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Chapter 77

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Far away from the reach of mortal hands is Mount Olympus, the mountain home of the gods in ancient Greece. It is the highest mountain and largest landmass in the known world; having peaks of over 29,000 feet, it towers over the surrounding mountains by about 13,000 feet. Its massive slopes and ridges stretch nearly 100 miles across while having been altered and protected by powerful magics to prevent unwanted visitors from entering.

Within the building lies the mighty Zeus, sitting on his floating throne as Hermes and Hephaestus knelt before their father in this voluminous space comprised of pillars and columns, all holding up the domed ceiling that loomed above. The walls and surfaces were crafted from gold, silver, and marble, while the floor was polished obsidian with intricate mosaic patterns carved onto its surface.

Hermes is a slim, youthful-looking male with curly, ginger-colored hair. He typically wears a winged helmet, a simple tunic, and sandals. Despite his youthful appearance, he has thousands of years of experience, and he is known for being clever and mischievous.

Hephaestus is a malnourished, skinny man with a scarred face and dirty beard. He is the God of Forge and Fire, while being the only smith among the gods. Married to Aphrodite and known for creating elaborate, beautiful furniture while wearing nothing but a blacksmith's apron

Although, unlike many of his brethren, he is constantly bullied by the king of the gods whenever he fails to produce something that fits in with Zeus taste, which results in him being forced to overwork every single day without rest or food. Even when the craftsman shows improvement in his work, it is never good enough for him.

Instead, he would get beaten or humiliated, being thrown down from the mountaintop out of anger. Despite his status, Zeus didn't show respect or compassion to any of the lower-ranking gods under his rule, treating them like trash while forcing them to do whatever he pleases.

Even when they pleaded and begged for mercy, the King of Olympus wouldn't budge an inch. In fact, the cruel god continued lashing them verbally, emotionally, and physically, as if the beating was punishment for daring to defy him, which goes on for eons.

The kneeling gods sweat furiously from being called upon by their abusive father; fear was written on their faces in their refusal to even look directly at him. The one who sat before them on his gilded chair, high above them, was the ruler of all, Zeus, king among men, and he was not pleased.

"Failure after failure," he said, sighing heavily. "I am greatly displeased." With anger evident in his voice, the elder god slammed his fists onto the arm rests, making the entire hall tremble from the shockwave. The two gods winced at the sound, keeping their heads bowed and remaining silent while sweating profusely.

Gritting his teeth, he continued his tantrum: "Not only have I been humiliated by these mortals, but my traitorous grand daughter has intervened yet again!" Shouting at the top of his lungs, "They have humiliated our pride, honor, and tradition, and it will not stand!" Descending down until his feet reached the surface, he remained in his seat, contemplating his next action while glaring daggers at his children. "What dignity will we have left in the other pantheons, knowing that such barbarians dare mock us?"

Their eyes widened in surprise when their father addressed them directly. This is going to be the end for them, they thought, but before either could open their mouths and offer excuses or apologies, Zeus interrupted their thoughts: "Speak carefully, my children, or the consequences will be dire," his tone low and menacing.

Realizing that they had no choice, Hephaestus and Hermes glanced at one another; their expressions showed pure fear of the situation they landed themselves in. Although there isn't much they can do other than obey.

So without wasting anymore time, the messenger of the gods answered with the most reassuring answer he can provide: "Father, do not fret that everything is being taken care of." Despite his slight stutter, Hermes' tone sounded calm and confident as he spoke: "We shall prepare troops to attack this nation and bring the people."

Zeus eyes glowed with electricity, cutting off his son's speech and stopping his heart in the process as he glared down at them with rage, "Are you trying to mock me?" The god hissed angrily, causing his son to swallow hard. "The damage has been done; everyone saw what transpired, and it cannot be undone by brute force!" He shouted, clenching his fists tightly while trying his hardest not to explode and destroy his own home in rage.

Hephaestus shivered in fear, trying hard to compose himself in the presence of his father's fury as he struggled to form any words to comfort his father, preferring to have his brother do most of the talking about saving their skins from being punished once again.

Not moving an inch, Hermes nervously proposed an option, trying to find anything that could possibly calm their father's rage: "Father, if the army is not an option, then why don't we involve all our brothers and sisters?" Asking in a desperate attempt to ease the situation.

Hearing his words, the God of Storms raised his eyebrows, prompting the lesser god to continue his proposal: "The other deities of our kin, father, can be of assistance in wiping out the country. With all of them by our side, we can show them our might and power," proposing that all the other gods join forces in wiping the country off the map in order to save face.

However, Hephaestus objected immediately after hearing his brother's suggestion, "Are you out of your mind, Hermes?" He yelled incredulously at his younger sibling, "If we did that, then every mortal across the world will hear news of it and see every single one of us as nothing more than monsters," exclaiming in disbelief towards carelessness in involving everyone in the matter, "is this a way to put all of us in the spotlight while looking bad, because if you are, then I would prefer that I wasn't a part of this in the first place?"

An awkward silence hung over them as he finished his rant. However, after several seconds passed with no response from either party, Zeus began chuckling softly, drawing confused looks from his two children. "Your suggestion intrigues me, Hermes," he said slowly in a low growl, a dark grin spreading across his lips. "Perhaps this idea of yours isn't such a bad one after all." His grin widened, revealing his white, perfect teeth.

But his once pleasant expression turned sour: "But as much as I want to give my righteous punishment for the insolence and hubris in disrespecting me, I have to agree with Hephaestus," turning his attention to the older deity, gesturing towards his brother, "he has a good point; doing so can lead to exposure, making us look bad in front of the entire world." Then unexpected laughter erupted from his throat, causing both gods to shiver in fear at the sudden mood change.

After laughing for several moments, he slowly stood up and spread his arms to see if there were wings themselves. "Then it is decided!" With a smile forming on his face, he proclaimed loudly to the whole heavens, "All of them shall pay for their treachery and sins, making an example for anyone else who dares to challenge Olympus! I will release the titans across the world and reclaim them as my  own.

The two looked at each other in utter horror as they heard him speak in madness, saying that releasing the Titans and reclaiming the world isn't an ideal way to make others cower in fear as it brings the world to an end. "Father, I thought you agreed with one of our suggestions?" I asked Hermes, confused by the different approach.

Yet, their father merely laughed again. "Don't be foolish," scoffing in amusement, he sighed lightly before explaining his reasons: "Your plans aren't enough to please the desire to satisfy my vengeance upon those mortals and teach them a lesson that none shall forget," raising his head slightly, his eyes narrowed, "for I want to first see the might of the entire world against my ancient foes." Glancing back to the two, he smiled wickedly, "then after it is over, I will descend upon them and finish what my soldiers failed to do, creating a new world order under my reign."

A slow, loud, reverberating clap echoed throughout the halls. A man's voice resounded throughout the throne room, followed by footsteps on the floor. "Bravo," Randolph Carter mockingly applauded, his hands clapped together slowly, "an excellent show indeed," sarcastically praised with a small nod before continuing, "if it weren't for the fact that your delusion and selfishness have gone to far," calmly pointed out to the elder God while appearing amused at his actions, "to the extent that you'd destroy humanity because of some childish grudge you held against us."

Hermes and Hephaestus quickly stood up, turning to face him while shielding their father in case he made a move. "Who are you!" Demanded the messenger, his legs rapidly illuminated orange in preparedness to strike, "How did you get in here? It's impossible to get into this place without being discovered!" He stated, eyeing him closely as he wondered how such humans can easily enter their realm without having any of their kin notice his arrival, "Answer me quickly!"

"Silence!"

Their father shouted, making both of them freeze in their place while being stunned by the order, "Don't let this insignificant mortal distract you from protecting me," commanded to his children as he smirked maliciously, "the two of you are dismissed." Waving his hand in dismissal, he signaled for them to leave at once.

Hesitant at first, the two had no choice but to bow deeply before running off to fulfill his bidding, forced to abandon him while leaving him alone with the intruder. Randolph Carter frowned, crossing his arms and shaking his head as he approached before completely stopping a few meters away from the king of Olympus.

Zeus sat down, placing his fingers under his chin as he stared at Carter with intrigue. "No one had ever been able to infiltrate into my domain without being noticed or alerted." Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he glared at the human. "You have no divine essence on you, nor did you appear using the powers of god, so tell me how you accomplished such a feat, mortal."

Taking out the cigar, Carter placed it in his own mouth before lighting it with fire ignited from the lighter, inhaling deeply while savoring the flavor in his tongue before puffing a cloud of smoke in his direction. "Well, for one thing," he said, shrugging his shoulders as he puffed out another wisp of smoke. "I read history; a lot of it, and this helped me pinpoint your location," his brown eyes never leaving him, "so it makes sense that I can walk into your front door like any other visitor would do."

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Zeus leaned back in his seat, his muscles tensed while keeping a steady gaze on the human in front of him. "Then do tell how you were able to get in by bypassing our defenses and having not a single one of my children sensed your presence?" Looking down on the human before him, "Tell me, and maybe I shall be merciful enough to spare your life by leaving those you care for unharmed."

Carter chuckled at his threat, a soft, dry laugh that sounded more like a cough than anything else. "I don't think that is a wise choice," he said, threatening him with such an obvious bluff as he shook his head in amusement. "After all, I already know the words needed to open the monsters you are currently locking in this place." This response caused the mighty god to laugh at his words.

"You know nothing, human!" The god retorted, sneering in arrogance, "My pets are safely secured away with no way; letting them off is impossible without getting the knowledge of me," believing the human to be simply lying about this whole ordeal, "even if you knew of their locations, breaking the chains should be a near impossible task for someone like you."

Narrowing his eyes, Carter's smile vanished instantly, flicking the burnt remains of his cigar. "Really?" A growing smirk formed on his lips, his brown eyes twinkling with confidence and sincerity. "So will you believe the word Titan would ring any bell?" Witnessing the change of expression, he smirk widens when he notices how his statement has taken effect as Zeus visibly stiffens in his spot.

Without any restraint, he spoke in full Greek, surprising and shocking that he knew not only their language but also the code for allowing the beasts out of their prison to wreck Mount Olympus—a terrible catastrophe if that ever happened.

"Dróousap damp evá, was that a bluff to you?"

Veins appeared all over the enraged thunder god, gritting his teeth with his tightened fists clenched hard enough that they almost burst. "You fool!" Standing up from his seat, he walked up to him at a fast pace and said, "YOU FOOL!" Raising the back of his hand, he slapped Carter across the face with incredible force that sent him flying towards a pillar before landing on the ground, knocking his cigar away as well.

His eyes glowed blue once again, approaching the injured man as he struggled to get up, his echoing footsteps resounding throughout the vast room.With my infinity beams, I can erase your pitiful existence!" Grabbing him by his neck, the tyrannical god raised him in the air, grinning into reveling the suffering Carter is going through.

"Do it then," baring his teeth in pain, grunting weakly through his clenched teeth, "kill me, god of justice; I'm sure your followers will love to know how their heroic protector does the dirty work when nobody is watching," smiling weakly despite struggling in his grip.

Losing his composure, the tyrant slammed the human on the pillar near them, pressing his hand against his windpipe while still glaring at him with intense hatred, "mortal..." Eyes filled with electricity, glowing brighter than before, "die insect." He charged up his most powerful attack, aiming for the human's chest.

Upon seeing this, Randolph Carter couldn't help but grin as he watched the blue light grow brighter and brighter by the second. "Justice is blind," his eyes locked with the elder god, "wouldn't you agree?" He hides his fear of facing such a dangerous entity that can effortlessly annihilate him in a mere instant.

The elderly god immediately stopped as a smile grew on his lips from the show he was provided with, "you have my respect," throwing him at the side, he turned to him with a smirk, "truly impressive; even the other gods wouldn't have the strength of character to insult me within my own home." Chuckling under his breath, he observed as he struggled to recover, "even a mere mortal wouldn't go so far into involving killing everyone here, innocent or not," admiring the sheer bravery and pragmatism of a human's heart.

Standing up while massaging his neck, he fixed his suit before replying, "What can I say? I am full of surprises." Looking around at the surroundings, he spotted the cigar he lost during the assault. Sighing quietly, Carter picked it up while dusting off the dirt particles, "although I didn't come here other than to waste time talking to someone."

Turning around, Carter faced him once more, meeting his stare evenly. "I have a deal that might pick your interest," he said, proposing a bargain in which both parties will benefit, "in exchange for leaving earth alone, I will give you that power you yearn for, ruling the entire universe and worlds beyond out there," offering him a chance of absolute power.

Zeus stood in complete, stunned silence as he listened to his words. Slowly, the corners of his mouth began to turn upward as a wide, "How am I not sure your lying?" Not believing such a claim, which is far beyond his belief.

"Why would I go all the effort in coming all the way here?"

Contemplating over his proposal for several minutes, weighing out the pros and cons of accepting it before eventually giving in as he believed the human's words to be genuine, "very well, human, I shall accept your offer of bargain," agreeing with the terms, he offered his hand to seal the deal: "If you do not meet the requirements, I will personally hunt down the people you care about and slaughter them in front of you before proceeding with destroying everything you hold dear."

Clutching the hand of the elder deity, the human nodded in acceptance as the two let go of their hands. "Because I am sure my knowledge in cloning and technology is all you need to reign supreme over countless planets that are still in development," he remarked, smiling slightly at the old god. "Of course, if you don't mind using a genetically modified clone body, that is."

The god of justice chuckled lightly, waving his hand in dismissal, "modest of you to mention it mortal, more vulnerable worlds to conquer and better soldiers at my side, your payment will suffice," complimenting his ingenuity with pride and joy.

Underneath his facade was filled with guilt for resorting to this, especially dooming many innocent aliens in the future with the tyranny of Zeus at the helm, but if this is the price to be paid in return for not only saving humanity but those he holds dear, so be it.

Especially how terrified he was in face to face with such a terrifying, tyrannical maniac of a god, for Randolph Carter had been around this new world for years and years, yet this was the first time he had been truly scared of one person in his life; after all, this is the real face of a god he despises very much.

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.042 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 00:56, Nov 13 2024