In Gea, the land of the gods, there stood a great three-peaked mountain. At its summit, among the clouds, stretched a vast plain that housed a sacred city: Olympus.
In a small house, far from the bustling city center, a woman slept deeply. But suddenly, she sat up abruptly, startled, as if a dark premonition had torn her from sleep.
"Shin..." she whispered with a trembling voice.
With a worried expression, she turned her head toward the dresser beside her bed. On top of it rested a framed photo: it showed herself and a man with long blue hair tied in a ponytail, and eyes as intensely blue as the calm sky.
The woman got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. It wasn't an ordinary bathroom: it was a pond, surrounded by smooth stones and wildflowers. With gentle movements, she took off her robe, revealing her slender figure, although covered with many scars, and slowly stepped into the crystalline water.
"Ahh..." she sighed, feeling the pond's enveloping warmth.
As she delicately washed her body, one question echoed in her mind with unease:
"Shin... brother... are you okay?"
After a few minutes, she emerged from the pond and took a towel, calmly drying her body. Then she went to her room and chose a long emerald green dress that fell to her ankles, elegant and ethereal. In front of the mirror, she applied lipstick as red as roses, tied her brown hair into a ponytail, and lined her lashes with mascara.
She was a woman of serene beauty, with green eyes as vivid as a spring meadow. Even with her face prepared, the expression in her gaze remained heavy with concern over the dream that had awakened her.
She picked up a small purse, slung it over her shoulder, and walked out of her house with determined steps.
As she walked through the city, the cheers of the crowd could be heard. The streets of Olympus were full of joy, of laughter, of cries of triumph.
"We've won the war!" exclaimed a man from a corner. "We finally defeated the Titans!"
As she advanced, more and more people joined the celebration. Music, dances, flowers thrown into the air. The city sparkled with life.
The woman, however, kept her gaze distant. Still, a faint smile appeared on her lips, as if that bad dream had been just that: a meaningless nightmare.
She approached the city center, where vendors offered fruits, bread, spices, and meats. Just as she bent down to choose some apples, a familiar voice interrupted her:
"Hello, Hela."
The woman looked up. In front of her stood Merlina, a woman with short orange hair, dressed in a white coat that revealed her medical profession.
"Hello, Merlina," Hela responded with a gentle smile.
Merlina observed her closely, narrowing her eyes.
"Looks like you've recovered from your wounds from the last battle," she remarked with a smile.
Hela nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, I have no more scars... But it seems I won't be needed anymore. The war is finally over."
Merlina slightly frowned, not entirely convinced. She stepped closer and gently touched Hela's ribs. Hela couldn't help but let out a small cry of pain.
"Hmm... seems you're not fully recovered yet, Hela."
Hela lowered her gaze, embarrassed. Her expression turned sad, almost disappointed with herself.
"I'm sorry... I just... didn't want you to worry about me."
Merlina sighed, a bit annoyed but understanding. Then she raised her hand and gave her a small flick on the head with two fingers.
"In that battle, you were seriously wounded by a Titan. If it hadn't been for Shin, you might not have made it... But that no longer matters. What concerns me now is your recovery."
Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the air. The sound rumbled with such force that the ground trembled. Merlina and Hela looked at each other for a moment and, without delay, ran toward the central plaza.
There stood the Bifröst Temple, an imposing sacred structure that connected teleportation portals.
The crowd began to gather around the temple, confused and frightened.
"What is that?" shouted a man from the crowd.
"Something just came out of the portal!" exclaimed another, pointing with a trembling finger.
"Look! There's a statue in the middle of the portal!" added someone else.
Hela and Merlina began to push their way through the crowd, forcing their way to the center of the temple, right in front of the newly opened portal.
There it was.
A stone statue stood solemn and silent, trapped in a pose of defeat. Its folded arms held a box between its hands, also turned to stone. At its feet rested a small scythe, which didn't appear to be affected by the petrification. Its blade still gleamed under the sunlight.
When Hela saw the petrified man... tears began to stream down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"No... it can't be," Merlina murmured, horrified at what her eyes beheld.
"Brother!" Hela cried out with a lump in her throat, running desperately toward the statue.
Her voice pierced the air while the crowd fell into a sepulchral silence, unable to fully comprehend the weight of what they had just witnessed.
"No! Brother! Who did this to you?" Hela shouted, her voice broken with pain as her makeup melted in bitter tears.
She knelt in front of the statue, gently caressing the cheek hardened by stone, as if her touch could bring him back to life.
Merlina, at her side, tried to comfort her, but her words were useless against the abyss of Hela's suffering.
Suddenly, a second portal opened with an imposing glow.
From it emerged a majestic figure: a very tall man, with a mature yet vigorous appearance. He had long white hair and a thick beard of the same color. His golden armor, though dazzling, showed battle scars. Beside him, more warrior gods began to appear, one after another, each with a unique presence.
The crowd began to murmur, astonished:
"Look, it's the god of Olympus... it's Zeus!"
"Behind him is Hades, the god of the dead!"
"And the king of the sea... Neptune!"
In total, twenty-five warriors crossed the portal, their faces marked by victory but also by exhaustion.
"These are the heroes who won the war!" a woman in the crowd cried out excitedly.
Zeus, still covered in the dust of battle, looked around, confused by the strange, silent atmosphere.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Hades, with a somber appearance and his characteristic serious expression, approached Zeus and murmured:
"Brother... it seems we have a problem," he said, pointing to the stone statue in the center of the plaza.
Zeus frowned, raised his hand, and spoke with authority:
"Everyone, stand back!"
The crowd parted with respect and fear. The thunder god approached the statue, observing it closely. His gaze was a mix of confusion and recognition.
Hela, still with red eyes from crying, slowly stood up, took a deep breath, and stood firmly in front of Zeus with respect.
"My lord... he is my brother. His name is Shin," she said, her voice still broken with emotion.
Zeus looked away toward her, frowning slightly.
"Shin? What trouble have you gotten into now...?" he murmured quietly, more to himself than to anyone else.
Without further ado, he ordered:
"Take the statue!"
But when two warriors approached to carry out the order, Hela stepped forward, still wounded but firm.
"My lord, may I accompany them? I am still a soldier of the Legion."
Zeus looked at her sternly.
"You are only a goddess aspiring to the title. We don't need you."
The words struck like a blow. She slightly lowered her head, but her eyes reflected a mix of pain and anger.
Just before she could respond impulsively, Merlina took her by the shoulder.
"Calm down," she whispered. "Think before you speak. I don't want you getting in trouble."
Then, with determined steps, she stepped forward to Zeus and spoke courteously:
"My name is Merlina. I am a doctor and researcher. I have over thirty years of experience. I would like to examine the statue personally, and if it's not too much to ask, request that my companion Hela accompany me."
Zeus looked at her in silence for a few seconds. Finally, he nodded.
"Alright. You'll come with me... but you wait outside," he said, pointing to Hela.
"Yes, sir," Hela replied, clenching her jaw.
One of the soldiers raised his hands and, with a firm gesture, created a solid metal chariot. Its structure gleamed under the sun, sturdy and majestic, worthy of transporting the gods. Quickly, the gods began to board, and carefully mounted the stone statue inside.
Before getting on the chariot, Hela discreetly crouched and picked up the small scythe that had belonged to her brother. No one seemed to notice. She held it tightly, as if somehow it connected her to him, and boarded the chariot in silence.
Zeus gave a clear order:
"Take us to the Legion's military headquarters."
The chariot began to move at high speed, gliding through the air with a metallic hum as it departed from the Bifröst Temple toward the headquarters.
During the journey, Merlina gently took Hela's hand. The young goddess could barely contain her emotions. Her gaze remained fixed on the petrified figure of her brother.
"Don't worry," Merlina whispered tenderly. "I'm with you."
Upon arrival, an imposing and elegant building rose: the Legion's headquarters. The giant doors slowly began to open to let the gods through. Inside, soldiers stood at attention in respect to Zeus, who raised his hand in acknowledgment as the group entered the headquarters with the statue.
They placed it in a room where several researchers were already waiting. Hela, still without permission to enter, stayed outside watching as Merlina and Zeus entered the room.
"Well, this is interesting," commented one of the researchers. "Not only his body, but his armor has also turned into limestone. It's terrifying... and incredible. What kind of life energy control did his adversary have?"
Merlina spoke up:
"It's very possible that whoever caused this used more than just life energy."
She took a chisel and broke a fragment of the stone. Suddenly, a violet energy emerged from the crack, immediately sealing the fissure. Everyone stepped back, startled.
"What was that?" someone exclaimed. "It's like it doesn't want us to damage the statue... but why?"
"It seems our enemy doesn't want us to find out what's inside that box," said Merlina, observing carefully.
Zeus, who had only been watching until then, approached and tried to snatch the box. However, the violet energy repelled him. He stepped back and, frowning, muttered:
"No doubt... this was done with a Titan weapon."
"But, my lord," one researcher objected, "the Titans were defeated. It couldn't have been them..."
"I didn't say it was a Titan. I said they used one of their weapons. Only one person could do this..."
Zeus left the room, visibly angry. As he passed by Hela, he noticed she was holding the small scythe in her hands. He paused in front of her.
Hela tried to hide it,
But Zeus paid no attention and left the headquarters. Upon reaching the exit, his body began to transform into lightning that shot up at great speed to the top of Mount Olympus, where the god's temple stood.
Upon entering furiously, he was greeted by a voice:
"You've arrived, my lord."
"Oracle," Zeus growled, still angry. "Summon the twenty five titled gods. In two days I'll hold a meeting."
"Has something happened, my lord?" the oracle asked cautiously.
"Yes," Zeus said with restrained rage. "I believe Baal has rebelled."
The End.