There she stood upon the highest peak of Olympus. Her eyes affixed upon a mirror that revealed a child, small with effeminate features, his dark eyes seemingly an abyss of emptiness. Yet there was a sense of innocence. A ting of naivete brought on by youth.
"So this is the child my half-sister has been looking after?" The Goddess of War, Athena mused, a hint of wonder in her amber eyes that shone like flames. "How boring. Has she forgotten her vow of chastity?" Athena resisted the sneer upon her lip. "Perhaps I'm being too hasty. Yes. That must be it. But why does this child… this boy interest her? It's the first time in Cycles she's shown interest in anything aside from the Hunt. How peculiar its a man, rather than a woman."
Athena closed her eyes before her bronze mirror, a weary sigh sinking into her bones as she fell into thought about her Half-Sister Artemis. The two weren't close, but neither of them were enemies. But Athena, in all her wisdom, had taken it upon herself to know all those she surrounded herself with.
The Goddess of the Hunt, Artemis, was no exception.
Knowledge was power, and Athena understood this quite well, for she sought perfection in all things: Herself most of all, from the strands of hair that had no place on her face to her armor neatly bound to her sublime figure. Perfection was needed.
"I needn't worry of Artemis nor this boy. But I shall keep an eye on him." She rose her palm over the bronze mirror, shifting the image to a young man, eyes a burning furnace of flames, so profound Athena herself felt as though she was before him, bound by his intent. His hair, a deep black, was neatly tied as he sat on a throne surrounded by paperwork capable of drowning the average man.
"Uncle," she said, the words like ash upon her lips.
"Athena," Hades called, lifting his calm chilling gaze, narrowing them towards the mirror upon his wall, sensing her stare. "Don't you know it's rude to spy?"
"How else does one seek an audience? You've cut ties with our Pantheon." She said, a heated look in her eyes as she pondered his intent.
"I'd have thought the message was clear," Hades said, lowering a document. "Or should I have sent the message through Hermes?" He said through his teeth, his voice deepening with irritants.
"Uncle…"
"Don't toy with me, Girl. My days are torn between all of the Myriad Heavens. I have neither the time nor the patients to deal with your Olympian bullshit. Now, Speak. Why have you so rudely interrupted me?"
"Oh, Hades, must you be so rude?" A hidden voice from beyond the view of the mirror echoed. "And you know there is something called a computer, right? Why are you still working like a caveman?"
It was a voice Athena knew quite well. One that sent pangs of fear racing down the curves of her beautiful neck.
She gulped, her emphatical mask of indifference ready to crack, as a bewitching figure strolled towards Hades, finding her rightful spot upon his lap. Her cheeks flush, and her eyes wet with untold wonder.
"Lady Nyx," Athena greeted.
"Athena! How have you been?" Nyx halfheartedly asked, her greeting a mere common courtesy. "What is it you want with my husband?"
"Persephone…" Athena started, regret instantly piercing her heart at the mere mention of the name.
"You speak that name before me?" Nyx said calmly, yet Athena felt a tight noose gather around her neck, tightening as she felt the Goddess of Night Intent latch onto her.
"I merely wish to deliver a message!" She said hurriedly.
"So you are a messenger, now?" Continued Nyx, the thin lines of her lips cruelly sharp as a blade. "I'd have thought you'd leave such an ordeal to Hermes. He is, after all, the only one allowed to enter the Underworld. Rather than attempt to find weakness where there is none, why don't you get to the point?"
Athena forced herself calm; through intense focus, she gave a nod and said: "We… No, I need you to return. Our Pantheon isn't complete without you, especially within this damnTower and this blasted binding brought on by the Shadow Proclamation. Mortals are gaining power at a fearsome rate. And the other Pantheons are attempting to remove us from the Fiftieth floor. Your name is already harmonious with our Pantheon. Why not rejoin us? Father is willing to forgive."
'Zeus?" Hades rose a brow, a faint smile unfolding over his unforgiving lips: "You expect me to believe that? Zeus? Hah! It will seem my niece has jokes. How amusing. It's amusing you have to follow such a useless leader. It's a surprise Odin himself hasn't torn his head off. But then again. I heard both of them are in the same boat. Broken little insects."
"So you know." Athena seethed out, puzzled by what had happened to her Father. He had been a different man. Lust and greed did not fuel him, nor did he hate. He was but a shell. A broken man that could bearly take care of himself.
"Of course. But what does that have to do with me? I have good relations with Hella of Helhiem, alongside many Gods who deal with similar work. I have my 'own' kingdom. I haven't the need nor the patience to deal with the likes of Olympus again. After all, I have my work cut out for me in Arcadia. The Era of the Old Gods are over. If you can't adapt, you'll fade."
"So you're stationed there," Athena noted, a sparkle returning to her eye.
"No, I'm on the same floor as you. The Tower connects Myriad and Arcadia. I haven't the need to directly enter that land. Not yet, anyway." He rose, lifting the youthful Nyx, whose cheeks grew flush at his touch. She giggled, a mischievous glow shimmering through her dark eyes.
"Then you'll help—"
"If you are in need of help to combat the New Gods, find Freya. As a Goddess of Wisdom, you should know War is the dumbest form of diplomacy."
"Odins Wife—"
Hades smirked, "As one who loves to spy. You seem quite ignorant of the storm that struck the Northic Pantheon. Freya has long since been a free woman." He said, shattering the mirror, along with Athena's connections.
"Damn, that Monster!!" she roared, fist clenching as she glared at her image within her chambers. She whirled towards the chalice beside her bed, filled to the brim with wine procured by Dionysus. "Persephone is useless to me now. She can't compare to Nyx, whether it be looks, personality, loyalty, or power. Useless woman. She was the only one Hades loved. Literally, the Only God in our damn patheon who believes in monogamy. Why did she have to— Useless." She spat, downing the chalice.
Her mind raced through hundreds of calculations, hundreds of schemes. She paused, sending her gaze towards the Mirror of Actum.
"Altair…" she muttered, startled as to why his name entered her mind. The very name her half-sister had taken an interest in. She folded her arms, cheeks flushed with a color from the wine. "Yes… Altair. He will do. A champion. A champion of Justice, a champion of War: If Artemis has taken an interest, the boy must surely have potential. And he is young. This could work."
Athena grew calm, the creases along her bewitching exterior fading as she stepped toward the bronze mirror.
'Zeus can't be trusted, Hera, that jealous shrew is even more unhinged. We are without any leaders. Be it for the Mortals or the Gods.' She stood before the Mirror of Actum, lifted a hand towards it, and said:
"Show me Altair's Past."