Chapter 9: Ant Man
After thirty minutes of flying, my migraine was starting to intensify in both sides of my head like a tight rubber band squeezing around my skull.
Once I opened my eyes I noticed a bright golden light in the distance.
"There! Follow the golden light!"
Ava seemed confused as she shouted in my head, inadvertently intensifying the pain.
{I don't see any light?! You're going to have to be more specific.}
Damn, so only I can see it.
"Do you see the third mountain ahead of you?"
Ava turned her head and screamed!
{Oh! There are pillars on that mountain! Looks like marble! That must be it!}
I was confused because we were at least a few miles away but figured it had something to do with her superior eyesight.
So I just shrugged and waited.
...…..
A few minutes passed and sure enough she had appeared at the right place.
The temple we had landed on was empty but certainly not devoid of life.
There were several birds singing, flowers all over the place and women laughing and talking to each other in a language I didn't understand.
"Ignore them. Nymphs are bad news. Whores of gods my father calls them. They think that makes them special too, but at the end of the day they're just snooty whores."
I looked over to my left and noticed Ava in her human form. I couldn't even remember hopping off of her. I was too distracted from the pain.
Thankfully I didn't make a fool of myself though. Enough time in the army has made me more durable.
For now I turned my head in the direction of the temple and walked inside what looked like a cave system.
Though it was no simple cave.
The place was lined with torches and shelves full of books and gold.
I saw Ava drooling a little at the sight of it all.
I ignored it and kept walking until I found a desk with what appeared to be a receptionist at the counter.
Though Ava and I looked a bit confused because of the receptionist itself.
"Who?"
"Uh… Hi. I'm looking for Dredan? I think he needs my help."
"Who?"
"Dredan… the god of Knowledge and libraries?"
"Who?"
"Dredan…" Now I was just trying not to yell at the damn bird.
"Who?"
I just heard Ava snort. Clearly trying to hold back her laughter.
"Thomas, I don't think the owl knows how to talk. Actually I think it's just a really big owl…"
Oh… that does make sense.
"Who?"
I just shrugged and walked directly past the receptionist and into the library with Ava.
"Bye bye birdie!"
"Who?"
I shook my head in frustration and kept walking towards the feeling of danger.
After a few twists and turns I finally found him, or rather, I found them.
.....
"So I said to the mortal, Listen, this part is funny. I said, 'don't touch my slave or else I'll make you a slave!' What did he do? He touched my slave! The horny bastard! Hahaha!" A creature with the face of an ant kept laughing like he was making the funniest joke ever.
Ava and I just looked at each other while we eyed the two individuals talking.
"Yes, well… When you're constantly breathing in the pheromones of a Dulotic ant, especially one of your calibur I would expect most mortals would not be able to think straight."
Found him.
"You see? This is why I like you? You're so smart. So much knowledge in your head. I look forward to eating you, my friend."
The other god, likely Dredan, backed away nervously while putting his books back on the shelf.
"I keep telling you to just pick up a book. They're free to read and open to everyone. You can be just as educated as me in no time."
The ant person just hesitantly replied back with a no.
"I could… But this way is much easier don't you think?"
Dredan replied back in the only way he could, "In the short term maybe, but you wouldn't collect all my knowledge you know? I think this is a bit short sighted honestly."
The ant man contemplated again, "Maybe… but I can just find another god who specializes in knowledge. Easy."
The conversation kept going on like that for a while before Ava and I grew bored.
This looked more like two godlings having a debate rather than a life or death struggle.
COUGH
The both of them looked my way and immediately I smelled a sweet honey-like fragrance hitting me in the face, making me uncomfortable.
Dredan just sighed before going back to putting books on the shelves and ignoring the three of us.
"That's your friend???" Ava asked.
I just sighed without answering her and looked towards the ant guy.
"My friend! Perhaps it would be best if you listened to my brother? What is there for you to gain anyway? You might even become a recluse like Dredan here if you eat him."
Dredan looked my way with a look of annoyance before going back to stacking books on his shelves.
The ant guy on the other hand looked at me weirdly before turning his head to Ava and having the same reaction he seemed to have come to a conclusion.
"Aha! My fellow Earthlings! It's so rare to find Otherworlders like me around here… say, do you two want to become my slaves?"
Ava and I just looked in confusion and horror!
This guy was from Earth?!
What does he mean he wants us to be slaves?!
Before Ava could cuss him out though, I spoke up quickly.
"Hahaha, my fellow Earthling. That is a truly tempting offer but I am afraid I will have to decline. Though there is nothing stopping us from making a deal?"
The ant guys' mandibles began to shake in excitement.
"Yes! I love deals! Tell you what. I don't really need you alive to be a slave so… How about this?-"
'SPEND 300 POINTS OF LUCK!'
[300 Points lost]
"Ah no… I changed my mind. Just you. I like your face. Something funny about it." He laughed to himself.
Ava and Dredan just looked back at us in confusion. Though Dredan was confused for an entirely different reason.
'Did he just use a skill on a god without the god knowing? Interesting.'
"Ok, I'll tell you what. I want your soul when you die. In exchange, I won't hurt the little godling."
The fuck?! 300 points for that?!
'This is bullshit! I want a refund!'
The ant guy seemed to sense my anger, though he assumed it was because the deal wasn't enough.
"Okay okay, new deal. I have a few Ultimate Skills I have stolen from others. I will give you one IF you grant me your soul when you die."
Did this guy just admit to stealing skills from Otherworlders? My brows furrowed in frustration. I'm only level 5 from hunting in the dungeon and I haven't even awakened my class yet.
Fighting an actual god is not a good idea…
'Wait a minute… He wants my soul when I die?'
I looked at my status screen in confirmation and sure enough.
[Ultimate Skill: Immortal]
[Can not die]
No wonder I got this deal after spending 300 points! This is a steal!
As soon as I realized my situation I thought of something.
What if I milked this guy dry and got even more points?