They were waiting for a presence for the meeting to begin and soon the heavenly hall fell into a profound silence as a booming yet soft voice echoed through the air, powerful and omnipresent.
It was the Almighty speaking, a presence felt but never seen, a force that commanded attention and reverence.
"Dionysus, Lila, Bacchus," the voice called, its tone resonating in every corner of the celestial dimension.
The three gods stood upright, unbowed among a sea of deities who knelt with their heads lowered in humble submission. Their voices rang out in unison, calm but charged with the weight of expectation:
"Yes, Almighty!"
The invisible presence seemed to linger for a moment, the weight of its attention falling solely on the trio. Then, the decree came, shaking the very fabric of the heavens.
"You shall descend to Earth. For thirty days, you will each bring pleasure to thirty mortals. The one who satisfies the most shall be crowned with the Crown of Pleasure. This is your challenge."
Dionysus's eyes glinted with intrigue, his mythical gaze steady as he tilted his head slightly, processing the task.
Bacchus shifted, a cocky grin tugging at his lips, though his fingers drummed anxiously on his thigh.
Lila merely shrugged, her perfect lips curving into an effortless smirk, already certain of her success.
This was new but it wasn't unbearable.
The Almighty continued, its voice measured and commanding:
"You will each meet your pawns in different settings. Lord Silas will explain their nature to you. Be active. Be diligent."
As the voice faded, an intense silence descended upon the hall, and a new figure stepped forward.
Silas, an intermediary with piercing silver eyes and an air of detachment, spoke with precision.
His tone lacked the overwhelming weight of the Almighty but carried authority nonetheless.
"Now, let me explain the rules," Silas began, clasping his hands behind his back.
A glowing board materialized in the center of the room, its surface blank but pulsing faintly, awaiting its divine purpose.
"This board will record the Satisfaction Quota of every mortal you encounter. The scoring is out of 100, and good news, your fellow gods and goddesses will not be rating you. The mortals themselves will decide your worth."
Dionysus smirked, brushing a strand of his white hair behind his shoulder.
"That's hardly a challenge," he said smoothly, his tone dripping with confidence.
Bacchus groaned, running a hand over his neck.
"I don't like it. Humans are so fragile, what if they break before I even begin? How am I supposed to satisfy them then?" His grin faded briefly, replaced by a shadow of doubt.
Lila, standing poised and radiant, shrugged nonchalantly.
"Does it matter? I'm a guaranteed 100," she said, her tone oozing confidence, her eyes lazily scanning the other gods.
Silas's sharp gaze landed on her before continuing.
"There's more. A little bad news for you all: If there is a mishap, something outside the norm of the… experience, then the points for that mortal and the previous one will be deducted."
The room tensed at the revelation, even among the observing gods and goddesses. Dionysus furrowed his brow, his calm composure flickering with curiosity.
"Two hundred points lost at once?" he asked, his voice laced with displeasure.
"Affirmative," Silas said curtly.
Bacchus stepped forward, his bulkier frame looming as he narrowed his eyes.
"Did the Almighty really make these rules?" he asked skeptically, his voice laced with defiance.
Silas's jaw clenched as he straightened.
"Of course. We are mere messengers, not lawmakers."
"Convenient," Bacchus muttered with a smirk, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his unease.
Silas ignored him and pressed on.
"Finally, the results must not be manipulated by hypnosis or coercion."
The room shifted, whispers rippling among the gods. Lila rolled her eyes, her expression bored.
"What a waste of my talents," she said under her breath.
Dionysus, however, looked visibly offended, his mythical eyes blazing with indignation.
"That is a blatantly disrespectful remark," he said, his tone sharp as a blade.
"I, Dionysus, do not need such tricks to inspire devotion." He declared.
Silas held his ground, his voice steady.
"Then you should have no problem adhering to the rules, Lord Dionysus." He said.
Bacchus's grin returned as he leaned back slightly, watching the exchange with amusement.
"Well, this just got interesting," he said, his voice low and teasing.
Lila let out a soft laugh, brushing her cascading hair over her shoulder.
"Let's just get this over with. Thirty mortals in thirty days? That's child's play."
Dionysus crossed his arms, his glowing form radiating quiet confidence.
"Then let's see who truly deserves the Crown of Pleasure."
Bacchus snorted, shaking his head. "Careful what you wish for, brother. You might not like the outcome."
Silas raised a hand, silencing them.
"Enough. Prepare yourselves. You depart for Earth at sunrise. This is a competition, yes, but it is also a test of your restraint, creativity, and adaptability. The Almighty will be watching."
The tension lingered as the gods and goddess exchanged final glances, each silently preparing for the challenge ahead.
The hall shimmered, the weight of the task settling over them as their celestial forms prepared to descend into the mortal realm.
It's a competition.
"They're different settings for each god and you shall be expected to pleasure your targets only in said settings,"
Silas carried on to tell them the rules of their contest each before dismissing them.