Chapter No.29 Suspicious (1/2)

Today, there will be two chapters on account of my successful contract for this novel.

(1/2)

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[Third Person's POV]

[Mount Olympus, Ancient Greece]

The snowy peaks of Mount Olympus shimmered under a blanket of clouds, with the chill in the air carrying a heavy sense of tension. At the heart of the divine realm, the Olympian gods had gathered in their grand marble hall, a place of celestial beauty and ancient power. Colossal columns rose like pillars of eternity, and golden braziers flickered with an ethereal flame, casting long shadows across the gods' thrones.

Zeus, the King of the Gods, sat at the center, his expression stern and contemplative. His fingers drummed rhythmically against the arm of his throne, a sign of deep unrest. Beside him, Hera observed the assembly with a calculating gaze, her regal poise betraying a flicker of curiosity about what had drawn them here today.

"Do you all know why I called this gathering?" Zeus's deep voice mixed with rumbling thunder, causing a few of the lesser gods to stir uncomfortably. His question lingered in the air like a storm cloud, heavy with unspoken meaning.

Ares, ever restless and eager for conflict, grunted in annoyance. "If you called us to warn about another mortal war, Father, I fail to see why that concerns us," he muttered, clearly displeased at the delay in getting to what he assumed would be mundane news.

But Hera shot him a sharp glance, silencing him. "This isn't about mortals clashing over their petty disputes, Ares," she said. "There's something deeper at work. It's about that Old one-eyed stupid god-king of the Norse Pantheon, who tried to peek into our realms."

"WHAT—" Ares barked, rising from his seat, his eyes wide with incredulity.

"IS THIS THE DECLARATION OF WAR?" He slammed a fist on the arm of his throne, causing the assembled gods to jolt.

Zeus raised a hand, a gesture to calm the rising storm among the pantheon. "Not yet, Ares. It's not a simple declaration of war. It was not Odin personally who tried to breach our realms but his realms overseer named Heimdall or something. And before he could look at anything important, I personally kicked his senses out."

A ripple of surprise passed through the assembly. "So, he failed?" Poseidon asked, his brow furrowing in concern. "But why would Heimdall attempt such a foolish act? He knows the risks of crossing our territory."

"That's why I don't think this is a declaration of war because the senses didn't try to breach our important areas but looked everywhere as if searching for something?"

"Or someone?" Athena completed his sentence with a contemplative tone, her piercing gaze surveying her fellow deities.

"Where is Artemis? Why is she not here yet?" Hera's voice filled the hall with an edge of mockery, glancing around as if expecting the goddess of the hunt to materialize from the shadows.

"Perhaps she's too busy chasing down her precious beasts," Ares snorted, crossing his arms. "She often seems more at home in the wilds than in the halls of Olympus. Especially after 'his' mysterious disappearance."

Helios spoke with barely contained rage, "YOU! you are not worthy to call his name, It you who killed him!"

"Helios! Calm down and don't throw allegations without evidence again! How many times do I have to tell you?" Zeus shouted, the authority in his voice echoing against the marble walls. The air crackled with tension, each god aware of the historical weight of Helios's words, which hinted at a shared guilt they were all too familiar with.

Helios glared at Zeus, his sun-like radiance dimming in frustration. "I will not sit idly by while you all pretend to be innocent. You are his father, I think you too had a hand in 'his' demise."

"YOU! You are only alive because it will cause an imbalance in our pantheon if the sun were to vanish," Zeus thundered, his voice reverberating throughout the hall. "Do not forget your place, Helios. You may be the sun, but I am the storm that governs this realm. We are all aware of our part in this tragedy, but now is not the time for accusations."

The assembled gods shifted uncomfortably, the atmosphere thick with unresolved tensions and the burden of their shared history. The shadows flickered as a brazen light from Helios' chariot dimmed, reflecting the deep anguish and fury boiling within him.

But three faces were more expressionless than even rock, Athena, Hestia, and Aphrodite—three of the four virgin goddesses.

Aphrodite was even shaking from anger as her gaze never left Zeus's disgusting face barely contained hated almost spilled out of her being. Athena sitting beside her secretly offered her support with a subtle nod, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, remained quiet, her usual warmth overshadowed by the cold tension surrounding them.

Demeter stood up with an impatient expression on her face, "Enough! All you brutes think is to fight, If you want to talk then talk otherwise I am leaving, I'm already being late to meet my beloved daughter!"

The hall fell silent at Demeter's outburst, her frustration echoing against the grand marble walls. The mention of her daughter, Persephone, served as a stark reminder of the personal stakes entwined within their divine matters. Demeter's love for her daughter was unwavering, and the notion that any conflict could threaten her safety ignited a protective fire within her.

"Your daughter will be safe, Demeter," Zeus assured, though the uncertainty in his tone was evident. "But we cannot simply ignore the threat posed by the Norse. If they seek something from our realm, it could endanger not just us but all who dwell in the mortal world."

"Safe?" Helios interjected, his voice dripping with skepticism. "How can we be certain of anything? You sit upon your throne, Zeus, while the rest of us suffer the consequences of your actions. The realms are restless, and chaos brews."

Hera shot Helios a warning glance, her temper barely held in check. "What do you propose, then? A council of peace? You think we can sit idly while the Norse play their games?"

"Perhaps it is time for diplomacy instead of brute force," Demeter suggested, her tone softening. "There may be a way to reach out to the Norse gods and understand their intentions. We might find that we have more in common than we think."

Ares scoffed, leaning back in his throne. "Talk is for those who fear the sword. I say we take the fight to them and show them what it means to challenge Olympus."

"Enough!" Zeus commanded, his voice booming through the hall. "Ares, this isn't about your bloodlust. We need a plan, not a battle cry. We'll send Hermes to gather intelligence, and in the meantime, I want messengers dispatched to the Norse pantheon. We must understand their motives before taking any drastic measures."

As the gods murmured amongst themselves, Athena raised a hand for silence once more. "While we seek answers, we must also prepare. The mortal realms are already shifting. I've seen visions of unrest among them, a rippling effect caused by the Norse's actions. If we do not act wisely, we risk further chaos."

"Very well—"

"Good then I will take Aphrodite and Hestia with me, as for Artemis I will inform her too and take her with me." Athena immediately stood up from her throne with Aphrodite and Hestia walking to the exit.

Hera feeling challenged stood up from her throne too and shouted, "Wait! Who granted you the authority to lead this mission, Athena? You think you can just waltz out of here and make decisions on our behalf without consulting us?"

Athena paused, her back to Hera, a calmness enveloping her despite the rising tension. "I lead because I possess the wisdom to see beyond our immediate grievances. You may call it arrogance, but it is necessary to act before chaos reigns supreme."

"Arrogance indeed!" Hera shot back, her eyes narrowing. "Wisdom doesn't grant you the right to speak for the rest of us. We are all equals here—"

"Equals?" Athena turned, her piercing gaze fixing on Hera. "Do not forget that I am a goddess of war too, talk to me like that again and see how I throat."

A tense silence filled the hall, the air thick with the threat of conflict. The gods exchanged glances, each one weighing the gravity of Athena's words. Hera, her composure wavering, took a step back, but her eyes flashed with indignation.

"You may be wise, Athena, but your authority does not eclipse my power as the Queen of the Gods," Hera retorted, her voice steely. "You would do well to remember that."

"Ask that to my sword," Athena's voice dripped with cold confidence, her hand resting on the hilt of her glimmering sword, Aegis. The weapon, forged from divine metal and inscribed with runes of protection and wisdom, seemed to shimmer in agreement with its mistress's resolve. The tension in the room escalated, the air crackling like a brewing storm as the other gods braced for the potential fallout of this confrontation.

"Athena, your sword will not shield you from the consequences of overstepping your bounds," Hera warned, her tone laced with authority. "If you draw your weapon in this hall, you challenge not only me but every god gathered here."

Ares leaned forward, his eyes glinting with interest. "Now that sounds like a worthy fight! Let's see if wisdom can truly prevail over strength."

"No!" Zeus interjected, his voice like thunder, shaking the very foundation of Olympus. "This is not the time for your petty squabbles. We stand on the brink of a potential threat from the Norse gods, and you waste time bickering amongst yourselves."

Athena, refusing to back down, spoke firmly, "Then let us act swiftly. I will not sit idly while chaos looms over us. I suggest a scouting party—one that will traverse the realms and gather intel without drawing attention to ourselves. If you refuse to let me lead, then I will go alone."

"Alone?" Demeter interjected, her tone incredulous. "You would risk your safety for knowledge? Do you not value your own life as much as your mission?"

"That's why I am taking Hestia, Aphrodite and Artemis with me. After we 'find' Artemis, we will leave immediately." Athena again spoke with unwavering resolve, her eyes glinting with determination. The other gods exchanged worried glances, the implications of her decision weighing heavily in the air.

"Fine," Hera relented, her voice sharp but laced with a begrudging respect. "But if you encounter any trouble, do not expect us to come to your aid. This is your mission, and you alone must bear its consequences."

Ares laughed, a sound that echoed through the hall. "And if you fail, we'll be here to remind you of your folly."

"Enough!" Zeus thundered again, the weight of his authority silencing the room. "Athena, you have your mission. Depart and return with knowledge. But I will send Hermes along to ensure you have a reliable means of communication. The realms may be chaotic, and we cannot afford to lose any of our own."

"No need for Hermes, Artemis's familiars are more than enough for communication," Athena decisively rejected Hermes' involvement. "I trust my skills and the resources at my disposal. We'll use the familiars for messages. If there is danger, I want to be able to respond without having to wait for the Messenger God to arrive."

Zeus nodded reluctantly, understanding the wisdom in her assertion but still wary of the risks she was taking. "Very well, but proceed with caution. The shadows of conflict loom closer, and I would hate to lose another of our own."

"Yeah sure," Athena said with a hidden snare and walked out of the hall with Aphrodite and Hestia in tow. The atmosphere shifted slightly as they exited, the weight of tension in the grand hall still palpable. Zeus had an unreadable expression on his face as his gaze lingered on the fading figures of three of the four virgin goddesses.

'What got them so worked up? Only matters related to 'him' ever excited them but he is dead already as I made sure of it. so why now? Hmmm~'

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[To Be Continue]

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