The Mortal God of Olympus Ch.34 (Patreon)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 34- Some Godly meetings

AN: Beta'd by Basilisk

Finally here. Enjoy!

-------------------------------

The Throne room of Olympus was quiet. Quieter than it had been a mere second prior.

Hera’s screams of protest; the despair clear within their notes. Athena’s calm, surgical logic. Artemis’s cutting threats and accusing eyes…

Everything was gone. Dismissed by their King.

The silence wasn’t tense either, contrary to what I would’ve expected. You wouldn’t ever guess the Greek God Ares was just thrown down the mountain to live as a mortal a couple minutes earlier. You wouldn’t guess the Queen of Olympus was forcefully dismissed, her tears and wails falling on unhearing ears. You wouldn’t guess a bunch of immortal deities, who’d been alive before Christianity was even a thing, were scolded by a thirteen year old in these very halls…

If anything, the silence felt companionable. Just two ancient beings hanging out with their junior.

Normally I would’ve been doing a happy little jig in my mind, taking perverse pleasure in the absence of those infuriating little cretinous godlings, who got sent away to their castles like children ordered to bed...

Unfortunately, that chance of pleasure was snatched away from my godly fingers as the last few words of my father’s promise echoed in the room, leaving naught but a twitch in my eyes.

"But aren't gods not allowed to visit each other's realms?" I protested his commands, trying to reason, even as I predicted the birth of a new headache soon.

Zeus grunted. "You are unique in this regard, you know that. And so do they."

Now I couldn’t hold back the scowl, my eyes glaring up at the King of Gods.

“Still, did you have to promise that?”  I stressed, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “Or do you actually believe I have even the slightest of desires to meet your blasted children again?”

It had been a truly irritating thing indeed; to just stand there as Zeus promised all the gods a meeting with me so they may have a chance to know their newest family member. Something I knew to be utter horseshit. He just did it to keep Athena from bitching about me further.

Of course, Zeus wouldn't admit that as he gave me a grim stare, lips pursing up in a frown, disapproval clear in his eyes. “They’re your family, Mikael. Now more than ever. Bicker with them all you like, spit upon their face if it pleases you, but do not turn your back on them. It is they who shall stand by your side in this war. You need them as much as they need you.”

“Right.” I scoffed. “A war of their doing. And I have to go and gravel on my knees just to soothe their godly egos? Just so they don’t stab me in the back? Some family I have.”

The last words were spoken under my breath but the gods heard it all the same.

I knew I was pushing my father’s limits, knew I was being far too ungrateful for the ‘honor’ he’d just showered upon me, but at this point I couldn’t even bring myself to care. There were more important things currently underway than pleasing a bunch of arrogant nuisances.

And he doesn’t seem to understand that.

Thankfully his reunion with the Bolt had managed to put Zeus in a good mood, for all he did was deepen his frown in response, the neatly trimmed beard on his face twitching fiercely.

It was a good thing my other audience could see the funny side of my ranting though, for the sudden howl of laughter that chased away the building tenseness before it could take hold was a welcome one.

The laugh was deep and rich, filling the entire throne room with its very presence. And it came from the God of Seas as he stood up in front of his massive sea-themed throne, banging his trident on the floor with a deep gong.

“You’d do better not to take him as Ares, brother.” Poseidon said, the final notes of laughter dying down as he turned his sea green eyes to me. “The only thing you’ll find is a sharp tongue and even sharper words it would seem.”

The Trident in his hand suddenly changed into a chalice, which he raised up at me in acknowledgement, “To my Nephew’s ascension.”, nodding once before he drank from it deeply.

I returned his nod, suppressing the dark humor and Sally’s naked image rising in my mind.

Maybe I ought to go and pay the pretty Milf a visit soon. She would surely want to thoroughly show her gratitude to me. Perhaps Poseidon would see the funny side here as well…

‘Don’t be an asshole.’ I chided myself, closing my eyes briefly. ‘He’s being nice to you.’

And wasn’t that surprising in itself. I never would’ve guessed him to be the friendly sort outta the whole godly bunch. Hephaestus had reasons to like me, as did Hermes, Apollo—shiver, shiver, shiver—and Aphrodite, who I wanted nothing to do with…then again, the only goddess I cared for was Hestia. All the others were disappointingly cunty.

Point remained that Poseidon looked to be the only one to like me without expecting anything in return. It would be wise to leave my petty one-sided dick measuring contest behind and form a positive relationship with him.

As I studied the King of Atlantis, I found myself wondering…‘How the hell are both my uncles more likable than Zeus?’

It was quite ironic as well…to think there was a time I’d hated the both of them.

I turned my eyes back to my relatively disappointing father, who’d just finished taking a smaller, more human form—reducing to almost half of his previous height.

He beckoned me forward, even as his brother followed suit—shortening in length to match Mikael’s stature.

“Your complaints have been taken into consideration, but we shall speak no more of this.” Zeus said, his commanding authority shining even through his tired tone—unwilling to brook any further arguments. “This is one thing I cannot budge upon, Mikael. As the new god of Olympus, you must greet your family personally. They would want to know you though their prickly pride keeps them from admitting it so.”

I snorted. You’re one to talk.

“Not all of us.” Poseidon said. “I, for one, am quite pleased to openly welcome you in our fold. You already prove yourself a better company than your brother. Though I must admit my reasons might also include what you bring along with you. The last few centuries have been long and boring; with your presence however, I suspect things won’t stay quiet even should we wish it to.”

Zeus glanced at his brother, eyes narrowing as he growled. “You would wish war upon us just to sate your boredom?”

Poseidon raised a brow, his smile tightening. “Cease your hypocrisy brother. We would’ve already been warring had your son not arrived on time. And all of it based on your false assumption that you were too prideful to take back. Let me have my fun, now that you’ve had yours.”

Zeus turned to him fully, lightning crackling in his scowling eyes.

“Peace, Zeus.” Poseidon raised a hand, though he looked completely undeterred. “You know what I mean. Things have never been this stirring since the destruction of Troy. Even the Fates find themselves restless. This war…it shall be unlike any. We will be actively participating, and not as some puppeteers working in the shadows. While I do not look forward to all the death and destruction heading our way, I cannot deny my excitement for the challenges to come.”

I was reluctant to break the silent staring contest between the two powerhouses, but impatience forced my legs to move forth, the gigantic thrones now looming above us all. “Can we finish this quickly? I’ve got a lot of things to do.”

Well...not quite a ‘lot’. Aside from making Luke sing like a canary, the only thing I needed to do now was to rest and think. Rest and think deeply.

My mind was a second away from drowning out completely, the exhaustion of the last few days finally catching up to me. I hadn’t gotten a lick of time to rest since having escaped from that blasted casino. And while my body was perfectly hale and willing to keep working, my mind was desperate for a measure of repose, to make sense of everything currently swirling in the back of my mind.

Thalia’s upcoming rescue mission, the First Longinus, the Ascended being after my life, the incoming war, my new Tier 8 prowess, and the unexpected ascension as a true Olympian…no matter how many points of intelligence I may have, I needed time to process it all and make some necessary plans.

Time that Zeus didn’t seem willing to give as he stared down his nose at me. “Things more important than planning for war?”

“Well…” I paused, knowing there was only one true answer but unwilling to give in easily. Finally, I acquiesced with a sigh. “Perhaps not.”

Zeus didn’t gloat in his victory. No, that would be quite unbecoming of him. Instead, he stepped forth and put his hands on my shoulder, smiling down proudly.

‘Patronizingly.’ A part of me corrected, slightly miffed.

“You’ve come far since we last met.” The King of Gods declared, eyes grave but alight. “Not even a month prior, I might add. Yet, the power I sense within you may as well have belonged to my sisters. And while your strength may not match your power, I have no doubt in your ability to take Ares’ seat. I’d doubted it at first, knowing your victory over him came through my Bolt—which I shan’t lend you again, no matter how strong your intent gnaws at me—but your earlier display of power has vanished them all away. Disbelieving though it may sound, I’m beginning to think you might keep growing until you’ve surpassed all your siblings. You may just come to be known as the most powerful amongst my children.”

His pride dimmed slightly, eyes gaining a more complicated texture. “Of course, there is the matter of your domain. Athena may be harsh but the words she spoke held…merit.”

The miffed part, that was just starting to vanish now, came erupting back like a bursting volcano. “What.”

The word was soft but my utter bafflement powered it enough for Zeus to understand clearly.

He grimaced. “While I do not agree with her idea, your domain is quite…unconventional, by the standards of gods.”

“Unconventional.” I echoed, letting just the barest of incredulity touch my tongue.

Calm and firm, his eyes refused to leave mine, for anything else would’ve been admitting uncertainty, or worse, defeat. But had it not been ill-suited for a king to do so, I convinced myself that Zeus would surely be flushing with shame right now.

He cleared his throat, pointedly refusing to look at the smirking Poseidon who quickly bounded over beside us.

“Ignore him, Nephew.” The God of Seas said, laughter in his voice. “He still remembers the lesson delivered so long ago by the Christian God, and for a good reason. Let it not be said Nyx was the only being my brother tucked his tail against and ran. I fear your domain reminds him too much of that day and the incident.”

The King’s nostrils flared, eyes flashing as he gave the dirtiest glare to Poseidon. “You will keep your mouth shut, lest you find yourself missing it.”

It was a command and threat loaded in one, promising painful things to anyone who goes against its Authority…

Poseidon laughed.

I joined him next.

If one needed an example of Zeus being a changed god, they need only see him now as he struggled not to fold his hand and sulk in the corner.

“Enough of this.” The Father of Gods snapped finally, looking quite done with me and Poseidon as he stepped back. “There are matters to discuss yet, and being embroiled in petty mockery will do nothing but lose us time.”

"Before that father,” I stopped him. “Can I ask you to let Percy fly this once? I left him and my companions behind to deliver your bolt as fast as I can."

Zeus opened his mouth to argue—unconvinced by my ‘It’s because of you anyway’ excuse—but I rode him over. "In return, I'm sure Lord Poseidon would let me traverse the Seas freely."

He closed his mouth shut, glancing at Poseidon.

"Please, brother." The God of Storms scoffed. "I would've let him either way, had he simply asked. I'm not as petty as you."

Zeus scowled. "Do not show me your false generosity. You may have tricked mother Rhea to like you more, but it would never work on me."

No…no this wasn’t happening….

"Tricked, brother?" Poseidon raised a brow, snorting. "No, she simply liked me more because I never wagged my tongue at her in lust. Neither did I try to slip into her bed at night. And don't even try to use your 'I was young and scared of night' excuse! That may have worked for the first two centuries but you cannot fool me now!"

Oh for fucks sake…

Zeus’ face darkened. "You have nerves lecturing me of lust, Poseidon. Need I remind you the women you've raped? The wives you forced yourself onto every time something ruined your mood?  And don’t you give me the ‘I’m as unpredictable as the sea’ excuse either."

Here we go…

Poseidon growled. "At least I know to love. At least there were women I cared for through the ages. You? All you have done is ruin lives."

"Do not speak to me of love!" Zeus bellowed. "For the proof of my love is standing right here beside us!"

I finally backed off with a sigh, unwilling and very much exasperated to get involved in what seemed like another rapidly igniting argument.

‘Maybe I’ll slip away if they start brawling…’

Which didn’t seem that far fetched as Poseidon gagged mockingly beside him. "Falling in love? You, brother? When was the last time you devoted yourself to a relationship?"

"You cannot bring up the past again! I'm a changed god now! And an even better King!"

"I’ve no intention to bring forth your past, Zeus. Need I remind you that your other daughter is a year older than Mikael? You couldn't even be faithful to the woman you supposedly loved, after spending decades trying to woo her?"

"I was devastated then!" Zeus thundered, eyes asking for understanding. "She'd rejected my advances after putting fifty years of sweat and ichor! She said she sees me as a friend! Do you know how it feels like, to be turned down after five decades of failed seduction!? I didn't know she'd change her mind at the last second like a fickle mortal woman! I was crushed and depressed. I needed relief!"

Hearing the gods was quickly giving me a brain tumor. I clenched my jaw, finding myself confused between rejoicing upon the rejection part and raging against the fickle part.

And that’s not even considering Zeus did cheat on Gabriel! No matter what reason he gives.

Then again, did I have any rights to judge…?

Of course I did! For all my faults, I haven’t actually betrayed anyone. The only ones I’ve wronged—husbands and boyfriends of my conquests—held not a lick of my loyalty, so what was there to betray?

While my brain tried making sense of the current mess, the two gods kept on with their silly battle of words with Poseidon looking down his nose at Zeus, deadpanned. "Your other son is two years younger than Mikael."

"That wasn't me!" Zeus cried. "I haven't touched a woman since Gabriel!"

Poseidon smirked like a Cheshire cat. "So you do admit it, don't you? You cannot control your other self as well as you’d have us believe. Certainly not as well as me. I, who’d suffered the most by the divide. I, whose image those bastards ruined completely. And yet, it is you who cannot control yourself."

Zeus growled. "You’ve no idea what you speak. I shall prove you wrong in all counts one by one. After this century, our millennia-long argument shall finally come to rest with me as the victor. And you better believe I’ve already started.”

He glanced at me slyly, silent triumph bubbling in his sockets.

Poseidon grimaced, wrinkling his nose. “Is that all he is then? A chance for you to prove us all wrong? To show how caring and righteous you can be?”

My eyes twitched, the idea leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Though it didn’t feel as bitter as it should’ve been. My contempt for the gods—now extending towards Zeus—being simply too strong for self-pity.

“We're done with this.” Zeus bit out firmly, a stubborn tilt to his face. “I have nothing to explain to you now. And if you may focus, we have a war to fight. I suggest you go and gather your armies. Send some envoys to Oceanus, promise him riches beyond belief...or whatever it is you weed chewing, sea gazing creatures love so much. He was neutral in the first war...I'd rather we keep it that way."

Poseidon huffed in answer, turning away, though not without giving me a wink. "You're welcome in my underwater kingdom anytime you like, Nephew. It is the least I could do for the service you've done for me. Though don’t bring your old man. As you may have guessed, we don’t quite get along well."

With that the God of Seas took his leave, becoming a graceful stream of water that glided back to his chair and disappeared within, leaving just the two of us behind in the ensuing silence.

“Well…” I clapped my hands, turning to Zeus. “These war talks have been very productive.”

Zeus’ face puckered up. “You need not rub it in. In fact, I urge you to forget everything that has happened here since your uncle opened his mouth.”

“As you wish…father.” I nodded seriously, barely keeping out a sneer. “I’ll give my brain a thorough cleansing soon.”

Zeus shook his head, muttering something inaudible. “In any case, there are things we must discuss before you leave.”

He walked off and retook his mightier form again, taking a seat on his giant throne once more.

‘What the fuck was the point of becoming shorter then?’

“You have duties as an Olympian, as you may have guessed.” Zeus informed with a satisfied sigh as a bowl of cubed ambrosia suddenly came floating in front of him. “First one includes dealing with all the prayers and hopes that your worshippers may shower upon you. You are too young a god so I doubt you’d have any chance of exercising your Authority over mortals. The quickest way to increase your popularity is to give away boons to anyone you find interesting. And start whelping some demigods as well. I’m interested to see what they might inherit from you. But while your duties are important, your main focus should be on the war. And you already know what I require of you.”

“I do.” I nodded, before turning away, impatient to be done with the day. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a fleece to retrieve first.”

"You're a god of Olympus now, Mikael.” Zeus called out, though he didn’t sound as firm. “You cannot chase mortal equipment like a hero. Let the others go in your stead. You have new duties."

“Oh please,” I scoffed. “It won’t even take me a day.” I stopped, hesitating a little. “Probably.”

Zeus grumbled beneath his breath. “Fine. Take my blessings and go forth. But do not dawdle and quickly return. The world is about to change, and I would have you by my side when things eventually blow over completely.”

"Oh, and did I forget? You may have Ares' palace for yourself now. It won't do for a god of Olympus to stay in a cabin.”

------------------------------------

The world had darkened by the time I finally left Olympus’ majestic walls; well…at least this part of the world. The air trembled with good cheer, a cacophony of laughter and celebration unique to Olympus. It may have looked strange to me at first, to see the people so carefree and blithe, as their world came close to eruption, yet it was now slowly coming to be a trait that defined the city.

I looked to the great sky, the twinkling stars slowly coming to grace the planet with their radiance, while Artemis dragged her moon chariot across the world.

It must've been an hour or three at most since my arrival on Olympus, and I had grave suspicions that my friends hadn’t reached New York yet.

‘How fast does an airplane fly again?’ I frowned, trying to recall info from a life long past. ‘A couple of Mach maybe?’

Even so, I should’ve probably picked them up from the airport before they could board and drop them to the camp. Hell, I could’ve even taken my sweet time with Luke before proceeding with Olympus business. The whole thing couldn’t have taken more than a few seconds at most.

Yet, my incredible speed seemed to have slipped my mind when making the immediate plans.

A horribly silly mistake, one I usually wouldn’t have done. But perhaps it was excusable for this one instance; Apart from my upcoming fight with Ares, I already had a lot on my mind, having driven through multiple states without a lick of rest only to get blasted in the face with all the Ascendant business.

‘Well, now I know.’

Not wasting further time, I jumped into the air, quickly gliding down Mount Olympus to approach the city beneath.

Instantly however, I noticed a very peculiar phenomenon taking place the closer I got to the city. Whenever someone got a glimpse of my figure, their everlasting cheer as the people of Olympus would come to a momentary halt.

Slowly at first, but I soon got the attention of the entire city somehow. I could only blink in confusion as the laughter and merriment died a sudden death, the celebrations following suit next.

‘What the fuck is this?’ I stared wide-eyed as every citizen of Olympus seemed to stare at me. I smothered the urge to look behind my back—though I did not need to—just to clarify it truly was me they were giving their undivided attention to.

It was so jarring to see the city of gods without the constant cheer and merriment that I came to a halt in the sky, slowly floating down.

The people of Olympus, from Nymphs and Dryads to Deities and Minor gods, all gazed at me with something akin to...adoration.

Together, they lowered their heads and then lowered their knees.

All bowing in supplication and giving praise to ‘Lord Mikael’ and ‘New Olympian’.

‘Well…I can get used to this.’

Smiling, I waved at them grandly and the next instant they were back to their normal self. Their focus was still on me, and those who could fly quickly came up to touch my feet—prime amongst them the beautiful Aurae who tore apart my shoes to smother my naked feet between the softness of their breasts, sighing contently.

I laughed, wiggling my toes amidst their warmth. ‘Weirdos.’

But Beautiful weirdos.

It was a shame my job wasn’t done yet. I wouldn’t mind being spoiled by a bunch of gorgeous deities who could put Megan Fox to shame.

‘I’ll have enough time for this later.’ I consoled myself.

Hell, I’ll probably come to live here soon.

With one last wave—that received a thunderous cheer; their hands waving back as they gave me their well wishes—I left the divine city of Olympus behind with a quick blast of speed. Earth zoomed past under me as I tore through the firmament, crossing the distance to Long island with one mighty flap of my wings.

It was time to deal with a former friend.

------------------------------------

I arrived at the half-blood hill with a thunderous crack of air, the familiar forest gloom and woodsy fragrance welcoming my senses with open arms. Almost as if it were a magic of its own, the mental exhaustion that was hanging over my head like an executioner’s axe drained out of me slowly, and I couldn't but smile a wide smile.

'Whatever Zeus may say...this place has been like a home to me. The least I could do is give it a proper farewell.'

With a whistle on my tongue and a saunter in my steps, I pressed on upon the hill.

But the moment I crossed Thalia's barrier however, I knew...something was amiss.

A war horn blaring across the forest might've been my first indication though it certainly wasn't the last. The clashing of steel, the raised voices and angry yells, but above all, Clarisse's calls for battle were the signs that warned me.

Something was definitely amiss.

'Gods fucking damn it. Couldn't I get at least a little peace?'

With a sigh, I leapt up, arriving in the middle of the camp without any warning, landing on the roof of one of the b. Frowning, I scanned the camp, the campfire and burning torches being enough to give me a clear view of the situation.

There was a civil war in motion.

On one side stood Luke and Clarisse, taking orders from a pale lanky boy, thinner than a stick, awkwardly holding a sword that was clearly not suited for him.

On the other side stood the rest of the camp, though none looked quite ready to clash with the other party. And it certainly wasn’t due to intimation. While Hermes and Ares made up a large part of the camp’s fighting force, they were still outnumbered four to one. Should they truly clash with bloodlust, they’d get slaughtered.

‘Well, this is interesting.’ I smiled slightly, relaxing back. ‘An actual fight, without all the rules of capture the flag.’

A part of me was truly curious to see how such a fight would go. I wasn’t overly worried about any of my friends dying really. I was fast enough to keep track of them all and do a few rescue missions should they come under harm. Worse comes to worse, I can just pop a couple of Ambrosia cubes down their throats; rotting as they were in my inventory.

“Halt!” Suddenly Chiron came cantering on the field. “Everyone stand down!”

‘Oh he’s gonna be playing the peace-maker.’ I tsked as the centaur approached the lanky boy, talking to him gently as if calming an enraged hellhound.

I frowned for a brief moment, focusing on the lanky kid. Tall, with ugly freckles on his face and a crude tilt to his rotten teeth, the boy was far from the entity who I suspected him of being.

Donald Dickleson

Race: Demigod

Tier: 4 

Level: 354

I snorted, though my amusement was drowned as understanding flashed in my eyes, realizing what could have happened here. Annabeth and Percy were still on the airplane somewhere, so this response certainly wasn’t elicited by their news.

‘Ares must’ve manipulated the tale to act like the wrong party. And with Luke’s support, his words must’ve put the worms of doubt in the rest.’

Sighing, I stood up from my perch. It was a shame that I didn’t get to see the mini war, but oh well.

"Time to deal with this bullshit." I muttered under my breath, before leaping up and landing beside Chiron like a flash of lightning. For others, it might as well have been teleportation.

"So what's this about Chiron?" I cheerily asked, my voice raised for the rest of the crowd.

Stunned, it took a long moment before I was recognized. Had it not been the wtf look on their faces, I would’ve felt insulted.

And then the whispers started, along with yells of 'Mikael!' and 'He's back!' and ‘Where’s Annabeth!?', ‘did you really betray Ares!?’

I ignored the chatter, turning to greet Chiron who himself looked mightily relieved, releasing a huff, his tail swishing through the air. "An excellent entrance, I must say. Though I'm glad you've returned. I'm afraid our fallen friend here is not willing to listen."

"Y-you...!" The said boy trembled, eyes furious and teeth bared in a snarl. "When I'm done here, when I regain my powers...you will feel my wrath! Both of you will! All of you!"

I snorted, glancing at the crowd as the silence once again made itself known in the wake of his threat. Until...

"You're full of shit, Donald!" Came the yell from the opposite side.

"Who dares!" Ares blustered forward, looking pumped and rearing to go...until a sandal caught him straight to the noggin, staggering him backwards.

Gales of laughter spread through the opposite team while Ares cabin started banging their spears to the ground, calling for blood with great vigor...

Chuckling, I finally decided to put an end to the drama. It felt nice really, to be the sole big bad on the field, knowing you controlled the situation thoroughly, knowing yours was the highest Authority around.

Flexing the new limits of my power a little, I let my voice cut through the chatter like a hot knife through butter "Enough."

My Authority spread over the camp, bringing everyone to heel with no exceptions. But the true subject of my attention, the Ares and Hermes cabins, were forced to their knees as if lifting the weight of Atlas. Then, without prompting, the other side knelt as well, recognizing the power of a god. Even Ares himself didn’t dare stand straight, teeth gritting as he bent over.

I took flight, levitating in mid-air to become visible to everyone. "There shall be no fighting today, sheathe your weapons. Those disappointed however, rest assured, the time of action is close at hand.”

A few started to ask questions and I almost blasted them to pieces. Only the fact that they were my friends and their questions were sweetly innocent— ranging about my health to Annabeth and Percy’s presence—kept me from putting them to the ground.

“I bring news to you all, be silent and pay heed.” I started again, and they were smart enough to shut up. “The Titans are on the rise again, and we shall soon march to war. Ares and Luke have betrayed us to the enemy, helping in the rise of their leader, Kronos. As his just punishment, Ares was cast down from the Olympus by Zeus. But fear not...cause I’m here! You may now put your faith in me! Your new God of Olympus. And my first command to you is thus...Prepare for war.”

“But first, sleep and rest, and gather your strength. Tomorrow will likely be a busy day for you all.” With a wave, I bid them dismissal and they quickly straightened to their feet, scattering away after another bow to hold hushed conversations.

The Ares cabin however, stayed rooted to their spot until Clarisse came out of the group.

“Is it true?” She addressed the now mortal Ares, her voice broken and quiet.

Ares, thankfully, still retained a little bit of his honor as he gave a dismissive humpf. “A war will be good for us. Had you been my true daughter, you wouldn’t have asked that.”

A few tears trickled down Clarisse’s face, her face twisting in a snarl. “You’re a lying coward.”

She spat, and then ran off, taking with her all her siblings as well.

I thought Ares would burst out in rage, but something akin to shame gripped his face for a brief moment, before it passed, and he simply hung his head in defeat.

The Hermes cabin had scattered already, but a few demigods made a circle around Luke, not to defend him, but to stop him from slipping away; astonishment and betrayal clear on their faces. Though some…some were clearly on his side, their acting poor and their desire clear to my senses.

I made a gentle fist of air and knocked them out cold without moving an inch.

“You there.” I called out to one of the spectators who’d gathered to watch Luke’s fate. “Pick up the trash and throw them in the basement. They’re traitors and shall be treated as such.”

The boys scrambled to obey me.

"It is done then." Chiron whispered beside me solemnly. "The Prophecy begins. If you have the time to spare, I would like a word with you Mi—ahh… Lord Mikael."

“Please, Chiron.” I waved at him. “Mikael would do.”

While it pleased me to hear the new title, it sounded way too awkward from the ancient Centaur’s mouth.

Chiron bowed deeply. His eyes then went to Luke—who'd wasn’t even been trying to slip away now—looking sad and troubled. “He has a difficult fate ahead, Mikael. I would ask for a softer hand. Hermes would appreciate it, if nothing else.”

It was a great excuse for me to let a former friend live…but I wasn’t in the mood to leave enemies alive.

“Death is the only fate for him, Chiron.” A wave of my hand and strands of air wrapped him up like a present and delivered him beneath me. "Now, my traitorous friend, any last words?"

“I fear Fates work in mysterious ways, Mikael. It would be better not to force their hands and manipulate the events to our liking.”

I ignored the Centaur’s words. While wise, I did not want to accept the power of some mysterious ‘dark hand behind the curtain’ entities.

Luke thrashed against his bonds, helpless but unrelenting. Finally, he seemed to accept the futility and sagged down. "Are you sure you want to do this, Mikael?"

I tilted my head, raising a brow.

"You can still join Ophis." He stressed, now sounding desperate. "Leave these gods behind! What have they ever done for you? Everything you've achieved came from your own hardwork. You know how cruel the gods are, Mikael. Or have you forgotten Thalia already!?"

My chuckle was slow and dark. “Your attempts at manipulation leaves much to be desired, my friend.”

“Mikael, I’m not—aagh!”

His words were cut off by my head-butt, which was powerful enough to blast his head back. Blood trickled down his lips and nose in a thick red stream, leaving him stunned and unable to respond for a few seconds.

“Anything else?” I asked, jostling the boy around.

His eyes fluttered open as he took a weak breath. “S-so be it.”

The air grew heavy and tense all of a sudden, and I felt an unnatural pull trying to drag me forward.

“What…?” My bewilderment was answered in the next second as a black hole, of all things, opened up behind Luke, snatching his body out of my grasp as if an adult taking a child’s candy.

My mind worked in an overdrive. Even though a part of me knew the power in front of me originated from a being unlike any I’ve ever faced, I couldn’t let them win without trying.

‘Kill!’ I commanded my creation that was still hidden with Luke and just before the hole could devourer him entirely, a powerful blast tore him from limb to limb. Then the hole took him away, the bloody bits and all, and shut down in itself.

I looked around to confirm it hadn’t just been a freakish dream, but the looks on Chiron and the spectators faces let me know they were thinking the same.

Sighing, I pushed myself straight, waving a hand through my long blonde hairs that were disturbed by the turbulent whirlwind. “That’s enough entertainment for the night, I think. Everyone to bed; we will discuss this tomorrow.”

But I had no idea what to discuss. I had no idea what had happened, and it made me cautious.

‘Powerful I may be, I’m not the top dog in this world yet.’

Still, it was only a matter of time. Hopefully this war will shorten that time a lot.

After all, for the smart and powerful, Chaos was only a ladder.

And that became especially true for a Gamer.

------------------------------------

The ‘Luke situation’ wasn’t able to capture my mind for long. Whatever fate awaited the boy, he’d have to deal with it himself. The tiny part that had been hoping for my former friend to come back to his senses was now long gone to dust.

For me, the days following that incident could only be described as….weird.

Shocking though it may seem, the jumble of events of the previous day had made me forget to check the rewards for completing the last quests.

And when I finally did check it, on the following day…

[Quest Completed: Golden Retriever]–

• Retrieve the Lightning Bolt

Rewards: 

• 20 Level 
• Olympian Status

[Quest Completed: A Godly Deal]–

• Objective: Humiliate the God of War Ares by the end of this decade.

Rewards: 

• 20 Levels 
• Divine Tier Armor 
• All Divine Skills increased by 1

My mind was blown away completely.

40 freakin levels! Lesss goooo!

‘Status’

Mikael

Age: 13

Race: God/Angel/Devil Hybrid

Tier: 8

Level: 744

Divine Power: 8,170,000/8,170,000

Holy Power: 8,170,000/8,170,000

Demonic Power: 8,170,000/8,170,000

Stamina: 7,440,000/7,440,000

Health: 7,640,000/7,640,000

Stats

Strength: 774 (+10)

Speed: 784

Dexterity: 774

Endurance: 744

Constitution: 764

Mental: 53 (+2)

Spirit: 817

Points: 20

I sighed in contentment. Life was good.

After confirming my rewards—and receiving a note from Hephaestus to be available in his Palace three days time from now—I decided the time to start preparing for my Fleece-retrieval quest has come.

Naturally, the first thing I did was to shift my belongings to the Palace of Ares, which—contrary to my expectations—wasn’t actually empty.

Two skeletal warriors guarded the entrance to the palace, though they readily parted for me at the moment of my arrival. Yet, even as I entered, I knew I wasn’t home. I knew the palace didn’t belong to me.

There was just the slightest bit of unwelcoming aura present, an alien feeling that instinctively let me know that I was but a guest here.

It wasn’t truly that surprising. Ares may have become a mortal now, but his divinity was still alive and waiting. And if Zeus was to be believed, these palaces were the seats of power for the Olympian gods. Should the Hall of Gods, along with these palaces, be thoroughly destroyed, it would weaken the Olympians drastically, enough to make it possible to permanently kill them.

So the gods shared a rather intimate connection with their palaces, and now I was intruding upon one.

Still, the unwelcoming aura couldn’t hope to shake my will, nor deter me from using the palace for my needs. Though I definitely planned to change its décor, which was not to my liking in the slightest.

The walls, colored deep blood red, were covered with souvenirs that Ares had collected throughout his immortal life. Massive boar tusks and giant hide adorned the front porch, its pillars wrapped by a mile long snake with jaded green scales for skin.

Entering inside, I was greeted by a gaggle of beautiful nymphs, all scantily clad and fair-skinned, standing submissively to welcome their new master.

The one in the lead seemed colder than the rest. It became clearer still when the time to greet me came—her bow was just the slightest bit stiff, while her delicate hand clenched into a fist.

I grunted, raising an eyebrow at her. “Don’t do anything foolish and I won’t force you to share my bed. Do so, and I will replace the snake outside with your entrails.”

In the following hours however, I realized I may have overestimated their loyalty to Ares, for the other Nymphs appeared overly enthusiastic in their worship of me. And my Authority over desire confirmed the legitimacy of their enthusiasm.

Most of them were already more loyal to me than Ares due to the simple fact that I was much better looking than he could ever hope to be. It wasn’t anything shocking really. I’ve often found the Nymphs—and Immortals in general—to be unnaturally shallow in their wants and needs. A pretty face and a kind hand was enough to win most of them over, especially if the owner was powerful enough to force himself upon them anyway. The fact that I didn’t start tearing their thin robes off like a crazed animal the moment my eyes fell upon their full breasts and buxom figure, seemed to have done a lot for my reputation.

Soon, the nymphs divided themselves quickly—without me ordering—to see to my needs to the best of their ability; one separated away to draw me a hot bath, the other taking my supplies, while the remaining ones gave me a more thorough house tour, carrying with them plates full of fruits and wine and seeing to my needs perfectly.

My excitement had gone through the roof when I found an acre-wide training ground in the back of the palace—though the Nymphs insisted I call it the courtyard.

I felt a little strange, honestly, for how easy it felt to change my residence. I’d always imagined myself missing the camp much more fiercely than I currently was. Yet, as I stood in the Palace’s balcony—viewing the city of Olympus beneath me and breathing in the fresh magical air of the divine city—I couldn’t help but feel a new kind of excitement pulp within my chest.

This was a new start for me, a new page of my journey. I felt content as I stood there—gazing across the beautiful city from high atop the mountain side—ready to face whatever new challenge my life would throw at me.

‘A True God.’ I chuckled slowly, feeling the slightest bit of awe.

There were very few beings who could hope to match the current me. If I went all out, using my abilities and skills wisely and to the best of their utility, I may very well be able to survive a fight against an Elder God.

My name now carried a weight and power with it, and every being in existence would be forced to acknowledge my might…except perhaps the Ascendant, but I wasn’t overly concerned about them. From the little I’d swindled out of Zeus, this Ophis wouldn’t be foolish enough to actually attack us itself. That would risk the attention of other Ascendants, and while it was said to be in a league of its own even then, it wouldn’t be able to stand the power of multiple Ascendants.

And we Greeks had quite a few of our own overpowered bullshit entities; from Gaea and Tartarus to Nyx and Pontus. It would be foolish indeed to arouse them from whatever wool they were weaving.

Still, I didn’t really care for their acknowledgement. Hell, I didn’t care for anyone’s acknowledgement. The only being whose opinions truly mattered to me was continents away…and perhaps even realms away.

Whatever the case though, I was content knowing that I’d finally surpassed Gabriel. No longer would I be a useless burden on her shoulders. When we finally met again—after I killed Beelzebub and freed her, of course—it would be me taking care of her instead.

Sighing, I shook my head, leaving the balcony to go back inside.

It was a real shame that I didn’t have time to truly start exploring the castle or my new surroundings, especially now that I was planning to live in Olympus…

Unfortunately, one doesn’t dismiss a meeting with the gods, and I wanted to be done with the foolish task as soon as I possibly could.

‘It’s time to go greet my fellow Olympians.’

------------------------------------

I was unashamed to admit that my first meeting with the gods ended up with me running away in terror.

Apollo hadn’t been my first choice for meet and greet, but considering he was my immediate neighbor and had sent no less than seventeen missives since my arrival—all begging me to visit in the sweetest of tones—I decided to humor him just this once and at least check out what he had to say.

And thus, before long, I found myself in front of Apollo’s Palace, its doors wide open for any to enter.

‘Should I have sent a letter or messenger to announce my coming?’

...Nah, fuck it. If they don't have the courtesy to meet me themselves, they shouldn't expect me to follow whatever bullshit protocol there might be.

Apollo’s palace was filled to the brim with his own portraits and images. The only reason I didn’t dub him a top-level narcissist was due to the fact that he was never alone in those portraits.

‘His past lovers.’ I theorized after spying a marble statue of a pretty dryad.

I moved past the entrance hall and was soon greeted by the figure of Apollo. His eyes were closed, a ghost of a smile playing on his face, while his body laid down on silken sheets with a Japanese lute in his hands that he thrummed lightly.

“Apollo.” I greeted, hiding a grimace.

“Welcome, my dearest Mikael.” Apollo’s voice was sweeter than honey, and I had to suppress a shiver. He continued, eyes still closed even as his smile widened. “Please, take a seat. I have prepared something for you.”

My eyes flickered around, searching for a quick retreat if things went to hell, but found nothing except its peculiarities.

It was a domed room, its walls curving outwards, with royal purple curtains hanging off of them. Weird, for I saw no window behind them.

The only exit was the door I’d just entered from, and I stayed close to it, dragging a cushioned chair to take a seat on.

“I call this…Spark of Love.” Apollo purred, and I instantly stood up in alarm.

'He looked at me

Lightning in his eyes

Beautiful as a new morning…like me'

I slowly started to back off, his voice becoming louder and louder, and leaving no doubt in my mind as to the subject of his…poem.

'He knows I’m awesome

I was ice, but now I’m water

Melted by his sweet radiance'

I got the fuck out of dodge.

------------------------------------

Barely a couple of minutes past my brave escape, I received another letter from Apollo, apologizing for not performing up to par and assuring me the next time he would write something much more impressive, if only I could find it in my heart to visit again…

I burnt the letter.

That night, marking my first night in Olympus, passed in utter bliss. I laid in a swimming pool sized tub, hot steaming water bubbling on the surface. Four Nymphs—or Naiads as they called themselves—attended to me, naked as the day they were born, sighing and gasping as they massaged the muscles of my arms and legs. One Nymph sat behind me, massaging my scalp with her nimble, delicate fingers. I could feel the weight of her breasts upon my head and after the fifth time smashing them against me, I decided it wasn't an accident.

Still, the amount of pleasure and relief I received soon distracted me from that, and I found myself letting go of the week's worth of stress and stiffness.

While my body entered a state of tranquility, my mind grew sharper than it ever was, and I began preparing for my upcoming quest. A map materialized in my head, and I quickly marked the territories rumored to have magical traces upon them.

The first and the most obvious place to search was the Sea of Monsters, also known as the Bermuda triangle. It was one of the most mysterious places to exist, having been credited as the home to Sirens, Circle, and the twin sisters-turned-monsters Scylla and Charybdis. Moreover, it was the place where Satyrs usually met the end of their Pan-search.

The few memoirs that mentioned the Fleece always described it as having a strong sense of nature magic, something Satyrs would love to drown into.

Being my one and only lead, it made sense to scan the entire Bermuda Triangle before I move on. I doubted it would take me more than a day either...hell, it probably wouldn't even take an hour but I planned to thoroughly search every Island or piece of land I find in the area.

Even then, a day should be enough.

Now the only things remaining was to meet the rest of my new family, place an order for Divine Armor, and I'd be finally free to go.

I planned to be done with the first one by the time Hephaestus arrived in his Palace again. Which meant I had a total of two more days to arrange an audience with the remaining gods, and then…

Then it was quest time.

------------------------------------

The next day started my speed-run of godly-meetings, and the first name on my list was Hermes.

My meeting with Hermes passed about the same as the first. Except, I didn’t run away this time.

The moment I entered his Palace, I knew the god wanted nothing to do with me.

"Did father force you into this?" Hermes asked, not even looking at me as he busied himself with a bunch of letters.

There was a coldness to his voice when he talked, coldness that had been missing the last time. I wasn’t stupid enough not to know the reason for it, but it was still a shame to lose a possibly valuable ally.

Still, I didn’t let it bother me a bit; neither was I willing to waste my time clearing the air between us.

So I gave him as blithe a shrug as I can. "He wasn't willing to let me skip this. It would seem my appointment as an Olympian means I have to introduce myself properly. Well, my name is Mikael and I’m your brother.”

Hermes nodded. “I believe I find our shared time to be sufficient. But I’m a busy god, possibly the busiest at times like these. So I bid you farewell. See yourself out if you will, please.”

I shrugged and saw myself out.

Any excuse to be done with this was a welcome one.

------------------------------------

Unbelievable though it might sound, my meeting with the goddess side of Olympus started even more poorly.

Then again, I wasn’t holding too much hope when facing the one I’d hated half my life; Athena.

Meeting Athena was a lot like throwing shit at an impervious wall. It doesn’t matter how hard you throw it, it will never stick.

"You are an anomaly." She’d reiterated her opinion, granting no further justification.

"And? So you hate change then?" I asked back, at least trying to understand her views.

"I'm not against change, Mikael.” Athena answered calmly. “I'm against that which cannot be predicted, and potentially affect Olympus in the most unpleasant of ways. Your mere presence brews chaos wherever you go. Even Fates do not try to guide you anymore. It makes you even more responsible for the chaos your action causes."

Finally, I gave up, going back to my sneering self that I’d adopted when dealing with particularly irritating gods. "You must live a pathetically boring life then, to be so fearful of unpredictability."

Her eyes twitched, and my heart gave a wobbly back flip. ‘Finally! The cold bitch got done in!’

“You need not worry about making my life more interesting.” She’d given a tight, mocking smile. “I would suggest focusing more on your own chaotic life that has left two cities in ruins. You may curse me as cruel, think me unfeeling, but I’m not the one responsible for killing almost a million people in a matter of weeks.”

My eyes chilled, hands clenched in fists. “No, you’re just responsible for fucking like a bitch in heat and letting your children die in droves.”

“My children are perfectly capable of surviving without help.” She tilted her head proudly. “And those who cannot, do not deserve my help anyway.”

I snorted. “I guess you also believe in survival of fittest, eh? The strongest lives while the weakest rots?”

She didn’t appear impressed. “I’ve never claimed that.”

“No? Perhaps I should adjust my words. I guess you also believe in survival of fittest when it’s convenient for you, eh? Use it as an excuse to let your children die while you sit on your throne complaining to your ‘Lord Father’ about how cruel the world is for not worshipping beneath your feet.”

Understandably, the conversation hadn’t progressed well from that point and I found myself kicked off.

------------------------------------

Later that day, I decided to pay the camp a visit. My target? The camp director.

Amongst all my new family members, Dionysus was perhaps the most comforting one, for his attitude changed not one bit.

Though he did prove to be slightly more...wiser than I’d given him credit for.

“A bit of an advice for you, brother.” He’d said. “Don’t hold grudges. It would do you no good. I know not if you’ve gained true immortality but I have no doubt you’d be with us for the next thousand years at least. A long time to hate, as I’ve found the hard way. Accept the Olympians, ignore their flaws, and keep on with your life. Soon you’ll get used to it. Some might resent you for replacing Ares, but don’t think upon it too much. Hestia was much more loved than that brute; when I replaced her, I was a subject of no less than eight non-subtle threats. None came true. For all their prickliness, Olympians are a simple bunch. And they care for family above all. Even above their followers. Should you rape one of Artemis’ maidens for instance, you’ll find her wrath directed at your little friends rather than you. Should you keep rejecting Aphrodite’s advances, it will be your mortal friends who suffer from heartbreak and betrayal. That is how gods work. Better you get used to it now than find it the hard way like me.”

------------------------------------

Out of all the gods and goddesses however, the one that I truly wasn’t ready for was Aphrodite.

I’d been half hoping to never hear from her again but in the evening of my second Olympic day, one of my Nymphs delivered me her summons.

Sighing, I rubbed my brows, the dim light of my solar casting an ominous glare over me as I sat thinking.

Aphrodite was one of the few beings I did not want to tangle with...not even in bed. Hephaestus had proved himself to be an incredibly useful ally, and it would be right foolish of me to alienate him just to wet my dick inside some divine pussy.

....No matter how tempting the idea might appear to be.

Unfortunately, Aphrodite had proved herself incredibly dangerous, and I feared the temptation might prove too much for me someday; I can’t keep hiding behind Gamer’s Mind after all.

I still remembered the day I’d first laid my eyes on her. A single look at her divine body had made me a dull minded buffoon. And even though my pride maintained that it was only due to me being surprised and mentally vulnerable, it was still too big a risk to take.

'Gamer's Mind will need to be active throughout this meeting.' I sighed.

Well...nothing to it. I'll meet her, reject any seduction attempts, and come back quickly.

Plan made, I set my jaw and readied myself.

It was time to pay the Mythology’s most famous love goddess a visit.

------------------------------------

One thing I quickly realized was that the night in Olympus was far from dark. Should mortals ever manage to catch a glimpse of it, Paris would find it impossible to hold its ‘City of Lights’ title.

Deep in the night that wasn’t dark, I found my target to be on a lower hill than mine.

Aphrodite's Palace was every bit as grand as Ares'—or mine now—though I didn't expect anything else. All the Palaces—except Zeus and Hera's—were around the same size and build. The difference came in their décor and aura.

Aphrodite's, for instance, reminded me of freshly picked flowers, intense passion, and...Pleasure house?

Though the last one could also be due to its owner, who was waiting for me with her doors wide open; her eyes twinkling, and breaths bated.

"My Lord Mikael!" Aphrodite simpered cheerily, looking as doe-eyed and awestruck as a mortal girl. "Please, come in. I've been waiting for a very long time."

She batted her eyelashes, extending a hand to grasp my arm.

Even with Gamer's Mind Activated, I couldn't help but feel my breath become slightly harsh as she entered my personal space. I pointedly did not look anywhere below her face, my peripheral giving me enough view to let me know one thing clearly…

Danger.

The V-cut of her gown was just a little too low: baring a massive amount of cleavage to be feast by one’s lucky eyes. While the high slits at her sides were a little too high: showing her perfectly shaped, jade-like thighs in all their naked glory.

Giggling softly, she dragged me inside, looking like the most desirable nymph.

But she was more than that, I knew. So much more.

I suppressed my instinct to snatch my hand away, focusing instead on my godly senses.

Even though she appeared shrouded from me, my domain could pick up the barest hints of her desire, giving me a strong sense of anticipation and hope…along with the slightest bit of nervousness.

‘Observe’

Aphrodite

Race: God

Tier: 9 (Elder God)

Current Tier: 8 (True God)

Level: 839 (Divine Form) [Max]

Current Level: 739 (Mortal Form)

‘She’s stronger than Hestia.’ I realized, a shiver of muted shock going through my spine.

You wouldn’t guess the simpering fool of a woman in front of me was an Elder God.

“Come on, my love.” She beckoned, her every word promising a different sin. “Don’t be shy. You're one of us now, we're in this together now. You can trust me.”

She winked at me.

Having had enough—with my domain clearly hinting at her games—I snatched my arm away, letting my grimace show. "Thanks, but I have no time to play your games. Out with it."

Aphrodite frowned innocently, a hurtful expression wrecking her face. "Please, Mikael. You cannot possibly think so badly of me, surely?"

I snorted. "You do realize I can almost hear your desires, yeah? I’m most likely the worst target you could’ve picked to fool."

For a moment she still tried to hold onto her innocent maiden face, but then her smile grew brittle and her eyes twitched madly. A second later, it melted away completely.

Finally admitting defeat, Aphrodite sighed and turned away, muttering expletives under her breath as she walked deeper inside her Palace.

This time, I followed without being forced, though my cautiousness was at an all-time high.

"Even my son cannot do that to me." She stated, glancing back with a proper frown. "What exactly are you the god of again?"

There was an undeniable glint of intelligence in her narrowed eyes now, a crafty persona that appeared dangerous on her gorgeous face.

Suppressing the urge to summon Stormbreaker and wreck her perfect face up, I cocked my head curiously. "I thought everyone knew? I can feel the aura of your domain very clearly."

For some reason, even with my hackles raised, I already liked this Aphrodite much better than the last one.

"I can," She nodded, now having completely given up on her foolish act. "But it is too...hidden. Your Holy Aura overpowers your scent too much, and your beauty is too distracting for me to focus properly."

She winked at the last one, but it seemed so close to mortal flirting that instead of growing even more suspicious, I let out a light snort.

Her explanation on the other hand, was much less understandable; the godly business being still too new for me.

"So, what are you the god of?" Aphrodite asked again.

I frowned, trying to think of any reason not to reveal it; I couldn't.

Shrugging, I answered. "Beauty and Desire."

Aphrodite came to a sudden halt, whirling around, a look of abject shock on her face.

I slowly readied myself for an explosive response, my wings a microsecond away from unfurling. "...What?"

She blinked, and the shock was gone as soon as it came. Shaking her head, she turned around again. "Nothing. I should've known...who else could hope to...well. It doesn't matter."

There was something melancholy in her tone, her entire demeanor almost changing to and fro from a shy lover to a crafty spider as she peeked glances over her back.

I didn't let it bother me, and we soon reached what looked like her living room.

In my previous life, it would've been the most luxurious sight I'd ever seen. In Olympus, it was a cool room with two open arched balconies and soft cushions to sit and relax.

“Please, take a seat.” Aphrodite said, waving at one of the couches, a small fruit-stand next to it. “I will be back shortly.”

She disappeared in the other room without another glance, leaving me to my thoughts.

Instead of sitting, I approached the open balcony, letting the cool magical wind of Olympus sooth out my worries.

‘What exactly am I doing here?’ I found myself wondering. ‘I should be out there, hunting, fighting…exploring my powers. Hell, I could’ve been back with the Fleece by now.’

Yet, one promise from Zeus had tangled me with the gods.

‘I need to leave Olympus. And soon.’

The soft steps of Aphrodite’s naked feet entered my ears and I quickly turned around.

She held in her hands a small mundane vase, her fingers handling it with tender care. Instead of presenting it to me, she simply placed it on the wooden table.

Then she turned around, an expectant look on her face, and waited.

‘She expects me to react to it?’ I took a closer look at the vase but couldn’t see anything special.

“What’s this?” I found myself asking. “You don’t expect me to be in awe of your chamber pot, do you?”

For a moment her mouth simply opened and closed like a fish…then she burst out laughing, and I could’ve sworn there was no other sound more delightful to hear.

"Gods do not use 'chamber pots' Mikael. No, it was given to me by..."

She glanced at me again, almost drinking in my face for a brief moment, before she shook herself out of it.

"By someone who mattered a lot to me."

I frowned. ‘This is getting ridiculously weird now.’

Shaking my head, I focused on the goddess as she threw herself on the couch; suddenly sad.

But my patience was at its limit.

"What do you want?" I asked bluntly.

She turned to face me, her monstrous tits being squashed underneath her as she lay on her stomach.

Our eyes met, and I found myself drowning in the depths of two ocean blue orbs.

"You."

I almost didn’t register the words. Almost.

"You can't have me."

I couldn’t see her expression as she quickly turned away from me, pushing herself to sit up slowly, almost sultrily, before finally glancing at me again.

“Well…maybe not you, you.” She shrugged. “Just your help…and support.”

“For what?” I raised a brow, completely lost.

“To gain power, of course.” She smiled, placing her head on the back of her palm, her elbow propped on her knee. “To extend my domain across the continents. Over the whole world even.”

I nodded slowly, not knowing what the fuck she meant but already knowing I wanted nothing to do with it.

“I’ll think about it.”

She sighed, grimacing. “…How about I add you in as well? Yes, I mean you, you. I want you, your help, support, body, love….everything.”

I simply stared at her. “You can’t have it.”

This time though, there was a burning intensity to her gaze, a stubborn frustrated glint that she couldn’t hide behind her hair.

Then she took a deep breath, visibly calming, and gave a single nod. “And what will I have to do to have it?”

I wasn’t going to answer her but the words tumbled out of my mouth anyway. "Stop being such a whore?"

I suppressed a wince. ‘True but rude.’

Her eyes flashed dangerously, mouth twisting. "That's easy for you to say, when you have the strength of God himself. My only weapons are my wits, my face, and the promise of pleasure derived from this body.”

I shrugged. “Tough.”

She snarled, and I could feel her Authority very clearly now. Authority much greater than my own. “Quite a hypocrite, aren’t you? Why don’t you follow your own suggestion then? How are you any different than me? Or does being a man give you a free pass?"

I snorted. "For one, I'm not married. For two, I'm not the one going around professing my need to possess someone. If I do fall in love and settle down, I wouldn't act like the current me. But you? I don't think loyalty is something you can ever hope to accept."

"You do not think I can stay true to one love?" She appeared amused by the notion, but I could feel the edges of her growing anger. "You truly think I'm a whore, don't you?"

I shrugged. "You're a goddess. As long as you keep your distance from me, I'll try not to judge you."

No matter how much she may have tortured Hephaestus, I really didn’t want beef with this goddess if I can avoid it.

She was silent for a long time before she finally looked up. "What if I never touch a man again?"

I blinked, stunned.

She stood up, and started approaching me slowly. "What if I never touch a man or a god again? I want power, Mikael. Power to extend my domain across the entire world. And you…you can have anything of me. We can be good to each other. You see me as a whore. I’m not. And I can prove it to you….”

I stood still as the goddess took my hand in hers. "I know my affections for you are not returned right now. And I'm not asking for it either. I simply ask...to give me a chance."

…And yet, for all her talk of affection, she’d somehow managed to hide herself from my domain completely…disabling me from even getting a glimpse of her true desire…

I snatched my hand away. “I’ll think about it.”

She stared at my face in silence, a deep painful hunger burning in her eyes as she drank me in. Then, a cold mask enveloped her as she snorted. “No. No, you won’t.”

I kept quiet. It was true anyway. I had no plans to accept anything coming out of this goddess. Manipulation seems to come to her like breathing.

“Leave me. Now.”

I left.

Had I lingered long enough, I would’ve heard a woman’s scream of fury echoing under the walls of the Palace, followed by the sound of her destroying a precious vase—a vase she’d kept safe for thousands of years. Had I lingered long enough, I would’ve witnessed the fury turning to wretched heartbreak, her sobs sad enough to melt the coldest of hearts.

But I didn’t. By the time the sun climbed up the sky again, I’d forced myself to forget about her entirely.

------------------------------------

‘Day three of me surviving Olympus.’ I chuckled.

Also my last day here for the time being. Hephaestus was supposed to move back to his Palace today; apparently Zeus had tasked him with a special objective, something I wasn’t privy to.

‘Meh, probably some Titan-killing weapon.’

But today he should have enough time from the war to complete his side of the bargain.

Honestly, while I knew better than anyone that the war had started, it didn’t feel like it had. Though I was certain the cause behind it was Olympus itself; the city without fear.

Not that I truly blamed them. Olympus was likely the safest place in the entire pantheon. Not only did it have the constant presence of True and Elder Gods, but it also had the reassurance that the gods would never abandon it…unless they wished to lose their main power base. Even Zeus and Poseidon would likely die trying than give up on the city; for they knew what the destruction of ‘Hall of Gods’ would entail.

That was another reason why I felt like a guest. Even though I was an Olympian now, I was different from my family to the most basic level.

…I had no reason to stay loyal to them, no obligation to protect the city. I could literally leave the pantheon and do my thing if that is what I wished for. I didn’t have a Palace that held my divinity. I didn’t have a seat in the Hall of Gods that held my Spirit.

I was free.

…Well, theoretically at least. Cause right now, as I prepared to meet another Goddess, I did not feel free. At all.

One couldn’t imagine my relief when I realized this shall be my last meeting. Artemis wasn’t willing to entertain me, and Demeter didn’t want to waste her valuable Persephone-time on me.

Yet, when the time came to meet my last god—or, well, goddess—instead of relief, I felt an unusual amount of hesitation.

I hadn't cared a lot for the rest of the Olympians, wanting to just get it over with as quickly as I could. I didn't give a fuck what sort of impression I could be making over my fellow gods. Thalia's survival took a much bigger priority for me than a bunch of arrogant bastards.

But this one...this one was going to be different, I knew. There was a purpose behind this one, something that made my heart twist with complicated emotions.

Perhaps it was due to being completely caught off-guard by Aphrodite already, but I was really hoping this meeting wouldn’t throw some ridiculous curveball at me.

When I'd first laid my feet on Olympus, I knew this day would be coming sooner or later. The day of confrontation...the woman that forced my mother to run away...

It was time to confront Hera.

'....Or is it?'

I forced myself to stop outside of her palace, the royal gold and white a picture of power and grace. The huge pillars may well be half a dozen times taller than me, and wide enough that I'd never be able to wrap my hands around it.

What could the gods possibly do with palaces so big? Not like they had their own family or something. At the end of the day, they were just a single person. Living in a palace all alone seemed horrifyingly sad...

I shook my head, taking a deep breath. 'I'm stalling.'

Could I be blamed though?

The last time I'd entered Olympus, I’d expected to feel Hera's wrath bubbling on the surface, ready to be unleashed upon me any second...Yet, all I'd received was a cold, composed glance of contempt.

At any other time, I might've simply dismissed it as her real personality. Not all rumors you read or hear are true after all, and most of these rumors came from the mouths of people who'd never even met Hera in their lifetime.

Yet, I couldn't dismiss it. Not when I knew how utterly fake it was.

After having achieved level 5 Divine Domain, I'd unlocked the ability to passively feel the desire of individuals inside my dome, which kinda extended throughout the states. I wagered it would've been even further had there been someone praying to me outside of New York.

The point is, my domain had revealed some... very interesting things, to say the least. Things I didn't want to dwell on for long, in fear of being wrong in the end.

‘Damn, Aphrodite’s left me some P.T.S.D.’

Snorting, I shook my head, coming upon the divine Palace of Hera; slightly uncertain, slightly conflicted.

I’d barely touched the grand doors when they swung open on their own. With a crack of my head, I psyched myself up and sauntered inside; my gait that of supreme confidence.

Let it never be said that Mikael Gabrielson runs away from volatile situations!

…Apollo didn’t count! That was a little too volatile, even for me.

The moment I entered the palace of Hera, I was struck by how welcoming it felt. Much more welcoming than my own current residence, that was for sure.

Being placed on one of the highest peaks of Mount Olympus, the palace delivered a great view over the rest of the city through the wide arched windows that let great gusts of wind blow inside.

I was just beginning to appreciate it when, all of a sudden however, every window shut with a snap, leaving behind only a bunch of candles to light the room.

I didn't need to search for the culprit behind it.

For she stood there alone, her back to me, gazing upon my reflection in the now shut window. The back of her crown was visible to me, perching on top of lustrous black hair that curled up prettily at the end.

My eyes couldn't help but venture lower, and a deep sense of hunger gnawed at my heart as I took in the perfect body barely hidden by her thin satin robe that hugged to her curves in all the right places.

Her back sloped in the most graceful of ways to make way for her royal rump that shot spikes of desire through me. Round and large—like a curved bubble—with a deep line perfectly dividing the two buns as if she'd purposely pushed her thin gown into her bottom's valley.

‘Now that’s a divine ass.’

There was nothing I would've liked more than to go drag her from behind and plop her on my lap, rubbing my hardened member all over her that bubbly booty.

When Hera finally deigned to face me, I couldn’t help but take a shaky breath in.

‘Beautiful.’ Almost as beautiful as Aphrodite…

…Alright, maybe the last one was a lie, but her beauty was still enough to catch my breath away.

"You came later than I expected." Her words may as well have been wind to my ears, lovely though they were, for my entire being was busy drinking in the sight of her. "Why?"

So obviously she didn’t receive an answer.

The thin sage-green robe hung off of her shoulders with only two clasps holding them in place, leaving a very low neck-line that left little to imagination.

I'd slept with many women, from the beautiful daughters of Aphrodite to the prettiest of actresses. From the busiest of girls to the fully matured wives and mothers.

But if beauty was calculated through the sheer grace and power a body could emit, then Hera would win over them all by a far wider mile than countable.

Her heavy breasts were barely held up by her robe, full and round, like two teardrops the size of melons. Her robe hugged her slender waist and wide thighs perfectly, before parting downwards to bare a milky pale thigh for my viewing pleasure.

Had it not been Hera, the woman in front of me would've looked almost as shameless as Aphrodite.

But it was Hera, and thus, even with baring an absurd amount of skin, she looked to be the most graceful of queens instead, simply granting her subject the honor of viewing her perfect body.

'I can see why Zeus went for her over all her sisters.'

I tried to snap myself out of it, tried to maintain a false anger for show. After all, she did send deities to hunt after me and made no secret of her hatred.

But looking at her now, she appeared almost as beautiful and desirable as Gabriel—perhaps equally so, for she was here, right now, while the subject of my love wasn't.

'She's as good as your step-mother, fool.' I tried reminding myself. 'Andthe wife of your father.'

Yet, all it did was fan the flames of lust even further, the taboo of the situation driving my heart on fire.

"My eyes, you may find, do not lie in my breasts." Her dry voice came, Authority clear within them. "I asked you a question."

I snorted, finally tearing my eyes up to glance at her beautiful face—as beautiful as my Nymphs in fact, but with far more elegance than they could hope to sport. "If you wear clothes as revealing as Aphrodite, I'll assume you mean for me to enjoy the sight."

Then I cocked my head, smirking. "Or are you actually displeased by my attention...Hera?"

I wasn't worried about offending her. Even though she tried her hardest to hide her shameful desires from my senses, it didn't quite work completely.

I knew what she wanted.

Compared to Aphrodite, Hera might as well have been an open book.

Her eyes narrowed in ‘anger’, but when she began making her way towards me, there was a visible sway to her hips.

I smiled.

"I see why Zeus made you an Olympian." She said, scoffing at my smile. "You're just a younger version of him."

Yet, for all her contempt, my domain still had a very different story to tell...

And perhaps the most shocking of all, there wasn't even a drop of desire to harm me in her currently.

…And so I continued perving on her blatantly.

Her every step made her robes readjust, sometimes giving me a glimpse of more than just her deep cleavage, showing the barest hint of her pink nipples, sometimes the cut on her robe would bare her thighs a little too high, giving me the slightly view of her thigh line...

And with each step she took, she spat out words at me like they were meant as an insult. "More boorish."

"Less powerful."

"More impudent."

"Less sensible."

Finally she came to a stop in front of me. "And much more of a fool."

"And perhaps a little more pretty." Her lips curved mockingly. "You didn't think I actually bared my true feelings to you in the halls of gods? No, you silly child. It was simply a ploy to get you where I needed."

For a second I almost feared her words—Aphrodite’s example clear in my head—but then the logic kicked in and I found myself relaxing.

‘If even the Goddess of Love cannot manipulate her own desires, how the fuck could Hera hope to?’

Which meant…

'Ah...so that's how you want to play this...'

Well, two can play this game.

"You didn't have to act like a whore to get my attention." I sneered, laughing. "I was commanded by Zeus to meet all the gods anyway. And you knew this."

I stepped closer to her, unafraid and inciting. "Yet, you still stand in front of me dressed like this. Are you to tell me now that this is also a part of your great plan to trick me?"

Her breathing still stirred calmly, but her eyes...her eyes flickered just for a single moment; restless and flustered...and I struck.

"Tell me then, Hera..." I purred, a finger rising to caress her face. "Why does the queen of Olympus grace me with the bared view of her body?"

My finger dipped down from her chin to her neck, before moving further downwards, almost touching the start of her cleavage when it was finally swatted away.

As she turned away, her face was flushed and breathing erratic. "You do not lack for confidence at least, foolish though it might be."

Even her words sounded shaky.

She glanced back, suddenly graver than before, her eyes turning golden and radiating such power that I held my breath. "Whatever you do, should you call me a whore again, you won't leave here alive."

I took a deep, calming breath when the goddess turned away again.

‘Alright, don’t push too hard yet.’

My Domain picked up on the authenticity of her threat, though it was marred by great reluctance…

It was a minor reminder; for all this little game we were playing, the being in front of me was still an Elder god. Underestimating her would be foolish. Disrespecting her even more.

For now.

"I called you here at the behest of my son." She spoke at last, her back still to me. "For the remainder of the war, you will take care of him. See to his needs, make sure he does nothing foolish. As much as I love him, I'm not unaware of his...less than average intelligence. With you serving him however, I have no doubt he would survive."

She looked like she meant the last one as a compliment.

I couldn't help it. I threw back my head and laughed.

"Do you think I jest?" She hissed, whirling around and closing the distance between us threateningly.

Yet, I knew she never expected me to actually heed her commands. The fact that she still tried…

With great struggle, I finally forced down my laughter, shaking my head. "You silly bitch."

Her eyes flashed dangerously but I kept going, now realizing the reason for her reluctance to hurt me…

Aside from the most obvious one, that is.

"Did you actually believe I'll be cawed down by the likes of you?" I snorted. "All you fucking gods are such dumb little shitstains. I'd rather die than bend to someone as deluded as you. So keep this in mind, in case you get any new ideas...I will kill Ares in half a heartbeat if I sense even the slightest bit of your plotting. I will torture him to insanity, destroy that fucking castle so he'll be cursed with weakness forever, before finally tearing him apart and strangling with his own intesti—"

Rage in her eyes, the queen of Goddess cocked back her hand and swung.

I stood back—a little surprised—as the sting of her slap registered.

"How dare you." She trembled, her words a hiss of her rage. “I should incinerate you where you sta—“

Growling, I gave her another reason to rage when the back of my hand landed on her soft cheek with a thunderous crack of strength.

Hera staggered back, her entire head jerking to the right from the slap, mouth open and gasping, with pure shock in her eyes as she stared back at me.

‘Zeus has never struck her.’ I realized.

She straightened, looking more hurt by my action than the slap, her act of playing tough bitch vanishing away….

And then I was onto her, my mouth smashing against hers before she could decide her next action, my hands tearing at her dress; taking a hold of her large tits; squeezing and kneading into them. She didn’t even try to pretend like this wasn’t exactly what she wanted; her own hands quickly came to grip the back of my head, pulling me deeper inside her mouth, before climbing down, roaming at my neck and back.

Suddenly she backed away, taking deep gulps of air. “You hit me.”

I shrugged, my hands still on her tits, unwilling to let go. “So did you.”

Her hands came to clutch mine, stopping them at place.

Uncertain, I frowned. 'Did I judge her wrongly?'

But she didn't remove my hands from her tits, insteadshe dragged them upwards to rest on her shoulders.

"I don’t care anymore, but you will not tear my clothes like a brute." She hissed, still close enough that I could touch lips with mine. "I'm not one of your mortal conquests."

'Ahhh...'

Pressing forward, I retook her lips in a gentler kiss while my fingers unhooked the clasps holding her robes. With just a simple tug, they came undone.

The robe slid off of her body slowly, first the two straps falling down, dividing the robe into two pieces of clothes; one that covered her front, the other her back.

The cloth on her back slid down without any trouble, but her tits were huge enough that the front one simply fell on top of them, coming to a halt.

Hera stood still, each breath pushing the cloth up and down along with her breasts.

I bent down slowly—my eyes still locked with hers—and took a hold of her dress between my teeth. Then, I slowly peeled them off, letting them drop down once they braved through the slope of her twin mountains.

Finally uncovered; the two globes of simple perfection glistened golden under the candle’s glow, pink cherries topping their peaks, transfixing my eyes with their eternal beauty.

"Beautiful indeed." I murmured against them, slowly letting my lips touch the soft plump flesh.

Hera took a deep breath, which changed into a gasp when I began attacking with a savage fervor. My teeth bit into her skin, my tongue and lips slathering her tits, leaving a trail of wetness behind as I hurried to cover every inch of them.

Hera’s gasps soon turned into moans as my hands joined the attack, squeezing the soft but firm flesh tightly while I tried to devour them whole.

“How…?” She gasped out as I left a trail of kisses all over her upper body, my mouth rising back up to her neck again. “Zeus never did anything like this…”

The words were so jarring coming out of an ancient goddess that I forced myself to disengage, giving her a look of pure pity. “You poor soul. You’ve only ever been with one man, haven’t you? Let me show how much more there is to sex.”

She opened her mouth, furious, but I captured her lips in a savage kiss; biting and sucking her face off.

“Let me show you…” I mumbled against her mouth mid-frenching. “What pleasure truly is…”

She moaned loudly upon my tongue as my hand dipped down to massage her divine clit, while my other hand hand quickly tore away my pants, freeing my steeled shaft before going back to continue tormenting her tits.

With our mouths still attached, I guided her delicate hands—who’d been floundering uselessly—to my shaft, forcing her to stroke it.

When our faces finally parted from one another, in a moment of passion Hera clutched at my back, digging bloody trenches across with her nails but also ripping apart my shirt open.

I let them fall off.

Now both of us completely naked, we rubbed against each other, writhing like two worms, my shaft against her thighs, sometimes touching her slit and sending shivers of pleasure through both of us.

Suddenly I took a fistful of her hair, dragging them back painfully.

She gasped, but presented her neck to me all the same, and I latched onto her delicious curve with savage intensity, biting and licking her jade like flesh; perfect and smooth.

"You knew I picked up on your lust the moment I walked in, didn’t you?" I hissed against her collarbone, head tilting up to stare into her witless eyes that seemed to know nothing but pleasure. "You knew we were going to end up like this."

I threw her towards a cushion armchair, bending her over it forcefully. I lined myself behind her shapely arse, feeling more lustful than I’ve ever done for any mortal woman in my life.

Even the thought of banging Sally in front of Poseidon couldn’t hope to come close.

I couldn't help it, I smacked my groin against her bubbly arse with desperate need, rubbing my hardened member up and down her gushing slit with a fierce intensity.

"Ohhh...fuck." I exclaimed, feeling a heat unlike any emitting from the wetness of her perfect cunt.

With my right hand, I once again gripped a fistful of her hair and jerked her head to a side and let my mouth attack her; from her slender neck to her delicate shoulders, my teeth left visible red marks as I bit and sucked, all the while my shaft grinded against her divine lower lips.

“Yes.” Suddenly Hera pushed me back with a hiss, her strength catching me off-guard and almost sending me stumbling away. When I looked up in surprise, she'd already closed the gap between us, smashing her tits into my chest as she swept me up in a fierce kiss, pushing me back until the back of my knees touched the wooden hold of her bed. “Yes, I knew exactly how this day was going to end.”

Realizing her intentions, I picked her whole body up and dumped her on the bed, quickly following suit.

She didn't fight me again, laying there with legs crossed. "Come then, accept your payment for helping my son."

She spread her legs apart.

Kneeling between her legs, I stared at her from above, a sense of muted awe spreading through my being as I witnessed the glory of Hera; her hair was spread on the bed like a halo, her royal crown still sat upon her brow, and her divine body looked so perfect that I knew I was never going back to mortal women.

Then I fell upon her like an animal that I knew myself to be in bed, crushing her beneath me, my body big enough to cover her completely.

We wrestled atop the bed for supremacy, our strength almost equal. Yet, for all her millenniums worth of life, Hera wasn’t a very experienced warrior in bed. The result of our grinding and smooching came out with her on all fours, and me kneeling behind her. 

I started grinding again.

I'd planned to properly worship her body, to kiss and taste every part of her, but Hera's patience finally seemed to snap, for the next moment she adjusted my cock to spearhead straight inside her.

"We don't have much time." She hissed. "I've exiled Zeus for the stunt he pulled that day, but he won't stay away for long. Now be a good boy an—Oh! Y-you brute..."

Hera gasped as I eased myself into her folds without warning.

I bend down to cup her body, a hand wrapping around her dangling breasts as my mouth pressed to her ears, kissing softly to whisper. "Zeus isn't taking proper care of you, is he?"

She moaned high, arching her back as I entered her fully. "W-would I be here if he was?"

My responding chuckle was cut in the middle when my member finally found her sweet spot. Her entire lower body began shaking from my slow thrust, her ass jiggling involuntarily from what seemed like multiple minor orgasms.

“Darling, we haven’t even begun our ride.” I barely managed to chuckle from the deep waves of pleasure assaulting me. “Better get ready, if that’s the standard I had to defeat.”

And then I began thrusting, our groins smacking against each other as the familiar ritual of mating commenced. Only this time, I had a goddess under me.

And she was every bit as strong as me.

So I held nothing back.

With whispers and kisses, I started fucking the Queen of Olympus with all my being, our thighs slapping with the sweetest splat, our moans rising in the air. With my name on her tongue, I spent my last day on Olympus conquering the wife of my father.

--------------------

It must’ve been twelve hours later that we finally found a moment of respite, our divine bodies satisfied for the time being.

"You really never laid with a goddess before?" Hera asked against my chest as she laid sprawling over me.

“No.” I drew her closer, my hand tightening around her waist. “You’ve the privilege of that.”

Hera giggled. “Oh, lucky me. I’m so very honored to be your first.”

My finger trailed up and down her side lightly, caressing the divine flesh of the Queen of Olympus. “As you should be.”

“That tickles.” Hera laughed, clutching at my offending finger and bringing it up to her lips. “I don’t suppose I’ll be your last as well.”

She kissed the finger slowly.

Eyebrows raised, I cupped her chin and made her meet my eyes. “Probably not, but I’ll remember you fondly.”

I brought myself down to capture her in a gentle kiss.

As I pulled back to watch her again however, she refused to meet my eyes. “I doubt that. You’ll forget all about me when you taste Aphrodite. Or maybe you’ll find some pretty little mortal who’s perfect for you. The heart of man is a fickle thing indeed.”

I huffed. “You shouldn’t make assumptions, My Queen. After all, just one time is too low a payment for my services. This is just the beginning of our escapades.”

Hera grunted. “So you say.”

After a few moments, I glanced down at her again. "So, do you regret it?"

For a few seconds there was only silence. Then, almost hesitantly, she peered up, smiling. "No. No, I don’t think I do."

Then she propped herself on her elbow, a palm supporting her head. "And you better not, either."

I would've snorted had she not closed the distance between us the next second, smashing her lips against mine.

She moaned lightly, before suddenly backing away again, eyes closed in serene joy. "You're young. You'll feel guilty about betraying your father—"

After a ride like that? Like hell.

"But you shouldn't. He had it coming for thousands of years now."

"Hasn’t he changed?" I asked carefully.

She snorted, laying back down again. "No. He didn't change, no matter how much he pretends. He played the same game when I and Poseidon trapped him in ropes. He promised us he'd be a better ruler. Promised us he won't give us any word to complain. And he kept his promise I guess....for all of two grand decades. Two decades where he actually treated me like his wife. Two decades of peace and joy. Then he went back to his whoring days and all his promises fell apart like a dam bursting. Do not be fooled by his new kindness, Mikael. It won't last for long. You remind him of Gabriel, I'm sure. Which is the only reason he is at least trying to act well."

"But I've known him for a long long time, Mikael. And a woman, no matter how holy and pure, cannot hope to change him. Only a beating as bad as the one God delivered will lay upon him any permanent mark."

I chuckled, but her words struck a memory in me; Poseidon’s words coming to the fore. ‘Is that all he is then? A chance for you to prove us all wrong?’

It was…actually a relieving prospect. If Zeus truly was the same asshole everyone believed him to be, then I could keep this affair going with nary a guilt in my heart.

"You know...” Hera started again. “The gods I sent to watch you...they were only meant to spy. See what you do, perhaps take a picture of you naked."

I didn't say anything, simply nuzzling into her breasts as she massaged my hair.

"I thought once or twice, to take the figure of one of your mortal lovers and seduce you...but I could never make myself betray Zeus."

I was completely baffled. "Why?"

She frowned. "What do you mean why? I'm the goddess of Marriage and family...if I decide cheating is fair in marriage then the meaning of marriage will be redefined forever.”

"But cheating has already become a normal part of a marriage now. Western civilization has normalized it to the very extreme. I have resisted the urge to give in for as long as I can.... but if Zeus doesn’t wish to learn, then there is no point in me resisting. And you’re so much better anyway, that I doubt I’ll go back to my monotonous life.”

Only after she’d finished clearing her head did I finally ask my real question.

"No, I mean why would you take someone else's form?" I propped myself on my elbow, turning to stare in her eyes.

There was a glint of hesitance and shame in them as she turned away.

"I-I just...never thought you might lay with me willingly..."

For a moment I didn’t understand her words, but when they did start making sense, I found the prospect so ridiculous that I threw my head back and laughed. "A-are you kidding me? Seriously?"

Her eyes flashed in hurt and she pushed herself to sit straight. "I think we're done for today."

I stopped her from leaving, dragging her back into my arms and hugging her naked body tightly, one hand gripping her jiggly breasts and one hand pressing her head to me.

"Look at me."

Reluctantly, she turned her eyes to me. And I could see tears of anger and shame slowly trickling down her cheeks…

And then I realized....she doesn't think herself desirable enough.

‘Holy Lord, Zeus has fucked up her self-esteem.’

Well…I was happy to do something about it.

Softly, I pressed my lips to hers then; kissing her tenderly, like a new lover.

Pushing back, I met her eyes again. "You are one of the most beautiful women in the world, Hera. Anyone would be lucky to be graced by your presence. Zeus is a fucking bastard for making you believe anything else. Do you understand me?"

She didn't say anything, looking too mortified. Though there was a shy delight in her eyes now, happiness unlike any I've felt since meeting her was now present on her blushing face.

I pushed her back down on the bed. "But I’ve always believed that actions speak louder than words."

“So let my actions be the ones to convince you instead.” With a smirk, I dived down to her, ready to fuck the queen until the sun rises again.

From her enthusiastic response and laugh of joy, I believed she was of the same mind.

------------------------------------

AN: Okay, well over 16k...and definitely my biggest chapter I think. Still, I'm sure you guys would've rather preferred the chapter be on time after all the last 3 weeks of delays. And I'm gonna do my very best to fall back on 4 days/chapter schedule. There are no excuses anymore. Expect the next chapter to drop on 20th.

Anyway, really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I know it was mostly about character introductions and interactions, there wasn't much action or plot progression, but I've finally unleashed another one of MC's pairings! Let me know your thoughts of Aphrodite...and Hera as well! Anyone annoyed with Mikael banging her? This lewd really gave me massive amounts of trouble. I would've probably posted yesterday had it not been for that.

Anyway, that's it for now. See you all soon! 

Good bye and take care... And peace!