There were a few things I was expecting from the Pantheon, when I finally met the people who had been dogging me so much in Jvorg’s conversations as of late.

I expected them to be powerful people, special even among those who rise about all others.

There weren’t many of them, I knew. Only three or four.

We would meet, and immediately be trundled onto a freighter heading to a port near their base, it would take a little more than a year, and would be spent in cryosleep.

Lastly, I expected them to be arrogant.

I haven’t met them yet or anything. However, unexpected things did happen upon reaching the space port.

For one, I wasn’t expecting to be hug tackled by a well endowed blonde screaming my name after turning a corner, nor that said blonde would not be alone.

Then again, I doubt that many people expect Sabrina. In this case, I certainly didn’t, nor the fact that the entire group was waiting behind her with bemused expressions. Or that Jvorg would be waiting with them.

“Why are you here?” I asked, looking up from under Sabrina’s ample…bounciness.

“What? Did you think you could have just snuck away from us without so much as a word? Please, we’re your friends Revy. You can’t just do something like that to us.”

I winced a little. It has never really crossed my mind to let them know what was going on. There were too many risks involved, too many questions that might be asked of me.

And, well…if they don’t know that I’m leaving, there’s no way for them to try and stop me.

However, it looks like they found out anyway. And judging by the fact that they seem to know Jvorg, I am going to make an educated guess and say this is his fault.

Jvorg looked a little taken aback as I shot him an annoyed look.

“Try and stop me?” I asked, looking back to Sabrina.

She shook her head, a serious look crossing her face.

“No, we’re not going to try and stop you. Jvorg’s explained the situation to us, and why you have to go.”

Ah, so they’re here to say goodbye then. That’s good….

“However, we’re also not here to say goodbye. Rather, wouldn’t you say that a punishment is in order, for trying to leave without us knowing?”

“Huh?”

“It would be a shame if you just left, thinking that it’s okay to not tell anyone about something like this. So obviously there must be a lesson learned, otherwise you’d try to pull this sort of thing again. That’s why we’re all coming with you.”

“You…all?”

“Yes, all of us. We are all going to this Pantheon place, to improve ourselves alongside you. For trying to leave without letting us know, now you’ll be stuck with us for the foreseeable future.” Sabrina said, grinning all the while.

“O-oh. I see.”

“This is the last one, right?” Asked Athena, who had gotten thoroughly tired of simply jumping from one planet to the next, again and again, over and over.

“It is. The next planet is Jor, where our target is located.” Replied Heimdal.

“Thank the heavens! Finally! We can be done with here, can go home!”

“There is still a year long freighter run that we must go through. I would not say that we are anywhere near being ‘done’, Athena."

“It’s close enough. Besides, I’m curious about this godling we need to find. How will we know when we see her?”

“I will know, as will Isis. You are not quite powerful enough to sense the sort of changes that are wrought by our passage through space.”

“Ugh—But I’m already at the 10th step. How much stronger would I need to be?”

“11th step. At a minimum. It takes some longer to start seeing more deeply into the world around them. Other’s might start sooner.”

“And so, what? We get to Jor, and you guys just keep an eye out for whatever it is we leave in the air behind us? What do I do?”

“Stick close.”

“But that’s boring! I wanna do something fun!”

“U-um? Can…we just…go?” Interjected Isis, looking around nervously, seemingly the only one aware of the fact that her two comrades were making a scene in the middle of a crowded market place.

“Yes, we can. Follow me—I shall open up the next portal.”

Heimdal started walking towards a less crowded section of the town, and slipped into a dark alleyway void of people. Isis murmured something under her breath, silently sealing off the alley entryway and preventing any prying eyes from looking in on their business.

“Ready?” Asked Heimdal, looking to his companions, who nodded back at him.

A few short moments later, a hole seemed to be punched out of the very air, rimmed in glowing sparks and showing a place that was not a dirty backstreet alley.

Isis and Athena calmly stepped through the portal, and Heimdal took up the rear, carefully closing things up behind him. It wouldn’t do to have some hapless local get curious, and wander into the portal or even it’s remnants.

The three of them came out of the portal, now having reached their destination.

“Is this really the place?” Asked Athena, who looked around with a hint of distain. Not only had she grown up among the richest men and woman in the galaxy, but the journey to Jor had taken them through all sorts of cities. In comparison to some of those, Jor was distinctly…underwhelming.

“Of course this is the place. Our detectors are never wrong. There is a godling residing on this planet.”

“But, why would anyone want to live on such a…boring planet? There’s nothing to do here!”

“Power we might have, Athena, but warm blood still runs through our veins. We are still human, and some humans are not always so simple as to gravitate towards entertainment or excitement. Our godling is here, for whatever reasons she prefers.” Said Heimdal, berating his inexperienced companion.

“Still doesn’t make much sense, you gotta admit. A goddess, young and supposedly beautiful, tucking herself away in this little place? All the girls I knew would rather die than do that.”

“Y-you mean…those girls f-from high families you k-knew? T-t-the stuck up bitches?” Said Isis quietly.

“What!? Stuck up?! How dare you insult…”

“Yes, those are the girls she means. Personally, I would not try comparing them to whoever we are about to meet. I get the feeling some of what happens will be enlightening—for all parties involved.” Interrupted Heimdal, whose hand currently rested on his forehead, alleviating the growing headache he had.

A headache which only got worse when a fourth person spoke. And unfortunately, it was someone he knew.

“Things will get interesting, no?”

Heimdal turned, surprise and a dark expression crossing his face. It was Isis who responded to this newcomer though.

“How…unexpected. W-what are you doing here?” She asked.

“I was in the neighborhood and thought this was a lovely planet to vacation in. Would you not agree, Heimdal?” Said Jvorg, who had walked out from around a corner. “Besides, I think I have found some interesting things here. Come on, they are over here!” He called out, speaking to someone on the other side of the corner, still outside the trio’s view.

A group of teens joined Jvorg, five—no, six in all. Heimdal glanced over them quickly, nearly dismissing them out of hand. But then he realized something astonishing.

All of them had the aura of Ascension hanging around their bodies.

All were godlings.

“This…this is…”

“I had said I found something interesting, no? Let us all introduce ourselves. I am Jvorg, formerly known as Mimir of the Pantheon. Now I am just a wanderer, seeking that which my heart desires. And this group of remarkable young men and women would all like to join you on your journey back. Now, I know two of you—Heimdal and Isis, but the third is a new addition since I left, no?”

“I’m Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare!” Said the new addition proudly, jutting out her rather substantial chest—to which a few quiet grumblings could be heard.

“Ah, Athena. It is nice to meet you. I will let these children introduce themselves now.”

A tall and heavily built guy with close cropped brown hair and the face of a rock stepped out first, speaking respectfully.

“My name is Kormic. I’m a martial artist, and close combat specialist. Nice to meet’cha. I look forward to realizing my Ascension.”

With that last comment, Heimdal glared at Jvorg.

“You told them about what we are, and the processes involved?”

“Yes, I did. They had a right to know, and I, a right to tell them. If I must be punished for disseminating secrets of the Pantheon, then so be it. Ussen, please introduce yourself and we will move on.”

Ussen stepped forward, and bowed slightly to the pantheon members. He was the sort of guy that would be lost in a crowd, despite his fairly good looks and charm. The sort of aura around him would make people’s eyes slide over him easily.

“Hello, I am Ussen, assassin and rouge. Please take care of me.”

Next, a girl slid smoothly in front, her blonde hair shining and skin flawless. Heimdal and his comrades thought to themselves ‘this must be the one we were sent for.’

“My name’s Sabrina, and I’m a mage currently at the 7th divide, 6th step. I can’t wait to realize my full potential.”

After Sabrina, a girl who seemed her polar opposite stepped forward, lustrous black hair framing her cold countenance.

“I am Haven, swordmaster and speed focused combatant.”

She stepped back without any preamble, coming to stand a half step behind Sabrina.

The bald guy stepped forward, his body slight and somewhat frail looking.

“Hi, I’m mostly a blacksmith and support sorta guy, so don’t expect anything real spectacular combat wise.” He said, holding up a sheathed sword that had been hanging in his left hand. “Wait, right. My name is Godard.”

Heimdal was also interested in this guy. He could tell that the feeling of Ascension hung around Godard thickly. To him, it seemed likely that this kid had already begun the process of Ascending, and had his godly domain figured out.

He was mightily impressed with the five of them. Never before had so many people capable of Ascension shown up. They would normally be found alone or in pairs, but never in groups like this.

“I will not lie—it is…unheard of to find so many with such potential. The five of you are completely welcome in the Pantheon.”

“Only five? Have you lost your sight, Heimdal? Count again. There’s one more, no?” said Jvorg, looking both impressed and amused. Heimdal didn’t know what he meant, there were clearly only…no, wait, there was one more, wasn’t there?

He felt a small trickle of sweat run down his back, looking towards the sixth person. And he realized that he was doubly mistaken. Sabrina wasn’t the one they were sent here for initially.

“I am Revian Al’Verath, god.” She stated simply, stepping forward and letting the Pantheon trio set their gazes on this short and petite girl with deep, fathomless eyes.

Athena gasped at her name.

“An Al’Verath, out here?! And one that ascended? How?!”

“Now now, Athena, please behave. I assume that if you are a god, your domain is known, Revian?”

Revy nodded, but didn’t speak any further. Heimdal looked at Jvorg, who nodded slowly at him.

Heimdal sighed.

“Well, I suppose we all might as well board the freighter together. It will be a long ride back to the Pantheon, and we will have plenty of time to get to know each other during that.”