forum THE TOURNAMENT OF THE GODS! (9/9) (CLOSED THOUGH SPECTATORS ARE WELCOME TO WATCH)

Started October 15, 2020 by Deleted user

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Charlie didn't expect anybody to come comfort her. She expected sneers and glares, not soft words and uh, calming candies. She could feel their questions hanging in the air. Is she okay? Why is she crying so much? Why can't she pull herself together and woman up?

"James," The choked word escaped her lips before she could stop them. She closed her eyes tight and let the tears flow from under them. She didn't care about the smudged make-up anymore, all she cared about was getting home to her little brother. She lost her mother and father already, she was NOT going to lose her brother. Two of the non-human participants, the crazy green-haired girl, and the dark haired detective all shot her annoyed glares like she was a fly that refused to leave them alone while they were trying to eat. Others gave her distant expressions of pity, as if she was a starved dog on the side of the street. The ones that comforted her treated her with comforting words and reassuring hands on the back.

You'll probably have to kill some of these oh-so-kind people, The voice taunted and Charlie felt her heart squeezing, as if an anaconda snaked it's way around and constricted. They don't deserve it, oh no. But what will happen if you don't take that knife and drive it through their hearts? What will happen if you hesitated like last time? Think of James, Charlotte. Think of your little brother that YOU left all alone.

"James," She sobbed again.

"Perhaps we should give her space? She isn't a patient, but most of the time patients want some space when they're thrust into a new place." Achike suggested, head tilted downwards to look at Charlotte. They didn't really have any sort of bad expression on their face, just curiosity and a bit of worry.

Felix sat back next to Charlie, nodding at Achike's suggestion. He hadn't been that close in the first place.
"James," he repeated, "Someone you love, I'm guessing?"
He tried to relax his words and posture, so as not to come off too cold.
"What can we do for you?" Felix asked.
His eyes went from Charlie back to Achike. He would apologize later. Maybe.

Charlie nodded, her shoulders and body shaking. "James," She whispered through quivering breaths. "Little brother- can't leave him." She sniffed violently and buried her head in her hands.

What can we do for you? His kind words echoed through her mind.

What can they do for you, Charlotte? The voice whispered in a mocking tone, slicing through the echo like a red-hot blade. What can they do for you?

Charlie just shrugged. "Top pocket." She moved her shoulders to indicate that she was talking about her backpack. Hopefully, if it was where she last put it, the picture of her and James at the Shrine should still be in there.

Magnolia shivered, feeling slightly overwhelmed. She wanted to comfort the sobbing girl, but felt like she’d be an intruder, since others had already gone to comfort her.
Her eyes drifted to the strangers again. She wasn’t sure what to make of them, but the one named Achike seemed well meaning enough. She also looked over the other devotees. She’d taken a liking to the older, golden-eyed woman. She reminded her of her Aunt Willow, in a way. Aunt Willow…
She’d said goodbye to her earlier, but she felt like it wasn’t enough. But she took a breath, resolving not to let the past keep her down. She remembered something she was told when she was a newer devotee.
We don’t control the past, and it doesn’t control us. The past is simply something to acknowledge, to honor, and to preserve.
She turned to Sterling. “I don’t know what to do,” she confessed. “I feel numb, but overwhelmed at the same time.”

Achike nodded. "I have a cousin I watch over. Your god will protect him." They assured, stepping up to the backpack and fishing through it to grab the picture. They handed it to her with a soft smile. "Keep him in your heart, use him as motivation."

Felix bit his lip and looked at the picture.
"Motivation…" he echoed.
What was his motivation anyhow? He didn't have anyone who needed taking care of. His family would probably be happier without him. His friends would move on. All he knew was that he didn't want to die. Not like this.
A faint smile passed over his face.
"Y'know… in my family, I'm the little brother. And I'd have given anything to have an older sibling who cares as much as you do. James is lucky to have you. You clearly love him a lot, and we'll do everything in our power to make sure you see each other again."

Ah… Avlynn resisted the strong urge to pull the girl into an embrace and tell her that everything would be okay, that she'd be able to see her brother again. As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't. For one, she didn't know if the girl was comfortable with that, and Achike's suggestion definitely had some merit. There was also the fact that Avlynn couldn't promise either of those things, not when she knew very well that they weren't for certain. Her heart ached at the idea, and again she questioned whether the god hosting this tournament knew or cared how much he was hurting the participants in more than one way.

"Be strong for him. I'm sure he believes in you, so have a little faith in yourself," she said. There was sympathy in her voice, but also something more. Sorrow, as she realized another reality of this Tournament: even the winner would be separated from their loved ones for a long time, for gods–even minor ones–weren't often able to mingle with mortals.

Motivation… Charlie's sobs slowed and she could finally breathe normally, the tears still flowing out of her dark eyes. "He-he's all alone," She muttered, staring at the photograph with glazed eyes. "Ever since our parents…" She trailed off, but the message still hung in the air.

Oh Charlotte, you are well aware that that was all your fault! The voice cackled. She dropped the picture onto her lap and grabbed her braids near her temples and pulled at it, as if she could physically yank the voice out of her head.

She looked down at the picture, a few tears falling onto the creased paper. It was James's eleventh birthday and the Despereaux duo had made their daily trip to the Shrine, where an old man volunteered to take their picture with his expensive camera. The old man told James that it was a gift to him and wished him a happy birthday. In the photo, James was leaning into Charlie with a broad smile on his face. Charlie had a protective arm around his shoulders and her head was resting on top of the younger's. Two of Charlie's bright pink braids hung in front of James's forehead and he held an arm up to keep them out of his face. In the background, you could see the silvery pool that rested in the center of the Shrine. The dark grey walls looked warm in the picture with the afternoon light drifting in from the perfectly polished glass windows.

"I don't deserve your kindness," She whispered to the people comforting her, letting her head hang.

Kiyo had wandered off from the group of comfort that was sort of surrounding Charlotte. He knelt down on the sand, making a tic-tac-toe board in it with the chess piece that was in his hand. He played a few rounds by himself, and somehow lost most of them. He moved on from tic-tac-toe and started playing hangman, but hangman isn't the best game to play by yourself when you can't spell.

Curtis was eyeing the boy almost suspiciously for two reasons. One, he was oddly childish for his looks and two, what he was doing just seemed stupid. He made his way over to behind the boy, kneeling down to really see what he was doing. Almost immediately, he sighed and stood back up, looking around. For one, the walls of the stadium looked fairly new for what he assumed was an ancient build. Sure, there were cracks here and there but nothing too bad.

His eyes then settled back at the crowd, not catching up as to what they were doing. ‘Motivation’ was really the only thing he managed to catch from that conversation as a whole. He got out his book again and started to write something, shaking his head as he did so. Until there was actual content happening, he wasn’t interested in anything so far.

(Jeez Curtis, you didn't have to call me out on that, lol)

All of the sudden, a few bursts of lights formed a sort of lopsided circle around the contestants, staying like that for a moment before people stepped out. Immediately, a man with short but curly hair and multiple eyes of different colors walked briskly over to Crypt, pulling them aside and speaking to them in a hushed tone. "I'm so sorry you had to get pulled into this…" Was all that was really caught. The others stood right where they had arrived, watching the scene of well,,, everything.

(Yo, go ahead and tell me your gods after your response again?)

Avlynn just… couldn't anymore and pulled the girl into a hug, though she was careful to do so without being too sudden. "Shh… everyone deserves kindness, dear. I don't know what's making you think that you don't, but you do," she said, trying to make her voice as soft and assuring as she could. Part of her was furious–who or what had made this poor girl believe that she was undeserving of something like this? But she pushed that emotion away and focused on what was important now, consoling her.

(The Narrator)

Mag, though concerned by Sterling’s lack of response, reasoned that they may have been to caught up in what was happening to do so. She decided not to bug them anymore, instead carefully watching the lights, the man with many eyes, and Crypt before slowly going over to the girl, older woman, and the young man.
Pushing her pink locks out of the way, she put an arm across the girl’s back, touching her shoulder. “Of course you deserve kindness,” she echoed. “Especially now, I think.”

(The Archivist)

Kiyo dusted off the chess piece he was holding, looking around at the new scene before him. He was curious about the people that had stepped out, as well as the sudden lights. He watched the multi-eyed man pull Crypt aside, hearing few words of what he had said. Those words confused him immensely. Did they know each other? That had to be the case. But did it really matter who knew who anymore? Not particularly.

He stood, kicking the sand so that the games of tic-tac-toe and hangman that he played alone were erased. He wanted to ask questions, but he didn't want to be the Snow White that takes a bite of a stranger's apple without knowing if it's poisoned or not. He tied a portion of his hair around the bishop, letting it swing deliberately as he looked around at the others.

(The Deserter)

Juniper had been wandering around the arena, a grin on her face. "Can we start soon? I wanna start!" She bounced on her heels again, clapping her hands together. "I'm so excited!" The woman started drawing in the sand with the toe of her boot, just a simple X. Then more crosses in the sand, until each other participant had their own design. She then drew a simple outline of a person, with a flower above their head.

(The Overseer: God of Life)

Felix sat up, a little more rigid.
"The hell?" he murmured.
He had a bad feeling things were about to start. Who would have to die? He didn't want that blood on his hands if he didn't have to, but his gears were turning. He was carefully watching the reactions of others, up until he chose to look back to Avlynn and Charlie. After all, he had caught a glimpse of their humanity in particular better than he had in anyone else.
"She's right, you know," Felix said, "Of course you deserve kindness, same as anyone else."
He met Avlynn's eyes, and he felt a lump form in his throat, like he was about to cry too. Yet, he couldn't place his finger on why.
(The Exiled)

Avlynn, someone steps out of the lights and makes their way toward you. It's a short figure in a long, flowy dress who had a mess of light purple hair and milky eyes. "Hello Avlynn, would you mind talking to me for a moment?" They held out a hand, as if to shake hers. "I'm The Narrator, you can call me Penn if you'd like."
~
Mag, someone taps you on the shoulder. When you turn around, you see a tall and elegant woman with long hair tied into a bun at the nape of her neck. "I'd like to have a few words with you, I owe you quite the apology." Was all she said, stepping back a bit,
~
Kiyo, no one touches you, but you hear a voice that startles you from your observation. "Hey kid, you got a moment to spare?" When you look to the voice, you find a man with every inch of skin covered in scars and eyes completely black.
~
Juniper, before you know it, someone joins you in drawing in the sand, creating a figure above each of the contestants design. "You've got quite the creative streak, don't you, Pine Needle?"
~
Felix, you're joined by a short person with black circular burns all over their face and shining gold horns. "S'up little kiln."

Juniper grinned wider at the new voice, recognizing the name she'd been called. "Is it really you? I've always wanted to meet you!" The woman looked around at all the newcomers, her green eyes widening. "You're here- for real? All of you? This is incredible, I never thought-" She turned around, looking at the Overseer.

You see a man with a very large, gravity defying scarf that held small screaming, yet silent, faces pressed through the fabric. "Yep, that would be us. All of the gods gathered here because one of them decided it would be a good idea to propose a game a hundred years ago to a bunch of drunk gods and then spring it on them years later." His voice was deadpan and slightly annoyed, though he did life a hand to ruffle your hair.

Sterling was deep in thought, not even having realized that Mag had left. They were stressed, this entire thing was stressful and they just wanted to be at home, curled up with a good book, or taking care of their tree. Absentmindedly, as they started to think of ways that this nightmare could end, or ways that this could possibly just be a nightmare, they began to loosen the padding on their crutch. Well, perhaps this is just a dream, one of those that feel so real, that has to be it, this can't be real.

((The Curator))