“Titus, what do the people in your town do for a living? I assumed you were farmers, but we’ve seen no sign of farms outside the walls,” Caleb said.

“Everyone has a trade or job. We grow what crops we need and raise animals inside the town walls. It is too dangerous to be outside them.”

“What’s your main job?” Caleb continued.

“Just to make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing.”

“I notice that many of your people don’t have weapons,” Spence said.

“Oh, we all have some. We just do not carry them often. Our walls protect us from the monsters, and the other races do not visit. We rarely journey outside the town. When we do, we usually carry weapons, but they are pretty useless against the beasts. We try to use stealth and discretion and avoid engaging them as much as possible.”

Spence was surprised that even the huge Nephilim couldn’t kill the monsters. They walked in silence for several hours. Spence’s legs and feet ached, and his shoulders were sore from carrying the pack. He hoped the quest wasn’t going to be all hiking in bleak fields. The distant sound of flowing water eventually broke the stillness of the day. The hills gradually decreased, the trees multiplied, and the ground and vegetation turned a little greener.

The roar of the water grew louder as they walked, and Spence saw the source of the roar half an hour later. A large river flowed in front of them, with a line of trees and green vegetation covering the bank in both directions. Spence judged the river to be at least fifty yards wide but couldn’t determine precisely because the other side wasn’t visible—a mist rose off the water. The fog wasn’t thick close to them, but nothing was visible after fifty yards.

“The river Styx,” Titus said.

“Of course, it is,” Caleb replied.

“Why of course?” Trey asked.

“Do you ever pay attention in class? The river Styx was the river in Greek mythology separating Earth from Hades,” Spence said.

“What’s on the other side?” Morgan asked. She had been quiet, as usual.

“No one knows,” Titus said.

“No one has tried to cross it?” Spence asked.

“Yes. A quester or two has. They do not make it. In addition to the distance and strong current, beasts live in those waters. You may try if you wish, but you will die quickly.”

“Trey, let’s see how fast you can swim to the other side,” Morgan said.

“Why don’t you bite me, Fright Night?” Trey grabbed his crotch as he spoke.

Titus turned and led them to the north, parallel to the river. The path now resembled an old game trail. Spence was hungry and, despite his coat, cold. Fantasy movies like The Lord of the Rings made it look so cool when the characters marched along during their quest. Living it sucked. His feet had long ago gone numb, and he didn’t have gloves like the others. He frequently alternated which hand held the staff and withdrew the other hand inside his coat sleeve. His legs and shoulders throbbed, and he struggled unsuccessfully to pay attention to the alien surroundings instead of focusing on the cold and pain.

After another hour, Titus led them into the trees on the left and halfway down the steep, rock-covered riverbank. They used the trees to avoid slipping and tumbling into the river. Spence warily eyed the murky waters, searching for shadows beneath the surface. Titus continued leading them parallel to the river until they saw an opening between two large rock slabs. He led them up to the cave.

Once inside, Titus quickly lit a torch in a sconce by striking flint against his dagger blade. He returned the flint and dagger inside his cloak, removed the torch from the sconce, and led them further into the tunnel. The tunnel was just wide enough for them to walk single file. The cave walls were primarily smooth and wet, and the floor was flat but littered with various size loose rocks. A small stream flowed through the middle and out onto the bank and down to the river.

After sixty feet and a couple of bends, the passageway elevated slightly, opening into a dead-end circular room twenty feet in diameter. The room was dry, with the stream originating from somewhere underneath. Several boulders were arranged like chairs around the center of the room. Titus touched his torch to several others placed in sconces along the wall, soon brightly illuminating the room. He slid his torch into an empty sconce, sat on a boulder, and nodded for them to sit on the ones around him.

“Eat,” he said gruffly and rifled through his pack to retrieve a sandwich.

The cave was like a warm living room compared to the outside. Spence could feel the heat of the torches, despite them being at least ten feet away. He removed his pack and eagerly peered inside. He hadn’t paid attention to what Petros had given them for food. He saw several packages wrapped in what resembled brown wax paper. He unwrapped one and discovered flat, round pieces of bread close to the thickness of a tortilla. A second pack contained slices of dried meats resembling ham and beef, and the third held hard cheese slices. A canvas sack contained miscellaneous pieces of fruit.

Just seeing the fare—as unappealing as it was—brought home just how hungry he was. He had gone from not walking at all for several months to walking nonstop for two days and had eaten much less than his average daily intake. He placed a hunk of beef and a slice of cheese between two pieces of bread. He ate a big bite and was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. The meat was salt-cured, and the cheese tasted like sharp cheddar. The bread was dry but thin enough not to interfere with the flavor of the meat and cheese. He looked up to observe the others doing the same. Of course, Morgan’s sandwich contained no meat.

Titus finished before the others. He washed his sandwich down with a big swig from his wineskin. “Once you eat, I will lead you a few miles farther north, and then I must return. I will leave you at a thick stand of trees where you can make camp. You do not want to be out in the open at night.”

“Then what do we do?” Caleb asked.

“Continue following the river north. You should reach the Forbidden Forest in two days.”

“Do you know when we’ll encounter the monster we have to kill?” Trey asked.

“Not really. I would think soon after you depart the safety of the trees. That is why I do not go any farther. The Barrens are wild and filled with evil creatures.”

“What kinds of creatures?” Morgan asked, biting her lower lip.

“It is hard to say. There have not been many survivors. I have heard tales of giants, enormous lizard-like beasts, and giant snakes. I have felt the ground shake and heard roars and calls but have not seen any monsters. You have weapons to fight them with and armor to protect you, though."

“Look, we cannot stay here long. I need to tell you something quickly, while the gods cannot hear or see us,” Titus said, leaning forward conspiratorially.

“More about your gods? I hate to break it to you, bud, but they’re not real,” Trey said.

“I do not know about your world, but the gods here are real!” Titus’s said forcefully. “They see everything. Even if they do not appear in person, they have helpers everywhere. What do you think happened to Seth? He is dead for merely speaking ill of them. There are only a few places in the ground, similar to this one, that they seemingly do not know of or care to watch. The gods created this world and the creatures within it. What monster did you face in the arena?”

“It resembled a giant lizard with a spiked tail and a wolf's head,” Spence responded. He had scooted forward on the boulder and absorbed every syllable Titus uttered.

“Did it seem natural? They are all abominations, like the elves, dwarves, and Draconians. I do not know why they have created any of us or the purpose of the quests, but we are all just part of their whims.” Titus glanced from face to face, making sure they heard his words.

“What about Argos? You all look like us—human—only larger,” Caleb said.

“We look the part. But did you notice any children?” Titus spat onto the rock floor. “We cannot reproduce. There are a thousand of us in Argos. When one dies, another will soon appear—an adolescent male or woman will wander into the town. They have no memory of where they came from or their lives before. We take them in, assign them a role, and they stay until they die. My father was my adopted father. He trained me to be the leader like him.”

“They did fix my spine,” Spence said. He quickly explained his paralysis on Earth.

“Well, the gods must have. But trust me, there is a reason behind it. It was not out of the kindness of their hearts.”

“Why are you telling us all this?” Caleb asked.

Titus stared at the stone floor. “There are those of us who are tired of living under the thumb of the gods. But as you saw with Seth, we are powerless. We have no way to fight or escape. The gods give the questers powerful weapons and armor. If you can survive long enough, you might figure out some way to help us.”

“And fight against the gods?” Spence asked incredulously.

“Perhaps. Speak to the elves and dwarves and Draconians. I have not seen an elf or dwarf in ten years, and I have never met a Draconian. I do not know what they might know. I would think some of them might feel the same way we do. No one likes to be a pawn in another’s game. Just keep in mind that the gods are always watching and listening. You will have to find a place like this if you wish to speak ill of them. Also, I doubt they intend for you to complete your quest. I have never heard of any surviving.”

“What would you do if you were free from the god’s control?” Morgan asked.

Titus stroked his chin. “Be free. We could travel where we wanted to go and settle where we wanted to settle. We could make our own rules and laws and not be controlled and live in constant fear.”

“Well, if we complete our quest, you will be free to leave Argos,” Spence said.

“Free to leave but still under the thumb of the gods. And what will be next? There will be something else. They will not grant us true freedom and allow us to do as we please. Ever.”

“Aren’t you worried they wonder why you bring questers into this cave?” Caleb asked.

“You are the second group I have brought here. Since I am still alive, I assume the gods are not suspicious yet. But we must go.”

Titus repacked his pack, snatched the torch off the wall, extinguished the others, and headed back down the passageway. The other four repacked their belongings and hurried after him. Spence desperately wanted to talk to the others and discuss what Titus had revealed, but he would have to wait for another opportunity.

Titus extinguished his torch and returned it to the sconce at the cave entrance. He instructed them to fill their wineskins in the spring at the bottom of the cave and then led them out and along the riverbank until they reached a break in the rocks. Then he guided them up the bank and to the level ground above. The air seemed even cooler after the comparative warmth of the cave.

***

“I am glad you created these ‘safe’ places,” Odin said.

“It is the only way to truly monitor our people. We have taught them all too well not to speak ill of us in public,” Enki responded.

“Titus and the Nephilim are getting brave…or desperate. Attempting to incite a rebellion?” Ra said.

“Only to the questers, though. It is a shame that Titus and the other leaders lack intelligence, cunning, and bravery. Then we would not even need the Earthlings,” Artemis said.

“True. Unfortunately, we cannot yet create some attributes in a lab,” Enki replied.

***

As they walked, Spence’s mind replayed every word Titus had spoken. He struggled to wrap his mind around the conversation. This world was strange enough, with monsters, magical weapons, and quests. But now, they had confirmed gods ruled Nibiru, and they created and actively interfered with the inhabitants. They had also fixed his broken back. And now, the four of them were just pawns in a greater game. His head hurt.

They trudged another two hours in the bleak landscape. Since Caleb’s watch didn’t match the time in Nibiru, and the sun never broke through the clouds, the time of day was indeterminable other than the degree of gloom. Nobody spoke. Spence didn’t trust himself to talk and not mention things they shouldn’t speak of in the open. He assumed the others had similar reservations.

Titus finally stopped when they arrived at a thick stand of pine trees. “This is where I must turn back. You can shelter in these trees until morning. I would keep your fire small and maintain a watch. You should be safe, but you never know. Head north at daylight. You will encounter your monster soon, so stay alert. By the day after tomorrow, you should reach the Forbidden Forest. I cannot tell you where Sabekha is, but I assume there will be a road or path leading through the trees. Good luck.”