Inside a dim lit room, with the walls painted a pale pink pastel, Amara sat crossed legged, meditating peacefully.
Her breathing slow and rhythmic. She insisted on cultivating in her room all day, in order to become strong enough to obliterate Jacob.
Her will was resolute and she was no longer an indolent and promiscuous woman. Her want for vengeance was far stronger than her habit of slovenliness.
'Circulate the spiritual energy through the veins, the body must be bathed in a low concentration of spiritual energy. Constantly absorb it little by little, forming a dantian.' She recited to herself on the Basics Of Cultivation they had bought from a bookstore adjacent to theirs.
'Absorbing refers to the even breaths you take in, for every two breaths you take, you are absorbing spiritual energy in a timely manner. After breathing in for about a hundred times at least, next is to practice your punches.' Amara was doing everything according to the manual and was surprised how much time it took her.
'Three? Four hours at the latest. Hm, it seems I need to ask Minerva for this.' Suddenly she widened her eyes and pressed her forehead, releasing the mental seal.
[User Amara. How may I help you?]. Minerva was a polite system born from a small part of Athena's will, which then took the form of her Roman counterpart and took the name for itself.
'Yes, I'd like to ask you for how long have I been meditating. And of course, what can you do?' The former love Goddess was very curious on why Agnostos created this for them.
After all, if they needed a cheat of some sort then they could have used the Akashic Record or the Intrepid Perfectionism.
[Reporting: User Amara has been cultivating for 6 hours, 15 minutes and 30 seconds. Reporting: Minerva has no purpose for now. My Masters are the one that chooses what they want me for]. Amara was surprised, she had never seen such a System that did not have an included purpose or task.
Although she was unsure on how to get her revenge, for now she started with becoming stronger, "Well then, for now you shall help me find the perfect cultivation manual and maybe a little magic. Also I should change my Aura later, can you do that?"
[Affirmative].
....
In another room within a sea of black and also scented candles, stood a boy in a white tank top; punching out with great force.
Clay was never much of a physical person, but thanks to his great physique at birth and innate instincts from his jackal form, he had a good start.
Rivulets of sweat flew down from him, flying towards the wisps of fire on top the aromatherapeutic candles.
One by one they were extinguished, until nine were left. He stopped for a break to examine his current state.
Starting by clenching his fist he realized that punching now felt a little natural to him. He shook his arms in an attempt to loosen his muscles and the tension built up inside of him.
Twisting his head slightly, exerting pressure on his knuckles on both hands, everywhere on his body began to make creaking sounds.
As if something had been freed and escaped from him. Rubbing his neck he sighed and felt relaxed.
'Minerva. Send a message to the others that I am ready to go.' Clay smirked, if not for Jacob insisting that everyone should cultivate, he would have started forming his Mana Circuits by now and became a Mage while at it.
But, no. He had to start on the most preferred method for strengthening of this world and then on magic.
It was a completely new experience for him, when he was a God this would have been easy for him but since he was mortal now, he had to suffer an arduous and long journey to Ascension.
"I'm going to kill that little brat." He muttered, feeling desperation swallowing him whole and the need for comfort called him.
....
Jacob and Luke were already finished with their cultivation and had just been chatting about what path they were going to take.
"I think I'll go for archery, it's easier for me anyways." Luke unhesitatingly went with something that was attributed to his former self and despite being stripped of his powers temporarily, he still knew how to use a bow.
Jacob shook his head, knowing that the sun God would say that, "Nope, you are going to do something else. I forbid you."
His Aura bloomed radiantly, a white shroud of mist enveloping Luke's hands. "What is this?"
The archery God felt fearful towards the misty ropes. They coiled around him tightly, preventing him from touching them.
He yelped in pain and stared at Jacob, the latter's eyes glowing an unsettling golden color.
"Phoebus Apollo: I am using my Authority to seal away your Archery and many of your former skills. As shall I, and the others." More ropes formed around Clay and Amara.
He then spoke in an ethereal voice, an incantation that was literally beyond this world, "I seal your powers in the name of the Seven Hathors."
Clay was stunned knowing exactly what spell he was invoking. "Are you crazy? That would split our deity forms and place it as another aspect of ourselves. If the ropes break they would go wild!"
Jacob scoffed at him, he knew how dangerous this spell was and had prepared for this ever since.
"I planted Glyphs on you guys ever since we descended and you guys never noticed. Thank god that you guys were the easier ones." Jacob was very happy that his plan working and even hummed a little tune.
He was so happy that he had the time to roast them and tell the background behind the spell.
The Seven Hathors spell was something the Eye of Ra, or more commonly known as Sekhmet, created in case she went bloodthirsty.
It was based on the legend where she went down after the end of Ra's rule on the earth, Ra sent the goddess Hathor, in the form of Sekhmet, to destroy mortals who conspired against him.
In the story, Sekhmet's blood-lust was not quelled at the end of the battle and led to the near extinction of both humanity and the entire world.
To stop her Ra poured out beer from the skies and dyed it red so that it resembled blood.
Mistaking the beer for blood, she became so drunk that she gave up the slaughter and became her more peaceful aspect once more.
Sekhmet considered creating an elixir that subdued her vengeful and belligerent aspect but that would require alcohol, and she wanted nothing to do with alcohol ever again.
So her peaceful side Hathor, made a spell with the help of Isis and Thoth, a spell that conjured chains of mist and tied them around the target.
Once they became red the spell was finished. "Of course you guys would have never allowed me to do this so I distracted you with a story."
His mischievous grin roused them from their stupor. They then realized that they were deceived once more.
"Damn it!" Looking down on their wrists they saw crimson red ribbons of pure mist. They swore incessantly, wanting to free themselves of the bonds.
The glow did not stop and eventually subsided revealing an accessory of some sort on their hands.
For Amara it was a silver ring with decorative wings, Luke had a golden laurel wreath and as for Clay it was a pair of earrings in the shape of an Ankh.
Finally for Jacob, a bejeweled bracelet on his right hand which he admired endlessly. "By the way they're invisible unless you activate them so don't be scared to wear it."
The trio glanced at one another and nodded gingerly in agreement. The three knew that they could never win against him in terms of devious and cunning plans.
His obsessive love for face slapping and revenge stories made him extremely good in moments such as these.
Jacob would never be caught off guard that easily, the only way to defeat him was to fight like he does, underhandedly.
The four all thought to themselves on how to one up the others, 'Plans are so overrated. This time I'll go with my instincts.'
Despite being Gods of different things, they all shared one thing: a vengeful side and a love of over complicated romance stories.
"So shall we go?"