Several days later on Mount Olympus, the Goddess of Wisdom Metis returned from her mission to persuade certain ancient deities.
The handsome young God King Zeus gently guided this crucial advisor to the throne. They sat close together, sharing the seat, their affection so palpable it seemed inseparable.
In the corner, however, Hera stood with arms crossed, watching Metis—the Goddess of Wisdom whose radiance dimmed everything else around her. Deep in Hera's eyes lingered a trace of longing.
Among the gathered gods in the divine court, such favoritism had long ceased to surprise anyone. The reason was simple: the prosperity of Olympus was largely built on Metis' grand strategies.
At first, they lacked weapons, their divine power was insufficient, and with few supporters, their battles were fought from a disadvantage. Still, they managed to secure a foothold.
Following divine guidance, Zeus sought out the Earth Mother Goddess and was commanded to venture into Tartarus, the abyss filled with the laws of death.
There, imprisoned, were three Cyclopes—masters of forging divine weapons and building great structures—and three Hecatoncheires, beings of terrifying might and combat skill.
They had been born of Gaia, the Earth Mother, Titans of ancient origin, their power formidable beyond measure. Yet Uranus, the first father god, driven by fear of challenge and an overwhelming lust for control, cast them into Tartarus under the pretext of them being "too noisy," placing them under the guard of the dragon Campe.
As the chosen son of the heavens, Zeus did not fail expectations. Leading his two brothers, he defeated the dragon, personally unbound the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires, and granted them freedom to live on the surface.
In return, the three Cyclopes forged for him the Thunderbolt, a staff to command lightning, and the Aegis, a shield of sheepskin that could absorb and deflect harm. They also crafted Poseidon's trident to command the seas and Hades' helmet of invisibility.
The other gods, too, received weapons that greatly enhanced their divine power. With the Hecatoncheires now among their ranks, the power of Olympus gradually began to rival that of the elder Titan gods.
But one detail stung Poseidon and Hades: it had been Zeus himself who freed the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires. After the brothers had jointly slain Campe, Zeus left them outside the gates, citing danger, and went ahead alone.
Thus, these six ancient beings made their contracts with Zeus alone, swearing loyalty to him.
With that, Zeus gained three Main God-level guardians and control over the divine smiths who could forge weapons to restrain the gods. His leadership became unshakable.
Poseidon and Hades knew well that this strategy of strengthening the strong while binding others to Zeus' personal authority bore the touch of Metis' wisdom.
They disliked it, but if they wanted to continue winning and one day replace the old with the new, they had no choice but to follow her guidance.
Even with the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires aiding them, Olympus remained less powerful than Mount Othrys, which had ruled Greece for millennia.
The Twelve Titan Gods had shaped and refined the Greek world itself; their primordial strength had become the foundation upon which the world ran.
They were:
Oceanus, god of the great rivers and ocean currents;
Coeus, god of the heavens;
Crius, god of weather;
Hyperion, god of light;
Iapetus, god of souls and speech;
Theia, goddess of sight and light;
Rhea, goddess of fertility and time;
Themis, goddess of law and justice;
Mnemosyne, goddess of memory, language, and writing;
Phoebe, goddess of the moon;
Tethys, goddess of the sea;
and Kronos, god of the sky and time.
These primordial deities were virtually immortal, their power without equal.
If not for the constant fear of betrayal among siblings—each wary of being stabbed in the back—had they fought to the death, Olympus, even with divine weapons and allies, would have had little chance of survival.
Both sides hesitated, wary of each other, and so the war dragged on in a prolonged stalemate. Neither side would risk all until the balance shifted decisively.
Meanwhile, Metis never stopped moving. She worked in secret, weaving strategies to divide and weaken the Twelve Titans.
First, Oceanus and Tethys, creators of six thousand river and spring gods, cherished most their own daughter: Metis. The goddess herself convinced her parents to stand with her husband Zeus, bringing five of her most capable siblings with them.
Second, she promised the eastern lands of Greece to Hyperion and Theia, assuring them that their children—the sun, moon, and dawn gods—would be spared the war and live in peace. Satisfied, the couple withdrew from battle, returning east to raise their children.
And Rhea, the former Queen of the Gods, imprisoned by Kronos for freeing her children, would not take part in the war against Olympus.
Thus, of the twelve Titan Gods of Othrys, only seven remained.
As Olympus grew stronger, more and more of the younger generation joined their cause.
The pressure eased, and the tide of battle began to tilt slightly in their favor. Joy spread among the gods, their admiration for Metis' wisdom growing ever deeper.
A few days earlier, during a lull in battle, the wise goddess had slipped away to secretly persuade the remaining Titans. But this time, results did not come as easily.
Zeus, who until now had enjoyed smooth victories, revealed a tender, almost boyish side when his wife returned.
His sweet words of affection, bordering on flattery, spilled endlessly, until Metis laughed so hard she trembled, her spirits lifted.
Soon after, a celebratory feast began, joy and revelry spreading through the temple. The new gods gathered in the courtyard, raising their cups to honor their king and queen.
When the gathering reached its climax and then dispersed, only the six original siblings remained, along with two new faces who had recently joined Olympus.
"Cough, cough. These are the two sons of Iapetus, one of the Twelve Titan Gods of soul and speech—the seer Prometheus, and his brother Epimetheus.
The reason I asked them to stay is because they claim to know a way to further dismantle the power of the Twelve Titans.
Everyone feels you are already overburdened, Metis—constantly persuading, constantly tending to the war. Since things have reached a stalemate, why not hear them out?"
Zeus cleared his throat and spoke with a look of concern.
The five siblings, still eating and drinking, froze mid-bite, their hands shaking as their faces darkened.
What do you mean "everyone feels"? If you think so, fine—but why drag us into it?
Meanwhile, Prometheus, suddenly the center of attention, went stiff. His scalp prickled, and in his mind, he cursed a certain cousin to no end.
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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