CHAPTER TWO, PT 3

                                    

                                          

"What are we doing?" Genex pointed to Zios. "You said that guy was the god of War. He just looks like... like..." Genex shook his head, as if unable to name a thought or memory just out of reach. "Like something dumb." 
Zios crossed his arms over his chest, but  Osires just gave a weary smile.  
"That, we can agree on. I think you'll do well here, demigod." 
"Demi-what?" Genex asked again.  
"Demigod," Osires said, which was clearly met with approval from Genex, his question finally being addressed. "Part mortal, part god." 
"Mortal?" 
"Your mother," Zios replied, making Osires huff in annoyance and close his mouth. "She was from a planet, not far from here. Not too far, at least. At some point, you'll get to visit there. It's where you're from, after all." 
Osires let out a shaky sigh, so heavy it sounded like he hadn't breathed the whole time Zios talked. Maybe he was worried his colleague was going to mess something up, to say something wrong, though Genex couldn't figure out why. What wrong was there to say? What was there to mess up? It all seemed pretty straightforward to him.  
"What's the planet called?" Genex asked, gazing down at his drawing of Fluffy. He sighed and scratched it out in the dirt, silently promising to one day make a monument to his furry beast of a pet. 
This time, Zios opened his mouth to talk, but Osires hastily took over. 
"Let's worry about that later, shall we? You have to get to training." He turned to Zios. "Is it ready yet?" 
Zios shrugged. "I was getting ready! I didn't have any time!"  
Osires scowled. "Zios! We've been talking about this for years, god, get it together!" He turned to Genex. "I guess, demigod, we'll be going back over there while your rather mess—" he glared pointedly at Zios, "—of a trainer sets up. How's that?" 
As they walked, Genex skipped ahead of his godly guide, who didn't seem to have it in him to skip despite Genex's attempts at teaching him along the way. 
"You'll never get it if you never try," he was saying as he skipped along, studying the rocky ground as he went. 
"Wait." Osires stopped suddenly. Genex stumbled to a stop, backpedaling a few steps to flank Osires's left.  
"There's something on your back," Osires added blankly. He reached over to pick it off, when— 
"Ow!" Gen spun around, trying to see what could have possibly cause the searing pain now buzzing along his spinal cord. A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Osires's mouth. Genex stared at him. Or, more accurately, what he was holding. 
"That was in my back?!" he exclaimed, trying to look over his shoulder and do some quick calculations. 
"Yes." Osires dangled the blade by its handle as if it was an old, used tissue. The three-foot-long silver blade somehow managed to gleam in the lightless gray world around them. Osires reached forward, still holding the blade in one hand and grabbing on to Genex's shoulder with the other. 
"Woah!" Genex attempted jumping away and failed under the god's strong grip. 
"Don't worry. It'll only hurt the first time. Now, let me put this back before I disintegrate." Osires grabbed Genex's shoulder again and slid the cool metal back into the air a few inches away from the demigod's back, where it simply disappeared.  
"That is your sword," Osires added disinterestedly. 
"I get a sword?!" Genex asked excitedly. Even with all the memory gaps, he remembered that swords were definitely cool. 
"As the kids these days say, duh," Osires responded dryly. Genex hopped up and down for a few moments, then suddenly stopped, gazing off into the distance as if in a trance. Osires stared at him, waiting for an explanation. After a moment, Genex nodded.  
"There's a girl in my head." 
Osires blinked. "There's a who in your what?" 
"There's a girl in my head," Genex repeated. "Is this some more of your weird magic? She says her name's Nora and I 'must listen to her now'."  
Osires's face contorted in panic for a moment, but he quickly regained control. His face returned to its former I don't care about this expression. He waved his hand, palm facing outward towards Genex's face. 
"There we go. She shouldn't be bothering you again." The god began walking. He may not have been able to skip, but he sure could be fast when he wanted to be.  
"Oh." Genex sounded sad, as if he would miss the girl in his head. "Okay." He shrugged and went back to skipping towards the end of the bowl.