Chapter Six: The Big Three Of Olympus
I followed Ares through the marble halls, each step echoing like the distant drumming of war.
Ares, the Greek god of war and courage, son of Zeus and Hera. The one who reveled in brutality and bloodlust on the battlefield, unlike his sister Athena, whose intellect guided military strategy. Yet now, that same god seemed subdued, as if walking alongside death itself.
A powerful aura drifted ahead— no doubt I was approaching the trial. A question tugged at the edge of my mind: should I play out the stories as they were written or forge my own path here? Did my knowledge make me the protagonist of this world, or was I just a spectator?
I could feel the tension mounting, like the calm before a storm.
Ares slowed his pace, and so did I. I inhaled deeply and asked. "What now?"
He sighed and gestured toward a massive golden door, studded with shimmering gems that glinted like stars. "This is where the Big Three of Olympus reside. I will be heading to the lower chamber to meet the others."
He bowed his head lightly and left without another word. I pushed forwards and the door creaked open. Laughter rolled out, mingling with crackling energy. Two voices, distinct and powerful. My heart thudded heavily as I stepped inside.
Three thrones lined the room. The one in the center gleamed gold, towering above the others. The left throne was a deep green, the color of vegetation. The right was dark blue, just like my hair. My eyes locked on the two figures seated before me. Zeus and Poseidon— two of the most powerful beings in existence. And here I was, standing among them.
I could feel the surge of power flooding my senses and it was staggering. I straightened my posture and walked confidently to my throne. My throne!? The weight of it felt surreal as I sat down, sinking into the cold, soft cushion that seemed to wrap itself around me. A wave of calm washed over me.
Yet, despite my grand entrance, they continued their conversation as if I were invisible.
"Shit," I muttered under my breath as my head felt heavy all of a sudden.
Suddenly, the room fell silent, the kind of silence that felt suffocating. Their attention was on me now. The energy in the room shifted. My senses heightened, and for the first time, I truly felt the gravity of being in their presence.
"Well, isn't this a surprise," came a voice rich with authority. The sea itself seemed to resonate in his words. Poseidon, ruler of the oceans, regarded me with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. His presence was overwhelming, like the tide pulling you under before you could even think to resist.
I blinked, grounding myself. This wasn't the time to falter. I was the eldest of the three, apparently speaking.
"I see you're in good spirits," I replied, keeping my tone measured.
Poseidon chuckled, his green eyes sparkling beneath thick brows. His long, braided hair cascaded over his broad shoulders, his white robes glinting with an otherworldly sheen. His power radiated from him in waves, like the ocean's heartbeat, vast and unrelenting.
But it wasn't Poseidon who made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
I turned my gaze toward the golden-haired figure lounging in his throne, laughing as if nothing in the world could ever trouble him. Zeus, ruler of Olympus, King of the Gods. His golden eyes shimmered with mischief, his skin flawless, his smile unnerving in its intensity. He looked youthful, almost too young, wearing an odd combination of a short-sleeved golden shirt and red knickers. He was definitely different from the version I had read about. And yet, the raw power emanating from him was suffocating.
I swallowed hard, my breath uneven. It was clear that I still had trouble adjusting to my new body and it's sense.
Zeus grinned widely. "Big brother! How nice of you to join us."
I responded casually, hiding the unease gnawing at me. "Zeus. Poseidon. It's been... a while."
It was time to see if I could truly hold my own among the gods.