"Congratulations to the survivors, you all represent the meaning of being a true God, this was your first trial maybe the most brutal you will have to face but if you're to become a God you'll have to show your worth and survive until the very end of the trials, now you may enjoy the feast and rest for the following day until our evaluation of this trial is complete" Six individuals state to a huge crowd of mostly terrified individuals
"What was all that about…where I am even to begin with…" he checks his pocket, takes out his wallet opens it and checks the info on his ID "Nurt Mesta age 25, height 180 centimeters, weight 75 kilograms…yeah okay correct information" Mesta thinks as he continues checking his wallet and clothes, until he sees a puddle near him and sees his reflection a male, black short hair gelled to the back, brown eyes and a serious look all around "Looks, clothes, teeth, eyes, all check out… I am stil me, then where the hell am I ?"
Mesta starts looking around the place and sees a lot of oddly dressed individuals but doesn't interact with them as he is weirded out by their appearance but hears a lot of things as he walks around and several minutes later comes across a group that feels familiar consisting of three individuals, tow males and one female and out of everyone around those three stand out the most.
The first males that stands out is standing tall at approximately 2 meters, wearing armour around his torso, knees, legs, shoulders, crotch and neck, with a distinct cargo pants and brown boots, due to the neck warmer he is wearing that extends up to his nose and an open helmet with night vision goggles hides his face but not his brown eyes and hair which are brown with silver highlights indicating his age is close to mid 30s early 40s.
The second male is shorter, closer in height to Mesta's brown eyes, brunette long hair, dressed in all black, a normal pair of jeans, seemingly semi-boots covered by his jeans, a black jacket with an upside zipper evident by it being half closed from the top with the golden initials around the neck and a white shirt.
The female also looks close to Mesta's height, bob cut black hair on the outside and purple on the inside with silver eyes, wearing a black shoulder less long dress with and sleeveless black turtleneck floating just above ground having a set of wings on her lower back and a set of purple horns starting from the front of the head going all the way to the back of her head similar to a halo.
All three of them notice Mesta and he pulls out two baguettes and slowly starts to pick up his pace and when they are within an arm's reach, he throws the baguettes towards them but before the baguettes hit them, they immediately become dust. The military guy responds by moving backwards. Before either of the other two react, Mesta snaps his fingers and after a small electic current appears, the dust ignites and an explosion occurs blasting back the female but not the short male.
When the explosion clears out, the military guy rushes to apprehend Mesta but with a snap of his fingers, the soldier is stopped in his tracks and Mesta goes on to face the other male with a frontal kick which he easily avoids by turning to the side. The female is visibly irritated and is about to retaliate herself when the short male signals to her a stop and she obeys. Mesta finds the situation amusing but checks his surrounding and notices the soldier is about to attack, Mesta then brings his hand closer to him and manages to touches him but as the soldier is about to grab Mesta's hand, he immediately collapses to the ground which is when the student makes his first attack and opts to kick Mesta to the ribs but misses by an inch. Mesta then steps in for a knee kick to the male's face to which the male just bends his back backwards managing to evade the kick.
Mesta impressed by his flexibility uses his rings to materialize a knife and goes for a blunging thrust to the males torso in response the male just changes moves his upper body to the side and by using his momentum jumps backwards. After missing the strike Mesta follows him and starts slashing around the males lower torso using horizontal slashes opting for hits not penetration but the male just moves back and around evading each and every one of them. This continues for a few seconds as the male the military guy starts getting back on his feet and goes for a hook to Mesta's jaw but stops when he notices the blade coming for his eye, as the the knife moves closer and closer to the eye it soddenly hits crushes on it as if it were solid which puts a stop to both of their attack and each of them just take neutral stances.
"So Mesta" says the male "Why did you try to assassinate us?"
"How do you know my name?" Mesta asks alarmed
"Oh" he replies "Because of these" he shows Mesta his eyes, the sclera turns black and the iris yellow "They are called eyes of the hidden an inferior variation of the eyes of truth"
"…okay…" says Mesta confused "It's Don Mesta for you"
"Name's Vapdra" he says "She is my partner Xynevir" pointing at the demoness "And the guy about to take you out is Derek, Derek Greenwood or Hound if you prefer" pointing behind Mesta
"Thanks" Mesta replies snapping his fingers
"Motherfucker" Hound says as his knees give in crushing on the floor "How did you do that?"
"By snapping my fingers I can create small emps" Mesta replies "And you being a cyborg I should be able to shut you down, but you are quite resistant"
"He is a cyborg?" Vapdra asks surprised
"You didn't know?" Mesta asks
"Well I thought he was some type of golem" Vapdra replies "Well, I wasn't that far off"
"How?" Hound asks
"How what?" Mesta questions "How did I know?"
"Ye" Hound replies
"I'll keep it a secret for now" Mesta replies
"Well I take it this was your way of measuring our strength?" Vapdra asks
"When others gossip about a person that killed five of the so called Amygdala single-handedly" Mesta replies "I mean you need to test if the rumor is actually true or not"
"But I didn't kill five, I barely took down two" Vapdra responds
"But you match the description others were saying about guy with long brunette hair, average height, semi casual sharp look and a mature looking woman around his height escorting him" he states confused "I mean there were other more specific details, but generally it fits your profile"
"So you assumed it was me" Vapdra concludes
"So there's someone who is similar to Master?" Xynevir questions
"Alright but what do you mean the so called 'Amygdala'?" Vapdra questions "Didn't you fight them?"
"No" Mesta replies "I didn't even see them, I for the most part stayed close to another group of people checking the situation confused until the oddly dressed ones that were standing all over the place intervened"
"That's odd" Vapdra replies "How many of you were there?"
"Hard to say" Mesta thinks about it "But it should have easily been over 50 people"
"I see" Vapdra replies
"So how many did the rest of you killed?"
"I at least killed two and I made the rest fear me" Hound says irritated
"How though?" Mesta asks intrigued
"Well the first one tried to grab me, so I grabbed it instead, tossed it on the floor crushed its head" Hound explains casually
"Where they so small?" Mesta asks
"Most of them exceeded 5 meters in height" Xynevir replies
"And the second?" Mesta asks concerned
"I just blasted its head off when it tried creeping up on me from behind" Hound states
"You Xynevir?" Mesta asks
"I just played with them like my Master" Xynevir responds "I just didn't feel like killing any"
"That's all well and good but when are we leaving here" Hound interrupts "I have a new planetary colony to establish"
"What are you talking about" Mesta questions confused "Planetary colony…space travel is still far from perfect not to mention ways to create colonies in other planets"
"You have probably been living under a rock since humanity has been able to space travel for a millennia and the past century alone, we have been able to utilize hyperspace to travel" Hound says mocking Mesta
"Oh cool another delusional person talking nonsense as if I didn't have enough" Mesta replies " Just because you are a cyborg thanks to advancements in bionics doesn't mean that every fictional scenario has come true"
"Alright…alrigth let's settle down a little" Vapdra yells "Have you actually considered that we may have come from different worlds?"
"Huh, what bullshit are you talking about, just because your other friend the shorty is a scaly and had extensive surgeries to look like a serpent" Hound gets interrupted
"Dragon" Vapdra states
"Lizard" Hound corrects him
"Dragon" Xynevir interrupts irritated
"Wyrm that's the best you get" Hound says
"Not the point" Mesta says clapping his hands
"Yeah indeed point is I want to see the manager" Hound states firmly
"Excuse you?" Vapdra asks
"I have had enough of this corporate bullshit, I want the God Damn Manager" Hound states in a fairly tame manner
"And you'd know who that manager is?" Mesta questions
"Well he might actually be on to something" Vapdra says
"Meaning?" Mesta questions
"So you remember the ones who welcomed everyone after the initial battle?" Vapdra asks
"You mean the tall cos-players?" Hound replies
"You could say that yes" Vapdra answers "If you could look at them with the eyes I mentioned earlier, you would see that the six of them were named Zeus, Odin, Ra, The Jade Emperor, Tonatiu, Vishnu and Marduk"
"Besides the three first names which are from the three most popular Pantheons in the world I don't recognize any other" Mesta replies
"The rest are from the Chinese, Aztec, Thai and Mesopotamian Pantheons respectively" Hound replies
"You are faimiliar with their names?" Vapdra asks impressed
"Unfortunately they take space in my hard drive" Hound replies
"Okay" Mesta states "So anyway what's your point?"
"My point is that it would be safe to assume that we're in a world filled with Gods and among everyone else here, they are probably the right people to ask" Vapdra answers
"Dear fucking universe" Hound brings his hands together close to his face "When I asked if my day could get any worse…" Hound exhales "it was a rhetorical question, not a fucking challenge" he yells
"This just gets better and better" Mesta sighs
And as they say that, they start following after Vapdra to go and find the King Gods for some explanations.
"Master, mind if I obliterate both of them now?" Xynevir asks Vapdra directly
"Yes I do mind" Vapdra says taken aback "Fuck is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, Nurt Mesta tried to assassinate you and Derek Greenwood doesn't even show any respect in your presence" Xynevir replies
"First of calm down" Vapdra tells her
"I'm perfectly calm Master" Xynevir states
"Alright, then let them be because like Robin said, it would be a benefit to make allies in this unknown place" Vapdra explains
"But Master doesn't need any other allies other than me" Xynevir responds
"Although we certainly are individually powerful how much as a duo, still it would be best to play it safe as much as we can" Vapdra states
"As you wish Master" Xynevir responds "But I'll keep an eye on them"
"Hey…" Mesta asks Vapdra "Is something the problem?"
"No…nothing" Vapdra replies "Why you ask?"
"Because you are standing still looking at each other for the past minute"
All three of them wonder around for a good ten minutes searching around for the six individuals Vapdra claimed to be named after the top gods of the different pantheons only to stuble upon Ra who confirms what Vapdra told Hound and Mesta. While talking to them Ra reveals that the six of them along with another individual called Nyame from the yoruba pantheon make up the God council and after a very long conversation which bores and irritates Ra, they manage to get as much information our of him as they can.
"So based on what he said considering the fact we believe him" Mesta states "We are bound to remain here for at least six months after which we will be considered New gods, granted that we pass all five of the remaining trials"
"It sounds like it?"
"What were even the conditions under which we were chosen to begin with?" Mesta questions
"Hard to tell" Vapdra replies "I am still trying to figure that out"
"What do you mean?" Mesta questions "I said that the reasons elude me but couldn't our powers be one of those reasons?"
"I mean you would be right if it weren't for Hound" Vapdra replies "Since he possesses none"
"Wait are you serious" Mesta asks surprised "You don't possess any?"
"What a magnificent waste of time this whole situation is going to be" Hound states "Unless of course this is dream, yes this has to be one"
"Hey I asked you something" Mesta yells
"As a matter of fact, there has been no particular brain activity to indicate that you're dreaming" Answers an unknown voice to Hound
"Who was that?" Vapdra asks
"I am the personal assistant AI assigned to Derek Greenwood" Says the AI
"What is an AI" Xynevir asks Vapdra directly
"I'll explain it to you at a later time" Vapdra responds to her
"That answer makes it seem like a more advanced than any I am aware of" Mesta replies
"That doesn't matter" Hound replies "You all probably are actors and I'm being held captive and lied to"
"Based to the vitals of every single person that you have interacted besides Xynevir, i can state with 98,9℅ accuracy that no individual has lied" The AI assures Hound
"What do you mean besides Xynevir" Hound asks confused
"Aside from her odd heat signature and a contradictory x-ray scan, i fail to determine any other major vital sign" states the AI
"Alpha AI core my ass" Hound think to himself
"I could have said the same thing" Says Vapdra confidently
"That would indeed be reassuring" Hound replies "if i trusted you"
"Why would you be able to?" asks Mesta
"Because with the eyes I can see the soul of a being that possesses one, and depending on how the coloring of it changes during any interaction there are several things you can determine" Vapdra responds
"Including lying?" Mesta asks to confirm
"Yes" Vapdra says
"So then the eyes would be useless against something like an AI" Mesta determines
"Indeed and in some other cases" Vapdra replies
"Such as?" Mesta asks
"I don't think it matters right now" Vapdra replies
"Why doesn't it matter?" Mesta asks firmly
"Master should i stop him" Xynevir asks Vapdra directly
"Alright, in a situations such as mind control" Vapdra replies disregarding Xynevir "To put it simply, if you have never met the person and that person is mind controlled and is in fact lying, it would be hard to tell since they believe, but it still possible"
"Master" Xynevir says mildly irritate directly to Vapdra
"Alright, let me ask you this" Mesta says to Vapdras
"Master, you are in no way obligated to answer his questions" Xynevir says to Vapdra
"I'm listening" Vapdra replies to Mesta
"Why do you answer to my questions so willingly?" Mesta questions "I don't quite understand"
"He is getting out of line Master, I think you should put him back in his place" Xynevir continues saying directly to Vapdra
"We are by no means friends nor are we allies but our interests certainly align so I'm want to cooperate and establish a form of trust" Vapdra replies to Mesta
"Sounds reasonable" Mesta considers Vapdra's position "How do i know this will last though you seem too composed for an unknown situation and in all likeness you could be providing me with false information"
"I can't take him provoking you like this Master" Xynevir says "If you're not willing to do something about it i will"
"Mind if we excuse ourselves for a second?" Vapdra says to Mesta while glancing at Xynevir
"...Yeah...by all menas" responds Mesta visibly confused
Vapdra takes Xynevir by the hand and when they are far enough stops moving and looks at Xynevir with his back facing Mesta
"Can you tell me what your problem is?" Vapdra asks Xynevir directly
"Why are you mad at me Master, he is the one not respecting you even though you're answering him truthfully, how can you take that from someone like him, he is below you" Xynevir replies
"I'm not mad at you and i get your frustration" Vapdra responds "But I'm here to make allies if not friends and certainly not underlings…to be honest it's a good thing he is questioning both my information and my intentions, it shows that he is at least genuine and smart"
"Still he is taking you for a fool can't you see that, he is using your kindness and your knowledge to gain more than he can handle" Xynevir replies
"Okay I'll admit that he may be pushing it a little but if he oversteps any more than he needs, I promise I'll allow you to kill him but for now please trust the process" Vapdra assures Xynevir
"Alright fine, I'll trust in your words Master" Xynevir replies
With that their conversation ends and they return back to Mesta.
"If I may, why did you go back there to talk when she wasn't even speaking?" Mesta questions Vapdra
"As a person from the mafia yourself, I'm sure you understand that i under no circumstances I will show you all my cards from day one" Vapdra replies
"Understandable" Mesta responds "I wouldn't expect someone to answer everything immediately that would be suspicious"
"Now to answer a question you had previously" Vapdra says
"You mean, 'Why doesn't it matter?' question?" Mesta asks
"That one" Vapdra replies
"I'm listening" Mesta says
"Because going by the interest you took in the eyes of truth, you're probably going to ask about magic generally" Vapdra responds
"That's a given, isn't it?" Mesta says casually "Trying to acquire as much info as i can, it is natural considering i must be prepared for any situation"
"Yes but in any case, anything further I and my partner Xynevir provide could potentially prove useless or invalid" Vapdra responds
"Why…don't you have an understanding of magic, or are you suggesting that you will deliberately feed me false info?" Mesta questions triggered
"Both of your reasoning are wrong" Vapdra assures him
"Then?" Mesta asks while Xynevir also seems intrigued
"Because although I am not a magic user myself, in the sense that i can't cast fireballs from my fingers and stuff while Xynevir can" Vapdra states "But because you yourself aren't familiar with it nor do we yet know how magic may vary in this world"
"I may not be familiar with magic but it would be useful to learn how to counter it or perhaps utilize it" Mesta bluntly states in response "Still I understand your dilemma but you can't be certain whether it varies or not"
"In fact I can" Vapdra states confidently socking all three of them"Because for one we aren't on Planet earth right now"
"The fuck do you mean we aren't on planet earth?" Hound asks
"On what basis do you say that?" Mesta questions
"Like you, many probably haven't noticed it but although we can in fact exhale on command, on the contrary we cannot inhale air" Vapdra states and Mesta then immediately opens his mouth and tries and he is in fact unable to inhale anything as hard as he may try
"You're right, it is impossible but it doesn't give off the feeling of chocking like in other situations such as drowning" Mesta says surprised "It just doesn't feel the same"
"Which brings me to the next evidence, that there's no air resistance, although subtle, we can move more freely and our bodies are lighter" Vapdra says "Which means there's no atmosphere and if you just know the basics of physics, too many questions arise about this place and the mechanics it"
"We can confirm" Penny replies
"You are out of order Penny" Hound replies to her directly
"You fail to see the bigger picture" Penny replies to Hound "We are exchanging valuable info and until now none of what Vapdra has said sound incorrect"
"Fine" Hound replies
"I don't know whether this is scary or not" Mesta says awkwardly smiling
"I would say that it actually is" Vapdra says with a smile "Because if you start considering how this could affect things from magic attacks all the way to bullets being fired, then it could get messy really quickly"
"I think this a good enough base to start off" Mesta says filled with different emotions
"A base for what exactly" Vapdra questions
"A base to start trusting you, I can't be certain about your end but on mine i can confidently say that I consider both of you my allies in this endeavor" Mesta states extending his hand
"How do you feel about this Xynevir?" Vapdra asks Xynevir directly while turning to face her
"It doesn't feel like there's any room for me to argue Master" Xynevir replies to him
"I still want your opinion on this" Vapdra responds
"I'll trust your judgment on this Master" Xynevir replies
After a short period of silence between Vapdra and Xynevir as Mesta is about to retract his hand, he notices Xynevir nodding. Then Vapdra extends his own hand and accepts Mesta's handshake.
"This felt more like a childish formality" Xynevir comments
"Perhaps but i don't believe in fancy papers and lawyers, in my opinion a conversation and a simple handshake should be enough to seal a deal" Meata responds
"What are we doing about him?" Vapdra asks Mesta pointing at Hound who is passing around
"I don't know" Mesta replies "We might still just be a delusion to him"
"Hey you, tall military guy" Vapdra yells at Hound
"Wha?" Hound replies
"Wanna join our alliance?" Vapdra asks
"Yeah…sure…whatever" Hound quickly replies
"No objections, nothing you want to ask, you join people just by being asked" Mesta questions Hound
"Ye" Hound answers "Problem?" to which Mesta just shakes his head with a disapproving grimace
"...Okay..." Mesta says questioning the whole situation
"Now" Vapdra says putting an arm around Mesta and grabbing Hound by his attire "Let's go join the rest at the buffet that Ra mentioned" he continues essentially dragging both of them
