The Tools

Al looked down once to check his attire, then shrugged as it was a timeless one. Black was always a good color for villains, and his mask wasn't too flamboyant for any time period.

He had heard that odysseys set in the modern-day were currently few in number, and were hence coveted by watchers all around the world. He, too, was excited to enter the world that he had grown up in instead of the one it had transformed into, and without further ado, he opened the door and stepped out.

He immediately came face-to-face with a demon whose teeth were dripping blood.

His face drained of blood, he took a step back due to the abruptness of the encounter. When he slowly realized that it was a mask he had just seen, he recovered and thanked the heavens that his terror had been hidden by the mask on his own face.

"Took you long enough."

The voice that reached him was filled with the pride of one looking down on those they were speaking to. The mask was removed to reveal a sneering face, and moving his eyes down, Al took in the rest of the details of the person standing in front of him.

He was extremely muscular, with bulging arms that were exposed due to the sleeveless denim jacket he was wearing. The buttons were open, so his chiseled body was visible, and his jeans were so tight that they looked like they might burst at any moment. His short-cropped blonde hair was swept back with thick hair gel, and after he was done studying Al, in turn, he grunted with displeasure and said, "That's it? When we heard that the company was employing a newbie, we expected a lot."

'We?'

Al's question regarding the man's words was quickly answered when he looked into the room beyond, and spotted a woman.

Her skin tone the same as the man, a chalky white that almost bordered on paleness. She was wearing extremely short pants and an even shorter shirt that left nothing to the imagination.

Al felt his blood rushing in his veins as he took in the perfect curve of that backside. As she turned, his eyes focused on the circular hole on her shirt through which her bulging bosom could be seen. It took a moment for his eyes to wander upwards, but what he saw there immediately broke the spell.

Her sneer held even more distaste than that of the man.

All at once, the allure that almost anyone would be captivated by when they saw her disappeared. When she spoke, her demeaning tone made Al's impression of her drop even further.

"It's their loss. It won't be the first advertising odyssey we are going to see fail… It really sucks, 'cos I was looking forward to having a successful one. Well, nothing that can be done about it now…"

Tutting, she turned around again. In front of her was a monitor on which she seemed to be reading something, and without giving an answer to either of them, he looked around the room and saw that they were in an office, of sorts.

One wall held a whiteboard and the other was, strangely, covered with guns of all sorts. The last one had a desk on which the computer that the woman was bent over was present, and as he took a step forward, curious to see what she was looking at, the man edged into his path and made him stop.

"Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"

Al felt anger flare inside him, but he swallowed it down.

"I'm Alaric. You can call me Al. And you are?"

He let out a short laugh and shook his head. "From that voice, I can tell that you're a goddamn teen! What the hell are they thinking? They employ two of the best odyssey assistants for the likes of you? It's preposterous!"

"Think about it like this, brother. If he wasn't such a pushover, why would they even need us? He probably got into this due to his contacts, and they had no choice…"

"Yeah, you're right! Remember that young master who didn't even know how to tie his own lace? He wanted to experience an odyssey, so the call is over! He started crying for his mommy when the villain glared at him! Remember that guy's face when he had to beg the little shit to stop 'cos he was scared of his parents? This one isn't a five-year-old kid, but I doubt that he'll perform any better…"

As both of them laughed, Al felt the anger returning. He hadn't activated the voice modulator as he thought that he might not need it, yet, so he resolved never to make the same mistake again.

As for the two in front of him… it was obvious that he would be working with them on this odyssey. He was really tempted to give in and shout at them, but knowing that it was a bad idea, he took a few seconds to control himself.

"You crying under that mask, or something? Oh, that would be a kicker!"

The man folded his hands and raised one eyebrow, as if seriously in doubt whether what he had said was true. Al opened his mouth to address both of them together, but before he could speak, a voice appeared in the room.

"Please open the briefcase you have been given. Odyssey broadcast system has been activated. At any moment, if you see a red dot floating in front of you, it means that the odyssey is being broadcast. To activate broadcast, tap the side of your head twice. All confrontations will automatically be broadcast."

Al's curiosity about the Divine Tools overrode his urge to shut his assistants up. Walking to the table in the middle of the room, he hefted up the suitcase and heard the two walk closer.

The locks opened easily. As he raised its top, his eyes darted all over the contents, devouring the images hungrily.

Three items were present inside, carefully packed in foam and set beside cards that detailed their function. The first was the cape, which was present on the side of the suitcase he had raised. Already knowing all about it, he quickly read the descriptions of the other two.

"Boots of Hermes: Enchanted shoes that allow the wearer to run faster and jump higher than any normal human."

"Astral Flute: When used, sends all the people in a certain area to sleep."

Al's mind moved quickly. He had already decided that he would do everything possible to advertise the tools in the best way possible. All of a sudden, this goal mixed with the vexation he still felt against the two beside him, and instantly, he got an idea that made him smile.

They were still busy reading the descriptions, so they didn't react when he picked up the flute. Using the opportunity perfectly, he tapped the side of his head twice…and brought the flute to his lips.

He didn't need to move his fingers to control it. There was a mechanism inside that did the job for him, and as he played it, the lacquered wood it was made of glowed.

"What are you…"

"Hey! Stop tha…"

Caught completely unaware, the two only had the time to mouth half of their grievances before falling to the floor. Amazed by how incredible it was, he placed it back reverently and headed to the door he had come from.

A minute later…both of them were wearing the masks of clowns, and Al felt childish laughter bubbling to his lips.

Forcefully converting it into the maniacal cackle of a villain, he imagined a group of people sitting in front of him. Waving his hand in their direction, he shouted, "Behold, the magical effects of the Astral Flute! It can be used against troublesome foes…and even uncooperative teammates who need to be taken down a notch! Perfect for any situation, it's a vital tool in the arsenal of all Heroes and Villains! Look for it soon in your favorite shop!"