Hitman with a Badass System

After leaving the Kraken Clan hut, Michael and Gaya set their sights back on Aurumvale, leaving behind the beast tamers who stayed for a meeting with Derelius. Curious about the content of their discussion, Gaya voiced her wonderment to Michael as they walked toward the golden city.

"I wonder what they are talking about," she pondered aloud, her gaze fixed ahead.

"Nothing interesting, just discussing what happened in the dungeon," Michael replied, his attention split between their path and the information he was gleaning through the Spyder he had strategically left in the hut.

Their journey back to Aurumvale took them through familiar landscapes, and after an hour of walking, the golden spires of the city came into view. The city was alive with its usual bustle, the arrogant elves going about their business with only brief pauses to take note of Michael and Gaya's return before resuming their activities.

Finding themselves in the heart of Aurumvale, Michael and Gaya contemplated their next steps amidst the city's relentless energy.

"Let's find a room to plan our next move," Gaya proposed, looking around the city's center for a suitable place.

Michael, in agreement, followed Gaya's lead. Their recent exploits in the dungeon had left them with a wealth of gold, more than enough to afford the most luxurious accommodations Aurumvale had to offer. They made their way to a distinctive building, its architecture reminiscent of a corn cob, with a sign reading 'Corn Bread' swinging gently above the ornate golden doorway.

Upon entering the 'Corn Bread' tavern, Michael and Gaya were immediately enveloped by its luxurious interior. The place shimmered with golden hues, the light reflecting off polished surfaces and intricate decorations that spoke of Aurumvale's opulence. The air was scented with exotic spices and the murmur of conversations filled the space, creating an atmosphere of discreet elegance.

Approaching the counter, they were greeted by an elven lady, her demeanor the epitome of grace. "Good evening. How may I assist you?" she inquired, her voice smooth as silk, betraying a professionalism honed by rigorous training.

"We're looking for a room," Gaya stated, her eyes scanning the lavish lobby.

"At the moment, all our standard rooms are fully booked. However, we do have our Diamond Room available, which is ten thousand gold coins per night. Would that be acceptable to you?" The elf's polite smile never wavered as she responded.

"That will be fine." Without hesitation, Michael agreed.

Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, a silver ring materialized on the counter, spilling out the exact amount. The elven lady examined the coins with a practiced eye before nodding in approval.

She then presented them with a golden key, its design as elaborate as the tavern itself. Turning to a halfling who had been waiting nearby, she instructed. "Please take our guests to the Diamond Room."

As they followed the halfling through the tavern, Michael and Gaya couldn't help but appreciate the level of service. The 'Corn Bread' was a testament to Aurumvale's commitment to luxury and comfort, and they were about to experience it firsthand in the Diamond Room.

Guided by the halfling, Michael and Gaya ascended the golden staircase of the 'Corn Bread,' each step reflecting the soft glow of the chandeliers above. The air was filled with a subtle fragrance, enhancing the aura of exclusivity that wrapped around them like a warm, inviting cloak. Upon reaching the top, they were led down a lavishly decorated hallway, its walls adorned with fine tapestries and paintings that spoke of history and opulence.

"This way," the halfling said with a respectful bow, indicating the path forward with a small, practiced gesture. They stopped before a door that seemed to shimmer and sparkle as if it were indeed crafted from diamonds, capturing the light in a mesmerizing dance.

With a flourish, the halfling opened the door, revealing the interior of the Diamond Room. Inside, the room lived up to its name, with furnishings that gleamed with a clarity and brilliance akin to the gemstone itself. The bed was large and inviting, draped in silken sheets that promised a night of unparalleled comfort. A large window offered a breathtaking view of Aurumvale, the city's lights twinkling like stars against the night sky.

As a token of their appreciation, Michael handed the halfling a small pouch of gold coins, the clink of metal soft but satisfying. "Thank you," the halfling expressed, his gratitude evident. "Should you require anything during your stay, simply press the rune near the bed, and one of our staff will attend to you," he informed them before making his exit, leaving Michael and Gaya to the privacy and luxury of their temporary sanctuary.

Gaya, ever observant, couldn't help but comment on their surroundings. "Look at this place," she said, her voice a mixture of admiration and a hint of amusement. "For all their arrogance, these elves sure know how to make a comfortable room." Her eyes roamed the space, taking in every detail, from the artful arrangement of the furniture to the subtle enchantments that ensured their comfort.

As they settled into the Diamond Room, Gaya couldn't resist the allure of the luxurious bed, jumping onto it and reveling in its comfort. "You know, I still miss running our own restaurants. Hades and the Majestic were more than just businesses to us," she mused, bouncing slightly, her words filled with a mix of nostalgia and longing.

Looking out at the city's lights from the window, Michael turned to her, his thoughts drifting to the past. "When I started those places, I never imagined I'd end up as the God of Darkness or become the Dark Lord. Made a fair share of blunders back then, which led to their downfalls," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

Hearing this, Gaya's mind raced with possibilities. "What if we took another shot at it? Now that we're sitting on a mountain of gold, why not rebuild our business empire? We've learned from our past mistakes. This time, we'll make no errors," she proposed, her excitement palpable.

Michael paused, considering her suggestion. Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he finally responded. "A steady income stream does sound appealing. With all the chaos of dealing with the Pantheon and Raphael, I hadn't really thought about it. But you're right."

"Let's do it then! It'll be a nice distraction, and let's face it, gold coins have a way of making problems seem less... shitty," she declared with a mix of humor and excitement.

As they delved deeper into their plans for a new business empire, Michael contemplated a strategic approach. "If we're going to do this again, we should stay behind the scenes. Put someone else as the face of the business, so no one knows it's ours," he suggested, his mind already racing with the logistics of anonymity.

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Gaya exclaimed, her excitement evident. "But to really hit the big leagues, we need Raylene back in the kitchen. Her cooking is to die for. Just thinking about it makes me hungry," she added, her enthusiasm undimmed by the challenges ahead.

Michael exhaled deeply, contemplating the challenge of involving their former subordinates in their new realm. He had previously inquired with the system about bringing them into the realm of gods, but the response was that the system required an upgrade to facilitate such a move. Thus, Michael knew he had to find another solution.

"Even if we bring Raylene here, we'd need to give her a whole new makeover and identity. Can't have people recognizing her, can we?" Gaya pointed out another hurdle.

"I'll find a way. But first, let's deal with this dragon body we found," he said, summoning a small globe into his hand. Within it rested a black dragon body, a reminder that Nightmare could be brought back to life once again.

As they pondered their next move, Gaya approached Michael, her curiosity piqued by the globe and its draconic contents. She peered closely at it, then looked up at Michael.

"Do you think this thing's been shrunk down with some spell, or are we just staring at a fancy snow globe?"

"It's rune work. Elidyr mentioned something about this. A clever mix of runes, a pocket dimension, and spells. Pretty ingenious, really." Michael, studying the globe alongside her, responded.

"Well, I'm no runemaster to crack this open. Damn, this stuff always gets complicated." Gaya let out a sigh. "We don't need to figure out how they stuffed a dragon body in here. What we need is to extract it back to its natural form and transfer Nightmare's soul into this body," Michael pointed out, focused on the task at hand.

Once again, Gaya pointed out the significant hurdle on their step to Michael even though she knew he was already thinking of a way to solve it.

"Right, but first, we need to fetch Nightmare's soul from hell. And last time I checked, we don't have a handy portal to the underworld lying around," Gaya said as her thoughts drifted toward her time with Nightmare.

"It had been so long since we saw that over grown lizard," Gaya's voice was playful yet there was clearly a sadness in it. Hearing her tone, it was obvious to Michael she missed Nightmare ever since he died. Luckily, his soul was still in the realm of hell and if they could find a way to return there and bring his soul back here, they could bring Nightmare back to life wholly.

"We can always ask Pink to do some digging about Dagon and hell. Or we could ask Seshat for a way in and out," Gaya suggested.

"Hmm," Michael nodded before contacting Pink through the earpiece.

"Hit me up, Ghost. What do you need? And give me all the juicy update on what happened with Valorix…" Pink asked with excitement.

"I'll explain everything later. But first, try to get some information on how to go to hell," Michael said as Pink became silent for a few seconds.

"How to go to hell? There's something I never thought someone would ask me," Pink chuckled.