Chapter 107: Bonded

Charon stumbled to his knees as the visions ended, his legs hitting the onyx floor of the cave hard. He breathed in a lungful of air before exhaling it, relishing the simplicity of the action, the mists’ unforgiving nature scarring him. A feminine voice called out to him. "You should not have done that, boy." Looking up, he saw Achlys leaning against the altar, the pale crown gone from its surface. Her figure was easy to identify as the woman from the vision, yet she was far less detailed, even compared to when he had first met her. ’What happened?’ Before, she was able to reveal herself somewhat in the vague shape of a woman with long hair. Now, she was barely any different from the other figures in the fog, easily able to be mistaken for part of the crowd. Despite this, Charon was easily able to envision her as she was, tears flowing from her beautiful eyes. ’That battle must have shaken her...’ Pushing himself to his feet, he looked around to find someone else, a smile spreading across his face as he saw the familiar robe floating nearby. Its cowl was empty, as if it were patiently waiting for his return. Without having to ask, it shot over to him, melding back onto his body like a second skin, his voice booming across his mind. ’Returned!’ ’Yes, Warden, I’ve returned.’ Charon shuddered. ’I wish I had never left.’ Achlys snapped her fingers, a dozen spikes of mist appearing around him. Freezing up, Charon’s eyes widened as he stared at the pointy shapes. "What... What’s going on?" She straightened and approached casually, yet the tension in her shoulders belied her anger. "You melded with powers far beyond your comprehension, boy, and by doing so, you have bound me to you like my brother." Charon recoiled, the back of his head looming dangerously close to a spike. "What are you talking about?" Her form vanished before appearing beside him from the mist, the action causing him to leap away and cut his arm, a bloody gash running down the length of his limb. "Ouch! Hey, what the hell was that for?" She reached out and grabbed his face by his cheeks, pulling him close. "You bonded yourself with the crown in my own temple! I am a demi-god! I am shackled by the same rules as all of my kind!" His eyebrows continued to rise as he clutched his wound, blood seeping through his fingers as he grimaced from the pain. "I don’t know what you’re talking about." In an unexpected display of emotion, she turned and groaned, her undetailed hands raising to cradle her head. "Why has this happened to me!" ’Warden, can you help explain what she is going on about? I’m clueless!’ ’Patience.’ Rolling his eyes at his summons plan, he took a cautious step forward. "Please, just tell me what I did. I’ll help if I can." Charon was utterly clueless about what he, a low-ranking mortal, could do to help a demi-goddess, but he was determined to try. Especially after how hard she had fought to protect the realm from Alastor. She sighed deeply, an expressly human trait, before turning to face him. Her face held no features, yet he thought he detected a hint of hatred. ’Weird.’ "The crown is the artifact connected to my being. All demi-gods have one; it is part of our being. I invited you into my last temple, and you then bonded with my artifact. This has forced us into a contract beyond our control." Charon frowned as he considered her words, unable to find sense in them. "What are you getting at?" Achlys huffed and stepped closer to him, her finger jabbing into his chest. The feeling was distinctly unforceful, like a slightly stiff breeze. It didn’t even move him. "We are bonded, just like you and my brother. I am chained to you, like an animal, until you do me the favor of dying so I can get back to more important matters." Growing defensive and confused about the entire situation, especially at the mention of his dying, Charon shot back with anger. "Like dealing with Alastor?" She hissed and stepped back, as if his words hurt her. "Do not dare mention his name." "Why? That’s what you were doing, wasn’t it? Trying to figure out how to defeat him after he kicked your ass?" His words were crude and ill-begotten, but he didn’t know what else to do. Achlys grew silent and still, her form shuddering momentarily. Long seconds dragged out until she gave a response, her tone solemn. "Alastor is dead." Charon’s breath caught. "Dead? How is he dead? Did you kill him?" Her misty head shook. "No. He achieved his goal, even after he heard my plea to cease the expansion of his territory. He breached into the living realm centuries ago, before being felled by one of the other gods’ followers. My brother is long dead." Charon’s brow furrowed. ’Someone killed him? How could that be possible? He was unstoppable! I saw him with my own eyes, nothing could take him on, apart from a god!’ His frown deepened. ’Wait, that’s not right. I’ve only seen him in comparison to Achlys and humans. He could be strong compared to them, but weak compared to other demi-gods. I don’t have a proper frame of reference.’ He refocused on Achlys, not wanting to let the opportunity pass. "If Alastor is dead, then what important matters do you have to deal with? He seemed to be the largest threat if the visions were anything to go by." Achlys scoffed. "Those visions only showed you the distant past. They show nothing of more recent matters. I am here as my penance for failing to keep my brother calm. If we had... If I had tried harder, he could still be here, readying his legions to fight for our father." The way she spoke made Charon pause. ’She is acting as if he were just a tool in Death’s collection, a sword she was supposed to keep sharp so it was ready for battle. Is that the purpose of the demi-gods, to be weapons for the gods?’ He knew little of the gods and demi-gods, except what he had gleamed from unrelated stories. Charon took a steady breath. "Explain what exactly this bond is. I’m trying to understand what’s going on." Achlys seemed to acknowledge his attempt to calm things, her form wavering as if inhaling. She extended her hand with her palm facing upward. "For lack of a better term, you have become my summoner, and I your summon. It is the same contract you have formed with my brother, the Warden of the Acheron. It forces us to serve your will with few options for deviance." A ball of mist coalesced in her hand, the pale crown manifesting from the fog. "It provides you with many benefits, but it will give me nothing but annoyance. My powers have been restricted, limited to what your body can contain, which seems to be pitiful even by mortal standards." ’She must be referring to my rank. I’m only a Novice, so she must be at the same level.’ His eyes widened. ’That’s what happened with the Warden! I remember considering it as a possibility, but it’s nice to have it confirmed.’ Charon had been confused why his first summon looked so fearsome and imposing when they first met, but was quickly reduced to a simple robe. He smirked. ’So if I grow strong enough, I’ll have two full-power demi-gods in my service?’ Looking at Achlys, his thoughts shifted tracks, his smirk disappearing as he considered it from another point of view. ’What about her, though. The Warden seemed to choose me, somehow, but she was forced into this. If I were at the rank of Archmage, and some random teenager reduced me to both a summon and a Novice again, I’d be pissed.’ He knew what the right thing to do was, even if he didn’t want to give up his newfound power so soon. "Can I release you? Let you return to your temple and continue on your way?" Her form moved left and right. "No, the contract has been sealed. Until one of us dies, the other is bound by its terms." Achlys groaned and began to pace from one side of the cave to the other, Charon’s neck turning to follow her. "I never should have allowed you into my temple, nor should I have revealed myself. My connection to my siblings has brought me low once more." He watched her move, unsure how to feel. ’What do you think, Warden. What do we do?’ His summon repeated the same thing he had said earlier. ’Patience.’