Great Gods and Heroes of the Ages

"I'm half-god," said Crujabich, grinning. He decided not to tell Bread about the helm of invincibility; he wasn't THAT stupid.

He walked towards Bread, with an axe, and a maniacal grin.

"I think I'll be merciful and kill you as quickly as possible..."

"Half-God still mortal! STILL MORTAL!" Bread shouted, taking off running around Crujabich in a wide arc. "NO MAKE SENSE!"

Dahlia smiled serenely, obviously pleased. Leaning down, she placed her cheek against the elf's, enjoying the closeness for a few moments before she took a step back, giving her a respectful amount of personal space.

"That's the spirit, Rosalie. The village of Gidon isn't too far from here. We'll start small.. and soon we'll work together to make this world a better place, my Champion."

Rosalie blushed brightly at the closeness, but regained her composure and stood up tall. She then gave a slight salute as Dahlia spoke.

"Yes Milady, I won't fail you. The world shall be bright and beautiful and full of flowers," she said so while pushing out her chest, her rather large breasts made even more apparent as an effect. It was clear she was unaware of her own beauty.

"If you're going to help us, I must know," said Sarah. "What advantages do you bring to the table?"

Rufiel, meanwhile, watched Jace invisibly. She wondered why she had to be assigned to protect a hero. specifically, a Godless hero...or so he thought. The Goddess of Heaven HAD sent her to protect him, for some reason.

"I wish I could give you something to help you on your travels... wait! I know!" She seemed to remember something as she suddenly sat back down again, and held her hands over the ground. A flower sprung up, which seemed to glow gold from the stem to the petals, which were currently closed. With a wave of her hand, the flower bloomed, and sitting in the middle was a small, golden ring. It was decorated with tiny pictures of flowers, leaves, and the like, and there was a small golden flower decorating the top, resembling like a rose.

Picking up the small artifact, she smiled. "I almost forgot about this, the ring I was planning on giving to my Champion when I met them." Looking up at Rosalie, she gently took her hand, and slipped the ring onto her finger. "I give you this artifact of healing and protection. It will defend from most attacks, especially projectiles, and will heal you if you touch a flower."

Standing back up, Dahlia remained clasping the elf's hand for a moment before releasing it. "I will be watching over you on your journey, so don't worry. Now, please my Champion, head to the village of Gidon."

Jace nodded, "Smart girl. Alright, what I have to offer is that I'm a powerful mage. I'm a hero who's completed three deeds alone, and I have not let someone die in front of me ever since completing my first Deed," Of course he wasn't aware that an Angel had helped him, in the process getting deeds herself.

In fact, he was blissfully ignorant of how much help she had provided, yet his Deeds made him famous on earth and her famous in Heaven, so it all evened out.

-----

Rosalie blushed. Her putting on the ring felt like marriage but she would never let such a thought escape her. "T-Thank you so much! I won't let it go to waste Milady!" She then smiled brightly, and couldn't hold back the urge to give her a quick hug, though she let go almost immediately because she got embarrassed.

She then turned and ran off, waving behind her, as she vanished into the forest. She was now on her way to Gidon.

"I'm sure you'll come in very handy. What kind of spells do you know?" asked Sarah.

Watching her run off, Dahlia blushed a bit after the hug, feeling cheerful. Waving back, she waited there until Rosalie was out of sight. As if to express her joy, the clearing was suddenly full of flowers, more-so than usual, as was the forest surrounding it, even if they wouldn't last long in indirect sunlight. "Good luck, my Champion."

With that, the Goddess vanished as she returned to the heavens, appearing nearby Sortine. With a smile, she snuck up behind the War Goddess and playfully slid her arms around the other woman's waist.

"Sortine~ Are you causing trouble for the mortals, again? You seem especially grumpy today~"

"Wah! Dahlia! Don't sneak up on me like that," said Sortine, taking her hand away from the hilt of her dagger. "And actually, I'm in a good mood. I think my new Champion is going to be my best one yet,"

Khloe and her companion, Daciana, traveled along the roads on foot. It had been two days since she got orders from her mother to discover her own deed to accomplish without her help. It must be a silly way for Marcella to teach her daughter to be more independent. Well at least her mother allowed her to bring Daciana along. The half Lycan had helped the young demigod out of many jams during their time traveling together.

"Khloe~" The wolf-like girl said in an almost sing songy voice, "Where are we heading to now~?"

The cat-eared woman smiled at her companion, "Why the village of Gidon. I heard news in the last village about the troubles they have faced. Especially the children, we should help them as much as we can, should we not?"

Daciana nodded vigorously, "yep, yep! Helping children is what we do best after all!"

"Haha, right, that's the spirit," Khloe replied with light laughter at the other woman's energy.

Jace smiled, "Well, I'm capable of burning people to ashes, shooting lightning, summoning minor familiars that can fight for me, and use telekinesis, to name a few," FOr demonstration he picked up a nearby conveniently placed empty barrel using his magic, and threw a fireball at it, waving his staff around to do so.

----

Rosalie at this point had already been travelling for a bit.

She was now on the road to Gidon, and was skipping along rather slowly, singing a merry tune.

She was admiring her ring when she noticed it. Two people were walking up the street towards her. She turned towards them, having never met anyone outside of her forest, and said, "Hello customers~" in a singing voice. She held up a basket of flowers, "Would you care for a flower or two from the elven forests?"

"Great; how big can you make those fireballs?" said Sarah. "How many familiars can you summon?"

Dahlia laughed at Sortine's reaction, moving her arms up to wrap them around the other woman's shoulders, leaning against her back and peering down at the world. "Oh really? I'm glad you've found a good one." She smiled as she looked down at the Earth, noticing Sortine was watching Gidon.

"Oh, is your Champion is Gidon too? I just sent mine along." She swept her hand across the heavens, making it so they could see Rosalie too. "That's her. Isn't she just adorable~? She's so loyal and sweet~" Dahlia seemed to become even more cheerful as she talked about her Champion, resting her chin on Sortine's shoulder while she was speaking.

"You know Gidon is about to be attacked by people who like to cart women away and...er...well you know, you've seen wars," said Sortine.

Jace smiled, "Pretty big, and the rules of Familiars mean I can at most summon and properly control one. Specifcally, I have this big Demon I like to summon but it takes a lot out of me,"

-----

Namine laughed as she walked up to Sortine and Dahlia, "The lust of those men, yes, they truly would love such a woman to fall among them. They'd tear her apart~ Typical of some low Goddess of only Flowers, not thinking things through,"

She smirked evilly as she went on, "Don't worry, I'll make sure she, ah, enjoys it,"

"Those Raiders are going to die," said Sortine. "They don't have a single god on their side. Even Alud is apparently pissed at them,"

--

Crujabich turned to the Goblin.

"Before you stupidly and suicidally attack me, why not join me? We'll cause much suffering to that village, and I'll give you your pick of their women...or men....or children, I don't know what you like,"

"Join join?" Bread asked. At that moment, Alud's voice came to him. 'Bread... you have failed due to... uncontrollable circumstances. Though I admire your backup plan, I believe it is safer that we attempt to prevent Sortine's champion from gaining strength. Join him...'

Bread nodded. "Joiny join force!" He said, walking forward and extending his hand. "Oh, and me Bread! Me like women..."

"Not sure what you said, but I'll take that as a yes!" said Crujabiich.

Dahlia was, visibility worried and annoyed by both Sortine and Namine's comments. But she didn't keep that expression for long, brushing it off as she smiled serenely at the two. "Please, i do not have such little faith in my Champion, nor did I send her off without any protection. Certainly, Sortine, you don't think your Champion will let them take the village so easily, hm? You said she was a good one, correct?"

She looked at Namine, smiling sweetly. "As for you, your only good quality is your looks, and you don't have a Champion of your own, so I don't really think this is any of your business. Please keep your disturbing thoughts to yourself." With that, she proceeded to ignore Namine and play with Sortine's hair as she watched the goings-on.

"Of course she won't," said Sortine. "she's better than that last muscle-brained idiot I used as a champion...."

Flashback!

Samacles the mighty charged towards the town, not realizing that his army wasn't following him.

"TO BATTLE! THERE ARE LESS OF THEM THAN US AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS SCALE THEIR WALL, AND......"

At that point, Samacles was hit by several arrows, and crushed by a boulder thrown from a catapult.

"...I'm never choosing one of my brothers' kids as my champion again," muttered Sortine.

Namine smirked, "Please, that little trinket is no good in real war. But as you said, it's none of my business," She winked at the young looking Goddess.

"But of course my beauty is what really catches the eyes of Mankind," She added, just her own little aside.

"Healers are very useful in war. They keep soldiers fighting, and keep the conflict going," said Sortine.

It was then that a cat eared woman, wearing a white dress appeared before the gathering the three goddesses. "Oh Namine, what nonsense are you speaking?"

Marcella looked below as she spotted the champion they were previously speaking of, coincidentally walking towards her own champion and her companion. "Ah? My precious youngest is down there~ Namine you truely did talk non sense, my daughter would never let a man touch another woman unwillingly. But just to be sure.."

The fertility goddess waved her hand over the scene. This would be her own little way of spiting the goddess of lust while at the same time helping out Dahlia whom she considered a dear friend.

--

"Hmm?" Khloe turned her head to see an elven woman walking toward them with flowers. A sudden urge to the protect the woman took over her. It must be her mother, for whatever reason her mother wanted her to protect this woman. Strange... Khloe supposed this woman may be with child or maybe she would one day have an important child bestowed upon her by her mother. Well, whatever reason she was not one to disobey her mother. "Well I was just heading to Gidon, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a few flowers for the children there."

Daciana, meanwhile, was eagerly sniffing the flowers, much like a dog would. "Oh these smell really ni- achoo" She sneezed having got some pollen up her nose.

Rosalie practically floated off the ground for a moment, "Oh yay! I'm going to Gidon too, do you wanna travel together?" She offerred, as she moved the flowers away from the other girl. "Don't sniff too hard now," She warned, winking at Daciana.

Dahlia smiled appreciatively at Sortine, then practically beamed when she saw the help Marcella had given her. Always the affectionate one, the Flower Goddess was unable to help giving the Fertility Goddess a tight hug, doing what she does best in happy situations, and decorating the fertility quite nicely with flowers that accented her clothing.

"Marcella, you are truly a wonderful friend." She smiled up at the cat-eared woman before she let her go, and went back to kneeling next to Sortine, now in between her and Marcella. Namine, well, she continued to ignore her the best she could, not really one for getting angry to harming others, especially for such petty insults.

She looked down upon the Champions and smiled. Marcella's Champion seemed like a good girl, and she felt that her and Rosalie could become good friends, with time. The wolf-eared girl was also.. downright adorable, and she couldn't help but giggle at the sneeze.

Namine got a little red in the face, "Fine, fine," She said, "Don't expect me to help with lessening the pain. May Alud make it terrible," She said, and smirked evilly. Marcella had done this JUST to spite her. She knew it was so! It must be jealousy, the stupid Goddess.

With that curse lingering, she glowed brightly before vanishing from sight, her essence being removed from the area, reducing any lust felt by just a bit.

Gane walked inside the temple traveling bag hung on his shoulder and wrapped in cloakhiding rest of his body. "How did he say it was suppouse o go again.....umm, pray for god to gain your deed . after completing the deed you are able to become a hero...hmm. " He was not so familiar about gods and he didn't not know which god's shrine it was but he wouldnt mostlikely care.

He placed his bag to side on the ground and knelt before the altar and prayed." God of this house, hear me oh thee, grant me your deed, if you want i can be the champion of thee..."He said out eyes and hand closed in prayer. For the moment stayed in praying position.

"Oh think nothing of it," Marcella said as she admired the flowers that adorned her dress. She barely notice Namine leave, only giving a glance to the spot she once was, "Honestly, she's such a childish woman. In any case, I must make my leave dears. I wish great luck upon both your new champions, Sortine and Dahlia."

With that said, she vanished from sight.

---

"You're going to Gidon as well?" Khloe inquired. The cat eared woman had heard the rumors about Gidon, it would surely be no place for an elven woman giving out flowers. However, it was not Khloe's place to tell someone where they can or can not go. Maybe that's why her mother wanted her to protect her, with her going to such a dangerous place. "Alight, we'll travel together then."

"Yay! Another friend is joining us!" The wolf girl cheered happily, her tail wagging rapidly, "Oh! Oh! This is going to be fun. I love making new freinds, don't you?"

Lucy stirred. When was the last time a human directly prayed TO her? For a quest even?

She smirked. It'd been forever since she had a champion, especially one so willing. Though to be honest, he didn't even seem to know what he was getting into.

---

IN the temple where Gane was at, a loud echoeing laughter could be heard. Suddenly a massive fire burst out from the altar, "You think yourself worthy to be my champion?!" LUcy demanded, not showing her true form yet but just a pillar of flame.

-----------

Rosalie smiled, "I sure do!" She saw the tail wagging, and somehow for the first time noticed the Cat ears and dog ears.

It occurred to her that her new companions may not be... normal. Then again she was an elf and the place she headed was human oriented, so she shook it off. She was much too polite to say anything anyway in fear of causing a misunderstanding and causing them to hate her. She really hated people hating her.

"Alright, so off to Gidon we go~" She said, smiling as she spun and skipped along a little.