"Someone has broken a rule"

"One of my fellow gods has made contact with my Champion, behind my back"

"We gods have made several 'rules' between each other, but in reality, they are more like promises."

"How these rules work, is that one of us will propose it, and if we all agree, then we seal ourselves with our power, however..."

"If the god who proposed the rule breaks said rule, then the seal would immediately break if we found out about this."

"This has caused... 'plots' to make one of us break a rule."

"But that isn't applicable... They contacted my Champion behind my back, doing something to him..."

"If they had simply told me of this interaction, I would have let it go... But they didn't. And now, I must demonstrate both my and Thane's strength, so at least, this doesn't happen again."

"It seems it's time for me to forge a weapon for him... But in the meantime..."

Thane followed his Goddess through several doors which would appear before them like magic. Azrei led Thane to a large chamber. It was cold and lifeless as there were only stone and a massive gate.

Thane: What's this?

Azrei: This is the basement of the castle.

Thane: Basement? But we didn't go down...

Azrei: Don't worry about that. Just focus on your training.

Thane: Training? If that's what I need... But what kind of training?

Thane: Strength? Speed? Endurance?

Azrei: I need you to obtain a higher level of mastery of my blessing.

Thane: Fair enough.

Azrei: But first... How far are you willing to go for me?

Thane: How far will I go?

Thane: I'm an idiot. So, I wouldn't say there's any length I wouldn't go.

Thane: You know what they say... If you're going to do something, do it with everything you've got with blind passion!

Azrei: I'm not familiar with the "blind passion" part, however, I'll take it.

The goddess of death takes a deep breath and then whistles, making a noise kind to a humming string instrument.

(STOMP)

From the shadows, a six-foot beast of Death arrives.

Thane: A dog?

Azrei: This is one of my pets that helps me collect souls across the world...

Azrei: She's the queen of the pack, Medina.

With pitch-black fur and a boney exoskeleton on some parts of her body, the Queen approached the Champion, her necklace with the goddess symbol jingled as she did.

(Queen of the Death Jackals: Medina)

Medina:(growls)

Thane: Do I have to train her to do tricks...?

Azrei: No. She'll train you.

Thane: This seems like an ironic situation.

Azrei: She'll bite you until you can use my blessing on instinct. By the end of this, I expect you to be cable of decaying your body so precisely and quickly...

Azrei: That a blade will harmlessly pass you.

Thane: Do I have a time limit?

Azrei: Not particularly. However, If you get it done by the end of the week...

Azrei: You'll get a reward.

Thane: Reward?

With a gentle smile, Azrei knew she could motivate him.

Azrei:(smile) It's quite the reward. Something only I can give you.

Thane: Something only you can give me...?

Azrei: I'll come to get you at the end of the day.

She leaves Thane and Medina in the basement.

Thane: A reward...? I wonder what it is...?

Medina:(growls)

The Death Jackal Queen approaches The Champion who is lost in thought with what his reward could be. A surprise reward brought out Thane's natural desire to quench his curiosity.

Thane:(mumbling) In my experience... A "reward" from a lady is usually a kiss.

Medina:!?

Thane: A kiss from Azrei...

Imagining himself getting a kiss from Azrei, Thane feels a single wave over his body and a smile slowly cracks. But this turns the serious Jackal, into an angry one. The beast's fur stands on end, as she now desires to rip this champion apart.

Thane: Hm?

He felt the bloodlust directed toward him. But did not recognize the threat.

Thane: Right...(cracks neck)

Thane: I don't plan on taking breaks. So if you need to piss or lick yourself, do it now.

Medina:!?

Completely losing her cool, Medina pounces toward Thane.

(Meanwhile...)

Azrei knocks on Sciron's door which opens.

Sciron: Azrei? What do I owe the pleasure?

Azrei: I now have a champion. He has a blessing... But he doesn't have a weapon.

Azrei: You helped design the other champion weapons-

Sciron: Say no more. Please, come in.

Entering Sciron's chambers, the goddess of death found a library filled with shelves suspended in the air by chains.

Sciron: I've been waiting for this moment like the sun waits to see the moon.

A scroll floats into his hand, which he immediately pulls open to show Azrei his design.

Sciron: Behold!

Azrei:...

Sciron:... Are you beholding?

Azrei: I am.

Sciron:... And...?

Azrei: I don't like it.

Sciron:...

Sciron:(mumbles) Millenia... For an "I don't like it".

Sciron: What's wrong with it? It's your champion's weapon, so we can change it however you like...

Sciron: I guess!? So what will it be-

Azrei: I want it to be flexible.

Sciron: Like a bow-

Azrei: Rubber.

Sciron: The blade or the handle?

Azrei: Both. And I want the blade to move.

Sciron:(writes down desires) Uh-huh...

Azrei: And maybe an eyeball.

Sciron: Oka- an eyeball?!

Azrei: No, no... Two eyeballs. Maybe a double-sided eye...

Sciron: What the bloody heavens are a "double-sided eye".

Azrei: Imagine a coin but with an eye on either side.

Sciron:... O-Okay... But why? Do you want this weapon to be... Alive?

Azrei: I plan on infusing a soul into it...

Sciron: For what reason would you desire to do such a thing?

The goddess pulls out the rock with Gaudy's soul, gifted to her by Thane.

Azrei: I've been... "inspired".

Azrei: Oh!

Azrei: Give it the ability to turn into a harp!

Sciron: A harp...?

Azrei:(wicked grin) And make the texture feel like bone and muscle.

Sciron:.....

The realization that he had unleashed the passionate imagination of the usually reserved goddess, dawned on Sciron who madly sketched the desired weapon for her.

Sciron:(mind) What happened to "Can you engrave it?"

Deep below the castle in the basement, Thane pulled his skeletal arm out of Medina's mouth.

Medina growls with a spiteful, guttural tone to threaten Thane who is incapable of sensing said threat.

Thane: Most doggies I know bark... You're a real silent type, eh?

Medina:(glares)

Thane stares at his skeletal arm. He began tapping the bite marks on his decayed arm. Decaying different parts of his body, Thane tapped the bite marks he found.

Medina studied Thane as he began decaying parts of his body as much as he could.

The limit was dust, which would still orbit his body.

Thane: I first thought, this blessing would have some kind of trick to it...

Thane: But it's quite straightforward... It's in my complete control.

Thane: At this rate... I'll get that kiss from my lady in no time.

Medina at that remark, pounced towards the champion of death. His desire struck a nerve in her.

Thane stood still and allowed her to attack so he could get more of a feel for his ability.

(Sciron's room)

Sciron: Alright... Anything else?

Azrei: No. I believe that'll do for my champion.

Sciron: Speaking of... How well is he servicing you?

Azrei: Thane has completed but one mission, so there isn't much I can comment on. He did well despite what he himself thinks...

Sciron: What do you think of him?

Azrei: He's... Different.

Azrei: Without the ability to fear what I am. He seems drawn towards me.

Azrei: I get the sense he doesn't enjoy the gift of life. So he's interested in the only alternative.

Azrei: There's also the fact he enjoys looking me in the eyes.

Azrei: A trait I can only count others possessing with on one hand...

Sciron:(looks away) I can make a koala feel like a monkey with my presence...

Sciron: You can make a god realize there's an end to them.

Sciron: So the consensus is... Good?

Azrei: Too good.

Azrei: Be honest with me... Was he "made"?

Sciron: As far as I know...

Azrei:...

Sciron: He's simply defective. Through chance alone.

Azrei:...

Azrei: So, how do I forge this god weapon?

Sciron: Take Obsidion, platinum, tungsten... And Dragon eyes... Then mold it into the desired shape.

He presents the blueprint he made to give Azrei an exact image to focus on.

Sciron: Once you have the base. The blade, coat with a drop of gods blood. The rest, god tears.

Sciron: Then bless it with a feeling.

Azrei: Feeling is an interesting ingredient...

Sciron: Think of it as... "giving the weapon a promise".

Sciron: A promise that your champion will have to keep.

Sciron: Talk to your sister if you have trouble comprehending what I mean.

Azrei: I think I understand... But may I ask why I have to give the weapon... "A feeling"?

Sciron: I'm speaking from experience. It makes it MUCH easier for a champion to wield.

Sciron: Without it... The weapon could potentially become unwieldy for a mere mortal.

Azrei: Hmm...

Azrei: Oh, look at the time.

Azrei: I best check on my Champion. I left him to train with my pet, Medina.

Leaving Sciron's room, the goddess of Death heads down to the basement of the castle, where she was surprised to find a trashed Thane standing as Medina claws at him.

Azrei: Oh...?

Thane had done it. In one day no less.

Thane: My lady, you're back.

Thane: I've managed to get the hang of the skill you wanted me to learn.

Thane: I can confidently say, I can only get better with practical experience.

Azrei: Medina? What do you think?

Medina:(growls)

Medina: It pains me to admit it. But he has successfully learned the skill you wanted.

Thane:?

Thane: You can talk?

Thane:(turns to Azrei) Your dog can talk?

Medina: I'm not a dog. I'm a Jackal.

Thane:...

Thane: jackals can talk?

Azrei: This breed can.

Thane: I guess she was just shy before.

Medina: I don't waste words with mortals.

Thane: Anyway... My lady, I don't mean to sound greedy... But... You mentioned a reward...

Azrei: I haven't forgotten...

Thane slightly turns his face and lifts his cheek, expecting a kiss as he is used to receiving from women as a reward since they're usually cheap concerning him.

Medina snarls.

Azrei: I'm afraid your reward will take some time. I hadn't planned on you being so skilled.

Thane: Wait, what is my reward?

Azrei: A champion weapon.

Thane: Oh.

Medina:(snickering)

Azrei: But since you're done with this... I do have a new mission for you my champion.

Thane: If you need me to do something. I will.

Azrei: Very good. Come.

Medina:(clears throat)

Medina: My lady...?

Azrei: Ah yes. You did quite well. The usual reward?

Medina: Actually...

Thane:?

Medina: If I may be so bold as to ask for a kiss as my reward this time?

Azrei: A kiss...? If that's your desire...

Medina happily skipped over to Azrei who leaned down and bestowed a kiss upon the Jackal Queen's nose.

Thane:(blank stare)

Once Azrei turned around, Medina gave a wicked grin to Thane.

Azrei: Let's go.

Thane: My Lady, do you think if I do good on this next mission, I can get a kiss too?

Azrei: You too?

Azrei: Have I missed something? What is so great about a kiss from me?

Thane: Uhhhmm... You know... Curiosity.

Thane: You've heard of the kiss of death, right?

Azrei: You want me to give you a kiss of death as a reward?

Thane:...

Thane: Come to think of it. Did the kiss of death come from you? Did you use to kiss people?

Azrei:...

Azrei: You confuse me, Thane.

Thane: Sorry, my lady...

TO BE CONTINUED.....