Galactic Myth Arena

Ethan Cole wakes in another world as a 24-year-old delivery rider in New Avalon. Two hundred seventeen years earlier, Earth lost its history. Humanity forgot every old-world language, and every region's myths and gods. The rituals, songs, dances and artifacts survived. People just forgot which gods they once called upon. Then Earth was dragged into the galactic myth wars: each planet summons the gods of its own civilization to fight. Winners take resources, fortune, even whole planets. Every living being in a defeated civilization becomes a slave. Earth has lost six of its ten fortune points. Four remain.

Before he came here, Ethan was a world history major, obsessed with ancient languages and myths. He can read the scripts no one here recognizes. He remembers the gods no one here remembers.

Earth's eighth myth arena match begins against the Krak War Alliance: four Earth fighters against ten. Adrian Voss, the Institute's top prodigy, goes first. He picks a Greek statue and summons Ares at blue tier. The Krakks summon Kattong at red Epic tier. Adrian is defeated and eliminated. Earth has three fighters left.

Maya Hart enters. The region is ancient Egypt. Ethan names the statue the Krakks and the Institute cannot: Sekhmet, the lion-headed goddess. Maya recites the history, and Sekhmet ascends to red Epic tier. She defeats the Krakks' first fighter. Then the Krakks use reserve energy to draw from the Ash Sea pantheon: Vulga, mother of ash, who feeds on what remains after flames go out. Vulga devours Sekhmet. Maya is eliminated. Earth has two fighters left.

Vanessa Hale is ordered up next. She refuses. The crowd blames Ethan for Maya's loss. He is ordered into the arena. Ethan chooses Gaia—the half-buried statue Adrian and everyone else passed over. The Krakks laugh. Gaia has no weapon. Ethan recites her history: she is the earth itself, mother of the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the hundred-handed ones. She gave birth to Uranus, the sky, and Pontus, the sea. The memory chain is restored, and Gaia ascends past red tier to gold creation tier.