The mischievous gamer God

Nico walked through the city streets quietly, doing his best to play the part of an innocent child. As soon as he was out of the Lotus Hotel and Casino, Tet had told him everything—how long he'd been in the casino, that he was a demigod, a child of Hades. He even revealed that Hades had put him and his sister there to protect them.

So, he wasn't mad at his father. He understood the motives, even if he didn't like being trapped in a timeless casino for nearly 70 years.

Thanks to Tet's key, Nico had spent years as Death—even though he'd only received the key 10 months ago. He had cleared the game multiple times, but when he returned to reality, he was surprised to find that he could use some of Death's powers. He could conjure his weapons, even some of the armor.

At his worst, he couldn't use Death's abilities to the fullest—and he never understood why.

But on the day Tet took him out of the casino, he gave Nico a glowing orb of crackling energy. Tet told Nico that if he absorbed it, he would no longer be a demigod—he would be a Nephilim. He would be able to use Death's powers to the fullest and even assume his form.

Then Tet informed him it came with strings attached.

If Nico accepted this power, he would become a Horseman for real—one of Tet's Horsemen. And while he would be free to do as he pleased for the majority of his life... when Tet called him for a job, he had to answer.

Nico felt the weight of the moment—its gravity—but he didn't hesitate.

He said yes.

Being Death felt amazing. The power was thrilling. But more than that, when he was Death... he felt at peace. Like no matter what came his way, he'd be alright.

But being Death in reality felt completely different. It felt... right. Like he was born for it.

Tet sent Nico to the Supernatural universe to meet up with Strife and take care of the fake Asgardians. Once that was done, he had to return to the Lotus. Tet explained that Nico needed to remain there for a bit longer.

He was alright with that. His sister was still there.

But for now, he pushed thoughts of the hotel out of his mind and walked into the diner where he was supposed to meet Strife.

He walked in, eyes scanning the room, and noticed Strife immediately—hard not to when he sticks out like a sore thumb. Nico walked over, boots quiet on the diner's floor, and slid into Strife's booth.

Strife glanced up and said, "Well, hello there, brother."

Nico looked at him, eyes narrowing slightly, and with an apologetic smile said, "Sorry, Strife... I'm not the original Death."

Strife tilted his head, confused for a moment, then nodded in understanding. Chuckling, he said, "Oh. Sorry about that—hang on a sec."

Then he dismissed his Horseman form. His armor, cloak, and weapons vanished. He shrank down from his towering 8 to 10-foot form to a 6-foot-tall, athletic young man with pale skin, short black hair, and cold black eyes. A short, rugged beard shadowed his jawline. His facial features looked shockingly similar to Nico's.

He wore a black leather jacket over a black skull T-shirt, black pants, and black combat boots. Around his neck hung a set of old-style military dog tags.

Nico stared at him, wide-eyed in shock.

The man grinned and said, "Allow me to introduce myself once again. My name is Bill McCarthy, son of Hades. Nice to meet you, little brother."

Nico snapped out of his shock, eyes narrowing in thought. "I was under the impression that my sister and I were the only remaining children of Hades."

Bill leaned back in the booth, relaxed and smirking. "Well, until several months ago, that was true. You see, I was a son of Hades back in World War II. Grew up in Texas during the war, got drafted. I fought with the Germans—well, against them—alongside my fellow Americans.

"But you see, the problem with that is... majority of our brothers and sisters of that time? They were on the enemy's side."

Nico's eyes widened slightly, lips tightening as he immediately guessed where this was going.

Bill let out a dry laugh. "You guessed it, little brother. One of our own soldiers—a child of Zeus, no less—mistook me for the enemy, just 'cause we shared similar features. Without hesitation, he put a bullet in my head.

"Unfortunately, even though I served in the army, I didn't do anything heroic enough, according to the Judges. So I got sent to the Fields of Asphodel, where I stayed... for over 70 years.

"Till one day, Tet appeared in front of me and said, 'How'd you like to get out of here?' Then he held up a glowing key.

"I didn't answer him. As soon as I saw the key... I felt drawn to it. So I grabbed it.

"Long story short? That's how I became Strife. Not only was I brought back to life—I was given power. Purpose. I did like to fight before, so this job suits me."

Nico frowned thoughtfully, his voice quiet. "How are you doing... being back? I can't imagine being dead for 70 years and then suddenly just... being alive again."

Bill barked a laugh, leaning forward with a grin. "It was an adjustment, sure. Luckily, Tet gave me knowledge on everything I missed, so it didn't take too long to get used to things." He waved it off with a smirk. "But enough about me.

"How you doing now that you're out of the Lotus Eaters' lair?"

Nico's expression softened slightly. He gave a small, genuine smile. "Oh... I'm doing good."

Bill chuckled. "And how're you adjusting to being Death?"

Nico's smile grew, a rare glint of pride shining in his dark eyes. "It's great."

Bill leaned back, arms resting along the booth, clearly pleased. "Glad to hear it."

Just then, a waiter arrived with two plates—double cheeseburgers with fries—and two tall chocolate milkshakes. He set them down and walked off without a word.

Bill grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Enough talk—let's eat. Then after, we got work."

Nico nodded happily, smile still on his face, and dug in.

As Nico and Bill left the diner, they assumed their Horseman forms and mounted their steeds, ready to spread mayhem.

Bill looked at Nico, a wicked smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Remember, kiddo—while we're in these forms, we're Death and Strife. And no, I don't really give a damn about our real identities. It's more of a professional thing, y'know? After all, who the hell's gonna be afraid of a couple of guys named Bill and Nico?"

As they rode off, Death asked grimly, "Where are they?"

Strife replied, his tone sharp and focused. "Same place they are in our world—Boston. We should be able to get there in no time, but we've got to do it tonight. Tomorrow they're headed out for a meeting with the rest of their kind in Indiana. Artemis wants us to take care of them before that, so she can take her time with the fake Olympians."

Death frowned beneath his hood. "Won't there be others coming then? If they were all supposed to gather in one place… won't she be dealing with more than just the Greeks?"

Strife nodded, already anticipating the question. "I've already got that covered. The other fake pantheons were planning to send representatives. Only the Asgardians and Olympians were planning to send most of their people. Even if they are fakes, this world's Zeus and Odin are still the paranoid type. Before I came to our meeting spot, I went ahead and took care of the reps while they were in transit."

Then, with a grin full of anticipation, he added, "Now, if that's all the questions—let's ride."

The two Horsemen thundered off toward Boston, ready to hunt their prey.

---

Elsewhere, in the home of Bobby Singer...

In his study, a sudden flash of kaleidoscopic light filled the room. Bobby looked up sharply, hand already drifting toward the drawer with his flask and revolver, when Tet stepped out of the shimmer.

He was about to greet him—until he saw someone else follow.

A small girl, maybe twelve or thirteen, stepped forward confidently. She had auburn hair tied back, silver eyes that gleamed with celestial clarity, and wore a silver parka that shimmered faintly even in the dim light. A bow was slung across her back, along with a quiver of arrows that looked more ceremonial than mundane.

Sam and Dean walked in from the hall, drawn by the sudden light.

Dean blinked, raising an eyebrow. "You brought another kid with you?"

The girl turned slowly toward Dean, narrowing her eyes. There was no hesitation, no mercy in her movement.

Before Dean could react, she lunged forward with startling speed, leapt into the air, and sent a lightning-quick kick toward his face.

"Whoa—!" Dean exclaimed, just barely dodging. Her foot cut through the air where his head had just been. She followed up with a jab aimed squarely at his chest. Dean raised his arm instinctively to block, and winced as the impact shuddered through his forearm.

"Damn, that hurt! Why the hell did that hurt?" he growled, shaking out his arm. "And what's your problem, kid?"

Instead of answering, the girl pivoted smoothly and turned her attention to Sam. In one fluid movement, she swept his legs out from under him. Sam grunted as he hit the ground—but he broke the fall with a roll, springing back onto his feet and immediately dropping into a defensive stance.

She nodded, a rare flicker of approval in her eyes. "Not bad. Even if I wasn't being serious, you still did very well." Her tone held both pride and judgment. "And it seems my blessing… is working."

Sam blinked, still a little off-balance. "Blessing?"

Finally, the girl straightened her posture and introduced herself with a commanding presence that filled the room.

"Allow me to introduce myself," she said, her voice steady, confident, and just a little ancient. "I am Artemis—goddess of the hunt, the moon, maidens, childbirth, and the wilderness. Though I don't often say this to men… it's a pleasure to meet two accomplished young hunters."

Her silver eyes softened slightly. "I can tell many monsters have fallen to both of you. You should be proud."

Bobby furrowed his brow, rubbing the side of his beard. "You mentioned something about a blessing… Several hunters have been callin' me the past few days, sayin' they felt faster, stronger, sharper. And some of 'em are well past their prime."

He gave her a searching look. "At first, I didn't know what to make of it. But you're tellin' me we've all been blessed… by a goddess?"

Artemis nodded, lips curled into a calm smile. "That's how it should have always been. True hunters are worthy of my favor. Every time you hunt—whether you know it or not—you are paying tribute to me, in some small way. That makes you my followers."

Sam looked puzzled. "But… we don't worship you."

Artemis gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "The mere act of hunting itself pays tribute to me and places you within my domain. Even if you do not sacrifice your spoils in my name or pray at my altars and temples…" Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Though, if you wished for a specific favor from me, you would need to hunt some worthy prey in my name."

Dean, still rubbing his arm, raised a skeptical brow. "Okay, not to be disrespectful or anything—but we know why Tet's here. Why are you here?"

Artemis glanced at him, then turned toward Bobby.

"I am here to hunt some very specific prey. I'll be departing soon—I merely wished to come and say hello… and to let you know I may drop by now and then."

Bobby leaned forward, curious. "And what exactly are you hunting?"

"The fakes," Artemis said sharply, eyes flashing silver. "Those who dare call themselves gods. I've been tasked by Tet to eliminate them."

Bobby exhaled, shoulders tensing. "Gods are hard to put down. Some are easier than others, sure—but the majority require a specific ritual or item. Special blades. A specific artifact. Hell, some of them won't die unless you destroy their place of power."

Artemis smirked faintly. "I'll be fine. Unlike them… I am a true deity."

With that, her form shimmered, her silver parka gleaming with divine radiance—and in a flash of silver light, she vanished from the study, leaving only a faint lunar glow behind.

Tet smiled and said, "All right. That's what she's here for. I'm here to deliver what I promised. I have a key for each of you."

Sam looked at him, confused but curious. "For all of us?"

Tet smiled wider, floating a little higher with a cheerful bounce in his voice. "Yes! For all four of you. I promised some help, and I mean to deliver. Beat my games. Overcome my challenges—and you will come out stronger."

Bobby sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he muttered, "All right... I'm game. Just don't send me somewhere ridiculous."

Tet laughed, twirling upside down briefly before righting himself again. "Don't worry, Bobby. You'll be fine where you're going. Things will be difficult, but not impossible."

He then turned toward Dean with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Dean, you'll find your place weird at first—but I know you'll have lots of fun."

Dean glanced sideways at Sam and Bobby, then looked back at Tet with growing suspicion. "I'm a little worried now. Is it too late to back out?"

Tet chuckled, folding his arms and floating casually in midair. "Absolutely. Even if you try to run—you're still going."

Sam raised a brow and asked, "Now what about me?"

Tet turned to him with a thoughtful smile. "Sam, you won't realize the importance of the world I've sent you to until you're done—but you will enjoy the ride."

Sam looked skeptical but nodded slowly. "All right... Don't have much choice. I'll just have to trust you, then."

Tet's expression softened as he turned toward the angel still quietly sitting in the corner. "Castiel…"

He floated closer, resting his chin in his hand. "To be honest, Castiel—I'm not sure where to send you. You need to learn to enjoy life and your newfound free will. So… I'm not one hundred percent sure where the best place for you to go is. I'll think on it some more and get back to you."

Castiel nodded calmly. "Take your time, Lord. I'm in no hurry."

Tet raised a brow. "Also… have you been waiting here in that chair for the past four days?"

Castiel nodded again, without blinking. "Yes."

Tet stared at him for a beat, then sighed dramatically. "Yep. I definitely need to put some serious effort into where I send you."

With a sudden motion, Tet snapped his fingers and produced three golden keys, each floating in a slow circle in the air above his hand.

The first was engraved with a red and white umbrella symbol. It shimmered in the light before Tet floated it gently toward Bobby, who grabbed it and studied the familiar-looking logo with a puzzled, skeptical grunt.

The second key was engraved with an alien-like head, with tentacles curled around three jagged slash marks. Tet floated this one over to Dean, who took it with slight hesitation, eyeing it warily.

The third key had no engraving at all. Tet floated it toward Sam.

Sam caught it and turned it over in his hand. "Mine doesn't have anything on it."

Tet smirked and said, "That's 'cause I don't want you to figure out where you're going ahead of time. And if I did put an engraving on it, you'd know immediately what it meant."

Sam frowned but reluctantly slipped the key into his pocket.

Then Tet floated up above them and clapped his hands gleefully. "All right, gentlemen! To use the keys, merely hold them out in front of you and act like you're going to unlock a door."

The three men exchanged glances. Then, one by one, they did as he said.

In a flash of golden light—Bobby, Dean, and Sam disappeared.

Tet laughed happily, clearly enjoying himself. "This is going to be fun!"

With a casual wave of his hand, he conjured a soft purple couch, a huge bowl of snacks, and three glowing screens that hovered in the air. Then he looked over at Castiel and said, "Come join me, Castiel."

Castiel didn't hesitate. Without a word, he walked over and sat on the other end of the couch, his trench coat rustling softly.

And just like that... Sam, Dean, and Bobby began their games.