You could lose it all. (3)

A large glass ball was in the center of a dark room in an unknown time and space, far from the realms of the mortals. This raised dais and crystal ball were the only objects inside this room with a scrying spell placed upon the crystal orb, apart from the individuals watching events unfold. Each of them had their eyes hooked on the images that came through. In silence, they watched. This realm was cut off from the rest of reality, a special place that mortals heard about but never witnessed. Guarded by the walls of darkness surrounding this room and a hard granite floor, the voices that came off the scrying orb reverberated in a slight echo.
         
The different hosts, each Deity Emperor's, gathered to place bets on the mortal realm to increase their positions, power, and influence. They cast their bets like casting dice in the air, still awaiting the results to come in. Who was the winner, and what was the wager? They all converged, watching the scrying feed through the crystal ball, like wolves closing in on prey for a kill, but not fast enough to spook the prey.


The one they were surrounding was wearing white and black paint with a hint of red covering his face and outlining his eyes. He wore a cap and bells, which were commonly associated with Jesters, with a long overcoat. It was strange, something from the modern era and something from the medieval. He took on a liking to a male form and appearance. Gods don't reproduce. The madman they were approaching goes by Nicholas, or Nichols for short; his title was the reigning God of Madness. Out of the ten remaining Gods, he ranked tenth and was on the verge of being consumed by the other three for losing his bet.


The first to approach Nichols was a God who took the appearance of a woman, bare breast exposed in a small mini skirt, walking barefoot. This was Melissa, the Goddess of Rebirth. It was said the milk from her breast was what she used to bring mortals back to life. She was Ranked Third out of the ten remaining Gods that existed. She carried a glass of wine with her, but it was blood. The Goddess of rebirth was also a Vampire, which was suitable for her likeness.


"Doesn't look good, Nichols. I wonder how you will drink deep of the void when we have stripped you of the last of your power?" She said, smuggling and taking another sip of vitriol.


"But the void is where all the action's happening, baby. Didn't you know that we're the small party now? They cannot reconnect or leave with the other ninety Gods locked away forever. We know this because we all have consumed their power, adding to ourselves. Hell, when this first began, you never had fangs, Melissa. But raise your cup for Marcus, the former Lord of Disease and Curses." Nichols replied.


"Don't play so fucking innocent with me!" She exclaimed, squeezing her glass. You could hear her hands tighten around the glass.


"Melissa, my dear, you really shouldn't be upset we're not losing much, but Nichols bet it all and could lose it all." The sly voice came from Camery, the Goddess of Entertainment. She was ranked five out of the ten remaining. She wore a purple glittery dress and had long nails and eyelashes, and she also preferred the female form.


"Why hello again, shiny purple lady," Nichols stated with a sly smile.


"Tell me, Nichols, how does winning this bet fortify your position? You gain two champions, that's it. You wager your existence and the remaining power to gain two champions to your domain. Truly, are you the God of Madness?" This voice belonged to Beltar, the reigning God of Justice; he was ranked first out of the ten Gods remaining. He had the body of a male Golem, which was made from stone imbued with some sort of magic to animate the Golem. Nichols didn't much concern himself with the world with Golems. They were hard to corrupt with madness.


The God of Justice was correct as they watched the feed pour in. They were watching the swordfight between Joseph and Mathew, who called himself Justice during the fight. Watched the deadly blow that Joseph landed that was expertly pulled off by one who calls himself the sword King. Melissa flicked one of Nichol's bells while drinking another swig of blood, then ever so slowly licking her lips on the win that was to come.


"Bitch I want a first taste. I wonder how the God of wisdom surcame to madness. When I take them both into myself, I won't be weak against either. Did you really believe the Sword King and the Rebel from the East would tie and kill each other!? Ha!" Camery said while she was wrapping her hands around Nichols.


"Time to pay up, Nichols. You have lost," Beltar stated as he came up behind Nichols, placing his hand on his shoulder.


Nichols then raised up a rubber chicken in his right hand and spoke to the other three. "Rubber Chicken sees all Rubber Chicken knows all, show us Rubber Chicken what though dost see?" Just then, the Rubber Chicken sprang to life with a "Baka!" and a flap of its wings. It touched its beak to the crystal as the other three watched what new intrigue was unfolding before them.


The Scrying Orb then shifted the view to the sword King's boots as they were filling with blood. Nichols then did a one-handed handstand and clapped with his feet, "There you see! This will end in a tie! Haha!" Melissa was dismissive, saying it was but a scratch. Nichols regained his original composure.


"Fuck!" Beltar explained, seeing the blood pool around Joseph's body as he slowly passed away, "Hidden dagger in the off-hand to land an artery blow! I feel like I was swindled!"


Nichols raised his hand and spoke to Beltar and the others, "These men they studied from the same Swordsmaster Al-Alim! Joseph studied when Al-Alim was young, and Mathew was Al-Alim's last disciple. So that's why I wagered on a tie. I would get both Joseph and Mathew under my dominion and power as my new Champions."


"But Al-Alim is under Terick Lord of War. (who ranked second out of the ten.)" Camery stated casually, playing with her hair.


"This is bullshit, fine Nichols. The snowy village will be transferred under your dominion. Don't mess it up too much. I would hate to have to restore it after you do get finally eliminated." Melissa then dipped her fingers into her wine glass to remove a small circular object. She then placed the marble-sized object into her mouth to suck and wipe off the blood covering it. She then threw it at the back of Nichol's head, but he caught it without looking.


"My dear, you should be happy you get another chance to send me to the void; it's only a small village and two men. I'm sure you will find a way to beat me."


Melissa departed by dumping her wine from her cup on herself. She dematerialized into the blood-like substance, "till next we meet Madman!" The glass she was holding shattered on the floor, with the limited contents spilling all over.


Beltar broke off a piece of his Golem armor, wrote the name of Mathew on it, and tossed it at Nichols with great disgust in his eyes. "I'll get you soon, Nichols Last Placer." Beltar then turned his back to Nichols. The Golem crumbled into a pile of iron and earth, and Beltar has left.


Camery then approached with a small rolled-up chit in her hand, "I was looking forward to having a great time getting Entertained and entertaining the Sword King. You spoiled my fun if your Elderflame wasn't so damn alluring." She placed the Chit for Joseph into Nichol's hand. "A bet is a bet next time, Nichol's," she stated as she turned and walked away, fading away. Her purple glittery dress dropped to the floor, and Camery was gone.


Nicholas, now alone, walked up to the massive crystal orb that was showing in real time the images of the mortal realm. Nicholas struck the orb, and it shattered into hundreds of thousands of pieces, landing all over the floor. The sound of shattered glass was defining for a bit, then was replaced by cold silence. "Next time, it will be you three at the end of your rope!"