10 Gathering of the Gods

The journey down to the first Depth was something that Riku almost thought would never end. While it helped that Nyx's voice was soothing to the ears despite her ranting, he was actually starting to get antsy at having a go at this supposed game of the gods. It also didn't help that his patron goddess's stories were starting to get to him. Not in an annoying sense, of course. In fact, it took him his all not to try and console the woman as her exhaustion with being the youngest among her siblings gave her the mightiest inferiority complex he had ever seen.

"You really should do something about your standing," he couldn't help but voice out as the elevator crawled to a stop with a soft ding.

"Isn't that exactly what I'm doing right now?" she grumbled, her arms crossed over her chest as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to let any of them win, if that's what you're thinking."

Riku nodded in approval. "That's good. I wouldn't want to work for someone that had no conviction."

"Huh? I have conviction aplenty," Nyx smugly scoffed at him. "In fact, I'm already certain I'll win this game, so you better have your wish ready by the time I inherit the God Father's position."

He chuckled at her sudden bravado. It wasn't a while ago that she was ranting about her lack of power, so it was nice seeing her this energetic again.

"Anyway, we're here. You should get ready, my Champion."

Riku raised a brow at her warning. She hadn't told him anything about enemies beyond his fellow Champions possibly trying to kill him, so he was expecting a whole lot of empty space to greet them. Then again, he hadn't made it this far into his life being cocky.

Tensing up, the former assassin took a deep breath as the silent hum of the elevator gave way to the ambient sound of... open air? That... shouldn't be possible with them being underneath a literal ocean.

"Ah, Themis's Realm..." Nyx hummed to herself as she stepped through the now open elevator doors. "Still as bright as ever, but at least it's not too bright so far."

Following his goddess's lead, Riku stepped off the elevator. Immediately, he squinted as his eyes were assaulted with the overwhelming presence of marble white and gold. From the sky above to the very ground he walked on, a golden aura permeated the surroundings. The marble buildings, meanwhile, almost made him feel like he was in ancient Greece or Rome with how massive they all stood before him. Marble columns upon marble archways and buildings, the entire place was almost... too littered with marble to even be practical in an architectural sense.

It took his eyes a while to adjust to the constant light, but as soon as he could finally properly see again, Riku took notice of the fact that they were now currently standing in what looked to be a town square. Well, it was the best description he could come up for it with how central it looked along with the elevated platform right in the middle of it all. Of course, on said platform stood twelve figures, each of them looking more beautiful, handsome, and regal than the last as they exuded power and authority to those below them. Clearly, they were Nyx's siblings; the rest of the Thirteen Gods that would be participating in this game.

Immediately, Riku looked around, and sure enough, he spotted another set of twelve figures standing at his current level. The twelve other Champions that he would have to beat to win the game, he surmised, and they were clearly all just as determined to their tasks if the looks on their faces as they all stared at him were any indication of it. Not that their collective gazes would ever deter him. He had faced worse odds before, and seeing the challenge before him was only making him feel more excited at getting back into old habits despite himself.

"Ah, the youngest of us all has finally come to grace us with her presence!"

The former assassin blinked as another voice suddenly made itself known to him. In front of him, Nyx was standing absolutely still, her posture curving down ever so slightly as her entire demeanor changed at the foreign voice that just greeted them.

"Big Brother Tyche," Nyx meekly greeted as the man that greeted them waved his hand at them from the platform, his green robes glowing ever faintly along with his disarming smile. "I'm sorry for being late."

"Nonsense. We know that your... personality would have a bit of trouble with the task at hand," another one of the figures on the platform casually stated. Another goddess, one that had a smug scholarly look to her with her glasses and white robes. "It's no big deal, Little Sister."

"Of course, Big Sister Mimir," Nyx blandly sighed in resignation.

"Well? What are you still waiting for, Nyx?" yet another god, one that glowed just as brightly as their surroundings with his blonde hair and piercing eyes, sternly bellowed. "We've wasted enough time as it is."

"Don't be too hard on her, Brother Themis," the newly named Astra softly chided with a smile. "It's not every eon that a Gathering of the Gods have to be arranged."

From the sidelines, Riku watched as his patron goddess let off another sigh of acceptance. It was far from what he had seen her be when she was alone with him. Based on this performance alone, he could tell that Nyx's rants from earlier had a lot more truth than exaggeration.

"I'll go ahead and join my siblings up on the platform now," Nyx suddenly turned to him with an annoyed looks on her face. "Hopefully, this won't be long. Big Brother Themis at least hates too much grandstanding."

Riku nodded, and he put his arms on his pockets as the goddess casually floated up to join her fellow deities on the platform. Looking up, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe upon staring at the collection of gods in front of him, and it would seem that his fellow Champions felt the same way as the same sense of awe, and even worship, emanated from them all.