One hour later...
Ikki now stood in a corner of the hall, away from the bustle, calmly adjusting his shirt collar. After dancing two songs with Athena, one with Demeter, and even one with Thalia, he finally had a moment to himself.
The dance with Thalia had been a pleasant surprise. They talked about her new position as Lieutenant of the Hunters, a role that clearly meant a lot to her. He noticed the pride in her tone, but also the tension, as if she were still adjusting to the idea of her new life.
Then, the subject inevitably shifted. The prophecy. It always came back to it. Thalia wished him luck, but her look showed that, deep down, she didn't think he needed it. And Ikki? He simply didn't see the need to worry now. Prophecies came and went, and he would deal with this one as he had dealt with all the challenges he had faced before.
Her thanks were sincere, acknowledging that he had been understanding of her fears. He never made a point of mentioning it, but he understood Thalia better than she realized.
He thought he could have done the same thing he did with her in the helicopter, diminishing her fear through his presence manipulation, back then at the dam, but he didn't think it was a good idea because Thalia was very hesitant to climb aboard. At that moment, it didn't seem right to force the use of his power.
What Thalia had wasn't just ordinary fear. It was something ingrained, instinctive, as if the sky itself rejected her.
He could understand. Thalia was a daughter of Zeus, but, ironically, her father's domain was her greatest terror. It was a cruel contradiction.
Ikki wasn't one to interfere in other people's problems, but this time… He simply did.
Without drawing attention, he snapped his fingers.
It was a subtle act, almost imperceptible. But the effect was absolute.
His power reverberated through the hall, invisible to everyone, but acting directly on the concept that governed Thalia's fear. As someone who mastered the [Sky] in its entirety, he could shape its influence. And so, he removed that burden from her.
It wasn't brainwashing. It wasn't forced manipulation. He simply freed Thalia from that fear.
Now, when she looked at the sky, she would no longer feel that weight in her chest, that suffocating tightness. The world above her would no longer be something to fear, but something she could embrace.
Ikki didn't expect thanks, nor did he want them. Thalia probably wouldn't even notice immediately. But one day, when she climbed to a high place and felt no fear… she would understand.
With a small smile, Ikki murmured to himself.
"This is my gift to you, sister..."
As he leaned back, he pulled a goblet of nectar towards himself using his Telekinesis, took a sip, and decided to rest and have some time to himself, enjoying the good music.
But he barely had time to rest before several gods approached with excited and challenging expressions. Dionysus, Hermes, and even Apollo, already slightly intoxicated — he had slipped some wine to Mr. D during the party, hidden from his father, so it wasn't just because he was drunk that he was happy — the gods pulled him by the arm, while Ares, from across the hall, crossed his arms and displayed a provocative smile.
"Hey, hey, champ!" Hermes slapped Ikki on the back, having returned from another of his errands at some point during the party. "Let's see if all that strength of yours isn't just for show…"
"Let's see if you can beat me again, kid." Ares said with a sharp look, snapping his fingers. "But this time, no swords, no battles, just brute strength."
Ikki raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his drink before sighing.
"You really want to do this now?"
"Now and always!" Apollo exclaimed, laughing. "It's going to be a fair fight! Just muscles, no powers…"
"Although, between you and Ares, I don't know if you can call it fair…" Dionysus murmured before taking a large gulp from his goblet.
Ikki sighed but eventually relented. The group formed a circle around a makeshift table, and bets began to fly. Meanwhile, the crowd gathered, excited by the confrontation.
Ares and Ikki sat facing each other, their forearms meeting in the center of the table. The god of war squeezed Ikki's hand tightly, his eyes burning with the promise of revenge.
"Ready to lose?"
Ikki smirked.
"Always so optimistic."
Hermes raised his hand.
"On three. One… two… three!"
The impact was immediate. The table creaked under the pressure as the two measured their strength. Ares had monstrous strength, and his muscles were tense to the maximum, but Ikki didn't give an inch. The gods shouted around them, cheering and placing more bets.
The pressure increased, but Ikki remained impassive. Ares grunted, increasing his strength even more, but little by little, his arm began to give way. With a sudden and precise movement, Ikki slammed Ares' hand against the table, winning the match.
The hall erupted in celebration. Hermes burst out laughing, Apollo whistled, and Dionysus raised his goblet in celebration.
"I think Ares needs more training!" Hermes mocked.
Ares stared at his own hand, shocked, before letting out a wild laugh.
"You're a bastard, kid."
"A talented bastard." Ikki corrected, taking a mug full of alcohol that Dionysus handed him.
The strength challenge soon turned into a general drinking spree. Wine flowed freely, and the gods indulged in the fun.
Ikki, despite his self-control, didn't refuse a few drinks and soon found himself caught up in the revelry. Jokes were exchanged, stories told, and even Poseidon, in good spirits, joined in the banter. Zeus' son enjoyed himself. He was there to seize the moment, and, although alcohol was a temptation, he knew exactly when to stop. However, a few drinks didn't hurt, especially when the party spirit took hold of everyone.
Conversations flowed loosely, with jokes and stories of legendary battles, and even Poseidon, usually more serious, was laughing and engaging in the banter. Ikki watched the Sea God tell a hilarious story about an incident with sea monsters and lesser gods, something that made everyone around them laugh.
Poseidon's presence, normally imposing and distant, was now one of relaxation. He seemed to be at ease, his usually serious face now softened by a wide smile.
Laughter echoed through the hall, and Ikki, as quiet as he was, couldn't help but smile too, listening to the stories of divine figures mingle with the laughter and music in the background.
Ikki was relaxed, enjoying the moment of peace, when he felt a presence nearby. Before he could turn around, he heard a deep, imposing voice that cut through the sound of the music.
"Ikki, my son, may I have a moment of your attention?" Zeus' voice echoed, and the weight of the Sky God's authority was clear.
Ikki looked up, meeting Zeus' eyes, which regarded him with unusual seriousness.
"Of course, father. What do you need?"
Zeus nodded and gestured with his hand, indicating that Ikki should follow him. The conversations around them died down a bit, as if everyone, even discreetly, was paying attention to the movement of the two. The God of Thunder was impossible to ignore, and the fact that he was approaching Ikki only increased the murmur.
They walked in silence out of the banquet hall and to a quiet place.
The two moved far enough away from the party, and the stillness that took over the place became more intense. The trees whispered with the wind, and the sound of music could still be heard in the distance, but it seemed distant, almost irrelevant.
Ikki looked at the night sky, where the stars shone intensely. It was as if the universe itself was silent, waiting for what Zeus had to say.
"Ikki, this is the first time we've had a more private conversation…" Zeus said, looking directly at him as he stopped in front of him.
Ikki stared back at him, no longer showing any sign of surprise, as if something inside him already knew that this moment would come, sooner or later.
"It is." He replied simply, unhurried. "We've never really had the opportunity to get to know each other."
Zeus held Ikki's gaze for a moment, as if evaluating every word and every gesture of his son. The God of Thunder seemed to ponder, the expressions on his face changing slightly, reflecting a mixture of curiosity and something deeper—perhaps regret or even a strange sense of wanting to understand Ikki's complexity.
"I should have approached you before, shouldn't I?" Zeus' voice had a serious tone, softer than expected. He seemed to acknowledge, finally, that he hadn't done enough as a father.
Ikki remained silent for a moment, pondering the answer. He didn't feel resentment, but he also didn't feel the need to seek Zeus' approval, as perhaps an ordinary son would. He knew that his life had been shaped differently, in a way that distanced him from the conventional understanding of "father and son."
"It's not a matter of what you should or shouldn't have done. I was raised the way I was, by who raised me." Ikki looked up at the sky, his blue eyes shining in the starlight, as he replied. "My mother raised me the best way she could, I owe everything I am to her…"
A silence followed between the two…
Zeus looked at his son with a complicated expression. What would it take to reach Ikki now? Would it even be possible to rebuild something that hadn't even been formed properly? He couldn't deny that the weight of regret weighed heavily on him. The pain of not having given his son what he truly deserved; he was his son. The son he had fathered with Sophia, the only woman he had truly loved.
Perhaps, sincerity would help? Swallowing his pride and all futile emotion, he decided to start with something he felt his son deserved...
"I…" Zeus started, breaking the silence, before interrupting himself with a heavy sigh. "I think I owe you an apology. I know this won't change things, but I feel I owe this to you."
Ikki, silently, stared at Zeus. He hadn't expected this. Zeus, the God of Gods, had apologized. This was something he could never have imagined, his father, with all his colossal pride, setting aside his posture of superiority to admit a mistake was something impressive…
He tried to understand the reasons that led Zeus to make such a gesture. Was this a sign of change? Or was it just something momentary, impulsive? He didn't know, but he knew that something in his chest tightened, not because of guilt or the need to please his father, but because of the strange feeling that, somehow, that apology had meant more to Zeus than to him.
Zeus took a step forward, his eyes, normally full of power, now seemed more fragile, in contrast to his colossal figure.
"I was never the father you deserved." The phrase hung in the air, and Ikki felt its weight. It was clear that Zeus wasn't just talking about his role as a biological father, but about everything that had happened between them over the years. He continued, hesitant, but determined to express his feelings. "I never knew how to treat you, how to guide you. And I see that now, more than ever, with everything you've accomplished… I should have been more present…"
"Why would I deserve more, father?" The tone of his voice was firm, but not aggressive. "You say you failed me, but what I think is that you failed all your children. I'm not the only one."
"I could name many demigods and Gods who were your children, but who suffered because of you. Why should I be any different? When you say you 'should have been more present,' you're just doing what would be expected of any god who cared, but who, throughout time, chose to be an absent, negligent, and arrogant father. Which makes me wonder, Zeus… what is a 'father' to you, anyway?"
Zeus was silent for a moment, absorbing Ikki's words. He looked at his son with a somber expression, as if he were gathering strength to say something he had kept inside for a long time.
"You are different, Ikki." He said, his voice lower, but laden with an unusual weight. "You're not like the others… because Sophia wasn't like the others."
Ikki frowned slightly, feeling something tighten in his chest.
"Sophia…" Zeus continued, looking beyond the present, as if seeing something only he could see. "She was the only woman I truly loved. Not just for momentary desire or a passing whim… I truly loved her."
Ikki looked away, his jaw clenching. He felt something growing inside him, an emotion he didn't want to deal with at that moment.
It was irritating.
It hurt.
"She was different." Zeus continued, not noticing his son's tension. "She was stubborn, strong… and brilliant. I wanted to be by her side, but—"
"Then why weren't you?" Ikki interrupted, his voice sounding heavier than he intended. He took a deep breath before continuing, his expression hardening. "If you loved her so much… then why weren't you there when she needed you?"
Zeus frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
Ikki closed his eyes for a brief moment before facing Zeus again.
"She was killed."
Zeus' expression changed instantly. His eyes widened. "What?"
Zeus blinked, completely taken by surprise. His face was now marked by disbelief and, for the first time, by genuine pain.
"No… that can't be…" He took a step back, as if he had been struck in the chest. "Sophia… dead?"
Ikki didn't answer. He just watched his father absorb the truth.
Did he really love his mother? Did he feel that there was no influence of fate in his decisions, that it was something genuine…?
"I… I didn't know…" Zeus murmured, more to himself than to Ikki.
Although he knew it had nothing to do with Zeus, Ikki couldn't help but sigh when he spoke.
"If you loved her so much... why didn't you protect her?" His voice was lower now, almost as if he didn't want to know the answer. "Where were you when she needed you?"
Perhaps it was just a reflection of himself, since he wasn't there when she needed him either.
Zeus didn't know how to answer. For the first time in ages, he felt small. And, in that moment, he realized that his greatest mistake wasn't just neglecting his son. It was losing the only woman he truly loved… without even knowing. His mind seemed to spin in a whirlwind of emotions he hadn't experienced for centuries. He didn't want to believe it, but Ikki's words left no room for doubt. Sophia, the only woman he truly loved, was dead.
He brought a hand to his face, his fingers pressing his temples as he tried to process the information. The pain, unexpected and cruel, struck him like a lightning bolt that he himself hadn't been able to foresee.
"I always watched over you…" His voice came out hoarse, laden with a weight he couldn't disguise.
Ikki looked at him, surprised, but remained silent.
"From the moment you were born." Zeus continued, his gaze lost in the void, as if reliving every memory. "Although I couldn't watch always, I saw your first steps. Your mother held your little hands, smiling at you with that sparkle in her eyes… I wanted to be there. I wanted to hold you, be by her side… but I knew I couldn't."
"I heard your first words… You called for her, and she laughed, pulling you into a hug. I wondered if one day you would call for me too, but I never dared to hope for it."
Ikki felt something tighten inside him. He never imagined that Zeus, the all-powerful God of Olympus, had witnessed those moments.
"I saw when you fought with another boy at school because he insulted your mother. I saw when you looked at the sky at night or sat on your bed thoughtfully, I imagined you were wondering where your father was…"
Zeus closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, they were different. There was no arrogance. Only pain.
"I always tried to look after you. But, a year ago, something changed. I couldn't find you anymore. Not Sophia, not you. I tried… I swear I tried. I looked for her. I looked for you. But it was as if you had disappeared from the world. And now… now I find out that she's gone."
He ran a hand over his face, as if trying to compose himself, but the truth was there was no escaping the pain that ravaged him.
Ikki didn't know how to react.
"What happened to her?" Zeus asked, his voice filled with need. "How… how did it happen?"
Ikki lowered his gaze for a moment before facing Zeus again. "She was killed by Luke Castellan. He killed her… and I couldn't do anything."
"She didn't deserve that..." Zeus murmured, his voice laced with emotion. "Sophia... I promised I would protect her. I swore that, even from a distance, nothing would happen to you."
Ikki remained silent, watching Zeus sink into his own grief.
The silence between them became almost unbearable.
Ikki never thought he would see Zeus like this. He always imagined him as an untouchable, arrogant, unreachable being. For a moment, he wondered what he should do. He could ignore it, he could let Zeus drown in his own guilt… but something inside him wouldn't allow it.
Without saying anything, he took a step forward and placed a firm hand on his father's shoulder.
Zeus flinched slightly at the touch, as if it were something he hadn't expected. Slowly, he raised his eyes and met Ikki's gaze.
And it was there, in that moment, that Zeus realized how much his son had grown.
The last time he saw him so close, Ikki was just a child, a boy who had discovered his existence and who risked danger to seek his symbol of power. Now, before him, stood a strong man, with a striking presence and a more vivid and determined look. It wasn't just physical strength — in his eyes, it was something deeper, something that showed all the battles Ikki had faced and overcome without the help of a father.
He had Sophia's eyes. The same intense shine. The same firmness.
"I'm not going to say it's okay," Ikki finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "Because it's not. It never was."
Zeus continued to look at him, absorbing every word.
"But carrying this guilt won't change what happened." Ikki squeezed his father's shoulder slightly, in a gesture that mixed understanding and unexpected solidarity. "I failed too. I couldn't protect her either. And I know that if she were here, she wouldn't want to see us drowning in this."
The last part he said was more to himself than to his father.
Zeus blinked, surprised.
"She was strong. Strong enough to know that not even a god can change fate." Ikki sighed and, for an instant, his eyes held a deep sadness before he regained his calm expression. "And I know she would forgive you."
Zeus felt his throat tighten. He never imagined he would one day receive this kind of gesture from Ikki. He never expected that, after everything, his son would be the one to offer him comfort.
"You've grown…" Zeus murmured, almost without realizing it.
"Someone had to grow up, right?" Ikki gave a small, humorless smirk.
Zeus let out a low chuckle, devoid of joy, but full of melancholy.
Ikki released Zeus' shoulder, taking a few steps back as he voiced his sincere thoughts: "It's okay. You weren't there… but I understand."
Zeus was surprised.
"I always thought that if we ever had this conversation, I would be angry." Ikki crossed his arms, looking at the starry sky. "But I don't feel any of that now. I grew up the way I grew up. I had my mother… and that was enough."
He then turned to face Zeus again.
"I always thought you'd be afraid of me."
Zeus frowned. "Afraid?"
"You're the King of Olympus. And I… well, I'm strong. Very strong." Ikki nodded and shrugged. "As the stories about you say, I thought you'd be paranoid, that you'd see a possible traitor in your own son. That you'd think that one day I might try to take something from you."
Zeus was silent, but Ikki saw that he was listening attentively.
"But now I see that you may never have thought that way." Ikki gave a small smirk, without arrogance, just a quiet acknowledgment of the truth. "And honestly? Even if you had, it wouldn't make a difference. The throne?" He pointed to the sky. "It's just an empty seat. It doesn't mean anything to me."
Zeus blinked, as if he had never considered that.
"What matters is family." Ikki continued. His expression became more serious, more sincere. "And I'm happy that you've changed. Truly."
Zeus watched him for a long moment. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but full of meaning.
The King of Olympus always thought that power was the only thing that sustained his dominion, but his own son, perhaps the strongest he ever had, didn't care about it. He never imagined his son would see the throne as something unimportant. For centuries, he ruled with the fear of betrayals, of gods and demigods trying to usurp his power…
Zeus sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face, as if trying to rid himself of a weight he had been carrying for a long time.
"I'll be honest with you, Ikki… When I learned of your parentage… when I realized you were two-thirds divine and one-third mortal, I… I thought about it."
Ikki raised an eyebrow. "So I was right?"
Zeus let out a low, humorless laugh. "Yes and no. At first, there was an instant, a moment of doubt, where I considered that you could be a danger. A being so powerful, born outside Olympus, outside my control… it was something that made me hesitate."
Ikki remained silent, just listening.
"But then I looked at your mother, Sophia…" Zeus' voice became lower, more laden with emotion. "Knowing that a child with her would be strong, all of this… fear, power, paranoia… became futile. I loved her enough to realize I was getting too blind with it."
"Yes, the years passed and I realized more and more, that I was clinging too much to the idea of being the Ruler of the Gods. I lost myself in power. I spent so much time fearing betrayals, maintaining my position, crushing any threat, that… I forgot what really mattered."
Ikki watched him carefully.
Zeus took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing his hands firmly on Ikki's shoulders. The touch was strong, but not as a gesture of dominance or imposition — it was a gesture of connection, from a father to a son. His eyes, once always full of authority and absolute power, were now different. More human. More true.
"Ikki…" He said, his voice laden with sincerity. "I made mistakes in the past. I know words can't change that, but I don't want you to think, not even for a second, that you're alone."
Ikki watched his father carefully, sensing the seriousness in what he was saying.
"No matter what you decide for your future. No matter the path you choose to follow, who you decide to be or what you do with the power you possess…" Zeus squeezed Ikki's shoulders slightly, as if he wanted every word to be felt. "I will be by your side."
Ikki blinked, surprised. He never imagined hearing something like that from Zeus.
"Not as the King of the Gods. Not as a ruler worried about threats or a paranoid obsessed with the throne. But as your father."
Zeus inhaled deeply, as if assuming this role for the first time for real. "You may not need me. You may not want to depend on anyone. But if you ever need… I'll be here."
Ikki sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before facing Zeus seriously. He could see the sincerity in his father, but knew he wasn't the only son he had neglected.
"If that's what you want to be, if you really want to be by my side as a father…" Ikki began, his voice firm, but without hostility. "Then you should do it for all your children, not just me."
Zeus frowned slightly, as if those words carried a weight he hadn't yet fully considered.
"You talk about regret, about realizing what you've lost… But what about the others?" Ikki continued, crossing his arms. "How many of your children grew up without a father? How many had to fend for themselves, while you were too busy with your throne to even acknowledge them?"
Zeus remained silent, but Ikki didn't stop.
"Artemis and Apollo, abandoned to survive as soon as they were born, because Hera didn't accept that you had children with another woman. Dionysus, who lost his mortal mother because you filled her with promises, and then was forced to spend centuries serving others as punishment for something that wasn't even his fault. Persephone, always treated like a bargaining chip, without anyone asking what she wanted. And Ares…" Ikki paused, looking Zeus directly in the eyes. "He spent centuries seeking your approval, wanting to be recognized, and all he received was contempt."
Zeus looked away for a moment, as if feeling the weight of those words.
"I'm not the only one who deserved to have a father, Zeus." Ikki said, his voice lower, but laden with meaning. "If you really want to change… then start with all of them. Not just me."
Zeus remained silent for a few moments, absorbing every word from Ikki. He had reflected on this before, but he always pushed these questions to the back of his mind, justifying to himself that it was the price of being King of the Gods. But now, looking at his son, hearing his voice filled with reason and emotion, he realized he could no longer ignore it.
He let out a heavy sigh and nodded slowly.
"You're right. This can't just be about you. It never should have been. I've thought about this before, countless times, but I always put it off, I always thought that the burden of being King of the Gods justified my choices. That Olympus needed a ruler more than my children needed a father."
"But this throne… this power… It means nothing if I can't be a just leader. If I can't be a real father."
He turned his gaze back to Ikki, his expression determined.
"I can't change the past. But I can try to be better in the present… and in the future."
The God of Gods took a deep breath and, with a conviction he rarely expressed, declared:
"I promise, Ikki. I will really try this time. Not just to balance being a king and a father, but to be fair in both roles."
Ikki studied his father for a moment, searching for any sign of hesitation or falsehood. But he found nothing but sincerity, his mastery over the concept of [Justice] told him it wasn't an empty promise, it was a beginning. He took a deep breath and, instead of an emotional response or a profound speech, just shrugged casually.
"Alright. I'll wait to hear and see with my own eyes."
Zeus raised an eyebrow, surprised by his son's calm reaction.
Ikki continued, crossing his arms and giving his father a meaningful look. "If you really want to start changing, I think a great first step would be to talk to Thalia. Alone."
Zeus was silent for a moment, absorbing the weight of that suggestion. Thalia… his other daughter, one he had also neglected for a long time.
"She may not admit it, but I think she deserves to hear a few words from you," Ikki added, without pressing, but making it clear that it wasn't something Zeus should ignore.
Zeus let out a heavy sigh, as if he already knew he would have to face this sooner or later. But, this time, he didn't seem so reluctant.
"I'll talk to her." Zeus replied, nodding slowly. "This time, I'll do it right."
Then, suddenly, a slight smile appeared on his face, almost as if he were rediscovering a feeling long forgotten.
"Well…" He sighed and shook his head, still somewhat distracted. "I think we've had enough seriousness for one night."
He looked at Ikki and gestured with his head toward the party. "Let's go back. I don't want them to think the King of Olympus disappeared in the middle of the celebration… or that my son is trying to escape it."
With a final look at Ikki, he stepped forward and began walking back.
Ikki followed him, and even without words, there was a silent understanding between the.