The main hall echoed with quiet tension as the group assembled- Susanoo, Heracles, Ker, Wukong, Eris, Silver, Nyx and Orion. All stood silent as Nyx's heels tapped across the marble.
"I hope we are all ready," She said, glancing around the room. "This Gathering might be the most important one in centuries."
She turned to Wukong. "And you... Try not to start any fights."
Wukong scoffed and gave a sharp-toothed grin. "No promises. But I'll try to end them quickly."
Before anyone could reply, a massive golden sigil burned itself into the ground beneath them, ancient runes shifting in a circular dance. The air vibrated with energy.
Nyx held her hand out to Orion. "Stay close."
Orion gripped her hand. As the sigil activated, reality around them bent, that light folded inward- and they vanished.
When Orion opened his eyes, he stood in a colossal dome-like chamber, carved entirely from what looked like black stone veined with light. Floating candles lit the walls, but no heat came from the. The space was impossibly large-like standing inside a dying star.
He turned to his right. Nyx stood beside him, composed. In front of them, a giant obsidian table shaped like a circle dominated the room. Seated at it were eight figures- four on each side.
One wore deep sky blue robes lined with silver thread. He had one golden eye and a long black spear resting on his lap. Though he looked barely thirty, there was a millennia-old coldness in his stare. Odin.
Another had an electric white cloak, with crackling lightning constantly weaving through his beard and hair. His smirk was prideful, his presence unmistakable. Zeus.
Beside him sat a man cloaked in sunlight itself. Golden skin, falcon-like eyes, and a calm aura. A staff topped with a glowing orb sat across his lap. Ra.
The last wore layers of silken red and white, her black hair flowing like ink. Her eyes shimmered like the sun at sawn. Serne, yet devastating. Amaterasu.
On the right side sat the monsters.
Wukong, cocky and smiling, dressed in red and golden armour, with his staff placed against the table.
Next to him sat a man who didn't sit at all. He crouched in his chair like a beast, massive and muscular with glowing blue eyes, gangs and torn leather barely covering his frame. Claw marks riddled his arms and back. Silver- the first werewolf.
Beside him was a being wreathed in living fire, his skin like molten lava, horned and towering, with a deep black sword stabbed into the ground beside him. Surtur, the fire giant.
The final figure had long flowing proves like ocean waves, his serpentine features marked with regal dragon horns and golden scales along his jaw. Ao Qin, the dragon king of the eastern sea
Behind the table, hundreds of gods and monsters stood as spectators. Orion recognised none, but their presence was heavy. A six-armed war god whispered to a triple-eyed serpent. A horned woman made of crystal stood next to a man cloaked in fog. The tension was thick as oil.
Orion gawked until Nyx leaned down. "Eyes forward," she said softly. "It's about to begin."
Hovering above the table was Hermes, his golden sandals flitting above the ground. He wore a long white coat that shimmered like glass, and his winged helmet glowed faintly. He looked young, his face sharp and clever, his aura unreadable.
Hermes clapped his hands.
"It's been... a long time," he said, "And yet somehow, whenever we meet, it feels like we skipped the part where everyone learned to get along."
A murmur passed through the crowd.
"But let's not waste time. As it stands, there are no urgent events to discuss-"
"There's nothing to discuss?"
The voice roared through the chamber like a thunderclap.
A violet streak of energy shot through the hall and landed hard, cracking the stone floor. The being who emerged from it stood with his arms folded, dark purple skin etched with swirling tattoos. His eyes glowed red.
Shiva.
"Why are we pretending this is a peaceful meeting?" he said. "We're sitting at the same table as monsters."
Odin's eye narrowed. "What are you doing here, Shiva?"
"I'm calling out this performance," Shiva snapped. "Let's stop pretending monsters and gods are the same."
Wukong leaned forward, smiling. "Keep talking. It'll be funnier when I rip your tongue out."
Shiva smirked. "Try it, monkey."
Zeus stirred in his seat, lightning trailing from his fingertips.
"Last time," Zeus said, "we agreed to peace. But that meeting was... short-lived. SO maybe it's time to reevaluate."
Surtur laughed, his voice like a volcano rumbling.
"Go ahead. Say what you want. But you all know the truth. You fear us."
Ao Qin hissed, his voice slithering like water.f3
"Renegotiation of peace sounds like cowardice, Zeus."
Zeus chuckled. "No offence intended, Dragon King. But I never agreed to the terms in the first place."
Silver slammed his fist into the table. The sound cracked like thunder.
"The war was pointless. It left the realms in ruin."
"Sometimes," Amaterasu said calmly, "war is necessary. To preserve balance."
Ra said nothing. He hadn't blinked once. He simply stared straight ahead.
AS the argument escalated, Orion felt his heartbeat speed up. Divine energy whipped across the room like stormwinds. He clenched his fist, trying to stay grounded.
"ENOUGH!" Wukong bellowed.
The room fell quiet.
Wukong stood. "We argue all day. We can fight right now. But maybe... just maybe, we can listen to why were are here."
He turned toward Shiva. "Grab a seat. Or shut up."
Shiva narrowed his eyes. With a flick of his wrist, a black chair formed beneath him from shadow. He sat down, arms crossed, brooding.
He hovered back toward the centre of the table. "The real reason we're here—" Hermes paused.
"The prophecy."
Nyx leaned toward Orion and whispered, "Pay attention. This is why we're all here."
Orion nodded, his breath shallow.
And so it began.