The Warehouse

“This is it?” Toby asked Ari, amazed at the sight before him. The old, wooden warehouse had seemingly been transformed over night.

“Yeah. I’m going to take off for a few minutes to meet with Lisa. I promised her I would come by and fill her in on what’s been going on. But I’ll be back, and you can give me any finalized changes. I had Athena do the paintings in each of the rooms.”

“Amazing.” Toby said as he reached the door. It was no longer a garage sized wooden door.It was more of a... well, no. It was a glass mosaic, double door. And beyond the glass looked promising, too.

“I’ll be back.”

“That a promise or a threat?” Toby called to the empty air behind him. He was getting used to sensing when Ari was there and when she had left.

Hearing no answer, Toby placed his hand on the door. He was no expert on magical energies, but he could definitely feel the power emanating from the place he was to eventually call home. After he was done with college. And maybe graduate school. If he still wanted to go on after he started to get really involved in the process.

Toby pushed gently and watched the door open. The lights automatically snapped on, revealing a wonderfully furnished reception room. The walls were white, but hung with pictures of the majesty of all of the Olympians, respectively. What had been moldy plywood the day before was now covered with a wonderfully plush purple carpet. Toby was almost compelled to take off his shoes and touch it with his bare feet. Toby turned around to take in the entirety of the room, realizing that indeed, there was a shoe rack to the left of the door. And to the right, a coat rack.

“Wow, Ari. This is pretty awesome.” Toby said as he took out the pad of paper that Ari had given him. “But this room really needs a reception desk, right there.” Toby scribbled ‘reception desk in reception room’ on the pad of paper. He put it into his back pocket with the pen he had and looked to both sides of him. The room in front of him was clearly labeled with a granite sign above the door: Grand Hall. He decided that he would enter there, last. For the two doors to either side of him read, “Hall of Gods” and “Hall of Goddesses”. He chose the one to his left – the gods one – first. He reached for the crystalline doorknob, wondering just how much this building would have cost to renovate with mortal money and workforce. It opened easily and silently, and the lights flipped on.

“Nice!” Toby said, surprised. The walls were again, white, with dark blue doors adorning the outside of the hallway all the way down. Tapestries lined that far wall, and one very long tapestry went as far as he could see along the wall closest to him. Depicting the titans and their loss against Zeus, or so he thought. Great, monstrous creatures – it indeed seemed that the entire wall was covered in the Odyssey. A magnificent story, obviously beyond perfection. He wondered if Athena did all of the art work.

The first door, just across the way, had an embossed golden plate above the door that read, “Room of Hermes” across it. The door was just too tempting, and Toby placed his hand on the doorknob. He suddenly realized that for such a big place, it was the perfect temperature inside. He had forgotten that Ari would have taken care of the heating and cooling problems. Toby pushed open the door as the lights snapped on.

“The way these lights work is going to freak everybody out. Do they automatically shut off, too?” Toby muttered to himself, losing his voice as he headed into the room. It was amazing.

From head to foot, the room was covered in what could only be described as Hermes’ style.  The carpet, a deep yellow, was surprisingly attractive. The walls, a dark green with lamp like lights hanging off of the walls, flickering just like candles in a forest, served to make it a friendly, yet quiet, atmosphere. The simple altar before him stood with a single candle, burning. A wood altar, which fit perfectly with Hermes. Messenger god, but also a little bit of a nature freak, Toby remembered. He was grateful that he had actually had a chance to spend time with this god. He knelt before the altar.

“Calling all gods named Hermes... ” Toby said, laughing and placing a piece of incense into the burner. He lifted the candle from its holder and lit the incense, careful not to drip the wax onto the newly carved altar. Hermes would not have been pleased.

“You like it?” A voice came from behind Toby, and Toby rose fluidly to meet his grandfather.

“I do. It is fitting that the first room we come to on this side is yours. The gateway between all of humanity and the gods... ”

“Well, every time these lights turn on, I get called.” Hermes said. “It’s the same with all of the rooms. Granted, we get calls all of the time, but each of these have a little extra call to them. So when you said my name, it was like a huge echo. You are going to have to warn people about these rooms.”

“Am I the first to try it?”

“The first part mortal, yes. I could have heard you if I was listening for you, anyway.”Hermes said, and Toby shook his head.

“Every one is going to get awful mad at me, then. I plan to check out each and every one of these rooms.”

“Do you really like it? Athena put a painting in each of the rooms... ” Hermes pointed to the back wall, drawing Toby’s attention to the picture of Hermes in his glory, flying among the clouds towards an island.

“I do.” Toby agreed. “I didn’t know Athena painted.”

“She’s a personal friend of Ari, and Zeus would have ordered it, anyway. She has that whole power over weaving thing that kind of bleeds over onto painting. Anyway, each of us that wanted a temple, here, designed it ourselves. I figured mine would give you a place to meditate.”

“Oh, you want me to meditate in yours, eh?” Toby laughed at him. Hermes reached out towards him, gesturing for Toby to come closer.

“I’m not letting you hit me. I fell for that so many times when we flew home that one time.” Toby explained to Hermes.

“Understandable. Anyway, since I’m supposed to introduce you to all of the features of these rooms, check out the door.”

“What’s so special about it?” Toby asked. “I shut it and the lights stayed on... ”

“Yes. But that’s not the point. That’s a simple mechanical switch for these rooms – when the door opens and closes, light turns on. When it happens again, lights turn off. But the door is locked on the outside, right now. And you notice the sound proofing, right?”

“There’s sound proofing?”

“Well, since there’s no one else here, I’ll forgive you. But yes, each room is sound proofed.  And in addition, these rooms are private. The only gods that can enter here are the ones that have the passwords. Zeus did it for us.”

“So like right now, Ari couldn’t enter?”

“Well, she could. She has a list of everyone’s password, stored in her memory. As will, you.  For intervention. But that’s it. I can’t enter Athena’s temple room, for example.”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“It eliminates spying. You see, now that the whole idea of a half-god school has hit us, a lot of us will be vying for attention. Because the more powerful a half god, the more power we’ll have on the mortal earth. Or so we think. Its kind of like that game that some mortals play – pokemon? We’re all vying for the best pawn.”

“Gee, way to make me feel important.” Toby said to Hermes.

“Well, you know. Honesty is always the best policy.”

“You were born to lie.” Toby retorted. “Alright, I’m going to check out the rest of the rooms. I have a feeling there will be a lot of appearances by you Gods, today?”

“Yes, we’re all waiting on your call to brag about our particular room. This was the most fun some of us have had in centuries. Have fun!”

“Bye, Hermes.” Toby said as Hermes disappeared.

“All fire extinguishes when the mortals leave!” Hermes said before he was completely gone. He had known that Toby was about to extinguish both the candle and the incense to keep everything from blowing up in flames later.

“Thanks, dude.” Toby said, reaching for the door and leaving. He let the door softly shut behind him. He realized that each of the doors were also fireproof. Good move on Ari’s part.

Toby looked at the hall, and realized that it seemed never ending. Had Ari expanded the building to fit all of the gods who wanted prayer rooms?

“No. I extended it to include all purpose, no influence meditation rooms in between the gods’ prayer rooms. Don’t worry.” Ari said to him. “You don’t have to look at all the rooms tonight. But it would be a good idea. Everyone knows you just called Hermes, and regardless of your relationship to him... you’re the liaison of the mortals to the gods. You don’t want to piss anyone off, now do you?” Ari asked him, and Toby shook his head emphatically.

“No, definitely not.”

“Well, I did warn you that it was going to be a long night.” Ari said, throwing an arm around his shoulder.

“I know, I know. That’s okay, though. These rooms are amazing!”

“Well, I think I’ll leave you alone and go back to Lisa. But listen, when you need me, just call. I’ll be close by and listening.”

“Close by?”

“Just a phrase. We’re halfway across the world.”

“Hey... can you be in two places at once?” Toby asked her as he placed his hand on the door to Aries’ prayer room.

“No. Watch out for him. He’s a little... aggressive.” Ari said. “But I enjoy him. He tells amazing stories.”

“Will any of you affect us?” Toby asked, suddenly. “I mean, am I going to walk out of here and want to start a war against America?”

“No. We’ve never controlled mortals. Any influences we place on you guys are voluntary on your part. What you’re talking about was in the old days. We are not allowed to use mortals as tools any longer.”

“Fun stuff.” Toby said. “Bye.”

“Bye.” Ari disappeared and Toby headed in through the door. The lights snapped on to reveal plain, white walls, with a huge tapestry covering the back wall. An iron altar, or so he thought. A single candle, again, burning. This one, a deep red. The power inside the room set Toby’s stomach on edge, but he realized that very obviously, Aries would not hurt him.

“God of war...  such an outdated name.” A deep voice sounded from behind Toby and he whipped around in surprise. A huge monster of a man stood before him, smiling.

“Really?” Toby extended his hand. “I’m Toby.”

“I know.” Aries said. “Do you enjoy the design? Athena made exactly what I was thinking for that.” Aries gestured towards the tapestry in the back of the room. It featured Aries himself, standing amid thousands of men and striking them down with a huge broadsword.

“Ah, my teenage years.” He said, grinning. Scarless, it seemed almost impossible that the man standing before Toby was the single largest supplier to Hades.

“I see.” Toby said. Aries held out his hand.

“Don’t be scared of me.”

“I’m not.” Toby admitted. “Its just that all of you are so... beautiful.”

“We were made that way.” Aries said. “So listen. I was thinking... ”

“I’m not making any deals, yet.” Toby interrupted him. “But I love the room. It really fits.And I’m sure many, many people will come to visit.”

“Thank you.” Aries said, proudly.

“How many of those people I just mentioned are your children?”

“I take no responsibility for what I’ve done in times of war.” Aries winked at him. “But the mortal women were always willing. Something about having sex with a war god just incites their excitement.”

“Are they all reported?”

“All that I can remember.” Aries declared. “You will make a good leader. I can see that, already.”

“Thank you.” Toby said. “Wait... are you influencing me, now? I thought Ari said you gods couldn’t do that.”

“We can’t.” Aries agreed. “But what our auras do to all of you is automatic. So, just as your are peaceful around Ari, and playful around Hermes, you become aggressive around me.  Romantic around Aphrodite. And around Eros, you become... ”

“I get the point.” Toby cut him off with a grin.

“I bet you do.” Aries said, laughing. He extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m sure we will be working close together eventually.”

“Why?” Toby asked.

“Because even if the people you train and teach do not become immortal, you need to create leaders. And that is where I come in. I forge leaders.”

“Oh.” Toby said. “Okay.”

“Alright, I know you have a long night ahead of you. Go get them, son.”

“Are you related to me, to?” Toby asked incredulous, and Aries shook his head.

“No, but I should be. You’d make a wonderful protégé of mine. We could reap a lot of havoc.”

“Don’t you mean wreak?”

“I don’t know. English is not my first language.”

“Right.”

“Go.” Aries said, with a little more force.

“Yes, sir.” Toby said and headed for the door as Aries disappeared, his laughter echoing in the background. He was... fun. Toby decided. He certainl

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