"You are certainly something." Damien's voice was calm, measured. "You come here to my home, unannounced, with your children leaking bloodlust toward my lovers. And the first thing you ask me is for marriage?" He tilted his head. "Are you not missing a few steps?"
Kali waved a dismissive hand. "Steps? What steps? You are almost a god, kid. And I am a goddess devoted to strength. I am interested in your seed." She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "I have plenty of children I want you to have as well. We will create an army of the strongest children using your seed. Is that not the greatest thing ever? Who could stop us?"
Damien narrowed his eyes.
"I see how it is. You think I am some sort of emotionless fuck who wants to create an army of his own children?" His voice dropped. "That is why you gods are fucking trash. You cannot even begin to understand human emotions. You just follow what your divinity says."
Kali smiled, unfazed. "Only the strong deserve the freedom to indulge their emotions. If you want power, strength....."
"I will get it myself." Damien cut her off. "I do not need you or your children. So what is it that you offer?" He wrapped his arm around Freya's waist, pulling her closer. "A loving goddess? I have plenty."
Kali's smile twitched.
"A large number of lovers?" Damien continued. "I already have plenty."
"An army? Eight Familias already offer their powers to me. Two of them are the strongest in the world, mind you." He grinned. "So what is the use of Kali? Other than being a nice piece of meat throwing herself at me, willing to throw her children at me." His eyes locked onto hers. "What does Kali offer?"
Kali's smile widened....wild, unhinged.
"An army strong enough and obedient enough to die for their king. Every day. To reproduce for the single purpose of serving their king. My children submit to the strong. As the strongest, all your wishes and desires can be acted upon them. They will love every part of it." She spread her arms. "No army, no matter how strong, can fight for their king to the death each and every time aside from my girls!"
Damien shook his head.
"Except you are lacking even that. Because I already have the most devoted and undying army."
His shadows filled the room. Not even most of them....just different variants of different monsters. Dark forms lined the walls, knelt at his feet, stood at attention.
He turned to Diana.
"Diana. How many times are you willing to die for me?"
Diana, the shadow soldier made from a former Amazonian Level Six, spoke without hesitation. "As many times as the Shadow Monarch desires."
"How many times have you already died for me?"
"I do not know. I do not care." Diana's voice was steady. "Dying for the Shadow Monarch is an honor bestowed upon me by his grace....No matter the amount, The more i serve the lord...The better"
Damien snapped his fingers. The shadows dissipated.
He turned back to Kali.
"So. My question remains." His voice was soft. "What does Kali offer that I lack?"
Kali stood there.
Silenced.
Unable to respond.
Then she laughed. Hard. She threw her head back and laughed until her eyes watered. When she finally stopped, she locked eyes with him, her grin fierce and genuine.
"It really is possible! For there to be someone who could refuse Kali. For there to be someone whom Kali cannot persuade." She pointed at him. "And that is you. That is EXACTLY why I came here, Damien Ardent. The reason for my visit. I knew you would not take me immediately. Why would you?"
She gestured at her children behind her.
"My girls? Bloodthirsty idiots who think the world bows beneath them. Yet today, it took one second for them to be humbled by you. Opening their eyes to the larger world." She laughed again. "You are perfect. Perfect!"
She stood up.
"You see, I did not come to Orario merely to get married to you. I had to offer....but I knew you would refuse. What I came here for was to earn you. I will prove to you that I, Kali, the Goddess of Death and Destruction, desire you. And I will do it all to earn YOU."
She turned to leave.
"I will become one of the strongest in this city. I will follow your path. Until the day you decide that I am worthy of your seed."
She left the room. Her children followed.
....
Damien sighed. "What an unhinged goddess."
Freya smiled beside him, her hand resting on his chest.
"I like where this is going. Kali has never shown such desire to serve someone. She has always been one to take and take and take." Freya's golden eyes gleamed. "She might learn a thing or two. Become one of your loyal allies."
Damien stood. "We will see about that. For now, I have a tournament to run."
He leaned down and kissed Freya....knowing full well that Ottar and Allen would not like it. But what could they do? They were so devoted to her that they would accept all she did.
He nodded at his girls and left the room.
....
Damien entered the announcer room where Hestia, Ganesha, and Loki stood looking down at the massive arena. It was now filled with a large number of adventurers, all wanting to join the Hestia Familia.
Ganesha smiled broadly. "Boy, you are one hell of an entertainer! Look at that! Not a day in my life have I seen such a large number of adventurers trying to join a single Familia!"
Damien stepped up to the window. "Well, I did not expect this many either, to be honest. I thought this would be a small bracket-style tournament. Not... whatever this is."
Shakti Varma, captain of the Ganesha Familia and one of the people responsible for the city's safety, spoke. "Many have come from outside Orario. Magic wielders. Children of foreign gods. Powerful warriors. It seems the promise of joining the strongest Familia was too tempting to resist. Some are here for political reasons. Some to become the strongest."
Damien smiled. "Well, is that not exactly what we wanted?"
Hestia crossed her arms. "Hey, I want happy and fun children, not political leaders and rock brains who only think of combat! I am only doing this for you!"
Loki snorted. "Aghhh, ease up, you big-titted fool. This is beneficial for the alliance."
Hestia's face reddened. "What did you say, you flat-chested idiot!"
"Girls... please." Damien stepped between them. "I am about to give a speech. I do not want all of Orario to hear you insulting each other's breast sizes." He glanced at each of them. "They are good as they are."
He moved up to the massive microphone, getting a full view of the arena.
He smiled.
"Well, look at you all."
His voice reverberated across the entire arena. Everyone fell silent instantly.
"I heard there were a lot of you, but I did not expect this many. I think the final count said we are pushing five hundred contestants." He chuckled. "Quite the number, eh? And the crowd? The amphitheater has been filled since morning! Apologies, dear people! I know the show took some time, but now... we may begin!"
Fireworks exploded from the sides of the amphitheater...made of magic....announcing the start of the tournament.
"Now... I think it is already clear what this tournament's aim is. To find the best adventurers to join me and my Familia....the Hestia Familia and the Eternal Hearth Alliance." He spread his arms. "As we have already established, we are looking for ten people. With this many contestants here, we will need to cut you all down a bit. Don't you think?"
He smiled.
And snapped his fingers.
At the bottom of the arena, Riveria controlled the magic screens, displaying numbered tags.
"Each of you was granted one of these. Correct. This tag is your lifeline." Damien's voice was calm, explanatory. "Hide it however you like. Protect it. Because once stolen and broken, you are out of this game. Of course, when stolen, you will have a single minute to recover it. But once that minute passes, the thief can instantly destroy it." He paused. "If that happens, you will be teleported out of the arena and lose your chance to join the Hestia Familia."
He stepped away from the podium.
"Only the remaining fifty will survive for the next round."
He turned back.
"Oh, I forgot to mention..."
He grinned.
"START THE BATTLE!"
Chaos ensued.
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