Divine Trials: The Rise of Mortal Deities

4

After she made my way back to the group, where Ozair and Ullock rushed to greet me with obvious relief on their faces. The golden lights of the divine palace cast dancing shadows across their concerned expressions.

"We thought you were in trouble, long as you were gone," Ozair said, his scholar's hands fidgeting with the hem of his tunic. Across the room, Saba's eyes caught the movement, her perfectly sculpted features twisting into a sneer as she whispered something to Cressida. Their shared smile carried edges sharp enough to draw blood.

The hostility radiating from Saba was palpable, though its source remained a mystery. Her disdain seemed to transcend mere competition – there was something personal in the way her green eyes tracked my movements, something that spoke of old wounds and older promises.

"You remember when you told me your favorite food was lamb chops?" Ullock asked suddenly, his hand finding mine Before I could respond, he was leading me to the kitchen area where, impossibly, a plate of perfectly prepared lamb chops awaited. My excitement bubbled over in childlike jumps, my gratitude spilling forth in a stream of thanks. We shared the meal, our conversation stretching into the soft edges of night until exhaustion finally claimed its due. A quick hug goodnight to both boys, and I retreated to my chambers, my dreams filled with mysterious gods and calculated smiles.

The next morning brought clarity to at least one mystery – the purpose of the enormous training mat that dominated the main hall. Vixen herself presided over the session, her divine presence charging the air with electricity.

"Any volunteers?" she called, and Saba stepped forward with practiced grace, her movements carrying the fluid certainty of someone born into combat.

"I knew I liked you," Vixen purred, approval glittering in her immortal eyes. "Many fights are won without weapons. A great warrior can be as deadly with their hands as they are with any blade."

The demonstration that followed was a revelation. Saba moved like liquid mercury against the trainers, her brown bob swaying with each precise movement. Every strike, every dodge spoke of years of dedicated training, her green eyes calculating angles and opportunities with machine-like precision. Her tan skin gleamed with effort, but her breathing remained controlled, measured. Here was someone who had been molded from birth for this moment, another from the infamous Grim family seeking to add their name to the temple's honor roll of victors.

When my turn came, nervousness turned my limbs to water. I attempted to mimic what I'd seen in previous tournaments, but the trainers moved like wind through leaves, impossible to grasp or predict. My inadequacy must have been apparent to all watching.

It was then that Helix appeared, beckoning me outside where Domino the god of mischief and deception waited. The transformation into my exact duplicate was uncanny, each detail perfect down to the smallest freckle. As my doppelganger returned to training, Helix led me away to a secluded courtyard where ancient trees whispered secrets to the stars.

"I want you to win," he said simply, his words carrying the weight of divine decree. What followed were hours of intense, personal training – weapons, combat, strategy. Each lesson was punctuated by moments of surprising tenderness, his immortal hands gentle as they corrected my stance or guided my movements.

When he kissed me, it felt like falling into starlight. Deep, passionate, filled with centuries of longing I couldn't fully understand. "Promise me you will try to win," he whispered against my lips.

Thoughts of home flooded my mind – faces I might never see again, voices I might forget. "I promise," I breathed, and his kiss sealed the vow.

When I asked about his interest in me, his revelation struck like lightning. He had been there, on that darkest of nights when death claimed both father and brother. My cries of anguish had pierced the veil between mortal and divine, reaching him when even his sister remained deaf to my pain. He had eased my suffering then, sending sleep to numb the raw edges of loss.

"Your heart," he said, fingers tracing the line of my jaw, "pure even in its breaking. You didn't choose this path like the others, didn't hunger for divinity. That's what drew me to you – your humanity, precious in its imperfection."

To demonstrate his trust, he led me to a hidden wonder – the divine animal sanctuary. As we passed through gates of living crystal, I entered a realm where mythical creatures roamed freely under eternal twilight. Phoenixes nested in trees of silver, their flames casting rainbow shadows across the ground. Young griffins played in fields of starlight flowers while unicorns drank from streams that flowed with liquid moonlight.

"Few mortals have seen this place," Helix said softly, watching my wonder with obvious pleasure. "It's where we keep the last of the old magic, the creatures too pure for the mortal realm."

What he didn't say, what hung in the air between us like mist, was that this sanctuary represented everything the tournament was not – preservation rather than destruction, protection rather than competition. As I watched a baby dragon take its first flight, wings of gossamer and starlight spreading wide, I understood that Helix was showing me more than just magical creatures. He was showing me his heart, as fragile and wonderful as the beings he protected.