Schadenfreude’s a Fraud

The huge commotion last night made it in the Morning news, causing an uproar in middle of the night in Los Angeles. The sole Harbinger from California quickly appeared on the scene and discovered the reason behind what they call the Sun's Mirage and here we are at my room, with the man himself sitting at the chair beside my chair, Ezra

His short, wavy jet-black hair, a black gem earring dangling from his right ear, deep dark eyes, and skin as pale as porcelain – staring at him felt like locking eyes with the grim reaper. The only thing setting him apart was the lack of black robes; instead, he sported a modern drawstring tunic. People still wear those nowadays?

"I remember you from last night," I casually dropped, just to make it clear I wasn't oblivious to the wild night ending in a blackout.

"You're amazing, taking down a Greater Gargoyle and rescuing someone in the process. I guess Apollo didn't screw up picking you, despite your frail body," he said, his words riding the line between compliment and mockery. I'll take the compliment. 

"You know Apollo? About all this?" I questioned. A famous harbinger, usually confined to my TV screen, was now in my room. I'm not exactly a fan, but the starstruck vibes were undeniable. "And how the hell did you find my place? Do superheroes just know where you live?" 

"I asked my contractor for directions. And really? After I came all the way here, you're asking me how we got here?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.

"None of the people who know me have a clue where I live, except Mrs. Patty and Mr. Henry," I shot back. 

"Anyway, you'll have to come with me to Schadenfreude and get yourself registered as an Awakener," he declared, sprawling out his limbs and waiting for my reaction.

"But Apollo gave me three days," I argued. I still had three days to decide whether I'd take up the offer as a Realm Keeper. 

"That's beside the point. I'm asking you to get legally registered as an Awakener, not a Realm Keeper. They're different," he clarified, furrowing his sharp brows.

"Okay, but this is moving too damn fast. I'm just a high schooler. Can we push this decision until I hit 18 next year?" I reasoned. I wasn't ready to ditch my studies, at least not until I wrapped up high school.

"Quit being a coward, will you? You just took down that Gargoyle last night. Even Reavers would struggle to pull off that kind of feat. You obliterated that monster to dust," he pointed out.

I was taken aback to know that the Gargoyle croaked with the little sun I summoned. I thought it would only give the beast a sunburn, considering how menacing and massive it was. Had no clue it was a one-shot kill.

"The Gargoyle was dumb enough to believe you wouldn't dare to attack it. They're especially weak to sunlight, and attacking a monster with its weakness? That's a guaranteed kill," he explained.

"But that's just luck… The monster was clearly too confident with his own strength. I doubt all the other monsters are like that," I reasoned. 

"Nah, step out of your safe zone for once. The world needs gutsy kids like you. You might even know my employer if I drop a few hints. Wanna take a shot?" he prodded.

I nodded.

"Hmm, so he lives underground wearing a cap," he said.

The gears in my head started turning, not the agonizing grind from before, just the right amount of mental effort. Underground, plenty of beings fit that description. It could also mean the 'Underworld,' as it'd be odd for a deity to reside underground. If Ezra's a Harbinger, then it's likely someone similar to Apollo. I could only come up with a handful: Ra, Anubis, Odin, Hel, Hades, and a few others I might have forgotten. Someone wearing a cap narrows it down, and there's really only one, or maybe two. Either Odin or Hades. Hades has the helmet, Kyneê, also known as the Helm of Hades or Cap of Invisibility. 

"Hades?" I guessed, feeling somewhat confident. 

"That's him, my obnoxious, stingy contractor. I could've been an Apostle if he wasn't so demanding," he confirmed, with a hint of frustration. 

"Hades is one of the Big Three of Olympus, how come you haven't disclosed it yet? You'd be a big shot like Takeru, Zahir, Luna, and the other Apostles," I inquired.

"My contract isn't done yet. Hades set conditions before I could join the Apostle club. For now, I'm stuck being a Harbinger, which is cool. Status isn't my concern right now," he said, with a nonchalant shrug.

"I really don't know what to do, it's not like I asked for this, Apollo picked me like I'm a goldfish in a water tank, Well I get the point that I read lots about gods, but if that's the criteria, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one, there's Mrs. Patty, hmm she's old so not her, but still." I rambled.

"Just come with me, I'll help you don't worry, You'll be the youngest of us, aren't you excited hitting up the news and get labeled as 'The Youngest Apostle' or something," he exclaimed, he sounded like I won a science quiz bee, there's really nothing to get excited about.

"That's the least of my concern, by the way, how's the woman from last night? Was she okay?" I asked, I just remembered about the woman I saved. Sure, it feels nice to be able to do something even If I didn't really expect anything.

"She's fine, she actually wants to thank you personally, want me to make an appointment? I got her number just in case," he said.

"Maybe soon? So, where are we going again? Are we taking a bus or something?" I inquired.

"Nah, we're shadow traveling, to our HQ!" he grabbed my left shoulder without notice, and poof, we melted into the ground, or our shadows, whatever.

Surrounded by darkness, we zoomed, and I could still feel his grip on my shoulder 

"Just relax, I won't let you go and get you trapped in the shadows forever," he said, that gave me chills.

"That's not exactly what I wanted to hear right now," I nervously said.

In the blink of an eye, we surfaced, back in California but a different city. Right in front of a colossal building, it loomed with transparent walls, offering a panoramic view of the bustling cityscape. Sleek design and gleaming glass made it a modern marvel, blending elegance with innovation. I knew what this building was at first glance. 

"Sacramento?" I queried.

"Yep, welcome to Schadenfreude's headquarters," he welcomed.

Approaching the automatic door, almost everything's automated nowadays – that's one thing that didn't regress. The door sensed him, swung open, and I followed him inside.

The interior was even more surreal. An elevator hung in the middle, nanoLED transparent screens filled the lobby, all powered by A.I. tech.

"This isn't a tech company, right?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Believe me, it's not. Same reaction I had on my first day. This is just the lobby. Thanks to a Vishvakarma contractor, the organization's got tech leagues ahead of our time," he explained. That makes sense, the divine architect's power could make all of this possible.

I followed him to the elevator soaring to the top, gliding up without the usual elevator feels. Like standing still, not moving upwards at all. I took this time to marvel on the exceedingly high-tech decorated building, there weren't a lot of people filling up the floors, everyone was busy monitoring computer monitors, some showing live footages of encounters with the monsters and magical beings.

TING!

The Elevator stopped at the 40th floor, yeah, it was that high, but the ride was so slick and smooth, it's like it was designed for you to especially appreciate the creation and effort that was put into this place.

"We're here," he announced, leading me through a corridor with tinted glass walls. The floor was decked out in grey carpets, and I could feel the plush, wooly vibe under my sneakers. Ezra opened a door, revealing a rectangular table with five people seated. Not just anyone – some of the most popular members of Schadenfreude: The Harbinger, Hudson Cameron, and the Apostles: Luna Huang, Alejandro Martinez, Andrés Rivera, and the President, Lucas Green.

"You know them," Ezra pointed out.

"I do. G-good morning," I politely greeted, flashing my best smile.

"Oh god, he's just a kid. What are the gods thinking?" Luna exclaimed, shooting me a concerned look. See? Even she asks the same question that I do!

"Don't mind her," Ezra whispered, steering me toward one of the seats. 

"It's nice to meet you, August. I'm Lucas Green, currently the President of Schadenfreude – well, not for long, I hope." I shook his hand with my ice-cold, shaky grip. I hoped he didn't mind. 

"We heard some cool news earlier, huh," Mr. Hudson said. He looks a bit intimidating, but his voice was actually pretty modulated and nice. 

"Ah, yeah, that," I stammered, suddenly feeling shy as hell from the mention of the morning news, which I just found out about an hour ago.

"Chin up kid, it's bravery, that's something you should be proud of, to save a woman from death's door, how cool was that?" Mr. Lucas said. 

I was pretty damn sure I looked like a tomato right now, my face all shy and red. Compliments weren't my thing, especially from folks who'd done bugger stuff than I could imagine. Them saying I was brave made it sound like I had a choice, but running away wasn't on the option either. 

"Don't tease the kid, you know how big and sudden this is for him, at least give him a better explanation, I bet Apollo just briefed him like he's some war veteran." Alejandro cut in, perfectly worded. He's the least popular among the Apostles but he sure is the most considerate and composed.

"Did Apollo said anything about being a Realm Keeper?" Mr. Lucas inquired. 

"He did offer me to become one. Said it was mostly because I knew a lot about the beings inside those realms. Y-you know that's ridiculous, right? And he gave me these two stigmas without even asking for my consent," I explained, my voice trailing off. 

"He gave you two right away. Who gave the second one?" He questioned. He leaned forward and clasp his hands together.

"He said it was from Prometheus," I answered, pulling down my collar to show them the Sun and Fire Crown stigma on my chest. 

They all looked at me like I was good as dead, or should be on my there pretty soon, which was a bit nerve-wracking.

"Jesus. How could his body handle two right at the first time? We all pretty much convulsed when we got our second stigma," Mr. Andrés said.

"Fever? Why?" I asked. I thought they'd be immune to getting sick after transcending the limits of a human body. 

"That's just how our bodies adapt to the second stigma. It's like merging two different kinds of cheese, and you have to melt them to mix. It's the same with our bodies. We're taking in huge amounts of authorities and power, so it's a surprise to us when we discovered that you're perfectly fine," Mr. Lucas explained.

"He did faint though," Ezra chimed in.

"Well, he strained himself there. But we're talking about how his body was perfectly fine. It's not even a day since he got the stigmas, right," Lucas said.

"Apollo mentioned that a Realm Keeper is someone who makes doors to keep other realms from crashing into Earth," I added.

"That's right. We got briefed just yesterday. But for us, it's like adding a side job to our full-time hustle. For you, it probably felt like getting roped into working the entire summer at a convenience store or something, right?" Ezra answered this time. 

"So, we get to the core of the realm, and then we make doors?" I stated.

"That's the basic idea, but it's not as easy as it sounds. Entering the realm is like monsters barging into our planet. We're pretty much doing the same thing, but with a different agenda. We step into their world, locate the realm's core, and set up a rule. That is, make a door where the one who makes it gets to decide who can cross it," he shared. 

"How do we find the core?" I asked.

"That's another problem. Even the natives of that world might not know where it is. And there's always someone guarding the door - the Realm's spirit, the culmination, or the very essence of that Realm. So, the higher the level of the realm, the tougher it is," Mr. Lucas answered.

"Realms have levels?" I asked, something new for me.

"Yes, Realms like Olympus (Greek), Paradise (Christian), Deva (Hindu), Aaru (Egyptian), Asgard (Norse), Emperor's Court (Chinese), and a few others are considered Higher realms. Takamagahara (Japanese), Langit (Philippines), Britannia (Britain) are examples of Average Realms. Biringan and Vampire Realm, causing chaos right now, are Lower Realms," he answered.

"But don't underestimate Lower Realms. Vlad Tepes, lord of the Vampire realm, was comparable to some of the Upper-ranked demons of the Ars Goetia Realm," Hudson interjected. 

"And you guys haven't spilled the beans to the world about this," I said.

"We'll get there once everything's clear. For now, we're gathering the Apostles and Harbingers to lead separate teams that will soon enter the realms to kickstart the mission once everything's settled here," Lucas responded.

"What about me? I'm the weakest Apostle, and…"

I couldn't bring myself to say that I haven't accepted the offer to be a Realm Keeper. Part of me says I should, while the coward in me says no. I just can't find a good reason why I should. Clearly, there are more qualified people out there, and this isn't an opportunity one should be thrilled about getting. It's more of a burden than a job, and you've got millions of fates hanging by a thread tied to you. You die, and more people go down with you.

"Don't worry; we have someone who can assist you," Lucas assured. "Remember, we have an Apostle who also serves as a contractor for another Sun God."

"Mr. Zahir!" I exclaimed, recalling that Zahir Hasan was the Apostle of the Sun God, Ra, the King of Gods of Egypt.

"It's just that both he and Takeru haven't returned yet. Takeru manages the Asian branch, while Zahir oversees the Middle East branch. They're undoubtedly busier than the less industrious ones here," he remarked, surveying the individuals currently occupying the room.

Zahir was considered one of the Three Strongest Apostles to date. It's unsurprising when you're the contractor of a Supreme God. He earned the moniker "Sun Bringer." If I could conjure a small sun, he was undoubtedly capable of summoning a Sun capable of vaporizing Lake Ontario, one of the Five Great Lakes. Learning from him might actually improve my chances of survival.

"Okay, I'll take a shot maybe, but still, I haven't fully decided yet" I reluctantly agreed, though partially as I still have some reservations and a slight tint of hesitation still lingered within me.

"That's excellent news. We'll proceed with your registration immediately, and Luna, contact the media. We have some thrilling updates to announce." Lucas rose from his seat, a mischievous grin etching across his face. The expression seemed to convey, "Caught you." Have I unwittingly fallen into a trap? These elders are truly cunning!

"You're quite the devious one, Lucas. My contractor would relish tearing you apart," Mr. Alejandro remarked. If his contractor belonged to the Seraphim, I wouldn't doubt those words.

"Ezra and Alejandro, go with August," Lucas ordered before leaving the room.

"That's just his nature. My contractor mentioned his mentor was equally troublesome. No wonder he ended up contracting with Merlin," Andres commented as he too left the room.

"I'm torn between crushing on him and hating him," Luna giggled, dialing numbers on her phone before making her exit.

"I have some business with Asgard. I'll catch up with you later," Mr. Hudson announced before departing. Asgard, you say? Was he the intended First Apostle of Asgard?

"You'll get used to it soon. These elders can be irksome at times," Ezra advised.

"I concur. Don't spend too much time with them. You might pick up some of their undesirable traits," Alejandro added.

Crap, so were these the Apostles that people admire so much? Their job probably rewired them to resemble their contractors or something, people were defrauded if they think these guys are the nicest bunch of people. Their President was the most cunning and malicious; I could sense that from our brief interactions. He exuded a calculating aura.

An hour later, camera flashes aggressively clicked from all directions as we returned to the lobby.

"Are you the one who summoned the Little Sun last night?"

"Who is your contractor?"

"How do you feel about being the Youngest Apostle?"

A barrage of questions left me momentarily speechless. This will surely going to be a long and exhausting day.