Divine Entourage

Michael sends a sideways glance at Zeus after he'd finished his rant, knowing that Zeus and his Pantheon had acted as bad or worse as the Divines had. Say what you would about their inaction, but none of the Divines ever raped mortals as far as he knew, and that wasn't even the worst of Zeus's history.

The Divines themselves looked thoroughly ruffled by his statements, the elderly and robed Stendarr stepping forwards while stroking his large white beard, "Are you in such a place to lecture us? God or not, I can feel your sins, every crime you have committed, every laugh you have shared as you did it." he raises a frail finger at Zeus, "The guilty have no right to judge others," he then at Michael, "I expected nothing less for a destroyer of worlds, the company you keep speaks more than words could ever express... The blood on your hands stains your being, how you have not devolved into a beast of lower instinct is beyond me."

Michael sniffs at him, "Cut the crap. If you want to decry me as a bloodthirsty amoral piece of shit, be my guest. But don't hold it against me when I act like it, and rid reality of you and your companions." he warns, causing Stendarr's eyes to widen.

"I believe they have a point." Julianos states, "Clearly, our methods are not working. Tried and tested for millennia, yet has the state of the world improved? Have the lives of mortals become better? Or, are we simply just complacent with the state of things?"

"The world is for mortals to manage. Our action could result in catastrophic consequences." Talos presses, "I would rather the end of Nirn be at the hands of men than us."

"Pathetic. When presented with a moral quandary, you choose not to answer at all." Outworld Destroyer rasps at them before turning to Michael, "Such cowardice would not suit this 'pantheon', I suggest you seek others."

Michael shrugs, "I mean, there are other options... The Hist, for instance, might be something to think about... If we can even speak to it?"

"Hmph, I don't know about you all, but I think it's high time we started properly contributing." Dibella states, stepping to Michael's side and looking him over with a mischievous grin. She wraps an arm around his shoulder but he just floats her away, "I'm taken."

"And?" she squirms in the air, "No one's ever denied my personal blessing before. Maybe your two women could accompany us?" she offers.

"Not interested, besides, for a goddess of love, my elf's got bigger tits than you."

"Hahahahahaha!" Zeus burst out laughing at than, boisterously slapping Michael on the back but finding his head firmly planted in the floor for the Nth time.

"You speak of deals, but you haven't yet offered anything." Zenithar questions.

"I offer you a place in my new Pantheon, one that isn't afraid to intervene when the stakes become too high... It's a shame Akatosh refused already, he was the only one who really did anything when Mehrunes Dagon invaded."

"Hey! We were ordered to stay put! Akatosh wanted to deal with it himself!" Dibella exasperatedly retorts.

"Hm, forget my earlier words then, you're all deplorable." he shakes his head, "I don't want to rule the world either, I just want things to not explode while I'm off elsewhere. Let me just be perfectly honest with you all, I basically want you to manage the world while I slack off and enjoy my life."

...

All the gods, even Phoenix just turn and stare at him as if he'd grown a second and third head.

"Wait, what?" Zeus wonders aloud, terribly confused. "What's the point then!?"

"I just told you the point, I'll technically be leading this 'Pantheon', but you guys'll be doing the real work. I'll only step in when I see something stupid." he turns to face the Divines, "This way you can all be involved with Nirn, instead of doing what I was originally going to do, that being wiping you all out and stealing your essence."

...

"What about our respective followers? What about Akatosh?" Mara questions.

"People can believe in whatever they want, I don't give a shit. As for Akatosh? He'll be banned from going anywhere near Nirn, he can twiddle his thumbs in Aetherius for eternity for all I care."

...

Talos looks to his fellows, "You cannot all be considering this..."

...

"Unless you think you can best him, we lack any proper alternative." Julianos responds.

...

Talos looks to Michael and reluctantly nods, "Aye... You've forced my hand, I accept."

The other Divines also nod, even Stendarr, who claims that he needs to be there to prevent Michael from committing any more atrocities.

"May I ask, what are their roles however?" Mara questions, gesturing to Michael's companions.

He shrugs, "Zeus, God of Thunder." he pauses at Outworld Destroyer, "Do you have an actual name?"

"Refer to me as... Harbinger, God of the Outerealms and Omens."

Michael nods, then gestures at Phoenix, "Phoenix, God the Sun, Fire, Rebirth, and Stars... Ah, before I forget... Sheogorath will be joining us."

...

"The mad one? Why!?" Talos exclaims, horrified.

"Because, I trust him more than I do any of you. Besides, you and him have quite a lot in common. Both former heroes turned gods, both formerly loyal to the Empire, and now both completely mad!"

"I'm not mad! Don't compare me to him!"

Michael chuckles, "No, you're furious no doubt. Anyway, let's quickly hash out the specifics, I've got a hot tub at home with two girls waiting for me."

*SQUAAAA!*

"No, you can't join us." Michael rejects the flaming chicken before pulling out a blank scroll, one conjured via his concepts relating to bargains, pacts, etc. "Shall we?"