“And the games

Begin anew.”

Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology

 

 

 

How are we supposed to know how things work around here?

 

A sigh accompanied the auburn-haired new student’s thoughts as he and two other Gods roamed their eyes around the front of the academy. It already that he forgot to bring the handbook during his first day and so all he could do now was to rely on his two hyungs. Kim Heechul and Han Geng.

 

The red-haired God standing proudly on his right probably noticed his restlessness as he felt a warm hand on his right shoulder.

 

“Don’t worry, Hae. Your Geng hyung and I will always be beside you. We’ll figure things out together.”

 

All the young God could do was to nod his head, trusting the words of the older God. He turned to his left when he felt another warm hand placed on his left shoulder. The hand belonged to his Hangeng hyung.

 

Exhaling loudly, he patted the two hands on his shoulders as he smiled widely at the front scene.

 

“Okay! Let’s do this, hyungs.”

 

 

 

No, I can’t do this! I don’t want to do this! I want to go home. I want to go back to the castle. Papa, Daddy, Donghwa hyung, come and pick me up please!

 

“Please state your name and your ancestor before they start asking you questions they have in mind.”

 

“Kim Heechul from the ancestry of Vali. God of Vengeance.” The red-haired God did not spare any of the other Gods in the room a single glance. After briefly and coldly stating his name and ancestry, he fixed his eyes on the man beside him.

 

“My name is Han Geng and I was born under the bloodline of Forseti, the God of Justice and Truth. It was nice to meet you all.”

 

Just then, the bulky-looking guy cleared his throat. “Is it really nice to meet us? Is it really the truth, Hangeng-ssi? Or is that simply for formality?”

 

Donghae gulped. They just barely introduced themselves and the challenge already started. He glanced worriedly at his Hangeng hyung who in return, calmly smiled at the one who questioned him.

 

“You can check my pulse and my heartbeat. Why would I lie over something as trivial as this matter?”

 

“Fair enough,” the muscular God answered, a small smirk threatening to escape from his lips.

 

From the corner of his eye, he saw his Heechul hyung motioning for him to start introducing himself. He briefly nodded and let his eyes slowly wandered around the room. Eight pairs of eyes were intently focused on him including their instructor. Oh! Just seven. One God had his head down, slumped on the wooden desk. Donghae frowned at the unknown God’s ill behavior.

 

Donghae formally bowed. “Good morning! My name is Lee Donghae and my ancestor is Baldur, the Norse God of Innocence and Purity. I am so excited to be here and it was nice meeting you all.”

 

The auburn-haired heard coos and chuckles from all over the small room after his brief introduction. He blushed profusely when the three Gods sitting on the front row looked adoringly at him. Two of them were blonde-haired and one was raven-haired. They appeared harmless and kind which made Donghae smile at the trio.

 

“Aigoo! Isn’t he an absolute cutie? Wook, look at him. I want to squish his cheeks.”

 

One of the blonde-haired God said and the God of Innocence just wanted to hide or run away from embarrassment.

 

“I think you’re scaring the poor kid, Leeteuk hyung. Go easy on him please.” This time, it was the raven-haired who came to his defense. When his eyes met with the raven-haired, Donghae swore it changed its color. From brown, it turned to bright lime green for a few seconds before returning to its original color.

 

“Lee Donghae, 22 years old, the highest-ranking God of the East. Has an older brother who moved out of the castle to pursue wizardry and has a male cousin who is a year older than you. That particular cousin moved in to the Eastern Palace when he turned ten years old. You are scared of basically everything that moves except the clouds and the rain. At a young age, you already have a background in medicine as well as healing potions. It’s nice to finally meet the descendant of Baldur. We’ve been waiting for you, Donghae-ssi.”

 

Donghae was rendered speechless. Never did the raven-haired God strayed his eyes away from him and just spoke those information about him without hesitancy.

 

How come he knew so much about me? He must be the descendant of Kvasir.

 

“Wow! You’re scary.”

 

The whole class—well, with the exception of one sleeping God—burst in laughter upon the remark of the newly-arrived God of Innocence. The young God was truly the icon of innocence and purity and not to mention, beauty.

 

“If you don’t have any more questions, can we now sit?” The red-haired God of Vengeance snarled as he directed his question to the unsuspecting instructor. The middle-aged instructor of Basic Logic was caught enjoying the exchange of words between the God of Wisdom and the God of Innocence. It was indeed a sight to behold.

 

Just then, Donghae’s attention was shifted to the tall guy on the back row who rudely scoffed. He followed the God’s line of vision and frowned when the latter had actually scoffed while looking at his Heechul hyung.

 

“Well, what do you expect from the descendant of Vali? Disrespectful and truly ill-mannered.” The tallest God in the room sarcastically remarked and Donghae knew immediately that this was trouble. One should not anger the vengeful God or else that person (or God) would meet his doom. Heechul’s name was not just a name. The older God lived up to it and he could really be dangerous when provoked.

 

“I don’t speak to children. Sorry not sorry. You can try again next time, kid.” Heechul spat out blankly and both Donghae and Hangeng readied themselves if ever their older friend would get himself into yet another trouble. The remark must have been another challenge from their classmates.

 

“Okay, kids—I mean Gods, that’s enough for now. Kyuhyun, stop provoking your new classmate and sit properly. The seven of you, introduce yourselves briefly before I dismiss your class. Our official class would continue tomorrow. Leeteuk, you can start.”

 

Okay, brain! Seven more names to be installed there. Please don’t forget them as soon as you hear them, okay? I don’t want to cause trouble by not remembering simple details. Remember what Papa told you, Donghae. Don't cause trouble on your first day. Oh dear Odin! I already miss Papa and Daddy.

 

Donghae sighed as the blonde-haired God who had voiced out his desire to squish his cheeks earlier stood up.

 

“Hi! I am Park Jungsu but please call me Leeteuk. I am the God of Fertility and Kindness.” Oh, I believe I will get along well with him. Everyone who was kind was a big yes to my vocabulary of people or Gods to be friends with.

 

“I am Kim Ryeowook. The God of Knowledge and Wisdom. I am sorry for scaring you earlier, Donghae-ssi. It was not my intention.” He looked so small and he seemed nice too. I want to be friends with him as well.

 

“Oh, don’t mind it, Ryeowook-ssi. It’s fine.”

 

“Hello! My name is Lee Sungmin and I am the God of Sea, Wind, and Nature. Nice to meet the three of you.” He looked like a bunny. He seemed gentle and nice. I will make sure to be friends with him.

 

“Kim Jongwoon. God of Silence.” Was he angry? And what’s up with the all-black outfit? He looked so scary. I don’t want to talk to him.

 

“Kim Kangin and I am the God of Strength. You can see through my muscles.” And the said God flexed his biceps and it did not went unnoticed to Donghae how Leeteuk, the God of Fertility, face palmed. Looks like he could kill me with his muscles. Big no no for him, Hae.

 

“I am Cho Kyuhyun, the God of War. Do not mess with me or else your head will roll on the school grounds.” Donghae gulped as the said God of War gave the three of them an intimidating glare. Oh no! He screamed trouble. Don’t even think of infuriating him, Lee Donghae. Just avoid him as much as possible.

 

After Kyuhyun’s introduction, silence befell upon the room. All of them turned towards the direction of the once sleeping God but is currently looking directly at them, or maybe only at him. Donghae was not sure. The God sported a jet black hair accentuating his facial features which screamed manly yet there was a glint in his eyes that the God of Innocence found intimidating.

 

“You!” The black-haired God pointed a dagger at him. Donghae was slightly confused when he found out he was the only one who seemed terrified. It seemed like this was a common occurrence to the others which made the auburn-haired tremble in fear.

 

Daggers are allowed in the school premises?

 

“Do you mind if I kill you right here, right now? What do you think, God of Innocence?” He added but his words no longer added fear to the God, instead, he was more curious on why the still-yet-to-be-named God was acting that way.

 

“Why would you do that? That’s not nice, Mr. God.”

 

And another round of laughter boomed inside the room for the Special Gods. Donghae was unsure why they were laughing. Was there something wrong with what he had said? The God of Innocence scratched the back of his neck in confusion.

 

“Yeah! Answer his question, Mr. God,” the one named Kyuhyun—who looked like a trouble-magnet—shouted. “Oh for Odin’s sake this is hilarious!” He added and the others laughed once again.

 

Donghae unconsciously pouted but froze when his hazelnut eyes met the still-yet-to-be-named God’s copper brown ones. What made him froze to his position was not the way the other was looking begrudgingly at him, but rather, how his copper brown eyes suddenly turned bloody red for a millisecond.

 

Everything happened so fast. The dagger on the scary-looking God’s left hand flew across the room and went deep into the chalk board at the back of Donghae’s head. The weapon just barely missed his neck, if not for a spare millimeters. His breath hitched, his heart almost escaped from his chest, and he swore his knees were slowly turning like jellies.

 

He—he almost killed me! Goodness gracious! It was only my first day and I already almost met Hel.

 

As he tried to regain his breath, he looked perplexedly at the God on the back row. The black-haired God was now staring at him with a mischievous smirk.

 

What was his problem? And who is he?

 

“The name is Lee Hyukjae and my ancestor is Loki, the one and only.”

 

Donghae’s mind short-circuited upon the God’s introduction.

 

Loki...Loki?...Loki?! The God of...

 

The God of Innocence gasped upon the realization.

 

“Mischief?!”

 

Hyukjae wrapped his fingers around the base of the bottle of strawberry juice, giving fatal glares to the irritating and madly infuriating God sitting across from him. The said God was being pampered by the God of Fertility as well as the God of Nature, and the sight enraged him to the core. Even the Gods of Strength and War seemed to be smitten by the newcomer as the two volunteered to get him his food.

 

“Hyung, if you don’t stop doing that, you might really kill him this time.”

 

The black-haired God of Mischief turned towards the owner of the whisper and was greeted by the annoying face of Ryeowook.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?! Shut up and don’t talk to me!”

 

The drink on his hand smelled sickeningly sweet that he decided it did not suit his taste nor his image. And with that thought in mind, he did not think twice and without looking, just tossed the opened bottle on his back with unrivaled power. It looked like the bottle was fired with the use of a catapult or a cannon but in honesty, Hyukjae did not even use that much force. Gasps and groans of pain soon followed the thunderous sound of the bottle hitting something—or someone rather and the God of Mischief smirked to himself. It was not really his intention but oh well! The deed had been done.

 

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed how the newly-transferred God had his eyes wide open and his mouth gaping like a fish. He seemed to be staring at the chaos going on behind him and Hyukjae realized something that made him sneer perilously.

 

The sweet little God from the Eastern Asgard is not used to violence and ferocity. This is going to be fun.

 

He saw the auburn-haired God’s eyes shifted to him and Hyukjae was mentally shocked as he was the only one (aside from the other Special Gods) who had the guts to look at him straight in his eyes. There were no signs of fear nor terror on the younger God’s expression which not just amazed him but it also challenged him.

 

Lee Donghae, the God of Innocence’s hazelnut eyes briefly turned to the prettiest shade of blue Hyukjae had ever seen in his entire life. They turned sapphire blue for a span of a few milliseconds but it was enough for the mischievous God to freeze on his position. He also felt his own eyes fleetingly turned ruby red but Hyukjae just shrugged it off. It must have had been quite a view to anyone who had noticed it.

 

“Why do you have to be so mean, Hyukjae-ssi? I know you are the God of Mischief but it does not cost anything to be nice to others.”

 

Innocent indeed...

 

“You have to apologize to the God you accidentally hit with your bottle. Even if you did not mean to hit him, you still have to say sorry to him. He looked really hurt.”

 

...and also pure.

 

This stupid naïve God would not survive in here. Hyukjae thought.

 

The rest of the Special Gods were looking expectantly at him, probably curious on how he was going to handle the situation.

 

Hyukjae snickered teasingly, eyes looking straight at the other’s gullible ones. “Seems to me like someone did not attend his Basic History, did you, Baldur’s descendant? You seemed to be unknowledgeable about my background.”

 

“Oh, you were sleeping when I introduced myself earlier, right? My name is Donghae and I would appreciate it if you call me by my name.” And the annoying God even had the audacity to smile at him. A smile so sickeningly sweet it would rival the sweetness of the strawberry juice. Hyukjae suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

 

“Donghae, that’s enough. Stop talking to him and just finish your food.”

 

Hyukjae was not sure whether to thank the God of Vengeance for cutting his ridiculous conversation with the innocent God or to be offended by what the red-haired had said. He felt like Kim Heechul looked down on him even without actually saying it.

 

“I’m sorry, Chul hyung. I will eat now.”

 

“Good,” and then the God of Vengeance did the unthinkable. He gently ruffled Donghae’s hair while spoon feeding him with egg rolls.

 

“Hae, you want my seaweed soup? You can take hyung’s.”

 

The innocent God cheekily grinned, “Thanks, Geng hyung.”

 

The black-haired God was taken aback although he tried hard not to show it. Not just he, however, all the other Special Gods were also surprised by the interaction they just witnessed. The three Special Gods who had just arrived to their school seemed really close. It almost felt like they shared a special bond the rest of them were unfamiliar with. Friendship.

 

Were they seeing this right?

 

Because of the weird atmosphere that suddenly washed through their table, Ryeowook turned to look at the others.

 

“Don’t you guys find it weird that Hyukjae hyung decided to eat with us today?” The raven-haired God of Wisdom asked his classmates. “I wonder what’s so special about this day.”

 

Hyukjae glared at the shorter God. Most of the time he found him tolerable but there were rare occasions where he felt like the God of Wisdom knew too much when he shouldn’t.

 

Kyuhyun snickered from Hyukjae’s side and all heads turned to the youngest God. “And to also think that our kindest God of Mischief over here didn’t plan any pranks or antics today. You seem tamed today, hyung. What’s up?”

 

The descendant of Loki’s eyes twitched and he found himself grinning precariously.

 

“That’s what you think.”

 

And as if on cue, a loud shout followed by girly squeals were heard from across the cafeteria.

 

“HE’S VOMITING BLOOD!”

 

“QUICK! SOMEONE CALL THE ACADEMY DOCTOR.”

 

“SHE’S VOMITING TOO.”

 

“IS IT THEIR FOOD?”

 

“I THINK IT’S THE PUDDING.”

 

“NO! STOP EATING THE PUDDING. I THINK IT’S POISONED.”

 

“STOP EATING THE PUDDING, EVERYONE!”

 

The students inside the room dropped their puddings on the floor. It was their dessert for the day which meant that almost everyone had puddings on their trays.

 

What made Hyukjae laughed even more on his seat was how their circle of Special Gods attended worriedly at the God of Innocence who just swallowed his first bite of the delicious-looking caramel pudding.

 

“Donghae-yah, are you okay?”

 

“Donghae hyung! Spit it out. Spit it out.”

 

“Yah! He’s getting pale. YAH, YOU! GOD OF STRENGTH OR SOMETHING, CAN YOU LIFT HIM UP? WHERE IS YOUR INFIRMARY HERE?”

 

“Heechul-ah, calm down!”

 

“Calm down? CALM DOWN, HANGENG?!” The God of Vengeance was fuming with anger, his loud voice blending with the chaos going on around them. Heechul suddenly pointed at him. “YAH, LEE HYUKJAE, YOU! IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO MY DONGSAENG, I SWEAR IN THE NAME OF VALI YOU WILL REALLY GET IT FROM ME! I DON’T ING CARE IF YOU’RE THE SON OF LOKI, YOU’RE DEAD.”

 

Hyukjae bravely met the furious eyes of the red-haired God and just smiled innocently. He knew he just angered the other even more. His eyes then travelled to all the fussing going on in front of him and he noticed that the God of Innocence also started puking out blood just like the rest of the victims. He knew the poison he had injected on all of the puddings was just a light one and therefore, not lethal, but it could really cause intense body pains. Lee Donghae was getting weaker and weaker and all the other Gods were not helping his case at all. The God of Mischief’s smile faltered a bit.

 

“Donghae-ssi, can you still hear us? Just vomit everything.”

 

“I’m sure the infirmary is filled with students right now. Sungmin-ah, do you know any immediate first aid for poison?”

 

“I’m not sure what kind of poison this is, Teuk hyung.”

 

All Special Gods except for the barely conscious Donghae and the uninterested Hyukjae were all fussing and panicking, even Kyuhyun and Kangin who tried to help by using their trays as alternative fans.

 

“I—I know, hyungs. I t—think I can h—help the—the other students. H—help me—me up, Heechul h—hyung. I can help the—the others.”

 

“Shut up, Lee Donghae. You’re already vomiting to death and you’re seriously still thinking of others? Ryeowook-ssi, you’re the God of Wisdom, right? You know everything, right? Help him.”

 

The God of Wisdom knelt beside the struggling auburn-haired God.

 

“I’m sorry, hyung. I don’t know the poison in his body. I’m sorry, Donghae hyung.” The shortest God was really close to tears and Donghae reached out his hand to the other. It must be his poor attempt to console the God of Wisdom.

 

Hyukjae watched everything from his position. When he found the scene becoming too boring, he yawned while slowly standing up. He stretched his arms above his head as he called for the God of Silence’s attention who was standing a few distance away from the circle.

 

“What do you want?” The aloof God asked him.

 

“Aqua Tofana.”

 

“What?”

 

“The poison. They want to know what it is, right? Tell Ryeowook that. He would know the cure immediately. This is getting too boring for me. I’m off!” And then he coolly exited the cafeteria, smiling proudly at the chaos he had created.

 

 

 

 

Walking past the dark green bushes and newly-trimmed grass, Hyukjae found the tree he had grown to like since it provided the right amount of shade for him. He closed his eyes but immediately opened them again when certain Sapphire Blue eyes flashed through his mind. The God of Mischief banged his head lightly at the bark of the tree.

 

“Why am I seeing him in my mind? Aish! Lee Hyukjae, you’re the absolute worst.”

 

But the look of pain on the innocent God’s face earlier seemed to have gotten stuck on his mind.

 

You’re the one in pain yet you still want to help others. You really won’t survive here, Lee Donghae.