Selene Returns
The midday sun cast its golden rays through the windows as Argus and Selene found themselves caught in an unexpected moment. Their eyes locked, a sense of tension filling the air, as Argus uttered Selene's name with apprehension.
"....Selene," Argus whispered, his voice full of uncertainty.
Startled by his sudden address, Selene's brows furrowed in confusion. She hesitated for a moment, studying Argus's wide-eyed expression before finally finding her voice.
"What... what are you doing?" Selene asked, her voice laced with surprise.
Argus met her gaze, his mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. He weighed his words carefully, considering the consequences of each potential response. After a brief pause, he chose his answer cautiously, hoping to offer an explanation that would conceal the truth.
"...cooking," Argus replied, his voice steady but tinged with a touch of apprehension.
Perplexed, Selene furrowed her brows, struggling to connect the dots between Argus's proclamation and the lizard he held in his hands. Her eyes darted from Argus to the lizard, its lifeless form now more apparent under the streaming sunlight.
"Cooking?" Selene repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief. "But... What about the lizard? How does that fit into cooking?"
Argus shifted uneasily, his grip tightening around the lizard. He mustered a nervous smile, attempting to appear nonchalant.
"Well, you see, Selene," he began, his voice faltering slightly as he began to lie.
"This particular lizard... is a rare delicacy, known for its exquisite taste… at least that's what the guy I bought it from said… so I thought, perhaps, it might be interesting to try."
Selene's eyes narrowed, suspicion lingering in her gaze. She took a step closer, scrutinizing the lizard with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
"I... see," Selene responded, amusement in her eyes and a faint smile dancing on her lips as she mulled over Argus's words.
For a few more seconds, the two stood in silence, their eyes locked. Selene broke the silence, her voice cracked, as if she struggled to hold back a laugh.
"Go wash the blood off your clothes and face," Selene said gently, her words punctuated by a note of authority. "I'll take care of lunch."
Argus nodded, relieved that Selene seemed to accept his explanation, at least for now. He carefully set the lizard aside, making a mental note to dispose of it discreetly later. As he turned to leave, a mixture of guilt and gratitude washed over him.
"Thank you, Selene," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "I appreciate your understanding."
With those words, Argus left the kitchen, his footsteps echoing as he walked up the winding staircase. As he made his way to the washroom, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that Selene hadn't uncovered his true intentions.
"Now, we wait" Argus whispered to himself, his nervousness still lingering from the close encounter. With that, Argus allowed his thoughts to drift away from the subject of sacrifice, cleaning the blood of his skin and preparing himself for his lunch with Selene.
Meanwhile, Selene continued to look at the bloodstained kitchen counter, the lizard still as a statue, lying dead on the cutting board.
"If you want to lie, you're going to have to do better than that, Argus," Selene whispered under her breath, a hint of challenge in her voice.
Putting her suspicions aside for the time being, Selene busied herself in the kitchen, determined to prepare a meal that would distract them both from the unsettling encounter.
She cleaned the remnants of Argus' sacrifice, then proceeded to slice vegetables, stir pots, and infuse the air with aromatic spices, channeling her energy into creating a feast that would distract them from the unsettling encounter.
As the savory scents filled the kitchen, Argus returned, his face now clean and his clothes changed. He leaned against the kitchen counter, observing Selene's culinary prowess with a mix of admiration and curiosity.
"Wow, Selene," Argus exclaimed, genuine admiration evident in his voice. "You're an amazing cook".
Selene glanced at him, a small smile playing on her lips. She appreciated the compliment, but her mind was still preoccupied with their earlier conversation.
"Thank you, Argus," she replied, plating the food as she spoke. "But let's not forget our little lizard friend. I've decided to incorporate it into today's meal as an adventurous twist. A surprise for our taste buds."
Argus's eyes widened in surprise, his heart racing as he struggled to maintain composure. He hadn't anticipated Selene's response, and now he found himself trapped in a web of his own deception.
Selene's playful smile grew wider as she noticed Argus's unease. She relished the opportunity to turn the tables and see how he would react under the weight of his secret.
"You're kidding, right?" Argus stammered, his voice tinged with panic. "I mean, it's just a regular garden lizard, not really suitable for cooking."
Selene raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, I believe you have a hidden talent for transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary. Besides, you were so confident in your choice earlier."
Argus swallowed hard, his mind racing to come up with a plausible explanation. He knew he had to think quickly if he wanted to maintain the charade.
"Ah, well," he began, his voice shaky but determined. "I suppose you're right. It's all about experimenting with flavors, isn't it? Who knows, this might be the start of a new culinary trend."
Selene's smile widened into a full-fledged grin, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I like your enthusiasm, Argus. Let's give it a try and see what magic we can create."
As they sat down at the table, the atmosphere shifted from tension to curiosity. Argus watched nervously as Selene took the first bite, her taste buds encountering the unexpected flavors of their unorthodox creation.
Selene's face transformed into a mask of surprise, then delight. She looked at Argus, a glimmer of admiration in her eyes.
"You know what, Argus?" she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "This is actually quite delicious! You've truly surprised me."
Argus breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that their impromptu culinary experiment had turned out better than he could have hoped. His facial expression relaxed, knowing that he had successfully diverted Selene's attention from his true intentions.
As they enjoyed their meal, Argus couldn't help but be captivated by Selene's stories about her recent mission to Neptune. Her bravery and resourcefulness shone through as she recounted the challenges she faced and the victories she achieved.
Impressed, Argus leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Tell me more, Selene," he urged. "What was the next threat you faced on Neptune? How did you handle it?"
Selene grinned, clearly pleased by Argus's interest. She shared details of the wyvern that had threatened Neptune's delicate ecosystem and the daring plan she had devised to neutralize it.
Time seemed to fly as they exchanged stories, their conversation weaving together like the intricate tapestry of their shared experiences. They talked until dusk painted the sky in hues of pink and orange, the last rays of sunlight filtering through the windows.
Selene glanced at the clock and, realizing that their lunch had lasted for far longer than she intended for it to, she stood up, gesturing for Argus to leave the dishes to her.
"Thank you for lunch, Selene," Argus said sincerely, gratitude evident in his voice.
With those words, Argus started up the winding staircase that would lead him to his room, glad that he had successfully managed to divert Selene's attention from the earlier incident As Selene washed the dishes, a mischievous smile played on her lips. She couldn't resist the temptation to reveal her deception to Argus. As the water flowed from the tap, she called out to him, her voice carrying a hint of laughter.
"By the way, Argus," Selene said, her words echoing through the kitchen, "I lied about putting the lizard in the food."
Selene burst into laughter, imagining the bewildered expression on Argus's face.
Meanwhile, Argus froze midway up the winding stairs, his heart pounding. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. His mind raced to process Selene's words. A mix of relief and amusement washed over him, followed by a wave of panic.
Had she figured him out?
Did she know about his need to make a sacrifice?
One by one, irrational thoughts plagued him, as he contemplated the implications of Selene's actions. Doubt gnawed at him, wondering if his carefully constructed facade had crumbled under Selene's keen intuition.
After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity, Argus mustered the courage to respond.
"Ha! You got me, Selene," Argus called back, his voice filled with forced laughter. He continued up the stairs, hoping his fake response would conceal his true thoughts.
As Argus reached his room, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it, his heart still racing. The encounter with Selene had left him both relieved and unnerved. He couldn't shake the feeling that Selene's laughter held a hint of something more, a subtle message that she was aware of his secret.
Argus took a deep breath, determined to keep himself from panicking.
"No… she didn't know. If she did, she would've confronted me directly".
With a renewed sense of calmness, Argus went through his nightly routine, going through the motions to prepare himself for bed.
Sometime later, as he laid down and closed his eyes, exhaustion washed over him, and soon he found himself drifting into sleep.
However, his sleep was far from peaceful. In the depths of his subconscious, Argus was once again transported to the dark void of his inner mind where he was faced with a familiar line of characters.
[Make a sacrifice | Time: 18 Hours]
>> Reward: ???
>> Punishment: Death
…
[A sacrifice has been made!]
[Sacrifice: The life of one lizard]
[Calculating sacrifice worth]
…
"Please… Please be enough" Argus whispered to himself.
…
[Sacrifice insufficient, cannot complete mission]
…
…
[Error: Cannot disregard sacrifice]
[Finding a suitable exchange]
…
[Equivalent reward found: Mission hint]
[Make a sacrifice | Time: 18 Hours]
>> Reward: ???
>> Punishment: Death
[Hint: A sacrifice has two sources of value, one comes from the value others bestow upon it, and the other is the result of the value the sacrifice has in the eyes of the one making the sacrifice. Neither source of value is inherently worth more than the other.]