The shift from being outside to stepping beyond the doors of the resort felt like an onslaught on Vatra's senses. It was an entire experience in itself. Vatra's very breath caught in her throat, holding for a moment as if she'd been thrown into a different reality.

Had I? She questioned, blinking rapidly until she felt like she'd gained her bearings again.

Vatra looked around at the others, hoping that she wasn't the only one that felt like she'd gone on a drug-induced trip simply by walking through a doorway. Luckily, she wasn't. The others looked as confused as she felt. They stood around like lost children looking for their teacher to guide them. Bewildered. Stunned. They'd all been momentarily stumped by the resort's entryway.

We could all be killed right here before we could even figure out how to talk again, Vatra cursed to herself.

Clenching her fingers tightly into fists, Vatra willed the muscles in her hands to work. But, they wouldn't. She couldn't even move from the spot she'd ended up at after clearing the doors.

"Don't worry," Brian said. He turned to them, eyeing Vatra's curled fists with a wary glance. "I should have warned you all about the sensation of crossing over into the resort for the first time. Like I said, there's guests from all over that come here for rest within its walls. Not all are able to walk across the sands so comfortably as you, but they look forward to enjoying their time within the resort. It takes a moment to adjust to the atmosphere here. It acclimates to every individual."

Vatra inhaled sharply. She considered killing Brian, and by the looks of it, a few of the others shared a murderous intent etched on their expressions. Brian was oblivious to the gods before him. He was just a naive worker at the resort. Another mistake away from getting his neck broken.

But then we risk not finding Ares, or Spyro, which is our whole point of being here.

She kept her eyes on Hisato and Revna, both of them the most cool-headed out of all the others. They appeared more inconvenienced if anything by the entire situation. If only she could share the same sentiment.

At last, after a few agonizingly slow minutes, the sensation passed. Vatra's paralyzed muscles regained movement. In fact, she felt well-rested. With each breath, Vatra felt it easier to inhale the air around her. Much easier. Her lungs felt as if they'd somehow expanded, each breath bringing in more oxygen to her body than the last. Vatra was renewed. And she didn't need to die.

The desire to kill Brian for withholding information from them left her immediately. Instead, Vatra giggled to herself. She looked down at her hands, then back up to the others around her.

"Gods," Vatra whispered.

"Might as well be," Brian said with a grin. "It's clear you've not experienced your homeworld's atmosphere in a long time if you're reacting in such a way. Many feel the same. They compare it to being transformed into a god."

Enyalius laughed deeply. "Ah, I wouldn't go that far."

"And why not?" Brian inquired, eyebrow flickering upward. He clasped his hands together and regarded them with a sweep of his gaze. "Aren't you all gods yourselves? Who's to say the trick of the resort isn't something of a higher power itself?"

"Here I was thinking you were an idiot," Vatra stated. Her eyes narrowed at him.

Brian gave a half smile. "This truly is a great resort, you need only follow the rules here."

"And what of this 'higher power'?" Enyalius pushed.

"Oh, c'mon, I want to finish the tour," Fulgora groaned. "Can't we all finish this pissing contest later?"

Geb scratched his chin in thought, regarding his fellow storm god with a slap to her shoulder. "We've survived this long by being cautious, aren't you curious why this... mortal knows who we are?" He hesitated at his last words, looking Brian up and down, as if not quite sure what he was.

The worker did appear human, by all means.

Grabbing Geb's hand, Fulgora dug her nails into his palm and forcefully pulled his grip away from her. She met his surprised gaze with a tight frown. "I've been looking forward to Teruta for a long time."

"You've only heard about our trip here since-" Geb swallowed his words when the hair on his arms stood on their ends. It was as if a storm were brewing above his head, about to strike him down. Even the hair on his head started to float.

Vatra could feel the static filter from the two of them. She hadn't seen Fulgora's anger strike out, let alone at the other storm gods. It was like she was on edge. Amplified.

In fact, we all are. I could see our blood boil the moment the atmosphere changed. I think I understand now.

"Fulgora," Vatra stated. Her tone was commanding. "The tour can wait for a moment." She turned her attention from the two gods and stepped closer to Brian. "Tell me, Brian, what other gods have you let through your doors? And where are they?"

The man shook his head at her question. "Our guest list is anonymous. Unless you happen upon someone else by chance, I can't give out anyone's identity."

Vatra closed the distance between her and Brian with a single stride. She was taller than him. Stronger. He wasn't a god. That much was clear the moment her fingers tightened around his throat and she lifted him easily off of the ground.

Someone chuckled behind her.

"Vatra!" Hisato shouted. He grabbed Vatra's elbow. Hisato turned to face her, his eyes meeting Vatra's, though she had her attention completely on Brian. "What the hell are you thinking?" Hisato whispered in her ear.

Brian choked against her grip. His hands clasped around Vatra's, fighting, pointlessly, to loosen her grip. "I'm calling security." Brian's face reddened with each breath he forced into his lungs.

"No, you won't," Vatra sighed out. "You don't know who the hell you've let in through your doors, do you? Or, maybe you do. Bestowing great power to gods by giving back to them the atmosphere of their homeworld. You feel it, don't you? The influence of a war god." She dropped Brian carelessly, watching him gasp for breath.

"Shit," Fulgora said.

"Shit," Nat echoed the goddess' sentiment. "Was this what it was like to be back on Earth when he was around?"

Enyalius shook his head. "Worse. He's weaker, now. Chaos follows him, sure, but a war god like him could influence thousands. He turned nations against nations. Gods against gods. It seems like he's found the perfect place to gain strength for his coming war."

They all looked down at Brian. The man's reaction of disbelief, his head hanging lower and lower with each word, signaled he didn't truly know what had been done by allowing a war god into the resort.

"A coming war?" Brian whispered. He looked up to them, eyes wide. "A guest at this resort is trying to start a war from within its walls?"

"You're lucky he doesn't hold a grudge," Enyalius said over his shoulder to Vatra as he walked over to Brian. He squatted down in front of the man. "Ah, you poor mortal. It seems you fell victim to my father's charm. He's tricked many over the years. Our plan to sneak in and out hasn't quite gone our way, so it seems if you really wish to keep your resort in one piece, you'll have to help us out."

Brian cocked his head to the side and slowly climbed to his feet. "Help you?" He said each word as if they were laced with poison. "Why would I help you all now that you have shown that gods aren't to be trusted with the resort?"

"You misheard me," Vatra shot. "I asked you if you knew who you'd let in through the doors of your resort. I was talking past and present, Brian. You're looking at a bunch of resort powered gods now fighting the murderous influence of a war god, and you're one stupid comment away from pissing me off enough to find you a loose end that needs tying up. Are you going to help us with our situation, or not?"

Hisato didn't step in to quiet Vatra. Nor did Revna. The others remained silent, watching for Brian to reply to Vatra with bated breaths. Their plan relied on getting through their stay at the resort as quietly as they could manage. Having someone working on the inside would work in their favor.

"You're my guests," Brian replied after a moment. He straightened his uniform shirt with shaking hands, but they steadied once the material flattened out. "I will finish the tour and then show you to your rooms. It's my duty to keep all guests at this resort safe, and I will do what I can to accomplish that."

"Hmm." Vatra folded her arms. "I'll hold you to it. Now, let's get on with this tour. I think we've been talking around in this boring old hallway for long enough. There's not much to see in here, after all."