57 The War Game Denatus

A.N. How has this story been so far now that we're over 50 chapters? Either leave a story review or just tell me here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Babel)

While the Ptah Familia were busy integrating themselves with society, ingratiating with their new allies and generally just trying to settle in before the major conflict about to ensue, their respective patron was making his way into a very different setting, a very different gathering, for a very different purpose. One where no mortal was generally allowed as this was meant to be a sacred place where 'divine legislation' took place.

In reality, it was just a place for gods to fool around and get away from Familia duties for a while while they gossiped, played games or picked fights with one another. Ptah had attended very few, partially because he wasn't really into large gatherings these days, and mostly because he'd had no Familia to speak of in the past. What relevance could he have had?

But now, he finally had a legitimate reason to be there, though it irked him that the first time he came to this particular level of Babel where he had any sort of standing was solely because he was involved in a War Game. How he wished he could curse Steve the way he could curse Loki! Perhaps he would have afflicted him with impotence as a lesson but unfortunately, Steve was absolutely immune to his ability.

Perhaps it came with the fact that Steve's best skill was similar and ran counter to his. Or perhaps it was because Steve had so many protective factors surrounding him that blocked any form of mind control? Either way, the caveat that came with having the most powerful child was that he would be the one person Ptah could not just simply order away to leave him in peace.

...But then again, he truly did want grandkids...though he now had other children so Steve didn't have to be the one to sire children...then again, none of the others were in relationships...

Ptah almost ripped his braid out in the frustration that Steve was causing him. Why could the Minecrafter just not stay out of trouble and out of the spotlight for once? Why did he have to draw attention to himself wherever he went?

"Lopt." Ptah said, making Loki perk up in attention as they approached the bright doorway that led to the gods' assembly. "What suggestion are you going to put in the box?"

"I don't know." Loki shrugged her shoulders. "I just write anything and toss it in. What are the chances of it being pulled out among dozens of others?"

"Well if you were behaving like the typical spastic you are when I'm not around, what would you put in?" Ptah said as he didn't even turn his head behind him to look at her.

Loki pouted angrily at being name-called like that. She'd flattened his temple ages ago! Could he not just get over it already? It was bad enough that she'd been cursed so severely by him that even now she could do nothing to remedy it. But no, she had to also endure horrible insults in every sentence he uttered to her too!

"Well I'd probably put in the suggestion of 'Duels of Honour'." Loki said in a stuffy voice.

"And what would that entail?" Ptah raised a brow. "Duels are between two parties."

"A fight to take place where someone is insulted and they fight to restore slighted honour." Loki folded her arms. "Anybody you and your child have insulted would be able to come to the table with Freya and challenge you with her."

"What are you trying to say?" Ptah asked as he finally looked back at her and raised a very dark eyebrow.

"I'm saying that you're just a family of massive psychos and assholes!" Loki waved her arms. "Like that girl! She didn't even finish introducing herself or let us introduce ourselves but she already threatened to blow us up!"

"Tough life." Ptah answered. "We're a Familia of people who are down to earth and we are labourers. Not daydreamers like your kids."

"My kids have worked for years to become what they are!" Loki grit her teeth. "It's you who keep getting all the lucky choices!"

"About time too." Ptah said as he stretched his arms. "For the last few hundred thousand years, my luck has been absolutely piss poor. For once things are going my way...or at least, as well as I think they are."

"Why are you so worried?" Loki asked in confusion. "Your kids could easily win the War Game. Just look at how strong they are!"

"It's not them I'm worried about, it's the ones they're fighting." Ptah said. "Steve is a sadist...I bet you he's going to traumatise a lot of people with his plans."

"He's also a wolf!" Loki shook her finger as her teeth sharpened like a shark's. "I know his type! Behind those sweet words is a blood thirsty lecher who only wants to sink his teeth into their flesh! I will not allow my girls to be devoured by such a monster! I'd rather lose them to a monster in the dungeon than a creature like that!"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Ptah rolled his eyes. "Who makes foolish wishes like that?! And get over it, you've already lost them."

"How would you like it if somebody stole that Noor girl away then? I already know she's your favourite!"

"I'd chew them up and spit out the pip." Ptah said without hesitation.

"DON'T YOU SEE THE HYPOCRISY?!"

"Do as I say, not as I do." Ptah said even more calmly while Loki just stared at him before wailing at the loss of her Aisy-poo.

It just wasn't fair! All those kisses and all those hugs, and how Ais let Steve touch her as he pleased, even going as far as to grab his hands with her own and make him fondle her...it was supposed to be HER, not HIM! She wailed even louder this time.

Ptah grit his teeth and grunted, clenching his fist as he contemplated whether or not to summon his sceptre and cave her skull in due to her incessant caterwauling. He shrugged the irritation off though as he focused on the more important matter ahead. He quickly checked beneath one of the gold plates on his shoulder rest to make sure that the device was there.

It puzzled the little god how this thing was supposed to work and whether it would work over such a long distance. Especially when Ptah was so high up the tower. He fiddled with the thing, taking care not to pull it off but also to examine it's exact features. As his index finger touched a part of it that had some sort of hollowed out area that perfectly hugged his finger tip, he felt that part move and something clicked.

One the side of the device, a small red light started flashing...

.

.

.

Down at the guild, Steve was distracted from the various paperwork he had to sign in order to buy up the land around the grotto. He sat near a chuckling Royman who stared at the several gold coins and gold bars on his table, while Steve ran a quill over the deeds.

The device in the gamer's ear began flashing red with a couple of beeps and the Minecrafter sat upright to attention as he'd been waiting for this moment. As he jotted down the appropriate information, he focused his attention on the feed coming through the speaker in his ear-piece and he soon heard the rumbling of several voices. Some he recognised of certain gods, as well as his own.

But he kept his ear out for the main events as soon enough, the most obnoxious elephant god in the entire universe began to announce the event.

---

"I AM GANESHA!" The masked god shouted loudly into the microphone as he held out his other arm to the large audience of gods and goddesses from all over Orario. "And today, we are gathered here for a very special occasion...and rare in of itself indeed. For the most powerful goddess of the most powerful Familia in the world has issued a challenge to another Familia...a contest of strength, a test of valour, an opportunity to witness the glory of adventurers! A round of applause to Freya!"

The gods in the seats clapped for the most part for the goddess sat at one end of the table situated in the middle of the room. Freya paid no mind to their ovation beyond her usual polite smile as she spread her arms on the table and looked expectantly at the doorway as the two remaining gods entered.

"And on the other side of the War Table..." Ganesha said enthusiastically. "...is one who is mighty among the mightiest gods of heaven. And it seems that part of him attracts only the best, only the strongest, only the absolute fabulous of mortal kind! A big hearty welcome for the man, the legend, my dear beloved uncle, Lord Ptah!"

A smaller round of applause ensued this time but Ptah cared not for it as he summoned his Sceptre and wound up his arm. Before he knew it, poor Ganesha found the hard part of a golden staff hit him in the side of the head so hard that his body flipped and his skull was buried into the floor, his legs twitching in shock. The applause stopped as most of the audience sweat-dropped at that. They too were quite familiar with Ganesha's endearing designation for Ptah...and how much Ptah detested it.

Ptah blew steam from his nostrils as he calmed down and flexed his fingers as the Sceptre was summoned back to his hand. Loki snuck away to an empty seat, glad to be away from his vicinity now that they had managed to join the Denatus. Ptah descended down the stairs as he dismissed his weapon and slid into the seat opposite Freya.

"Alright Gefn, no faffing around." Ptah said. "Let's get this over and done with."

"Straight to the point, no unnecessary chat." Freya smiled. "How very much like you that sentiment is."

"No semantics either." Ptah warned. He then looked to the side as Ganesha's legs which were still sticking up in the air. He reached over and ripped out a few hairs, making the elephant god squeal as he pulled his head out of the ground and began vigorously rubbing the part where he'd lost some of his pride.

"Ow, that was not nice!" Ganesha almost pouted. "Come on, I was trying to give you a fitting introduction Ptah cha-" He was cut off as the prong end of the Sceptre was pointed in his face, electricity crackling between the fork tips. "...Right, the War Game." Ganesha coughed into his hand. "Before we decide on the format of the War Game, both parties must lay down their wagers. Before we start, is there anything else we should know about the others' Familia?"

"Nothing beyond what you already know about mine." Freya said before she leaned forwards with her chin on the back of both of her hands as she gazed at Ptah. "I'm not sure though if there are anymore pleasant surprises that Ptah and his child have to offer."

"I assure you, we've got a few." Ptah said before he looked at Ganesha, and by extension the rest of the gods. "Eight more members have joined my Familia since the party last night."

"Huh, a change of numbers?" Ganesha said as he nodded to Hermes who began noting this down. "Any chance of sharing their names and their levels?"

"They still have not got their citizenships yet, or their adventurer's licenses." Ptah said as he remembered the vigorous reading session he'd had to go through with Zuri on law and legislation. "Which means even for an occasion like this, that information cannot be put out front if I don't want it, for the protection and privacy of my new children. I will however push for the motion that such detail be announced at the War Game itself."

A couple of whistles went around the room as Freya was taken aback a little. Most of the gods slumped back and folded their arms in disappointment, while those who regularly came into contact with Orario's law book due to their Familia's business practices like Dian Cecht and Demeter raised impressed eyebrows as they recognised how Ptah had exploited this loophole to keep more cards to his chest.

'...Fair play, Ptah. I'll give this one to you.' Freya narrowed her eyes but kept her smile.

"How cunning." Dionysus said from his place in the assembly. "I must comment though, you do not possess the patience nor the mental faculties to circumvent the rules like that, Ptah. You must admit that you had help there."

"From one of my children." Ptah admitted. "I've been blessed with some very unique individuals as my children you know. Helped me find that little nugget that you didn't think to cover. And even if you did, you don't get to decide that law without issuing a bill...something none of you are bothered to do I assume."

A collective groan from the audience confirmed his point.

"Anything else?" Ganesha asked.

"We'll be using tamed monsters too." Ptah said, something that made everybody jump to attention as the smile disappeared from Freya's face and she looked at him with a measure of incredulity. Of course Ganesha was the one most surprised by this, since his Familia were the famous tamers.

"Really?!" Ganesha brought his face close to Ptah's face. "We finally share something in common, Chacha! perhaps we could-URRMPH!"

Ganesha clamped his hand over his mouth and moaned as Ptah had actually pulled out his tongue and made him bite it as he was talking.

"Your breath stinks." Ptah fanned the air in front of his face. "Go and chew some mint leaves. And yes, I suppose we share something in common. Again I push for the motion that the monster in question be announced at the War Game since at this very moment, Steve is processing his information in the guild. That's all I have to say on the matter of changes you should all be aware of."

"Fine." Ganesha said depressed as he straightened his back. "With that out of the way, I guess we should get down to the part where we put down our wagers. We'll begin with the challenger. Freya, what do you demand from Ptah?"

"Simple really." Freya said. "He may keep his other, new children if he wishes since I know nothing about them. And there is nothing else that he has that I don't have a thousand times over. Unlike many gathered here today, I genuinely believe that boy is a level 9. Loki's word is enough for me...and I respect you greatly Ptah. Lies such as that is above you."

"Awww, you're making me blush." Loki waved at her from the assembly. "But I don't think sweet talk and ass kissing is just going to make him hand over the kid you know?"

"Well it is predictable." Hephaestus said as she looked at Loki. "What else could she want besides Mr Hewer himself? Even if his level is not genuine, which is not my standing by the way, the quality of his craft and his weapons cannot be denied. You'd be a fool not to demand such a person, such raw talent for the uses of your Familia."

"I don't need to provide the reasons why I would want him." Freya stated as she looked at the gathering. "But even so, if my Familia wins this Game, I demand that Stephen Hewer be transferred to my wing immediately, casting aside the mandatory year of service that is typically required by law before changing Familia."

"That fine with you Ptah?!" Hermes said as his quill hovered over the paper he was writing on. "If you want to haggle, now's the time."

"I agree." Ptah said immediately. "If she wins, however small that chance is, I will hand over Steve without question nor complaint. That is my wager." Hermes stared at him before shrugging and writing that down.

...

"Well that was easy." A god said in the audience. "Too bad, I was hoping for a bit more drama."

"Now's not the drama part." Ptah said to him before turning back to Freya. "Can I lay down my demands now?"

"Well I guess you can." Ganesha said. "You've agreed to Freya's so I don't see why you shouldn't speak your part now."

"Very well." Ptah leaned forwards as he lifted a finger. "First demand is this. When my Familia wins this War Game, if my captain so likes it, we take whatever member from YOUR Familia that he wants and there will be no question. Got that?"

"Freya?" Hermes turned to her. "I mean to be fair, it's not that different from what he's asked of you."

"I have no problem with it. Like you said, it's only fair." Freya said. "I'm more interested in what else could be demanded of me."

"The second is this." Ptah continued. "My Familia are bringing their best equipment currently available to them to this battle. In respect to that, I demand you do the same."

"Agreed." Freya said. "What else?"

"That if you lose, you bequeath that nice apartment you have at the top of Babel, and give it to us." Ptah said. "After all, if you won't be the strongest Familia in the city anymore, then you can't really be holding down such a high position anymore can you?"

"Hmm." Freya narrowed her eyes at him. "That's a lot to be demanding of me."

"It makes sense though." Loki said as she grinned. "There's nothing about what he's asking that doesn't make sense. If you're no longer at the top, then you should no longer be at the top of the city. Get down from your throne Freya...or are you afraid of something?"

"It's just that all these brazen conditions heavily imply his and his Familia's mindset apparently." Freya gestured to Ptah. "They seem quite confident they'll win."

"That we will." Ptah grinned at her. "So, what's it going to be?"

Freya just stared at him.

...

"OH COME OFF OF IT!" Ishtar shouted from a seat right at the top seats. Everybody turned to look at her as they hear her outburst. Ishtar glared down at Freya, trying to enjoy this moment as this was one of the few instances that the silver-haired goddess had to look up at her. It should have been like that always, but alas, Freya had the strongest Familia and the highest throne in the city from which the Norse goddess looked down upon the world.

"What might be the matter Ishtar?" Freya asked sweetly. "What input could one such as you possibly have with such an ostentatious outburst?"

"The only reason you got that apartment at Babel's top was because you ripped Hera out of it and chased her and her brood away." Ishtar said. "As much as I hate that brat for what he said to me at the party, if the same happens to you then why should you not get out? You did it to someone else, or is it that you have double-standards?"

A murmur of agreement passed through the assembly. Freya held a stare with Ishtar before she turned to Ptah again. "Very well. I suppose you would have earnt it if you win anyway. Anything else?"

"One last condition." Ptah said as he waited for a bit to build suspense. "...When we win this War Game, we want you to align your interests with us, and serve our cause for the future that we wish to materialize."

Confused silence passed over the Denatus as they contemplated his words.

"What are you saying Ptah?" Freya asked.

"I am saying, when you lose, your Familia members shall be subordinate to mine..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment and Review!

Discord: https://discord.gg/jwwDVs3e

Read ahead on my Patreon:

Patreon/ Vulkizaro_Zoromi

For commissions:

Ko-Fi/ vulkizarozoromi