Nothing much of interest has happened for the last few hours, and most of the time, it's the same monotonous routine that gets to him, even if he's a god in the first place. He would think that being in different realms would give him new experiences, except that wasn't the case.
From what he can see, the people here are nearly identical to how Rome was in his past, and the little changes that have occurred are quite minimal. Despite the complete cultural difference, there is something every civilization shares, and it's pretty obvious: peace.
People come and go, humans doing the predictable things, from simple trades to visiting places of work to pray to their gods, and for some, it's just casual leisure and fun. It's peaceful to see the majority of them getting along and exchanging pleasantries.
The cats, however, are more withdrawn from the public than he first thought. Even when there are numerous establishments where felines could take pleasure in activities such as eating, shopping, or even socializing, They are usually seen alone with one or two individuals, and most of the time, their interactions with others outside their species are generally weary or distant.
He greatly respects that, of course, Janus knows what it's like to be an outcast because of their differences, and besides, he isn't exactly known to enjoy socializing with lesser beings of his own. Though that is his own personal decision,.
As the sun slowly went down, Schrodinger turned his gaze to him, who was currently nonchalantly walking at his side. "Uninspiring, isn't it?" He asked, earning the man's attention, "This is how we live, dull and uneventful as ever." Schrodinger continued, his tone becoming much more grim: "I'd imagine someone who lived a life of luxury and opulence would feel somewhat disappointed in this."
Caressing his own chin before briefly looking up at the orange sky, where clouds loomed over the vast land with warm colors reflecting the atmosphere, he had to agree as the sights and sounds had become stale after a while of witnessing the same things over and over again.
He imagined being excited or something like that ever since his imprisonment, but now he is not sure. While he is thrilled to be freed and experiencing something nostalgic or memorable, it's clear that everything feels almost... bland.
Every day and night seem to blur into each other like a repeating cycle, and to add salt to the injury, the markets are opened and people go out in the open to shop or socialize. It's just how he experienced being locked up in the pocket dimension.
Now he's back to square one with no direction, goals, or dreams whatsoever, and what makes him question is the fact that he didn't feel bitter or angry at all. He was supposed to feel something, anything, ever since he came here, and aside from pain, which he is still honestly conflicted and perhaps excited at the notion of, overall he just feels...
Nothing.
He's living in a world that was supposed to inspire or surprise him, but it's nothing like that at all. It's so confusing for him to understand; there must be something wrong with him, or maybe this realm has some sort of side effect he hasn't noticed yet.
"I..." Janus began, breaking the silence as he tilted his head in curiosity while also deep in his own thoughts. "I don't know what I feel. Everything seems to be the same no matter where I go," he said, trying to describe it with honesty. "It's difficult to describe it in words, but... I feel like trying to associate myself with these lesser beings has put into perspective what life is like for them," attempting to sound modest in his own observation. "So far, there's nothing interesting about it, and it's incredibly hard for me to accept that."
Silence once again greeted them both as the two stopped in the now empty streets, leaving them alone to converse for the rest of the coming midnight. Schrodinger would look at Janus with sympathy before saying, "It seems you're beginning to understand the state of what I'm talking about," finally having someone else to connect with. "You see, it's the repetitiveness and mundanity of the whole experience that makes me wish to escape it all, even if it's through the most desperate of measures."
Janus listened to what his guide had to say, understanding and sympathizing with him due to their similar experiences. "What are you trying to say?" He questioned, feeling a slight shiver travel throughout his spine as he watched the feline's tail sway with ease behind him.
Sighing tiredly, "What I am saying is that perhaps this prophecy of yours is probably worth our time," he admitted, noticing the surprise on Janus's expression. "Look, at first, I was doubtful of even associating myself with you after the elder council summoned me to act on their behalf, but now..." Staring down at the ground for a moment, "I think that even if it turns out to be a waste of time, at the very least, it'll give us a reason to strive for something in our meaningless lives."
Those last few words managed to hit the deity, feeling his own chest tighten uncomfortably, gripping onto it in frustration while struggling to keep it together. "Maybe..." A hint of hesitation was laced within his voice: "You might be right."
Smirk spreading across his lips, "How can I be wrong? The elders did say that we have a great purpose in this journey of ours, and if that's true, then it's not like we're wasting our time after all," reasoned the feline, thinking this through before adding, "So what will it be? When shall we start our wandering spree?" He inquired.
"Now."
A look of surprise passed through Schrodinger before returning to its neutral gaze. "How about tomorrow? I need to first meet someone before we leave," he stated, remembering the one detail he's forgotten to inform, "and I already have a person in mind who might be willing to show us a safer route to reach our destination," giving further explanation.
Hearing this, Janus thought it over and decided that if this white cat can make their journey smoother, then they'd be better off accepting his proposal. "Fine then," sighing irritably at having to wait longer, "we shall depart first thing tomorrow morning, and by that, I mean six o'clock sharp. Are we clear?" Janus stated it with a strict tone while giving off a serious look towards his guide.
Chuckling at the god's tone, the cat nodded and said, "Perfectly clear; until then, take care of yourself and don't stray too far from this town if you wish not to lose your way again." Afterwards, he vanished, completely leaving him alone with nothing but his accompanying thoughts.
Janus closed his eyes and shook his head, looking up once again with opened eyes. The starry sky was like a vast canvas, with each pinprick of light representing a star or galaxy billions of lightyears away. It was breathtakingly beautiful, knowing he could spend hours staring up at it without getting bored.
Twinkle little stars twinkled and shone in the darkness, showing their warmth on his face as they cast their beams of light on his cheeks. He imagined them smiling down at him, expressing a sense of wonder and awe that he had never felt before in his life.
It was easy to forget the world he lived in when gazing up at the night sky, which seemed to stretch forever and ever into infinity, filling him with lackluster feelings that made him want to go out there and explore its vastness for all eternity. But he couldn't do that, not yet anyway.
Removing himself from this trance, he looked around to see the now empty streets that surrounded him. Noticing the absence of all things aside from the wind brushing against him, he decided to do something entertaining for himself just to pass the time.
For unlike mortals who eat, drink, sleep, and excrete from their bowels after a good meal, a primordial deity like himself doesn't need such pleasures. No, instead of doing so, he prefers to spend his free time doing absolutely nothing.
Lifting himself out of the ground, he began to ascend through the air like a feather caught by the breeze, his feet dangling below him as he flew higher and higher. Slowly, but surely, he began to see more of the world. At first, it was merely an indiscernible blur of colors and shapes, but as he continued, he saw a clearer picture of the dreamland itself.
Vast land stretched all around him, coupled with large or small islands from the back of the world that are filled with countless treasures, monsters, and otherworldly beings who inhabit them. Above him was a sea of pure white clouds, which reflected off of the moonlight, giving them a mystical glow. There were also faint hints of sunlight coming through the cracks of those fluffy formations.
There are so many things in this mysterious world unlike his once-empty prison that he begins to wonder if his doubts were simply distractions from the bigger picture, obstructions meant to stop him from reaching true enlightenment and discovering his true self.
As its winds carry whispers of secrets and mystery, brushing over his face and robe with gentle caress, it's as though this place held promise that everything was going to be okay if he simply put his faith in it. Maybe if he let go and allowed himself to place himself in the hands of a predetermined destiny, he'd find out why.
Beneath him, he sees the quiet town of Ulthar basking in tranquil silence, its buildings standing proudly amongst the rest of nature with nothing but candlelit streetlights to illuminate its darkened alleys. The town appeared almost peaceful, as though nothing bad could possibly happen here.
Coupled with omnipresent cats who prowled its streets and shadows alike, he doubts their precious home will ever go away when they are still allowed. Their presence was merely another reminder to him that this place was unlike the Frostworld, where its cities were devoid of such life.
Where the earth is now covered in everlasting winter, this very world is still filled with the dreams and ambitions of all who have lived and died there. He thought back to that dream of his own home, the frozen plains where nothing grows, and he wondered what had happened to it.
"Being sentimental, aren't we?" The narrator jokingly asked, "I'm starting to suspect that you're missing your home. Is it your desire to return? To fulfill your duty as a god?" Janus groaned in response, clearly not interested in discussing this.
"What is it you want?" Said Janus in displeasure, "Can't you see I am doing something?" Bringing himself to a complete halt in midair, he asked, "Am I not allowed to have a few moments of peace and quiet in my own mind without you annoying me for change?"
The narrator hummed to himself. "We've been together for so long; it's hard not to feel concerned for you," he commented. "You know, most people would love to be in your shoes. A being who can nearly do anything with the flip of a coin, but you..." Pausing for effect: "Instead of doing anything, you waste your days away, wallowing in despair, or pitying yourself over past misfortunes."
Janus didn't speak a word, merely staring into space.
An audible sigh could be heard through the narrator's voice: "If you weren't too stubborn and proud of admitting you have problems, perhaps we wouldn't have to keep reminding you of it over and over again that you should take charge of the wheel and find something meaningful in your life instead of sitting idly by and doing nothing. Like a dead tree."
Then Vesta chimed in, "Janus, you are always pushing yourself away from opportunities and changes; you're afraid that you will become someone else that you won't recognize." Her sweet and tender words carried hope as she spoke gently to him, "God or not, we all hold these tender feelings in our hearts because, in truth, deep inside, no one is immune to such feelings."
Despite how much he wants to ignore their words, they speak of understanding that he cannot deny. Indeed, he was always unsure of himself, even now, before and after being freed from prison. And yet, he remained at a standstill, accepting this fact for who he should be.
"Why don't you give it a try?" Saturn nervously said, having grown some backbone. His voice cracked as if trying to avoid showing how he truly felt. "I mean, um, this might be the first step of becoming who you want to be."
He thought long and hard before finally Janus let out a tired sigh, feeling the weight of his countless eternity bearing down on him. "Very well... then I suppose I can give it a try." As he looked down, he noticed a peculiar green glow emitting within a forest not far from the town itself.
Interestingly, this radiance seemed to beckon him closer as it shone brightly towards him, its inviting warmth coaxing him to venture further into the depths below. He can't describe how alluring it is, to the point that trying to resist such temptation would be futile.
"What is that?" Quirinus finally spoke up, causing Janus to pause for a moment and ask, "Why don't we check out? Maybe it'll be worth our while," suggesting an idea that would no doubt be dangerous but also intriguing to discover what it is.
Seeing there is no harm in doing so, "fine," admitting defeat to his own curiosity, "let's see what this thing is, because whatever this is, it looks pretty suspicious to me, and it can't be good if it's coming from place so close to civilized town." Despite how addictive the source is becoming, there is still a sense of uneasiness in the back of his own mind that is causing him to question what would happen to him if he went through with this.
