《Divine Passage》 Divine Intervention The smell of sewage is overpowering, a sickening mix of rot and decay from the city''s abandoned parts. It is often hidden by underground systems, preventing the sickening smell from ever reaching the surface. But in this market, its vile odor wafts into the air, lingering, refusing to fade. Shady deals happen in dimly lit corners. The distinct, sharp scent of iron mingles with distant cries, becoming mere background noise, drowned out by market''s shouting. Finding prey is hard today, but Theo has no other options. He has to be careful, or he''ll get beaten again. The bruises left behind by the shop''s owner are already a nuisance. It doesn''t help that his vision is blurry, his focus slipping - maybe it''s the hunger. Today he has to get something big, he can afford to starve but his sister can''t. And besides, her tuition fees are coming up. Then, his eyes lock onto someone. A man, well-dressed in a slick black suit, sunglasses perched on his nose, a designer watch flashing on his wrist. He strides across the market, checking the time. A lost rich boy, perhaps? Pity. Theo will take his big fat wallet as a lesson fee. Cutting through the alleyway to get ahead of his prey, Theo''s feet move quickly. The stench of stale beer, sweat, and rotting produce thickens the air, clinging to his clothes as he weaves and slides through the crowd. A shoulder bumps against him, hard, but he barely registers it. He has a target. He just needs a clean entry. Then he shouts. "SHIT! MY WALLET! THIEF!" Heads snap around. A wave of murmurs spreads through the crowd. Theo watches closely, eyes sharp on the man in the black suit. If he¡¯s carrying a wallet, instinct should kick in¡ªhis hands will move, even for just a second. That¡¯s all Theo needs. But nothing. Several people pat their pockets, but the man doesn¡¯t react. No check. No clue. No easy grab. "Fuck." This is bad. Theo has to do it the traditional way. He moves. Slipping through the shifting bodies, he adjusts his pace¡ªnot too fast, not too slow, just enough to blend in. Then, a sudden burst forward. He shoulder-checks the man in the black suit. Solid muscle under expensive fabric¡ªdefinitely not some clueless rich kid. Theo¡¯s hand slips into the man¡¯s pocket. The fabric is smooth, crisp. No leather. No cash. His fingers brush something heavy and cold. Metal. Not what he was expecting, but no time to think. He grabs it, pulls it out, and stuffs it into his own pocket in one fluid motion. The man barely reacts, but Theo doesn¡¯t wait to find out if he noticed. He mouths a quick apology, then bolts. His pulse slams against his ribs. Breath sharp, heart hammering. Footsteps. His own¡­ or someone following? Doesn¡¯t matter. Just run.
Through the crowd. He shoves past a vendor. A woman yells¡ªhe doesn¡¯t stop. Into the alleyway. Shadows stretch long in the dim light. His feet hit metal¡ªfire escape. Theo moves on instinct. His breath ragged as he hears heartbeats thunder in his ear, drowning out everything else. The metal creaks as he climb, hand slick against the rusted bars. The roof. Finally. He swings himself over and ducks low, slipping behind one of the air conditioning units. The metal hums against his back, the steady vibration grounding him as he sits, hazy and breathless. He stays still, counting the seconds, listening. Nothing. No shouts. No hurried footsteps. No one chasing. His shoulders loosen, breath slowing. He reaches into his pocket. Time to check the prize. No wallet.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Instead, he pulls out a pocket watch. Who the hell still carries a pocket watch? The guy had a perfectly good wristwatch too¡ªwhat¡¯s the point of having both? Weird. Theo turns it over in his palm, the metal cool and smooth against his fingers. Looks well maintained. No scratches. No rust. Maybe some antique nut would pay for it Then¡ªclink. Another sound, faint but distinct, from inside his pocket. Something else. He fishes it out. A coin. Old. Caked in dirt and grime. The edges worn, but the weight feels off - too heavy for copper, to solid for junk. He drags the hem of his shirt over it, rubbing away the filth, eyes narrowing as the metal gleams in the moonlight. Gold. ¡°FUCK YEAH!¡± Oops. A bit too loud. But finally - finally - he could sell this to anyone and get a decent chunk too. An antique. Gold. Forget food. He could send his sister to college. The thought barely settles before a sharp creak cuts through the night, followed by the groaning protest of metal shifting under weight. Fire escape. Someone¡¯s coming. His feet move before his brain does¡ªpushing off the floor, muscles burning, as he leaps to the next building. Glance back. A group of men in black suits. But these ones? Heavier. Bulkier. Padded. Body armor. His stomach drops. Shit. The rich guy''s bodyguards. He poked a tiger¡¯s den. Adrenaline floods his veins, the ache of old bruises keeping him sharp. Focused. His eyes dart, scanning for any way out. There! A fire escape. If he times it right, he could fake a jump down, then climb inside one of the apartments. But - every window is shut "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" There goes the plan. No time to think. He leaps onto the fire escape and starts climbing down fast. "Not again!" Open alley. Two ends. Both blocked. At least forty bodyguards. Black suits, body armor, silent and waiting. Shit. He won¡¯t just get beaten this time. He¡¯ll get killed. No exits. No way out. Even if he somehow escaped, they''d be hunting him. Sound of footsteps. Slow. Measured. Closing in. He¡¯s dead. Just another forgotten body in this godforsaken part of town. ¡­Sorry, Ellie. Your brother let you down. Then - suddenly. "Don''t give in too soon man." ... What. "I will help you - only if you help me." No. No way. Hallucinating now? Figures. This must be the light people talk about before they die. Wow. Awesome. Fantastic. Great, great, gre¡ª "Nothing to lose right?" the voice said in his ear. ... Yeah. "Great! Let me borrow your arm." His arm moves. Not by his will. Fingers clench around something unseen. The air shimmers, a sudden pulse of light rippling outward. And then¡ªhe''s airborne. No, scratch that. He¡¯s falling. Fast "THE HELL?" He can''t even hear his screaming as wind slices across his face. His legs feel numb, his stomach lurching as the ground rushes up to meet him. "Hiya kid! Name''s Hermes! Pleasur-" "GROUND FIRST!" "Right!" His arm yanks forward on its own, fingers clenching around something unseen. Another pulse¡ªa shockwave of gold and silver¡ªthe air fractures like stardust, spiraling into a perfect circle. And just like that¡ª His feet slam onto solid ground. A roof. Not one he recognizes. "Okay! Again. Name''s Her-" "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" Theo¡¯s legs give out, his body hitting the rooftop as a shudder racks through him. His chest heaving, lungs burning like he just ran a marathon in freezing air. His fingers twitch against the rooftop, trying to confirm that yes, he¡¯s still here. Still alive. His hoodie and shorts¡ªalready falling apart before¡ªare now barely more than wind-torn rags. His hair? Feels like someone dumped a truckload of gel on it, frozen stiff from the sheer force of the wind. "Rude." The voice. Still here. From his ... pocket? He reaches into his pocket¡ªand something moves. His fingers brush against metal, but before he can grab it, the coin wriggles on its own. Theo yanks it out. The coin flips rapidly in midair, like it¡¯s been tossed by an invisible hand. Spinning. Spinning. Never landing. "Okay! Once again¡ªHermes is my name, but I¡¯m also known as the guy who just saved your ass. You¡¯re welcome." It talks. The fucking coin talks. And it glows, too, because of course it does. It''s not enough that he was flying earlier. Theo stares, mind blank. "Like¡­ the bag?" "Yes, like the ba¡ªNo! The god, dumbass!" The coin flings itself straight at his face. "OW!" The coin stop moving and lands neatly on the ground. Theo blinks. "So ... a coin is a god?" Yeah. Didn''t expect to say that today. "Yes!" the voice¡ªHermes¡ªreplies, far too enthusiastically. He tried to stand up. His entire body trembles uncontrollably. His head spins. vision blurring. His stomach lurches, bile rising in his throat¡ªthreatening, but never quite escaping. "Yikes, so it really is this bad," the coin hums. Slowly, carefully, he lowers himself into a lotus position. His muscles scream in protest. He feels like absolute shit. "What did you do?" His voice is hoarse. He just wants to go home. "Just did what I always do¡ªopened a path." Theo suddenly hates Hermes. "... Wow. Thank you for the insight, Professor." He mutters under his breath, sarcasm laced in every word. His legs continue to shake, muscles rebelling against him, but he forces himself up. One foot. Then the other. The wind brushes against his face as he wobbles upright. Then he notices. An orange hue spreads across the rooftop. The last light of the sun stretches long shadows over the city. "Where the fuck are we?" He snatches up the coin, fingers tightening around the metal. His knuckles turn white. "How should I know? I was focused on saving your smooth baby bottom¡ªexcuse me for not looking both ways," Hermes'' voice drips with sarcasm. Theo exhales sharply. Yeah. Great. Fantastic. "Oh, hey! Why not learn to use my power now?" Hermes chimes in, way too cheerful for the situation. Theo grits his teeth. At this rate, they¡¯ll turn to dust. "Pray tell, what is your power?" He fights the urge to roll his eyes. This is still a god. A god who just saved him. He should not be rude. Shit. "Well! My authority is Passage!" The coin hums int his pocket. "As the god of trave¡ª" "Cool. How do I use it?" He asks. PATIENTLY. A pause "... Well, somebody¡¯s in a rush~" Theo wants to deck a god. Or in this case, a coin. "Just do what I did!" How. Helpful. A Revelation "So i just stretch out my hand like this ... and grab?" He hopes Ellie doesn''t kill when he gets home looking like he been through a tornado. Then again, he already looks like shit before all of this. So really ... nothing new. "Yeah." He reaches out, trying to grab the nothingness of the air "What are you waiting for?" "I don''t know? For god to grab me?" "Just grab it" "WELL I AM CERTAINLY TRYING TO?" The sun is sinking faster than his patience. If he doesn¡¯t hurry, he¡¯ll be on the receiving end of one of Ellie¡¯s scolding. "Man, maybe you''ve to walk home then?" Oh, fantastic. Can this day get any worse? ... Maybe showing up at midnight on a school night ain''t so bad. Not like Ellie got an important test tomorrow, right? ... Fuck. He¡¯s so damn tired of failing. Of watching Ellie work toward something better while he¡­ just exists. "Hey. Hey! Cheer up! I will help you look for it, what does the house looks like ?" It''s on-. A burst of light. Sparkles swirl in circles around him, then rush toward his body. And then¡ª "Theo, when did arrived home? I didn''t hear you open the door?" His sister''s voice. ... Wait. HUH?!
"See? I knew you''d get it." Hermes chirps. Theo can''t deal with this right now. Ellie''s voice "Are you okay? You look like you been through a tornado. I didn''t even know clothes could get more ragged." She stands in the doorway of their old house, arms crossed, eyes scanning him with that sharp, assessing look he knows all too well. Because he was dropped from the sky. "Oh! Uh ... " His brain scrambles for an excuse. "I fell down the stairs. My clothes got stuck on one of the half-finished railings." He LIES. Fuck him. Ellie frowned "You need to report that place. I''ve told you so many times already ... " She hesitates. Then¡ª "... I help too, you know?" Guilt digs into his ribs. "It''s okay Ellie. I can handle it. Just keep studying okay?" He forces a grin, desperate to change the subject. "I heard you aced the last test again, I''m so proud." He tried to pat her head but she squat it away. Okay. Rude. "I''m already in high school Theo, stop doing that." ... "Okay. Okay." He''s check the clock, it''s just about dinner time. In the kitchen, he pulls open the fridge. The door groans in protest, metal creaking with age. Sorry, friend. You gotta keep working. Enough food for two more days. If you ignore his share. No worries. He still has the pocket watch¡ªhe can sell it. ... He could sell Hermes too ("Hey!") Moving quickly, he throws together a meal¡ªgrains, fish, vegetables. Good for Ellie. The leftovers? Those are for him. At dinner, she keeps glancing at his plate. That¡¯s normal. He¡¯s never really understood why she does that. But today¡ªshe¡¯s also looking behind him. Every few minutes, her eyes flicker past his shoulder. He follows her gaze, but¡­ nothing. Weird.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Whatever. He finishes eating and heads upstairs. Time to deal with god business.
He closes the door with a click. Hermes, weirdly quiet until now finally speaks. "Do you ever thinks your sister seem ... unique?" Theo scoffs "Yeah, we all are." "No. No. Not like that." Hermes'' voice shifts, slower now. Almost unsure. "I think ... I think she was looking at me." "... You were in my pocket?" "Yes. But she was look at my ... let''s called it Divinity." Theo drops onto his worn-out bed, the mattress creaking under his weight. He places the pocket watch and the coin on the small bedside table. The coin levitates, spinning slowly. A soft orange hue, the same shade as the fading sunset, glows from its surface. It hums. A quiet, steady vibration. Calming. "We are creatures of change, born from the nothingness called Chaos. But unlike Chaos, we stagnate¡ªwe take shape, define, limit. We become." Theo watches as the coin spins faster, light pulsing in rhythmic waves. "And so, our change is not infinite. We can shift, bend, evolve¡ªbut only within the remnants of Chaos still flowing within us. That, we call Divinity." _"Divinity flows through our veins, the pulse of existence itself. Without it, we are nothing but hollow vessels¡ªsilent, stagnant Chaos taking shape. Without Divinity, we are not just dead. We are gone." "It is our soul, the essence of will and thought. It is not bound by flesh, nor by time. Mortals call it astral projection. To us, it is simply existing beyond form." Theo blinks, digesting that. "So your body was a coin. Weird, but I don''t jud-" WHACK. The coin flings itself at Theo''s forehead. "Hey! I wasn''t always like this okay?!" The coin float around the room. "I used to have a proper body. But one day, I was sprinting across a field for fun and then¡ªBAM. Coin." Did something happen? Well it is none of his business. "Been like this for thousands of years. Passed around, dropped in sewers, lost in couch cushions. Can¡¯t move. Very boring." The coin starts spinning again, defying physics. "And so-" "I have yet to see why should i give a fuck." He raises a hand. The coin stops. The glows dies. Silence. Then¡ªWHACK. "OW!" The coin calmly floats back, glows again, and resumes spinning. Like nothing happened. "AND SO-AHEM. When I got turned into a coin, my body and soul was stuck inside. But due to my Divinity, I still see and hear everything around me clearly. I thought it would be like that forever. But when you got a hold of the coin, my Divinity got release-" "So basically you are a ghost." He raises a hand. Theo swears he can feel an inhale and exhale as a small object flies toward his face. He grabs a pillow just in time. "HA!" Before it slams directly into his already bruising stomach. Theo chokes. "Why." He manages to wheeze before kneeling over. "This what I get for being serious for once." The coin spins again. "But yes, you are correct, I''m basically a ghost. Congratulation. Hope that''s is worth kneeling over for." Theo, still curled up: "You could have just said yes." A sigh somehow comes from the coin¡¯s non-existent mouth. ¡­ Wait. Do coins have mouths? Technically, they have faces. Lying on the ground, Theo weakly raises a hand. "So how is this related to my sister?" The coin spins, humming. "Mortals can''t not see divinity, like you aren''t seeing me. But your sister can, so she can only be one thing-" "A goddess? I knew it-" Theo said as he prepare for another strike but nothing came. Huh. "Well - close. But not really. A prophet is what she is."
"She can see the future?" "No. Prophet are the exceptions. They can perceive divinity in some way. Sixth sense. Chill. Even normal senses. Some of them can even use it despite having bodies unsuited for such abilities. And the future thing? They see the future via gods, not their own abilities." "Here¡¯s the thing. Gods didn¡¯t create the species called ¡®human.¡¯ But we did create humanity¡ªconsciousness, we gave them Divinity like us. Unlike gods though, their divinity can¡¯t be separated from the bodies they¡¯re born into." "So where did humans come from? Both. Nature made their bodies. We gave them souls." "Back to the prophets, they are specials because their Divinity, unlike normal mortals, doesn''t remain locked. Instead, it runs rampant inside their body, making their body able to adapt to Divinity." "But, that ability does come with a cost. Fate is behaving weird around them. Some of them have to go through the weirdest of trails, and have the oddest luck. But i guess that is the price for a magical gift." "Trials and luck ... huh? Perhaps that''s that why mom and dad ... ?" His chest tightens. There¡¯s a sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe¡­ Maybe he was a victim of Ellie¡¯s weird power this whole time. If it¡¯s true... Fuck. This sucks. "Beats me. If you want real answers, try Apollo, the Moirai, or someone who spends their time untangling destiny." Should he tell Ellie? ¡­ No. None of this was her fault. It never was. She had a future¡ªa real life. He wouldn¡¯t take that from her. He was already too far gone. A lost cause.
"Okay, you mentioned that your Divinity got released when I got a hold of you? Why?" "Huh. you were actually listening." "Yeah, I was, so?" "... Nothing, just shock. Anyway! Your Divinity resonate with mine. That''s why." The coin picks up speed. "So my soul is similar to you." "well no, your soul is much much MUCH weaker." Theo crosses his arms. "You could¡¯ve just said ¡®weaker.¡¯" "Well isn''t nothing to be ashamed about. It is just that, for humans" The coin slows down a bit. "Back then, if your Divinity lined up with a god¡¯s, you got recruited. Not as an all-powerful chosen one¡ªnah, as a proxy. A rep, if you will." "That meant you got a small divine boost. Run faster than normal, drink wine that tastes like a dream, maybe always wake up with perfect hair. Dumb stuff like that. And you have to stuff for them like worship, sacrifices, relay messages to others, non-compatible followers." "In that time? Proxies were rare, sure, but they showed up. You¡¯d hear about one every couple of months." "But from the time I¡¯ve been trapped in this coin? I haven¡¯t seen a single one. Not one." The coin slows down even more coming to stops completely. "Now that¡¯s weird." "Then... am I your proxy?" Wow. Magical destinies? Either he was dead, or he was extremely, unmistakably dead. "Well, on that, I must congratulate you¡ªbecause you are not!" Congratulate? He had a feeling he was about to get roped in¡ª "You are a hero!" ... A fucking what?
"Well, remember what I said about proxies not being all-powerful chosen ones? Yeah, you¡ª" "A chosen one." "Are one, yes!" "... I¡¯m going to sleep now." Theo wants to shut down immediately. Life just keeps throwing curveballs, and he¡¯s officially done. "Wait! Come on! Let me at least explain what¡ª" "Nope. Tomorrow." His entire body groans in protest, along with his brain, and his so-called "Divinity." Hermes stops mid-spin, lets out a dramatic sigh, then flings himself onto the table like a bad theater actor in his final scene. Theo barely manages to mouth, "Thanks," before passing out. A new Passage Mornings have been always dreadful for Theo. Especially when every nights end with nightmare. Familiar cold sweat pour down his body. He heaves and breaths as he felt an impact across his chest. The scars from the bus crash aches. The world is slowly coming into focus and he begins to remember the day .... before. "Have a good sleep, buddy?" The god on the bedsides table said to him. ... Fuck. Why can''t he have normal dream so that he can go to sleep forever.
As he begrudgingly get up from his tattered bed, his clothes stink with the smell of sweat and sewage from yesterday heist. Ew. He pulls open the wardrobe and rummages through it. Most of his attire are barely holding together. He settles for one of the less torn ones, throws on a hoodie, and ditches his wind-shredded disaster of an outfit in the basket. "Wanna hear about hero now, hero?" ... Ugh. He heads downstairs, he leg aches with every steps. But fortunately, not as much as he expected from a day like yesterday. Into the bathroom which is, luckily, not occupied. Seems like he woke up early today. At least no arguing about who get to use it first. He looks into the mirror and see a streak of yellow on his ... hair. Huh. His black hair now have multiple strand of blonde. In fact .... He lift his hair exposing his forehead and more blonde hairs. Looks like he is a full blown delinquent now. He groans, his hand running down his face. "Just gonna assume this is because of the hero thing-a-majig." "You look good! Just like me back then!" Hermes¡¯ voice chimed from the sink, the coin glimmering in the dim light. "But I am much more handsome!" He sounds smug, not considering how throwable he is right now and Theo doubt he can do anything when he thrown the coin into the toilet. But something tells him flushing a god down a toilet wouldn''t be a good idea.
He finishes his routine in the bathroom and enters the kitchen where he see Ellie''s eating breakfast. He sits down in front of her where his own plate is waiting for him. The warm scent of cinnamon eggs fills his nose, a welcome change from yesterday¡¯s stench of sweat and sewage. His plate sits on the rickety, crooked table¡ªscrambled eggs on toast. Simple. Perfect. Theo sits down across from Ellie. She doesn¡¯t even look up. She¡¯s too busy studying, eyes darting across her textbook as she eats. She¡¯ll do great. She always does. He should take her somewhere fun. It¡¯s been too long since they had a real family trip. But that¡¯s hard to do... after the accident. His fingers drum against the rickety table. His mind drifts back to yesterday¡¯s talk with Hermes. ''Prophet huh?'' "Ellie." He said, snapping her out of her studying spree. "Yeah?" She is looking at him now but eyes suddenly darting behind him for a moment. Hmmm. "Take this coin and flip it 10 times for me." He hands her Hermes who is yelling about somethings. She looks at the coin, her eyes widen for a spilt second. "I picks it up at old man Dan''s yesterday" Her eyes widen for a split seconds. Ellie stares at the coin, then at Theo. "Old Man Dan?" Her voice is slow, careful. "Yeah. He said it was worthless." She purses her lips. "Weird." But she takes it anyway, like she''s already expecting something. "Okay ... So just flip it? Why?" "Just to see something." Her first flip makes the coin landed on its ... side. "... have to go through the weirdest of trails, and have the oddest luck ... " So she is a prophet. Good to know. She picks up the coin, not seeming surprised. "... Does this normally happen, Ellie?" he asked her. "Yeah... I dunno. It just happens." She exhales, rubbing her temples. Another flip, tail this time. "Being control by fates feel very weird." Hermes said, falling into a head.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "What wrong?" Head. Then sides. Two times already in just four attempts. She is completely ignoring, maybe he should avoid digging into it for now. Head. Sides. Tail. Sides. Tail. Tail. "... So what is this suppose to be? Did Dan tell you this is a luck coin or something?" He hands him back the coin. "Something like that, yeah." He pockets the coin along in the same pocket of the watch he snatched. He should go sell it. Ellies looks at the clock hanging just above the dining table, it''s almost time for school. She stands up, leaving her dish at the sinks picks up her bag. She left the house and left for school. "Good luck with the test!" Theo said standing in front of the entrance. "Yeah!" And she if off. He should start his work.
Locking the door, Theo stretches his legs. "Hermes. About the hero thing?" He starts down the usual path to Old Man Dan¡¯s antique shop. "Finally!" Hermes groans. Theo turns into an alleyway, eyes tracing the looming wall ahead. His hands burn just looking at the height. He already knows the ache waiting for him. Yesterday''s chase left him sore¡ªevery muscle stiff from running, dodging, climbing. He just hopes he doesn¡¯t fall halfway up. "A Hero¡ªa Chosen One¡ªis a rare kind of proxy. A one-in-a-million phenomenon," Hermes'' voice hums in his ear. "Their Divinity doesn¡¯t just resonate with a god¡ªit perfectly matches. A flawless fit. If they ever held the same amount of Divinity, they would wield the same authority and power." He sighs. Why does he even have to climb a damn wall to get to a shop? Well. Dan¡¯s shop isn¡¯t exactly legal. It¡¯s part pawn shop, part black market, tucked away on the top floor of a private building. No elevator. No stairs open to the public. That leaves Theo with one option. He backs up. Breathes in. Then sprints forward. His feet leave the ground¡ªhands latching onto the brick. And¡ª He lifts. "And there¡¯s more. When a Chosen One is accepted, both they and their god grow. The proxy¡¯s body strengthens¡ªDivinity no longer stagnant, but expanding." His grip tightens effortlessly. No strain. No trembling arms. No burn of overworked muscles. For two years, he¡¯s climbed this wall¡ªevery time harder than the last. Every time, his fingers raw, his shoulders aching, lungs screaming. Now? Theo felt no such things. "And the god? Their influence over Chaos increases exponentially." He reaches the top before he even realizes it. ...So this is the ¡°Hero¡± thing Hermes has been blabbing about. Standing on the roof, he¡¯s greeted by the warmth of the sun and the endless stretch of blue sky. Dan¡¯s shop is still a few blocks away. Theo exhales. ¡­Guess he¡¯ll have to get used to this.
"Why not just use Passage?" The coin hums lazily in his pocket. Theo vaults over an AC unit, momentum carrying him into a leap. He lands on the next rooftop in a smooth roll¡ªthen stops. His fingers clench. "...I already owe you a lot. Not really keen on adding more to my tab." He takes off again, sprinting toward a fire escape. His feet hit the metal ladder hard as he pushes himself up. "Dude, relax ~" Hermes drawls. Another roof. Another jump. "I''m not that shallow to loan-shark someone who''s got family to take care of." Theo lands hard on the balcony of an old apartment building, the railing rattling beneath his grip. He runs along it, balancing on the edge before launching himself toward a shorter house. "Besides..." Hermes'' voice drops, drawl. "I''m not in a hurry." Theo¡¯s breath catches. A cold sweat slides down his back.
The rooftop he stands on is five stories shorter than the building where Dan¡¯s shop is. Usually, this would mean another long climb. But today? He exhales, flexing his fingers. Never in his life did he imagine he¡¯d have actual superpowers¡ªand yet, here he is. Now... how did he get back home yesterday? Right. It was when Hermes offered to help him find his way. So if he just thinks of a place, will it work? He extends his hand outward, fingers spread. Grabbing at the air, he focuses on the rooftop ahead, picturing himself standing there. The air shimmers again, stars flickering into a forming circle. He focuses hard¡ªpicturing himself standing on that roof. Right there. The circle wobbles. Sputters. Fades out. "Oh yeah, that can happens," Hermes says casually.
A couple more times but no to avail. "DAMMIT." He''d ask Hermes for help but yesterday said otherwise.
"What are you waiting for?" "I don''t know? For god to grab me?" "Just grab it" "WELL I AM CERTAINLY TRYING TO!"
He certainly can¡¯t teach anyone. "I can feel you thinking some rude, dude." ¡­ Alright. Let¡¯s try teleporting somewhere closer. He leans over, peering down at the alley below. Maybe a smaller jump will be easier? This time, he repeats the motion¡ªreaching out, but now focusing on the alleyway instead. A flicker. The air shimmers, tiny specks of light sparkling into existence¡ªa circle forming in front of him. The stars spiral faster, spinning rapidly¡ªthen rushing toward him. In the blink of an eye¡ª He¡¯s in the alley. He feels a bit sick, similar to the feeling when he manages to land after being dropping from the sky but much more mild. So this is the cost, good to know.
He attempts to teleport back to the rooftop he was just on. It works. Exactly as expected. So why the hell can¡¯t he teleport to Dan¡¯s shop? He tries again. Still nothing. ¡­ A thought clicks. He grins. "Hey, Hermes?" He pulls the coin from his pocket. "Yeah, dude?" The coin shakes slightly in reply. "You can take over my body, right?" "Nah, dude. At most, an arm." The coin hums¡ªa small vibration running through his palm. Interesting. He¡¯ll ask Hermes about that later. "That¡¯s good enough to use your power, right?" A pause. "Yeah? ¡­What are you thinking?" Theo¡¯s grin widens. "Catch me." "Wha¡ª" Before Hermes can protest, Theo grabs the air and pulls. The stars rush toward him.
Sky. Wind. He¡¯s falling. The rush of air screams past his ears**, whipping against his face. His stomach lurches, panic clawing at his chest. Instinct kicks in¡ªhe locks onto the rooftop ahead. His arm moves on its own¡ªHermes grabs. A flash. The air bends, stars bursting in his vision¡ª THUD. His feet slam onto solid ground. Theo stumbles forward, legs wobbling beneath him. His breath ragged, his heart hammering like it¡¯s trying to escape his ribcage. Success. He¡¯s in front of Dan¡¯s shop. The door slams open. Dan bursts out, gun in hand, eyes darting wildly¡ªonly to find Theo, disheveled, breathless, and looking like he just crawled out of hell. A long beat of silence. Dan squints. ¡°¡­What the fuck happened to you?¡±