Koepel - Base of the Frost Navy

I appeared in a very spacious, dome-shaped building made of stone. From the darkness that crept in at the edges of the dome, I could tell that the only source of light was the solitary, yet brightly shining lightbulb that hung from a simple chain from the ceiling to about eye level. All was silent. It wouldn't have been so slilent, I thought to myself, if I had opted to bring along Shrapnel, my German Shepard puppy. But this wasn't the kind of meeting you brought a loud canine to. I glanced at the note in my hand, written in very crisp, neat handwriting - so unlike my own messy scrawl. I went over the words again, to make sure I had the right place. I had little doubt that I was wrong, but it was best to make sure.

"Madeline October," it began. I'd never liked being called Madeline. Maybe the writer knew that, and intended to get under my skin a little. Or maybe he wanted to intimidate me. Or maybe he just didn't know my nickname.
"I have a proposition that you may consider... interesting, to say the least." Oh, yes, I was quite interested.
"I will not disclose the details of the matter in an easily ill-read note. These words must be exchanged in person." Very secretive, he was, no?
"Please meet me at the location specified," the letter continued, followed by an address. Well. I was certainly at the address, in this curiously shaped building. I wondered what it was called.

"Koepel," said a voice in the darkness that nearly made me jump out of my skin. I had thought I was alone. My orange eyes flickered around, until I saw a tall, thin figure with hands clasped behind their back, face obscured in shadow. I suspiciously reached a hand to the flail that hung from a belt on my waist, ready to smash this guy's brains in if need be.

"It's just dome in Dutch," continued the figure, with a voice like oil sliding over water. "But it sounds neat, don't you think?"

I didn't respond.

"Ah, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself," he chuckled, and stepped forwards into the light. He had a sly-looking face, with short black hair and a conniving grin.
"I," he said, with a fancy bow, "am Loki, the Trickster."

I still didn't say anything, trying to recall why 'Loki' sounded familiar. It rang a bell, somehow... oh, yeah. Loki was one of those Norse gods, right? I wondered what his motives were for calling me here.
Loki seemed to be waiting for me to introduce myself back, but I just looked at him.

"Well, now, Madeline, no need to be so rude!" he said, with very realistic hurt in his voice. I would have thought it was genuine if he hadn't have been smiling. This one was tricky, as evidenced by his name. And he purposefully let me know that just now. So, for the meantime, I felt like I could trust him.

"It's Red, not Madeline," I said, my voice echoing more than the god's in the spherical building.
"Ah," Loki acknowledged, "my mistake."
I shrugged. "So, Loki... why am I here?"
Loki chuckled again, a low sound that reverberated through the stone. "Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?"
"No," I answered, glaring at him directly in the eye.
Loki held up his hands in a peacefull gesture. "Hey, no need to get hostile. We're all friends here, right?"

I didn't answer that one.

Again, the god laughed. "A stubborn one, aren't you... well, I suppose we had best get to the matter at hand." He rubbed his spidery hands together, and a steely glint entered his gaze. "As a demititan, I'm sure you understand the... thirst for the recognition, the obedience, the very power you deserve, yes?"

Loki was a persuasive speaker, but even if he hadn't been so oily with his words, the half-smile that crept over my face would have still emerged. "Of course."

He grinned some more. "Well, Red, I'm sure you know that the gods feel the same hunger when we aren't appreciated as we should be."

"Keep going."

"I've had contact with a few of the other gods who feel the same as the two of us, Red. Anubis, Phobos, Formido, Pele - a smart girl like you should know who all of these gods are, yes?"

I nodded. Of course I was smart, I knew these gods. Ah, Loki, flattery will get you nowhere, but I don't feel like arguing with you while I'm piecing together your little coup de'at.

"We've formed an... alliance, of sorts, and I have quite the devilish plan in the works." Loki grinned and tapped the side of his pale skull, on the temple. "I've recruited a hundred or so mortals in the Scandanavian area, with more to come, to fight for our side. They'll make up our grand Navy, as well as perhaps a ground force. And you, Red October," he said, pointed a long, thin finger towards me, "would be perfect to lead this navy."

My grin stretched to a wide smirk.

Loki chuckled again. "Even without your unique skills, you'd be perfect for the sake of irony."

I laughed out loud. "So you knew to call me Red October the whole time, Loki? Ah, you're funny..."

"So," asked the god, his tone turning serious, "will you lead the Navy to victory?"

I nodded, teeth flashing in an evil smile. "You can count on me."

"Good," the god replied, sounding somewhat... relieved? Had he thought I'd turn down this offer? There was no doubt in my mind that if I had refused, Loki would have killed me on the spot, simply to avoid his plans being revealed.
But something seemed... off. Why hadn't Loki done something like this sooner? There had to be some sort of catalyst. And I intended to find it.

Loki glanced at a black watch on his wrist. "Oh, look at the time," he exclaimed. "I have further business to attend to. Red," he said, speaking in a quick and urgent tone. "Please, wait here. I've arranged for a demigod accomplice, a son of Anubis, to arrive here shortly. Get to know each other, because you'll both be important pieces in this game in your own rite. This," he continued, speaking more quickly than ever, mashing his words together in an effort to fit all this information into a short amount of time, "this building here, Koepel, will be the base of your navy. Plan the layout as you see fit, use it to its fullest potential. Imustgonow," he said in a rush, and vanished.

I stood there alone again, mulling over what I'd just been told, and wondered when this 'demigod accomplice' would arrive. I'd come to think of demigods as weaklings, but perhaps some of them had potential.

The hanging lightbulb flickered, sending the shadows dancing in the empty dome.

Losing patience, I teleported directly in front of the little demigod and reached forward to grab him by the front of his shirt and lift him into the air. He was pissing me off big time, and I wasn't going to stand for it.

OOC: Lulz. I find this amusing. Can Henry pleeeease not dodge? I promise Red won't injure him... if he cooperates...

OOC: You could have said that before you took an arrow to the knee. .