The air shimmered under the weight of Apollo's divine presence. Even the wind seemed to pause, as if unwilling to disturb the radiance that spilled from his form. The demigod Tyrone immediately dropped to one knee, his arrogance melting away like frost before the sun as his paled to a sheet of paper.
"F-Father!" he stammered, trembling as he bowed low. "I-I didn't mean—"
"Silence."
Apollo's voice carried like a gentle melody that could lull mortals to sleep, yet its undertone was sharp enough to silence even thunder. "Your purpose was to invite him, not provoke him."
Tyrone dared not lift his head. Despite being a direct descendant of the Sun God himself, he was nothing special, there were many demigods like him within the Greek Pantheon. Kousuke, on the other hand, merely raised his eyebrows, he looks unbothered as he tilted his head toward the radiant god with his hand on around his temple as if to shield his eyes from the bright light. He could've just appeared normally… Greek gods and their egos, he thought, shaking his head.
"So this is the great Apollo," he said dryly. "I was expecting someone with more… hm, I don't want to say cool because you Greeks likely thinks you're all high and mighty, the whole ego thing kinda old stuff you know? Even a piece of shit like this guy here is a demigod now, Just wow... how the mighty have fallen."
Tyrone trembled, both from rage and humiliation, yet he could do nothing but stare at the ground. Morgan giggled softly beside Kousuke, her crimson eyes glimmering with amusement. "You expected too much from these boorish gods, darling~."
Apollo's golden gaze shifted toward them both. There was no anger in his eyes, only a measured calm, like an elephant staring down at an ant on the dirt. "You're bolder than most mortals who stand before me, Kousuke," he said, lowering himself from the air to the ground in a smooth, almost ethereal motion. His feet touched the earth, yet he seemed untouched by it. "But perhaps that's what makes you interesting."
"I'm not interested in flattery," Kousuke replied, tone sharp but casual. "Your little boy here attacked me unprovoked. If this is how the Greek Pantheon treats people they want to talk to, I'll pass."
Apollo smiled faintly, as if amused rather than offended. "You misunderstand. I'm not here to ask you to submit to Greek, as much as my pride would like that, but that isn't time. I came to extend an invitation, more specifically one of ours is rather curious about you."
Morgan's gaze narrowed slightly. Ever since she appeared on Earth, several gods had taken notice of her and sent their followers to recruit her, but she had slain every last of those messengers. They all looked down on her at first, then started begging for mercy when hit with her destructive magic. "Curiosity, you say?"
Apollo nodded. "Ares, the God of War, has heard whispers of you, the human who makes the peace treaty happens amongst the Three Factions. Your battle with White Dragon Emperor was quite a sight to witness, at the very least it was entertaining." His eyes gleamed like molten gold, their warmth concealing a dangerous spark. "In any case, he wishes to meet you in person."
Kousuke arched a brow. "Ares, huh? And what does the God of War want with me? I'm sorry but the fan meeting is already closed, I'm actually quite the busy person you see."
"That," Apollo replied, his tone soft but carrying weight, "is something only he can tell you. But if I were to guess…" He took a slow step closer, the air shimmering with faint solar motes. "He wishes to test the limits of your strength. As you may know, the God of War seeks nothing more than a worthy battle."
Kousuke sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Figures. Of course the God of War's a battle maniac. Don't you gods have anything better to do? I don't know, something other than throwing your egos around?"
A small smirk tugged at Apollo's lips. "Perhaps. But can you blame us? Power attracts power. Even a god feels the pull when something unfamiliar disturbs the balance of the world. Your existence akin to magnet to us."
Morgan's hand brushed against Kousuke's arm, her tone lilting with mock irritation. "You're popular even among deities now. I should start charging them an entry fee just to breathe the same air as you at this rate. Maybe we should ask that God of War for compensation for ruining our honeymoon, darling~."
Apollo chuckled softly at that. "You have a sharp tongue, witch. I see why he keeps you close."
A brief silence followed, not hostile, but heavy with unspoken understanding. Apollo's gaze softened slightly, his divine aura dimming to something more human. "Despite what your experiences may tell you, not all gods are your enemies. Ares doesn't seek conflict without reason, and neither do I. Olympus has been quiet for too long… perhaps it's time for new winds to stir the supernatural world."
For a moment, only the wind moved between them, carrying the scent of sun-warmed stone and fading wine. Then Apollo extended his hand, palm open, as a faint golden portal began to form behind him. Its light shimmered like the dawn breaking over the horizon.
"When you're ready, come to Delphi," he said. "The Gate of the Sun will recognize your presence. Ares will be waiting, so I suggest you don't keep him waiting too long. He can be quite grumpy."
With that, the light enveloped him, and Apollo faded from existences. His divine warmth lingering like the aftertaste of summer before vanishing completely. The silence that followed was deep. Tyrone, pale and shaken, dared not move a muscle. The couple ignored him entirely, treating the demigod as if he were just another stone in the valley.
Kousuke stared at the spot where the god had stood, a faint exhale escaping his lips as an amused smile surfaced. "Great. Now I've got a meeting with a war god. I'd rather spend more time with my girls than deal with stinky old gods."
Morgan leaned into him with a mischievous grin. "At least it won't be boring, darling~. Olympus is a grand place, at least from what I've heard. Should be fun to tour."
He chuckled softly, eyes narrowing as he gazed at the lingering sunlight. "That's true," he murmured. "That sounds about right. But well, hopefully they don't stir up any trouble with me. I'm really not good at holding back. Especially Zeus—that horny god better not even glance at you, or I won't hesitate to chop off his hotdog into pieces."
"Oh my, husband is worried about me?" Morgan teased, her face tilting closer to his before kissing him deeply right there. When they finally pulled apart, her lips curved into a sultry smile. "Don't worry~ I'll do the honors myself. I won't let you dirty your hands for that pathetic, unruly god if he dares do anything strange."