THE BANQUET HALL

Nineteen gods and their beneficiaries had already assembled in the banquet hall to enjoy the feast. Most of them had become close comrades and started making their own plan of action to save the world. Some combat gods with weapons were trying to draw a training plan while some wanted to goof off and enjoy their stay at heavens and indulge in all the luxuries it had to offer.

A long wooden table stood at the centre of hall, but it was shining as if it had been polished to its maximum lustrous state by the most skilled artisans. At the other end of the hall stood another table with lots of large golden utensils laden with lavish and mouth-watering dishes and plates were arranged in piles. It was a buffet system where one had to adhere to self service and choose whatever amount of food the person wanted to. The menu presented variety of dishes from sour wafers to spicy stew and sweet confectionaries.

But the special attraction of today’s feast was the heavenly wild boar which Lady Artemis hunted in the Eleanora Woods on the other side of Mount Olympus. While she was the centre of attraction of all the present attendees, everyone also commended goddess Hestia who turned it into a delicacy.

All the nineteen gods and children present in the hall took their seats on the dining table everyone sitting in front of each of their gods in horizontal pairs.

Homura noticed something was wrong and asked his Goddess Freya, to clear his doubt.

“Lady Freya if you may, but why are there only 38 seats in the dining hall if 20 gods were selected for the reincarnation ceremony. Aren’t the others going to attend the feast?”

“Haahahaha…. Its just as you suspect my child, you have quite the observation skill. But there has been no mistake. It’s actually for entertainment purpose. A special surprise for our little goddess who will appear soon.”

“I see Freya you have succumbed to your old tactics. But it will be quite fun to see the Black Sheep try to escape from this situation.” Lady Artemis was pointing her fork in the sky and imagining the look on everyone’s faces to see Athena’ miserable state.

“I still don’t get it. Why a non-combat goddess would try to challenge us. Just because of her families glorious past and because of her beautiful charms, doesn’t mean that she can defy us.”

“That’s why we are going to teach her a lesson today!”

“Hermes you did well in making the arrangement of their late arrival.”

“Never mind. But I feel sad for the human child who has to suffer humiliation due to her goddess. As far as I remember she had the weakest soul power in the whole class, almost none at all. How was she even alive, wouldn’t her life force had extinguished at an early age. It’s a quite a funny duo of weaklings.” Lord Hermes looked in the direction of other children as if to extract information about that girl.

“The name of the girl is Sachi. My Grace.” As usual Kenta was showing off his communication skills and playing the role of class leader.

“I don’t remember a girl with that name in the class.”

“Ah! She is the freak who never talks to anyone and cover her face with her hairs.”

“Oh! You mean the girl who always got bullied.”

“Sakura can you tell me more about this girl.” Astarea the Goddess of justice made an unusual request as if she was taking a special interest in that girl.

“Lady Astarea. You have nothing to worry about. The girl in question is really weak and fragile.” Sakura behaved as if she was presenting her statement in front of a judge in a court of justice.

“Lady Ova and Lady Astarea as a matter of fact even at the time of dying in the bus she was being bullied and beaten by us.” Tama had already started making fun of me.

“She just keeps reading book all day and has a beautiful appearance. Except for that she is nothing in our eyes. I bet she would die on the first day she is born in Isleguard. Hahahaa.” Saki had already started banging the dining table in front of her and laughing loudly while the other present in attendance couldn’t hold themselves back seeing her explosive behavior and followed her example.

Goddess Aphrodite sensing the presence of two unwelcomed guests for whom everyone had been waiting for quite a while, were going to make an entry.

“Everyone get ready. The show is going to begin. Let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

ALL ATTENTIONS AND ANTICIPATION WERE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE.

But everyone’s jaw dropped when two beautiful maidens in white gown made an entrance. Everyone had the same question ‘Just who they were?’

‘Wait! Is that girl really in our class?’

‘I don’t remember someone this beautiful in our class.’

‘Was that the reason she always hid her face. Maybe I should have tried to talk to her after all.’

‘I never expected Sachi was this beautiful.’

‘Its not just her. Even her goddess is so beautiful. Should we go and talk to her.’

All the Gods and boys were making the same type of comments which brought frustration and angered all the Goddesses and girls.

‘Her goddess is even more beautiful than Lady Aphrodite.’

Someone had just misspoke the taboo words by comparing the goddess of beauty and goddess of knowledge. Lady Aphrodite was totally riled up by that statement which totally challenged her own existence. The students present in the hall and all the other Gods could feel the divine power radiating from her body so strong that it could destroy the whole banquet hall in a blink of an eye.

Lady Freya took the hand of Aphrodite and comforted her.

“Tccch... I won’t let it end like this. How dare she ruin my fun!”

***

SACHI KONDO

We were greeted by an angel at the outside perimeter of the banquet hall and he informed us that all the guests had already arrived. For some reason Lady Athena looked worried on receiving this piece of information. Was she afraid of something and if yes then what? 

As soon as we entered the Hall the room fell in complete silence and small gossips could be heard but I couldn’t make them out since we were too far. For me the only person that mattered was Lady Athena. All this time I just kept looking at her face and smiled all the time while we chatted among ourselves.

For some reason all the Gods and boys were confused and exasperated, while all the girls and Goddess had a look of dismay and rage. Jealousy was written all over their faces, after all Lady Athena looked so glamorous in her outfit and even the gods couldn’t deny it. We started moving towards the part of the hall where the plates were kept.

Suddenly a goddess stood from her seat and asked, “Athena, why are you late? We were all missing you.” It was the goddess of lust Freya.

At this lady Athena stopped her feet and her body started shaking, but she did not look back to reply and stayed silent. All this time I never saw her behave like this.

To me she looked like a cheerful person who took joy and gave her best in everything she tried. Even though she might have been isolated by others I never suspected that even gods get bullied if they are weak.

“Why don’t you take a seat and have a talk first. We would really like to know about the new friend you made.” This time it was goddess Astarea who too wanted to be a part of this drama.

I looked back and was furious to see that all the chairs had been occupied and two chairs were less than the number of guests. It was not an organizational mistake but was all planned. These Gods are trying to pick up on Lady Athena and no one is objecting.

But then I too was terrified at the thought that was it because of me. Were they trying to make fun of my goddess so that they could bully me? Was this done by the delinquents?

At this point all the goddesses and girls were smiling as there plan was in full action. The gods and the boys still for some reason were making some complex comments and promises.

“Let me add some fun too.” Sakura stood from her seat and started walking towards me.

She came and stood in front of me and gave an evil smile. She grabbed my right hand and started squeezing it with her herculean strength.

“AAAhhhhahhah…..” Something sharp just now pricked in the middle of my hand and blood started to flow from my hand and some drops of this red fluid started dripping on the floor. It was a major cut. She must have hid something sharp under her palm, maybe a small knife or blade.

“Do as the other Goddesses asked you to do, it would be in best of your interest not to make me angry.”

Everyone started laughing in the hall.

‘Athena you should take proper care of your partner and explain her how things work here.’

 ‘Don’t forget your place as a non-combat goddess or try to stand in our way.’

‘Don’t go all high and mighty or someone might get hurt.’

At these words Athena who was obviously still shaking with fear looked at me and was shocked to see the blood in my hand and another girl trying to twist and sprain my wrist.

All her emotions vanished from her face. She slapped Sakura on her face tightly and broke me free from her tight grasp. She held my hurt hand gently as if to stop the bleeding and started moving towards the gate through which we just entered.

“Sachi, we are leaving.”

***

GODDESS ASTAREA

“How dare she hurt my child?”

Sakura stomped on the floor and came back and took her seat.

“That slap was really tight. I won’t forget this Sachi just you wait.” She still held her hand where she was slapped and searched for ice on the dining table.

“She really thinks that she can challenge us.”

“Let’s not let it end here.”

“I do have a plan. Artemis get your beast ready by day after tomorrow. We might as well see some wandering girls getting hunted.”

It was Lady Freya who spoke about such a devious tragedy, while Lady Artemis complimented it, “Wild game always sounds fun to me.”

While some of the Goddesses and delinquents discussed about their plan, the others just eavesdropped. Some laughed, some made sad face to think about the looming tragedy, some still maintained their cool but no one objected to their devious plot.

No one questioned that how did those two girls anger them or why are they so fixated over them.

 I wonder why no one ever questions the actions of the strongest. Why it is THE WEAKEST ONE has to only suffer?

***