Sage gave the monkey an explanation, having a hard time speaking both from a sore throat and a heavy heart.
The monkey's jaw dropped. "That is... unfortunate doesn't even begin to cover it."
For a moment both of them did not speak. Even the monkey stopped rummaging through his things.
"I'm... going to kill him," Sage muttered to himself, but the monkey heard it clearly.
The monkey cleared his throat. "But... you can rest easy knowing she'll rest in peace in the Ocean of Souls. As for your revenge... look kid, aside from the fact that we're talking about a literal god here—the son of Thor no less, might as well be the prince of Asgard—aside from that, revenge will... you'll lose more than what you're trying to aveng—"
That last part triggered something in Sage. He felt unmeasurable rage building in his chest.
"Don't lecture me about losing anything!" His voice cracked with fury. "I have lost everything! My mother is dead! My best friend is dead! I have nothing left! Nothing! So don't you dare tell me about what I might lose!"
Sage stood up abruptly, his head hitting the low ceiling, but he didn't care. He was breathing heavily, his hands shaking with anger.
"Look, I appreciate the... potion... but I still have things to do."
He turned toward the door and tried to leave.
"Wait wait wait!" The monkey panicked, scrambling after him and transforming into a bird to block his path. "Where are you going?!"
Sage paused, confused by the monkey's sudden urgency. "What do you mean where am I going? I'm leaving. I need to find a way out of this place."
"Kid, you can't just wander around out there! Those flesh hounds are still hunting, and there are things in this realm that make them look like puppies!"
"I don't care."
"You don't understand—without that protection potion, the mind demons will come back! You'll be right back where I found you, curled up and screaming!"
Sage's hand was on the door handle, but he hesitated.
"Besides," the monkey said more quietly, "what if I told you the Ocean of Souls isn't just where people rest in peace? What if I told you it's a real place you can actually go to?"
Sage's hand froze on the handle. He turned around slowly.
"What are you saying?"
The monkey's expression grew serious. "I'm saying maybe your mother doesn't have to stay dead."
Sage's face dropped and his heart sank into his stomach.
Bring her back? Was that possible? If he could bring her back, maybe... maybe this time they could be happy. Maybe he could protect her. Maybe—
"How?"
He turned, staring intensely at the monkey. The creature shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Look, I have to explain—it's quite dangerous."
"I don't care."
"Of course you don't..." The monkey sighed. "Look, the fact that you're struggling to resist mind demons means you wouldn't survive taking a dip in the Ocean of Souls, let alone searching through it. I would propose that you grow stronger first, you know... otherwise, we won't even get out of here alive."
Sage looked at the monkey with confusion. "We?"
This monkey had seemed against his quest for vengeance just moments ago.
The monkey scratched behind its ear awkwardly. "I scratch your back, you scratch mine."
Sage was about to turn away when the monkey spoke again, faster this time.
"Look, I've been stuck in this realm for... I don't even know how long. But I have a way out. I can get us out of here. In fact, I'll even help you find the Ocean of Souls and we'll figure out how to bring her back."
"So you don't actually know how to bring her back. You're lying."
"No, I'm not lying!" The monkey's voice grew more urgent. "The Ocean of Souls is real. When people die, their souls go there before passing on to realms like this or whatever afterlife awaits them. As long as you can get her soul back, nothing else matters, right? I'm sure we can find a way to get her a physical body."
Sage's eyes narrowed. "What's in it for you?and if you can get out why haven't you?"
He refused to get his hopes up. He was willing to give anything a chance if it meant getting his mother back, but this seemed too good to be true.
Ignoring the second question the monkey spoke again. "You need help finding someone. I need help finding someone as well." The monkey paused, then played its final card. "Look, if you still don't believe me, how about this, I can not only give you the greatest treasure in this realm, but I can also help break that seal in your body."
Sage was confused. "A seal? As in, a magical seal?"
How would there even be one in his body? He'd never been close to magical beings, except for his mother...
"What are you talking about?"
"The seal in your body. I mean, it's weak, really weak. Seems hereditary, so maybe it's gotten weaker over generations."
Sage's heart started racing. "Do you know what it does?"
"I'll need to examine it more closely, but..." The monkey leaned forward. "I need you to agree to help me first. And let me point out, you're getting a bargain here. I help you out of this realm, help you get your mother back, help you remove that seal, and give you great power. All you have to do is help me find someone."
Sage went silent. It was a good bargain, almost too good. Not only would he get his mother back, but this monkey would give him treasure and power. Maybe he could use both to kill Móði.
But there was something the monkey wasn't telling him. Who was this someone they needed to find? And why did the monkey need his help specifically?
Still, what choice did he have? He had nothing left, and this was his only chance.
"Deal."
The monkey's eyes lit up with relief and something else, something that looked almost like cunning.
"Okay then. Let's seal the deal."
The monkey stretched his hand out, and as Sage reached out, the monkey suddenly pulled back.
His expression turned serious.
"Look kid, once we seal the deal, you can't back out. And I can't either. Unless you want your soul tortured for eternity... so hopefully we both live up to our promises."
Sage looked at him. 'As long as mother comes back, I don't care,' he said in his mind.
They moved forward and shook hands. Suddenly, on both their wrists, a tattoo that looked like vines began to grow, appearing even on the translucent monkey's arm.
The monkey smiled and pulled out a necklace. "Okay, put this on."
Sage moved back instinctively.
"It's nothing bad. I told you that was my last potion to prevent you from going crazy... it won't last forever. This necklace will help prevent that and calm your emotions as well. It's in both our interests to remain calm."
Sage hesitated, then took the necklace and put it around his neck. Suddenly, he felt something... free.
Despite the potion being able to work, it hadn't actually calmed him or removed the impact of his emotions. Rather, it had suppressed them, which is why he couldn't think about painful memories without it breaking.
But with this necklace, he felt serene. It wasn't like he couldn't feel or not know he was angry or sad, but rather it felt like those emotions were so dampned that they could not effect his mind in the slightest.
"Now lie down so I can take a look at that seal. We should probably do this outside, where there's more space."
The monkey moved toward the door, gesturing for Sage to follow. "Trust me, you'll want room to move when I start messing with magical bindings. Sometimes they... react unexpectedly."