Caleb led the party on a winding path around the many tables and chairs. They received some glances and sideways looks, but nobody acknowledged them. Finally, they arrived at the corner table. “Titus?” Caleb asked.

The Nephilim on the far side of the table didn’t look up. Suddenly, the chair closest to Caleb slid toward him. The Nephilim must have kicked it beneath the table. Caleb glanced at the others and sat. Trey and Morgan sat in the other two empty chairs.

“Oh, that’s just great! Nobody thinks about me needing a chair,” Spence exclaimed, his voice high, as it became when he was upset. Then he was even angrier at losing his newfound cool.

“Go find you a chair, whiny ass,” Trey responded. He then pulled off his metal helmet and set it on the table.

Spence huffed and glared at him momentarily and then spun away to find an unoccupied chair. He had to walk several tables away to find an empty one. Three large, rough-looking Nephilim sat around the table littered with a dozen empty mugs. “Excuse me, sirs,” Spence began. “Could I borrow this chair?”

The Nephilim continued talking among themselves; none even acknowledged Spence. Spence’s face instantly grew hot. Without thinking, he slammed the butt of his staff hard onto the wooden floor to get their attention. He was startled when the shaft came to life again, and electricity surged up his forearm and into his elbow. The crystal orb glowed brightly, and the secret panel slid open beneath his hand.

The Nephilim at the tables surrounding him suddenly fell silent after the sound of the staff striking the floor and the bright light. “I’m taking this chair,” Spence stated loudly, his voice now deep and strong. He proceeded to grab the heavy chair and drag it toward the corner. His heart raced, and his sweaty palms made it tough to hold onto the worn wood. But he also felt energized. He would never have done that in the past, even before the accident. Since he had entered this world, regained the use of his legs, found the staff, and killed a dangerous beast, he no longer felt like a cowardly geek. He ignored the grumbling and whispering of the Nephilim behind him. The din in the room had returned to normal when he reached the others and Titus.

Spence rapped the butt of his staff on the floor and was relieved the compartment closed, the orb stopped glowing, and the heat and electricity ceased. He sat in the chair and slid in between Caleb and Morgan. The four continued their conversation, not acknowledging his encounter with the other table or his staff use.

“Who are these gods?” Caleb asked.

Titus’s face was visible now—leathery, wrinkled, and covered in a week’s worth of stubble. He was obviously tall, and all his features were larger than human. His eyes were deep blue and out of place with the rest of his appearance. “There are four—Ra, Enki, Artemis, and Odin.”

“Those are mythological gods from four of our world’s ancient civilizations,” Spence said, eager to be a part of the conversation.

“Egghead told us who Enki is, and I think I’ve heard of Artemis. Wasn’t she a Greek chick?”

“She was a Greek goddess. I believe she was the goddess of the wilderness and hunting,” Spence said.

“I like her already,” Morgan added.

“Who are the other two?” Trey asked.

“Ra is Egyptian, and Odin is from Norse mythology—Vikings,” Spence replied before Titus could respond.

“Well, that’s kind of random,” Morgan muttered.

“Spence, you are a fountain of useless knowledge,” Trey said.

“Not so useless now, though,” Spence replied.

“I know the other gods didn’t come from Nibiru, though,” Caleb said.

“You’re right. They all had different homes,” Spence said.

“Ra is the god of my people; Artemis, the elves of the Forbidden Forest in the north; Odin, the dwarves of the Desolate Peaks in the west; and Enki, the Draconians of the Forsaken Swamp in the south.”

“Inviting names,” Caleb said.

“Another reason for the races not to seek out each other,” Titus replied.

“Hey, Spence, you must come from the west,” Trey interjected, grinning at Spence.

“Where is the land of obnoxious jocks?” Morgan asked, glaring at Trey.

Spence squeezed the handle of his staff and stared at Trey. Since the encounter with the three Nephilim over the chair, he felt almost confident enough to confront him. “What is a Draconian?” he asked Titus, finally turning away from Trey.

“They are lizard people. They walk upright like humans but are covered with scales and have the head and tail of a lizard.”

Spence’s mind raced. Now he remembered reading about people believing in reptilian aliens called Draconians. This world was getting stranger by the moment. “I think Enki was considered the god of water, so that makes sense he would be their God.”

“Have you seen Ra?” Caleb asked.

“Yes—or at least images of him. The gods can appear anywhere and anytime.”

“Like the talking statue?” Morgan asked.

“They can do that or appear as glowing images or in our dreams. We mostly see Ra, though, unless all the gods appear together.”

“What does he look like?” Spence said.

“He wears a headdress with a mask covering part of his face, resembling a bird. His crown is a golden disc, with a serpent encircling the base. His skin is bronze-colored, and he wears colorful robes,” Titus replied.

“What makes them gods?” Caleb asked.

“They each created their own people. They also created and control everything in this world,” Titus answered.

“Why wouldn’t the gods just get rid of the monsters themselves?” Caleb asked.

“It is hard to say,” Titus said. “I am sure there is a good reason, though.”

“They’re all a bunch of cowards if you ask me!” a voice said from the table closest to them.

Spence and the others turned to seek the source.

A big Nephilim with a thick head of curly black hair and a matted, thick beard stared at them. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was obviously drunk. He held a mug in his left hand, and more mugs littered the table. His two companions stared at him with open mouths. “They never appear in the flesh—just send their images. They’re afraid to come down and face their creations like Nephilim!”

“Seth, that’s enough! You’re drunk. It’s time to call it a night,” one of his companions said, laying his hand on Seth’s arm.

“Are you afraid Ra will strike me down?” Seth continued.

“You know he will! Let’s go. We’ll walk you home.”

A serving woman appeared carrying a silver tray of mugs. She placed one in front of everyone at Spence’s table and then turned to Seth. “Here’s a special brew for you, sir. It’s on the house.”

Seth grabbed the mug, stared at it, and looked up at the server. The blond woman smiled and then turned and headed toward the bar. Seth shrugged and gulped a large drink. “I’d like to see Ra appear in this bar. I say the gods have no real power. Our fear is all they have.”

The color drained from the faces of Seth’s companions. They both leaped up and made their way through the crowd toward the door. Seth set the mug down and opened his mouth to say something more. His mouth closed, and he peered into the cup. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide. He turned to the party of questers, his face twisted in fear and pain. Drool escaped his lips, and sweat glistened on his forehead. He tried to stand but lost his balance and fell face down onto the floor. He twitched for a few seconds and then lay still.