Athena arrived at her temple, where nymph goddesses naturally served drinks for the two god-kings.
Compared to Apollo's lukewarm, gentle-as-jade demeanor, Heracles was far more earnest; every word stressed how seriously he took this punitive expedition.
After careful observation—especially upon hearing Heracles advocate striking quickly, going straight for the head, and volunteering to lead the vanguard—Athena had a clear read.
"Heracles, I deeply recognize your loyalty to His Majesty the God-Emperor. But war isn't child's play. A quick strike means risking 'interference' from the Aesir host." Athena's use of "interference" was already polite. "Our strength is insufficient to face multiple god-kings head-on at the same time. And I've fought Odin; he wasn't weak to begin with."
Apollo spoke, his wording equally cautious. "We only need three days. In that time, we can subdue those rebels decisively without interference. In a mere three days, Odin can't possibly fortify the Dogon world's defenses by much."
The corners of Heracles's mouth twitched twice. Seeing two god-kings—both his seniors in standing and seniority—speak thus, he could only give it up.
Originally, that would have settled it.
Who knew a wrench would get thrown in.
Before the three god-kings had even finished their council, Hera sent a nymph goddess.
"I bear the oral decree of His Majesty the God-Emperor and Queen Hera—please set out as soon as possible. If interference from the Aesir arises, His Majesty the God-Emperor will personally intercept it."
At that, Athena's whole being went bad.
In theory, Zeus could indeed do it. But what if, while Zeus was intercepting those Aesir god-kings, Kronos and the Titans perfectly coordinated and swooped in to raid Syracuse?
Wouldn't that mean creating an unfavorable two-front situation with insufficient strength?
As things stood, they had to at least eliminate interference from the other side to safely pry out this damned nail named Odin. Did Zeus not understand that?
Athena didn't need to think to know Hera was fanning the flames to hasten her departure.
She was truly, utterly exhausted.
Protest?
What a joke! If she were brainless enough to run to Zeus and protest, she wouldn't even get to see him—Hera's nymphs would block her at the temple doors in seconds.
Besides, what was she going alone to Zeus's temple for? To deliver the lamb to the old wolf?
The key was that her teammate was working against her!
As expected, the loyal-to-a-fault Heracles brightened the instant he heard the decree. He sprang to his feet and bowed respectfully. "We will make ready to march at once."
Athena sighed inwardly: with powerful foes watching, no outside support, and yet acting as if they were an invincible peak pantheon executing grand strategy—only a fool would expect anything but defeat.
She could already see the outcome of this expedition.
Without a doubt, she would be the unluckiest scapegoat.
Upon defeat and return to Olympus, the result would be: either Zeus would lay hands on her, or Hera would lay poison on her.
Either way, it was a dead end.
Outwardly, Athena and Apollo nodded calmly.
Athena: "Understood. We march this afternoon."
Seemingly surprised by Athena's compliance, the messenger nymph felt as if her punch had sunk into cotton—Hera's prepped lines of intimidation weren't needed at all.
In any case, completing the queen's task was enough.
The nymph goddess also bowed. "In the name of Zeus the God-Emperor, I wish you every success."
"Grateful for the Father's radiant favor!" the three god-kings intoned in unison, formulaic as ever.
After that, there wasn't much to say—just passing orders down and instructing the true gods, lesser gods, and even the demigod and divine attendant units to make urgent preparations to march.
On the other side, Odin too was beating the war drums.
The very day after he took back control of the Rilanka world, he gathered his gods and saw Macaria, daughter of Hades, trailing behind Ah Puch like a bullied little wife.
From the looks of it, Ah Puch had trained her well. When she saw Odin, she immediately followed Ah Puch in offering a full salute.
When it came to breaking slave-gods, the Maya and Greek pantheons were the real professionals. By comparison, thanks to Thalos's mercy, the Aesir were actually less bloody and brutal.
Watching Ah Puch so delighted he was practically floating as he walked, Odin gave a peculiar smile that almost made Ah Puch's inner alarm bells blare.
Ah Puch hurried over like a wagging mutt. "Thank you for your grace, my lord—Ah Puch is infinitely grateful!"
"As long as you're happy," Odin said lightly, then shifted tone. "Everyone, we now have to prepare for the Olympian counterattack."
At his words, a silent stir went up below.
The Maya gods aside, those newly surrendered slave-gods formerly under the Greeks all wore cramped, uneasy looks on their faces.
Ah Puch spoke up proactively. "If the other side loses their heads and attacks within three days, we can still receive direct support from the Aesir. But after three days? Do we ask Kronos for aid? Would that harvest-god be willing to rescue us?"
"Of course he… wouldn't," Odin sniffed.
The faces of Amma and the former Dogon god-king cohort changed drastically.
Odin cast a disdainful glance at these spineless wrecks. "You gutless curs. Since you lack the courage, leave everything to your king."
"Yes, yes! Naturally we obey Your Majesty's every command," Amma replied with a pasted-on smile. He was like a shameless golden retriever who could wag at anyone.
Odin shot Ah Puch another look. "Kronos won't want to come save us, that bastard—no doubt. But if I tell him I'm holding off Zeus's claws for him, he'll be delighted to raid Zeus's new and old lairs."
Ah Puch rushed to sing his praises. "Your Majesty is wise! Zeus or Kronos, it's all the same—they're but Your Majesty's playthings."
Odin swept the hall with his gaze, fixing particularly sharp eyes on the newly surrendered gods like Amma whose hearts were quailing. "You needn't be afraid. I'll lay it down here. If the Olympians don't come, fine. If they do, I'll hang their god-king's head at this hall's gate."
"All hail His Majesty—" Amma led the way in prostrating, bowing again and again.
They'd had it with Zeus's brutality and exploitation.
Even if they didn't think Odin would be much better.
But the Aesir had diverted a lot of seawater to their world last time—mud down your pants; whether or not it's crap, it's crap. When the five Aesir god-kings came campaigning last time, they'd put up symbolic resistance and then surrendered.
Everyone knew turncoats who flip-flopped never came to a good end. They could only harden their hearts and follow Odin down a dark road.
Sure enough, Athena's divine host soon arrived.
Just as Odin had "foretold," scarcely had Athena and her forces engaged Odin than news came that the Titans were assailing Syracuse with fury.
Athena let out a long sigh—an ancient Greek phrase that, translated, was: Tired, let it all be destroyed!
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