Chapter 478 Stalemate!
The game that everyone in Sheol had expected to be a total blowout had actually ended up turning into a real clash of the titans.
After the score had been evened up 7-7, the game saw a complete stalemate.
Neither team was allowed to score any further, and even their two point conversions were shut down.
However, it was clear that one offense was atleast better than the other.
Eris was a phenomenal quarterback, with outstanding leadership qualities and a natural cool demeanor in the pocket that couldn't be overlooked.
She also had an eye for the field and a real awareness that allowed her to get the ball to her receivers without fear of an interception.
Because Jasmine knew that, she adjusted her strategy.
Instead of putting pressure on Eris to force a sack, she increased the coverage on the opposing team's receivers as well.
Asmodeus was good, but when he was being double-covered by two different gods, there was little else that even he could do.
Before anyone had realized it, the game had arrived at an all too anticipated point.
Halftime.
With the final whistle blown, both teams headed to their respective locker rooms and left the crowd anxiously wanting more.
"W-Wow… that was amazing!"
"I wasn't expecting for the teams to be so even..!"
"Me neither, but you know what's most surprising? These gods seem to really be holding their own!"
Almost on cue, the camera swept over the field as Abaddon's team walked back to the locker room.
Even if the game was tied, it was nearly impossible to tell that they hadn't won.
Upon closer inspection, it was easy to realize that their mood wasn't quite celebratory, and more so fun loving.
These were gods, dragons, monsters, and destroyers of men.
But in this moment and this moment alone, they may as well have been a couple of young kids who'd just come in from playing ball in the backyard.
This was the comradery that Abaddon was hoping to inspire.
And he had done so, without even possessing the presence of mind to remember exactly why this all began in the first place.
Even Discordia, who didn't really smile for anything or anyone, had a little smile on her face.
Though she was always certain to dash it away before Abaddon looked in her general direction.
'Maybe…'
'Perhaps we were a little too quick to judge…'
'If the royal family believes in them so fiercely, then…'
As hearts and minds were changed slowly but surely, the announcer introduced another guest that was sure to send the crowd into even more of a frenzy.
*The Announcer* : "Now I know ladies and gentlemen you all are desperate for more of this riveting game to unfold before you, but it is time for our special surprise halftime performance..! Give it up for the one, the only… Queresha!"
- In the Tathamet family suite
*Crash!*
The sound of breaking glass drew everyone's attention to the corner of the room.
There, Belloc was holding the broken remenants of his champagne glass and standing frozen in one place with his eyes as wide as all outside.
"Bel? What's wrong with you?" Audrina asked in concern.
Since Belloc was still too stunned to answer, Mira mischievously slapped her brother on the back and poked his cheeks.
"Is brother surprised because his favorite pop star is here? This reaction is a little bit too girly though!"
The heads of everyone inside of the suite tilted in confusion.
Thea: "You like Queresha…?"
Apophis: "…The pop singer…?"
Yemaya: "I thought the only kind of music you liked were anime openings, indie rock, and underground rap."
"I-I listen to her on occasion.." Belloc muttered.
"He has a T-shirt in his closet!" Mira announced.
"I knew I smelled you in my room! What were you doing in my closet?!"
"Looking for hoodies!"
"I let you borrow four already!"
"I got a little monster blood on em…"
Feeling left out, Gabbrielle raised her hand in confusion.
"I'm sorry… who is this Queresha person?"
Belloc stared at his older sister like she was a heathen in the most holy church of the land.
Queresha is a famous singer from Sheol who sprang to prominence after Abaddon introduced human music and artists into the world.
Taking influences from the legendary icons Erykah Badu and Billie Eilish, she combines their sound into a moody, soulful, and impactful melody that she makes all her own.
She is the first person in Sheol to not get famous due to her feats in battle, sex appeal, or being related to Abaddon.
She is also the person responsible for springing up a new wave of dragon artists, poets, authors, and of course, musicians.
Belloc and Stheno polymorph quite often and attend her concerts as a couple.
"How are we doing tonight, Apollonir?!"
A woman suddenly appeared within a green mist on stage.
She was pretty, but not something out of this world for a dragon.
Her skin was on the lighter side, like coffee with cream and sugar.
She had bright green eyes that were both insightful and somewhat mischievous.
Her hair was long, thick, and black, and was styled in a somewhat wild and larger than life manner, like Abaddon's.
This seemed to be a popular trend around most of the younger dragons these days…
Belloc walked towards the glass window and practically smushed his face against it to ogle the woman on stage.
A few of his mothers looked like they were rather concerned about the fact that he had nearly stopped breathing and was content not to blink.
But as Lailah reminded them, they had a rather… special engagement to get to.
They melded together into one body and picked up a dark duffel bag that had been sitting by the door this whole time.
"Umm… alright then… kids, will you make sure that your brother keeps breathing while we're gone? It'd be nice if he doesn't lose oxygen to his cute little brain."
"Where are mommies going?" Straga asked as he crawled on top of the couch.
"A-Ah, we're just going to show your daddy a little encouragement, pumpkin."
"Straga wants to come too!"
"Oh but if you leave, Monica might get lonely here without your company."
"Hehe….hehehehe. Okay!"
The girls shot Monica a thankful, apologetic look before hurrying out of the suite with purposeful steps and lustful eyes.
-
In the locker room, Abaddon and his entire team were sitting around a white board.
They were sucking on oranges and downing 'Datorade' as they listened intently to Abaddon's plan for the next half.
"I've noticed that their defenders are a bit weaker here, here, and here. I think with just a little realignment we can…"
Abaddon suddenly paused as he felt a familiar presence appear underneath him.
"I- shit!"
In the next second, a dark hole opened up in the ground and swallowed the dragon whole, leaving no trace of him behind.
"Yes! I've been waiting for this!"
Smiling, Eris dove right in after him, at which point the hole in the ground finally closed up and the locker room returned to normal.
Inside of the portal of darkness, Abaddon and Eris were staring at a rather rousing sight.
His darling Ayaana had crammed her shared body into a cheerleader outfit that was perhaps one size too small.
The girls snapped their fingers and a pair of glittery pom-poms appeared in both hands.
"Are you ready, darling? We prepared a special little routine for your eyes only~"
Abaddon felt his heart start to beat uncontrollably and he felt himself becoming stupid all over again.
"M-My loves, I really should be with my team at this moment…"
"Aww, so you don't want to see our hard work..? But we spent so much time on ittt..!"
Abaddon was already shit at telling people close to him no, but his wives made that weakness much more glaring than others did.
"I… of course I do. I don't want to miss a single detail."
Smirking, Ayaana turned around and bent over enough for him to see her full moon barely covered beneath her skirt.
"Kugh..!" Abaddon only got through the first second of the girls' routine before both nostrils started projectile bleeding and his flagpole was at full mast.
-
Discordia stared at the ground where Abaddon had disappeared with a somewhat blank look as she chewed on an orange absentmindedly.
"Is he…?"
Darius : "Getting his nob polished? Probably."
"…Slut."
The goddess rolled her eyes nonchalantly before a sudden headache assailed her mind.
She grimaced and rubbed her temples discreetly, in an attempt to not show any glaring weakness.
Her eyes flashed from their usual reddish orange to a unnatural dark purple and then back to orange.
Darius and Asmodeus finally noticed that the goddess of strife seemed to be a bit under the weather, and they were understandably concerned.
Afterall, it wasn't like goddesses as old as her got concussion sickness.
"Lass?"
"Hey, shrimp? You alright?"
Discordia looked up with visible sweat on her forehead and a wry smile.
"This place is full of pansies… you're all too nice for your own good. Who said I needed you to worry about me?"
"Yea, yea. Just lay down and be quiet."
Discordia must have been feeling under the weather, because she ended up laying down without putting up much of a fight.
The entire locker room crowded around her, unsure of whether or not this sudden illness was mental, physical, or something more…
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