* **
In the theatre room, the sits were empty and the gods are in nowhere but their banquet hall where every one else of their magnificent kind had gathered. The gods of the universe had joined together to start their gambling event for the prices and penalties of whoever wins and loses in their plays. While all the other gods had been busy dining and chattering, the 7th god was indeed obliged to join them but he simply came to indulge in the delicacies and took his screen with him. After all, they could do whatever they want before the gambling. While eating alone in his throne seat, he relaxed and laid on his side, resting his elbow and his head on his palm as he continued to watch and be more entertained by his character rather than to chatter with the rest of his kind.
He continued to observe his little bug. It has now turned into a small child, frail and all but still daring enough to burn her whole village to the ground, even killing her own parents. He was impressed by the bug for its brilliant use of their treaty of the 30,000 words, she was wise enough to not use all of it until she could store proper information.
Rewinding her moments of rampage, the 7th couldn't hold in his laughter, and the others, upon hearing him laugh turned silent to listen. His laugh prolonged and echoed in the whole place, but he seemed not to be bothered as long as he had enjoyed himself. For this powerful being hasn't laughed like so in ages.
The others thought of him to be balmy.
"What's gotten into him"
"He's mad I tell you", one god shook his head.
"Did someone say a funny joke?"
They gossiped.
He didn't like attracting attention so he held down his laugh but he was still shaking. The other-worldly audacity that the bug had to defy and deflect most of his sets rather than him directing her on her scenes as she should have done, he didn't or more accurately, he couldn't. He may have a level of influence on the bug but he can never get her to do things out of her own will, it is as if she is controlling herself rather than the god, being the one to be able to do so like the others. Their oath was bound after all.
He even began to question whether or not his powers had gone rusty due to infinite time.
The gambling soon commenced and everyone placed their bets and after the prizes and punishment were settled they went back with their designated groups and to their own theatre rooms. Some wagered to have another's wife for 500 years if they would win the game, some their most priced belongings, exchanging roles of the realms with another of their choosing, and someone even wagered their realm be destroyed when they failed the game due to their pride.
The others yet again whined as they settled back in to their seats.
"Ugh, some of their punishments are too cruel, it should be rejected!"
"Why must the losers do all of the winners bedding after the game??"
"Who dare made such a rule, was it the God Father??"
"If I win, I simply wanted to bed and have a thousand of Beauty's most gorgeous men, was that too much to ask?"
"She rejected and argued on the spot"
"I wagered an exchange of realms until the next play"
"One of the punishment said to lick the winners foot for eternity, yuck!"
"HAHAHA!"
The right side seatmate of the 7th God, got curious over his endless smirking at his screen and leaned in and asked of his bets.
"What about you 7th, what do you want as a prize if you ever do win this game?"
Instead of curiosity, it was more like a mockery directed to their lonesome teammate. But the 7th God was at ease, he cared not and didn't even hear him properly.
The other tensed and his seatmate feeling disrespected. "Hey, come now, share to us what you want."
Having no choice and wanting to not be disturbed any further he simply answered.
"The freedom of something particular", he smiled, recalling his little bet with his rouge.
The room turned silent and then the others tried to hold in their laughter.
"Did you just say 'freedom'?? Pfft!"
"Of all the things to be done, it's that?"
"We're the freest beings in the universe"
"Hahaha!"
The god paused and then he smiled.
"Yes, something peculiar"
They may host plays often but for this particular event they only play this game once every couple of eons after they've taken much care of their realms, and the punishment lasts until the next play occurs. So if this little rouge bug of his were to have her way and win, the others will have to suffer for what would feel like an eternity and he'd have his way with them. If his character does indeed win but if not, then there's nothing he can do, he won't be the one to suffer the loss. At least he's had his fun after a long while of boredom.
** *
Nicaise Laurent, adopted daughter of the old duchess Laurent. Was an orphan from some unknown orphanage, no one knew who her parents were or where she had originally came from. The duchess, in search for a successor, chose her due to her resemblance to her late husband, the Duke, whom she loved dearly. With the same kin spirit in upholding justice and similar eye color. Her sense of justice was indeed upholding of a good character but in actuality, she's a natural born barbarian with no manners and a troubling personality. She didn't like injustice being imposed by others but is unaware when she does it herself.
A woman of great arrogance and pride despite her humble background, she cared not whom she had offended as long as she got what she wanted. And the duchess, lets her do so as she pleases, simply because she spoils her. She could not care less about Nicaise tarnishing the family name, she only ever cared about having something around to reminisce her dead husband.
While Drazhan was sent on his exile here in Edzhilflare to suffer a life of slavery a few years from now, she is going to be the one to buy him off the slave market. The protagonist captured her best interest only because she likes toying with good looking men and so began the worst years of his life under his mistress. 'The sadistic aristocratic whore'.
How I will become that character, is no need for I already have a shitty personality (no point denying it) so there's no need for change. The only thing I must do in order to be her, is get picked instead of the real 'Nicaise'. She's a minor character, only ever there to annoy the main characters so she doesn't have any god guiding her. How do I know this? Because obviously, excluding my god, everyone else wants a grandiose role in the play. So that's 7 main characters for the other gods and one shitty minor character for my god out of all 8 of them.
In the story, since the duchess had no apparent heir to her wealth and because she was getting quite old, she decided to adopt a child to inherit her name and become the family heir. Without children, the title would've naturally been passed unto her relatives, but she despises them. So she searched for a 'befitting' child but even after searching almost all of the orphanages in the kingdom, she could not find one to her liking. Until, she came to the last orphanage she hadn't checked yet while she was out for a vacation. There she will chose Nicaise.
Luckily, the orphanage she lives in is in the same territory as Lupa, not far from the place I lived in.
The existence of Lupa Bricallis has now officially ceased and I am just a ghost in the storyline until I took over my next role. Of course, not even my god knows the course of the story so it well keep him guessing. That's the only advantage I have over every one of their power, knowing the play's history and ending. I've seen them play before while I was a 'pet'. Their screens could not be revealed until the finale or some icebreaker event. The gods do not know the supposed course of the stories but their options suggest the closest situations mixed in to the real plot as their choices are given so that it would be very difficult for them to change the ending if they are clueless.
The control I have over the story and their unpredictability at choosing options is a lost cause for others but fortunately, I am just not anyone. I'm special. My calculations on probability has drawn every conclusion they could muster. Although, it is a very difficult task to accurately predict which one they'll take. That, I must admit.
With that heavy thought in mind, I clutched unto my bag and continued on with the trail further down the mountain.