ATHENA OLYMPUS
A hush fell over the assembled gods. Zeus' lips, usually full and commanding, thinned into a grim line. A low growl rumbled in his chest, barely audible, yet vibrating through the very air of the gods' hall. — Humph, Golden Dragon!
That name. The name itself was a myth, a ghost story told by some lunatics. Golden Dragon... How could it be? The very thought sent a tremor of unease through me.
The Treadway, shifted his stance, the rigid tension leaving his shoulders. A sigh escaped him, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of ages. — Lest you say I didn't warn you, — he began, his voice surprisingly even, yet containing an unnerving calm.
— Repent! Kneel and surrender to the Light. — His gaze swept across the battlefield, lingering on Zeus. — If not... it will only end with your death! — The last words were delivered with an unnerving detachment, as if he were discussing the weather, not the demise of the King of the gods.
A palpable shift occurred in the atmosphere. It wasn't just the words, the presence radiated from the human. The air crackled with an almost tangible energy, a chill that had nothing to do with the cool marble of the hall. He exuded an aura of death, a chilling premonition that settled like a shroud over the room. He was not a mere mortal. The relaxed posture, the emotionless eyes, the imposing voice—everything was frightening about him.
— Zeus, — The Treadway continued, his voice resonating an almost supernatural authority. — I am absolute. If you know me—and you should know me—you know: I. Do. Not. Lose! — His gaze locked with Zeus's, then flickered to Poseidon. — My Father, the Light, is absolute. Therefore, my victory is absolute! — He stood as still as a monolith, a dark figure against the backdrop of celestial splendor.
A wave of laughter, brittle and forced, broke the tense silence. It started with Zeus, booming and arrogant, and quickly echoed by Poseidon. The sound reverberated through the battlefield.
"Fools" I thought, my brow furrowed. Blind fools. Only someone utterly consumed by pride could fail to see the raw power that radiated from this... being. Zeus, blinded by his titles, by his supposed invincibility, was making a catastrophic mistake.
Zeus, still chuckling, spread his arms wide. — I'm a god! — he roared. — You are the son of one. But I am one!
A flicker of something that might have been amusement touched the Treadway's lips. He sighed again, a sound of weary resignation. — A god, you say? — he murmured. — Very well, you know what...
And then, he began to rise.
Not with the beating of might wings, but with a simple, outstretched gesture of his hands, he ascended. The dark clouds above seemed to part before him, as if bowing to his will. The sun, previously obscured, burst forth, its light bathing the Treadway in a golden glow. It wasn't just light or power, it was Qi, visible and terrifying.
— You have chosen war against a son of God! — the being's voice echoed down from the heavens, amplified by the very air around him. — War against the Absolute Titan! — He ascended slowly, deliberately, until he hung suspended before the sun, a silhouette of power against the blazing light. His eyes, now visible, burned with an unearthly red fire.
— Today, — he proclaimed, his voice ringing with the finality of a death knell, — is the beginning of your judgment! Lest you say I didn't warn you: the crows and the vultures will feast on your flesh and lick up your blood, because of what you and your family have done! — his arms outstretched, as if he embraced the very cosmos. — You thought you were equal to the One who is above all things. That is your crime. Remember it... before you die!
...
His voice was as if a judge were proclaiming a sentence, the voice of fate. How could a mortal wield such dominance? This control over everyone?! The question hung heavy in the stunned silence of the gods assembly.
Fear, raw and primal, gripped the hearts of the gods. It was an unfamiliar sensation, to be so utterly intimidated by one they considered... lesser. And yet, the fear was undeniable. The problem with this was that he was scary yet apparently small, crushable, at least that's what this battle would show us.
Aphrodite, ever the contrarian, broke the silence. Her voice, soft and sensual, cut through the tension. — Isn't our... husband... absolutely awesome, Athena...? He has such a... unique charm...
With a vein on my face, my jaw tightened. — How can you desire the enemy of the gods?! — I hissed, a vein throbbing in my temple. — The one who threatens the very life of All-Father.
Aphrodite giggled, a low, throaty sound. — Oh, really? — she purred, her eyes gleaming. — Great, more meat for me, then.
I turned my attention to the battle; it was not worth wasting time with this child. No time for frivolity.
…
On the battlefield, the boy and his army hovered in the cloudy sky, an organized force of disciplined warrior. Their eyes fixed on Zeus and Poseidon.
— Forgive the... inconvenience, — the Treadway called out, his voice carrying effortlessly across the distance. — But the little me lost quite a bit of energy. I need... sunlight to fuel me. — he raised a single finger towards the sky. — It's time for the sun to come out! — With a sharp, decisive movement, he cleaved the clouds in two.
...
— WHAT?! — I exclaimed; the word ripped from my throat. I couldn't contain my astonishment.
I didn't expect that, how could a human possess such power?! The sky had been literally divided horizontally. On Zeus's side the storm raged on, lightning flashing and thunder booming. But on the Treadway's side, the sun blazed down, bathing his army in its golden light.
I don't deny that I felt a grudging admiration begin to bloom within me. Despite myself, a small smile touched my lips. For the first time in centuries, someone had stirred my emotions, had challenged my intellect, had... intrigued me.
P-Perhaps... Maybe this isn't so bad after all... Being his wife... With his power and my wisdom, we can create a diamond age for the gods...
"What?! No! Athena, concentrate!" chided myself mentally, shaking my head to clear the errant thoughts.
Aphrodite, watching me with a knowing smile, raised a delicate eyebrow. Had she somehow perceived my thoughts? Or was she the one who planted them there herself?!
…
The human, turning his head slightly, issued a command. — Saint, — he said, his voice low and resonant. — Keep Poseidon occupied!
The figure behind him, a short-haired blond in pristine white, runes etched into his skin, nodded. — As you wish, King of the Titans!
— The rest of you, return to the camp, — he ordered, his gaze shifting back to Zeus. — Help the others!
As his army descended to his camp, Treadway, accompanied by the Saint, took a deep breath and floated down to confront Zeus and Poseidon.
The sun's rays seemed to cling to him, to amplify his presence. He glowed with an almost supernatural light, an aura of raw force that was both mesmerizing and terrifying. He was as bright as the sun, he was undeniably.... incredible... attractive, I might say...
Especially incredible the fact that I enjoyed the view...
The battlefield was eerily quiet, the calm before the storm. Zeus and Poseidon, weapons drawn, braced themselves for the inevitable clash. The princes of war had fled, leaving only the gods, the true powers, to face each other.
Minutes later, Zeus' head snapped back, a spray of blood and... teeth... erupting from his mouth. The mortal's fist had connected with devastating power. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and Zeus, the King of the gods, was sent crashing to the ground.
Poseidon fared slightly better, at least initially. The Saint, though poweful, was not a match for the god of the Sea. Poseidon, taller and stronger, dodged the Saint's blows, then seized an opening, landing a powerful punch that sent the Saint reeling, creating a crater in the earth.
The Saint lay face down. — Ugh! — groaning, Blood trickled from his lips.
— Are you sure you're a Saint of the Light? — Poseidon sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. He placed a foot on the Saint's head, pressing it into the ground. — Are you sure you're a match for a god?!
Before Poseidon could press his advantage, Treadway moved. With blinding speed, he struck Poseidon, the force of the blow sending the god hurtling backwards, breaking the sound barrier. — Don't be arrogant, — Treadway growled. — You are the weakling!
Being thrown away, Poseidon opened his hand to call his trident and picking it up, he stuck it in the ground, regaining his footing. — It's time to show you, — he snarled. — what a god truly is!
The Saint, still on the ground, looked up at the two gods, blood dripping from his nose and a grimace twisting his features.
Treadway, his back to the fallen Zeus, was suddenly struck by a lightning bolt hurled by the recovering god-king. —ACK!! — he cried, the electricity searing his flesh, leaving a jagged, smoking mark across his back.
The Saint, attempting to engage Zeus, was intercepted by Poseidon's trident, the weapon slamming into him with brutal force and sending him sprawling near Treadway. — AAAHHH!! — he screamed, collapsing onto the scorched earth.
Zeus and Poseidon, standing side-by-side, looked down at the two fallen figures, smiles of grim satisfaction twisting their faces. The mortal, his back still to them, clenched his jaw, the muscles in his neck corded with barely suppressed rage.
The Saint struggling to rise, the mortal reached out a hand to him. As their fingers brushed, a visible surge of energy pulsed between them. The Saint's wounds began to knit themselves closed, the bleeding stopping as if by magic.
Zeus, chuckling, slowly descended to the ground. — Is this the great successor to Pendragon? — he sneered. — The Second Heavenly Dragon King? The one who killed Ares and Apollo? — His voice dripped with sarcasm.
— They were weak and... annoying, — the human growled, his fists clenching tighter. — They paid the price for their insolence. — he remained motionless, his back still turned towards the two gods.
Poseidon, arms crossed, smirked. — And you will pay the same price, — he said, his voice lace with menace. — Though death, — he added, a cruel glint in his eyes, — is a small price to pay for your transgressions.
Treadway finally turned. His dead and chilling crimson eyes, fixed on Zeus and Poseidon. — I barely touched Ares and Apollo — he said, his voice low and dangerous, — and they died... — He paused, a slow deliberate pause that amplified the tension in the air.