They Called Me FIVE

Eklektos lose their blessings. The crystals erase their Marks. The penalty has commenced. The battle for the blessing shall take place.

The Eklektos have no idea what happened. Or what shall happen. Twelve has been reduced to Eleven. One of them died without the other Eklektos's knowledge.

Her death is added to the penalty. Failure to eliminate the man goddess of time commanded to eradicate… resulted in one Eklektos's death. Penalty is enacted. 

Gods and goddesses are given time to choose other suitable Eklektos. They have chosen. There are no limits in numbers. Hundreds of candidates to Eklektos are gathered. 

The first chosen Twelve will lose their titles. They will fight. They will kill. They must not fail. They must not lose. Every failure means death. 

A.O.s respect gods and goddesses choices. They accept the candidates. For the briefing, the first chosen former Eklektos will sleep. Will rest. Will reflect. 

One week. One week to prepare. One week to train. For the battle of blessings they take for granted. Whether they want their initial blessings to be theirs or not is up to them. But they cannot escape the incoming battle. 

The former goddess has sent warnings through all the listed candidates in all realms. Feedback is…

Take action 0%

Disbelief 97%

Doubt 2%

Anxious 1% 

A.Os. are furious. Gods and goddesses are calm. Outcome is expected. Humans will always be humans. 

A.Os. do not accept the lack of reactions from the candidates. A.Os. demands the former goddess to intervene. 

Former goddess objects to the idea. The loss for her title has locked 98.7% of her power. A.Os. cannot comprehend what's the problem. Former goddess explain its impossible to force the humans to believe what they will categorize as a dream.

A.Os. still do not understand. Former goddess demonstrate one of the Ekelktos's attitude after he found out he has powers. A.Os. watch the Eklektos do stupid things sometimes unnessary things A.Os. can't comprehend. Former goddess explains this is the normal reactions of humans if they find out they have powers. Majority will turn hostile and arrogant. Some will be anxious. Scared of their new abilities that will brand them weird.

Former goddess believes the warning she sends to all the candidates is enough. She gave them visions. If she keep giving them visions for the future battles, even if they refuse to believe now… Candidates will have no choice but to act on it when the battle commence.

A.Os. reflects on the idea. Some agree to former goddess. Some question what kind of visions she showed to them. Suspicious if she gave them clues for the battle. Former goddess smiles. In the screen, former goddess showed them the vivid images of the entities in the entrance of the hall. She showed them the picture of the Chosen Seeker being squashed like bug. The disembodied limbs, the grotesque faces of entities. And the horrified expression of Five. 

A.Os. snickered. Gods and goddesses shake their heads. No wonder no one of their chosen candidates take action. Because former goddess is ruthless. Showing such images to young kids. This will surely bring them nightmares. Some A.Os. are horrified at the idea. Scaring little kids! Such blasphemy!

How can they fight if they already know the dark side of the battle. Former goddess shrugs. She insist what she did is more than a big help to the candidates. If she only showed them the good part, how will these little candidates show them entertaining battle? Former goddess bet they will stand at the center of the aisle, pissing their pants, calling for their mommies.

Former goddess argued its much better to let them see the grotesque scenes. Candidates are like little sampling. If A.Os. want to see who's the best, they must throw sandstorms and drought in the candidate's direction. To see who has the strongest will to survive. To see who's the best. Who's more deserving to wield blessings.

A.Os. are convinced to former goddess point. One A.O. are pleased with the former goddess's idea. Another A.O. wants the former goddess to supervise the battle. Ten A.O. offered to unlock the full power of former goddess for the realization of her idea. 

Former goddess smiles. Tempted. But she refused. Many A.Os are disappointed. Former goddess understand the A.Os. need to make the battle more entertaining. But she cannot be the host. Former goddess is one of the participants of the battle.

In order for the plan to proceed she must be one of the candidates to battle for the blessing. Many A.Os are disappointed. Former goddess reassured she will control the scene from the sideline. She swears she will make it entertaining for the A.Os. to enjoy. 

A.Os. are pleased with the former goddess's performance. One A.O offered to unlock her powers. As a reward. Former goddess abstain. It's not the time. In order for the plan to work she must give up her powers like the other candidates. Grow with them.

Her previous plan already failed. Her agent could not do their job well. And that leads to the Seeker's death. She gritted her teeth. His death is not part of the plan! She did not expect the goddess of time to intervene on that demon incident.

The goddess intervention turn the A.Os attention to the former Ekelktos. When A.Os. see their performance, they all protest how could these incompetent fools handle the sacred power called 'blessings'. 

A.Os are vital to keep the balance of the world. The gods and goddesses authorities are deteriorating. If these keeps up, the world will fall into chaos. The demon world will shake the shackles of the Twelve Seals. 

Its bad enough the Twelve Eklektos could not be gathered by the Seeker, now the A.Os are intervening. Wanting some justice and entertainment. How ridiculous! Former goddess crumpled her hand to fist. 

She could not waste any more time. The Seeker was right. There was a traitor. But not among the former Eklektos. No. It's someone stronger. Someone undetectable. Someone in the ranks of her equals.

Her eyes slid to the thrones of gods and goddesses above the crystal walls. It's one of them. Anger bubbled from her stomach. She swallowed it down. Now's not the time to be agitated. She cannot let the A.Os know about this. 

She cannot let the traitor know she's on their scent. She excused herself from the A.Os. presence. Saying she needs to prepare the chamber for the former Eklektos and the transportation spell to bring all the candidates to the Great Hall. The A.Os. nods. They let her go. 

She crumpled the tunic she wears her nails dig right through the fabric. She walks down the silent hallways. The little anglers are doing their morning duties. With their chubby cheeks, pudgy arms, white overall cloths strapped in the waist by a belt, they resemble what humans call angels. Except they're too small. 

She did not spare the gods and goddesses a glance when she walk out of the conference hall. She did not forget the things they did to her. What they all did to her. The betrayal. The malice. The memories is still fresh on her mind. 

She shake her head. Now's not the time to be tied down from the past. She has pressing matters to attend to. Now that she lost the Seeker, another chunk of Prophecy has been eliminated. This will bring disparity. Unbalance. Probably chaos to the order of events. 

She's not yet prepared to take on the consequences. Her powers is still sealed. Under the control of the A.Os. She can't let their sweet words of undoing the seal sway her resolve. She knows better than anyone what its like to be under the A.Os. mercy. 

She spends three thousand years living that hell.

One week. One week to prepare. That's the only time she needs to prepare. She withdrew her agent from participating. She relay command to the Dark Elf stationed at the magical realm to break the barriers of the Gifted People. 

The Seeker is dead. Which means the meteor stone is back inside the Rank Elder's hall. Waiting for another Seeker to claim it. If ever the gods and goddesses get a whiff the meteor stone is back.. They will take it from her. If they discover the secrets… 

She will lose her chance of regaining back her power. No. She can never allow that to happen. She marched out of the castle walls and look at the everlasting light the throne of Almighty casted throughout the land of the deities realm. 

She made a promise. She will regain the souls of her kindred. To do that she needs the power of death...and the power of life. Both are necessary to defeat the demon of the netherworld. 

But the former Eklektos who wields death can never reach the pinnacle. He hits the limit even before death set it up to prevent his body crumbles. How utterly useless! Maybe this battle bring its own merit. 

Maybe Five will mature after this. Fighting the comrades he consider as friend. Watching his very Seeker die because of him… Surely this will bring out the change out of him. 

At the white golden streak sky, a phoenix rain down and scatter red bright flames in the wind. Arching the way for the former goddess. She smiled.

The phoenix has bright burning sharp eyes. As sharp as hers. It bows on her presence. She caressed it's mane. 

"It's time to go."