CHAPTER 159: CHAPTER 4

Olympus roared with voices.

In the golden hall of the gods, the debate raged like a storm.

Zeus sat upon his throne, thunder rumbling in his clenched fists, while Poseidon loomed at his side, trident in hand, the seas around Olympus surging in sympathy with his temper.

Below them stood Thetis, radiant yet pale, her wrists bound in glowing chains of divine law.

She said nothing, her eyes lowered, lips pressed tightly together, but the silence around her only fed the fury of the gods who debated her fate.

Athena was the first to rise, her gray eyes blazing.

"Father, Uncle, do you not see the folly of this? To shackle Thetis unjustly will not only stain Olympus with tyranny, it will bring the wrath of Oceanus. He is not one to forgive insults lightly, and Thetis is his beloved granddaughter. Are you so ready to invite war upon us?"

Poseidon slammed his trident against the marble floor, sending cracks racing like lightning.

"Better to anger Oceanus than to risk birthing a child who will overthrow us! Do not forget the prophecy. The son of Thetis shall be greater than his father. If she takes a god to her bed, Olympus itself may crumble!"

Artemis, standing with her silver bow in hand, stepped forward. "And yet, Poseidon, you speak of shackling an innocent. Thetis has done no crime. You and my father act out of fear, not justice. Would you call yourselves protectors of Olympus if your first instinct is chains?"

Her words sparked more unrest, murmurs, whispers, uneasy shifting among the assembled gods.

Then, Metis, calm and thoughtful, raised her voice. "There is a path forward. Bind Thetis not in chains, but in marriage. If she is wed to a mortal, then her son, no matter how great, will never rise above the gods. The prophecy would be rendered harmless."

The hall quieted at her suggestion. Many nodded, murmuring in agreement. But Zeus’s thunderous laughter cut through the silence like a blade.

"Marry her to a mortal? Have you learned nothing, Metis? Do you forget Herios?" His eyes burned with contempt as he spat the name. "The mortal who dared defy us... the mortal who spilled divine blood... who slew gods before he was struck down. Even mortals may rise to shake the heavens. Do not insult me with such foolishness."

Metis stiffened, the color draining from her face.

Memories she had tried to bury resurfaced, the screams of slain deities, the sight of Herios carving through immortals through sheer will and determination.

The man who created the first human civilization, hailed as the king of heroes and the king where all began.

The man whose legendary feats brought forth an age of greatness.

Athena was pretty obsessed with the man. She couldn’t go off a day without mentioning his name at least once.

She lowered her head, saying nothing further.

Zeus rose from his throne, the storm in his eyes unyielding. "Enough. I will not gamble Olympus on the chance of mercy. Thetis shall be imprisoned. Let Oceanus rage if he must; Olympus will not bend to an old river’s anger."

His voice thundered across the hall, silencing all who might protest.

Thetis closed her eyes, the chains tightening as if in response to his decree.

And above, the skies darkened, as though Olympus itself held its breath.

"I, Zeus, the King of Gods, hereby judged Thetis, to be imprisoned for all eternity, never to see the light of day once again."

The marble floor trembled as new chains erupted, wrapping tighter around Thetis.

Her body jerked under their weight, but her lips remained sealed, dignity unbroken even in helplessness.

Just then, Athena’s voice rang sharp as a blade. "Father! This is injustice! To bind an innocent is to become the very tyrant we claim to despise!"

Artemis joined her, eyes blazing.

"Release her! Even the Fates themselves would recoil at such cruelty. You cannot twist prophecy as an excuse to shackle whomever you fear!"

But Zeus only raised his hand, thunder surging in his palm. The chains groaned as if awaiting his final judgment.

And then—

The air shifted.

A chill swept through Olympus, unnatural, heavy, crawling into the lungs of gods and silencing them mid-breath.

Purple mist poured across the floor like a tide, swallowing the gold of the hall, drowning the light of torches, seeping even into the thunderclouds above.

The Olympians stiffened, hands reaching for weapons, hearts pounding.

Then came the sound. Footsteps, slow and unhurried.

Each one echoing through the grand hall as if Olympus itself bowed before the weight they carried.

When the mist parted, all saw him.

Hades.

Draped in flowing robes of shadow, silver hair cascading like moonlight over his shoulders, eyes glowing violet with the calm cruelty of eternity.

Although the god doesn’t exude any aura, heavy pressure seeped from him without effort, and even the bravest among the gods felt their hearts still.

Behind him, two figures followed. Themis, blindfolded but standing taller than ever, her face serene and resolute..

And Hecate, her presence simmering with restrained power, her smile brings chills to anyone’s spine.

"Brother," Zeus greeted, masking his surprise with forced warmth. His thunder dimmed to a spark in his hand. "What brings you here to Olympus?"

Poseidon offered only a curt nod, grip tightening on his trident.

The gods were surprised with Hades appearance, but most eyes were not on him, they were on Themis.

A thousand questions whispered silently across the hall. Why was the Titaness of Justice standing beside the Lord of the Dead?

But none dared to ask aloud.

Hades did not bow, nor offer pleasantries. His voice was cool, measured, but rang through the hall like the toll of a funeral bell.

"Zeus."

The King of Olympus raised a brow, but said nothing.

"I will be taking Thetis with me," Hades continued. "She will reside in the Underworld under my protection."

Gasps broke among the assembled gods.

Athena’s eyes widened in relief, Artemis sighed in relief, and even Thetis stirred, her gaze lifting at last to the dark figure before her.

Zeus’s frown deepened. "You would claim her? Brother, you may not know this but prophecy speaks that if Thetis lies with a god, her son shall surpass him. You would unleash such a threat upon the world?"

His thunder crackled once more, lighting the hall in warning.

Poseidon’s voice boomed like crashing waves. "Zeus speaks thr truth. She cannot be allowed to walk freely! You would doom us all!"

Hades’s violet gaze swept across them both, unflinching. He did not raise his voice, but his words struck like an executioner’s blade.

"You misunderstood. I wasn’t asking."

The hall went silent, every god holding their breath.

Each and everyone present felt the weight of Olympus hanging on the knife’s edge.

Hades’s shadowy aura wrapped the chamber like a storm of its own, cold and suffocating, while Zeus’s storm above rumbled with fire and fury.

As a transcendent being, those who reside on a lower dimensional plane cannot sense, much less interact with him.

But if he wills it, he can effectively affect the lower realm.

Sparks cracked in the air, and the floor groaned under the weight of divine power.

Thetis stood frozen, her hands clutching her own arms, her eyes darting between the two brothers who could decide her fate with a single word.

Themis stood tall at her side, blindfold trembling.

Hecate’s staff tapped once against the marble floor, the sound unnervingly loud.

Purple flames flickered faintly in her eyes, though she remained silent, standing firmly behind Hades.

Athena’s gaze sharpened, darting toward Hades, then to Zeus.

"If you raise your bolt, Father, you will ignite a war between brothers. And I assure you, it will not be only the Underworld against Olympus. Many of us will not fight for injustice."

Zeus’s lightning dimmed for only a fraction of a moment, but his pride roared louder than reason.

His hand tightened around the bolt. "Should I take that as a threat to me, daughter?"

Artemis stepped beside Athena, her bow in hand, an arrow notched though not drawn. "It is not a threat. It is truth."

The air snapped. The Olympians waited, hearts pounding, some readying their divine weapons, others frozen with fear of what would come next.

Poseidon exhaled heavily, and his trident slammed the floor once more. The sea god’s voice carried the weight of crashing waves.

"Zeus. Enough."

For a moment, thunder snarled louder, as though Zeus would defy even his brother.

But Poseidon’s eyes narrowed, calm yet fierce, like the depths of the abyss. "You risk tearing apart Olympus itself for a goddess not worth it."

Hades finally spoke again, voice cool as obsidian. "I will take Thetis to the Underworld. There, she will be safe, beyond the reach of this foolishness".

Zeus’s eyes burned with barely restrained fury. "If you take her now, Hades, you spit upon my throne. You weaken Olympus with your defiance."

Hades’s lips curved faintly, though no warmth touched his gaze. "Perhaps Olympus must learn humility."

A long silence followed, until Zeus finally lowered his bolt, though his storm did not fade.

His jaw tightened, his voice low and venomous. "Fine. Take her, brother. But know that I will remember this."

The purple mist around Hades thickened, as though mocking Zeus’s words. He inclined his head ever so slightly, not in deference, but in cold acknowledgment.

"I expect you to," he replied, his voice a final decree.

With a sweep of his cloak, shadows surged, enveloping Hades, Thetis, Hecate, and Themis.

The air turned icy, and when the mist cleared, they were gone, leaving behind the trembling silence of gods who had just seen Olympus itself nearly torn asunder.

Zeus sat heavily upon his throne, thunder still whispering in the skies.

His hand clenched, his pride wounded, his fury unquenched.

But he remained silent.

Knowing full well that confronting Hades is meaningless. He is bound to lose.