Ragnarok Rumble! The Rumble On Mt. Olympus (IC/PG-16/Not Accepting Currently)

[Mr. Hyde 201]

The day was new.

The sun rose over Mt. Olympus.  A gift from the mighty Apollo.  The rays from the sun shine all over the temples of the gods who inhabited this place, unseen by the eyes of mortals.  Here, they all resided.  Here, they were all gathered for the sacred tournament that would alter the course of earth over the next 1000 years.  A young, blonde man, clad in robes the color of the clouds, and gold, stepped outside of their residence.  Here, a grand tournament would take place.  He was prohibited from entering the tournament this time around, due to his previous win in the last couple of millennia, but he would oversee it as he always did.  He was always excited for what humanity had to offer the gods in terms of entertainment.  How strong had they gotten in this go around, he wondered.

He took a deep breath, the mountain air worthy to grace a god's lungs, with a hint of humanity's pollution from below.  He waved off the thought before returning to the temple.  Inside, gods from every pantheon had assembled.  The tension was thick...as only one of them would win the idolization of humanity.  The rest would get the scraps...and if there was anything any god hated, it was scraps.  And humans, no less.  They all seemed to be in good spirits though, as they made small talk amongst each other.  Two claps rang out through the halls, booming like thunder.  The man adorned in white and gold put himself in the middle amongst them.  The rest of the gods fell silent.   All eyes fell on him, respect pouring from each and every one of their gazes.  

"My my."  The man smiled at each attendant.  "It sure has been some time since we last gathered like this!  We should do this more often, huh?"  His smile was infectious, spreading like a plague throughout the room.  Numerous cheers from the Greek pantheon rattled off, but the man calmed them down with a wave of his hand.  "Well let us cut straight to the chase, shall we?"  Another thick layer of tension was severed with a fist in the air, and a shout from him.  "Happy Ragnarok!"  More cheers echoed and boomed throughout the halls of Greek architecture.  "Sadly, last years winner, YWH, will be unable to attend this Ragnarok.  He's a bit...upset that the rapture has yet to occur before his time as champ was up!"  The man cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted towards the sky above.  "Sorry big guy!  Maybe in another 10,000 years!"  The whole auditorium erupted in laughter.  The man waved them off again, as the laughter died down steadily.  "Without further ado, let us gather our twelve champions for this Ragnarok, and begin immediately!"  The man put his hand forth, in a show of enthusiasm.  "So say I, the mighty Zeus!"  With a crack of lightning flashing across the sky, the cheers reached an all time high, almost shaking the whole of Mt. Olympus, no, the Earth itself!  Twelve gods bowed before the decree, and rushed off in the blink of an eye to gather their champions.   

_______

The day was new.  Urato Sen, the head of a world renowned Japanese lineage, was going about the usual start to his day.  He helped his mother with breakfast, and cleaned the mess that came after.  He advised his father about ordeals within the government, pleading with him to push harder for strict reformation, but to no avail.  To calm his nerves, he made his way to his family's training ground.  Here, bamboo shoots were stacked together in a vertical bundle.  Here, he was trained from the day he was able to walk.  Here is where he felt most at peace with the world.  His bare feet touched the soil of Japan...this isle of wonder.  Soon enough, it would be his, and his alone.  With his ideals at the helm, Japan would no longer just be a valued trade partner...it would be a dominant force, rivaling that of the United States or Russia!  But to do that...he would need to win...

*CRACK*

The sound was all too familiar to him.  It was like he had heard this sound before his eardrums had even developed.  Something about this sound was etched into his very soul.  It was a cloudless day, so anyone else would've found the sound of thunder to be quite the oddity.  It was almost an everyday experience for Sen.  He turned around to see a blue haired man, with a bright smile plastered to his face.  He saluted Sen, with a hand raised high into the sky.

"Yo-"  Before the man could utter another word, Sen had unsheathed his sword in a flash.  However, the man before him had easily parried it with his fingernail.  With a huff, Sen withdrew his blade, and put it back in it's sheath with precision.  "I really wish you wouldn't do this every time.  Can't we be friends?"  The man asked, with sad puppy dog eyes and a quivering lip.  

"I respect, revere you even, Lord Susanoo.  But we are not friends.  I am merely your tool to win this tournament, isn't that right?"  Susanoo placed hands on his hips.  

"Well, yeah!  But who says we can't be friends?  I'm just a tool for you too, aren't I?  It's not like I'm the only one getting something out of this, you know?"  He answered with a pout.  "Geez.  You're so serious Sen-Sen!  No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."  Urato Sen looked upon the man callously.  "Fine, I'll get to the point!  Did you forget about today?"

"No.  I did not.  I marked this precise date on my calendar.  It is Ragnarok, is it not?"  Susanoo smiled, and nodded.

"That's right!  I'm here to take you to Mt. Olympus!"  Susanoo outstretched a hand.  "We'll be there in the blink of an eye, now just grab on and-"

"No thank you, Lord Susanoo.  I'll get there by my own means."  Sen reached into his pocket, and pulled out a smart phone.  He swiftly dialed a number, before bringing it up to his ear.  "Hello, yes.  Please ready the Urato private jet.  I'll be there momentarily.  Mt. Olympus please.  Yes.  Yes you heard me correctly.  What do you mean there's not a landing strip there?  I'll just parachute down then...what do you mean that's not safe?  Of course it's not safe.  I'll be fine.  No.  No.  Please don't contact my father.  On second thought, cancel the flight."  Sen hung up the call, and placed the phone back in his pocket.  He didn't make any eye contact with the god before him, he merely tapped a finger on his arm in a display of annoyance.  "I do not wish to rely on the gods for more than they have already done for me...but I shall make an exception in this case."  Sen grabbed onto Susanoo's hand, which had yet to leave where the god had put it.  With another crack of lightning, the two were whisked away into the heavens above, towards Olympus.

 

Spoiler

Welcome to Ragnarok!  Go ahead and go about your characters normal morning.  If you would like, you may have your deity react to Zeus' entrance and what else have you.  Your deity will pick you up to bring you to Mt. Olympus, as you need special transportation to reach it.  Commune with them as you wish.  If you would like to control your god, be my guest, but I will be just as happy to play them if you are unable or unwilling to do so!  Just let your host know :)!  

 

[Chaos Sonic 435]

BGM

A new day, a new peaceful day. Flint felt the sun rays hitting his face through his window as he slowly stirred from his sleep. The young man finally sat up, letting out a huge yawn whilst stretching his arm slightly. He slowly made his way over towards his window and looked outside on the beautiful new day, taking in the first bit of new fresh air that brought itself on this new day. This was going to be a great day he could just te-...

There was, however, a slight clearing of someone's throat and at first, Flint didn't notice the smell before...it smelt like...charcoal? No...maybe like a furnace? Another clearing of someone's throat was heard and Flint turned around to see someone (temporary appearance of Hephaestus until a concrete one can be found) in his computer chair, simply watching the young man. He let out a yelp and practically fell back some, hitting his wall as he groaned, holding his head slightly.

"O-OW!!! Jeezuz...would it KILL YOU to announce yourself BEFORE you just appear out of no where, Hephaestus?!" Flint groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at the rugged man, who simply chuckled with a shrug.

"Apologies, but I'm not as flashy as my father, uncles or my brothers and sisters." his gruff voice broke the silence as he propped his arm on Flint's desk, looking at him quite in a manner that one would call being uninterested. "You still are asleep and not even ready yet. I'd have to assume you've forgotten what today was, correct?"

The blank face on Flint was apparent, but the moment Hephaestus raised an eyebrow, the weight of the situation dawned on the young man. His eyes widened and he shot out of the bed and looked at his alarm clock. His alarm never went off and he was off his schedule...meaning he was late. Mind you, he wasn't late to any one else's standards but his own...which was a big deal. "DAMNIT!!! If you were here, why didn't you wake me up sooner?!" he protested, now rushing past the Greek deity, making sure to be weary of the prosthetic left leg he had stretched out.

"That's not my decision to make. You are a grown young man, you can make yourself get up on your own."

"But you still could've reminded me of-..."

Hephaestus dropped the hammer he had in his hand onto the bedroom floor, though miraculously the floor didn't crack nor did the hammer fall through the floor. "Do not test the god of the blacksmiths, youngling. You'd do well to remember that you speak to a Greek god...not some common mortal." he said in a gruffer voice, having a bit of sternness to it as he grabbed the hammer again. "You knew what day Ragnarok was and I warned you to keep your eyes and ears peeled for the sounds of my father's summons. ...yet you slept through that...like a damn log."

Flint was already freshening himself up as he was being scolded by his patron deity. He grabbed his bag afterwards and began to fill it up with a few things, a wide assortment of objects: a few pens and pencils, a paddle-ball, a few marbles, and just a few more strange odds and ends. "I realize that now! Sorry...I'm just...incredibly nervous." he sighed. "Again, I feel like I was a wrong pick for this...and I honestly feel like Zeus made a mistake..." Flint began to mumble the last few words, only seeing Hephaestus nodding.

"Least we can agree on that, Lamest of Lamers." the blacksmith deity simply laughed heartily, before standing up and grabbing his crutch. He shuffled his way towards Flint and motioned for the young man to grab a hold of him. "Now come along...my father is waiting. As are the other Greek representatives..."

Least you could've...ya know...make it SOUND like you could've been encouraging there... Flint looked nonplussed at that reaction, but alas, he wasn't like the other representatives that Hephaestus had prior. They were strictly by the book and pretty much had a method to how they wanted to do things. Him on the other hand? He had nothing special about him, not even an immediate wish. Nevertheless, he grabbed onto Hephaestus and watched as flames started to swirl around them and like that...they vanished from his room and off to meet destiny at Mt. Olympus.

[yui 559]

Today was a historic day... or, night? Whatever it was, in the depths of the underworld. For the very first time, Lord Hades was taking an interest in the Ragnarok Rumble, an affair he had kept his nose out of until now, content to simply rule over his domain and see to the dearly departed. Not only that, but it was also an incredibly rare occasion - perhaps even a first - that he was allowing a deceased shade to leave the underworld, notorious for its reputation of being inescapable, for the purpose of championing him in the tournament. One would have imagined he would have plucked a heroic soul from the fields of Elysium for this job. Had he chosen Achilles or some equally incredible warrior, his victory would surely be set in stone. It seemed that for this particular job, however, he wanted to take his pick from the most violent shades Tartarus had to offer. After all, he wasn't after glory or global worship. There was someone he needed dead, and nothing more. Glory-seekers like Achilles or heroes like Theseus could end up performing too well and taking home the gold, then trying to promote the good name of Hades.

And that was where Timo came in. But before joining the tournament with the best of the best, Timo needed training. Which brought her to right now. Raising her multi-arm - currently in the form of a spear - Timo parried the attack from an opposing spear. The tip of her spear retracted, as the bottom end of the spear grew two large protrusions, transforming from a spear to a battleaxe, which Timo quickly swung at the shade in front of her. An attack that was expertly deflected by the shoulderpads protecting the enemy shade. Now! Timo's legs erupted in a blaze of red flames, as she jumped up to deliver a kick that wrenched her foe's spear out of his grip. The heads of the axe retreated into the multi-arm, while the weapon collapsed down before spitting forth a small blade. Now armed with a dagger, facing an unarmed opponent recoiling from his disarming, Timo moved the knife into her other hand and drove it into the neck of her enemy.

In a real fight, instead of one within this specially-designated area, that stab would have been lethal.

"Enough!" the shade exclaimed, prompting Timo to remove the multi-arm from his neck, and take a few steps back as the flames around her legs died out. His height dwarfed those around him, from Timo herself to a variety of spectators within the House of Hades. To be fair, that was probably because of the bottom half of his body being that of a horse. "You're a natural with those weapons, girl. If only you'd become my student up on the surface."

"Thanks, Chiron."

"Keep fighting like that in the Ragnarok Rumble, and you'll have no trouble. Did Lord Hades tell you who you're after?"

"No." Chiron then started rambling on, speculating about who her target might be based on what very little he knew about the other fighters. This was a lesson Timo learned faster than anything else the centaur had taught her. Chiron tended to go off on these tangents, and when he did, it was best to just tune him out. While Chiron kept talking, Timo cycled through a few different types of weapons as she got herself accclimated to the way the multi-arm felt to wield in different shapes. Olympus was her destination. A place she of course knew about - as any Greek worth their salt would - but certainly not one she imagined she'd ever planned on visiting. Especially not after she died and got sent to Tartarus.

In the midst of Chiron's ramblings, a portal framed by bones appeared within the House of Hades. Through it stepped Hades himself, wordlessly gesturing for Timo to follow him. "Bye, Chiron," she said, leaving the centaur to his continued ponderings as she and Hades went the other way back through the portal. The air on the other side was crisp and cool. And remarkably clean. It wasn't often one could comment on how clean air of all things was, but the air here on Olympus certainly felt worth praising.

"You know what must be done, Timo, prisoner of Tartarus."

"Understood."

The god of the dead and his tortured prisoner didn't exactly see eye to eye. But both of them agreed on one point. There was no point exchanging needless words. And so, Hades turned back, returning to his domain to oversee the damned, and leaving Timo to collect on the soul of someone who was well overdue to join their ranks. Of course, she'd have to find out who it was first, and so she entered the great building before her. The other champions would surely gather here. With any luck, it would be easy to sus out who the target was.

[(o ×) 220]

Master Plan

”Today is the day.”

Icarus rolled his shoulders, tilting his head back and forth and letting out a series of pops. Today was when the Rumble was set to begin, but as an extension of their shared philosophy, Prometheus informed him that he was on his own as far as reaching Olympus went. But Icarus wasn’t frustrated. He was excited.

Peering through what appeared to be an antique telescope, Icarus watched a young woman battling a centaur. ”Timo of Tartarus…” It wasn’t easy to get here, within the house of Hades. Tough security, it had. But the challenge was what made it so worth it. Besides, it wasn’t the first time he had cheated death. Lifting a wing, he revealed from underneath it a large case. Now then, Timo of Tartarus. I hope you don’t mind if I share this ride with you.”

He carefully undid the pair of latches that held it closed, smiling at the rifle within. It was needed for this kind of shot. From underneath his other wing, he revealed a set of complex geared rigging. He was lucky to inherit his father’s mechanical inclinations. It took a few minutes for him to get it set up properly, the machinery clearly intended to fire it after a timer went off. After carefully adjusting for windage and elevation, he peered through the scope, seeing it centered On a seemingly random point, but it was one carefully chosen by Icarus after a few days’ observation. “Perfect.”
 

---

 

A few seconds after Hades returned to… Hades through his portal, Timo would notice a small rustling within her hair. However, before she had a chance to respond to it at all, a small bird emerged from her dark locks. It fluttered about a little, seemingly confused at its new environment. Then, miraculously, in a cloud of feathers and flames, it was replaced by a massive pair of white-feathered wings. They slowly opened, revealing Icarus crouched on the ground, wearing a devilish grin.

”Thanks, Timo of Tartarus.” Standing, he addressed the crowd. ”I am Icarus. Son of the inventor Daedalus, appointed by the Titan Prometheus. I am here to represent Humanity.”
 

Edited March 2, 2021 by (␀)

[Mr. Hyde 201]

Before he knew it, Sen's eyes laid themselves upon the shining peak of Mt. Olympus.  His face remained calm, but on the inside, his nerves were rapidly firing off.  Just the site alone of a place as mythical as this was enough to send shivers down his spine.  This is where many humans had come to fight for their gods...and now it was his turn.  What an honor this was.  He hadn't realized, but he had stood in awe of the scenery for five minutes straight.  What snapped him back to reality was a light pat on the back from Susanoo.  

"I like our Eastern Temples better, but you gotta admit...the Greeks sure did have quite the aesthetic taste.  Wouldn't you agree, Sen-chan?"  Sen did agree with Susanoo.  The architecture of the Greeks, and in turn the pantheon, were a marvel to behold.  But the simplicity and functionality of Eastern architecture was peak design...though he realized he might've been a bit biased.  Then, a question popped in his head.

"Lord Susanoo, why is it that the gods convene on Mt. Olympus?  Why pay so much favoritism to the Greek gods?"  Susanoo, at the question, rubbed his chin.

"We gods are a fickle bunch.  We do whatever we please on a whim, just because we're that strong.  So the strongest of the gods are the ones we admire the most."  Susanoo sighed.  "I'd hate to admit it myself, but Zeus is the strongest out of all of us.  He keeps the others in line, along with Odin and The Jade Emperor.  We might be all powerful, but we have rules here."  He flashed a smile towards Sen, and gave him a harder smack on the back.  "But with Ragnarok, that could all flip on it's head, right?  Whoever wins gets to run the show!  It's been pretty boring since YAWEH won last time, so I hope something fun happens this go round!  You'll make sure to that, won't you Sen-Chan?"  

"Stop with that, Lord Susanoo.  Don't get too familiar with me."  Sen and Susanoo walked side by side as they approached the door to the main chambers of Olympus.  There, two other contestants had shown up before him.  He made it just in time for one of them to introduce themselves to the Pantheon of gods that crowded the room, anxious to see the new contestants for the Rumble.  

”I am Icarus. Son of the inventor Daedalus, appointed by the Titan Prometheus. I am here to represent Humanity.”

Whispers from the crowd of deities erupted.  They eventually became drowned out by the thunderous clapping of the one and only Zeus, who stood in the center of the room.

"Oho!"  He laughed, with a surprised look on his face, "Prometheus huh?  Haven't heard that name in a long time!  A Titan's name hasn't been uttered in Olympus since I killed my Father!"  He then tapped his temple, with a confused look on his face.  "But you're representing humanity, and not Prometheus, huh?"  He slapped his knee, while laughing heartily once more, his laugh alone causing the chambers of Olympus to shake.  "That's something that old coot would do, isn't it?!?!  HAHAHAHA!"  The other gods joined in on the laughter.  After a while, it had died down.  Zeus wiped a tear from his eye, and flicked it in Icarus' direction.  "Well...let's hope you don't fly too close to the sun again!  I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do, human."  

Before long, more competitors had entered the arena.  He took it upon himself to step up next to Icarus, to face the gods despite every fiber of his being telling himself to kneel before them.

"I am Urato Sen, representing Susanoo.  Thank you for allowing me to take part in this Ragnarok.  Although I am merely human, I hope that you'll look upon my battles as something legendary."  

A rambunctious, muscle-clad woman was the next to step in line, alongside the other three.

"The name's Jaya Randhawa!  I'll be representing Kali in this rumble!"  She looked to the two boys by her side and smirked.  "Y'all look kinda pathetic.  Hope you fight better than ya look!"

A respectable, silver-haired man stepped in line after her, bowing to the various pantheons before them.

"I am Lin Ju!  I shall be representing Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, in this Ragnarok.  I am humbled before the gods."  He dropped to his knees, and planted his head into the floor of the chamber.  "Thank you for this opportunity.  I shall not let it go to waste."  Picking himself up off the floor, he looked upon where his forehead smacked the ground.  He pointed to it as he looked at the other contestants.  "Hey, you know what this stuff is made of?  That should be a crater right about now."  

"Uhm...it is made by the gods after all."  Lin Ju jumped to the side, to reveal a young androgynous person, who had been hidden behind his muscular figure.  When revealed, they sheepishly put a black book in front of their face.  "Uhm...uh...My name....My name is Jessie Lovecraft....and I uh...I'm representing the old one...Cthulhu."  Another eruption of whispers came from the peanut gallery, as Zeus' face lit up with a look of confusion.  

"Who?"  Zeus questioned, with a raise of his eyebrow.

"The...The old one...the oldest one...."  They whispered back, their face turning paler by the second.  "Cthulhu..."  They said in a barely audible whisper.  Zeus dug a finger into his temple, twisting it around.  

"I've never heard of this...Cthulhu before...but you would not be here without an invitation from a god.  This is..." Zeus clapped his hands and smiled, "Amazing!  To think there's a deity out there that I haven't met.  Where is this Cthulhu?!  Is he strong?"  

From behind their book, Jessie whimpered. 

"Th-the strongest.  He resides at the bottom of the deepest trenches of the ocean...he's sleeping right now...but...but..."  Jessie dropped the book from their face, their posture becoming straight and powerful, their face was cold as ice as they spoke.  "If he were to wake, there would be no more Olympus.  I hope to wake him by winning Ragnarok."  The stare made most of the gods shiver, as if they looked into the abyss.  Jessie once again placed the book in front of their face, shrinking back into their more sheepish demeanor.  "S-sorry about that."  

"Do not apologize!  Boasting for one's god is nothing to be sorry for, young Lovecraft!"  A man with pale blonde hair, and glorious armor, was next for introductions.   "I am Sigurd, slayer of dragons, and representor of Thor!  I hope this Ragnarok goes by without a hitch!  Maybe I'll even win this time around!  Haha!"  

In contrast to the heroic aura of Sigurd, a low creaking could be heard from beside him.  The wheezy creak turned into a full on cackle.  The one it came from was a man in a metallic mask.  

"You're all disgusting."  The thing then pointed towards the rest of the gods.  "As are all of you!"  The man gripped his face mask, before bowing, flipping everyone off with the other hand.  "I am nobody.  I'll be representing Lucifer Morningstar, but I couldn't care less!  HEHEHE!"  His posture went from bowing, to the complete opposite, arching his back low enough that his head almost touched the ground.  "I just want to see what a god tastes like!"  Whispering came from the gods once more, this time they were audibly disgusted by the man's demeanor.  

"You could come take a piece whenever you'd like..."  Zeus ushered the man forward with a taunt from his finger.  

"YAHOO!"  Nobody roared, as he lunged forward towards Zeus, killer intent seeping from every pore in his body.  "RIP!  RIP!  RIP YOU OPEN!"  He cackled, before being knocked unconscious.  His body fell from the air, a couple feet away from Zeus.  The clicking of high heels could be heard, as a devilishly attractive woman approached his now paralyzed body.  

"I'd rather my contestant not be turned into atoms before the tournament even starts."  She kicked Nobody's body across the room, and back into line.  Her demeanor changed to a cheery one, as she clasped her hands together.  "Sorry for the interruption everybody.  Let's continue introductions!"  From the Pantheons, a large, reptilian god stood forth.

"I am the Mighty Sobek, the god of the Nile!  My competitor is too large to occupy this room, so introductions will have to wait for them.  On behalf of the Nile, I apologize."  He returned to stand beside the other Egyptian Deities who gave him a rather stinky glare.  

"It seems we still have two attendees missing..."  Zeus said, with a bit of impatience in his voice.  "Let's do a little mingling whilst we wait, shall we?"  

Edited March 8, 2021 by Mr. Hyde

[Chaos Sonic 435]

BGM

Once the flames swirled around the pair, and it finally dispersed, there Flint was standing beside Hephaestus: Mount Olympus. This place, he had seen images during times he and his friends researched Greece for school projects and the like...but this was one thing he never once saw in any images. Yet, as if a dream, here Flint stood...the place where the Greecian gods resided, hidden away from the eyes of all mortals, and it was here that the Ragnarok Rumble was taking place. It felt...surreal almost...being surrounded by various pantheons, gods, goddesses. Flint felt way over his head...like...WAAAAAAAAAAAAY over his head.

"Good luck, Lamest Lamer...don't screw up." Hephaestus simply said, hobbling his way off towards the rest of the Greek pantheon.

"H-Hey wait...don't just leave me...here..." Flint gulped, already taking a good look at the competition. They looked like true warriors and fighters, yet...he was the only one that seemed out of place here. ...yeah, there's a huge difference here. They all look like they trained all their lives for this...

That's about when the introductions seemed to begin. One he was completely stunned by: Icarus, the son of Daedalus. Wait a minute...I-I thought the myth and legend said he flew too close to the sun and pretty much died...but he's still here alive?! Flint thought, staring at the young man almost slack-jawed. Needless to say, he was truly confused. But at the same time, he was representing humanity rather than assisting Prometheus even though he appointed him, that definitely threw him for a loop.

Once the shock of Icarus was out of the way, more and more combatants entered and began to introduce themselves: Urato Sen, the representative of Susanoo... Jaya Randhawa, the representative of Kali... Lin Ju, the representative of Sun Wukong... Jessie Lovecraft, the representative of...Cthulu?!... Sigurd, the representative of Thor... a guy simply calling himself "Nobody", the representative of Lucifer Morningstar... and of course, Sobek's representative who was too big to appear in the room. That last part caused Flint to gulp, how huge was the person?!

I thought it was going to be bad...BUT THIS GOT WORSE!!! The old one...Sun Wukong...THE LITERAL DEVIL?! Flint thought, his face already losing a bit of pigmentation as he really was hoping to just turn tail and run right out the door. Then again, he also realized that Zeus was the god of thunder...annnnnd usually was depicted as hurling lightning bolts at mortals...I.E., him... With a sigh, Flint slowly shuffled his way forward along with the other combatants. "Um...hi there." he finally spoke, clearing his throat, it was obvious the guy was nervous. "I-I'm Flint Martel, representative of Hephaestus and the Greek Pantheon..."

Once his introduction was presented...along with who ever was left...Zeus spoke again.

"Let's do a little mingling whilst we wait, shall we?"

This seemed like a moment for Flint to take a small breather. He immediately moved and began to open his bag, just to make sure he had enough knick-knacks and odds and ends stored away for just in case.

[Doggo 216]

A five-fold roar pierced through the gathering on Mt. Olympus but late as it was on arriving the impact was much less impressive than planned. But into view came a chariot pulled by five enormous Asian dragons with brilliantly colored scales. A sixth slightly smaller dragon was at its side and unharnessed. The chariot itself had but a single occupant, an auspicious looking man who seemed all too irritated despite the splendor of his entrance. The five harnessed dragons bowed respectfully upon landing as the man exited, the sixth however stood on their own feet, looking anywhere but the man's general direction.

"My apologies dear friends. I had plans to be here well and early but someone was feeling particularly disagreeable today." The man spoke, his expression settling into a more refined and serious look as if trying to bury the frustrations that were fairly blatant. "I am Haemosu, god of the sun and this is my champmion, Taeyang-ui Suhoja." he said, motioning to the smaller of his six dragons. The dragon did little in the way of recognizing his introduction, only looking Haemosu's way briefly. An intense exchange of glares soon prodded the dragon into action.

"Yeah, that's me." the deep voice sounded briefly. Taeyang sounded less than enthused to be there and in fact wasn't after the near constant bickering she and Haemosu had been occupied with the entire day. It had been entirely her fault and that this point she was well aware of it but it was far too late to back down from her initial position. Still, bickering openly in front of the other gods wouldn't serve either of them very well. Haemosu did not seem particularly thrilled with her lack of formality especially under the circumstances.

"You would do well to at least greet your fellow champions and apologize for our tardiness." the man muttered in a tone that clearly intended it as a threat. Taeyang looked over the room before responding.

"You're lucky there's some lookers here." the dragon moped back. Haemosu took his leave of his champmion to go and greet the other gods and begin playing the game of apologies and posturing he would likely be caught up in for the rest of the day. Taeyang for her part looked back to the gathering, noting the awkwardness her size presented in interacting normally in this setting. She had a remedy to the situation but Haemosu had told her not to reveal it prior to a battle. She would see how long she could put up with that as she began shifting from the entrance to go and meet some of the others.

[Crow 8]

Sniff sniff

Sniff sniff

Hrodvitnir was pleased to whiff the various smells wafting in the air. A variety of prey to hunt - perfect. She was tempted to wolf them down soon, but she was advised to wait for the right time to strike.

"Hrodvitnir," Fenrir prowled towards his star pupil, "claim victory in our name, and you will become other new sister."

"Ssssuch victory will be a piecccccce of cake," Jormungandr loomed over the two, slithering about, "without the bindssss of Ragnarok holding usss thanksss to the particcccipation of ssstudents, beasssst is sure to outdo god..."

"Then it won't be a piece of cake, brother," the petite Hel popped out from Hrodvitnir's shadow, looking up to her serpentine brother, "our would-be sister is not the only beast among these men."

"If there are other beasts there, I will show them that I am their rightful ruler," Hrodvitnir assures her mentors, "you will not need to fret. I will embody all your aspects in battle. The Apex Predator - he who dominates the circle of life. The Devourer - he who leaves none in his path. Death Itself - she who pursues and captures all life with no fail."

"Alone, there is weakness to be exploited," Fenrir adds, "weaknesses that gods and men will take advantage of to claim dominance."

"But together," Jormungandr cackles.

"They will be the elements of an indestructable lifeform!" Hel laughs.

The four walked up to the group.

"Hello Zeus," Fenrir speaks to the leader of the Olympians, "have you met my siblings and I's pupil?"

"Sssshe issss very promisssing..." Jormungandr adds.

"We would know," Hel skips around, "because we were the ones who taught her everything! Teeheehee~."

Jormungandr hisses towards Sigurd, lunging towards him before stopping as they made eye contact.

"The fool Thor managed to get you assss a champion?" He snarled, "I wasss hoping that your master would be accompanying you today. But today, you are lucky that thissss issss not my fight."

After an aggressive hiss, he returned to his group.

Edited March 13, 2021 by Crow

[Mr. Hyde 201]

Urato sized up each competitor as they presented themselves towards the crowd.  He couldn't help but notice that representatives from the Olympian pantheon rather dominated the pool of contestants, but it did not matter.  Only one would be standing at the top of Ragnarok, and that was himself.  No one's goal was as noble as his...but there was one other amongst them whose goals seemed to resemble his in a way.  The Icarus, the son of legend, was participating.  Not only was he participating, but he distinctly declared that he was representing humanity, and not some god.  It was admirable indeed.  However, Sen wasn't here to represent humanity as a whole.  He instead was only representing his native island...and who better to represent than Lord Susanoo.  Sen began to walk up to the young Greek man, but noticed that somebody else had approached him.  

The epitome of what it meant to be a man, a wall of flesh and muscle, walked up to Icarus with a rather large smile on his face.  He waved, charm and positivity radiating from his presence alone.  Sen had to stop in his tracks, as to allow this god to interact with Icarus, for the time being.

"Yo!  Icarus!  Mind If I talk at ya for a sec?"  Placing a hand on the boy's back, the man ushered Icarus outside the hall of Olympus and towards the outside.  His face visibly shifted from a gleeful demeanor to that of worry.  "You are Greek, born human, just as I."  He paused for a moment, and smacked his forehead, leaving a rather red print from where he smacked himself.  "I'm getting ahead of myself here.  I am Heracles...born a Greek man as well...but you already know this don't you.  I too have my ties to humanity."  As they entered outside he spoke softly.  "I wanted to thank you personally for taking Prometheus' offer to join in on Ragnarok.  I was a bit shocked when you said you'd be representing Humanity though...was this his idea?"  His soft tone grew deathly serious.  "You know what this means, correct?  If you win Ragnarok, there will be hell to pay.  The gods won't sit back and take this idly."  He looked back to the halls of Olympus, his brow furrowing.  "I'm not sure if you felt it...but Zeus', and all of the other god's, before erupting into thunderous laughter, bloodlust spiked for a split second."  Heracles turned back towards Icarus.  "I'm afraid that if you do well in Ragnarok...you might not live to see the end of it...they think of you as a joke now...but show any ounce of threat and they'll rip you to shreds without hesitation." 

Heracles started to walk away from Icarus.  

"I just felt like I should warn you...from one mortal born to another.  Be careful, son of Daedalus." 

From afar, Sen watched as the towering man left Icarus' presence.  Sen decided that now was his opportunity to try and converse with the living legend.  It didn't take long before Sen approached the man.

"So...you really are the Icarus?  How have you lived this long?  Weren't you supposed to have died after falling into the ocean?  Not to mention...your age by now?  How is this possible."  Sen turned back towards Olympus, scoffing at what he had just said.  "Nevermind about all of that.  I just wanted to tell you that I admire what you're doing here...trying to topple the gods requires some sort of will.  Comparable to mine."  Sen shot out his hand.  "It's a pleasure to meet you.  I am Urato Sen.  I look forward to seeing what you can do."  

 

---

 

 

"Oh you dreadful thing..."  A soothing voice came from a tall woman, dressed in armor.  She approached Timo, with a sad look in her eyes.  The god tried, but it seemed that nothing seemed to reflect back into hers.  "What has become of you, Timo of Tartarus?"  The woman bent down to be on eye level with the girl, reaching out a hand.  "I am Athena...although I'm sure you probably must've known that...or...have your memories been corroded away?"  She sighed.  "I just know he has something to do with this...even as the goddess of wisdom, I make folly when it comes to the others and their ill intent."  She looked at the girl again, before standing tall once more.  "Timo of Tartarus...I am sure that this isn't the last time we will converse this Ragnarok.  Next time I will pry more.  For now, I mustn't garner too much attention...lest he be watching."  Athena waved to Timo, as she walked out of the halls of Olympus.
 

 

---

 

 

Jaya was the first to approach Flint.  As she towered over the boy, sorting through his bag, she gave out a rather loud scoff.

"Uh...you sure you're in the right place kid?  You do know where you're at right?"  She said, placing her hands on her hips.  "This ain't the kiddie leagues...and what's in the bag, huh?"  Jaya reached out her hand, in an attempt to snatch the bag away from Flint.

 

 

---

 

 

"Good day!"  A rather chipper voice was aimed at the dragon girl.  "It was Taeyang-ui Suhoja, correct?  I'm Lin Ju!"  The boy bowed before her.  "I know I should think of you as an adversary, but I'd think I'd like to think of you more as a neighbor!  You are from Korea, correct?"  He placed a thumb to his chest and smiled.  "I've met plenty of Chinese dragons in my travels, but never have met one of Korean decent.  I am truly humbled to be in your presence."  He said, before bowing again.  "If you wouldn't mind, would you like to walk around the grounds with me?  I'd love to hear your stories."  

 

 

---

 

 

Zeus laid eyes on the champion of the three beasts of the True Norse Ragnarok, but could only manage to shrug.

"She looks like a small fry...but I can sense the beast within her.  Hopefully she puts on a better show than first impressions lead on."  Zeus watched on as Jormungandr viciously threatened one of the other participants of the tournament.  Sigurd could only smile, as the serpent reside inches away from his nose.  

"Ah Jormungandr, the World Serpent.  And Fenrir, the Chain Breaker.  How lovely to see you again."  He raised an eyebrow, as the snake retreated.  "What's the matter?  All bent out of shape because the worlds aren't frozen wastelands by now?  True Ragnarok has no chance of taking place, now that I'm here."  He laughed valiantly in the face of the three.  "I'd be glad to do battle with you in my god's stead, Serpent.  All you need sssssssay is the word!"  Sigurd turned his attention towards their representor.  "What is your name, young one?  I don't believe I recall meeting someone in the midst of this brood."  

Sigurd's question was followed by a stroke of lightning, coming from the Pantheons.  

"I would rather your maw stay rid of my name, Serpent, or by Mjolnir's Might I shall finish our battle here."  The voice was rather feminine, and came from the Norse section of the gathering gods.  Stepping out was a blonde female, wielding a small hammer that shone with electricity.  "Do not go about threatening my Champion, beast, or on my honor as Thor, Daughter of Odin, I shall rid you of your tongue!"  

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by Mr. Hyde

[Chaos Sonic 435]

The bag shuffle seemed to indicate that Flint did indeed have everything he needed. Luckily he had accumulated enough nick-knacks that he could use and had been training his mind so much that he could potentially have limitless possibilities for the transformations and transmutations of the items. And while everyone else seemed to be mingling, Flint did his best to stay his distance away from the other competitors. As he zipped his bag back up, he looked back up just to see the towering woman from earlier over him, scoffing.

"Uh...you sure you're in the right place kid? You do know where you're at right?"

Flint gulped slightly, before getting up and nodding. "I-I do. Rather not be here, but I know where I'm at and w-why." he said, his voice shaking slightly. This woman did look intimidating, then again, she was the representative of the Hindu goddess Kali, goddess of time, creation, destruction and power...plus all the Hindu deities did seem to have a sort of scary vibe to them.

"This ain't the kiddie leagues...and what's in the bag, huh?"

He watched Jaya reaching out her hand, attempting to snatch the backpack up from him, but Flint backed away quite a bit. "Everything I need to compete with...s-so I'd rather you not, please." he simply said, putting his bag back on his shoulder. "I don't have the physical strength some of you do...you especially, Jaya? I hope I said that correctly..." Flint shook his head some. "E-Either way...I was wrangled into this...and whether I want to do this or not...I can't just say no to something...especially when Zeus is there with lightning bolt poised at my direction."

He looked at Jaya and extended a hand out. "Flint Martel, by the way...honestly can't wait to see what you can do as Kali's representative." Was he being sincere? Somewhat. He was still nervous and scared to death at the fact that how powerful these individuals were...and then there was LITERALLY Icarus and Sigurd. So his worry and nervousness, yeah it was well warranted.

[yui 559]

It wasn't long at all after Lord Hades returned to his domain that Timo felt something. Something in her hair. Before she had the chance to investigate though, much to her surprise, a bird of all things flew out! How long had it been since she saw one of those? Maybe if she measured it in deaths... no, it was far too many to count. She'd have to just settle for "too long." And then, as if the tournament, her participation, and even the trip to Olympus was all one giant prank by Hades, the bird burst into flames and disappeared on the spot, not moments before Timo was able to acknowledge that yes, this was a bird. In its place was a boy. With wings. The bird's true form, perhaps.

”Thanks, Timo of Tartarus. I am Icarus. Son of the inventor Daedalus, appointed by the Titan Prometheus. I am here to represent Humanity.”

Icarus. Icarus...?  Never had Timo heard of an Icarus before. But Daedalus was a different story. She knew his legend well, and even had a rare few chances to meet the man in person. They never talked of course, and it wasn't like they were particularly exciting moments - she knew that because otherwise, how would she remember them? - but the fact of the matter was she knew this guy's father. And of course, he built the (prototype) multi-arm Timo was bringing to this tournament.

And then Prometheus, of course. She only remembered bits and pieces of his story, but she knew full well what a Titan was. The enemies of the gods. How strange then, that a human was here, representing one. Although, come to think of it...

"I am Urato Sen, representing Susanoo.  Thank you for allowing me to take part in this Ragnarok.  Although I am merely human, I hope that you'll look upon my battles as something legendary."

Susanoo was a foreign name to her. A god from afar, then. That meant this Urato person was under the jurisdiction of Susanoo and his fellows. Not Hades and the Olympians. He couldn't possibly be her target. More contestants followed in a similar fashion. Jaya Randhawa, representing Kali. What was with all those arms? The way Timo remembered it, if you still had just the two, and could fight properly and as part of a team if need be, no battle would be unwinnable. Lin Ju, who supported the monkey king Sun Wukong. Aside from his comment about a crater, he was... wholly unremarkable. Jessie Lovecraft, chosen champion of Cthulhu. What was a Cthulhu? Timo didn't know, but she didn't like the way it rolled off the tongue. I wonder what his policy on Cthonic deities that unfairly torture souls for eternity is.

Speaking of unfair, the next one in line was Sigurd, the champion of Thor. While it was true that not everyone was under the Greek pantheon's jurisdiction, Timo had very much heard of this man before. Word gets around in a place like Tartarus, after all. This was hardly any different from if Hades really had picked someone like Achilles or Theseus, like people thought he was going to at first. And then came "nobody" who represeted Lucifer Morningstar. Fancy name, she had. Her nameless champion, however... Timo knew his type. To call him easy pickings would be an understatement, in a stark contrast to the legendary warrior standing right next to him. And then there was a god named Sobek. Not a champion of Sobek, but Sobek himself, for his champion was too large to fit in the building. Whatever is fighting for him, I probably don't want to fight it. I'm no hero, and certainly not cut from the same cloth as someone like Heracles or Theseus who were renowned monster-killers.

Last and not least for introductions was a third Greek. There was also another Nordic champion, but not entirely unlike Timo, it seemed she'd opted to skip out of introductions.

"Um...hi there. I-I'm Flint Martel, representative of Hephaestus and the Greek Pantheon..."

Flint Martel. Never heard a name like that before. While his god certainly was, this boy couldn't possibly be Greek. That was all save for a couple champions introduced, and Zeus thought it best to get some mingling in. As if this were less of a tournament to decide the faith of humanity, and instead was just some sort of party. She knew that the capriciousness of the gods was quite literally the stuff of legends, but she didn't expect incredible tonedeafness on top of it. And speaking of gods...

"Oh you dreadful thing... What has become of you, Timo of Tartarus?"

"Mm?" Timo turned to face the figure addressing her. Tall woman, clad in brilliant armor, that narrowed down the list of names she could remember real fast. It had to be...

"I am Athena...although I'm sure you probably must've known that...or...have your memories been corroded away? I just know he has something to do with this...even as the goddess of wisdom, I make folly when it comes to the others and their ill intent. Timo of Tartarus...I am sure that this isn't the last time we will converse this Ragnarok.  Next time I will pry more.  For now, I mustn't garner too much attention...lest he be watching."

Him... Of all the gods, even including Hades, Timo remembered "him" most of all. Although she'd much prefer if they weren't, the memories surrounding him were ones that no amount of death or memory wiping could ever erase. If given the choice between seeing his face again and being met with Charon who believed she'd stolen his coinpurse, Timo would take her chances with Charon any day. If Athena was planning to hand that wretched creature his just desserts, Timo was all too happy to assist. She wasn't particularly concerned about the other champions, bar Sigurd, but now that Athena had gotten her attention, thoughts about that man just wouldn't leave her alone.

He wasn't here. What atrocity was he committing this time? Who would know? Of course. As the two Nordic champions and their deities had their little spat, Timo walked past the lot, directly toward Zeus himself. "Lord Zeus," Timo nodded, by way of greeting. "Some of your children are missing. Strange, given this tournament seems right up their alley. What horrible acts is he committing now?"

[Crow 8]

"It's always the sister who gets neglected, doesn't it?" Hel pouts at Sigurd addressing her siblings but not her, "I thought I'd be the more popular one."

"You speak like you are the only one who prepared for this, Sigurd," Fenrir comments, "we all are. No matter how strong predator is, prey will not be underestimated."

"You can try, Thor," Jormungandr scowls, "you can try and fail. You would sooner fall to my venom than I will fall to your hammer."

"Now, now, just because we are forces of chaos, doesn't mean we should disrupt the order of this tournament," Hel interrupts, "Thor, I would say that I wasn't expecting you here, but this is what it is."

"I have inherited the name Hrodvitnir. I represent the trinity," Hrodvitnir introduced, "I will be the final victory this event sees."

"She really does take after my siblings. Not a lot of sportsmanship," Hel shrugs her shoulder as she indulges in the festivities, "what can I say? They're not the biggest 'big event' guys. Neither am I, actually, but I indulge in moderation."

Edited March 28, 2021 by Crow

[Doggo 216]

For all her readiness to mingle, Taeyang found her form ever cumbersome. It was to the point she was ready to simply curl up somewhere and wait for the fighting to break out. That was until a voice addressed her. Lin Ju the boy called himself. He seemed awfully friendly, if not a bit stupid to so lightheartedly approach a dragon. Were she less agreeable than she was she might well have eaten him on the spot but he seemed not to even consider that a possibility, instead thinking of her as a neighbor and honored friend.

"Yes, that's right. But I don't think there's anything particularly special about us or different." Taeyang spoke, seeming a bit upset with her own low booming voice. She'd met several chinese dragons herself at Haemosu's request. What divided her from them was something best left to scholars she felt. As for the boy's offer she took a moment to ponder it. The dragon scanned the room looking at god and champion alike. Her eyes settled on her own patron god. No doubt off in a dick measuring contest with other sun deities. Whatever she thought of this Lin Ju boy, walking the grounds seemed nicer than playing Haemosu's diplomatic games.

"Sure, I'll join you." Taeyang began after her deliberations. "But there's no need for any of the formalities. I'm hardly old enough to deserve it." she spoke plainly with little of the pomp one might expect of a creature of her kind. One last glance toward her god to be sure he wasn't keeping track of her and off she went to enjoy some fresher air with this particularly polite punk.

[Mr. Hyde 201]

Jaya raised an eyebrow, as the boy backed away the bag to stop her from taking a peek inside.

"Everything I need to compete with...s-so I'd rather you not, please." Jaya crossed her arms, and huffed.  This boy shouldn't have been here.  He was way too pathetic...a little lame even. "I don't have the physical strength some of you do...you especially, Jaya? I hope I said that correctly..." Flint shook his head some. "E-Either way...I was wrangled into this...and whether I want to do this or not...I can't just say no to something...especially when Zeus is there with lightning bolt poised at my direction."  Jaya looked to the God of the Gods, smirking as she did so.  When she looked back to the boy, he had extended a hand out in greeting.  From behind her, a somewhat mechanical looking arm, much larger than the one's she boasted on a normal basis, appeared to meet it.

"Flint Martel, by the way...honestly can't wait to see what you can do as Kali's representative."

"Jaya Randhawa."  She laughed as the two shook hands.  "Funny, you might just be the most memorable one here just by being the weakest!"  Jaya's automaton apparition of an arm disappeared.  "I'd hate for you to be matched up against me in the first round!  But if you make it to the second, I hope I get to smash you there!"  Jaya smiled.  "Maybe you're just holdin' back, amiright?!"  She started doing some stretches before his eyes.  "This thing is bound to start any minute now...I'd be getting prepared if I was you...mentally."  Jaya, mid stretch, frowned, while looking into Flint's eyes.  "You said you were wrangled up in this...are you prepared to die for Hephaestus' cause?"

---

"Lord Zeus," Timo nodded, by way of greeting. "Some of your children are missing. Strange, given this tournament seems right up their alley. What horrible acts is he committing now?"  

Taking his attention away from the Nordic deities was Timo.  He cradled his chin in his hand, stroking it in thought. 

"Which one would you be referring to, Timo of Tartarus?"  A sly smile appeared across his face.  After another moment of thinking in jest, he popped a finger in the air.  "Ah!  You must be talking about Ares!  My son isn't currently committing any atrocities...that I'm aware of at least."  But when was he ever aware?  He looked at the girl with a rather sour expression.  "He should be getting each arena in tip top shape for Ragnarok."  He slowly walked up to Timo, not putting much distance between his tall stature, and her small frame.  "Timo of Tartarus...representing my foul brother Hades...you speak to a god so casually...as if you had nothing to lose."  He smiled again.  "Not as if a disgraced dead woman has much to lose anyway, correct!?  So what, pray tell, does she want to gain?" 

---

"It's always the sister who gets neglected, doesn't it?" Hel pouted, "I thought I'd be the more popular one."

Sigurd turned to Hel, and bowed.

"Hel, if my heart and soul did not belong to another, perhaps you would be.  It was not my intention to neglect one of the gods.  I believe I just got distracted by your adorable pets!"  

"I have inherited the name Hrodvitnir. I represent the trinity," The small feral girl introduced herself, "I will be the final victory this event sees."

"Yes!  That confidence, Hrodvitnir!  Truly worthy of someone raised by beasts representing the end of days!"  He looked to the sky, smiling.  "But let's not get too ahead of ourselves now.  I stand in the way of that vision of yours...a Hero, and living legend.  Do you think you truly have what it takes to see this tournament through to the end?"  Thor made her way over to Sigurd putting a hand over his shoulder.  

"Sigurd...you shouldn't be giving this monster of a girl your time, lest a Pep talk...you should be getting prepared for Ragnarok."  Sigurd brushed her hand off gently.  

"Excuse my impudence, M'Lady...but I do not see this Hrodvitnir as a monster.  I will respect her as a representative of this tournament.  I hope you respect my wishes."  Thor could only sigh.  

"Why do I keep inviting him..."  She said under her breath, as she flew off into the sky, shooting the trinity one last foul glance.  

---

 

"Sure, I'll join you." Taeyang began after her deliberations. "But there's no need for any of the formalities. I'm hardly old enough to deserve it." 

"AH!  So then may I call you Tae?"  Lin asked.  "You can call me Ju in return!  I hate being polite!  But in the presence of gods, rudeness might as well be a frontal assault."  He was sweating a bit at the thought.  "Well then, shall we?"  He asked the dragon, before strolling outside.  The cold mountain breeze was refreshing.  Not cold enough to make you shiver, but just cool enough to soothe oneself.  Lin took a deep breath in as they strolled across the pools that Sen and Icarus occupied.  "I have trained all my life for this Ragnarok!  And it's finally here!"  Lin Ju performed as somersault as he walked, which turned into a handstand.  He looked behind him to see the dragon, a little disoriented as she was upside down now.  "You mentioned not being old enough to deserve my formalities, but why is that the case?  I thought all dragons these days were old geezers stuck in their ways?  And why did you decide to take part in the tournament?  You seem less than enthusiastic."

[Chaos Sonic 435]

"Jaya Randhawa. Funny, you might just be the most memorable one here just by being the weakest!"

Flint wanted to take that as a compliment, but the sheer fact that it also sounded like an insult stopped him from fully accepting it. Then again, what got his attention was the arm and hand that he ended up shaking...an autonomous mechanical-esque arm appearing to meet his own before disappearing. In theory, it honestly made sense for this to be the case. Most if not all in the Hindu mythos had numerous amounts of arms that were connected to them in some shape or fashion...hell, even one of the different Buddhas had this in common...then again, some mythos and religions intertwined throughout history...so it wasn't a shock.

"I'd hate for you to be matched up against me in the first round!  But if you make it to the second, I hope I get to smash you there! Maybe you're just holdin' back, amiright?!"

"H-Honestly, with you representing Kali...I would hate to be matched up with you as well..." Flint chuckled nervously. "Not only do you have a couple extra hands to assist, but given Kali's area of reign over time, creation, destruction and power...yeah...that probably wouldn't end well." Meanwhile, he only had the god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes...compared to the former...not a whole lot to work with.

However, then the conversation went to a different direction...one Flint didn't exactly expect it to go...but Jaya went there nevertheless.

"This thing is bound to start any minute now...I'd be getting prepared if I was you...mentally. You said you were wrangled up in this...are you prepared to die for Hephaestus' cause?"

A cold chill was running marathons up and down his spine as he heard Jaya say this. A lump in his throat started to form, now forcing him to swallow shallowly. Die... That was something he wasn't wanting to think about...hell, he wasn't even wanting to think of possibly killing anyone. "...is anyone ever prepared to die?" Flint posed the question, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. "Even if they say they are...some really aren't...so no I'm not prepared to die. Same time...I'd rather not have anyone die either...if anything...I'd like to get through this without killing anyone..." Flint paused before glancing in the direction that Nobody's unconscious body. "...but something tells me there's going to be at least...s-some exceptions to that. B-But I still stand by that."