Chapter 20: The game

woosh

In an instant, Iris propelled herself toward Maeron, a sword materialized in her hand and she delivered a powerful slash targeting Maeron's head.

Clang

Maeron stopped the attack with a smile by placing his forearm above his head. 

The crater that appears below Maeron is a testament to the power behind the attack of Iris.

"Straight for the head, heh, if I didn't know you I would think that you want me dead," he commented 

"Well you are a good stalker, so I don't have to worry about that," she said delivering hundreds of slashes in a matter of seconds trying to create an opening in Maeron's defense. 

Not far behind Anastasia and Evangeline were observing the exchange to analyse Maeron's fighting style. 

Both Goddesses had a frown on their face observing the exchange, Maeron was on the defensive but it was obvious that he was the one controlling the fight if you could call it a fight.

The more they looked at that the more it looked like an adult standing and letting a child vent his frustration knowing that the child couldn't do anything. 

They were particularly surprised by the fact that he could deflect her sword slashes with his bare hands without even using an ounce of divine energy.

Looking all around they saw the devastation, the deep slashes on the ground made by Iris's attacks

'His body is sturdier than the floor,' they thought in surprised

The material used to build the sanctuary in Olympus particularly the ones used for the queen's palace was among the most resistant in the world, so much so that some gods are incapable of scratching its surface. 

The scene in front of them was unsettling and at the same time deeply offensive, but the angriest about everything was Iris and it could be seen as her attack became stronger, faster, and even more deadly.

 "Screw it," they said realizing how foolish they had been 

In front of them, Iris also had enough

"Fire sword" 

Boom

"I wondered when you were going to use it, your powers," Maeron said appearing a few meters away from the explosion looking at the glowing red sword with flame in Iris's hand and said

Woosh 

Using the smokescreen as cover a wipe flashed toward him 

He avoided it by sidestepping to his left, this is when he felt something coming toward his back 

Turning he caught two blue arrows with his bare hand and stomped on the one targeting his right leg.

"I almost felt insulted seeing you trying to test me with only one of you,"

'Is that why he was playing with Iris earlier, he wasted one minute on that, petty!' Anastasia thought regrouping with the two 

"Well let's make sure that you aren't feeling insulted again," 

At those words Iris threw herself toward Maeron using her flames as propulsor, her speed was much greater than previously 

"Fire slashes" she shouted sending a massive red slash at Maeron who stayed there without moving 

'Let's see what you are worth,' he thought before coating his forearms with his divine energy 

Clang 

With his arms crossed in front of him Maeron let himself be struck by the attack of Iris 

"Huh!" it didn't take long for Maeron to be pushed back leaving on the floor two massive trail 

While it was happening he felt something coming from behind 

"tch," 

Boom

He was struck on the back by a powerful arrow from Anastasia while the wipe Evangeline slashed him and as if on cue the slashes exploded with enough force to momentarily make him regret his decision 

"Take that asshole," Iris smirked

"One minute has passed," said Evangeline 

"You are underestimating us too much, you will end up regretting it,"

When the dust dissipated the goddesses saw Maeron standing there almost nonchalantly examining the burns that he had on his hands before reaching for the arrow on his back and pulling it out like it was nothing

They then saw how his wound started to heal almost immediately 

"I'm impressed that you were able to scratch me, you will make fine warriors once I enhance your powers!" he said smugly 

At that point, the goddesses realized that one of Maeron's specialties was to play with people's emotions, 

They had met and dealt with their fair share of an asshole but he was on a whole other level 

From the beginning of the fight, he just played with them and they had the feeling that he was not going to stop 

"I'm going to kill him," they said releasing their energy at full power without any restrained 

Maeron's eyes started glowing while observing the three goddesses using his power to fully analyze their capability.

"Ha," 

Once he was satisfied with his observation finally stopped smiling maybe one of the rare times since the beginning of the fight and actually appeared serious 

"Two minutes have passed," he said "If I want to win my price I better get serious,"

"You really think that you can still beat us in just three minutes stop messing-" 

Evangeline was stopped in her rant by the overwhelming divine power that enveloped them 

The power of Maeron was so powerful, so vast, so overwhelming that it engulfed the whole room. 

They felt small in front of him.

Yet they didn't yield or kneel in front of the overwhelming strength that was exerted on them 

"Fuhhh," they took one deep breath to regain control of their emotions 

"I see that we underestimated you more than we even realized," Said Anastasia calmly, the display of power cooled their heads, but it didn't break their fighting spirit 

"I saw worst," said Evangeline looking at him in the eyes and he could see determination in them 

"WE saw worst, we faced death," Iris corrected "Your energy though overwhelming tells me that you will not kill us, and you will not be able to defeat us in three minutes," she commented sure of herself getting in a position of combat 

"I see that you are trying to stall for time," he said revealing that he had seen through their strategy 

"You know I took that fight more seriously than you may realize, if you knew me you would know that I'm the kind of god who tends to lay a trap and wait for it to close upon my enemies and you three beauties have been in my trap since the fight started" 

At those words the three goddesses started to get tense their senses were telling them to get ready for what was coming 

After letting a few seconds pass to let the tension build-up, as at his habit he snapped his finger.

In an instant, the room was filled with water, from the floor to the ceiling the water was everywhere. 

Looking at the water that surrounded them Evangeline flashed a briefed smile 

'If that is all he prepares he is going to be disappointed, one of my parents is a titan of water after all,' she thought as her blue eyes started to shine brightly and her hair floated harmoniously in the water 

Iris who had her flames extinguished by the water smiled happily with Anastasia, they turned their gaze toward Maeron only to see that he was looking at them with indifference, in his eyes there was certitude in his victory as the water started to spin, in an instant they found themselves caught in a whirlpool with Maeron as its center. 

Evangeline tried to gain control of the water but it was useless, even worst she found herself in a worst situation

'How is that possible,' she thought in distress 'I can't breathe how can that be!?' she looked at her friends who were in similar situations breathless and at the mercy of the water her questioning gaze turned toward Maeron who was looking at them sure of his victory they.

At that moment they heard Maeron's voice in their head 

'Wanna know what's happening?' he questioned and after seeing the look in their eyes he talked 

'That water has been created with the energy that filled the room earlier, this is as simple as that,' he said and the realization hit them 

'Divine energy is an extension of a god and most of the time it extends to what they create with that energy so unless you are stronger or have more control over water than me you are powerless,' 

he looked at Evangeline and said 'Do you really think that I wouldn't recognize someone of your heritage 

realizing that they couldn't rely on Evangeline's power on water they tried to rely on their weapons, in an instant arrows flew toward him without ever reaching him Anastasia tried to turn her wipe fast enough to create a countercurrent, but that too failed.

He turned toward Iris who started to unleash her fire at maximum power to evaporate the water but it only affected her and her friends and made their situation worse, she was forced to stop soon after. 

'So you must have noticed, huh, your reserve of energy,' he said seeing them silently communicate with between them

'You are in a separate space, a space under my control filled with a substance that prevent you from breathing and that drain your powers and stamina at the same time at great speed, you will not last the remaining two minutes, I will make sure of it' 

"So my three beauty, what do you say!"