"He never cared about increasing his strength, it came to him naturally. I doubt any mortal could touch his body; even the gods had to be careful with him. After helping me, the two of them took me in as a daughter, and they practically raised me, the first Olympian of all."
Athena’s complexion darkened slightly as she remembered the moments of her past life with immense fondness. Even though she had lived to the point of killing all her emotions, she did not succumb. Athena lived her life from beginning to end as an emotional and rational being, a perfect balance between the two.
"There were thousands of experiences as we hunted the best of the best to be part of Olympus. It was trillions of years of endless adventures, battles, in hidden corners of the universe, fleeing from gods—it was madness until the day the son of Zeus and Hera was born."
This time, Athena’s aura became a little unstable. She didn’t seem to have good memories of this person, which was proven correct with her next sentence.
"Like Zeus, his son Ares was born with the ability to manipulate laws while still a mortal. But the problem was, he could manipulate three laws: balance, puppets, and war. It was practically unbelievable. He grew in power at an alarming rate. By that time, we had already dominated the entire universe we lived in, with Zeus as a ten-lightning god, and me as a pseudo ten-lightning mage," Kayden raised his eyebrows at that last part.
"What is a pseudo-ten-lightning?"
"I didn’t pass the gods’ tests to become a god. I ascended to divinity without passing through the ninth realm, which is possible under certain circumstances. Anyway, the more Ares grew, the more Zeus disappeared from world politics. Slowly, the son took his father’s power."
Kayden understood that this was done by force. Ares was far superior to his father, and as a good father, Zeus could endure it. In fact, he didn’t even care, but that was something Kayden didn’t understand.
"I disappeared at the same time. There was no reason to stay in politics anymore; I had conquered everything I could with my power. The rest of Olympus was strong, made up of the best gods in the universe, but they were also greedy people who wanted even more," Athena sighed, remembering her friends and some children in the process.
"What do you seek when you truly reach the top?" Kayden had been wondering about this for a long time.
"Most fall into deep depression, while others continue trying to break divine limits. But this is a majority in the early years at the top and a minority in the later years. It’s a stage no one had come close to, at least until Zeus and Ares."
Kayden finally had an idea. Could Thoth and Hypnos be on that level they had talked about? Kayden had a strong suspicion that either they were or this ancient god was cursed with true immortality.
"What do you know about Thoth?" Kayden decided to clear his doubts.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. He is a god who seeks death. No one ever knew where he came from or who he was, but when Zeus was young, Thoth was already old." Indeed, Thoth was something superior to everything in this universe.
"Were you part of his plans?" Athena’s face darkened and soured. Kayden had learned to recognize the woman’s signs.
"No, he called me a failure for not passing the gods’ test in the last realm. Zeus was someone he never managed to convert. In fact, Ares was a gift Zeus gave to Thoth to make up for his wasted talent, a peace offering so he wouldn’t chase after more power."
Thoth had one of the greatest determinations Kayden had ever seen in the entire universe. He pursued the same goal for practically an infinite amount of time, and yet, he had the same mentality, always seeking something new.
"In the end, Ares grew in power to the point of defeating the entire universe in a fight. It was completely surreal, but considering he was raised with a golden spoon and talent beyond absurd… it still didn’t justify it. His strength was far beyond what any being should possess."
A man against an entire universe was something Kayden couldn’t even comprehend. For the first time in billions of years, he felt a chill in his soul. Was this the maximum level of strength a being could achieve? What came after?
"And what happened?" Kayden was genuinely curious this time.
"Now you’re curious, aren’t you?" Athena gave a silly smile. For the first time since meeting Kayden, she had something to bargain with him.
"What do you want?" Kayden already knew this would be an exchange. He had lived long enough with Athena to understand that.
"I want you," the girl said with a smile.
For the first time in a long time, Kayden found himself in a dilemma. He didn’t want to take this step, as he understood what was happening, and that would mean getting too attached to this woman. However, his curiosity outweighed his fear.
"Come," Kayden called her with one hand, and with the other, he went to her neck. If there was one thing he had, it was experience with women.
As soon as their lips touched... Kayden realized he had made the worst decision of his life. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck his soul, energizing it in an absolute way. He had never felt so alive and complete before.
Athena, likewise, in her long life had kissed thousands of lips, yet none made her soul resonate as if it were alive. The two lost themselves for a few seconds.
"One cannot deny a soulmate," Athena smiled at the boy and continued kissing him as if her life depended on it.
"No, my love," Kayden uttered his first sincere vow of love in his life as the two began the greatest carnal act of their lives.
Author’s note: I haven’t gone mad, just trust me, my dear readers.
**************
A few days after the intense soul-shaking sex, they finally felt satisfied. Kayden finally understood the weight of what a soulmate meant. Athena absurdly played with his mind, and not only that, she made him feel more alive than ever.
"In the end, Ares consumed the entire universe in a mad quest to break the gods’ barrier, but he failed. Unfortunately, his failure also meant the end of the universe as we knew it. We spent an incalculable amount of time inside green and black bubbles, and one day, we were here, witnessing:
The creation. The universe was born in an explosion of light and matter, but unlike other existences, in this cosmos, conscious life never flourished. Planets emerged in countless solar systems, each adorned with breathtaking landscapes, vast oceans, and mountains that touched the sky. However, no living beings emerged to contemplate these wonders. Winds blew across endless deserts, crystalline seas broke upon pristine shores, but everything remained in absolute silence, a harmony undisturbed by any form of life.
The stars shone in their galaxies, creating a perfect cosmic dance, without the need for witnesses. Civilizations would never arise, and the secrets of the universe would remain untouched, like pages of a book that would never be read. Machines and matter followed the course of their natural development, building complex planetary structures, but devoid of conscious purpose. In this universe, the destiny was not evolution but the perfection of the inanimate, where time flowed without interruption, and beauty existed only for itself, in an eternal and silent balance."
"It was simply one of the most beautiful things we had ever seen in our lives. This was true and absolute peace. A voice at the time warned us not to disturb the natural balance, or we would be killed. Many gods didn’t take it seriously and quickly died within days."
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