11 The Deep Blue

"Greetings, venerated Champions. You have all been chosen by your respective patron gods to participate in our chosen method to select the new God Father of the Realms."

Left with nothing else to do, Riku listened to what was presumably Themis as he stepped forward to represent the thirteen gods on the platform. Like the Realm that he presides in, he was wrapped in a sheen of golden aura that made him look larger than life; a presence that almost screams authority as his voice boomed over everyone present.

"As the eldest of the Thirteen, I, Themis, welcome you all to the Deep Blue," the god greeted them. Well, more declared as he spread his arms out wide as if welcoming them. "Plucked from the Ocean of Souls, you all now have a chance to attain that which you wished before you died."

The former assassin simply watched as his fellow Champions all bristled at the idea of their wish being granted. It was understandable. After all, why even bother following the gods' whims if they didn't get anything for it in return? Even he had something he wanted to wish to Nyx. Something that will probably disrupt whatever balance these thirteen gods might've had with one another.

Then again, that was Nyx's problem, not his. She did say that she's grant whatever wish he wanted if he won, so he might as well milk it for all it was worth. His professional fee needed to be paid, after all.

"Then this truly is Purgatory!" one of the Champions declared aloud, his armor and weapons looking straight out of the crusade era as his paladin-like aura wafted off him in spades. "The Holy Spirit has spoken!"

"Ah, a fellow believer. It's good to know that someone here is not a heretic," another Champion scoffed. A priest from the looks of him. Though his robes and the bible he was carrying looked far too old to be owned by someone from the modern era, Riku thought. "Let us destroy these heretics around us and prove who is the true God from the Thirteen!"

Riku simply raised a brow at the two zealots. It would seem that a faction had already been formed, and the game hasn't even begun yet. Well, not that he minded. He had ways to fight against better odds. In addition, it would seem that the other Champions didn't mind the two one bit. Well, the various looks of superiority, ignorance, and straight up horror told him enough about some of his would-be enemies in this game.

"As I was saying, the Deep Blue will be the battleground for which our Champions will wage our battle," Themis continued, taking authority of the situation once more with but a simple sentence. "As the extension of our will, you all will determine who would be the best fit to become the God Father. And the one who will succeed will get their wish granted no matter what it may be."

"Hah! Knowing what I know, surely this will be easy!"

Another outburst interrupted the eldest of the gods as one of the other Champions taunted his fellows. As a professional, Riku simply ignored the grandstanding this one particular man in a suit and glasses did. He didn't even look like a combatant like some of the others, and yet he proclaimed his eventual victory? What a joke.

"It's not nice to proclaim an early victory, you know?" another Champion, a blonde woman that looked straight out of the Victorian age, gently chided. Funny enough, the mean-looking scythe she held close to her chest heavily contrasted her calm and gentle demeanor. "Many things could happen in life that we don't know, after all."

"As if those even matter," another woman sighed, this one wearing a rather modern pink nurse outfit as she stood from her spot with a sad smile. "We're all dead, right? That's why we're here in the first place. And I'm pretty sure these gods aren't of the Christian sort."

"You cur!" the priest spat back. "How dare you spit at the opportunity to redeem a rightful place in the Lord's-"

"SILENCE!"

Riku's eyes widened as he felt an overwhelming aura of authority wash over him. It was almost so overbearing that his knees wobbled, and sure enough, some of his fellow Champions struggled to cope with such power bearing down on them. Some of them immediately fell to their knees, while others clearly struggled to breath even as they remained standing upright. A rare few remained unflinching like him, however, a clear indication that they had also seen battle of some kind or had the experience to resist such authority.

"Let them breathe, Big Brother," one of the other gods, a woman with orange hair and the radiance of the sun and life itself, chided with a gentle smile. "Remember that they are mortals. They wouldn't be able to handle your true power."

"Ah, my apologies."

Just as suddenly as the oppressing aura descended upon them, so too did it disappear. To Riku's suprise, Themis looked the slightest bit of apologetic. However, the stern authority wrapped around him never faded even as he lightly nodded at them.

"Solis is right. I shouldn't expect much from mortals," Themis stated, his apology sounding arrogant to the former assassin's ears. "Nevertheless, what's done is done. The Game shall commence soon, and its goals are yet to be stated."

Clearing his throat, Themis snapped his fingers. From there, motes of light gathered to his side from all around them. The very environment responded to his will, forming what looked to be a map of some sort depicting the Deep Blue. Or at least, that was what Riku thought based on what he already heard from Nyx.

"The Game, as we'll all address it, requires the Champions to navigate the Depths of the Deep Blue," Themis began. "Going through all Thirteen Realms, the first to reach the bottom Depth will be declared the winner. Of course, such a journey will be filled with challenges both from the Depths themselves and from each Realm's respective presiding deity. In addition, your patron deity can choose to accompany you on this journey just as they've already given you the tools needed to survive in our abode."