Ars Paulina.
Once in Ars Paulina, seated on my throne, I waited for my guests to ascend the platform. Archer and Heracles stood obediently behind my right shoulder, while Grandpa decided to show himself and stood on my left. The signatures of the Olympians were clearly felt from below, and since they had not yet appeared, I began to look around, as I had not looked into my Mirror of Souls for quite some time.
The landscape hadn't changed, and next to me were still two thrones intended for Tia and Morgan, but something had appeared off to the side — a symbol of a fox with nine tails.
I raised an eyebrow.
So, I've mentally accepted Yasaka, huh? Well, considering the circumstances, it's not that surprising.
After all, we're going to have a wedding, not just with her, but still. And I already consider Kunou to be my Jorno, but that thought also makes me think about someone else — little Gabi, and with her, Gabriel.
I shook my head, and at that moment I saw the heads of the Olympians, who had finally reached the platform, and then I put a nice smile on my face.
Okay, I'll deal with that later, when the time comes. For now...
- "Welcome to my soul, as they say," I greeted all thirteen gods, who stopped in the center of the platform and began to study Grandpa's figure. "Just don't mess up the floor, okay? There's an expression, and I wouldn't want it to become literal."
- "Into your soul?" Hades was surprised, which was evident even in his bare skull. "Interesting."
- "Why did you bring us here?" Zeus asked sternly and harshly, clearly demanding a direct answer from me and angry that I was above him. "After the generous hospitality I have shown you, you dare to do this?! You forget your place, mortal!"
- "Calm down, Zeus," Poseidon intervened. "We are in his power here."
- "Yes, father," Hermes supported him. "We are cut off from our domains. Our powers are weak in this place."
- "What difference does that make?!" Hera exclaimed indignantly. "He considers himself above us, the gods! He deserves..."
- "Silence, woman!" Zeus interrupted her, which, of course, caused her discontent, and turned his gaze to me. "I am waiting for an answer, Romani Archaman. And who is this with you? He was not on Olympus when you transported us here."
- "It's him, Father," said Aphrodite. "The one who possessed the aura of Death stronger than Hades himself."
- "Indeed, interesting," Hades nodded to himself.
At Zeus's words, I put on a bored expression, relaxed my posture, and propped my head up with my fist. Seeing this, Heracles and Grandpa did not react, while Archer rolled his eyes.
- "You see, everything was really fine, but only until you used the word 'alliance,'" I began calmly and mockingly. "Although, to be honest, I never planned on doing business with Olympus."
- "How dare you..." Zeus began to get angry, and a wave of lightning passed through his body.
- "Not much, believe me," I continued, interrupting him. "But getting back to our conversation, do you know what Solomon was known for in the supernatural world?"
- "What does it matter?!" Zeus barked.
- "His love for humanity," Aphrodite said, attracting the attention of her colleagues.
- "He loved people and hated how the gods interfered in their affairs, even though he himself was not the best example of this," added Demeter.
- "He was a hypocrite!" interrupted Ares. "We are the highest manifestation of human aspirations! And war is the most vivid example of this!"
- "Surprisingly, Ares is right," agreed Apollo, causing Ares to grin. "Solomon loved humanity, but denied its essence."
- "He was a man, and that surprises you?" Artemis sneered.
- "Nevertheless, he protected them, as well as the fruits of their labor," said Hephaestus.
- "Well, there is some truth in that," I agreed with them. "But those were different times. Humanity needed guidance, some kind of higher good and unattainable ideal to strive for."
Now, thousands of years later, when scientific progress and philosophical views have changed, even if some of the foundations remain, it is time to reconsider the interaction between the world of humans and non-humans.
I paused and looked around at them.
- "The supernatural world is nothing but consumers and conservatives. They do not contribute to progress and are not ready to keep up with the times. Not all of them, but most. And instead of helping humanity, which would not be without benefit to themselves in the form of preserving their faith and their reputation as a force to be reckoned with, the gods hinder progress and use humans as weapons in a cold war. And you know what's funny?"
- "What is that?" Zeus asked impatiently.
- "By doing this, you are just like humans," I said calmly. "Pride is a great sin. I would even say it is the greatest of the seven sins listed by the God of the Bible. And those who can turn away from it for the common good... Only they are capable of looking to the future."
I paused again and looked straight into Zeus's eyes, which were filled with nothing but anger and discontent.
- "Unfortunately, Olympus does not particularly fit these criteria, and therefore, in order to crush this pride, measures must be taken. And since in this world, as in most others, power reigns supreme as the most understandable and effective language of all..." I said and snapped my fingers.
At that very moment, the space began to change. The platform expanded for tens of kilometers, as if it were made of rubber instead of stone. The sky stretched under the power of my silent command and filled with endless stars, whose brilliance rivaled that of the Sun itself. But most importantly, I gave the Olympians access to my domain, which they, like me, immediately felt.
The Olympians perked up, feeling their newfound strength, and their gaze changed. Now it was filled with confidence, courage, and bravado, which they wanted to use against me, because they understood where this was going. And they weren't the only ones.
- "Master, your orders?" asked Grandpa, drawing his two-handed sword, while Archer activated his magic chains.
- "Arrrrr," growled Heracles, clearly not happy with what was happening, but still believing in me and ready to follow my orders.
- "This time, I'll do it myself," I smiled and stood up from the throne, then looked at Heracles. "And don't worry. I'll just give them a little squeeze, nothing more, okay?"
- "A little squeeze?!" Ares grinned. "Last time I wasn't ready, but now it'll be different."
Heracles glanced briefly at the Olympians, then at me, and placed his massive hand on my shoulder.
- "Arrrrr," he growled and smiled, and I smiled back.
- "Damn, you're so cool. Did you know that?" I giggled and teleported right in front of the Olympians. "Ah, yes. In theory, some of you have the opportunity to avoid all this, given that you didn't mess up too badly. However, as a precaution, you will still be participants in our event."
- "Even me?" asked Aphrodite.
- "Of course," I replied instantly and grinned. "Any last words?"
- "Are you sure of your abilities, Romani Archaman?" Zeus declared arrogantly. His eyes flashed bright blue, and his body was covered with multiple bolts of lightning. "Your pride is equal to that of the gods, and it will be your downfall!"
- "Oh? 'Pride'? 'Will destroy you'?" I put on a surprised expression, clutched my heart, and released the mana I had been holding back in my body. "It will happen, no doubt, but right now, with your participation? Well, that's unlikely."
The entire Mirror of Souls shook with power, and the platform began to crack, as did the columns standing at its edges. The hole in the sky widened, threatening to swallow the sky itself and the stars, and waves of mana, mixed with dry and oppressive power, pushed the gods back several meters.
Every Olympian's eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and the glowing blue lights in Hades' empty eye sockets shone brightly. Their clothes and hair billowed in the wind and power, but only four stood out from the rest: Hades, Ares, Zeus, and Hestia.
Hades looked interested in my power, Ares was barely holding himself back from attacking me first, Zeus was full of confidence in his victory and complete domination over me, and Hestia... Hestia's whole appearance seemed to scream that she was confused. She was seriously thinking about something, occasionally glancing at Zeus, who was completely oblivious to this.
Seeing this, a satisfied smile appeared on my face.
I didn't cut the Olympians off from their possessions for no reason. Possessions are the essence of the gods. They are what they follow, like a creed or an imaginary but binding law. Cut off from her possessions, Hestia experienced freedom. Not only from them, but also from her own demons, and now that feeling would not leave her alone. Nor would the thought of what would have changed if she had become the head of Olympus.
And if that's the case, then everything went exactly as I planned. And now, all that was left was to finish it off with force.
- "Well, shall we begin?" I asked, to which Zeus created lightning bolts in his hand and aimed them at me.
- "Just don't put on a black hoodie and shout something like 'UNLIMITED POWER,' okay? I don't have my Windows in my pocket."
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