Divine Ascension: Reborn as a God of Power-Chapter 33: The War of Kaeron (Part 2)

"What...the...fuck," I said as I saw the notification pop up on my screen.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🔔 DING!

🟡 [New Heroic Quest: Defend your people]

🔸 Objective: Prevent Kaeron from being slaughtered by Athens.

🎁 Rewards:

🧱 +50 Authority

🧠 +20 Willpower

🛡️ +20 Endurance

💨 +20 Speed

⚔️ +50 Strength

✨+1000 Divine EXP

"Every god has the duty to protect its territory."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🟢 [ACCEPT]  🔴 [DECLINE]

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"I knew this could happen at some point, but still... fuck." I thought as I looked with alarm at the notification, which I immediately accepted without even considering the consequences.

"Shit, shit, shit," I said as I suddenly started running, using my speed stats to talk to someone who had surely found out and could do something about it.

---

"ATHENA!! GODDESS ATHENA!! ARE YOU THERE? WE NEED TO TALK!!" I said as I knocked on the door of the Goddess's house on Olympus.

"I knew this could happen at some point, but still... fuck," I thought as the notification floated in front of me, glowing with that damn red color that only appeared when something really serious was happening. I didn't need to read it in detail. I already knew what it meant.

"Shit, shit, shit." The words came out almost reflexively as I clenched my fist tightly. I didn't wait any longer. My body lunged forward, and in an instant I was running. My feet barely touched the sacred ground of Olympus as the wind whistled around me from the speed enhanced by my stats.

I couldn't stay still. Not this time. The war was already underway. Athenas and Kaeron, my city... my people... were on a war footing. And if anyone could stop the Athenians, even for a moment, it was her.

Athena.

I ran through the marble corridors of the eastern part of Olympus, where the columns rose like white stone trees decorated with gold inscriptions and reliefs telling old legends. I passed the dwellings of other gods: Aphrodite's spacious and luxurious pavilion, adorned with flowering vines that never withered; Artemis' dark sanctuary, silent and shrouded in shadows despite the eternal light of Olympus; Apollo's open throne, which projected rays of light even without its owner present.

But I did not stop. My thoughts were a mixture of urgency and concern.

I slipped between the smaller temples and circled the great theater where the gods sometimes debated in ceremonial tones. Finally, I reached a higher area, where the structures were more sober, firm... and serene.

Athena's house stood before me like a fortress of wisdom.

It had no lush gardens or ornate fountains. Its facade was made of gray marble, impeccably polished, with Doric columns supporting a pediment carved with the various battles in which she had participated. There was no unnecessary gold, no perfumes wafting through the air. Only order, symmetry, and an austere beauty that commanded respect. A large bronze owl rested on the door, its wings spread out to the sides, and runes engraved in ancient Greek flowed across the stone as if they were still alive.

I stopped in front of the large olive wood door reinforced with black iron. My heart was pounding. I raised my hand and knocked.

Once. Twice.

And then I shouted.

"ATHENA!! GODDESS ATHENA!! ARE YOU THERE? WE NEED TO TALK!!"

My voice echoed off the marble of Olympus. I didn't know if it was my desperation or the fact that the air around me was beginning to fill with that electric feeling that always preceded a divine presence... but I knew she had heard me.

I clenched my teeth. The situation was critical, but I believed I could resolve it on my own, as long as I knew I could intervene, which I wouldn't do if the goddess didn't allow me to. After all, I didn't want to make the same mistake as last time.

Besides, I wasn't ready to lose my loyal followers because of an old king with a superiority complex, and even less so because of a war that I didn't even believe had started.

"Please... answer me," I whispered, without realizing it, my forehead still pressed against the cold, silent door. And almost as if in response, the door opened, revealing a sight that made me blush and feel my friend down there was waking up for the first time that day.

Standing before me was, indeed, the goddess Athena, though not in the solemn and composed form I remembered her. Her long black hair was messy, falling wildly over her shoulders. She had dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in days. Her body—perfectly defined, the body of a goddess—was barely covered by a short, golden garment on her torso and a white linen loincloth that barely served its purpose.

She blinked a couple of times, looking at me with a mixture of exhaustion and irritation.

"Oh, it's you..." she said, her voice hoarse from sleep. "What do you want? I haven't slept in the last month. My father decided he could use me as his personal messenger to settle absurd disputes between lesser gods and forgotten temples. Today was my first day off... so if it's not an emergency, I'm going to close this door and go back to bed."

In response, I just swallowed hard and began to speak.

"It's Kaeron. Athens, your city, has declared war on him."

Athena frowned, but didn't react immediately. She looked at me as if expecting me to exaggerate or back down.

"Pandion II?" she asked at last, and I nodded. "How predictable."

"The Athenians staged an attack to frame them. From what I understand, they are demanding tribute and the submission and dissolution of my cult. The council of Kaeron refused. So now they are mobilizing troops."

Athena sighed, more annoyed than concerned.

"And you come to me for help."

"Yes. I need you to intervene. To stop this. You can convince Pandion or force Olympus to issue a ceasefire. This war will destroy Kaeron, and you know it."

She looked at me silently for a few seconds. Then she turned on her heel, entering her sanctuary and leaving the door open for me. I hesitated for a moment, but followed her.

The interior of the house was as austere as the exterior: smooth stone walls, shelves lined with scrolls, statues of warriors, rolled-up maps, and ceremonial weapons hanging on the walls. Everything was in order, meticulously clean... except for a small mountain of empty food trays next to a kind of divan in the back.

Athena collapsed onto it as if all her energy had been drained from her.

"I cannot intervene, Akhon."

"What?"

"You heard me," she repeated calmly. "I cannot. They are mortal. Their wars are their responsibility. If I intervene directly, I will be violating the pacts we have held since the War of the Titans. Olympus watches, but does not tip the scales. Only in exceptional cases. And this... is not one of them."

I felt the air escape from my lungs.

"So you're going to let them die? All of them? Those who pray to me? All those innocent people?"

Athena looked at me silently.

"It's not my war," she said finally, coldly.

"But it's mine!" I exclaimed, taking a step forward. "They're my people! If you won't do it, I will! I won't stand by and watch them be destroyed!"

Athena's expression changed. She stood up slowly. At that moment, her aura changed. She was no longer the tired woman who had opened the door half asleep. She was a goddess. A goddess of war and wisdom, and I felt it in every inch of my skin.

"Are you saying... that you're going to intervene in a conflict in a kingdom under my protection... without my permission?" she asked, her voice calm and dangerous. "Are you ready to defy a goddess of Olympus, Akhon?"

I felt my heart beating violently. Rage boiled in my chest, but reason held me back.

I lowered my gaze, thinking about my chances, but after considering several scenarios, I realized that I was not yet strong enough to face her. So I clenched my fist in helplessness and took a step back.

"I don't want to fight you," I said. "But I can't abandon them either."

Athena looked at me for a few seconds. Then she sighed. Her expression softened slightly.

"You're stubborn. But I already knew that."

She turned and walked toward a small lectern where a bronze mask rested.

"Perhaps... I am willing to allow your intervention, on one condition."

I stood up straight.

"What is it?"

Athena turned slowly toward me. She looked at me intently. Her mouth curved into an ambiguous smile, and in a low, almost intimate tone, she said:

"If you satisfy a desire of mine. Satisfy my carnal needs, and then I will let you intervene." Said the half-naked goddess as I just stared at her, trying to figure out if she was joking.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious. Why is it so hard for you to believe? It's been a long time since I've been fucked properly, and since our first encounter, I must admit that I've found you somewhat attractive. Besides, you should consider it an honor. Not everyone can boast that the goddess Athena herself offered them to have sex." She said as she slowly approached me, coming to stand right in front of me.

"So... are you going to do it or not?"

[IMAGE]