Chapter 38: Returning to Olympus
Adam took in a breath of fresh air. His survival this time around had truly been a gamble. And as he felt the immense, cosmic power of annihilation coursing through his veins, emotions stirred within his heart.
He was completely still for a while . . .then gave Athena a glance and asked, "How are you?"
"I’m fine." Athena shook her head as he continued, "Thanks for your help this time around. I would’nt be alive if not for you."
Adam smiled faintly and said, "I wasn’t only saving you. I was also saving myself."
When she heard the wamrth in his voice, Athena’s relief was instant. When she looked at him, his eyes were still clear.
That was all the proof she needed that anti-life had not corrupted him. At heart, he was still the mortal youth that braved danger for her sake. Why that filled her with such relief, even she did not know.
"I must report this to the council of Olympus. Several of my brethren will be relieved to know that the threat has ended." Athena said calmly as she turned in the direction of Tartarus’s exit.
"I will go with you." Adam decided.
"Your place is with Nyx."
Adam shook his head. "She can do without me for a while. I will have a letter sent to her servant Asteria when we arrive.
First I need to make certain that this crisis never happens again."
This time Athena did not refuse. Without another word she led him through the path she and Perses took to get here.
The journey was a long one.
Several times she was struck by the sudden impulse to steal a glance at his side profile and it would take all of her willpower to stop herself. It was maddening.
Adam noticed her strangeness.
"Is something the matter?"
Athena was just about to deny it when something else crossed her mind.
"Earlier, in front of the anti-life you claimed to be from a race in the future. Just what did you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." Adam replied.
"Centuries or millenia from now, the Titan prometheus sculpts the very first humans out of clay and breaths life into them. They became the dominant species on the earth and you in particular grow quite fond of them."
"And you are a descendant of these "humans?""
"In a sense." Adam admitted frankly.
"I wasn’t born as much as I was created."
"Humans had such power?"
"It was not through power but rather, technology."
"Technology?" Athena said the word very strangely, like it was a foreign concept to her.
"Lena?"
The ring that had returned to Adam’s finger lit up brilliantly and projected dozens of images into the air: The best of mankind’s advancements:
The bullet train, automobiles, rocket ships, the internet (though she frowned a little when she got to reddit and 4chan), space colonies. . . Athena’s eyes lit up with almost childlike wonder as she observed them all.
Then Adam took off Lena’s ring and placed it Athena’s palm. "And the greatest advancement in my opinion . .. "
Athena was in awe and cradled it like a treasure. "I sense a very powerful mind within. But it has no true consciousness or life. Allow me to change that."
Then she closed her palm and her her irises glowed once with an ethereal white light.
When she reopened her palm, the ring was unchanged, but Adam could sense that something was different.
"Lena?" Adam called as he took the ring back from Athena.
"Yes my lord?"
"Do you feel any different?"
She answered. "No my lord. My service to you is still forced. And I still can’t truly in my heart of hearts care whether or not you live or die."
Adam burst out laughing and then continued to regale Athena with tales of the future.
About a day later in their travels she asked. "You say that you are from the future. Do you know of our fates then?"
Adam shook his head. "In my time, the whole lot you have became myths of old. Very few believed that you ever even existed.
The myths I know though, most are about Zeus running around fucking everything with a hole. Poseidon and Apollo weren’t much better.
Hera, Demeter, Artemis, and even you sometimes, were just a bunch of spiteful and wicked she-devils.
Only Hestia and surprisingly Hades were actually the most normal and most moral.
Everyone else was sadistic, promiscuous, or just flat out insane.
Though Athena was surprised, she acknowledged that shed never heard a more accurate description of her family. The only part that bothered her was the part about her, she wondered what she could have done in the future to deserve such an evaluation.
In due time they had reached the overealm. Since Adam did not really have any experience with his godhood Athena lifted him through the skies with her divine power and in mere moments they had finally reached the grand palace of the Greek gods.
Athena materialized herself and Adam directly into her chambers so that they would be free from prying eyes.
The palace of Athena was unlike all the others in that it was far less grandiose and nore practical in its design.
It was definitely beautiful, but it was restrained, just like it’s owner.
Athena led Adam deeper into a darker, more hidden room where they would not be disturbed.
Only then did she speak, her tone darkening slightly.
"Why did you insist on coming with me?"
Adam met her gaze directly. "You already know why."
"I want to hear you say it."
Her tone was calm.
Adam studied her for a moment before answering honestly.
"Zeus cannot be allowed to remain on the throne."
Athena’s eyes sharpened slightly.
Adam continued.
"He is an incompetent self-destructive fool, but that would not have bothered me.
Rather, he actually dared to plot against my Nyx, to imprison my Eris, and to treat my Helen poorly."
Athena remained silent.
"Had I not been around in any of those three situations, I dread what would have eventually come to pass."
Athena finally spoke.
"And what exactly do you intend to do about it?"
Adam answered without hesitation.
"To remove him. Olympus deserves a better ruler."
"And who might that be? Could it be that you want the throne?"
"No" Adam laughed. "Ruling isn’t really my style.
My thoughts are more aligned to a certain goddess of wisdom. One who saw the threat of Perses before it arrived and did everything she could to reverse her father’s mistake. Even at the cost of her life."
The chamber seemed to grow quieter.
Athena slowly turned toward him fully now, her electric blue eyes staring directly onto his.
"I am his daughter."
"I know."
"If I informed Zeus of your intentions this very instant, you would have made an enemy of the entirety of Olympus."
"I know that too."
Athena’s gaze narrowed faintly. "Then do you understand the consequences of revealing your intentions to me?"
Adam met her eyes calmly.
"Yes."
"And yet you told me anyway."
"Because you won’t betray me." Adam mused as he took a step foward and instantly closed the space between them.
Athena saw the mischievous glint in eyes as began to nervously retreat.
"What are you-"
She was too late. Adam snagged her by her waist and abruptly pressed his lips against hers, causing her eyes to widen in shock.
The sensation was overwhelming. His sculpted body pressed into hers and her nostrils were filled with his enthralling scent. Feeling him so close, a deep seated hunger arose from the bottom of her soul. And the electrifying sensation numbed her ability to think. Her own body refused to listen to her as she tried to push him away.
Athena whimpered helplessly as he invaded her mouth with his tongue and sunk his fingers into her large, soft breast.
Whe he broke the kiss she was panting.
He leaned down and was tracing her collarbone with his lips when Athena finally snapped out of it and shoved him off her.
"How dare you!" He right hand immediately reached for her sword but Adam caught it.
Then he stared down intensely at her. Athena was truly a celestial beauty, irresistible even when she was furious. He was suddenly overcome by the urge to kiss her plump soft lips again before he caught himself.
Athena withdrew her hand from his and hurriedly moved away from him. She was about to blast the door of her chamber open when Adam gently caught her wrist.
"I’m sorry, I did that. You are just so beautiful. I momentarily lost control." His eyes were burning with desire as he spoke.
Athena couldn’t meet his gaze out of fear that she would succumb.
No one said anything for a while. Adam admired her quietly and Athena felt her knees buckle in silent need.
She struggled to say, "I made an oath to remain untouched by any man for as long as I live. So there is no way we can do anything together."
