Battles of Spirit and Body

Connor launched himself at Mars, the marble exploding behind him.

"Come back to your senses! It's no fun fighting a mindless doll!" Mars slapped Connor to the floor, his mind returned.

"You know, this is entertaining and all, but have you guys taken a look at this?" Mercury opened up a screen that showed the face off happening between Connor and another dragonified being.

"Is he fighting a real dragon?" Morta inquired.

"So his spirit and body are both similar in this way." Invidia nodded as if something had been confirmed.

"You hear that? Not only are you wasting your time here, but even your body is going against forces you shouldn't challenge! I guess stupidity is ingrained in the body and mind." Mars remarked to Connor, while stepping on his neck.

"Then all I have to do is beat the shit out of you while my body kicks the ass of that dragon!" Connor growled angrily as he began to lift himself off of the floor. Mars increased the pressure, but Connor continued to push.

'He's growth is incredible! It's a mere tenth of my power, but for a mortal, he is astonishing!'

"Not gonna happen." Mars stated as he allowed Connor up, only to send him away with a proper backhand.

"Goodness, and I thought his luck was good." A woman stated as she stood next to the other bystander gods. She wore a gold flowing dress and was adorned with lots of jewelry of varying riches. Her hair was like strands of fine silver and her eyes were a bright green, though they seemed rather glossed over. She had a slender figure and her skin was fair and smooth.

"Fortuna, my dear... How did you find your way here?" Morta inquired.

"I may be blind, Morta, but I am still a goddess." Fortuna replied.

"Have you taken an interest in our little enterprise as well?" Mercury asked.

"Almost all of the Ex-Roman gods have." Fortuna answered.

"Why do you always put 'Ex' in front? We are still Roman gods." Invidia corrected.

"Oh, my apologies. Is the Roman Empire back in control these days?" Fortuna turned and stared plainly at Invidia.

"What brought your interest to my little Connor?" Invidia instead changed the subject.

"Oh, I heard a certain little mortal gazed upon a goddess's naked body and lived afterwards. I've been 'watching' since then." Fortuna answered.

"Hmph, and I'd let him stare again, unlike you 'pure' lot. Have you even seen your own Roman depictions?" Invidia brought up an embarrassing point. The gods shifted.

"Let's just be thankful most of that knowledge is lost now." Mercury commented and the gods turned their attention back to Connor and Mars.

*Physical World*

The humanized black dragon remained flying in his one spot in front of the dragonified Connor.

"Come." The dragon beckoned. Connor roared and rocketed at the dragon, his clawed hand out stretched as he went for a slashing attack. The black dragon dodged to the right, grabbing the out stretched arm and snapping it before throwing Connor to the ground with an explosive crash.

A cloud of dirt and debris shot into the sky. Connor stood up and looked at his broken arm, his left wing had dislocated from the impact. Connor let out a growl and grabbed his broken arm, and shifted the snapped ends of the bone together, he just flapped the wing back together and then shot back into the sky at the black dragon.

"I figured." The dragon stated as he kicked Connor back to the earth. Connor roared and shot back into the sky like a bullet, the ground shaking from his force.

"You certainly have a dragons tenacity." The dragon met Connor with a punch of his own, their fists connected and Connor was overwhelmed and his right arm shattered. The force of the two meeting mid air and flight, created a Shockwave that washed over the earth and had the group below holding on in order to not blow away.

"How strong would you have to be to cause this?" Mina questioned loudly.

"High A Rank!" Robert yelled back. He was being held onto by Ivory, so his body flapped in the wind limply.

"This is only A Rank!?" Mina asked incredulously. They were now able to stand, but the earth shook violently as Connor once again hit the earth with great force.

"Not just any mere A Rank, this is the threshold. If this breaks beyond into S Rank, we'll be blown away along with these trees, and most likely a layer of the ground as well." Robert explained

*Realm of the gods*

Pain ripped through Connors body repeatedly as he fought against Mars. His spirit and body fought separate battles, that neither was winning.

"Why don't we start earnestly trying to end this? It's dragging on too long." Mars feigned a yawn.

"I agree." Connor seethed.

*Physical World, same time.*

"I'll be ending this on the next attack, hatchling. I don't want my territory to be destroyed... too much." The black dragon stated to a grounded Connor. The landscape was dotted with impact scars.

The Dragon/Mars Took off towards their respective Connor, and each Connor shot like a rocket towards their respective targets. Both had explosively increased in strength and speed.

Spirit Connor drew his fist back for a straight right, while the physical Connor chose a piercing attack, his clawed hand like a blade. The Dragon/Mars took the attacks without dodging. Mars' armor dented while the Dragon had a clawed hand slightly piercing his left pectoral.

"Your strength is phenomenal, but in the end, this is all you amount to. Now, don't die." The Dargon/Mars stated unanimously as they both power drove their fists into Connors faces. Physical Connor shot into the earth at light shattering speeds, the air condensed under him and exploded out ward upon impact, causing a massive crater to form. The force was so great it sent the group reeling backwards.

Spiritual Connor was sent flying through every object in his path for the earthen equivalent of several miles before he was physically stopped by a middle aged, bearded man. An elegant gray, one would describe him as. His eyes were an electric blue and his skin was highly bronzed. He was well built, but not to the same extreme as Mars. His three piece as exquisite, if not more than, Mercury's.

The gods bowed respectfully as he brought Connor back within an instant.

"Lord Jupiter." Invidia stated politely while bowed.

"Father." Mars greeted.

"Is this the mortal that restarted the whole, 'taking interest in mortal affairs', again? He doesn't seem like much... have human undergone strange mutations?" Jupiter held Connor up and scrutinized the unconscious boy.

"Forgive me for saying, father, but he really isn't a mere mortal. And, though humans underwent many mutations, this is a... malfunction of sorts... If Hygeiai or Asclepius were here, they'd know more than I could trouble you to explain." Mars explained with heavy politeness.

"Hmm, if you're willing to say so. The Greeks hardly come around, as it is with many other gods, they all seem more interested in that mortal Loki brought a few solstice ago. Something about a world that had to be sped up, time wise. I haven't time for the trivial details. Just, do something with the boy. I'll check in on him from time to time, to see what's so worthy." Jupiter tossed Connor to Mars, who caught him and bowed.

"Multas gratias, domine et pater." Mars spoke in Latin, thanking his father.

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-The creation of the gods-

Though they are based on their actual Roman influence, they are not exact. I took certain parts of their personalities based on their mythology and spun their characters from that.

Mars- Unlike his Greek equivalent, sought war for peace rather than destruction. He was also not as well liked among the other gods. So I spun his character as someone who was arrogant, but he has this slight inferiority complex, so he's always trying to prove himself as higher or equal to the others. Thus the argument with his Half brother Mercury.

Mercury- Is more or less an exact copy of Hermes. A messenger with winged heels, though I decided that was too blatantly Greek, so I've excluded that detail. Unlike his half brother Mars, He was very trusted and liked by everyone in mythology. I created him as the god of commerce as his main focus and bred the rivalry he has with Mars.

Morta- Though she is a goddess of death, she mainly presided over infants who had died. The main god of death would be Thanatos(Not to be confused with Thanos). So I made her character more like a young mother, kind yet witty.

Invidia- Originally goddess of Retribution and Envy and depicted as very pale, she was associated with the color of black. She wasn't spoken much of, but I chose to change her up a bit. Being sealed in an alter for a few millenia gave birth to her being an evil god presiding over retribution and desires rather than simple envy. Thus her character is more care free and acts upon her whims rather than logic.

Fortuna- A blind goddess in Roman Mythology, she was depicted as the goddess of fortune, luck, and harvest. She started as a farming deity, but rose up as the empire did. She could bring good or bad luck. Her character, I want to be more witty and whimsical. She cares not for the affairs of the gods but finds interest I anything else. No, she's not a Toph character just because she's blind.

Jupiter- A work in progress, but he is the King god of the gods, his perfect counter is Zeus. So I'll need to find a good balance between a caring father and a strict one.

There will be many more gods, and I will explain them in later chapters as well. My plan is to make sure this novel is well rounded and explained with even the smallest details. Also, just in case there's history or mythology nuts who have questions as to why these gods aren't exactly like the Mythological versions. It's simply because they change as time does. Nothing ever remains the same. Land changes, humans change, culture changes, and time changes it all. I also needed them to properly fit this story. Enjoy!