I woke up to see Johns. He smiled at me and waited for me to sit up. He then began to speak.

"I must say, I rather enjoyed that. I was able to watch on this screen your dream as it happened, as it were. Rather inspired. You served, yet lead as well. fufilling the conditions needed to win the game. You saw what was needed and managed to fill the hole by creating the depot which played to your skills. You have won access to the under halls. You have also won a prize. Before I give you that prize, we will have to have a chat. It is concerning the game of the gods."

This was interesting. I knew according to the rulebooks the game of the gods was not allowed to be played in the city of the demigods. Johns continued.

"As you should have learned by now, playing of the games of the gods is not tolerated here. However, trading for pieces and favours within is, is allowed here, and only in the under halls. By parcipating in some of the activities down here, you can also win game pieces." He leaned forward. "Understand, we are threading a fine line with the rules here. But this is probably one of the few places that demigods can dig themselves out of a hole they been buried in by a capricious god. As a result, we allow some finagling to be done."

"Now, as to your prize. Since you have no pieces you will be given the standard first piece. A champion slot. This can be filled in two ways. By a mortal stepping up, or a summoned monster. In fact, that slot is considered a good way of attracting a good summons to serve you." He then handed over a book. "You may have learned some of the workings of the game of the gods already, here is a more comprehensive guide to it. Now step out of those doors and you be in the main arena. If you step back in again, you will find yourself in the under halls. I wish you luck."

I did as he bid. I stepped out. Then I stepped back in. I stepped into a lobby area, that reminded me of a club that I had gone to that had been held in an underground space. Stone walls, stone arches, and mostly open. I wandered around and took in all it had to show me. one corner of it was devoted to private seatings area where people were hidden from view and no doubt making deals. Another area reminded me of a poker pit. There were games of cards and dices going on here. All in all, that part was quite a noisy area. I also noticed while I was walking in it, that every part of my divinity was supressed. A way to control and stop the cheating I supposed. The next area I entered had the look of a public lounge area where people could relax and talk openly. I passed through this, although I resolved to come back here later. Perhaps it would be a good place to make contacts. I then stepped into the biggest area so far. a third of it seemed to be set up for table top games with models. Another third of it seemed to have couches and I assumed it might be that a game like the one I had already played to get in here could be played here. The last part of the area seemed to be a truly strange affair. Set up as auction area, it also seemed to be functioning as a sort of swap meet. By stepping in that part, I found it had noise containment as the noise level in that part was truly astounding. My body itched to have a little play at something but I had promised Jesary I would come find him after having a look around. So I departed the area and found him where I had left him.

"You were quite quick. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You got a tricky mind for sure. Had a look around too?" I nodded. "Alright then, let sit down there, and I shall give you all the advice I can." We went and sat and made ourself comfortable.

"Ok so you know the primary purpose of the under halls. Preparation into the game of the gods. It also a damn good place to find some quality contacts and allies. I recommend you play in EVERY game that you can down there. There are some good rewards. The guards will be notified of how well you have done." He grinned at me. I had no doubt that some of the bets were placed on the outcomes of these games. "I noticed you haven't hitched with anyone yet. Although you still are quite new. I'm guessing you are not going to be part of a combat team since you didn't take the combat side of the arena. So that makes me think you are going to either set up your own group or even more amazing, your own faction." I stayed as still as I could giving nothing away. Jesary looked at me and nodded. "I reckon your own faction. You got the chops for it I reckon from what I seen so far. You made some good contacts in the markets and the rows. You laying foundations. So you need a combat team." I decided to speak up then.

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"Actually, what I'm looking for first, is someone I can work with. To set up a faction with." I might as well be honest with Jesary. He had proven useful and may well be able to provide advice. I was proved right in the next sentence.

"Yeah. You know the last room you was in? the biggest one?" I nodded. "The table top games. I would look among the people playing those. You might be able to find a combat team leader among those there. At least someone who can work to develop something, as not all of them are fighting based. I would recommend starting there." Nodding to him, I decided to head back to my quarters. Food and sleep, then I would go down and just play the table tops til I achieved something.

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A couple of days later I was playing a game. It was one in which I had to get a convoy from a to b, while trying to avoid attack. It was proving to be more fun then I had thought it would be. I had myself as a character in this game, leading the convoy. Due to my skills that I was willing to reveal, I had established myself as a master merchant who responsible for the convoy. My character had given me bonuses beyond the standard character there, but meant I faced increased danger. Although so far I had moved the convoy quite well. To my astonishment, I had also been offered to upgrade the squad that was guarding the convoy to the spec of the squad I had used during my entrance exam. This was when I found out a major component of the under halls.

You could create characters and teams, and used them as templates in the game to replace the standard characters and teams. Each win would give you upgrade points for them, depending on their actions. However, if they were wiped out, that was it. Those characters and teams were lost forever. You could also trade them with others for what they had. Thus, you could create an army deck as it were. So far, I had the major, the squad, my character and a hospital unit. I could have used my champion slot as a character, if there had been anything in there. Although if that died in battle, the slot could be awarded to the champions of the game, depending on what type of game you wanted to play. I had resolved to go to kekemozz and see if I could do a summoning and fill that slot. Foundation laying as it were.

I won the game, having got my convoy to where it had to be. The demigod I was playing cursed but shook hands in good grace. I took my winnings which involved some credits that was solely for the underhalls and could be used in the auction down here. I also won a unit from the other side to use in further games if I wished, a mounted unit. I then moved on to a game that I had been watching out the corner of my eye, while playing my own. It featured a seige, kind of like the one I had been involved in, although this one had two opposing armies rather then a monster wave involved.

The seige looked like it was going well. Certainly the demigod thought so with the crowing he had been doing. However, there was a unique feature for people who were watching the game as opposed to playing it. You could see the hidden moves. The guy who was attacking, had certainly made some. I had been watching them. It was near time to see if they would come due.

All of a sudden, the castle being sieged ran into problems. The storage depots were blown up. Food was spoiled. Some critical units had their officer assassinated, leading to the units collasping or just doing nothing. All of a sudden, the leader of the city was killed and the gatehouse had been siezed allowing enemy troops in. It was all over now. I watched and thought what I had just seen happen. This was something I was no good at. Frankly, it was not likely to be something I would learn to be good at for a good long while yet.

"May we talk?" All of the sudden, the man who had won the game was in front of me. I looked at him and nodded. "Excellent. Let go for one of the private booths. I think it might end up being a long discussion." So saying, we moved to the area and got a booth and sat down to talk.