The gods were delighted with Tyr's victory.
They cackled and applauded at their first win, laughing with satisfaction as they flung more roses onto the stadium, which was a destroyed landscape caused by Attila and Tyr's ultimate techniques. Turning their attention to the humans, they spat mockeries and taunts at Attila's death, gloating about their superiority.
"You arrogant fools!" Bragi taunted. "You think a human can seriously best a god?! Master Tyr is the best! I hope this match gives you all a reality check!"
The others joined in, yelling insults to the mourning humans. The Huns wailed at the loss of their leader, but Bleda and Mundzuk were more devastated by his demise, for they had not only lost a leader but a brother and a son as well. Even Anansi felt sympathetic to their loss, patting Bleda's shoulder to comfort him.
However, despite their victory, some gods knew that it was a serious close call. They knew that a human can actually go toe to toe with one of their kin, and Attila would've slew Tyr if it weren't for a simple mistake. At the stadium, Tyr gazed at the spot where the black hole was. He developed a newfound respect for his opponent, wishing that they could battle each other for eternity.
But alas. As a rule of Genesis, those who fell in battle will have their bodies erased from existence, and their minds and souls will be cast into the Void for eternity, separated from the physical and supernatural planes of existence.
The Nordic god made his way towards the entrance, where he entered the arena, limping and exhausted from all his attacking and defending. In the commentator's box, Odin stood up from his seat, giving Anansi and, surprisingly, Bleda, a handshake before vanishing into thin air along with his two ravens.
Tyr strolled through the hallway, away from the arena behind him. Right before his eyes, a tall god stood before him. He remembered how tall and muscular the other god was, with long, flowing blood red hair and donning a white sash. Before he knew it, Tyr found himself collapsing to the floor, but the other god lifted him up before he could hit the cold floor.
"Thanks, big T." Tyr said, managing to get back on his feet.
"You should receive some medical attention." The red-haired god spoke, whom the gods of the Norse pantheon know him as: Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Thor assisted Tyr in strolling towards the med bay, where his injuries will be treated by the greatest healers in the heavens.
"You had a good time?" Thor asked.
Tyr chuckled, brushing his hair with his blood-soaked hand. "I did. Attila the Hun is something extortionary." He stared at his hand, at the blood soaking it. He remembered the fatal punch he delivered to Attila, on how his blood still remained on his fist. "He was great fighter. I bet you'd enjoy fighting him, too."
The god of thunder remained silent, comprehending his friend's words. A human is actually that strong? He was having second thoughts on not being on the roster for the gods. "Heh. Maybe." He responded and helped Tyr on his way to heal his wounds.
***
For once, the radiance of the archangels died out.
Raguel's three children burst into tears, embracing each other and collapsing onto the floor, nearly popping the others' eardrums with their ear-splitting cries. Uriel lowered his head, small streams of tears streaming down his face. Metatron took off his top hat and held it close to his chest. Raphael, for once, wasn't smiling.
Gabriel held back his urge to sob with the three, wanting them to share their grief with him. However, no tears flowed from his eyes. He hated that. He's been strong for too long; he hated that. He's unable to shed tears like others do in times of sorrow. Michael slammed his fist into the wall, causing a dent on the solid marble surface.
This wasn't supposed to happen. Michael was sure that victory was theirs. If Attila the Hun had just made sure that Tyr wasn't able to fully counter him, the match would have been for the humans to win. However, the past cannot be changed, no matter what. And now, Ariel, Elysariel, and Kaelith are orphaned.
Raphael crept towards Michael; his face sombre for the first time in his life. "Mike." He whispered. "We can prepare a funeral for Raguel and Attila."
Yes, that would be nice. The fallen do deserve a final resting tombstone facing the sun, where they can watch the sunrise and sunset. However, there was no time for that.
"We should." Michael agreed. "But we don't have much time."
This got everyone's attention.
"Genesis is a thirteen-day event with thirteen battles. Now that the first round is over, we have only one day to decide our next fighter for the second round."
He lowered his head.
"But we don't have enough time to hold not one, but two funerals. We need to postpone them until Genesis is over."
"So, what you're saying is that Father doesn't deserve a funeral?"
Ariel's words caught everyone off-guard. She stood up and stomped towards Michael, tears still streaming down her face.
"That's not what I meant." Michael calmly replied.
"Father is dead!" She unleashed a powerful roar, loud enough to nearly crack the window. Everyone covered their ears just in time before her roar could shatter their eardrums. Elysariel and Kaelith sobbed harder, their sister's rage heightening the stress of the poor children.
"And he's dead thanks to YOU!" She continued, flooring Michael and begun to land punches to his face. The leader of the archangels refused to defend himself. She was right, Raguel's death was caused by Michael's decisions. Ariel and her siblings are now orphaned, and it was his fault.
He deserved the pain. Every single bit of it.
The other four archangels wrestled Ariel away from Michael before she could deliver another vicious punch to his face. She was surprisingly strong for a lesser archangel, with Raphael having to exert half of his strength to restrain her, and they finally managed to drag her away from their leader thanks to Uriel chanting a pacifying spell.
"Is this what you do best?!" Ariel bellowed, her anger still rising despite Uriel's spell. "You sacrifice your own kin for the 'greater good'?!" Yet again, Michael remained silent, unable to answer someone's question for the first time in his life.
Kaelith rushed over to his sister, hugging her in the arm. "Sis. Please stop." He spoke between his sobs. "Being angry won't fix things."
Elysariel repeated the act from her brother, hugging Ariel's other arm. "Big sis, you're scaring us."
The archangel of protection turned to face her younger brother and then to her younger sister. At last, she stood up and held their hands, refusing to look at her fellow archangels in the eye, as they knew she was still furious at Michael but just decided that it's not worth it. Together, the three stormed out of the VIP room, leaving the five inside in an awkward silence.
They stood there for about ten minutes, the only sounds being the distant marching of the crowd of humans and gods as they left the stadium. Metatron looked around before letting out an awkward cough to excuse himself; no one stopped him as he left. Soon, Uriel made the same decision, hugging his encyclopaedia as a precious gift.
Raphael approached Michael, examining the wounds dealt by Ariel. Finally, there was an excuse for the healer of Heaven to leave.
"Right!" Raphael exclaimed, trying to regain the enthusiasm he showed before the fight. "I'll get the healing supplies! S-stay right here, Mike!" He walked out from the room, humming to a random song as he left. Now, it's just Michael and Gabriel left in the room.
Gabriel's gaze never left his leader, older brother figure and best friend, who still remained in the same position after Ariel had knocked him to the floor. Michael refused to budge, his expression solemn, but lacking the usual confidence he usually shows. He rarely saw Michael like this, ever since the War in Heaven.
"M-Michael?" He asked, before remaining silent again and waited for a response. There was none. He sighed and helped Michael to get back on his feet.
"Gabriel."
The Messenger of God was startled by his sudden response. Clearing his throat, Gabriel reapproached Michael. "Yes?"
"What do you think of me? As a leader?"
Gabriel struggled to find an answer—one that wouldn't offend Michael, spiral him into depression, or question his methods. This isn't the right time to shut yourself away; humanity needs them. Clearing his throat (again), he managed to come up with an answer.
"Well, as a leader who can guide us to victory, it seems you were born for that role. You make outstanding rallying and inspiring speeches. You inspire respect from our kin. Personality wise, eh, either that you can be a bit reckless, just like our Father, you're distant from us. You don't talk to us all often, unlike me, Raphael, Uriel, and Metatron; the rest barely knew you, less have a bond with you."
"I see." Michael rubbed the swollen wound on his face, barely wincing in pain. He patted Gabriel on the shoulder, his expression still sorrowful. "Thanks for that, Gabe." Gabriel could barely respond to his words, as Michael had already walked out of the room.
***
Even with only one victory, the gods were already celebrating.
At a heavenly grand hall, constructed with quartz and decorated with various gems that mortals are unable to find, gods and goddesses from various pantheons gathered at the party. They were dressed elegantly, aiming to show off their magnificence and attractiveness. Outside, many dived into the colossal pool, splashing its divine waters onto those unfortunate to be by the pool.
Other than the gods, many Oni were patrolling the area, with their katanas brought to fend off any unwanted visitors and masks to hide their demonic faces. They occasionally stopped by to greet a new arrival or to respond to the flirting of goddesses. They serve as the security for the gods, especially for events like this one.
The wine was the finest part of this party. Brewed by Dionysus, the expert of making wine, and it captivated all who took a sip, the grape flavor amazing and stunning them. The Greek god leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, taking pride in the delight of his guests. Even though he did warn the others not to indulge to much of it, no one listened. Of course, due to him being the youngest of the Olympians.
In a corner, groups of gods huddled together, roaring in glory and satisfaction. Bragi stood on top of a table, his cheeks flushed due to being slightly drunk from drinking more than Dionysus told them to. He raised his glass of wine. "This is for Tyr!" He screamed.
"For Tyr!" The other gods repeated, raising their glasses too.
"And this is for our first victory!" He added. "Let us celebrate, everyone! For the extinction of humanity!"
"For the extinction of humanity! Toast!" The laughter from the others was drowned out by the clinks of the glasses between the gods at the balcony, where they soon chugged down the wine.
At the balcony, where the viewers may watch over the scenery and the stadium ahead, the supreme gods were simply relaxing on classic beach chairs, with glasses of wine and other delicacies on the stands beside them. They too toasted for their first victory. However, unlike many of the other deities, they weren't too happy about it.
"Heh. Guess a man can nearly beat us after all." Horus said, taking a bite from his chocolate-chip cookie.
"I think it might be a mistake to not send any more of us there, Zeus." Huitzilopochtli said.
The Greek king of the gods coughed at his concern. "Yes, yes. I do understand that victory almost went to humanity, but we'll do fine surely. We got the Jade Emperor and Amaterasu in there."
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The Jade Emperor clinked his plate with his spoon to get his attention. "But what if it's not enough?"
"Gents." Zeus stood up from his seat. "We got this. We selected these thirteen gods because they're worth it, and the reason I don't want to send any of other rulers of their respective pantheons is that it doesn't spiral into chaos if you lose. Two supreme gods are already too much for us, sure, we are stronger than a normal deity, but it's a risk we can't take."
The rest remained silent. Horus nodded as a response, with Huitzilopochtli sinking back into his chair. The Jade Emperor and Indra didn't mutter a word, understanding Zeus's concerns. Huitzilopochtli eventually broke the tension between them.
"Say, Zeus. Who's going next?"
This question delighted the king of the Olympians. "You'll enjoy her performance, that's for sure."
***
In the Empyrean, a palace much higher than the divine palaces, with its pillars whiter than the clouds and walls made from pure diamonds. Clouds surrounded the area, lowering the visibility of the palace for those below the clouds, as well as having enchanted defences, protecting it from any dangerous threats.
In addition, it was only reserved for the archangels and those close to their Father. Sitting on the quartz throne, Michael scrolled through his tablet, examining the biographies about the potential fighters for the second round.
"If I were one of the gods, who would I send next?" He asked himself. "Whom should I send next to counter that god? Jim Corbett?" He shook his head, scrolling away from his profile. "No, perhaps Lapu-Lapu?" He groaned and buried his face on the throne's handle. "No, no, he's too strong to be sent in that early. I should reserve him for the final rounds."
His thoughts drifted to Raguel, unable to get his mind off his last moments. His last words stuck to him—his broken promise to his children. The anguished faces of Elysariel and Kaelith flashed before him. Ariel was right; Raguel's dead because of him.
Michael sighed; he was tempted to throw the tablet onto the floor and shatter it. He was frustrated with his role; he's not that great of a leader; he let one of his own brothers-in-arms perish in battle. He wanted to destroy something, something that could at least let him release his frustration and grief. Just before he could do so, the reminder of the tablet's expensive price and a voice stopped him.
"Michael?"
Michael paused himself to face the speaker: Kaelith, peeking from the back of a statue of their Father. His sister Elysariel did the same, her expression shyer than her brother. Slowly, they exposed themselves and walked towards Michael. Unlike their older and wiser sister, they didn't show any signs of loathing towards the archangel leader, he could still see their awe and respect for him in their eyes.
He soothed himself, lowering his tablet and gently placing it on the handle. "Yes?" He responded, with the two children sitting on the floor in front of the throne. The two siblings faced each other, and then faced Michael. Elysariel jabbed her brother in the arm, with Kaelith giving her a glare before speaking again.
"We're just here to check on you." He managed. "Are you feeling well?"
Michael smiled and laid back on the throne. "Yes, I'm good. Just, staying up to prepare for the next round tomorrow."
"Okay." Elysariel said, covering her mouth to yawn. They sat there for a few more minutes, before it's Michael's turn to ask them a question.
"How's your elder sister?"
"Eh..." They faced each other again, with Kaelith gesturing his sister to answer Michael this time, the archangel could catch a whisper of something that sounded like 'It's your turn'. Elysariel nodded and faced Michael.
"She locked herself in her room. She doesn't want to meet anyone but the two of us."
"Not even the others? Like Big Brother Raphael? Metatron? Or her Prince Charming Gabriel?"
The two shook their heads, slightly laughing at his description of Gabriel from Ariel's point of view.
Michael produced an inaudible sigh, knowing that Ariel is still furious at him. He would apologize to her, he wanted to. But the best thing for now is to give her space. She's not in the condition to speak to him. Taking a deep breath, he manned himself to talk to them about Raguel.
"Kids? About your father-"
"Hey." Kaelith said, his voice surprisingly more mature than before. "It's alright, Mikey. It's not your fault." He smiled, taking his own deep breath before continuing. "Genesis is like a war, right? People die in wars."
The two held Michael's hand.
"And in wars, people gave their all in battle. And that's what Dad and that human Attila did: they gave their best." He smiled. "So, you shouldn't blame yourself for his passing, you ain't the one responsible for his death; the gods are. So, let's smile, and strangle the gods' necks together and make them cry!"
Michael smiled in warmth at the young angel's surprisingly wise words. "Hey, who taught you to speak like that?" He asked and poked Kaelith's forehead playfully. The two children giggled, and another voice spoke up.
"Welp, I did."
The kids were briefly startled by the sudden visitor but calmed down when he revealed himself. Like Raguel, he also wore a business suit, though its colour is as black as the realm of the night. And like many archangels, he was muscular in appearance, though slightly more than the average archangel, and some were actually concerned that his muscles might tear through the suit he wears one day.
He stuffed a vanilla-flavoured donut into his mouth, chewing it as he spoke again. "Well, kids gotta learn more insults nowadays. People in the modern world are getting ruder and more impulsive, we need to learn how to counter that."
"But what if kids grow to be just as rude and impulsive thanks to your teachings, Selaphiel?" Michael joked. Swallowing his donut, Selaphiel, the archangel of prayers, laughed at his leader's sarcasm.
"Boy, I forgot about that." He joked back, gently stroking Kaelith's hair. His expression turned serious out of the blue, like many archangels that wear suits, he straightened his tie before finishing up his words.
"Sorry about Raguel." He lowered his head as a sign of respect. "He was a great dude." Elysariel and Kaelith nodded and lowered their heads as well. Finishing, Selaphiel raised his head and retained his personality before. "Well, Michael. I have a request for you. Let me bond with the fighter for the next round!"
This caught Michael off guard.
"Ya see." He twirled his fingers. "I would too like to fight for humanity and maybe." He saw the horrified looks on everyone's faces. "Just maybe, die an honorable death. You'll allow that, won't you?"
Michael tapped the throne's handle, before giving him a thumbs up. "Do your best tomorrow, Selaphiel."
The prayer archangel whooped and cheered. "Thanks a bunch!" But his cheers were interrupted by a vibration on Michael's tablet. The three rushed over to his side to check it out: the news channel that every angel is watching is about to begin soon, and their topic: the surprise next fighter for the gods.
Turning on the hologramlike television, the four watched the news broadcast as it just began. The screen shows a demon sitting on a table with a goat and ox's head on the side of her shoulders, her once angelic crown now corrupted by the essence of Hell, and most notably, she had a graceful, balanced figure that coexisted with her natural elegance.
Michael and Selaphiel recognised her as one of the fallen angels in the War in Heaven; she was known as Asmodel by the angels, but now everyone calls her by her new name: Asmodeus.
"Gods and mortals!" She spoke in a hammy showman-styled tone. "It's that time of the day again! The name's Asmodeus, a member of the Seven Princes of Hell and your patron of lust! And we got some big news for you!"
A picture showcasing a massive question mark appeared beside her, with the digitalised words 'NEXT FIGHTER FOR THE GODS CONFIRMED?'
"After the epic first round of Genesis, it seems the gods won't hold back in the upcoming second round!" The picture shifts to a video, showing an interview with Zeus and the Jade Emperor about their next fighter, though their conversations with the interviewer are muted. "According to Zeus, the next fighter will be a huge fan favourite among the gods! Here's a hint he provided: this god has performed numerous heroic deeds for humanity and has received widespread worship. But now, they're fighting against the beings who idolised them."
She made a dramatic pause before continuing.
"And that's it! That's all they gave us, leaving us with more questions than answers! Now, with this information, what would humanity do next? And before we move onto more news, I would like to talk about this platform's sponsor-"
Michael switched the hologram off.
"Well, thanks Aussie. That was some good info dropping." Selaphiel joked. "But I think we know who it might be."
"Totally." Michael agreed to the confusion of Elysariel and Kaelith. "If that's the case." Wasting no time, he switched on his tablet and scrolled through the human champions. If that god is going out next, then this man will be a perfect choice against her. The greatest strategist of mankind, against one of the brightest deities, a perfect matchup.
He showed the muscular archangel the profile of the human, who smirked at his biography. Crossing his arms, he knew that this guy is destined to bond with him in Genesis. "Oh, he's perfect."
***
The arena was just as crowded as the day before. Both man and god assembled to witness the second round that will determine mankind's survival. They already lost once yesterday, many humans in the stands quivered in paranoia, the possibility of losing again is still present. If that were to happen, they're two steps closer to extinction.
The gods were even anticipated for the second round, especially after the news that a favourite among them will be fighting. Another mighty deity to remind humanity of their place in this death match. And they cannot wait to intimidate those puny and arrogant mortals.
The archangels reunite within their own VIP room. New desserts and teapots were set on a white table, the butlers were considerate on their choices of sweets, no requests will have to be made as everything they want is arranged. The sat at their usual seats, with their drinks by the stands beside them.
Elysariel and Kaelith sat on soft mats on the floor, positioned right in front of their window, Metatron had to tell the angel children to not stay to close to the window, giving them a kind lecture like a parent would tell their child on keeping their distance from the television. Reluctantly, they shifted a few centimeters away from the window.
The same commentator's box hovered above the arena, and as usual, Anansi materialised and took a seat. Wielding the same microphone, he screamed in the same hammy and excited tone as he was yesterday.
"GOOD MORNING, GODS AND MORTALS!" He erupted. "We're back at it for the second round of Genesis! I don't think we need a recap on the previous round; it's still clearly embedded in our minds."
The archangels and humans went silent at their tragedy yesterday.
The spider god cleared his throat. "Folks! Are you ready for the second round?!"
Everyone roared in approval.
"But first!" He pointed to the arena. "The gods have requested a minor modification to the arena!"
Below, twelve white stone statues erected from the soil, every one of which stood at least fifty meters in height. The statues encircled the arena, as if guarding it from an unseen dangerous force. Everyone, especially the souls of the ancient Greeks, recognised the statues. They were designed based on the Twelve Olympians, made to be as accurate to their appearance as possible.
The gods cheered instantly at the sight of the statues, a representation of the fighter for this round. Satisfied with their enthusiasm, Anansi roared into the mic to raise the hype.
"Since everyone is so pumped up, let's dive in and introduce the fighters!"
The lights shone onto the right corner, the side of humanity. The arena began to rumble, and instead of one man, hundreds of soldiers marched from the entrance, forming lines with a massive space between them. Legions of more soldiers stomped and chanted in the stands, intimidating the other humans behind them.
"Oh! Looks like mankind is making a performance for their representative!" The god cracked his knuckles. "Guess I'll have to compete with that!"
As the final soldiers marched from the entrance, one final man strolled out behind them. The man has an athletic build, with dark brown hair and striking a trimmed goatee. His eyes were grey and piercing. His most prominent features were his navy-colored tailor suit with a silk tie, and his black bicorne.
"Humanity has birthed many great military tacticians: Ulyssess S. Grant, Julius Caesar, Carl von Clausewitz, Sun Tzu... However, this gentleman stands out!"
The chanting of the soldiers intensified.
"Thanks to him, the French has accomplished many military conquests. The Battle of the Three Emperors? He won! The Battle of Jena-Auerstedt? The Prussians stood no chance against his brilliance!"
The stomping and chants grow louder, nearly drowning out Anansi's description, forcing him to raise his voice.
"He was not only excellent on the battlefield, but in politics too! He improved the access of education to the French! He signed a truce between the Russians! He was so great; he transformed the French Republic into an empire and declared himself as the Emperor!"
The man stopped near the center of the arena. The chanting of the soldiers turned into proud and glorified roars of courage for their general, prompting many humans and gods to cover their ears.
"He is the greatest military tactician! Everyone! Give it up for the second fighter of mankind: Napoleon Bonaparte!"
The soldiers' courage spread to the humans; they were feeling more confident that such a grand general is fighting for them. He was intelligent, very intelligent. The fear of them losing the second round lessened, replacing it with hope and pride.
"Hmm." Raphael scratched his chin. "That's Selaphiel's partner? Interesting guy."
"Heard of the man." Uriel added. "Heard he reaffirmed the Catholic Church in France back in the 1800s, expanding our pantheon's influence."
Anansi raised his fist, silencing the cheering humans. "Alright! We have the greatest tactician of mankind. But has anyone heard of the greatest tactician of the gods?"
The lights shifted to the left corner.
"She's an iconic goddess, known for her wisdom and intellect! You can't exclude her when telling the stories of the Greek gods!"
The deity appeared from the entrance, slowly strolling towards the direction of the French general. She wore a unique Corinthian helmet which covered her entire face, leaving only her eyes exposed. A cloud white cloak flowed like water as she moved, her diamond armor clinking in every step she took. Of course, she wielded her eye-catching shield Aegis, which always accompanies her.
And to the delight of many gods (and some goddesses), she had an extremely muscular build for any deity, earned from eons of training and battles. If one were to ignore her obvious (and equally eye-catching) curves, or if she remained silent, she would've been mistaken for a male god.
"She had played a role in the success of many heroes of Greece!"
This time, it was the gods' turn to roar in glory.
"She aided Odysseus on his journey back to Ithaca! She gifted Perseus the reflective shield, allowing him to kill the fearsome Medusa! She helped with the construction of the Argo! Bellerophon was able to slay the mighty Chimaera thanks to her providing him the bridle to tame the winged Pegasus!"
The gods began to throw flowers like how Bragi did for the first round.
"Even the mighty Heracles, received her support during his Twelve Labours! Thanks to her intelligence, she is undeniably one of the favorite children of Zeus!"
She halted, just twenty meters away from Napoleon.
"Let us bask in the glory of the second fighter of the gods! Introducing the goddess of wisdom and weaving: Athena!"
The gods roared louder, hurling more roses onto the arena below. But a goddess in the commentator's box roared louder than everyone else. Her attire was almost similar to that of a typical archangel: white robes and feathered wings. But her Greek accent instantly subverts that confusion.
"Athena!" Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, cheered for her companion. "Do your best! Sorry that I couldn't join you in this fight!"
The goddess of wisdom nodded as she faced the commentator's box. Anansi coughed and smiled.
"Right! Sorry that I forgot to introduce the special guests for this match! For the gods, we have the Greek goddess of victory: Nike!" The goddess waved at the crowd. "And as for the humans, we have the brother of the French emperor: Joesph Bonaparte!"
A man, nearly as identical to his brother, just without a goatee, simply slipped into his seat, not too used to the attention of such a massive crowd. Patting the shoulder of the human for comfort, Anansi roared into the mic.
"Looks like we have an epic matchup, everyone! It's going to be Napoleon versus Athena! I can tell that it's going to be a blast!"
The audience remained silent as they stared at the two fighters. The archangels held their breath, praying for the success and survival of Selaphiel and the human representative. Everyone held back their excitement, anticipation and nervousness, for the second bout of Genesis is about to commence.