"You have been invited to a Tragedy, oh Great Vale. Do you care to accept this invitation?"
The Tragedies.
My mind flicked back to the first time the word was mentioned by Osidon days ago.
He told me little of what the Tragedies were, only that they provided an opportunity for the gods to strengthen themselves.
Of course, that was everything that I wanted. However, I couldn't ignore the potential danger that such an event could pose.
"Can you tell me a little bit about this Tragedy? What can I expect to face there?" I tried to ask, but Osidon let out a mean cackle.
"And ruin all of the fun?" he said between laughs.
It was worth a try.
"I will tell you what I am able to, which isn't much.
"Time travels differently in the realm of the Tragedies. What might seem like a minute there could be a day in Unus. Or perhaps, what seems like a day there may only be ten minutes in Unus. This specific Tragedy, however, will take up a day's time in Unus, though I will not tell you how much time it will feel like you have spent in the Tragedies realm."
Spending only a day's worth of Unus time in the Tragedy wasn't terrible, as I didn't like the idea of leaving my people without a god for a long period.
Still, I couldn't help but think about certain possibilities.
I could potentially spend what feels like a year in this Tragedy, which is an incredible risk when I know nothing of its contents.
I thought, and I thought, hoping that Osidon was still in my head, awaiting an answer.
Then finally, I came to a decision.
There would be gods much more evil than I, who might face the Tragedies and prevail, giving them and their worlds an edge over me and Unus.
This was not a risk I was willing to take.
Protecting my people was everything to me, and to do so, I needed to make sure that I was one the first gods to reach the second tier of godhood.
Ignoring Lucifen, god of deception, of course. I was sure that he had probably started the second tier already.
"I accept your invitation," I said with confidence.
"Excellent. I will give you some time to prepare, just say the word 'ready' when you wish to be transported."
I used this time to gather my men and women around me.
---
I stood in the field with 22 Valists sitting on the grass in front of me.
The numbers had begun to seem surreal.
Even though it didn't sound like a large amount, once the humans were presented in front of you, all relying on your every move, you began to feel the pressure.
I announced to them that I would be visiting another world for a day. They didn't need to know what exactly I was doing, as it would only lead to worry.
I also thought that I might show a sign of weakness if they knew that their god chased strength because he was afraid of falling behind the others.
I was still uncertain of what they knew about this game of the gods, and whether Osidon had told them anything upon their creation.
I left Zerlos in charge of things during my absence. He was the man I had spent the most time with, and he proved to be a good leader.
I had also seen the time he had spent with the young boy who had joined us, Zavid. It was a sign of his ability to lead.
No one had shown any signs of complaint or disagreement with the decision, though I doubted they would even if they did have a problem with it.
Finally, I strapped my copper sword to my back. It had been cleaned of Teros' blood, and now nothing remained of the fallen god.
"Ready," I said as I stood in the crimson field, and instantly everything went black around me.
---
Usually, during Osidon's transportations, I was kept in a state of unconsciousness until reaching my destination.
This time, however, I was aware of the fact that I was moving, though my method of travel was beyond my comprehension.
It felt as though I slowly drifted through an infinite darkness, as I suddenly heard the voice of Osidon echo around me.
"Here are the rules of the Tragedy:
You and all the other gods who have agreed to enter this Tragedy will be placed in a white room. You will all be able to see each other, and even interact if you wish; however, I would advise not to.
There will be no escape from this room. Over time, you will begin to feel pressure placed on every fiber of your being. It will start off simple, though over time it will increase in intensity.
Of course, you are free to tap out whenever you like, and I will return you to your home; however, the pressure will have a lingering effect on your body, that will affect you for a few days before gradually wearing off.
Once half of the gods have tapped out, I will keep the pressure at the level it was during the last person's exit. This means that the amount of pressure you feel could vary, depending on the persistence of your fellow gods.
Afterward, you will be put into trios. Your partners will be chosen at random. You will then be placed into a new white room, where you will be met with an ethereal beast.
This is where it gets dangerous. Your job in this room is to work together, or not, to survive a full minute in this room.
If you survive, managing to battle this beast even under the extreme physical circumstances of the intense pressure, you will leave this Tragedy as a god stronger than you have ever been before.
Remember though, if this beast manages to get a hold of you, that will truly mark the end of your lives.
That will be all now. Fight with all your hearts, gods, and remember the reasons that you chose to accept this invitation."
And with that, Osidon's voice faded away as I continued to drift through the nothingness.
I understood the rules in full; they were simple.
Though that didn't change anything.
This was a dangerous event.
And the lives of myself and my people were at risk once again.