Chapter Twenty-One: With The Fates

Valerie held the glass that was put down on a coffee table, soon she gazed upon it and nodded. Ares was talking to the Daryl couples, and she was told to stay present at least. They've been talking about the process of finding someone, although she's not familiar with it, she seems very interested in the name. 

"Now that the Valkyrie had been relocated, I'll start looking for Saint Freya's location, I might find her as easily as I can now, oh and," Caleb stopped and looked at Valerie. "We will relocate the laboratory below the mansion, since we have huge carrier airplanes, Lyrica asks for your assistance. She needed all the available Valkyrie, go see her later on."

Valerie noted and she saluted. "Roger—" she stopped and shook her head. "Sorry, old habits die hard."

"No it's fine," Caleb chuckled. "We can't release the Valkyries which had been asleep in the incubator yet, it will cause commotion, all available personnel is the only needed crew. You, Cassandra, Morgan, Brianna, Jane, and the other remaining twelve prototypes will also help."

If it's about helping carry stuff, it must be the weaponry and armory of each Valkyries. She remembers that Lyrica was busy during night time, it was her strength which lifted hundreds or thousands of grams. 

She was really a machine, lifting grams of thousand kilos is nothing to her, she was made to be like that. She can't also feel the pain so it's not something that can cause any worries. The other Valkyries also were trained to do so, Valerie isn't like them but she can carry at least hundreds. 

"Don't worry, when I created the underground facility, I had also needed to redecorate this place, which meant the door underground is automatic, it will be easier to just push those equipments below, I also prepared an invincible barrier so that while the mansion is being rotated, it will be easier to move without being spotted."

Valerie knew that secret base headquarters was useful in such an advantage, it could have been a great advantage to them. Athena didn't know that the Valkyrie existed, but they can't hide from the eyes of the fates, the Moirai won't wonder for they knew what is within those futures.

She carefully looked at him and she sneered. "Can I—"

As soon as Valerie was going to ask, the door suddenly opened, the door that was supposed to be locked—now widely opened and destroyed. An old man under a robe appeared, he was tall and shady, because he had covered his face. 

It was also obvious that he was a man, he's to masculine to be a female either. So the one in front of them covered in thick layers of robes was a man. Beside him is where Lukas appeared, his dark yet dashing dark blue hair covering half of his left eye, his eyes were sorrowful like a parade in masquerade, a red that themes a crescent moon which couldn't be compared to a blood. 

His skin was porcelain, like a color of the fallen sakura petals, a beautiful sharp nose and a familial mortal attire. It was a white vest, under thick cushions, a black belt, and a naval jacket, his trousers were the same as normal pants under white colors and leather boots. 

His expression was rather—odd, like a person being dragged out while doing something. Lukas for sure wasn't happy, he didn't like being treated in such a way. To  follow orders because it was said so! Sometimes he thinks that Gods are abusing their powers.

And it's annoying... 

"BROTHER!" the old man spoke. His voice was so high pitched that it sounded like a robot. 

Ares heard such a familiar voice and stood up. "That was a fast travel, I thought you were traveling on foot?" 

"Nah, I was on my way down the Halara Desert when a shone of the moirai appearance suddenly sparkled, so you know we Gods have ways to travel fast," he said and winked on Ares with a teasing look.

Ares laughed. "Obnoxious as ever, ah yes, the Human Realm's door was closed permanently, we've received so many casualties on the other side, so it was noticed by the moirai?"

The old man nodded. "Yes, they knew what was happening around our world, who would come and enter and who leaves. So, I heard she's back?"

Ares carefully stood up and he held Valerie's shoulder. "I can't hide anything from you, and yes, this is my daughter, Valerie."

The old man looks at Valerie's features from appearance to her expression. While staring at her curiously, he met with her eyes which reflected on him, and as soon as he saw that symbol in her eyes, he immediately took off his mask and a bearded man appeared. 

"Extraordinary," he amazingly said and quickly faked a cough. "My, what a beautiful demigod, you do really take after your mother, a beautiful mortal indeed. Please let me introduce myself, I am Apollo, and I've come from a far away land."

Valerie stood up and she bowed her head. "A very pleasurable meeting, God of Sun."

"As mutual as it may be, demigoddess, Valerie."

Using honorifics is something that people of this world used to be polite of. However, there are some formal spoken accents that use a way more respectful than what nobles use, something that isn't far different from an informal tongue. 

"So, what brought Lukas here as well?" Ares asked. 

"This old damn geezer forced me to come," he then glared at Ares. "Much like what someone did to me on my current quest."

He's trying to say that they really are brothers who force mortals to do something they want. Blood is thicker than water. Well said is a fact after all. 

"Oh come on!" Apollo grabbed Lukas shoulders and he put his hand on it. "Don't be so dramatic, you'll be needed, don't worry."

Lukas looks at him and he annoyingly brushes his hands off. "I feel like you're bullying me, Apollo, that's enough fun."

"Oh good dear, please sit down first, we're just talking about you, since you are here also, come join the conversation," Ares looks at Lukas. "And you as well."

Both of them did what was told and sat on an empty sofa just next to the Daryl couples. Ares didn't seem to notice but he really looks a lot better these days. 

Apollo had gone traveling to Mortal Land, he did so to learn more about them. Artemis didn't want him to go at first, but soon loses care. Artemis is very bright but she loves the moon, as her title was told. Compared to her, Apollo had gone trying to understand a Mortal's Life. 

Caleb breathed in and observed the surroundings. With his kids gone, only the adults and Valerie stayed in the oval. 

"We're talking about enrolling Valerie in that academy," he cleared his voice and said. Although saying it as 'that' school might be skeptical. 

"If she's fine with it, why not?" Apollo asked. 

Although it made Ares grow darker. "It's not something I want to determine Apollo—is it even allowed?"

"Brother, you worry too much, even if Max is there, he won't do anything, he's been doing good lately as well. Ah, did you know, he won another Olympic Tournament?"

Valerie looked at them confused. It's true that he told her about that guy, but not his name. He also told her about him thinking she was some kind of incarnation, someone from the past who got reincarnated to a different person body like a rebirth in a wrong place. 

She knew that they wanted to avoid her getting or even meeting him, someone who probably thinks she's that person but even knowing his name, there is no connection and that explains it. 

She doesn't care much about who he is. 

"Tsk, always a showoff."

Ares smiled. "I don't really care if he's been doing that since who knows. A broken man trying to pursue something, the Protector is a man that will probably have less interest in winning, and more excited meeting his dead lover. Unless he doesn't touch my daughter, I don't have a problem."

That's not actually something beyond their help, Valerie is Alyssa's incarnation, she has Alyssa's part that will probably make him go mad. It's a fate which can't be undone but if Ares were to interfere, it must mean he will go against him if things went wrong. 

They can't fight but the incarnation of Alyssa is something that will bring forth destruction that will both give opportunity to Athena and her desire. If the Protector is being shaken, it will also easy to track the location of the Holy Grail which he hid. 

Fighting now of all time is not something they must do. "However," Ares started and sniffed. "If given the chance, I hope we won't be fighting considering that Athena is lurking everywhere trying to escape once again."

That's right, it's better if Ares won't start anything that will harm Armenia. Fighting now of all times is seeking death. Avoiding fights is better than declaring it without a second thought.

He cherishes his daughter but if things had gotten messy because of him, he won't be able to feel at ease and he will regret his decision.