The Festival of the Gods - Day 2 (pt.2/4) "The Man Who Bet a God"

Together, the group went around the festival playing games here and there and mingling with the other gods. When Caisey and Don had made the rounds on their own, the festival seemed like every other frenzied event he’d ever been to back on Earth. But with Rina, that mystical feeling from when he’d first met her was back.

Rina brought together spectators, moved through busy crowds as if to a never-ending song, and pulled Caisey and his friends along with her. The carnival grounds seemed three times as bright, four times as lively, and five times as generous with games, food, and prizes. Caisey wondered how this goddess could use charm and persuasion on other celestial beings with similar unreal good looks and abilities.

He couldn’t complain, though. This was the most comfortable moment he’d had since being snatched into the world of the gods.

“I want cotton candy!” Lisa suddenly cried as they rounded a corner where several stalls of sugary delights decorated the street. From afar, Lisa had spotted a glittering doodle of fluffy sugar on a stick perched atop a stand. She thrust her finger out excitedly and started huffing it toward the stand, leaving everyone else behind.

Caisey laughed while Don frowned and chased after her, and Rina tried to remember what cotton candy even was. She had a finger poking her bottom lip in a gesture of deep thought, and she twirled in delight when Caisey told her to stop because she was too cute.

This sequence of events went on all night, with a different member of the group leading the chaos. They traded off complimenting one another with the most extra words of praise they could think of, ultimately giving up their carnival spoils to whoever was dubbed the cringiest. They took turns snatching weird drinks and exotic foods from intimidating gods who demanded years of their life in devotion as payment.

And then, “Wanna see who can win a bet against the gods?” rolled off Caisey’s tongue like a bad habit, and he didn’t even know who he was anymore.

Neither did his friends.

“E-Excuse me. Did Caisey Legna just suggest a game that involves other people?” Don responded and turned to Lisa with his eyes bugging.

Lisa, too, looked surprised, and she turned to Rina to ask. “Girl, how did you do it? Tell me your secrets.”

Caisey rolled his eyes at the suggestion that Rina had ‘cured’ him somehow and grew his ear two sizes to hear what Rina would say. Of course, with a shrug, hair flip, and a shoulder shimmy, Rina said, “Don’t know. Must be my charm. I’m pretty irresistible.”

Caisey pretend gagged and Rina booted him into a booth with the most mysterious outward appearance Caisey had seen in all of the Gods’ Realm. The booth was tall with obsidian curtains blanketing it like a canopy tent. The black curtains were scattered throughout with white embroidered constellations and several small yellow and white stars lined the hems. Pinned to the top of the booth was a purple and blue orb, sparkling against the moonlit sky. Although it was a two-dimensional doodle much like those on the other stands, the center of this orb seemed luminous and the miniature constellations within were certainly mobile.

“U-Uhm…” Caisey started, and Lisa mumbled, “Guess some things don’t change,” as she peered at him staring at the booth he’d crashed into. Caisey ignored her and asked aloud, “Does this look like a psychic’s booth to you?”

“Yes… As a matter of fact—” Don began.

“It is.” A voice said suddenly from behind Caisey.

“Aaargh!!” He shouted and stumbled a few steps away to get a good look at the owner of the abysmal voice who had just spoken into his ear. He shuddered down to his very core when he got a good look at the decrepit goddess before him.

When he thought Sir Mimir was old…

Boy, was he wrong.

“Welcome, Chosen One. Come inside. I’ve been waiting.” The elder combed her fingers upward against the air as signal for Caisey to follow.

Only, Caisey was rooted in place, unwilling with his whole body and soul to follow her inside that witchy-looking booth. He stopped just short of shaking his head in panic and instead was able to croak out, “N-N-Nah, I’m good… I—Uh—I’m with…” He indicated Rina with his head and then finished with a stressed, “Thank you, though!”

The old goddess began shivering in a rather labored yet violent way, and Caisey blanched, feeling she was probably cursing him or something. However, a soft, “Ha-h” escaped her, and Caisey realized with great bewilderment that she was, perhaps, laughing.

Could any sight be more terrifying?! Caisey cried internally as he watched her.

She then halted and said in her creaky voice, “My sisters and I have been expecting you for many years. Come.” She beckoned once more, and Caisey felt fingers push him forward from the back.

“Go win your bet against her.” Don said, snickering. Caisey wanted to punch him but turned to Rina instead.

“Rinaaa.” He whined. “I’m scared. Literally. Come with me. Please???” Rina flat out refused.

“She creeps me out. Her and her sisters.” Rina explained.

“Who are they?” Lisa asked to which Rina answered, “The Fates, rulers of destiny and the thread of life.”

Hearing this, Caisey nearly died on the spot, beating his thread of life to the finish line.

“I can’t go in there!!” Caisey hissed, really fighting Don now. Eventually, with everyone’s PHYSICAL encouragement, Caisey entered the booth which was as dark on the inside as it was outside. He swallowed, not comforted by the large glowing orb sitting on a small, round table on the inside.

The witch-like old goddess was already seated at the center of the table, hands poised at the ready around the sphere. She peered into it like she was reading a message someone had scribbled onto the glass. “You have questions about the second task and your friends, Chosen One. You also wish to place a bet against me.” She said to Caisey as he entered, without looking up.

“Take a seat.” She ordered.

Caisey sat. Stiffly, he cleared his throat and confirmed, “Yes, I… I’m sure you know but allow me to ask anyway. I’ve been wondering about yesterday’s task. The gods who volunteered to block Elise, Lady Rán’s Chosen One, and I seemed to be going easy on us. May I ask why?”

“I’ll keep it simple. The Gods’ Realm is dependent upon spiritual energy. Any new god or celestial being must have a strong spirit and suitable control. The gods’ task was to push your spirit into its fully awakened state, not block you. You have a powerful everlasting spirit, devotion, and unrooted focus. That is why.”

Caisey sat dumbfounded for a few seconds, running yesterday’s events back through his mind. What the Fate had said made sense considering his spirit is what had found Rina in that cave, and nothing else.

“Wow, okay,” Caisey said. “Thank you. Now…”

“What about your friends?” Caisey nodded yes. The Fate continued, “Even more simple. You wished them here. That wish was granted. Done.”

Caisey’s mouth dropped open, hanging like a swinging door. He felt he’d been doing it too often lately, which was probably improper and unsightly to these gods, and he forced himself to snap his mouth closed once more. “I wished them here? How? Wait… When and what do you mean?”

“You are a quite slow one, aren’t you?” The elderly goddess scolded and continued, “Have you not heard any words I’ve said about your spirit and the power of your mind?”

“W-Well, I heard them, of course! But—”

“Then there is nothing more of this matter to tell you.” She said, but then paused briefly before speaking again. “Of course, this will be the final time you see them.”

Caisey’s heart instantly pumped faster in his chest at this revelation. “What?” he asked, his voice little more than a whisper. He’d already considered the possibility the night he’d promised Rina he’d win the festival no matter what. Back then, he’d sat—determined and devoted—believing he would be fine with never seeing them again.

There was already the trouble with never saying goodbye to his partially estranged family, but having Don and Lisa turn up in the Gods’ Realm rekindled a fire within him, stoked a longing that he no longer cared to part with.

The old goddess repeated her statement and this time added, “For all eternity.”

“For all eternity? … Eternity?” Caisey asked, “I’m not sure I understand.” He said, but he suspected that he did.

From here, she peered into her sparking clear ball, the murky insides swirling and glittering. “I’ve seen for centuries your everlasting spirit choose different hosts, Chosen One. But here it ends. Your spirit has found its true host. And after tonight’s festival, you will ascend, your friends will descend, never to cross paths again. Such is the way of the Gods’ Realm.

Caisey heard a whooshing in his ears as his shaken brain took a second to process everything. He felt overwhelmed, slightly panicked, and a little sad. Only a little because in the next moment, a surge of confidence overcame him. He said, “Bet you’re wrong.”

The Fate smiled, her gray, wrinkly lips pulled back to show surprisingly well-kept teeth. “Nonsense,” was all she uttered before she cackled into the night.

Caisey’s eyes twinkled as he leaned far towards her crystal ball. He looked into her mirthful eyes and said, “Wanna bet?”