ATHENA OLYMPUS
The mere thought of carrying a mortal's child, me being pregnant, of sharing the throne with a man, sent a shiver of revulsion through me. I am a god!
How did It come to this?! I am a general, a strategist, a philosopher, an artist! I'm not a housewife! I'm not a broodmare! I refuse to relinquish my chastity! That... mortal... will not lay a finger on me!
Never!
— Sister!
I am next in line for succession, Father's favored daughter. If he dies... I am queen. Even if I don't marry him because were engaged... I'll have to marry him because I'm the queen. Cursed Zeus! Why did you choose me as your heir?!
— Sister!
I will find a solution. I must. I cannot marry a mortal, much less bear his child! This is preposterous! I'm Athena! I'm going to think of a solution, as I've always thought. Thinking is my divine function here on Olympus.
— SISTER!!
— WHAT, YOU INSOLENT BASTARD?! WHAT IS IT?! — I shouted, my voice echoing through the hall, snapping the heads of every god present towards me.
Hermes, scratching the back of his head, offered a nervous smile. — Forgive me, for interrupting your... profound contemplation, senior sister. No doubt a divine discovery was about to spring forth. But Olympus... requires your intellect. — his obsequious tone grated on my nerves.
Sitting on the throne cross-legged, I grunted. — What do you want? — I demanded, propping my elbow on the armrest and resting my chin on my hand. — Spill!
— Athena, Olympus needs a solution! — Nyx declared, her gaze piercing. — It is more than clear that Zeus and Poseidon are no match for the mortal. Their only advantage is their combined strength.
Held my bronze spear in my left hand, sighing. — That's not entirely accurate... Zeus is stronger. It's his arrogance that fuels the kid's power. Poseidon... well, Poseidon may be outmatched regardless...
In the stands, Morpheus, elbows propped on the table, hands covering his lips, muttered. — We need solutions! Strategies! That's how the gods operate! That's how the goddess of wisdom operates!
Giggling softly, Aphrodite watched the mortal licking her lips. — I don't know how you can talk with such a... perfect... creature on the screen. — she murmured; her eyes gleaming with undisguised lust.
Originally, we Olympians have our own assembly, but I decided to call all the gods because it concerns everyone's survival. But I never thought that survival would involve lowering ourselves at the feet of a mortal.
We have been in this hall for days without any food other than The Nectar of the gods. Only survival instinct kept us alert, the feeling of imminent danger, the adrenaline of not knowing what will happen.
Hebe, the darling of Olympus, the picture of youthful innocence, whispered. — Sister Athena... — her eyes her eyes were wide with worry.
— If Zeus prevails, nothing changes. We continue as before. But if the human triumphs, he will destroy Olympus, as he vowed. We could fight, but considering the fact that he manages to defeat Zeus and Poseidon, then we would need Zeus' Master Bolt, the mortal is vulnerable to it, everyone is in fact. That's the first hypothesis, which will cost us the lives of many here... — I began, my gaze fixed on the image of the mortal on the screen.
Helios offered a weak smiled, sweat beading on his brow. — I... I think we can work with that... — he looked like he was about to faint.
"Useless", I thought. He'll be the first to fall. But I still didn't understand why the mortal spared him.
Aphrodite, her lips a luscious shade of rose, continued to watch the screen. — There's more, why don't you keep talking sister...? — she purred, her eyes narrowed.
I took a deep breath. — Depending on how he kills Zeus and Poseidon. There's a chance he's hiding his power... or he may claim Zeus' Master Bolt. In either case, we'll need to resort to... diplomacy to stay alive. Every being has a price. Men crave women, riches, glory, fame, power, honor, knowledge... We simply need to find his price and make a deal.
— He... Hic! He said he's going to kill us! Hic! What another price could there be?! — Dionysus wailed, sobbing.
— It's funny how you don't finish saying Athena, what are you hiding? — Aphrodite said with a wicked smile on her face.
That woman was a constant thorn in my side.
My jaw clenched; I gripped my spear tighter. — I believe he desires two things. Knowledge and... women. Olympus has been watching this kid for years. One thing he always does is learn and constantly. And... his proclivity for women is undeniable. What doesn't a beautiful and desperate woman do to a man? Hera II showed that he's morally inclined to women. So... we endure him here. We use him for our own benefits. And then... we eliminate him swiftly and silently. — I said, my gaze locking with Aphrodite's.
Her smile widened. — He already has a fiancée here on Olympus... but will she be persuasive enough for him to fulfill our goals? We need a woman who is silver-tongued, captivating, and... exquisitely beautiful, — she said, her eyes still glued to the screen.
Pheme, glancing at Aphrodite, pointed at Hebe. — Hebe is young, beautiful, and charismatic. She will be perfect.
— WHAT?! — Hebe shrieked, tears welling in her eyes. — ME?! NO! NOT ME!!! SISTER ATHENA!! I CAN'T DO THAT TO LITTLE H!!!
Little H, our youngest sister... It has been a while since I heard that name. Aphrodite herself hated it.
A vein throbbed on Aphrodite's forehead. Aside from crazy Pheme, we all knew the truth. The most alluring, the most persuasive woman present was Aphrodite herself.
...
Minutes ticked by. Beneath his tenebrous, floating army, The kid, spat blood. When the doors of the assembly opened, a voice rang out.
— SISTER! — called loudly. — SISTER! — Artemis, with her pale face, trembling and uncertain of her steps, entered the room.
Perseus followed behind with his body trembling. The two were frightened. Their faces were pale. They entered while Dionysus and Hermes were arguing about whether Aphrodite should marry Arthur.
Breathing heavily, Artemis looked into the hall and saw the gods arguing about marriage, she placed her hands in her hair and screamed. — Shut up... shut up... — she pleaded like a madman. — SHUT UP!!! — she shouted, attracting all attention to herself.
The gods fell silent and glanced at Artemis and Perseus in the center of the room. Dionysius sat down in his place, and Hermes cleared his throat.
— I can't believe that while the god king dies, the gods are arguing about MARRIAGE! — she shouted, looking around. — You are a disgrace! — she stated, her eyes twitching and trembling.
Eris looked at Artemis with veins bulging on her face. — Who do you think you are to come here and give us a moral lesson, you coward! — she declared chuckling. — Where have you ever seen a god flee from a mortal with her tail between her legs?!
Trembling, Artemis clenched her fists. — THAT TREADWAY IS NOT HUMAN! — she started, screaming. — HE IS MORTAL! ARE YOU EVEN WATCHING THE BATTLE?! — she screamed with her eyes closed and one hand in her hair, and the other pointing her index finger in the direction of the screen.
Nyx stood up with her mouth and eyes wide open. — W-Who... who is this mortal...? — Her voice echoed through the room, reflecting everyone's thoughts.
I just clenched my jaw, more and more certain that I will have to marry a mortal.
….
On the battlefield at Miragea, under the heavy rain and the lightning that touched the ground, the mortal laughed.
It was a strange sound. He covered his face with his left hand, his head tilted downwards.
— Hahaha! Hahaha!! HAHAHAHA!! — He removed his hand, and his smile... It was a smile that radiated a thirst for blood I had never witnessed in my countless years of bloody warfare.
— Ahhhh.... How good it is to be free... — he stated.
His irises were now a terrifying crimson, his pupils serpentine, his sclera consumed by a deep, abysmal black. The runes that had once glowed with a golden light now pulsed malevolent red. He looked... transformed. Like something else entirely.
The mortal's gaze fixed on Zeus. His posture shifted, becoming rigid, his muscles coiling. The top of his suit, ripped by Zeus's lightning, revealed the taut, powerful physique beneath.
...
Drooling over the mortal, Aphrodite sighed. — Gosh... H-He's so hot.... He's... He's the love of my life... H-He's... the one... — she muttered, her voice a low whisper.
Her eyes weren't heart-shaped this time, they were the normal blue, gleaming with astonishment yet normal, I guess she was serious now.
...
His expression was cold, dead empty. He opened his mouth. — Son of men! — He roared, his voice resonating with a power and vehemence that sent chills down my spine. It was... unsettling.