Land of Gods.

Divine Domain of Voda, Goddess of Water.

A woman with pale-blue eyes reminiscent of the stormy seas sat in front of a water mirror.

The mirror reflected a birds-eye view of a ship outfitted with purple sails and flying a black flag with a certain symbol embossed on it. The ship sailed through stormy seas, its men fighting against the hurricanes and sea monsters that threatened their downfall.

The eyes of the Goddess stared unerringly at the man helming the vessel. His porcelain face, weathered under the salts and hardships of the seas, faced the challenges before it with a determined expression.

“Is that your Champion?”

A voice as light and airy as the wind peeked behind the Goddess’ ears and curiously asked.

Turning her head, Voda came face-to-face with her inquirer and replied, “Indeed.”

“Strong build. Good magic too. Good choice.” The voice of the wind praised her friend’s selection. “Is he a descendent of one of your ancient sea clans?”

“The blood of the Fallen Emperor flows through him, albeit thinly.” Voda nodded.

“Ah. That explains his calmness while facing the sea. Good seed.”

After looking in the mirror for a few more seconds, Voda, the Goddess of Elemental Water, waved her hand and disappeared the screen. She then turned around and faced her old friend.

“What brings you to my domain, Ilma?” she asked.

“Nothing but my desire to check up on an old friend,” the air chuckled in response. “Say, have you finished selecting your Champions?”

“Not all of them,” Voda stoically replied, “I’ve yet to choose two more.”

“Anyone particular catch your eyes?” Ilma, Goddess of Elemental Wind asked to which her friend answered, “None exceptional. I have my eyes on a few pawns but I’ve yet to make my selection.”

She then stared coldly at her friend and inquired once again, “You’ve yet to answer my query, Ilma. What brings you to MY domain?”

The air within the room started to get heavy. The faint smell of salt and the seas appeared within as a faint illusion of the endless ocean flickered behind Voda.

This was the nature of water; soft and tamable at times, hard and absolute at others.

At one moment they are approachable and friendly while in a blink of an eye they become combative and hostile.

Seeing her dear friend’s reaction, Ilma simply chuckled and spoke her motives.

“I came here to profess a trade?”

“A trade? For what?” Voda asked, turning docile once again.

“For a Champion of yours.” Ilma pointed at the Goddess of Water and declared.

Hearing her request, the brows upon the Goddess’ face furrowed. However, she managed to retain her calmness this time around and asked, “What are you willing to offer?”

“Of course, a Champion can only be traded in kind,” Ilma bartered. “Or if you so wish, I’m willing to trade away my two remaining chances.”

She snapped her fingers, prompting the arrival of two dots of light near her hands. The two dots of light shone with a unique glow like the stars. A milky radiance leaked from their bodies festering a unique, radiant presence.

Seeing her dear friend’s eyes drawn to the two dots of light, Ilma advised, “You should know that investing multiple chances on a single Champion will increase their blessings and fortune.”

“It will also increase my stake, thereby heightening the risks,” Voda corrected her friend. “I want to see your Champions.” The Goddess demanded.

Shaking her head, Ilma snapped her fingers once more and made the two dots of light disappear. She then lightly clapped her airy hands, prompting a screen to appear in the air before her.

The screen was split into multiple smaller screens, each of which showed a different image. At first glance, there should’ve been at least two dozen smaller screens within that one large screen.

Voda carefully eyed the smaller images and felt the information pertaining to those Champions enter her head. Of course, the information was brief and did not go into detail about the Champions and their histories.

After studying the screens for a while, Voda pointed towards a certain image and said, “I want that one.”

“I haven’t even told which Champion I’m requesting you,” Ilma helplessly voiced.

“No need,” The Goddess of Water lightly declared and made a screen of her own, appear. The screen showed the image of a young, bare-chested teen thrusting his spear at a boulder nearly fifty times his size.

Ilma immediately flashed a breezy smile at this image and said, “You truly know me the best, Voda. It’s a deal.”

The two Goddesses extended their respective hands and shook each other.

Instantly, a transcendent energy exchanged through their hands, completing the deal. The screens before Voda and Ilma interchanged their spots and the Champions now answered to their new patrons.

Disengaging their handshake, the two Goddesses looked at each other.

“Any news regarding the Pantheon?” Voda asked her friend who was more social than her.

“The Lesser Ones have caught wind of the news. Unfortunately, they were too late.” Ilma shook her head with pity. “All noteworthy individuals within the Cosmic and Infernal Realms have been snatched up by us. That brute Agni even went as far as threatening the poor fellows to keep their claims off the two Realms.”

“In short, only the Mortal Realm is available for their selection.”

The Goddess of Elemental Wind concluded.

Hearing the news, Voda nodded her head and asked, “I remember hearing something about some new ‘toys’ within the Mortal Realm. Do you know anything about that?”

“Oh! The toys, yes!” Ilma clapped her hands. “I remember my servants within the Mortal Realm making a fuss about it too. Curious, I took a peek at them through a vessel.”

“How are they?” Voda asked, suddenly impatient.

“Marvelous. They don’t work together with our magic but for something borne out of the humans, they are simply fascinating,” Ilma spoke with honest appreciation.

“Sadly,” her tone suddenly dropped, “they are but ‘toys’. They might work wonders amongst the humans but against our children of the Cosmic and Infernal Realm, they are simply trinkets.”

Voda simply nodded her head at her friend’s conjecture.

The Mortal Realm, home to the weak humans, held no interest in the eyes of the Six Council Gods. It was disregarded as the battlefield where the two Higher Realms; Cosmic and Infernal, will compete for an eventual victor.

The weak humans weren’t as strong-bodied, long-living, or magically-attuned as their children from the Higher Realms. In fact, they were weaker and lesser than their children in all areas and aspects; not worthy to even serve as their slaves.

Humankind from the beginning was doomed to serve as cannon fodder for the conflict of the two Higher Realms. Their Champions, while exalted amongst their kin, were but dirt for the Champions of the two Higher Realms to step on.

The very notion of a human Champion besting his superiors and coming out on top of the contest was deemed a hilarious joke by the Six Council Gods.

It had never happened before and it will never happen in the future. History deemed it so.

How unfortunate, for the ensuing contest was nothing like the ones in history. It would be a contest different enough to shock the Higher Realms and startle the Elder Gods.