Kaneís drums her fingers, idly looking at the scenery as Zaela recounts here tale. It seems to be that she and the Satyr had a surprising amount of similarity in her stories. “Branding your sacrifice and life as wasted is a grave mistake of selfishness out of what I can glean as a perfectly honourable and marvellous story. You gathered yourself and gave your life for another, no? Your brother would fervently appreciate what you’ve done for him. After all, you saved one life.”

The woman then grins manically, although it appears more like she is baring her teeth. With a glint in here iridescent eyes, she continues. “As for squandering your life by the favour of the gods, you are not the only one with the same fate. Time has only bitterly reinforced to me that the Gods only care for their followers so much as they benefit from them.” 

"No, my life was wasted. My brother sacrificed himself for me, so it was only fair that I give my freedom for his soul. It seems I may have doomed him to Asphodel by stealing his sacrifice and paradise," Zaela sniffs, "Though I ended up in Elysium, it was because Thanatos didn't even care about me when he was benefiting from my service."

Arteusa listens and shakes her head. "The gods are not meant to care for us; they are gods - they are above such things," she says quietly, glancing over at Thanatos. "I have been in the service of one since I was born, as my parents were before me," she continues, "and while Nike blessed me with the powers I wielded, I have always known I am but a servant to her. If I please her, I am rewarded; if I do not, then I am punished." She shrugs, as though this is a simple fact. "I always knew my end would be bloody and that Nike would never attempt to spare me from it. I serve her knowing that I am but one among many, and now that I have fallen, I expect another will take my place - she does not hold any affection for me, and I do not expect it."

As they walk, Donos listens to the conversation. This only confirms what he has always thought about the gods. He shakes his head.

"I served the people of Atlantis. And indeed, they held great affection for me as I did them," he says and then ponders for a moment. "Perhaps too much affection for some."

He continues to walk a long, watching Thanatos ahead.

"I do not understand clerics and priests. Poseidon is a powerful god but I would never serve him," he says. Then he glances at Arteusa. "I do not understand but that does not mean I disrespect you. In any event, come, your time of servitude is over. Let us enjoy what Elysium has to offer."

(Mobile currently)

Kaneís frowns, and takes out the same wide-bladed dagger, staring at her own reflection in the mirror, and resuming her occupation of changing the colour and shape of her eyes. When Zaela finishes, she looks up, and seems rather unsatisfied. “You ought not to look at the pessimistic side of things. At first, I believed you to be an honourable martyr that upheld selfless values, of which I respected you for - now, I see you as a self-centred individual who is too focused on wallowing in their own misery to realise the merits of what you have actually done.”

The Changeling’s amicable demeanor of indifference had shifted to that of anger and malice. Turning to the Centuar, she continues, hands curling. “Don’t you think it is unjust that the Gods can treat their creations and the souls of their mortal worshipers like filth? Nike may have luckily blessed you, but to me, the Gods have only turned their backs and ignored my pleas. Servants of the Gods - such as I was - have their duties and their responsibilities, as do whichever deity they worship.” As she’s speaking, the amulet on her chest grows a stunning scarlet. Her furious voice seems to contain a multitude of other voices coalesced inside it, as if a crowd was speaking in unison. “And do you not think it too much to ask that the Gods reciprocate when the time is due? My people were massacred and enslaved. Rebellions were attempted and crushed. The Gods deserted me, and looked past the years of worship the one mortal life I - and many others - have. You seem to expect fickleness and carelessness from the pantheon - I do as well. But you choose to meekly accept that injustice and despotism of the Gods which has been so dispensed on our mortal souls, and I cannot fathom why.”

Her amulet fades into a cheery yellow, and her anger similarly melts into her trademark grin. Rubbing her hands and glancing at the company, she says; “But let’s head to Elysium, shall we? I’m sure it’ll compensate for the pitiful existence we have been bestowed.”

 Rhaecus listens to this conversation with that same lopsided grin of his. Surprisingly enough, it does seem genuine, like he finds some kind of humor in these bitter words. As if on cue when Kaneis finishes speaking, he claps his hands once and speaks with a tone of levity. "Friends, your conversation reminds me of a story I've heard once. Tell me if you have heard this one before."

He clears his throat. "By coincidence and unbeknownst to each other, three of the wisest mortals of their time once met inside the hut of a shepherd in Southern Thrace. They were all traveling and was caught in a storm, you see. So they took shelter there. One was... A lawmaker, if I remember correctly, known for his harsh and just decrees. Another, a wizened hermit who has seen many sights stranger than myth in her time. The last... was a vagabond, yes, who had traveled all the lands under sun. They were all asked to taste a batch of wine that the shepherd had tried making himself, and he had wanted to know whether it was objectively a good thing or not. Surely these wise men and woman could make such a verdict..."

"And so they each tasted it. The lawmaker had found it sour, much like how he found life sour, for he saw the degeneracy of the masses that required law to control. The hermit had found it bitter, like how she saw life as endless suffering and loss, much as she had witnessed during her long life. And yet, the Vagabond found it sweet... For he had decided that if the world should turn with our consent or not, he would enjoy it." He pauses for a moment and snickers. "In case you did not notice, this is a shameless endorsement to my own philosophy. The gods are a fact of life, a part of our world. In mortal prosperity they are loved and in misfortune they are cursed, but they were here before us and they will be here when we are gone. If the world around us moves as it wants, whether we sulk or smile... Well, I shall choose to smile."

And he does, grinning widely. "It's a matter of perspective, really."

"Actually, if I may speak, your brother would have most likely ended up in Asphodel regardless of whether he had died then or not. He was no great hero like you, Zaela. And I must remind you, you only became a great hero by using the power I gave you. You have benefited from service to me, and the only thing you seem to have lost is your gratitude. Now, could we avoid badmouthing the gods until you're in Elysium? They can certainly be egotistical pricks from time to time, but you wouldn't be here if it weren't for them. The centaur and the satyr have the right ideas. You must accept the gods, whether you like it or not. We are superior, and you are inferior, and it is a fact. There is nothing you or I can do about it."

As he speaks, the bank of another, smaller river comes into view, with a brilliant light shining through the mist beyond.

"Go now. Charon will take you the rest of the way."

"Thank you, good Thanatos. I have nothing but my gratitude to give, it should be said that I am grateful to you for helping us skip that horrid line! I'm sure you don't need it, but I wish you well." He bows deeply once and then goes on ahead with a skip in his step, heading towards the bank of the river.

Kaenís’s smile tightens more normally than usual at Thanatos’s speech. Wordlessly, she nods, and makes her way towards the riverbank.

Responding to Rhaecus, she says; “No. It is a matter of experience.”

Arteusa offers a smile to the god, following Rhaecus's bow with one of her own. "I too, am deeply grateful you chose to help us on," she says quietly, then adds, "I know not if your travels allow you to meet with Nike, but if you see her and it pleases you, please convey my gratitude and that should she need more of me, I am ever her servant, even in death." That said, she trots forward to catch up with the Satyr at the river bank, finding his company more enjoyable than she had first expected. 

Zaela notices that she was being a bit of a downer, looking guilty, stating, "Sorry, Thanatos. I didn't mean to insult you. I'll be quiet until Elysium. Thank you for taking us through the shortcut."

Others around her notice that she starts ruminating, thinking over what was said by her companions, and readying a statement. 

Donos laughs as he heads down to the river bank with the others.

"The gods are powerful, that we all know. But I believe our reluctant guide, Thanatos, has just revealed that they are also but servants of an order they themselves do not fully control."

He sweeps his arms around in a semi-circle to take in their surroundings.

"They have the power and trappings of the aristocracy, but yet they transport, pass judgement and keep the polykatoika for the dead like tradespeople."

"Now," he says as he looks up and down the river. "Where is our irascible boatman? I yearn for the next stage of our adventure."

"I am afraid peaceful death and victory rarely overlap. Usually, she and my sisters have more contact." Thanatos turns to Donos. "I did not choose to be born a god, yet I was, and so I must be a god. And gods have a duty to mortals, as mortals do to gods. It is... a sort of balance. So long, now."

With a few beats of his wings, he is gone, his drowsy brother trailing behind as always. And as one friendly god departs, a less than friendly one approaches in his little ferry.

"Not one of you got sent to Tartarus? Seriously? Godsdamnit. Try not to sink my boat with the weight of your egos, eh? All aboard, now."

Donos nods to Thanatos’ retreating form, a partial recognition that there is perhaps more to the gods than he knows.

He then turns and smiles at Charon.

”Ha ha, good Charon, the pleasure of your company comes not a moment too soon.”

Donos jumps into the boat and eyes the way ahead.

"Truly, we appreciate your wit, good Charon," Arteusa grins as she steps carefully onto the boat, keeping her legs braced so as to steady herself. She is not a creature made for boat travel. The boatman was ornery and sarcastic, but of a familiar kind - Arteusa's first commanders and trainers were of the same dry wit. 

"Ah, it is a pleasant surprise to see you again so soon Charon! Alas, there is nothing I can do to lighten the burden of our egos but I promise you, I will do my best to lift our spirits instead." He winks at the surly ferryman as he hops onto the boat, "It should balance out in the end, hm?"

He begins playing a light beat on his drums. It almost sounds like a prelude before a song and he grins at the other, less jovial Satyr as if inviting her to join in. Asking for a spontaneous performance, perhaps?

"Hey, Karen," Zaela says, "Let's go!"

(Kaenis is a Karen confirmed lol)

(I meant Charon as Karen, lol)

"Yeah, quit buttering me up, the sooner I'm done with you the better, and I can be more focused on ferrying souls across the big river. Splitting tends to reduce my efficiency. Bah, why am I telling you this, I'll never see you again."

As soon as you all board, he pushes off, slowly moving across the waters.

"Shorter journey than the other, thank the Gods for that."