Scene 1
"Let's head back now. Our goal was completed." Glancing north as I watched Volk reunite with his brothers before they fixed the path forward for the ones behind them.
Before entering the Northern Domain of my father, Hades. While the mortals who couldn't escape have all been placed into a deep sleep until Styx finished swallowing the city of Hebe.
"Can I stick around and watch Volk's journey?" Xer spoke up before we all stepped back into the Underworld. Giving him a quick nod before he jumped away in the direction of the mountain path. No doubt planning on watching their journey to Divinity for himself.
"Aid him if he's going to die. I don't want my Future Mars to fall early." Receiving a thumbs-up as he grinned before flying off while Eli only shook her head. Grinning to myself as I aim to collect the Roman titles of my pantheon as mortal-ascended Gods. With Neptune already under my grasp and currently assimilating Wrath of the Seven Deadly Sins.
"He's really whimsical. At least he handles his roles within the Hounds as a leader without issues." Eli spoke up as she shook her head at the recently established squad leader of the Hounds. The de facto generals for all mortal warriors under me to answer to. Handling a bulk of the warfare during my time here as they operated like a visible guard to Bale and the Reapers for divine duties.
"If I wanted a stale Horseman of Death, then I wouldn't have agreed to Uranus's deal to keep his mortality and the seed he gave him. That's the perk of it. He's still human enough to pause and go have fun. The key to mortals breaking into Divinity, as you've proved by forsaking revenge." Seeing her soft smile before she commanded the entrance to the Underworld to open through her connection to my domain. Swallowing both of us as the Mortal Hounds will take care of the migration into my domain.
Scene 2
"He outplayed you again, Apollo." Seated around a round table as Dio spoke out first, while Ares was clearly angry at losing his mortals while only his Demi-God out of everyone's was killed.
"He outplayed all of us, Dioynsus." Ares clenched his teeth as the words came out. Setting us back by at least ten thousand years in growing a mortal force capable of meeting Tenebris and Juris directly.
"No, just me, Ares. I sent the word down to hunt down this Woden when Ali joined my faction. Her teacher was truly a supreme mortal if it held true. Tenebris knows we're his only competition due to our Father's domain possessing the dense amount of mortals out of every domain.
"So, walking me into bait using mortals was something I never expected. Once Silv heard rumors of Woden, the hunt was already over." Apollo attempted to calm down Ares, as his true issue was the fact our mortals lost without taking one warrior down with them.
"Explain the weapons and armor then! It isn't a divine artifact or something we created for mortals! It lacks divine energy, and my men couldn't harm them." About to open my mouth as Apollo gave me a harsh glare to stay quiet.
"A teaser, if I'm not wrong. Tenebris is less sane than me at the moment. This kind of trick was daring Father to strike him down early. No matter how you look at it, he's clearly the only one who's unapologetic about his hatred of our Father. If Athena wasn't born, then I wouldn't doubt he would've kept the Golden Cycle War at the level of God-Kings. Forcing the Earth to repair more damage than needed." Dioynsus sipped his wine as his eyes lost the clashing colors of the primal elements, as he allowed his domain to look at Fate.
"Ares, just go and train warriors. Make sure none of them gain this much Karamic Sin ever again. Death is fine, but you saw the actions in Hebe for yourself. Don't make me repeat myself ever again. Am I clear?" Apollo weaponized his rank as he pressured Ares, who clearly was going to disagree, only to shut his mouth and nod his head quietly.
"Ali believes Woden or Ten has trained Volk in everything he knows. So we lost potentially our first human-ascended God if Ten placed value in him. Hermes, since you're the only one among us who hadn't lost a majority of their warriors.
"We'll focus on developing more warriors while they handle the warrior selection. Father is going to want his Lightning Guard restored before anything." Focusing on me as I nodded my head in agreement.
Scene 3
"Hold back, you two." Telling Alexisos and Rilk to hang back in the dark of the cave. As I walked out the cave exit with my guard raised and both swords out.
Exiting the cave as my eyes came across the land I thought would be a barren wasteland or frozen tundra. Only to be replaced by seven peaks in the distance as grassland covered the land with titanic trees I've never seen this big. While various flying beasts I've never seen before were dancing through the skies.
While the Sun has never felt so close before. As my hand could reach out and grasp it, as its harsh rays I could look into are softer here, as my eyes felt like they were viewing two smaller suns under its shadow.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hearing a woman's voice as my sword swung up in response to the unregistered danger to my right. Only for my sword to meet a wall as my eyes caught the sight of my sword being stopped by a finger.
"I see why that Horseman is interested in you. Even demanding return the favor of you saving my people." Pushing the sword back as my instincts were screaming, yet I couldn't find an ounce of hostility in her.
"Who are you?" Lowering my swords as my eyes focused on her fully. Brown hair along with a heavenly beauty that felt snake-like. As a strange symbol of two dots connected with lines coming out the top before joining as a single bar above the dots.
"Hebe, Goddess of Music and the Leader of Goddesses in the North. You would know me as Hera's Daughter and Apollo's closest ally." Feeling my eyes go big as the idea of each city being backed by different Gods came full circle now.
"So the wars are that bad that even Olympus is bleeding. And I thought the three brothers were bad enough." Sighing to myself as I took a seat while pulling out the wineskin Alexisos kept during his own escape, backed by Woden. Taking a drink as I admired the scenery.
"Yes, they are that bad. Much worse than you can imagine, but Apollo gave me a way out through our cousins here. Just like they've offered mortals the chance at Kingship through completing their own journey here. Although it normally starts in Gaia's domain.
"You and your brothers have traveled from Bacchus City deep in Zeus's domain. To the endpoint many of Tenebris's personally selected have failed at half the distance. Something Tenebris had been annoyed by greatly. Spending a thousand years just to find you." Looking up weirdly as I've never heard of this Tenebris. Only to receive a soft smile that refuses to answer anything more on the topic.
"So why are you here to greet me? I mean no disrespect, Goddess, but I'm only a 1st Order Warrior and I have no ties to this land besides wanting a peaceful life." Watching her smile widen before she pulled out a book and a glowing crystal.
"Although we can't promise peace here in the North as the domain of the King of the Dead. But we will offer you the chance to walk the path of Gods here. Whether you do it in isolation or by leading others. The choice is yours.
"These items are yours nonetheless. The Spark of Mars, the Star of War, and my personal record of Music Divinity. A conceptual office among the Stars and a place to grow with fellow Gods among my domain. When you are ready to take the step, just speak the name of our King and he'll come." Handing me the items before her body turned into dozens of snakes that slithered down the mountain.
"Volk! Is everything okay?" Hearing Rilk running up as I waved for him to sit with me and enjoy the scenery. Leaving the rest for later to decide in this new land of opportunity.