Chapter 3: Tournament of pantheons part II
Let the games begin!
"CHAMPIONS ARE YOU READY FOR THE FIRST EVENT?"
The three other champions saluted and roared.
"No, for the love of every existing god in existence, sub me the hell out of this!" Andrew's voice was silenced by the crowd's chanting.
"The first battle to start off our game is one of the minds."
The crowd started booing. The man in the wreath calmed the crowd down.
"I know; I know we all want to see these champions tear each other limb from limb, eviscerate each other or otherwise brutalize one another."
"I don't!" Andrew's voice was drowned in cheers.
"However we have agreed that this will be the first event will be this one, followed up by the test of spirit, then the main event. So without further delay, champions get ready" As the man finished his sentence, he raised a bolt of lightning over his head and threw it into the sand in front of them.
Andrew seeing the bolt dove as far as he could and braced for the worst. Only to start hearing laughter from the crowds, when he raised his head, he saw a monolithic sphinx stone figure perched in front of a gate. As Andrew tried to dust the sand he had picked up from his dodge, the statue screeched to life.
"Answer my riddles and you shall pass." The sphinx said glaring at the champions
The champion dressed as hoplite wearing a golden tunic with jet black accents, thrusting his spear to the Sphinx's throat.
"Spit it out creature, I do not have the patience for these childish games!"
"Oh look another angry monkey holding a stick. Do you ever tire of picking the same kind of champion Zeus?" The sphinx said contorting her neck to look at the man in the stand.
"He's not broken, so why pick another? Now on with the riddles, I want to get to the fighting." Zeus demanded.
The sphinx rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Fine, let us finish this quickly then. Now monkey take the spear out of my throat so I may speak."
The champion for the Olympians took his place next to the others.
"Now monkey, think carefully and answer correctly for you know the consequence of failure."
Andrew nudged the Ennead champion, clad in the armour of a Medjay.
"Is she going to eat us if we get this riddle wrong?"
The Medjay nodded and gestured for him to hush and listen. Fear and anxiety overwhelmed Andrew trying as hard as he could to stay focused on the Sphinx.
"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody, but I come alive with wind what am I?"
The Medjay without hesitation answered.
"A echo."
The Sphinx bowed and allowed him to pass through the gate.
"I am glad at least one of you has a brain. Now then onto the next riddle. What walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon and three at night?"
As Andrew stepped forward to answer, the hoplite swept his legs with his spear and answered.
"Man as an infant, then as an adult, then old age."
The Aesir and Vanir gods watching from the stands became outraged yelling at Zeus and the other Olympians. They merely shrugged and laughed as the hoplite proceeded through the gate. Andrew sat up rubbing his shins and dusting off more sand into his pants.
"The key names your weapon, but only by sight, when uttered as vow a gesture polite. What am I?"
The champion for the Jades and Andrew stood there both stumped by the riddle, when the champion looked into the stands, his god was stroking his beard before pointing towards a bow.
"The answer is a bow, when spoken with a different vow it becomes a bow."
"You are quite clever Jade champion. However I am out ideas for the next riddle, so I will leave the last champion with a different kind of riddle."
As the Jade champion proceeded through the gates, the Sphinx split the gates into two paths with a copy of her on the other path.
"You may ask us both one question each, to find your salvation champion find the truth in our words." The two Sphinxes spoke in unison.
The Vanir and Aesir gods could feel the tension and anxiety growing through the quiet arena. Thor had his face in his hands, Odin was grasping his spear with all his might and his wife Freya was biting her nails.
"So one tells the truth, the other tells a lie situation. Alright then my question to both of you is."
"NO USE BOTH QUESTIONS, AS KING OF ASGARD AND A GOD OF WISDOM PLEASE USE BOTH!" Odin shouted through the arena in a desperate plea.
"Oh Odin you know you can't help the champions in these events let him ask his question." Zeus said with a big grin.
"What is one plus one?" Andrew asked.
The Sphinxes were dumbfounded, his question rung out through the empty arena; the crowd now looked at the Sphinx for her answer. The one on the left answered first and bowed her head in shame.
"Three"
"Alright then, guess I'll be walking through the right door."
Andrew swaggered through the door, staring at the other pantheons perplexed faces and gaping mouths. The entire arena was still in silence and shock, except the Vanir and Aesir who began celebrating. As Andrew passed through the gate he found himself standing in front of a rope, next to him the other champions, who had dropped their armour and weapons behind them waiting impatiently for him, and a gigantic tortoise in front of each of them. The empty stands overlooking the track were suddenly filled when the gods teleported themselves and their followers into the seats. Zeus stood up once again to announce the next event.
"Welcome everyone to the event that will test our champion's spirit. As it stands now, the Ennead is in the lead, with us coming second, the Jades third and we can all see who is coming last."
The Aesir and Vanir gods gave a malicious glare, before turning to Andrew with big smiles and thumbs up, unnerving him more than helping him.
"For this event you must simply past the finish line 50m ahead of you, now you must be wondering why next to you there is a tortoise. In order to win this race the tortoise must cross the finishing line. However if you feel that you cannot continue, or fail to move your tortoise, at the end of the race you will be killed. With that being said take your positions champions."
As they took their positions behind the tortoise, Zeus conjured another lightning bolt to start the race and then hurled it into towards Andrew's feet. Andrew again dove away and braced for it, to the dismay and anger of the Aesir and Vanir gods watching. When he felt nothing and looked up again, he saw the other three champions had already moved almost 20m by pushing their tortoise. Andrew's tortoise had not moved, it was too heavy and awkward to carry, attempting to push it the whole way he realized that if the other champions struggled to move it that far it was futile. However when looking at the petrified lightning bolt next to him, Andrew quickly took out his pistol from his holster, he examined his magazine to see 12 rounds left.
Andrew moving into action grabbed the armour left behind from the other champions and began making a small mound to the right side of the tortoise. Grabbing the spear left behind from the hoplite, placed it underneath the tortoise creating a small lever, and then hoisted the hoplon out of the ground digging it to the left of the tortoise. Aiming his pistol towards the head of the tortoise, the crowd and other gods began to chuckle soon breaking out into laughter.
"CHAMPION OF THE AESIR AND VANIR YOUR TORTOISE MUST REMAIN ALIVE!" Zeus shouted.
Andrew fired a round next to the tortoise, it curled in fear slightly. Firing another round, the tortoise had almost collapsed into his shell, gritting his teeth in frustration; Andrew branded the tortoise's shell with the red hot muzzle. Now completely tucked into its shell, Andrew began push the make shift lever, dropping all his body weight onto the spear and with success the lever flipped the tortoise over into the hoplon. Panting and wheezing he walked over to the tortoise and nudge deeper into the hoplon creating a snug fit. Now smiling towards Zeus, Andrew easily pushed the hoplon, catching up to the other champions drenched in sweat, they watched him advance past with ease, and were powerless to catch up as he finished the race.
As Andrew finished the race he laid on the ground to rest, waiting for the other champions to finish. Before he could enjoy his victory, a blinding rainbow light enveloped him, finding himself in the room with weapons and armour again. Thor towered over him with an ecstatic smile.
"Thor, I swear to Christ if you manhandle me right now."
Thor swiftly knelt down to pick him up; Andrew could not escape his grasp in time, grabbing him by the pits, Thor raised him above his as a trophy.
"OH DON'T PRAY TO THAT LOSER! AND CELEBRATE. YOU WON!"
Freya scolded Thor.
"Thor put him down immediately, he needs to rest!"
"Yes please listen to your mother; I'd rather not be carried like Simba in front of various gods and warriors." Andrew said, gesturing to be put down.
"Sorry, I thought we were definitely going to lose again and I am not ready for that shame."
"Okay what exactly is so bad about losing this tournament? It's not like you guys are killed." Andrew asked crossing his arms.
"We are killed by the shame, to enter this tournament we must offer collateral from our realm." Odin said gripping his spear tightly.
"Oh my god you guys are betting mythical weapons of tremendous power for a thrill! Is that why you're not holding your hammer Thor?"
Thor bowed his head in shame and nodded gently, Andrew looked over to the Odin, still clutching his spear tightly to his body.
"And the reason you are so desperate to win this one is because you bet Gungnir didn't you Odin."
Odin bowed his in shame and also nodded gently.
"So that explains why you guys tried to cheat, when finding a champion from Midgard."
"We had to try and cheat, I'm sure you've noticed how the others are playing. We have to win this one at all cost." Freya pleaded, clasping Andrew's hands together.
"What exactly did you lose from the last tournament?" Andrew asked, then noticing that he had only interacted with Thor, Odin and Freya. The others that were cheering for him in the stands were just humans that lived on Asgard.
"Did you use yourselves as collateral the last tournament?"
Freya still holding Andrew's hands started to tear up, Thor and Odin looked away in shame. Confusion spread across Andrew's face.
"How many tournaments have you lost so far?" Andrew said with unease.
"Ten." Thor muttered grabbing the warhammer off the weapon rack.
"So I'm not a major mythology buff, but I'm guessing that explains where; Loki, Baldr and everyone is?"
Freya began to cry letting his hands go. Thor lashed out swinging the hammer around smashing everything he could.
"We don't know what has been done to them all these years. At first it started off as a simple game to bridge the friendship between the pantheons. Then they wanted to wager treasures from our realms, when Thor lost Mjolnir, they would not let us participate unless we wagered something more precious. And so Freya wagered her boar, Hildisvíni, and then we were cheated by the others working together." Odin bellowed.
"My dear Baldr wagered a lifetime of servitude to others in hopes we could retrieve all our treasures and then leave this tournament." Freya said wiping her tears.
Andrew was in shock and struggled to find his words.
"The other gods milked you for all your treasures and now your final hope to get everything precious to Asgard now relies on me. If that's the case I'm sorry for my behavior, Gods and Goddess."
"No, there is nothing to apologize for, you have well exceeded our expectations and it us who should apologize for bringing you here to fight our losing battle." Odin said somberly.
"If I win this, what exactly do you get back?"
"We only win back Mjolnir and I'm sorry to say this, but I doubt you will win in the combat challenge." Freya said breaking her wooden bowl in her hands.
"Once I am returned to Mjolnir, father and I will destroy the other pantheons!" Thor shouted.
"Stop it Thor! Waging that war will only bring a calamity to our people." Odin shouted.
Suddenly a knock echoes through the room and two figures taller than Andrew appeared holding a chest.
"Sorry to disturb, Odin and Freya, but we brought what we could make on such short notice."
"That is alright, Eitri and Brokkr, show our champion here his gear." Odin said.
Andrew opened the chest to his confusion.
"Uh there's just a gigantic wolf pelt in here and a metal pole which I assume was meant to be a handle."
Freya's scowl pierced the souls of Eitri and Brokkr. They both began to stammer and retreat slowly out the door.
"We didn't have any information or time to make you anything so we just threw what had left over into the chest."
"Thor can you pick up a sword and hold it out for me?" Andrew asked.
Hesitant and puzzled, Thor did as such to see Andrew grab the pipe and swing it full force into the blade. The pipe bounced off; as Andrew recovered he noticed there was no damage to it. Now grabbing the wolf pelt and running it along the edge, as he lowered his head to inspect it further he noticed no damage at all.
"When is the next event?" Andrew asked.
"Two hours." Odin said.
"How long would it take for you two, to modify this pelt into a full a breastplate?" Andrew asked Eitri and Brokkr.
"Give us 30 minutes and your measurements and we can add some chainmail underneath." Brokkr said grabbing out a string from his apron, began measuring.
"Odin, Freya, and Thor I have a crazy idea to win back everything for Asgard, but you are definitely not gonna like it." Andrew said with a nervous smile.
"What are you thinking?" Thor asked hesitantly.
"Take me to meet the other pantheons and we'll see if they agree to it first. Because I know you won't." Andrew said trembling.
As he finished his sentence another blinding rainbow light enveloped them, and the four them found themselves in front of the other pantheons.
"Heimdall tells me you have another wager to offer us." Zeus said, patting Heimdall's head.
"Heimdall, did you betray us? Did you choose Andrew as our champion?" Thor shouted.
"No old friend, I trusted the words of our wisest consort, Mimir." Heimdall said showing a severed head attached to his belt.
"Alright that's enough! I'm not gonna even ask about the talking severed head there, but yeah I've come with another wager. That's if you have the balls to accept it!" Andrew yelled.
"You have nothing of value to wager, so watch your tongue before I create something to eat it!" Zeus shouted.
"I wager the kingdom of Asgard and everything else of value they have." Andrew shouted back.
The other pantheons started to whisper amongst themselves. As Thor knelt down and leaned incredibly close to Andrew's face and grabbing his shoulders.
"Are you crazy? You're probably going to die in the next event." Thor whispered Andrew could feel himself being crushed by his grip.
"Gungnir is probably the last weapon you have to defend Asgard. If I'm going to die you'll have to give that away and it's a safe assumption to say you're gonna get invaded anyway. What do you have to lose now?"
Thor released his grip and backed away slowly.
"Well gods, do we have a wager?" Andrew out reached his hand.
"We agree to your wager and one last thing, before we prepare for the last event. I call dibs on the throne!" Zeus said as the other gods groaned.
Heimdall bowed to them and sent them back to the room. Andrew stood there, his whole body trembling, Eitri and Brokkr returned shortly after they appeared in the room. They helped Andrew equip the pelt on, the wolf's head now a helmet, astonished at how light it felt covering his entire upperbody, taking a few practice swings with the metal pipe, he soon felt very uncomfortable from the chainmail chaffing his skin. However before he could raise his issues with it the sound of a horn echoed through the room. This time before Thor could grab him another blinding rainbow light enveloped Andrew, placing him in the center of the arena. The three other champions now surrounded him; he looked up to see Zeus with a wicked smirk across his face.
"Welcome champion. We have changed the wager a little, since you wished to wager against all the pantheons, it seemed only fair that all the pantheons are against you now."
"What a surprise!" Andrew said sarcastically with a fake expression of shock.
"CHAMPIONS ARE YOU READY! FIGHT!" Zeus shouted.
The hoplite directly in front Andrew, took a defensive stance raising his hoplon up with his spear resting on it. To the left he Medjay did the same with his round shield and khopesh. To his right the Jade's champion spun his glaive around him wearing a golden lamellar suit of armour. Andrew spun his metal pipe in his hands once and took a defensive stance.
"BRING IT ON YOU F*"!S!" Andrew roared.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone