Thalasar looked down on Kaelon with mild interest. With a flick of its tail, glowing bubbles wrapped around both Kane and Kaelon. Their wounds vanished in seconds, healed by Thalasar's divine energy.

  The snake created an area free of water and their bodies floated over to it. Settling on the floor both Kane and Kaelon remained unconscious. However their twitching eyelids showed it wouldn't be long before they woke up.

  Kane woke up first, his body twitched then he immediately shot up. He was assaulted by Thalasar's pressure, forcing him to kneel.

  Kaelon stirred awake as Kane stood and was forced down. He felt the familiar feeling of overbearing divinity. It felt much stronger than when he met his father, unrestrained. Slowly Kaelon lifted his gaze, looming over them was a snake large enough to swallow the world.

  "A demigod... It's been a while since one was born from the Gods. Who's child are you boy?"

  A deep, lofty voice echoed through the cavern. Kaelon felt the pressure on him double as Thalasar focused on him. It only lightened to give him a chance to answer the snake's question.

  "Altan is my father."

  The snake looked upwards before a chuckle escaped Him.

  "Altan huh. That man does love mortals, it's not a surprise he bore a son. After all he has done so before."

  Kaelon frowned at His words, his father had never told him anything of other demigods. Much less about his own siblings, if you could even call them that.

  Kane feeling the pressure on him lightened, stood up. Facing a God directly for the first time was a humbling experience. The powerlessness Kane felt in Thalasar's gaze was unlike anything he could imagine.

  He hesitated for a second but in the end decided to speak up.

  "...Excuse me, Your Holiness. I can't help but ask what happened in Vinhal? Did the city fall or were the monsters killed?"

  Thalasar turned to Kane once again mounting a huge pressure on the man. This time however he stood tall, his head only bowed slightly.

  "The seige ended, your mortal city still stands..."

  He paused observing the standing Kane. Its serpentine gaze peered through his whole being. Thalasar witnessed Kane's very soul and essence, his entire life laid before His eyes.

  Kane shifted uncomfortably in its penetrating gaze. He felt his everything be bared to Thalasar. It was not a pleasant experience to have a God peer into your soul.

  "... You're a pretty good mortal Kane. Your essence is refined, your soul strong. Worthy of divine attention, I'm surprised Altan hasn't bestowed you his Divine Favor."

  Kaelon's frown deepened as another question arose. He stepped forward, deciding to just ask. Thalasar had been kind so far, who's to say He wouldn't answer his questions.

  "What's Divine Favor? Also what happened to the other demigods? Are they still around anywhere? Could I meet them?"

  Thalasar turned to him with a frown on His serpentine face.

  "Did Altan teach you anything? Divine Favor is like your Gift, except for mortals. Mortals who Gods deem worthy can receive Divine Favor. The form it takes depends on the mortal and the God who granted it."

  The snake paused for a second, thinking to itself.

  "As for other demigods, there have been plenty. Some natural born demigods, like you, with complete divinities that just need time to awaken. Others, like The Immortal, became demigods through refining their essence into a nascent divinity that they then develop themselves."

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  Looking down on Kaelon, Thalasar's frown deepened.

  "Whether you meet them or not is your own luck. There's only a few demigods in this era, that's why your existence surprised me when you offered me that bear... As far as I know you are Altan's only son in the mortal realm. The others either joined their father in his divine kingdom or died long ago."

  Left with all the answers he asked for Kaelon struggled to process everything. Thalasar left him to his own devices and turned back to the stupified Kane.

  "Anyway, you're a good mortal. Do you want my Divine Favor? I won't take your soul or anything like that. All you have to do is pass a trial I give you."

  Kane was left dumbfounded by everything that he heard. Thalsar's offer was irresistible but he struggled with his faith. Would accepting the Divine Favor of another God anger Altan? Would that not be blasphemy?

  "... I'm not sure, is that not blasphemous? I'm a paladin of Altan. How could I accept your great favor when I'm not even your faithful?"

  The snake shook his head at Kane's answer.

  "Those are irrelevant details. Whether I give you my Favor is my choice, and to accept it is yours. Altan has no say in this and frankly He wouldn't care. If anything you'll receive two Divine Favors, both mine and his, your soul can handle it."

  Kane fell silent at His answer. The words of a God were law. If Thalasar said it was fine then who was Kane to argue? Kane's expression shifted as he truly considered the offer. He had nothing to lose by taking Thalasar's trial, except his life. But Kane has risked his life for less than a God's Favor.

  "I accept your trial, Thalasar. Thank you for this chance."

  The snake smiled, flashing His huge fangs. He nodded and spoke.

  "Good. Now come, get closer."

  Kane stepped forward without hesitation, he stpped at the border of the water free zone. Not hearing Thalasar say anything he just kept going. Kane took a deep breath before being engulfed by water.

  The pressure of the sea threatened to crush him as he swam toward Thalasar. In fact it only became heavier the closer he got to the God. Stopping right before the serpentine God Kane was assaulted by insane pressure.

  "Are you ready?"

  Thalasar's heavy voice echoed in the water. Kane could only nod furiously as he tread water. Suddenly the pressure on his body befan to exponentially rise. Every second he endured the pain got worse and worse.

  Kane was trapped in constant torture, seconds felt like hours. The pressure mounted on him felt like the entire world was on his shoulders. Blood tricled from his mouth as he struggled to keep the air inside his lungs from leaking.

  He didn't know how long this pressure bore down on him. Kane's sense of time was completely lost in the waves of pain. What he couldn't see was the energy in the pressure.

  Kaelon could sense Thalasar's overwhelming Divinity flowing into Kane. It was similar to what Kane did with his sword, except to the extreme. Thalasar's Divinity was pouring into Kane's very soul and reshaping it little by little.

  For hours Kane struggled under Thalasar's pressure, his body changing over time. White scales began to appear on his skin, helping him withstand the pressure. As they began to cover his body the pressure assaulting him became lighter.

  It was only once Kane's entire body was covered in white scales that the pressure felt negligible. Raising his hands Kane observed the changes he went through. Thalasar had given him scales with extreme durability. No armor he could wear would be better than them.

  As Thalasar's trial came to an end Kane floated back to the water free area. As he landed he fell to his knees in exhaustion. Panting for air Kane kissed the earth below him like it was his mother.

  Kaelon rushed to his side, inspecting his body. He knocked on Kane's scales with an impressed look.

  "You alright Kane? How do you feel?"

  Kane turned to him as his scales began to vanish. He returned to his normal appearance with only one notable exception. His eyes now had vertical slits, like a serpent. They were the same piercing blue eyes as before, but his pupils had changed.

  "I'm fine, just tired. That trial took a lot out of me, enduring that pressure is something I wouldn't wish on anyone."

  Kaelon nodded, even seeing it from the outside what Kane endured looked unbearable. He did have one question about it though.

  "How did you survive without air for that long? Can you breathe in water too or something?"

  Kane shook his head with a slight smile.

  "No I can't breathe in water. The trial was the pressure not the water. Once I ran out of air nothing happened. Thalasar kept me from drowning while undertaking the trial."

  Thalasar nodded at Kane's explanation.

  "Indeed, the trial was about enduring the weight of the ocean and my Divinity. With your success you have gained the ability to cover your body with extremely durable scales at will."

  Kane knelt before the snake in thanks. He felt extremely grateful for the chance to gain this strength.

  "Thalasar, Serpent God of The Seas and Water. Sapphire of The Deep and Selemare's Lost Treasure. I am extremely grateful to receive your great favor. It humbles me that you thought me worthy of it."

  Thalasar shook its head.

  "There's no need for your thanks. You earned the power by passing the trial, it is your own. Even if it's source is me, that power is yours."