Elysium

War room hallway.

Darren stared at Kento Sanosuke with contempt. How could this senile old man talk to him that way? As that rushed through his mind, another thought was to put him in his place just like he did to the other commoners back at home.

He tightened his fist, and as he was about to move, the sound of feet and frantic flapping was heard coming from the other end of the hallway. Michael and a group of angels rushed past the two men. One of the angels stopped to speak with them.

“You two should go to your war rooms and stay there until your guardian angel returns.” Darren didn’t like being told what to do, especially because he saw a lone human figure being carried by Michael. He thought long and hard, ignoring the angel that was right in front of him.

“That, who that is!” he said, laughing a bit. “You guys got murders entering this competition?”

Kento Sanosuke was confused and Darren picked up on it. “So much for your lil honorable battles. I’ve seen that guy on TV recently and on articles online; he murdered three people and burned the whole place down, and himself,” Darren said as he began to return to Ra’s war room. "Talk about a bunch of losers they gathered here for me to face. Remember, Sanosuke, I'll be the one to kill you.”

Kento Sanosuke was still frowning with anger at the young man. He acknowledged the angel and agreed to return to his room. He picked up the bag that Darren had thrown at him, lost in thought.

“Is this really the people that I will be facing?”

This was everything he dreamt about, what he had been praying for his entire existence. Was it really an honorable battle between retainers? No… Lady Inari chose him to be her retainer, so he was here to fight for her. He just needed to make sure retainers like Darren, who disrespected the Tryfing and this so-called murderer, didn’t win.

“I just hope the other retainers are a lot nicer,” he said.

///

Hell

Warden Hades’s domain

Hades felt so tired. He had never used this amount of ather in one day, let alone in the last few centuries. He needed to speak with the other wardens and figure out how Lucifer was able to break the seals of his Nepilim.

The two Nepilim were probably hiding now somewhere on Earth, laying as low as possible. But Hades was told to keep quiet about it until after the third Tryfing was finished. Entering his office he was surprised with how empty the line of souls was.

“Kui, don’t tell me,” Hades said as he saw the big stack of paperwork in the ‘completed’ section on the desk.

“I may have went a bit over board… but you no longer have any backed up souls on your list.” Zhong kui was still stamping paperwork and telling souls which way to go as he spoke.

“Ever the efficient one, Kui,” Hades sighed. He had a tiny smile of appreciation. Hades laid on the dark couch in the office, waiting for Zhong kui to finish the last soul’s paperwork.

“Is everything okay, friend?” Zhong ku asked.

“Just tired. The meeting was… very eventful. Kui, you should go, I’ll take care of the rest. You need to find a retainer quickly,” Hades said.

“Do not worry, I got a tip on a strong fighter and I’ll be heading up to Earth right now” Zhong kui got up from the chair and started to head to the door. Hades picked himself up from the couch and turned his head to Zhong Kui.

“Kui, don’t think, just feel. Follow your instinct instead of calculating everything. The Tryfing needs to start quickly,” Hades said with a hint of fear that Zhong Kui picked up on. He wondered why Hades was being so adamant about picking a retainer now.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“I’ll keep it in mind. For now you should rest. You look horrible.” Zhong kui chuckled as he opened the door to head to Earth.

///

Above Earth

Sub-space stratosphere

Zhong kui appeared in the subspace above earth. He was trying to find the location in America the soul had told him about when he had a masculine voice behind him

“Oh, warden Zhong Kui, still haven’t found a retainer?” Nuada floated beside him with a friendly smile.

“I had looked around in the beginning but Warden Hades needed assistance with something.” Zhong kui replied. “What about you, Nuada?”

“I found three prospects in America and have been mulling over who to pick for the last few hours,” he said, still sounding indecisive. “For now I’ll be taking my leave. Good luck, warden Zhong Kui...” Nuada bowed and flew down to Earth. As Zhong kui floated in place, he wondered.

“Was one of Nuada prospects the strong fighter I was told about?”

///

America

Run down boxing gym

João stood in the ring he had been training for the past few years; he grabbed the top rope reminiscing. His grandfather, who was saying his goodbyes to the staff, had finally finished. They had all their bags ready to head to the airport and return to Brazil.

“Jojo, it time come on.”

João nodded and exited the ring. The two wanted to eat at Perky’s Diner one last time. It was their favorite diner to go to after victories. “Do you think… I had a chance to beat Lawence D’oler? João asked, as he used his grandfather for walking support. “I don’t know. You fought through the pain countless time… But the way you been the last few months, I don’t blame the commissioners for canceling it. I want to believe, a you at 100% would have no issues winning,” João's grandfather said.

Yeah. Him at 100%, something that would have never happened in his lifetime because of this curse. João started to scream internally, nothing ever came of talking about his problems or ranting about how unfair this curse was.

But this? This was just beyond unfair, everything they’d worked so hard for, all the gambles they took coming to America. Everything was wasted and it made him so angry, his heart started to beat faster and faster. “Oh.. no.. Grandpa, I’m having an attack,” João said, grabbing his hand and crouching down. The pressure was hurting him as if responding to his thoughts, as if saying:

“STOP COMPLAINING AND DEAL WITH IT.”

João's grandfather helped move him to an alley and rested him against the wall of a building. Stay here, Jojo, I'll get you some water. Hold on, okay. I’ll be back.”

As he saw his grandfather leave, João looked up to the sky. He reached down and pulled a necklace that was tucked into his shirt. It was a cross; he held it in both hands and prayed. A prayer that he said constantly.

“Please, God… Please kill me already.”

And as the pressure he felt strengthened, he would always hear a gurgling growl inside of his mind.

“NoooOOOooooooOOOoo”

///

America

Subspace

Nuada had crossed out the first two candidates off his list. They were both professional fighters but he felt that their styles didn’t mesh with his. “Next up is Lawence D’oler.”

Nuada was your typical Celtic deity, honor above all, fight to protect everyone even at the cost of one’s self. Virtues like that were associated with most Celtic deities but the two who demonstrated those ideals the most were Cu chulainn and Brigid.

To the other Celtics these two were worshipped for their character and devotion by the other Celtics. Brigid was one of the only deities who halted Lucifer long enough to save many lives during a critical moment of the great rebellion. Unfortunately losing her life as the second deity to be killed by Lucifer.

Cu chulainn considered to be the strongest of all Celtics defeated 3 of the nephilim back to back by himself and of course he was the winner of the first Tryfing. A hero of all heroes to not just the Celtics but all of deity hood.

To strive to be like these two icons, these heroes of lore, was all Nuada wanted.

It was just hard for Nuada, who had to clean up every mess Lugh had made or any of the other Celtics. He was the second oldest deity and remembered the day he came to life. When Father breathed life into him, he was given his purpose.

“Look after the rest of your sect of deities, like a king would look after his subjects. Like an older brother to his siblings.”

Because of this and everything that happened before and during the Great Rebellion, there was always an immense doubt, self-hatred, and regret in Nuada’s heart.

What if I was there with Brigid? Could I help keep her alive? Or maybe I could have taken her spot and she could have lived.

Thoughts like this always hit him when he self-reflected or when looking at the young Celtics like Lugh, who made countless mistakes …. No, that wasn’t right. Nuada knew Lugh was trying to make up for his mistakes.

Yet, he still acted the same with Lugh and the others. Maybe he was just bitter? This responsibility and purpose he was given was a thankless job. One that never gave him time to rest or catch a breather.

If he won this Tryfing he would do what Cu did and gain the level of respect he deserved from every sect of deities. He could also take the long rest in Eden and not have to be duty-bound or obligated to look after the young deities.

His was a selfish request… but a request that he felt he earned at this point. Yet it made him feel disgusted with himself. Where was the honor and virtue that he had as a Celtic deity?

He was conflicted about the Tryfing and about himself. He let out a big sigh, lost in his thoughts again, over thinking about the future instead of the present.

There was no guarantee he would win anyways, so for now he needed to focus on the present and pick his retainer. As he flew through the city to meet his final prospect he heard the whispers of a prayer.

This stopped him in his tracks and he started to look around. Someone is praying to a Celtic deity? he thought. As he floated in places, he felt a sickening evil forming from the direction of the prayer.

He flew in the direction and saw the figure of a broken man lying against the wall of a building.

“Please anyone, demons, the devil, and god or goddess please… just kill me.”

The man muttered in between sobs. As Nuada closed in on the man, that’s when he saw it.

“No… it can’t be!” Nuada gasped as he saw a spiritual dark creature attached to the man’s back; it protruded out and had one long arm with claws. These claws were grabbing the poor man's hands that were clasped together.

The creature moved its head toward Nuada. Its big yellow eyes looked like those of a mosquito, and it gave a piercing wail at the sight of the Celtic.

“What’s a Piseóg doing here attached to this human!”

Nuada couldn’t believe what he was seeing, a Piseóg that had matured to the point of gaining half a body.

“Was this… was this the Piseóg Lugh had failed exterminating all those years ago?!”

3rd Tryfing

Support judge: Angel, Damaris.

Chosen deities:

Ra: Demi-God: Darren Donaldson

Lugh: Knight: Ariel Morales

Zhong Kui: Exorcist

Inari: Polymath: Kento Sanosuke

Freya: Assassin: Charlie Wilson

Nuada: Conqueror

Minerva: Tactician

Team Arc-Angel: Hero Luther Satenly

Fantasia world: The world known as Helioan

Starting year: not yet decided.

28:49:11