Chapter 10

The Cavern of Shadows. The Dungeon.

The location has been chosen unfortunate. It was dark, cramped and damp. In short, it was absolutely inappropriate for God.

There were two in the room. They remained completely silent. And if God was pacing the floor in impatience, his company – a lanky creature, hidden from prying eyes by a dark mantle – was calm and focused. One might have thought that he was asleep under his black mantle, standing still, but it wasn't.

"What are we waiting for? We must attack!" the God raged.

"Be patient, my lord! Grandiose plans leave no room for haste. We are not ready."

"So what are we waiting for? Do we want Zeus to find us and shove up some mountain for a thousand years? He already knows everything, and I miraculously managed to escape from Olympus."

"No one can find us here. This cave is under the spell so you don't have to worry about the wrath of the Thunderer."

"I'm tired of waiting forever. We didn't do this to hide in some stinking cave!" the God roared.

"Our army is still vulnerable, and we can't risk it. My son should join us in the shortest possible time. Only he can provide us with the necessary advantage. Everything goes according to plan."

"The human girl is killing our best warriors, and soon no army will be able to resist her."

"You're right. That's why she has to choose our side. One way or another, the Force will change her, and she will join us."

"And what if she's strong enough to resist the Force?"

"Then she'll follow my son. She'll have no other options," the man in the mantle concluded.

"You'd better make it happen, or I'll drag you down with me!"

The man in the mantle chuckled. He knew his God better than others and chose him as an assistant on purpose – the God was hot-tempered, proud, intolerable but powerful.

He had been suffering under the yoke of circumstances for many years but once he decided that enough was enough. It took him several hundred years to prepare everything, to measure every step, every probability, and everything went according to plan so far. He could only wait, and he was patient.

He was already looking forward to winning. Justice had to be done and thousands, if not millions, of victims, would be sacrificed. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

"Why are you sure your son will share our plans?" the God suddenly asked. "He spent a lot of time among people and might be infected by their mercy."

"My blood runs through his veins. He will follow the call. The case will help him do this!"

"How do you know it's going to be like this?" the God was indignant.

"I thought it through in advance, and it can't be otherwise. I would not have done all that if not for the confidence in a positive outcome. Trust me, and soon we will have the result."

Only the man in the mantle knew the real plan and reward for his efforts.

"How dare he?" the Thunderer was indignant.

He had never been seen in such awful spirits. He had been rushing around the hall of the Heavenly Palace for several hours. Zeus knew his son's temper but did not expect such treachery. And what was the reason? The awakening of Chaos could not be beneficial to anyone because he had no mercy or reward but hunger for everything on his way, and it was almost impossible to stop him.

"He couldn’t have thought of that himself!" Aphrodite stated. Her long hair was swaying in time with the wind created by Zeus.

"Sure! He is too stupid and hot-headed to realize the consequences of his action. Someone's helping him! Why haven't the Priests identified them yet?"

"The Commander says their location is hidden by the spell that even the almighty Oracle cannot see through," Apollo said.

A thunderclap turned into a rumble and shook the Heavenly Palace.

"I'll go find him myself!" Zeus nodded.

The Thunderer heard a loud sigh of several Olympians. He knew how dangerous it was but all this deeply hurt him.

"It's time to engage! Everything goes too far to entrust the Balance to a human teenager."

Zeus disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving behind the Gods in horror.

An unusual visitor came to the Commander of the Guardians that same night.

"I have a gift that you must give to a human!" the stranger said. He handed Tol a small object wrapped in the light-colored fabric.

"What is it?"

"Open it if you're so curious!" the visitor encouraged.

Tol looked incredulously at the man in a white robe. He looked like one of the Elders but was not any of them because Tol knew everyone personally. It was a man of small stature with a thick and long white beard. The old man inspired confidence but Tol was accustomed not to believe appearance, which sometimes was a masterful illusion.

"Don't you trust me?"

"Why should I trust you?"

"I am here on behalf of Zeus!" the old man said in an ancient language known only by few creatures.

Tol's face fell, and he grabbed the gift from the stranger's hands. Quickly unwrapping the fabric, he gasped. Tol looked up at the old man but no one was in the office. He was left alone.

Tol frowned and clutched the priceless relic in his hand. Was it possible that Zeus himself insisted on giving this to the girl? The power of this object was so great that it could do mischief in the wrong hands.

But who was he to question the orders of Zeus?

With a heavy heart, Tol went in search of the human, sincerely hoping that this was not a mistake.