In the Underworld, the Sea, and the Heavens, each realm had its own plans.
The deities of the Underworld sought to claim victory and announce to all that the era of the third God-King had shifted. This would be the age of Hades, the Lord of the Underworld.
In contrast, Zeus, King of the Heavens, was consumed by an obsession with power. The God-King position was his and his alone, driven by an insatiable lust for authority.
Poseidon, ruler of the Sea Realm, took a more measured approach. Content with securing second place, he was neither seeking the top position nor aiming to fall to the bottom. For the Sea Realm, this was an easy task. Their strength was undeniable, and to simply maintain second place was not a challenge at all.
The Sea Gods themselves were puzzled by Poseidon's choice. Why would their powerful Sea King aim for second place when he could claim more? Yet, they understood one thing: Poseidon never acted without reason. If this was his decision, there must be important matters occupying his attention. As such, he was not willing to commit his full energy to the Holy War.
Thus, the plan was set.
The entire surface world began to stir as the forces of the Underworld, Sea, and Heaven realms descended upon it. The gods of the land, confused and uncertain, wondered what was happening. Their minds were filled with questions. What were these deities planning? What was going on?
The surface deities had no idea. Though bewildered, they chose to stay hidden. Some speculated that the three realms were preparing for something monumental, but none dared to intervene without understanding the stakes. They knew one thing for certain: whatever the three God-Kings were planning, it was not to be taken lightly. Any misstep could be fatal.
Thus, they cautiously observed from the shadows, not willing to take any risks.
Meanwhile, as everything seemed to stabilize, a full year of calm passed.
In the Heavens, Zeus slowly opened his eyes, his expression serene as he softly muttered, "Hera is about to give birth to her children."
The God of War: Ares.
The God of Fire and Forge: Hephaestus.
These were Hera's children. While Hephaestus was known for his unattractive appearance, Zeus did not care. After all, Zeus's most trusted allies were the three Hecatoncheires—beings of immense power but grotesque appearance.
To Zeus, appearance was meaningless. Power was the only thing that mattered, especially now that he was no longer the uncontested ruler but one of three who shared dominion over the world. As long as his children were powerful, nothing else was of significance.
"Your Majesty," Prometheus entered the grand temple and respectfully reported, "Lady Hera has given birth to two godly sons."
Zeus merely nodded, his expression cold. "I know of Ares and Hephaestus's births. What about the task I gave you? How is it progressing?"
"Your Majesty!" Prometheus's eyes glimmered with a dark light as he replied in a chilling voice, "Rest assured, everything has been arranged perfectly. There will be no mistakes."
In that moment, Prometheus, the god of wisdom, appeared to be a loyal servant of Zeus, completely devoted to carrying out his will.
"However," Prometheus continued cautiously, his tone grave, "Though I have laid out the plans as instructed, there remains one point of concern."
"I know," Zeus said, waving a hand dismissively. "I am well aware of the problem, but it doesn't matter. You think I can't handle a mere nuisance?"
"Of course, Your Majesty," Prometheus bowed deeply. Though outwardly submissive, a hidden light flickered in his eyes, betraying a different intent. It was clear that Prometheus was preparing something of his own, though what that might be remained a mystery to all.
Compared to the relative calm of the Underworld and Sea realms, the Heavens were in a state of chaos. Though not entirely unruly, the realm was filled with strange occurrences and unpredictable events. Even though each deity had surrendered their divine hearts, they continued to engage in bizarre and eccentric activities.
It was as if the Heavenly Realm had become like a human kingdom, where the palace was a hotbed of intrigue and power struggles. The situation was far too strange and chaotic.
Nevertheless, one crucial event transpired. With Hera giving birth to Ares and Hephaestus, the floodgates were opened.
One by one, the children of Zeus began to be born. Within months, deities of Zeus's lineage began to emerge, marking the rapid formation of the Olympian pantheon.
Though at first, they were merely lesser gods, this rapid succession of divine births was a significant development. Then, just three months before the start of the Holy War, the son of Metis was born, and with his arrival, everything changed!
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