Chapter 142

Lydia's piercing gaze met the titan's, her expression a disarming mix of amusement and disappointment. He was visibly shivering under her stare, his usual hardy demeanor crumbling under the weight of Lydia's words. The hall fell silent, the remaining gods holding their breaths, anxiously awaiting what would come next.

Suddenly, Zeus, the leader of the Greek Pantheon and host of the event, lunged at Lydia from the side, his hand glowing with divine lightning. He roared as he aimed to strike Lydia, his face a mask of fury. Yet, before his hand could land a blow, a cosmic barrier materialized around Lydia, shielding her from Zeus's wrath. The divine lightning crashed against the barrier, illuminating the entire hall with blinding light, yet causing no harm to Lydia.

"Truly low," Lydia sighed, turning her gaze from the titan to Zeus, her disappointment palpable. The barrier disappeared, leaving Lydia unscathed. She stood at the center of the hall, her stance relaxed, her expression cold. The eyes of every god in the room were on her, their whispers a low hum in the background.

"The gods have fallen, indeed," Lydia continued, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "I expected arrogance, pride, even negligence. But this..." Her gaze landed on Zeus, his fist still smoking from his failed attack, "this is far worse than I had imagined."

Her voice echoed through the hall, underscoring the heavy silence that had fallen. The gods exchanged uneasy glances, Zeus's failed attack serving as a chilling reminder of Lydia's overwhelming power. The room was thick with tension, the future uncertain, as they waited for Lydia's next move.

Lydia's disappointment echoed around the hall, her words causing the gods to flinch and recoil. Her voice, usually laced with a warm yet authoritative tone, now echoed with grim resolution, causing the gods to tremble.

"I have come to pass judgment," she began, her voice commanding the attention of every deity present. Her icy gaze swept over the assembled pantheon, her expression unreadable. "For the crimes of gross negligence of life within your rule, for your failure to provide aid to your people, for the countless lives lost under your watch, and your blatant inability to improve..."

As her voice trailed off, the once lively and boisterous hall fell deadly silent. Each god, from the most ancient to the newest, stared at Lydia, a palpable sense of dread hanging in the air. They could feel it, a pressure building, an overwhelming wave of power growing within Lydia, reminiscent of the raw force of the cosmic entities, of Eternity or Infinity.

Fear gripped the hearts of the gods as Lydia's form began to glow, her body becoming an epicenter of energy that pulsed outwards in rhythmic waves, causing the very air around her to shimmer. The sense of impending doom was insurmountable. Each pulse of energy, each flash of light sent shivers down the spines of the deities, leaving them paralyzed and terrified.

The once shining marbles of the Parliament of Pantheons flickered ominously, reflecting the glowing energy emanating from Lydia. The magnitude of Lydia's power cast long, intimidating shadows throughout the vast hall. Her figure, glowing with an intimidating radiance, stood as an embodiment of the force of judgement, her very being now the epitome of a cosmic entity poised to dispense her verdict.

Lydia's words rang out like a solemn toll, filling the massive hall of the Parliament of Pantheons with a bone-chilling echo. Her ethereal tendrils, as if having minds of their own, materialized and snaked their way towards each god. Despite their attempts to resist, the tendrils were relentless. One by one, they latched onto their divine forms, wrapping around their arms, forcing them to their knees.

"I am taking away your time, your immortality," Lydia's voice echoed throughout the room, a stern, unfaltering note that held no room for argument. Her figure glowed even brighter, her body becoming a radiant beacon, almost painful to look at. The spectacle was a harsh contrast to the growing despair and fear that was permeating the atmosphere.

As she spoke, her body became the focal point of an immense energy vortex. Streams of iridescent divine energy flowed from each god towards Lydia. The energy looked like glimmers of starlight, wrapping around Lydia, who remained unflinching and stern amidst the spectacle.

The gods' ethereal glow began to dim, each pulse of energy making them look weaker, older. Cries of desperation filled the air as they felt their immortal essence being ripped from them, the once radiant and jovial deities now shadows of their former selves.

The immortal essence was being sucked into Lydia, their pleading voices echoing against the silence. Their pleas fell on deaf ears as the once proud and powerful deities could only look on helplessly, their immortality slowly being stripped away.

Their once radiant glow had begun to flicker and dim, the immortality that they had held so dear was slowly but surely slipping away from their grasp. The glow was slowly replaced with a haunting pallor, a clear indication of their dwindling immortality. Every passing second was a brutal reminder of their punishment, and the fact that their once carefree existence was coming to an end.

Lydia's gaze locked onto Zeus, her vibrant eyes reflecting his diminishing energy. His divine glow was waning, the vibrant hues of his energy flickering like a dying candle's flame, each pulse visibly weaker than the last. Lydia's tendrils of cosmic energy wrapped tighter around Zeus, the sheer power of her grasp mirrored the severity of his punishment.

"Zeus, as the leader of this Parliament of Pantheons, you bear the heaviest responsibility for your complacency," Lydia stated in a tone as cold and unyielding as the edge of a blade. Her cosmic tendrils pulsated, pulling more energy from the God, whose form was now shrouded in a dull, faltering light. "Your punishment is death."

An icy wave of shock swept through the assembly as her decree echoed throughout the grand hall. The gods, weakened and hushed, could do nothing but watch the spectacle unfold in silent horror.

As Lydia uttered her judgement, the connection between her and Zeus intensified. It was as if an unseen force was drawing the life energy from him, his divine essence leaving his form in streams of light, flowing directly into Lydia. His light began to flicker erratically, the once powerful God of Thunder reduced to a hollow shell.

The tension within the hall mounted as Zeus's divine light grew dimmer, his strength drained to the very last. His once mighty form, the embodiment of divine power, was now barely a whisper of its former self. His body was enveloped by an ethereal glow, growing weaker and dimmer, until eventually, it flickered and went out. His lifeless form crumbled to the ground, turning to ashes that were carried away by an unfelt breeze, leaving no trace of the once mighty god.

Lydia stood there, a beacon of power among the silenced gods, her form radiating even more vibrantly after absorbing the divine energy of Zeus. The harsh punishment she had meted out was a chilling reminder of the severity of their crimes and Lydia's unyielding determination to right the wrongs.

Lydia's gaze shifted to the remaining gods, an intense silence shrouding the grand assembly. She stood tall and indomitable, a figure imbued with a power that no longer seemed foreign or unattainable to them but a tangible, terrifying reality.

"You still retain your divine power," Lydia began, her voice echoing ominously through the hall. "But your limitless eons have come to an end. Your time, like that of the mortals you have neglected, is now finite."

Her words cut through the silence like a sharp blade, the implication of their newfound mortality sending chills through the crowd. Gods who once lorded over time now found themselves its slaves, their eternities exchanged for the ticking of a cosmic clock.

Lydia continued, "You will return to your domains and await a Genoshian vessel. They will arrive to conduct a thorough inspection, to ensure you are fulfilling your responsibilities to your people."

A sense of dread washed over the gods. To be scrutinized, held accountable by a foreign empire was a concept they never thought they would have to confront.

"And remember this," Lydia added, her tone firm and uncompromising, "Any refusal, any attempts to flee or retaliate, will be met with swift retribution. The Genoshian Empire will show no mercy to those who shirk their responsibilities."

Her warning was severe and unequivocal, carrying the weight of an ultimatum that no god dared to challenge. The air was thick with tension as the gods processed the new reality Lydia had enforced. As the full weight of her words sunk in, they knew their divine reign, their unchecked liberties, had come to an abrupt end under the watchful gaze of the First Empress of the Genoshian Empire.

Lydia's cosmic power receded like a tide, tendrils retracting into the ether as the hall filled with stunned silence. The gods left kneeling in her wake, their once radiant auras now significantly dimmed.

As Lydia turned, Hela fell into step beside her. There was a prideful gleam in Hela's eyes, a fire kindled by reverence and awe. She looked at Lydia, her lips curling into a rare smile, not one born from mischief or battle-fueled ecstasy, but of pure respect.

"Empress," she began, her voice imbued with a sincerity that was seldom heard from the Goddess of Death. "This is why I follow you. You are a beacon of hope, a testament to true justice."

Her voice was earnest, her eyes reflecting the gratitude she felt towards Lydia. The change in Hela was noticeable; she had grown, evolved under Lydia's tutelage, her worldview expanding beyond mere conquest and power.

"I owe you much, Empress," she continued, her voice softer now. "Your vision, your empire... I have pledged myself to protect it. And I will."

As Hela's words died down, a metallic thud echoed through the hall. Thor had momentarily lost grip of his hammer, Mjolnir, the impact reverberating throughout the chamber. The God of Thunder quickly scooped up his hammer, offering an apologetic grin to his companions.

"I suppose I'm not used to gripping such weighty justice," he quipped, attempting to diffuse the heavy atmosphere. His words, although casual, held a note of genuine admiration. Thor, despite being a god himself, had been humbled by the scene before him, and he felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Perhaps Lydia's vision for a just universe was not a mere pipe dream, but a tangible reality slowly taking form.

"Thor," Lydia addressed him, her voice resonating with the cosmic echo that had brought deities to their knees. Her demeanor was calm, yet there was a resolute undertone that spoke volumes of her intent. "I'm glad you witnessed the events here. Take this message to Loki. Let him know the stand the Genoshian Empire has taken against the negligence of the gods."

With a flick of her hand, a ripple in the fabric of reality appeared, engulfing Thor in a maelstrom of swirling cosmic energies. In a mere fraction of a moment, the God of Thunder was whisked away, leaving Lydia, James, Wanda, and Hela in the still recovering Parliament of Pantheons.

Then, it was their turn. Lydia's gaze shifted to James and Wanda. "We're going back," she said simply, reaching out with her cosmic powers. The three were enshrouded in a prismatic aura, the colors swirling and intertwining like a celestial dance. The Parliament of Pantheons dissolved from their sight, replaced by the familiar confines of Lydia's office in New Genosha.

It was a stark contrast, the tranquil and mundane environment of her office in comparison to the grandeur and tumultuous aura of the Parliament of Pantheons. Books sat neatly on shelves, a digital interface blinked idly on her desk, and through the panoramic windows, they could see the thriving metropolis of New Genosha bustling with life under the peaceful reign of Lydia. It was a sanctuary amid the cosmos, a testament to Lydia's steadfast resolve and vision.