77 Chapter 71: The story of the gods

Guys, extra chapter, why?, because I want to. 

Now, I want to clarify one important thing. VERY IMPORTANT. 

This is a fiction. A story I write because of my love for DC and comics in general. A story that I put a lot of effort and love to write it. 

It doesn't have to be all based on comics, science or reality. Got it?

That said. This chapter introduces the 15 gods. 15 gods that YOU asked for. 

I AM NOT AN EXPERT IN MYTHOLOGIES. I like it. I know and read many stories, but I don't know everything. So if the god that comes out doesn't have the same story or just isn't the same as the one in the myths you know, like I said, it's a fic, and in the end, it's all adapted. 

That's also why I'm not going to get into the stories of the gods. Only in their more present development. 

PS: they are powerful. There is no doubt about that. 

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"Talking"

'Thinking'

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Valhalla 

The main hall of Valhalla, once the meeting place of thousands of gods, where the fate of the world was decided, hosted its first visitors for the first time in hundreds of years.

The city, which had previously felt empty and dull, was once again glowing in splendor and jubilation at these visitors. The golden glow, of imperial gold, shone brighter than ever.

Though of course, the city did not know that this gathering was not at all a gathering of joy and happiness. On the contrary, this meeting would be one that would mark the new era of the gods. An era that would bring despair and destruction to Earth.

Seated, in the main chairs, those that belonged only to those called major gods or main gods, were 15 individuals of immense power. Each one, from different pantheons and with different characteristics, exerted immense pressure in the room. Causing the immense hall, which had the capacity to hold thousands, to feel small.

The atmosphere was tense. And it was no surprise, since these beings of immense power were NOT FRIENDS. On the contrary, many were even rivals, either because they had the same domain, or because they simply could not stand each other because of their differences in ideals.

But that said, despite the differences, they ALL had one thing in common. They all respected each other. And that is what everyone in the room could change the fate of the world by their own hands.

The truth was, if they fought each other, there was no telling who might be the winner

(AN: I invite you, when I mentioned them, to think about who would be the strongest)

However, a fight was not going to happen. As long as they were here, in this mythical city, it was never going to happen.

And that is because Valhalla was a place of peace. A place of joy. A place to gather among different pantheons and simply chat, drink and play. A place where even the gods could feel...happy.

And this city had a ban on fighting. Sure, back in the day, there were tournaments between gods where most fought each other and sought glory, but those were old times. A fight, just for the sake of fighting, was forbidden. And many learned that lesson the hard way.

Seated, there were 7 on the left and 7 on the right, and one right in the middle. Separated by pantheon, they were:

(AN: here goes a brief explanation of each god, their domain and power. I'm not going to go into relationships or myths or anything. If you like to look them up later on the internet, each one has a very interesting story)

In the center, and the one who had called this meeting, Ares. Dressed in obsidian armor, which highlighted his dark-skinned features and red eyes brimming with power, he viewed this assembled group with immense satisfaction.

There is not much to say about him. Known to all for being a war maniac, this god was feared in the Greek pantheon because, just as he could sometimes be the weakest of all the Olympians, he could also become even stronger than his father Zeus, depending on the conflict he caused. A god who makes the Amazons tremble.

On the left, sitting in the first chair was the first god Ares assembled, namely Tezcatlipoca. The strongest god of Aztec mythology and perhaps of the entire Mesoamerican region. His domain was night and darkness. An expert in rituals, this god was feared for his bipolarity and madness. Madness that could rival Loki himself.

He was dressed in a sacred ceremonial attire bathed in gold, which made him look like a complete emperor. His skin was dark blue almost black, and golden tattoos adorned his skin. His dull red eyes glowed with menace and power.

Next to him was another feared god. And who is not afraid of the lightning and the storm. Illapa, god of lightning and rain of the Inca pantheon. A sensible god but who, when angry, showed an unparalleled fury. Like Tezcatlipoca, he wore ceremonial golden attire, with a crown adorning his head. His skin was brown, like that of humans, but his face had a warrior's white paint.

Beside him, stood a woman who could only be described as 'beautiful'. Her curvaceous body, and unblemished brown skin only incited sexual desire. She wore a warrior's armor that accentuated her fine attributes, and on her head, there was a pair of golden horns. She was Ishtar, goddess of love and war of the Babylonian pantheon.

 Next to her, there were two gods from the same pantheon. The Celtic pantheon. The two, contrasting the image with each other.

On one side, there was a woman both beautiful and chilling. Her skin was white as the finest porcelain, but her attire, a cape of raven feathers, plus her dark makeup, only gave her the appearance of a fairy tale forest witch. She was Morrigan, goddess of death.

Contrasting her image was a god, who, of all those present, could be considered the most 'good' and 'righteous' of the group. Wearing a traditional kilt, exposing his worked pectorals, was Lugh, god of the arts.

One would think that being a god of the arts he didn't have much in his arsenal for fighting, or that perhaps he was weak. But that was a very wrong thought. Lugh, was an expert in EVERYTHING. From combat, to warfare, to strategy, to druid magic. A total expert. Of all there, perhaps he was the best combatant with weapons.

Next to him, another beautiful woman. With red hair, white skin, and slanted eyes, but had a snake tail for legs, was Nüwa. Protective goddess of the sky. Her snake tail allowed her to glide through the clouds. A powerful deity of Chinese mythology.

Lastly, on that left side, was a Nordic-looking man. His beard and long white hair, plus his Viking iron armor gave him a frightening and powerful appearance. One would think he was of the Norse pantheon, but in reality, he was of the Slavic pantheon. Another who could command storms and lightning, Perun.

On the right side, two gods from the Egyptian pantheon. Both dressed in traditional Egyptian robes and wearing animal masks.

First there was a beautiful woman with a slender and agile body. Unblemished brown skin, and jet black hair. Wearing a cat mask, was Bastet, the cat goddess. She was a good goddess, but one who could show a fury like a storm in the desert.

Next to her was a man in a jackal mask. His body was lean but muscular. With the ideal features of an assassin. And so he was. He was the killer of the Egyptian gods. And someone who was branded at the time as a traitor. He was Seth, god of the desert.

Next to him, from the Taoist pantheon, was the god of fortune in war, Bishamonten. He was quite tall and athletic. He wore a kind of armor that made him look frightening and powerful.

Next to him, other gods from the same pantheon, but now from the Japanese pantheon. Two brothers with a history of rivalry.

On one side, there was a man wearing a blue yukata, and a straw hat, with a samurai sword at his waist. He looked carefree, but make no mistake, as with Perun or Illapa, he had the fierce personality of a storm. And that's what he represented. The storms, the hurricanes, and the seas. He was Susanoo. The best swordsman of the gods.

Next to him, wearing a white and red kimono, and with a golden crown on her head, was a beautiful and demure woman, with impeccable manners. Someone who denoted elegance and finesse. She was Amaterasu, goddess of the sun.

In the penultimate seat was a rather attractive chocolate-skinned man. Being bald, but with a neatly trimmed beard and wearing a royal white suit attire, was Olorun. Sky god of Yoruba pantheon. The strange thing about him is that, if you looked closely, you could see that his skin was slightly shiny, because he represented the light of day.

Finally, sitting on the last chair, was the last woman. She was dressed in traditional Hawaiian attire. Her hair was red with orange tips like lava, her skin was tanned, and her beautiful features were adorned with tattoos representing the cycle of destruction and creation. She was Pele, goddess of volcanoes and fire in the Hawaiian pantheon.

All of them represented immense power. All of them, with a dominion to be feared. Some had the same dominion, but each exercised it in a different way. But there was no doubt. This assembled group was a powerful group.

At least it had been before, in the age of the gods.

Ares stood up and looked at each person in the room. All gathered here were, as the saying went, the crème de la crème.

Satisfied, he nodded to himself, and said.

"So, shall we begin?"

However, no one answered him. On the contrary, they all looked at each other suspiciously, wondering why this meeting was taking place. Each had been called derived from Ares' proposal, but they all wondered if it was the same proposal or if it had all been just a ruse of Ares himself.

Ares looked at this and snorted loudly

"Come on, guys. I know you're wary, but this isn't a trap by any stretch of the imagination. This meeting is for... how the humans put it... or yes, a business opportunity. A chance to all work together for a common purpose"

"And that is?" asked Bishamonten

"Power, Bishamonten, power. To return to our power of old. Restore the age of the gods. NO, make it more powerful than it was"

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..

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"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Ares' motivational speech didn't work, however, as they soon began to laugh at him. The age of the gods was dead. The gods were becoming extinct. His proposal, in their eyes, was a bloody joke.

Ares, however, was not angered by this. On the contrary, he let them finish laughing, and continued.

"I get it. It's funny. I would have laughed myself if someone else had told me. But it's the truth" Ares turned to Lugh, who was finishing laughing, and said,

"Lugh. Of this room, I know you feel the most out of place. And that is, of everyone here, you could easily consider yourself the most 'good'. We all have our sins here. But you, you were the most benevolent to the humans. The one who looked out for them the most at the time. And that is why I called you. You can distinguish falsehood. You are the best judge here, to decide if I am lying. LOOK AT ME LUGH, TELL THEM IF WHAT I JUST SAID IS A LIE" he said the last with great authority, while his red eyes glowed with power.

Lugh became serious at this. Before he was laughing, but now, there was an unparalleled seriousness on his face. What Ares was saying was true. Of everyone here, he was the best judge of character in this room. He was a master of all the arts, including, of the art of morality. 

"I'll say it again, Lugh. Take a good look at me. The age of the gods will return, but ONLY, if you will listen to what I have to say"

Lugh looked intently at Ares' features. And, as much as it pained him, he could discern no falsehood. In the end, all he could say was.

"Sigh. He's telling the truth"

At that point everyone became serious. They knew that this god, with great morals, did not lie. He didn't like to. And he wasn't selling out, either. In short, Ares was telling the truth. Or at least, what he believed to be the truth. For, as they say, the truth is never absolute.

Ares watched with satisfaction as they were finally paying attention to him. Walking down the hallway, with his hands behind his back, he began to speak.

It must be said, Ares might be a brute of battle, but he had eloquence. A lot of eloquence. And the fact is that, in war, like any good general, one had to know how to motivate the soldiers. And for Ares, whatever he was going to say next, he took just as seriously as any war.

"Before I say what I have to say, I will start the conversation with a question. I ask all of you... Aren't you tired?"

"We don't understand your question, Ares. Be clearer" Olorun was the one to answer.

"The question is easy, Olorun. What if you're not tired of living like complete losers?"

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..

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"HOW DARE YOU-"

"Shu, shu, shu. Relax, I'm not finished yet. Besides, you can't deny that what I say has a grain of truth to it. And that is that I only have to go back to where I recruited you, to realize that you... gave up" Ares turned to look at Tezcatlipoca. "Tezcatlipoca, you were scamming tourists in Mexico"

"I told you, it's not a scam... well, not completely"

Ares didn't mind the retort and kept talking. He began to address each of them, telling their current location. There, each one there realized that, as Ares was saying, their current life was that of complete losers.

"Lugh, teaching archery to children in Germany. Perun, training dogs in Russia. Pele renting canoes and being a tourist guide in Hawaii. And I don't want to talk about Amaterasu and Susanoo. Two of the most powerful gods I have ever known, and that even my father respected too much because of his strong friendship with their father Izanagi, and, what do they do now, that's right, they both sell tea in a small store in Japan. I'll say it again, because... hahaha, even I laugh. THEY SELL TEA IN JAPAN. All of you... YOU ARE COMPLETE LOSERS"

They were all embarrassed by Ares' harsh words, but, still, they had their pride. They could not allow it to be trampled on so easily. The one who spoke was Tezcatlipoca.

"And what about you, Ares. You were trapped in the damned Underworld. Besides, let's not forget that you almost broke the sacred rule of non-intervention. World War II, it was YOUR fault"

The sacred rule of non-intervention. A rule established by Zeus from ancient times that said the gods could not intervene in earthly affairs. All events since the coming of Jesus, both good and bad, have been purely human caused.

And it is not that they did not want to intervene. But they could not. Everyone's hands were tied. If they were to break it, they could lose their divinity. And they could even die.

A sacred law that EVERYONE followed since ancient times... Until Ares almost broke that law.

However, contrary to everyone's expectations, he did not break it completely. World War I had made the situation in Europe very tense, and Ares took advantage of that. But he did not start the conflict. He only incited it. So to speak, he provided the fuel, but without the human flame to light the fire, nothing would have happened.

Besides, that conflict was of no interest to Ares. The deaths, the fight of ideals, and the conflicts that followed, were of no interest to him at all. He only wanted to take advantage of that conflict to become powerful. And he did it.

So much so, that he waged an all-out war on Olympus. A war that cost the lives of all the Greek gods, except him, but from which he was badly wounded. Wounds that endure to this day.

"Yes, I almost broke it. But it was for a good reason. My friends, why do you think I started that conflict?"

"For power"

"To raise you to your father's throne. Everyone here knows you've wanted it since you were born"

"You are a maniac, you have no logic in your actions, you just want to watch the world burn"

Each one started to say very logical reasons why Ares had caused this war. All the explanations were quite coherent. But all far from reality.

Yes, he wanted power. Yes, he longed for the throne. But the real reason was another. A deeper one.

And that is that Ares had found the truth. A truth hidden from them all. One that changed the concept of what is known as 'God'.

"You are wrong, my friends. I started a war with Olympus, not out of power or to dethrone my father. But out of anger. AN ANGER THAT STILL LINGERS IN MY HEART"

Ares began to emit an unparalleled pressure. The room began to shake. However, no one was fazed by this. Although that said, everyone became more cautious. It had to be said that Ares was wounded. And yet he could still exert this pressure. This only indicated, to all present, that this god was not a small thing, and that NEVER, was he to be underestimated.

He was a goddamn Olympian. And for a reason, in this world, the Olympian gods ruled all. None of the 12 Olympians were weak. They all had unparalleled power. And Ares was no exception. And he underlined it with this pressure. However, that pressure ended when Ares returned to his calm character.

"What I am about to tell next is the hidden truth of the origin of the gods. Of OUR origin. A hidden truth that our fathers, those gods who ruled our respective pantheons, hid. Listen carefully, my friends. Because I'm not going to repeat myself. And Lugh, take a good look at me, because what I'm about to say is completely true"

(AN: this is Ares narrating)

"Everybody here has a story. Everyone here has an origin. Humans even wrote our stories on paper and immortalized it in myths. But everyone here, we can be sure that the origin started with two beings. Mother Earth and Father Sky.

Both called by numerous names. But they all represented the same thing. Our ancestors. The first gods. The parents of the titans, giants and mythological monsters, and those who shaped our respective pantheons. Universally, we know them as Gaea and Uranus.

Never mind the distorted history humans have of us. We know the truth. They were the first beings. Or so we thought...

Friends, that is not the truth. That is not even remotely the truth. WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO.

Gaea and Uranus were the first to arrive, but they were not the first of their kind. There were many like them.

Friends, since our birth we have always thought that we, the ancient gods, are the true rulers of this earth.

That the Earth, a planet where we have placed our seed, and where for millennia we have generated veneration for those inferior beings called humans, and from whom we have fed on their faith and worship, has belonged to us by birthright. 

But NO. This land never belonged to us. And that is why humans are evolving to the point where they are gaining power that rivals ours at our best. And we... we've just withered away, like an unwatered flower in the desert.

And there is a reason for this. And that is, my friends, we are not from here. Our true origin. The true origin of the gods. Of all the gods, is called Genesis.

We have warily heard names like Darkseid, Highfather, and other New Gods that inhabit New Genesis or Apokolips. And we always wonder, what is different about them than us. Why they are stronger and more powerful. Why they did manage to become multiversal beings. 

And the answer to all these questions is simple. NOTHING. There is no difference, since we are both gods. Here begins the real story of how we arrived on Earth.

At the dawn of the universe, small races arose through the cosmic energy of the explosion that started it all. Intelligent races began to emerge on the small planets that formed, which, over time, evolved and gained power.

Among them, in sector 3456, a race called 'gods' emerged on a planet called Genesis. That's right, our home planet. These 'gods' were not like what we are today. They had no power. And their intelligence, strength and endurance, could be considered merely 'average'.

But Genesis was a prosperous planet. Full of life, food and resources. They quickly adapted and became excellent farmers, miners, smiths, sculptors and inventors. The gods began to prosper. They began to gain recognition in the universe.

But it was not enough. It never was. The gods, despite showing no remarkable characteristics, were born with a sense of greed, aspiration and desire to go further. To reach higher. To excel. But, as much as they thought about it, they didn't know how to do it.

They searched for a way to gain power. Clues left from the primordial universe from which the multiverse was forged that could help them evolve. But it was never found. The gods gave up and went on with their normal lives.

So a long time passed, until 3 friends found the answer. The answer to gain power.

These friends, who followed in the footsteps of their fathers in agriculture, found a way to imbue a seed with cosmic power. And, despite low odds, they managed to grow an apple tree, which bore fruit, which, when eaten, could cause these gods to have power of a concept. Time, space, elements, arts. These gods could have an ability gained by eating these fruits. But only for a definite time. The power was not absolute.

However, one of them came up with the answer to continue to retain that power. This god had discovered that one power remained from the primordial universe. The power of worship.

Faith caused these beings, who had eaten the apple, to retain their power. However, this is where everything gets distorted. The three friends had in mind different ways of obtaining this faith.

One of them believed that veneration came from giving. That is, you had to give them something in return for worship. 

Another believed that veneration came from sharing. Sharing the fruit of power and generating a community where everyone supports each other. And thus creating a shared faith. In short, 'I believe in you, you believe in me'.

And finally, the last god believed that worship and veneration came through submission. Adoration because of the fear caused by the power he had.

It is already very obvious, my friends, to whom I am referring. The first was Uranus. The second was Gaea. And the third was.... Yuga Khan.

Gaea had the power to control the earth, Uranus the power to control the sky. But, even so, together they were no match for Yuga Khan who had the power of darkness itself. A concept that could consume and destroy everything in its path.

The three fought over their difference in ideals, thus destroying part of the planet Genesis and decimating most of its inhabitants. In the end, Gaea and Uranus, who were no match for Yuga Khan, fled and reached Earth. But Yuga Khan stayed, and those who survived paid the consequences.

Yuga Khan became a dictator. He began to make them worship him because of their fear of him, gaining more power, to the point that no race could match him. Not only did they began to worship him in Genesis, but in entire galaxies. His name was even synonymous with the fear stories of many children in the universe.

To his loyal followers, he allowed them to have the power of the apples. Generating a community of 'gods' as we know them today.

However, he realized that, as the generations passed, the apples were no longer necessary, since the children surprisingly inherited power like their parents. And not the same, but they could obtain a similar or even a totally different power.

The gods evolved as more gods were born. New generations. New powers. But no one, NO ONE, was a match for Yuga Khan. Not even his sons, Uxas (Darkseid) or Izaya (Highfather).

However, Yuga Khan suddenly disappeared. No one knows what happened to him. The records simply said that he died. And with him, the planet Genesis perished as well.

The New Gods, the gods that remained, split into two factions. The 'light' gods ruled by Highfather on New Genesis. And the 'dark' gods, ruled by Darkseid, who is said to have inherited the same concept of darkness as his father.

However, Gaea and Uranus were living quite a different life. They had arrived at a time when Earth was just beginning life. Animals, known to humans as dinosaurs, abounded. And humans, were mere cavemen with too much hair trying to build tools to survive.

But this they saw well. Because, in this way they could put their ideas of faith into practice, in this new land. They could take over this land, without the fear, dread and hatred that Yuga Khan wanted. And so the community of the gods began. Our community.

The history here diversified. The second generation of gods, called titans, ruled. Then the third generation of gods continued, meaning our parents, and finally we came. All of us here from the fourth generation. A generation in decline.

A generation that was taught that by giving something, in return, we would have worship. But look at us, we have given EVERYTHING for those humans and what have they given us, NOTHING. They have forgotten us. Now, I ask you Lugh, did I tell lies?"

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"No"

The gods were totally numb to this explanation. They could not, indeed, they did not want to understand any of this. If what Ares said was true, then these new gods, who strutted about and felt themselves the masters of the universe, were their cousins.

Although, considering it, it made sense. Despite having molded the Earth in their image, they never felt that it belonged to them. Now they understood that it never belonged to them. However, before they could speak, Ares continued.

"If you don't believe me, that's your problem. I have told you what I learned from my father's records. But friends, I don't come to tell you to take our bags and go to New Genesis or Apokolips and ask for home. Not at all. They will NOT welcome us with open arms. But what I do come to tell you is that we can evolve and become multiversal beings like they did"

Ares sat back in his chair. A deep silence was felt in the room. Everyone attentive to see what he was going to say

"Friends, we are of the same race. There are no old gods or new gods, only gods. And yet, THEY, are stronger than us. Why. Because they learned to gain power without the need for faith. Faith has a limit. And Yuga Khan learned how to gain power without that need. I propose to unite us to get the answer to obtain that power. And thus create a new age of the gods. Finally, to make THIS LAND OURS"

The gods did not hesitate. Their ambition, coupled with the fact that, as Ares said, their current life was totally boring and devoid of excitement, made them nod at this proposal. Seth asked.

"What's your idea?"

"The Motherbox. The Motherbox has the answer to how the new gods got that power. When the invasion happened, there were three Motherboxes, but now, only one exists. And it's fused into that robot man"

"You say that we kidnap the hero Cyborg..." Morrigan added hesitantly.

"Eventually, yes. But it won't be easy. The Justice League is stronger than ever. The world is returning to an era of peace with the new human administration. The conflicts are over. With our current power, next to Superman, Aquaman, or even my half-sister Amazon, Wonder Woman, we'll be a punching bag. Unfortunately, that is what we have been reduced to. First, we have to get back to our peak power"

"And how will we do that?, faith is already dead"

"No, not faith. That will be almost impossible at this point. Besides, there is the law of non-intervention. We can't break that law. Not without fatal repercussions. What we can do is to attack the divine settlements. Places allowed for us, the gods. Specifically, a divine settlement where artifacts exist to give us back some of our power"

"Be clear, Ares. What's your idea?"

"Themyscira. We're going to attack Themyscira..."

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AN:

My P@treon 

TioIroh99 (10 chapters ahead)

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