talking to?" A feminine voice rings out, like a boy yet to encounter puberty, scratchy and vexxing for Kratos.

"Oh, hello!" The woman exclaims, her eyes merely slits as she smiles at the trio sitting on the sofa. With a blue and black shirt showing her belly and very short jean shorts, the woman plops onto the opposite sofa, leaning forward with her light red ponytail shifting, "I'm Loki, the goddess around here! What can I do for you?" she says with a smirk.