THEOS

Taking a deep breath, Luke reluctantly tore his attention away from the icon floating within his mana and deactivated his bloodline. The potential the spell held was extraordinary, and if he could accomplish with it what he thought, then he’d succeed in having both a powerful and versatile tool in his arsenal. Something he sorely needed, considering the fact that twice now, his only Technique had been subverted. Once by the invisible snakes, and repeatedly by the machinery Hephaestus was so fond of.

It was a problem that had been weighing on him with increased urgency, and until now, one he didn’t have a good solution for.

Being a Paragon meant that he had to be extremely picky about what Techniques he could learn, because regardless of what he chose, he had to see it through to the very end– until he became a god. It was one of the few, but also one of the most glaring weaknesses of his Path. Others could pick up techniques with wild abandon and zero concern of how they were going to advance them, beyond the effort required to make them useful in battle. If even that. As far as Luke knew, there were no consequences to beginning to learn a Technique, and then never advancing it again.

Moreover, he didn’t really know what to do with the Technique he already had.

There was no procedure he had followed, or even steps that he could take to reproduce the moments of epiphany that had progressed it to the Warrior tier in the first place, and the path forward was just as clouded in uncertainty as the one behind it.

I really need to figure something out for the First Truth, and soon. I still have time until it becomes the bottleneck, but it would be better… much better to get it done with now rather than later.

I shook Arke’s trail, for now, but in this world there’s no such thing as relaxing. Not for anyone. Personal power is the greatest insurance I have, and not having the strength to defend myself and the things I care about…. It’s a sin.

But… A few years shoring up my foundations on Sylcra or even with the Argonauts on the ship doesn’t seem terrible. The idea rose, not for the first time, to allow himself to take it easy, but like every other time, he dismissed it.

On one hand, he did in fact have the opportunity to lay low, and slowly work his way to the Hero tier under the Emperors shelter, or even as one warrior among many on board the Argo, but deep in his gut he could feel that wouldn’t be the case. The Seed wouldn’t allow it, or something would blindside him and change everything. Especially considering his most recent quest. Despite its relatively simple goal, it would be stupid to forget the fact that Spiros was from Troy, a son of House Paris, and in love with Helen… Taking it all under consideration, he didn’t know what to think, but everytime he dwelled on the subject a nervous pit would form in his stomach.

Shit, he thought, is going to hit the fan when Spiros wins, and I doubt none of it's going to splash on me.

Or I could be wrong, and whatever the second place prize turns out to be, will be more useful to my cultivation.That would be good. Really good. Still doesn’t explain why Spiros needs to be first place though. Realizing the futility of his thoughts, he resolved to do his best, no matter what happened, and focused on Hephaestus instead.

The god was drumming his fingers idly on the armrest of his metal throne, and his eyes danced over the assembled forms of the warriors impassively. Occasionally his gaze would linger on someone, and flickers of emotions would travel through his eyes. From recognition, interest, derision, and at some, even anger, but the moments went by so quickly that Luke wasn’t sure if it was actually happening, or if it was entirely his imagination.

Minutes passed in uncomfortable silence as the god allowed them to indulge their curiosity and familiarize themselves with their rewards, before he decided he had had enough. His finger stopped bouncing on his knee, and immediately the crowd stilled. The innocuous movement instantly had all one hundred of them on edge and focused.

“Now that we have rid most of the chaff, it’s time for the tournament to begin.” Hephaestus said. Standing from his throne, he paced in front of it with his muscled arms behind his back.

An image, from an old movie, flashed through Lukes mind. Of a strict army commander pacing in front of his troops. Except, Hephaestus, with his baggy white clothes that hung loose on his frame, muscled build, and scarlet red hair and beard, looked more like a hippy than a military man.

Unaware of Luke’s thought’s, the god continued to talk. “I’ve tested your pride, and now I’ve tested your resolve. This next test will be unlike the previous. It will test your competence, for the pride to envision yourself a deity, and the determination to seek it, are useless without intellect to navigate the challenges achieving such lofty goals demands you overcome.

“My presence before you, should tell you of one critical truth. You share this world, not just with your equals and lessers, but those infinitely greater than you can even imagine. Behold.”

The world flickered red and orange. Luke blinked as the scenery in front of them changed once again. The god had moved them in front of a forest. Startled, people yelped and rapidly backed away from him, their rings flashed, and an assortment of weapons were suddenly pointed in his direction even as roars and growls of beasts echoed from deep within the forest,

What– Oh. He grinned in realization when a familiar sound of gnashing teeth reached his ears. Staring nervously at the tip of a spear pointed at him from none other than Spiros, he withdrew Maximus from his storage ring, and lifted both of his hands up. He didn’t think he would need it, but it was a good precaution in case someone attacked. Not that he could blame them if they did.

The other contestants weren’t stepping away from him, but from Rex who was standing right behind him, or more accurately, the eldritch demon that had draped itself over his shoulder.

As a large mass of uncountable hair like tentacles, drooling and snapping teeth, and an indeterminate number of eyes, Blinky made for an extremely menacing sight.

That wasn’t even counting the fact that just looking at her, inspired feelings of fright and revulsion, ones that weren’t entirely natural.

Now that I think about it, she feels like Hepheastus did when we got here… but lesser and instead of worship, you just want to get the fuck away. At least to begin with.

Luke had, over the months, gotten somewhat used to her presence. He wasn’t sure if it was the dreadglare intentionally doing so, after having learned who her allies were, or if repeated exposure had inoculated him from the worst of the symptoms she caused, but he was grateful nonetheless. Looking Blinky too long would still make anyone uncomfortable, but it had gotten a lot better now then from a few months ago.

“It’s fine. Please put your weapons away please.” Rex said, stepping past Luke with his arms outstretched. “She’s harmless, I’ve got full control.” He assured them.

Spiros snorted, and opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by a burst of aura.

The source was Hephaestus, who with his arms crossed over his chest, didn’t look the least bit amused that he had been interrupted. Nonetheless, once everyone was facing him, he nodded and continued with his speech.

“In front of you, is a forest I have created and stocked with all manner of ferocious beasts.” He twitched his finger, and in front of him appeared thirty two different scrolls. Half of them were colored black, and the other white. “These scrolls are your objective.”

The second the words escaped his mouth, they flew off from his hands to a destination deep within the forest. On cue, the leaves on the trees ruffled and another series of strange noises and loud roars rang out from the forest.

“To pass this trial, you must collect one of each scroll. Collecting a white one, will reveal the location of the nearest black one, and vice versa. Once you possess both scrolls, you must hold onto them for one entire week. Surviving both the creatures that prowl the forest, and each other. If you lose your scroll, and later collect another complete pair, the time you held onto your original scroll will be counted towards your total time. Meaning, that you can hold one pair for six days, and another for one, and you will have completed the objective.” He paused, letting them consider his words.

Well, that seems simple enough. Luke thought, sharing a nervous glance with Rex. It’s not going to be easy though. Getting one scroll will mean that you're automatically pointed towards someone else and vice versa, so that's not too bad. But having both scrolls means that someone with a single scroll will know where you are, and considering that you have to hold onto a pair for seven whole days… while someone is gunning for you, and you need to survive what ever fucked shit is in the forest to begin with… Damn.

A moment later, Hephestus twitched again, and this time drones, the same ones that had tested them initially appeared in droves. At least two hundred of them, and each one zipped around silently before rising into the sky and disappearing. Becoming invisible in the process. A proud smile stretched across Hephaestus' face.

“The potion you drank earlier is still in your system as you no doubt are aware. It will heal any minor and most major wounds. If you lose a limb or suffer damage that the potion cannot heal, I will restore it or treat you to the best of my ability, before sending you home. You have my word that none of you will leave here any worse than wear. Be warned however that along with the continued presence of the scrolls within the forest, the potion will act as your timer. The moment its efficacy is expended, you will be disqualified. The drones will act as my eyes and ears. While I will not personally oversee every action, do note that nothing you do from now until the end of the games will escape attention.” He looked at them meaningfully, letting his words sink in, before continuing.

“That in mind, and considering your young age, I urge you not to commit any acts that you don’t want witnessed and heard by me and those in my employ. This includes anything from acts of intimacy to violence that borders sadism or is sadistic. Especially if it is deemed to be against the spirit of these games. I’ll let your own judgment govern what is and is not an acceptable level of force.”

The god scratched his chin, as he thought of other things to say, and Luke watched with nervous amusement, as a series of emotions flickered across the deity’s face. Whatever he was thinking was making him uncomfortable, but eventually, his expression straightened and he looked down at them with suddenly glowing eyes.

“In the interest of honesty, I have no desire to behold youthful passions and I will expel you immediately if I have to. If I find your conduct particularly gruesome, you will be punished until I’m personally assured that you have learned from the error of your ways, even if it means not returning to your home for the foreseeable future. Are there any questions?” Hepheastus asked, looking at them. An aura, heavy and full of authority, proliferated from him and over the rest of them.

It wasn’t full of anger or demanding obedience and it didn't press them face first in the ground like Arke’s had on the multiple occasions when either Luke himself, or Cyzicus had provoked her anger, but it was no less menacing. More even.

Whereas Arke felt like someone desperately clinging to power and hiding insecurity even as she lashed out, Hephaestus didn’t. He felt powerful, unafraid, and confident. Neither his tone, nor his demands brokered disobedience. He was just stating facts, not blustering about demanding his voice be heard, and his wishes be realized, but stating what felt like the obvious.

At least what he’s asking is reasonable. Luke thought with amusement, even as his body involuntarily stiffened. I wouldn’t want to watch any of that either.

“Good.” The god nodded. “You may begin.” Then in an explosion of red and yellow light, he was gone. And as if detecting that the god was no longer present, monsters spilled out of the forest.