The night had fallen on Olympus.
Most of the gods were already sleeping, but a lot remained awake, keeping watch; they were still at war after all.
In the past, for gods, sleeping once a week for a few hours was more than enough, but since the war started, sleeping became necessary to replenish strength, to fight the next day.
In a big and spacious temple, Alida and her sisters, the healers of Olympus, were sleeping under heavy protection; after all, they were important assets necessary for the war.
Under the light of the moon, Nikos walked forward, in front of him, two guards were standing in front of the door, immobile, unflinching, and completely focused on their mission protecting the healers from any danger.
And yet
None of them could see him
Nikos walked beside them and put his hands on the two guards' heads.
Without understanding what happened to them, they fell into a trance where they relived their entire lives.
A few seconds later, the two came back to their senses and resumed their duty without the slightest change in expression.
Opening the door, Nikos walked inside like it was his own home.
The temple of the goddesses was spacious, beautifully decorated, with precious gems and beautiful flora.
Slowly, Nikos made his way to the room of the nearest goddesses.
Some prefer to sleep together while prefered sleeping together to better protect themself.
On his way, Nikos saw multiple guards in the temple, but none of the guards seemed able to see him.
"Pathetic!" Nikos said, walking between guards, "How are they supposed to protect anyone?"
Soon, he entered the first room.
A few goddesses, including Alida, could be seen huddling together in bed.
Glup
'What beautiful sight,' Nikos thought, licking his lips. 'I would love to spend time with you,'
The image of three beautiful goddesses in revealing night gowns sleeping together with the moonlight streaming from the exterior was a dreamy sight for any normal man.
'Unfortunately, I can't do that now,' Nikos thought after taking a step forward.
Nikos was not a saint or even a remotely good person or god; he often abused his power when he wanted.
His hands touch the forehead of Alicia first
"Let me see your secrets," he said as he plunged into her mind
Mind and memory manipulation was Nikos's power; if one was not strong enough, he could alterone'sd memories as easily as he could flip a book.
It might sound very impressive, but it is a terrifying ability.
Using that power, Nikos could insert himself in a woman's memories, making her believe that he was her husband, or make a husband forget his entire family.
And he did, which is why his powers were sealed by Hestia a long time ago, but Zeus had obviously removed the seal and was now using him to screen his people.
The twisted smile on Nikos' face slowly disappeared as he looked into Alicia's memories.
"... Queen Hera and- and MAeron!?" Nikos mumbled as he saw in Alicia's memories the queen of Olympus and wife of Zeus entangled with his son.
Then he saw how Alicia and the other healers Milia, joined in.
He continued looking into Alicia's mind to find as much as he could for his kin.g
"That's an interesting ability that you have, Nikos!"
Maeron's voice resounded in his mind.
Terror seized him as MAeron's voice resounded all around him.
'What?!'
With his skills, he instantly realized that this voice was sounding from everywhere around him.
He immediately tried to shut down his abilities and escape, but...
'I can't leave! Why!?'
In Alicia's mental plane, Maeron slowly got up from bed.
He pulled the sheets to cover the naked bodies of his women fastening his robe and walking toward Nikos, who looked at that mouth agape.
"What the fuck!? That's impossible, you are here, how are you here,!?" He rasped, retreating,g still using his power, hoping to leave that place.
Maeron didn't answer that question; he just looked at the symbol etched deep in Alida's soul, his mark, a mark that he had etched into her essence the day she submitted to him, a mark that only he could see.
Nikos just crashed into a massive barrier, unable to leave.
"I can't let you leave here. You saw my wife's bodies after all," Maeron said with a smile even more creepy than Nikos own.
"I-I will forget everything. I will wipe my own mind, no one will know what happened here, don't kill me,"
"Kill you?!" Maeron looked nearly insulted. "My father's eyes are locked on you. If you die, he will know that something is very wrong here."
A breath of relief touched Nikos' features.
"You will submit to me," Maeron stated. It was a fact and a certitude.
"Of course, it will be my honor to be on your side, sir," Nikos said, an ingratiating smile on his face.
"Oh, please, do you really think I am so naive as just to believe that. I know you, Nikos, the crafty. Nikos the mind walker. I feel kinda conflicted here, after all, in a way I owe a lot after all."
A questioning expression appeared on Nikos' face when he heard that. Maeron could literally see the question mark above his head after all, he was certain that he never seen Maeron before.
"Do you remember my mother?"
An understanding look appeared on Nikos' face as he heard Maeron's question. Gods were generally smarter than people, and a memory master like Nikos was even naturally smarter due to his control; he immediately remembered Metis and how long ago she had with the other goddesses, which had him nearly eliminated for abusing his powers.
"I remember, your mother, Queen Metis, she didn't kill me at the time, she saved me, she had me put me in prison when everyone else wanted me dead, I owe your mother my life, sir, this is fate, let me work for you to repay that debt." Nikos rasped, having found a lifeline
The smile on Maeron's face became a little more geniune hearing Nikos words, he knew the truth of the matter his mother had let Nikos leave because she had taken an interestest in his memories abilities and wanted to learn it, she fully intended to kill him for the attracoties that he did to the goddesses and humans that he had abused by messing with their mind later, she had just died before it.
"I suppose I can believe that, but I know you well enough to know how sneaky you are,"
"Please, sir, I will be loyal..."
"I believe until a better oportunity come along. You should know that here you can't deceive me." Her Maeron was like in his own domain, he could read Nikos' mental construct as easily as Nikos himself could change others' memories.
"I know you very well after all, you are a self-serving piece of shit who only cares for yourself. And the reason I survived in Zeus' body and was able to have all the information that I needed from Zeus very own mind was that you taught my mother that memory walking thing.
"What?!" Another question mark appeared on Nikos' face as he looked at Maeron, who was standing just in front of him
Splurt
Before he could understand what was happening, MAeron plunged his hand deep into Nikos's chest.
"Submit to me voluntarily, receive my mark, serve loyaly and you will remain who you are at your core, here, in this mental plane, I can change your memories, your personality, make you my dog like you did so many others before. It is my small mercy toward you,"
The voice of Maeron in his heart made Nikos tremble in fear
He knew very well that in this mental place made from memories, a man's nature could be manipulated quite easily.
"I agree. My lord, I agree, I will work for you. You told it yourself, you know my nature wants to live, and I will do what I need to survive." his eyes moved toward the bed where Hera and the other goddesses were covered by the sheets.
"You have thoroughly infiltrated Olympus, you hold all of us in the palm of your hands, and this since the begining. I will work for you, my lord."
As he said that another mark different from what he gave his core members or wives appeared on Nikos before disappearing like a mirage.
"Excellent," Mearon said, taking his hand from Nikos' chest, then his hand fell on his head as he removed the images of the naked Hera and the others from his mind.
"You can leave,"
"Wait!!"
"Can I ask you something?" Nikos said, looking at his new master
"Why?"
"Why what?!" Maeron asked tilting his head in confusion.
"Why haven't you yet killed him, and taken the throne for yourself," Nikos asked
"Because, Olympus has a few tricks up its sleeve, same with the other realms, it's not yet time."
"I ... see"
"Now, before you leave, I have a few instructions for you,"
With that, he was pushed away.
Nikos opened his eyes, perfectly aware that his position had now completely changed.
And yet with remarkable composure, he continued his routine, reading the memories of everyone in the room.
In the throne room
Zeus, with his children, looked at Nikos work with calm and patience, unfortunaly even the all-powerful Zeus didn't notice the choking, even though it happened under his surveillance.