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Olympus was shrouded in an atmosphere of whispered murmurs when the Greek gods met in council.
The majestic throne room, normally filled with laughter and debate, was silent and serious. Zeus, lord of the gods, sat on his imposing throne, his thunderous gaze sweeping over the assembly.
To his right was Poseidon, god of the seas, and to his left was Hades, lord of the underworld.
Apollo, the god of light and music, stood near the entrance, tuning his lyre as he awaited the arrival of the other gods; over the years he had been one of the few gods to have maintained contact with other pantheons.
He already had a few connections that he thought he would use when something like this happened.
Hera, Athena, Demeter and Aphrodite exchanged worried glances, while Ares, the god of war, looked impatient.
It was then that Hermes, the divine messenger, appeared with news that reverberated throughout the hall.
Gods of Olympus, I have received a message from Anubis, the judge of the dead, and Ra, the god of the sun. They have requested a meeting to discuss urgent matters affecting both Egypt and Greece," Hermes announced, bowing to Zeus.
The lord of the gods raised his hand to indicate that the messenger could continue.
"The gods of Egypt have expressed concern over the growing power of the witch community in Britain. They fear that mortals are forgetting us old gods as they turn to new forms of magic," Hermes informed them, watching the gods' expressions.
"That damned Hecate," Aphrodite cursed.
Zeus frowned, worried about the implications of this news. "What do the Egyptian gods suggest?" he asked.
Hermes hesitated for a moment before answering. "Anubis and Ra have proposed a joint meeting to discuss the best way to deal with this situation. They believe that the union of our powers can restore the mortals' faith in us and prevent them from forgetting our existence."
Murmurs filled the room again as the gods argued amongst themselves. Finally, Zeus rose from his throne, determined.
"We will convene a meeting on Mount Olympus to discuss the steps to be taken. We cannot allow mortals to forget us, and we certainly cannot allow other powers to gain influence over them," Zeus declared, glaring at every god present.
Word of the meeting reverberated through the realms of the gods, and soon Olympus was teeming with deities from Greece and Egypt. The council chamber became a stage for discussion between gods from different pantheons, each voicing their concerns and proposing solutions.
The jackal-headed Anubis spoke on behalf of the Egyptian gods. "Mortals are turning to forms of magic that are not ours. They summon creatures of darkness, cast spells that do not originate in our traditions. This weakens our connection to them, weakens our influence.
On the Greek side, Hades added darkly: "It also threatens the balance between the worlds. If mortals lose respect for us, the gods of the underworld will lose respect for them.
On the Greek side, Hades added darkly: "It also threatens the balance between the worlds. If mortals lose respect for us, the gods of the underworld, the consequences could be disastrous.
Zeus, seated on the supreme throne, listened intently before making his decision. "We will call a meeting with the leaders of the witch community in Britain and show them that the old gods still have power and influence. If necessary, we'll form an alliance between our pantheons to protect our divine position and show the mortals who they should fear.
"If war is to be fought, the gods must be victorious," Ares proclaimed.
The gods agreed with Zeus' decision and the message was sent to the leaders of the witch community in Britain, a group of four witches who were setting up a school of witchcraft.
The meeting was to be held in a neutral place, a place where the energies of the Greek and Egyptian gods could coexist.
An isolated island was chosen, shrouded in a mystical mist that hid the entrance from mortal eyes.
On the appointed night, Mount Olympus sent representatives, led by Zeus, Poseidon, Hades and Apollo.
From Egypt, Anubis and Horus led the divine entourage.
Meanwhile, the witch community sent their representatives: Rowena from Ravenclaw and Salazar from Slytherin.
As soon as everyone was gathered, a divine aura enveloped the island, making it a sacred place.
Zeus spoke on behalf of the gods with his thunderous voice. "Mortals, we are here to reaffirm our presence and to remind you that the ancient gods still rule the divine realms. Your recent magical practices distract from the true gods and this will not be tolerated.
Salazar and Rowena were respectful, but not intimidated.
The witch leader, a wise woman with piercing eyes, stood up and replied firmly: "We respect the gods, but we also believe in magic that flows from many sources. We haven't abandoned our traditions, we've just expanded our knowledge.
"We only use the gift that the gods themselves have given us," Salazar explained calmly.
Poseidon became angry at the wizard's assertion. "The gods didn't give you mortals power, it was Hecate, an evil witch, who desecrated the divine order," the island shook with the Greek god's anger.
Anubis, the Judge of the Dead, intervened: "We are not here to condemn your practices, but to remind you that our powers are eternal. If you stray too far, you will suffer the consequences".
Horus, the falcon god, added: "We have formed an alliance between the Greek and Egyptian pantheons to ensure that our influences are not ignored. Respect the ancients and harmony will be maintained".
The gods preached harmony, but the threat was visible to Salazar and Rowena.
But the witch wasn't afraid, she knew this could happen. Years ago, Hecate had warned her.
After hours of talking, a truce was reached. Much to Rowena's credit, she led the negotiations with great skill.
The gods agreed to respect the diversity of magical practices as long as reverence for the old gods was maintained.
The witch community promised not to forget the gods who had shaped the world and vowed to maintain the balance between the kingdoms.
But even with such an alliance sealed, many of those present had other plans in mind.
One of them was Apollo, who didn't speak at the meeting, but gathered much information to put his plans into action.
With the alliance sealed, the Greek and Egyptian gods returned to their domains, satisfied.
The witch community, for its part, saw its opportunity for expansion closing and the need to build the school growing in the hearts of Salazar and Rowena. .
But while the balance between the gods and the witches was restored, an inescapable truth remained in the divine hearts. The mortal world was constantly evolving, and the old gods had to find ways to remain relevant in the minds of humans.
Over the next few months, the gods watched closely as events unfolded in the mortal world.
New forms of magic emerged, and the witch community continued to flourish.
However, the Gods knew that they had to find ways to ensure their dominance.
One day, Zeus called a new meeting on Olympus to discuss the future.
Sitting in the council chamber, the gods voiced their concerns and ideas to ensure they would not be forgotten by mortals.
Apollo, the god of music, suggested: "We must find ways to inspire mortals through art and creativity. Music, poetry and cultural manifestations are powerful tools to touch the hearts of men," he said like a great benevolent god, but in the back of his mind his plan to ensure the complete domination of mortals was already forming.
What Apollo wanted most of all was to sit on the throne of the ruler of Greece. He wanted to usurp the throne of Zeus.
"Music and poetry do not instil fear! Mortals must fear the gods again," Ares, the god of war, suggested the most brutal way out of the situation.
Athena, the goddess of wisdom, suggested: "We too must adapt to the changes in the mortal world. If humans turn to new forms of magic, we can guide them, showing them that the ancient traditions still have wisdom to offer.
"That would show weakness, Athena, we gods are above mortals, they must respect us or die," Zeus' voice brought thunder to Olympus.
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