Chapter 74 - Explanations

Jordan was the first to take action, dropping down onto one knee and facing the ground.

"My God… Lord…" he said, floundering.

"Oh, there's no need for any of that," the old man said. "Besides, if you stay down there much longer, I'm just going to have to join you to balance things out."

"So it's true?" Titus asked. "You are the God of Balance?"

The old man smiled. "Well, my name is Julius," he said. "And I suppose, yes, I am the God of Balance. You can call me either though; I am not particularly fussed."

"How?" Titus asked, suddenly flooded with so many questions that his mind simply didn't want to sort them into any kind of coherent order.

"I suppose you'd have to ask my parents that question," Julius replied with a half-smile. "Oh, don't look at me like that; it was only a joke," he added quickly, seeing the three humans' expressions. "I suppose there are a few things that I should tell you, just so we're all playing on the same field, or as close to as we can."

"Are you Julius the Balanced?" Jordan blurted out, unable to contain his question.

"I am," Julius nodded. "Well, I suppose I should say that I am the one who you believe is called Julius the Balanced because, in reality, there aren't any Hunters. But Athena told you all about that, didn't she?"

"She did," Titus said. "She told us lots of things, and we're just trying to figure out what's the truth and what isn't."

"Funny thing about the truth, though," Julius said as he began busying himself with a pot of hot water over a flame. "Is that it can depend on where exactly you stand. For example, if you stand on a mountain and look down at a City below, you would say the City is beneath you. But from the City, the citizens might say that you are above them. Two very different – perhaps even opposing – statements that tell the same truth."

"Tell us about the Hunters," Petra said to almost interrupt the God before he spoke again. "How many ways are there to tell us that truth?"

"Technically, there is a man called Julius the Balanced, and yes, he is the one who keeps you all safe within the City. And yes, I am that man. It's really just how it's done that you don't yet fully understand."

"But if that's true… what happens to all those Contestants who rise out of the Arena and become Hunters, leaving the City to protect us from outside our walls? The ones who capture the creatures of Chaos for us to fight?"

"I do do that," Julius said with a smile. "I send the creatures to the Arena, and it is exactly for the reasons you have been taught: for Contestants to grow and become powerful. Powerful enough to leave the City and be a part of the greater war between Balance and Chaos."

"That doesn't make any sense," Petra said. "You just said there aren't any Hunters, but you're still saying the Contestants graduate from the Arena and leave the City."

"They do," Julius replied. "They just don't become Hunters. More… uh… soldiers. They still protect your City by fighting monsters, just perhaps not in the way you had been led to believe."

"Then why lie about it?" Petra growled. "Why not just tell everyone who you are and what you want them to do?"

Julius clicked his tongue and paused or a moment, then eventually he said: "What would you put more effort into, fighting for a God, growing and protecting your City and its people? Or fighting monsters as practice to one day fight in a war you had no idea even existed?"

That was an argument Titus couldn't disagree with. He knew he certainly wouldn't have trained so hard if he knew the truth about all of this.

"Listen," Julius said almost sounding defeated, and he turned around with a cup in his hands. On the side there were three more cups, which he offered to each of the Contestants. "The City is very large, and there are many, many citizens that call it home. It is my goal, my only goal, to keep everyone within that City safe."

"By skimming our experience?" Petra asked quickly, putting her cup down on the table without drinking any of the tea inside. Titus and Jordan followed suit, and Julius mimicked their action with his own mug and frowned.

"I do not know what the God of Chaos has been trying to fill your minds with…"

"She said that you keep the loot from the monsters for yourself," Titus interrupted in agreement with Petra. "She said that you also take a chunk of our experience. Are you saying that it isn't true? But before you answer," Petra said quickly. "We've fought beyond the wall. We know how much experience points we got and about the loot bags. So what do you have to say?"

"I have nothing to say," Julius said. "But there are many things that you do not understand. For example, you must know that the City has been kept safe for many, many years without a single monster making it through the gates. Do you think that is by coincidence? Or would it be more believable that someone – a God perhaps – is spending a lot of energy to keep a protective shield in place? One that prevents ingress by the monsters of Chaos?"

Titus scratched his chin, and Petra stared at the God like she was about to try to hit him. Jordan on the other hand, simply stared at his two friends in disbelief.

"This is the God we pray to," Jordan finally said. "How can you stand here and accuse him of lies? And with the information given by the God of Chaos? Are you two being serious right now?"

"We're being practical," Petra said. "We know at least some things have been truths, and he's admitted it. So we are asking more questions. It's up to you if you want to walk the path of blind faith."

Julius looked at the blue armband around Titus's bicep again, then back at the God.

"Is this how you take our experience?" Titus asked.

Julius nodded. "It was the easiest way. I know it may not seem…"

Titus pulled at the knot and let the armband fall silently to the ground. An action that Petra mirrored, though Jordan did not.

"If everything you've said is true, you don't need our tiny addition to your experience pool. I'm not saying I won't still walk the same path, fighting and getting stronger, but you won't be dipping your toe into my battles any longer," Titus said.

"I would expect nothing less from my chosen," Julius said. "And you do realise that is what you have been since the moment I gave you your new Class, do you not?"

Titus nodded. In fact, he didn't feel any anger towards the God. But neither did he feel undying devotion like Jordan seemed to. Something that the God of Balance noticed too.

"You are my child," Julius said to Jordan. "And you have displayed great faith and dedication when presented with evidence that could paint me in a poor light. For this, I am going to do something that I haven't done in a very, very long time. I'm going to name you the protector of my Champion. So, Jordan, child. From this moment forward, your Class will be Paladin. You will be the Defender of your friend for as long as you both shall live, if you would accept this charge?"

Jordan instantly bowed his head.

"Of course I accept," he said. And then Jordan's jaw dropped as it was clear the God had just bestowed upon him his new Class.

"Don't think I'm going to be swayed by a fancy new Class," Petra said.

"I would expect nothing less," the God said to Petra. "And know that I am asking nothing of you. Not fealty, not devotion nor dedication. But I have a gift for you. A gift that will help you help my Champion. I wouldn't dream of trying to sway you with mere titles or powers, Petra. Your scepticism is valid and I respect your autonomy. But know this: my intentions, however flawed they may seem, have always been in the interest of preserving the City and its people. Even if it means making difficult decisions."

Petra's stance softened slightly but her eyes still held a hint of wariness. "I'll take your word for it... for now. But I'm keeping my eyes open. No more blind faith."

"That's all I ask," Julius nodded. "Question everything, including me. It's the only way to truly understand this complex world."

Then the God held out his hand, and a black hood materialised right there at the end of his fingers.

"I hope that this will help you along your path," he said.

Petra took the hood and then shoved it inside her leather armour without even looking at it. Julius frowned but didn't say anything about it.

"So if I am your Champion…" Titus said slowly. "What does that mean? What am I supposed to do next? And am I supposed to fight Henderson?"

Julius sighed, a look of weariness crossing his features. "The path ahead is uncertain and fraught with challenges. Athena was not wrong in saying the world is changing. You have a role to play in that change, whether you choose to align with Balance, Chaos, or carve out your path. Your journey beyond the City walls has only just begun. But in the fullness of time you will indeed fight your former ally, and only one will survive. For now, you are not ready, however, and the child of Chaos is too well protected."

He paused, looking each of them in the eyes. "You've been exposed to truths that few others have had the chance to see. Use that knowledge wisely. And remember, the world isn't just black and white, Balance and Chaos. There are shades of grey in between where much of life truly happens."

Jordan, with his new title of Paladin, straightened his back. "I'm ready to defend, to protect. That's been my calling all along."

"And you'll excel at it, Jordan," Julius assured him. "Your conviction and loyalty are your greatest strengths."

Petra almost snorted at her fiend's proclamation, but managed to catch herself. "And what about the creatures of Chaos? If they're not just mindless monsters, then what are they? What's their story?"

Julius's expression changed, like he was about to tell a half-truth again. "They are beings of this world, just as you are. They have their desires, their struggles. The line between us and them isn't as clear-cut as you've been led to believe. Understanding them is part of understanding the larger conflict at play. Just know that they are the enemy, no matter what they might try to convince you of in the long run."

"So just wait and train?" Titus asked, reading between the lines. "Just get stronger and one day go looking for Henderson?"

"Not quite," Julius replied. "You should train and grow stronger, yes, but the war has already arrived, and you will not have as much time to wait as you might presume to think."

"Then help us," Petra said. "You're a damn God for crying out loud! Kill the monsters and save us from this war!"

Julius shook his head. "For each action that I may take to aid this City, Athena can take an opposing one. If I take to the battlefields to fight, then there is nothing stopping her from doing the same. One of us may eventually be victorious, but the cost in lives of all of our children on both sides would be too much to bear. You must believe me when I tell you that this is the only way."

Upon hearing those cliched words, Titus immediately felt that there was almost definitely another way. But he kept that thought to himself as he turned to his two friends.

"So are you ready to level up now that we aren't fighting with one arm behind our backs?" he asked, glancing at the blue band around Jordan's arm.

"Well, two of us anyway," he added quickly.

"I'm ready," Jordan said immediately, flashing a quick glance at where the God still stood.

"I'm ready," Petra said, "But I'm not going to pray to this guy anymore. And if a better offer comes along…"

"Just take a look at your gift, and you'll see that no better offer will be made," Julius said with a smirk. Petra shut her mouth with a click.

"Then I guess we have no choice but to carry on," Titus said. "Oh, by the way," he added thoughtfully. "I had some skills available when I levelled up… what happened…" he began to ask his question as he turned back to the God of Chaos, but when he did so, he saw that the man was gone. The kitchenette was empty, and all of the full mugs of tea were set together on the counter, untouched.