Helheim
Hades' Castle
Outer Bailey
Millennia Ago
"Ever fought bare-handed before?" Týr asked, stretching his back. He then rolled his shoulders and fired a few short uppercuts, his golden arm's polished surface reflecting the surrounding torch trees' glow.
"I have, but it has been a while. I think the last time was when Zeus came running down here after Hera chided him for arguing with Marduk," Hades said, stabbing his bident into the stone floor before slipping his coat off and draping it on the pommel. "I have never enjoyed it, but if Zeus asks, I may indulge."
No surprise there. Týr thought.
"Why are we doing this?"
"You taught me chess. So I thought it was right to teach you this." Týr rolled his neck, feeling it pop. "Consider it a thank you."
You could be a little more honest. Why do such aggravating people surround me… Hades smiled. "I don't see the point. Don't some of those 'Martial Artists' use weapons?"
"They do! Buuuut, it's not just to get better with them. Many techniques use weapons to learn application and form. Your techniques with the Bident are absolutely monstrous." Týr smiled, feeling a chill. "But you may not always be in a position to use it. Learning how to transition those attacks to empty-handed techniques may come in handy."
Hades stared down at his hands, turning them slowly and flexing his fingers. "Really now? And will you explain to Persephone why my nail polish is chipped?" He could see her hunched over his hands, her curly pecan hair draped over her right shoulder, her soft grass-green eyes focused on his hands as she slowly brushed them. He could never forget her hand holding his still while she worked. "She gets rather fraught if they're damaged."
Týr smirked. "I bet she would be, but I bet you'd like to be able to protect her and your brothers regardless of the situation."
Hades clenched his fists and widened his stance. He brought his right back and stretched out his left, both curled as if holding something invisible.
"When you put it that way, I might humor this."
The Heavens
Eden
Mountain Biome
"Odin," Hades said. "Did you know Týr became a constant nuisance down in Helheim?"
Odin leered at him.
"Of course you didn't. Made his way to Tartarus quite a few times, too. Never understood why someone up in Valhalla would willingly visit Helheim, even breaking the rules to do it." His back muscles flexed. "But then I remember my father." The floor cracked and broke under his right foot, and he shot forward.
Odin scoffed and started whispering.
Hades twisted his upper body to the left and pulled his right arm close to his ribs. The air and floor tore away as he sailed through the air. His left foot crashed down, and his right fist fired. The air twisted around his fist as it shot forward. "Persephone-Lore!" He roared.
"Fimmti Galdor: Fafnir," Odin declared.
Five rune-covered shields appeared and surrounded Odin, four in all directions and one above him.
Hades' fist struck one dead-center, and the barrier released an echoing dull groan. His eyes widened slightly as the force of his blow flowed back through his arm in tinges of pain. He felt the skin on his knuckles tear, and he pulled it back.
Odin smiled and huffed.
"Huh, fancy that," Hades said, feeling blood flowing down his fingers. "That's one of the famous Galdor, isn't it? I heard you made yourself known in Asgard through them."
Odin stood silently, leering at Hades.
"Too assured to brag? I see..." Hades lowered his stance. "Let's try this again, but better." The blood on his fingers hardened, wrapping around his hand and forming a makeshift glove with razor-sharp fingertips. He inhaled, his torso expanding and muscles swelling. His upper body twisted to the right, kicking up a tornado from the sheer force of his body. He straightened his fingers into a spear-hand and thrust it forward. "Persephone-Lore! Ichor Desmos!" His makeshift spear smashed into the shield, and his fingers bent in every direction. Sparks erupted from their collision, and Odin squinted. Then, his eyes widened. Cracks webbed out from the point of impact.
WHAT?! Odin thought.
Hades' broken spear hand smashed through the shield. His right foot stepped in immediately, the blood gauntlet snapping his fingers back in place to form a fist. He stepped into range, the untreaded ground between Odin and the shield that nullified the monstrous blows of the greatest Jotnar, and his left foot stomped down. The moment it smashed the ground below it, Hades' empowered fist smashed into Odin's solar plexus. "ICHOR EOS: CHEIR!"
Odin's body folded around the blow, and he flew back, smashing through his barriers and smashing into the distant mountainside. Large boulders tore away and fell to the ground with Odin, littering the ground.
Metatron stood in silence, feeling Gungnir continue to struggle against the Bident several meters below him, taking in what was once thought impossible.
Sir?! Set said in his mind. Did Hades just…just punch Odin?!
He destroyed Fafnir…How?! Metatron thought.
Hades stepped back as more blood flowed up to his elbow and hardened into armor.
"I am Hades, the King of Helheim and the Eldest Brother," Hades declared as Odin slowly rose from the rubble, blood trickling from his mouth. "And it doesn't matter what you use. Because of those two things, I shan't be defeated by anyone."
Jörð Arena
Gods' Conference Room
"Alright," Marduk said, sitting down in his seat at the table. Sarpanitu sat to his right in one of the uncovered chairs, her eyes locked on Lugh. "We're all ears."
Lugh rubbed his forehead and looked away.
"Lu—" Marduk started, but Sarpanitu wrapped her hand around his. He paused and leaned back in his chair.
Lugh nodded and looked at the pair. "Do you two know the truth about Set?" He asked.
"We do," Sarpanitu answered.
"My Uncle told me this morning. Apparently, he found out shortly before Round Four. It makes a lot of this uncomfortable."
Marduk nodded, looking down at the table.
"But that's not what bothers me. I know my family, and I know the pain he caused them."
"Wait, you know about—"
Lugh nodded.
"Well, damn," Marduk whispered.
"I know my family is complicit in Winchester. I know they barely avoided the brunt of the fallout because of what my Uncle conceded."
"One kingdom to protect his whole Pantheon."
"A kingdom of people who defended themselves from invaders."
The couple remained silent.
"A kingdom that did not deserve the fate it was dealt." Lugh shook his head. "But I'm digging up old wounds, and I have a bigger problem to deal with." Lugh rubbed his forehead again. "You two know about my trips to Midgard?"
"The ones you think your Uncle doesn't know about?" Sarpanitu asked. "We do. You know Macha is scared half to death when you go."
"Please don't remind me. Anyway, during one of those trips, I met a human couple in our territory on Midgard. Sualtam and Deichtine. They were kind to me, offering me a place to get away from a lot of…stuff back home."
Marduk and Sarpanitu exchanged a glance.
"Hey, I get it. Old, deep wounds are hard to let go of; Bres' reign did a lot of damage." Lugh patted the hair covering his ears. "Had to grow out my hair because of it. But that didn't matter to them. They were minor nobles and had no reason to be charitable to me. But they did, and I couldn't leave them without giving them something for that kindness. When I told them I was a God—"
"You told them?!" Sarpanitu asked.
Lugh nodded. "No secrets between us. When they learned this, they asked if it was possible to help them have a child. You two know what that struggle's like."
Marduk gently squeezed Sarpanitu's hand. Damn it, Lugh. You make it hard to be angry at you.
"So I gave them some of my power, and behold! They have their baby, Setanta! Ah, but they couldn't let that go!" Lugh leaned and propped his head up with his right hand. "Said I deserved more than just their hospitality! So they introduced me to this druid."
Kingdom of Ulaid
Ireland
Millennia Ago
Under the shade of a large, old tree, Lugh, in a long blue robe over brown pants, watched Sualtam and Deichtine from a distance. The couple sat on a hillside, cooing over a newborn child in a swaddling blanket. Even from that distance, he could see a small smattering of silver hair on the infant's head. Standing next to him, hunched over from age and held up by a massive wooden staff, was an old woman in brown robes, her hood pulled down showing her wrinkled face, large brown eyes, hooked nose, and silver hair held neatly in a bun.
"Well, guess you could put me out of a job," She said. "Nothing I could do to help them."
"You did everything possible," Lugh answered. "Deichtine is barren, and Sualtam is sterile. They had no chance."
The druid sighed. "Until you came along."
"Eh, I didn't think it right to stop a happy couple from having a chance at being parents."
"Makes you think of Cian and Ethniu?"
"Huh?"
The Druid turned to him and flashed a wry grin. "A red-headed young man with eyes of different colors pops out of nowhere, and suddenly, a barren couple is blessed with a child for a good deed? If I didn't know better, I would think you a Fae and trying to torment them."
"…You know who I am?"
"I do," She said, exasperated. "I know about a lot of things. Sadly, none of my children carry the connection. Not many Humans do, anymore. Our tether to you all is fading, and I fear that bodes ill for everyone." She turned to Lugh. "Then, there's you. Who bridges that gap just by answering a small prayer. This world may not be screwed after all."
"You sound like my Uncle. How do you go from sounding so 'regal' to being crusty?"
"Age, and a lot of it."
Both snickered.
"Gods don't worry about aging and the like. I think you're lucky and cursed there. No, Lugh, they worry about other things. You're all so long-lived, yet that means the future is so vast and uncertain you have no idea what's happening a year, a decade, a century, or even a millennium from now, and you have to be ready for it."
Lugh nodded.
"Nuada and Macha have high hopes for you, you know. They see the future of your people in you."
Lugh looked out towards the open field. "Yeah, they do."
"Terrifying, I imagine."
Lugh let out a mirthless laugh. "Unbearably."
"Then let me help you. I can't see the future like some of you. Thank the Heavens for that. But I can give you a rough idea of what may come."
Lugh froze.
"However, how the future plays out is up to you. Fate is not set in stone, Lugh. It is the culmination of every living being's choices, but some have a greater influence than others. Like you."
Lugh stayed still, hanging on her words.
"If you become the King they want, you will bury Eire," Her voice echoed in his hidden ears.
"If you become the King they expect, you will betray Eire…."
Jörð Arena
Gods' Conference Room
"If I become the King they need, I may save Eire," Lugh finished reciting.
"May?" Sarpanitu asked.
"Yeah. May. I'm not ignorant of Eire's history, and despite my Uncle's efforts, Eire's peace is fragile. Bres' time as Supreme God and King soured a lot of our external relationships. I don't think many of the Chief Gods see him as truly earning his position back."
"The adage of 'When we fight, we win. Such are the Gods' still hangs over everyone," Marduk admitted. "But not everyone dealt with monsters of the level of Bres and Balor."
"No, but no one cares. That's why there's so much faith in me, despite the rest of the Pantheon…you know."
"That's rough, Lugh," Marduk whispered.
"I know, right?!" Lugh said, trying to laugh. "But whenever they see me, they see him."
"Oh…" Sarpanitu whispered.
"That's why I got to prove my loyalty is to Eire. To the Tuatha De Danann. That I can be strong enough to take my Aunt and Uncle's place…but that prophecy is messing with me."
"Do Nuada and Macha know?"
Lugh nodded. "They're not bothered by it." He looked away and closed his eyes.
Damn it, you two. Marduk thought. That's the worst thing you could've said!
"I mean, why would they be? They've both fought for so long; the idea of dying doesn't bother them!" He looked up, fighting back tears. "But…I don't want to lose them. I did…*everything…*because they did so much for me! After what happened to my birth parents...my real brothers...And there's no way I can pay them back! But now!" He let out a rough breath. "Now! Because I did all of this, I may end up making choices that could kill them and everyone!" He laughed mirthlessly, and the tears fell. "That fucking prophecy all but states I will lose them."
Sarpanitu rose, walked slowly around the table to Lugh, bent down, and hugged him.
"I'm sorry…"
Sarpanitu's face scrunched a little, but she kept the feelings at bay. "No. Do not apologize." She released the hug and stepped back.
"I can't help it. It feels like the prophecy is coming true." He breathed deeply, preparing himself." Please don't tell anyone, guys. At the council, I voted for Humanity's survival. I voted for them, but I didn't say anything in their defense. I was too scared of disappointing everyone and pushing them away. I could have said something! All of Humanity's defenders lost their vote. I didn't, and I could have done something!"
"You could have, but it wouldn't have solved anything," Marduk admitted, leaning forward. "You'd have just painted another target on your back just to be the one to say 'I did something.' It's romantic, but self-destructive, and there's too much resentment, damaged pride, and old wounds to be swayed."
"Maybe…maybe I couldn't do something, and I just let it happen. Now, Týr's gone. I didn't even get to say anything to him before Ragnarök started, and I've got to fight Rommie. One brother's dead, and I'm fighting another." He closed his eyes, trying to let the words flow without tearing his soul as they came. "I'm becoming a King, but I don't know if this is the King I should be."
Marduk leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Memories of an adolescent God in orange robes running around their home, arms full of scrolls, before crashing into him, flowed in. He looked down, seeing the young God's large eyes look up at him in awe. Another time, in the near future, that young God looked at him, terrified and clinging to his pants, crying. He remembered that day, coming home covered in wounds and barely standing, but refusing to collapse in front of his son.
I'm realizing I may have scared you too much back then, Nabu. He thought. By All, I did that again yesterday. I must be better.
Marduk rose from his seat and walked around the table. He stopped in front of Lugh and Sarpanitu and offered his hand.
"Wha?" Lugh asked.
Marduk wiggled his fingers. Lugh looked at his hand and slowly took it. Marduk pulled him up, and Lugh got himself to his feet.
"You feel that?" Marduk asked, gripping his hand.
"Your grip?"
Marduk shook his head. "My world. It is small, despite my Pantheon's size. It is my home and people. It is my wife and son. It is small, heavy, and irreplaceable." His grip tightened. "Grip it back."
Lugh looked down at their hands. He let out a labored breath and nodded before gripping Marduk's hand tightly.
"Is that it?"
Lugh's grip tightened. Marduk's eyes widened a little as a small surge of pain shot up his arm.
"There it is."
"There is what?"
"The strength to bear a world. Their world. Your world. Like Tadakatsu Honda, you have the strength to protect it, yet you are gentle enough not to destroy it yourself. So many Chief Gods come and go; more are ousted than properly succeeded. But you have the potential to be different. There is so much working against you that you are almost entitled to say no, but you don't."
Lugh shook his head.
Marduk released his grip. "You know how precious your world is, even if the others don't. You know the hell Eire's been through, and you want to give your family the peace they never had."
Lugh nodded.
"Then you must understand you will be put in tough situations. Ones you may never be ready for. Ones nothing or no one can prepare you for. But they know better than anyone, even you, that you will make the right choice. The best choice."
"How can you be sure?" Lugh whispered.
"If they felt you needed to change, they'd have done it."
Lugh cleared his throat. "Well, you're not wrong…"
"We can't speak for them entirely," Sarpanitu added. "But they believe there will come a time when you are on your own. I'm sure there is some part of them that still wants to protect you. That's why today is important."
"I know…I'm sorry I threw this at you two."
"Not a problem," Marduk said. "Don't make it an everyday thing, though. Every other day. Maybe."
They all chuckled, then Lugh felt something vibrate in his pocket. Lugh pulled out his tablet and saw a notification.
Lugh, Set's occupied, and we can't hold this off any longer. Are you ready?
Lugh sighed.
I'm ready. I'll send the notification. Be ready to respond.
The tablet vibrated in his hand.
Always am.
Of course you are, Rommie. He thought. Lugh tapped away at his tablet, then pocketed it.
Marduk and Sarpanitu's tablets vibrated. They pulled them out and opened the notification.
Contest for Round Twelve:
King of The Mountain
Fighter for The Gods
Lugh
They're taking control of the Round. Marduk thought, smiling.
"Well, I guess I need to get ready."
"We'll be watching," Sarpanitu said.
"Thank you, guys." Lugh turned around and left the room.
"My Moon And Stars," Marduk said.
"Yes, My Sun?"
"I don't think this Round is going to end well."
Sarpanitu nodded. Her tablet vibrated in her hand. Another notification.
Contest for Round Twelve:
King of The Mountain
Fighter for Humanity
Romulus
"But he'll be ready for it."
Einherjar Barracks
Romulus' Room
"It's time, Mold," Romulus said, wrapping a leather shoulder pad across his chest.
"Are you sure we shouldn't wait for my Dad?" Skalmöld asked, walking to the door.
"As much as I want to respect all this as a courtesy, I'm getting impatient. He's not answering any messages, and the wait between Rounds Ten and Eleven will get people antsy. Plus." He walked over and picked up his blue scutum shield. "Humanity finally has a glimpse of hope, and I don't want to leave them waiting."
"Well, aren't you considerate?" She said, smiling.
"I try."
She opened the door and stopped. Standing in the hall were over a dozen figures in gray and black military working uniforms. All of them at parade rest. At the front and standing in the doorway was a tall, broad, older-looking man with grey hair and a well-groomed mustache.
"Sir," He said. "We're here to escort you to the arena."
Summanus
God of Evening Storms
(Roman Pantheon)
"Not surprised, but I would think Terminus would be leading the way."
"I'm here!" A voice yelled from the back. "But Lt. Col. Summanus felt it wrong not to do it himself!"
Romulus sighed and walked up to Skalmöld's side. "You're too good to me."
"What goes around comes around," Summanus said, working hard to keep his stoic bearing.
"Well, okay then." Romulus turned to Skalmöld. "I wanted this to be a bit more intimate, but plans don't survive first contact."
"You can still try if it's not indecent."
Romulus blushed. He took her hands in his. "Skalmöld, Queen of Rome. Queen of the Roman Pantheon. You who holds my heart and soul. Will you fight with me? For Humanity? For…our family?"
Light started shining from their entwined hands.
"What did I say when we were like this all those years ago?"
Romulus smiled, recalling her back then, then focusing back on her.
The light intensified and enveloped them. Summanus and the others covered their eyes.
VÖLUND!
The Heavens
Eden
Mountain Biome
Back at Eden, Odin stood among the rubble. He saw Hades make a small cut on the top of his left forearm, letting blood flow and harden into another makeshift gauntlet. Then, he flexed his fingers, popping them.
He can amplify his raw power using his own blood? Odin thought. He felt something invisible tugging at his hand. Gungnir is slowly breaking free, but I need to buy time. He walked towards a boulder in his way and grabbed it with his left hand, and tossed it as if it were full of air. It has been a while since I had to fight without it. A manic grin erupted across his face, and he rocketed forward.
Hades leaned forward and shot like a rocket. The two fired their right fists, and they collided. Odin's grin contorted his face as Hades scowled. The air around them exploded outward. The dust around them kicked up in a frenzy.
He is this strong?! Hades thought, pushing his fist against Odin's. He snapped his hand open, gripped it over Odin's, and pulled him in. His left fist looped under Odin's and fired up to his chin. Odin's head snapped back, and he felt his chin crack up to the teeth.
Stubborn brat! Odin thought. His head snapped back down, and he turned his trapped right fist counter-clockwise. The twist pulled Hades's arm to the left, and Odin fired a left hook. His fist smashed into Hades' exposed temple. Hades' head snapped to his left, but his grip did not break. Hades rose and smashed his own left hook into Odin's temple. Odin's head rattled, and a few teeth flew from his mouth along with a splash of blood.
The pair faced each other, locked in their impromptu standoff. Hades could release his grip, but that would let Odin gain ground and cost him time. Time he knew he did not have. Gungnir was pinned, but would return to Odin eventually. Odin could use his natural raw strength to wrench his hand free, but any amount of focus on breaking free left him at Hades' mercy.
These two Gods, two rulers unmatched in their realms, reached the smallest of stalemates. Could Hades overpower and pummel Odin to death? Could Odin outlast him before Gungnir returned? They did not know. Only time did.
But that is insufficient for one of them. Hades, knowing where he stood and what all stood behind him, did not let something else determine his future. He lurched Odin's arm up, obscuring his vision. His left hand snapped up and bit down on Odin's wrist. His back flexed to life, his knees bent a little, and he lifted Odin high above his head. A monstrous chill ran through Odin's entire being.
"Today, you learn what it means to fight me!" Hades roared. He swung down. Persephone-Titan!"
Odin flew head-first into the valley floor with a massive thud. Hades and Metatron were both lifted off their feet. Cracks raced from the point of impact in all directions. He turned and lifted Odin back overhead and swung him back down. Metatron rose even higher off his feet and saw the mountains around them shake and release several large boulders.
Hades released his grip on the embedded Odin and jumped back several meters. He then jumped back towards him as more blood-armor wrapped around Hades' right arm up to his shoulder. He snapped his left arm forward, the force launching him straight to Odin. "Persephone-Kallichoron!"
His right smashed straight into Odin's lower torso, and Odin shot deep underground, tearing up hundreds of meters of valley floor.
Hades wagged his right hand and moved his fingers. I haven't used these moves without the bident in a while. I am not confident my arms can handle the strain.
Suddenly, he felt something snake under the earth, scrambling to the other side of the valley.
Damn it! He thought and broke into a sprint, following it. I can't let it get back to him!
He followed it across the valley and started jumping from upturned jut to upturned jut. He felt it sink deeper and deeper into the soil. Then, it stopped.
Something dropped into his gut, and he started sweating. His head snapped in every direction, scanning the decimated battlefield. He focused on his feet, trying to feel out any sudden movements.
"You…" Odin's voice echoed out of the earth and rubble. "Tried to keep Gungnir from me… and fight me as my worthless son would have…" The earth rumbled and shook. Hades slid down the jut he stood on for more stable ground. "But I…am generous…" The rumbling intensified. "You took mine…But I will give you yours…" Hades felt something dig through the ground towards him. Just as he took a step back, something erupted out of the ground where he stood. He stepped back just enough for the prongs of his bident to skirt in front of his eyes. His right hand snapped around the shaft, and he flew along with it, soaring over the valley.
Hades flipped in the air and landed on solid ground, snapping his attention back to the other side. Odin, bent and broken, rose out of the rubble, but Gungnir was missing. Floating in front of him, which Hades could barely make out, was a small necklace. Metatron could see it and felt his blood boil.
"Fimmdánti Galdor: Iðunnar Koppr," Odin said. The necklace glowed, and glowing vines shot out of the gem in its center, wrapping around Odin's body. Hades and Metatron watched in disgust as the vines bent and twisted Odin's body back into shape. The glow faded, and the necklace twisted and reformed back into a Gungnir.
"A high-speed homing attack and instant healing," Hades said. "And here I thought Yama's power was cheating!" He twirled the bident. "But otherwise this would be too easy."
Odin floated towards him, smiling with his new teeth. He dropped to the ground and brandished his spear.
"Scared to fight me without your spells?" Hades asked.
Odin huffed, but said nothing.
"That's what I—" Hades froze, and his sights locked on Odin. Or more specifically, his forehead. Týr, even your own father? He could barely make out the weak glow of an upward-pointing arrow.
Tiwaz.
Guess it's not fully activated. Of course, you wouldn't tell anyone how it works. Guess it's time to find out!