Call Me a Madman

There are few people in this world who can see gods. And even fewer people that know what they are seeing.

Dionysus happened to be one of those few.

When a girl with long, silver hair appeared at the bus stop on his first day back to his home country, he noticed a powerful presence looming over her. But he could not see clearly just who this presence was. He'd seen the god of thunder and king of the gods in his brother Zeus, the god of death and riches in Hades, and even the god of the sea and horses in Poseidon, but he just couldn't make out which entity had attached themself to Athena.

Of course, Dionysus was well aware that his talent was not unique to only himself. He also knew that he did not have the best control over it. But he knew someone who did.

Dionysus walked out of the Olympus Academy party.

"Hey look. It's pretty boy."

"Hello, Pentheus." Dionysus turned around to face his adversary with a smile.

"Looks like our friend here seems very happy tonight."

Pentheus waved his hand, and several people appeared out of the shadows. They grabbed Dionysus and pressed him into the ground.

"Impressive, I must say." Dionysus did not seem fazed one bit.

"Beg."

"What?"

"Beg. Beg for me to free you." Pentheus seemed smug.

"No."

"What? I'm sorry I didn't hear you."

"No."

An arm snapped. Dionysus flinched from the pain. Blood seeped onto his shirt where his right arm had broken.

"That's bothersome." Dionysus flinched at the sight of his blood.

"Hmm. Then how about this?" Pentheus motioned for one of his thugs.

A knee slammed into Dionysus' right hand. Bones cracked. He grit his teeth. Not yet. He did not have the information he needed yet.

"You know something, don't you?" Dionysus said through gritted teeth.

"About what? The cute little nerd girl in your grade?"

"You-!"

Another bone snapped. The sound of the crack resounded through the alleyway. Dionysus held in a scream. He would not show weakness to this disgusting piece of trash.

"How are you doing, Dionysus?" Pentheus smirked.

Dionysus glared at him.

Suddenly, a giant horde of people ran out of the building. It seemed as if the party was over. From his location face-down on the ground, Dionysus could barely make out the whispers of the people leaving the building.

"She just fainted."

"You saw it too?"

"Yeah. That silver-haired girl just collapsed."

"Oh, dear."

"Do you know who she was?"

"No, but I've seen her before."

"Isn't her name Athena?"

Athena fainted. That sentence rang through Dionysus' head. He shifted his free hand.

He snapped his fingers.

***

Ares would never spare a follower of Athena. God Poseidon proclaimed.

"How would you know? As far as I was aware, you were one of the first to die in that battle." Iolo crossed his arms.

Hmph. I will never fall so early in battle ever again. Just like the waves that will always hit the shores, I will always rise again!

"Gods..." Iolo sighed. "You know, your little human friend over there really should not be listening to all of this."

The two gods turned to look at Poseidon.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! I didn't do anything wrong!" Poseidon panicked.

I should put him to sleep, shouldn't I?

"Yes, you should."

God Poseidon clapped his hands and Poseidon crumpled to the floor.

You know, knocking people out with their consciousnesses is really not good for my reputation. Or any god's.

Iolo nodded in agreement.

God Poseidon squinted his eyes at him.

So, how did you survive the fall of Olympus?

***

Athena opened her eyes. She was in the Athenaeum again. But this time, the space was strangely broken...as if it was dying, cracking apart at its seams. The goddess stood in the distance, seeming to be fidgeting with some sort of contraption.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

The goddess turned around.

"Making my final preparations."

"For what?"

"Leaving this world."

The goddess wistfully looked into the distance.

"My soul is dying, and my memories and powers fade with each passing day. In time, I will not remember who I am, nor will I remember the consequences of using my abilities. When that time comes, both of us will die."

"Then how can we stop it?"

"Not 'we', you. You can stop this timeline from veering off its destined path. You will save us from the fall. You will stop the second fall of Olympus."

"How can I do that? I'm just a normal girl."

"I will transfer my memories and abilities to you. But in order for that to happen, I must destroy this space, and consequentially, myself. Once I do so, I will no longer be the goddess of wisdom. You will have to take on that role to protect the world I once sought to protect, and failed. I can feel a powerful darkness rising in this world. You must find allies who will stand by you until the very end. You are mankind's last hope."

With that, the goddess pressed a button on the object she had been fiddling with, and a countdown began.

"Leave, Athena. I wish you the best of luck."

"No!" Athena screamed, but was pulled back to reality.

***

"You-! How-!" Pentheus was face-down on the pavement, pinned down by his own goons. He had cuts, bruises, and broken bones everywhere. He seemed to be on the verge of death.

"How unfortunate." a boy with dark violet hair stared down at him. He cracked his joints. "Perfect. Just like new."

"Dionysus! You will pay for this!" Pentheus spat.

"Or will I?" Dionysus dusted himself off and walked away as if nothing had happened.

"You...you're...insane!" Pentheus coughed out from his place sprawled on the floor.

"Oh, really?" Dionysus turned around.

"Call me a madman."