It seems like a silent war has started the moment Leviathan's gaze met Killian's. It wasn't anything verbal or physical, but it can be sensed with their cunningly calm eyes yet immense auras.
You see, the Water God and him weren't very good friends. They always have different lives and interests. That's why meeting each other on the same page that night is totally bone wrecking.
Good thing, Fuego was there.
"Gentlemen, let us all go back to our proper seats and have a toast!" Fuego clapped as loud as he could and dragged them to their supposed position as if he was orchestrating a class.
Killian was in the middle of formulating his scripts, when Leviathan snapped his finger. In an instant, a cold and chilling invisible barrier appeared. Well, it's invisible to Killian's eyes because he doesn't have enough spark to see it, but Fuego does, and he doesn't seem to be pleased about it.
"Dang! Why did the place become so cold all of a sudden?" Killian acted innocent by blurting out his real feelings. It was indeed freezing for him despite his red fur coat so he ended up hugging himself. It's the same chills he felt earlier, when Leviathan called him to his empty faculty room.
Fuego on the other hand tried to vanish Leviathan's barrier by making his own, but it just disappeared into the thin air. It was no use. Right now, the Water God is much stronger than them, combined.
The fact that Both Fuego and the Trickster God are born in flames so they have resistance only to it, isn't much of a help either. Because Fuego was the only one in his better state and can protect his body from the chills that the Water God is intentionally putting them through.
He can't do that to Killian because human bodies are fragile, especially the dead ones. He'll end up burning him so he had no choice but to let him feel it for the meantime. Whilst trying to find a way to choke Leviathan without him knowing.
"As I presumed, you are so helpless without me." The Water God did his signature move of fixing the bridge of his glasses. He then gave them a pitiful stare.
Fuego was so ready to bite him in the hand, but the Water God just hushed them with his pointing finger. "Don't worry, I made this barrier not to freeze you to death, but to not let the outside forces hear what I'm going to say."
"What are you even talking about, sir?" Killian uttered, not letting go of his Rozen role. Ended for a chuckle to rumble up the Water God's mouth.
"Damn it, Killian you can stop lying now. You can't even fool a human, what more a God who didn't die?"
The Trickster God was stunned. He was lost of words to even ask how was that possible when he thought there were only 3 unbeatable deities. The Dark Triad. A few more seconds and he was about to utter his words, when Fuego immediately butted in.
"Don't believe him! My starfires just told me that he can't even breathe underwater anymore! How can he be that powerful?" He said while holding his left ears. He was telepathically talking to one of his servants, and it was the one who gave him that information.
Leviathan just chuckled. "Oh come one, why won't your starfires find a way to bring your represented animal back to normal first? So you can transform into a mighty dragon again and not a pathetic fried chicken?"
It seems like a smoke came into Fuego's nose. He stood up and grabbed the Water God on his collar.
"Well, tell your mermaids to drink all the water in the ocean so you can transform into the Sea Monster that you really are! Sila mag adjust kasi 'di ka makahinga sa tubig, gano'n!"
Killian shook off his head and watched the chaos that he didn't even start. He doesn't have enough social battery to even laugh nor join their banters. He just sipped on the wine glass that had been served.
"Oh, news alert! My starfires reported that you can't transform into that Sea Monster either! HAHAHA! So what kind of fish did you downgrade with, huh?" Fuego doesn't even give a fuck when the Water God stated a while ago that he's one of those who didn't die.
"Bangus? Tilapia? Not even a great white shark?"
A smokingly cold water dropped right into Fuego's head. It was out of nowhere, it just appeared and soaked him like a helpless chicken in a pouring rain.
This time, the Trickster God couldn't help but really laugh. He didn't know why but the scenery was so familiar even if Leviathan wasn't really one of his worshipers. It felt like the bond had happened before even if his memory told him it didn't. But anyway, Fuego immediately ignited the fire within him in order to counter the chilling water that Leviathan soaked him with.
When both of them are done recovering with their emotional damages, they again sit on their chairs like nothing happened. Continuing the secret meeting that the Water God started.
"So why are you immortal? I mean, you're just a Water God? Even the Goddess of Land has to be reincarnated. So as the Goddess of Wind?" Killian asked straightforwardly. There's no point of pretending he's Rozen when Leviathan was actually right. He can't even fool Heather.
And yes, that was actually one of his problems. Heather knowing that he isn't Rozen. But let him shrug it off his shoulder for as long as it can and focus on what's happening in the moment.
"That's just how powerful I am. Also, there were other two deities who didn't die, but it's for you to discover."
Killian squinted his eyes and pointed him the bitten donut he was holding. "Yeah whatever, but if you are that powerful, then why are we having a secret meeting right now? What do you need me for?"
Leviathan shrugged his shoulders. "No, actually you are the one who will need me."
"Lakas mang gaslight ah." Fuego muttered under his breath but everyone heard it still, just like what he wanted.
"And why would I need you?" Killian can't help but to sarcastically laugh.
"Because aside from being immortal just like you, among all the Deities in Heathen, I was the only one who didn't forget."
Fuego and Killian gave him a stern look. "Forget about what?" They even said in unison.
"The reason why some deities are being reincarnated and some are immortal. The real reason why you were locked up in the underworld, and you, Fuego, lost the ability to become a dragon."
"Wasn't that because Killian was a troublemaker and dragons are just, you know, extinct?"
"Well, that's just what heaven wanted you to know. Don't you even remember your parents?" With that, both of them looked at each other with widened eyes like what kids do, too far from their titles as Deity. Seems like the only real adult inside the barrier is the Water God himself.
"Dietes have parents? Aren't we born along with the time?" Killian asked but Leviathan just said the same thing about heaven interference.
"Can't you just tell us our forgotten memories then? Or just write a novel about it and we'll read it." Fuego suggested, not minding the difference between the distance they have with each other when the meeting started, versus now.
Leviathan just pulled out a mythology book from his suit and plastered it on the table.
"That's what I did. I didn't stop writing about the truth in my books. But it seems like no matter what I write, the deities, the humans and the world itself couldn't read the reality of Heathens."
It was the same book that Killian read in Heather's room during his first day. And it's true that the Trickster God felt like there's something wrong with the book's information, but he can't go further to unveil what it is. It seems like there's a strong and immense energy that is hindering the readers to think outside the book.
They test that theory further by letting Leviathan retell their forgotten memories but what appears in their ears are just muted voices of the Water God. They tried and tried different ways but there's indeed a barrier that prevents them from remembering.
"It's a very powerful spell that tricks the humans, other creatures, the deities and the whole world's mind into forgetting about certain things. Even if all Gods and Goddesses of Heathen combine their powers, they won't be able to undo the spell." Leviathan said.
"Damn it. So what do we do now? I'm so curious why I ended up being a chicken and you ended up being a bangus who can't breathe underwater!" Fuego immediately shielded himself when Leviathan tried to splash him some water from his wine glass.
He then darted his gaze towards the Trickster God, in order to answer Fuego's question earlier. "Only the God who casted the spell will be the one who can break it. Which is you, Killian Rosepher."
The God of Mischief sighed and scratched the back of his head.
"And why the hell did I trick the whole world to forget about something? Even myself? Why would I want to forget about something?"
" It's for you to unveil—"
He tossed and turned. "Fine whatever! I couldn't keep it in my memory even if you tell me anyway. But how am I going to do that, then? I can't even control Rozen's feelings! You see, we've been talking here for a very long time and I'm missing someone already!" He took a deep breath and held onto his chest.
He's in that position for a while before remembering something. Killian faced the Water God once again. "And by the way, that doesn't justify what you said earlier! It seems like you're still the one who wanted me to undo the spell. Meaning, you are the one who needs me!" Killian added that made the Water God laugh.
"Trust me, you'll be thanking me for giving you a heads up about your forgotten memory. And you're going to need me to manipulate someone's memory in order for you to stay hidden from other Deities."
Knot noong pinasadahan ito ng tingin ni Killian. But Leviathan just pulled out the familiar envelope from his suit. Despite how Fuego figured out how small his suit to fit the thick and hardbounded mythology book and the envelope, he kept his mouth shut and watched the scenery unfold right in his eyes.
"That's the same envelope earlier, right?" Killian didn't hesitate to ask which Leviathan just nodded with. The Trickster God immediately snatched it from his hand and held it tightly.
The envelope with Heather's high school photo.
"What does she have to do with this?"
"Well, didn't she figure you out, not being Rozen? And didn't you know how powerful the Goddess of Wind is? Right now she's probably talking, writing and thinking about you, not being Rozen. And if Windy heard that and caught her attention, then your stay in that body will be over."
Killian couldn't agree more, because that's actually one of his fears. How to stop Heather from thinking and talking about him, possessing a dead body. Because even if she doesn't know that he's the Trickster God, what he did was still illegal in the God of Death's handbook on being a human. Windy, the Goddess of Wind will surely investigate it and report it to other Gods, and he can't afford to let that happen when it's just his third day in the human world.
He hasn't even achieved anything yet. Not even to absorb and collect humanity's negative energy in order to make him stronger. He can't let that happen, and maybe the Water God was actually right.
He needed him.
But as Killian was in the final process of believing on the Water God's pleas, he immediately remembered something. "When did you have the power to manipulate and trick someone's memory? Wasn't that supposed to be my power?"
Leviathan just smiled and shook their hands, it seems like Killian finally asked his most awaited question."You gave me half of your spark a thousand years ago. That's the reason why I wasn't affected by your own spell. The reason why I didn't forget."
"And the reason why I recognized you now, Trickster God."