49 - Tragedy (2)

It was a normal day for everyone in Greek Realm. All the Gods, whether Greeks or outsiders, were talking about Chaos or Athena's plans.

'' What she proposes may work, but where will we find an open portal to Chaos?'' Thoth was gratefully surprised by Athena's intelligence. If the plans she proposed worked, perhaps they would have a chance against the forces of Chaos.

"Wouldn't you have in your Realm?'' Amaterasu, who saw the plan as a chance to get his revenge, asked.

Thoth shook his head, ''When we evacuated our realm, all the portals closed. The big one and all the small ones.''

When Chaos destroyed Egypt, all the portals were gone. Even the one that Ra protected for a century.

''Hmm... Maybe the ones in my realm are still open?'' Amaterasu remembered the portals that opened in her realm.

Thoth thought for a moment, '' I don't think so. I think the portals follow certain rules, and when their purpose is completed they close. Besides, we don't know the way to your realm. The journey could take years, and we don't have that kind of time.''

Although the Egyptians were experts in information, for centuries they tried to find the Realm in the South, the Japanese, but without success. They did not know the way.

Amaterasu became quiet after that, accepting Thoth's suggestion.

'' So what do we do?

''I don't kn-''

Thoth was going to continue speaking when suddenly, the whole earth shook. It was as if the whole Realm was in pain. He and Amaterasu went towards Athena, who had a solemn face.

'' What is it!? What happened?'' The two outsider gods were shocked, thinking it was an attack from Chaos.

Athena said slowly, '' One God of our realm died.'' She closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them, '' It's not a God in the Realm right now, so it's a member of Poseidon group.''

By this time, everyone gathered near Athena. The Greek Gods looked the most concerned since one of them just died.

Aphrodite looked the most concerned thought, as she was holding Luve in her arms. The young Goddess was squirming in her mother's arms while being surrounded by the other young Gods.

Athena went near them, '' What made her become like this?''

'' I don't know. The children were playing when she suddenly fainted.'' Aphrodite was worried, '' I wonder what could have happened?''

Athena put a hand and Luve's head. She used her powers to feel Luve condition and noticed something, ' Her powers received some boost, whence her pain. This means..!'

After taking her hand off Luve's head, Athena looked at Aphrodite with compassion, '' Im sorry but... I think Hephaestus died.''

This shocked all Greeks, '' What do you mean!?''

'' As Luve is Aphrodite and Hephaestus's daughter, she has both their powers. I think if/when one of them dies, she would then receive a boost in her powers.''

'' But what about Oepthus? He's also Hephaestus's son but from a different mother.'' Neptune quickly found something was nothing adding up.

' Maybe it's because of the different generations of Gods. When Zeus died, we didn't inherit any power from him, only the one who did the killing blow. It seems the next generation is a bit special.' Athena also put a hand on Oepthus. The result was the same, '' He also got strong. But his body handled it better for some reason.''

Which was weird, since Luve was the brawl one of the siblings.

After receiving 'confirmation' that Hephaestus died, Aphrodite asked Athena in a hurry, '' Can you use the communicator to talk with them!?''

''I'll see what I can do.'' Athena was going to her house to take the communicator, but Minerva stopped her.

'' Stay. We need you here.''

Athena nodded and her daughter disappeared in a flash. As the Queen of the Greek Realm, Athena went to explain what happened to the other Gods.

'' One of our own died in the Norse realm. We suspect it's Hephaestus since his kid got stronger.''

Thoth sighed, '' We met him for a few moments. Seem like a good God. A shame he died. Do you think it was a Chaos creature?''

Athena shook her head, '' I don't know. I'll use the communicator that allows me to talk with the others in the Norse realm and ask some questions.''

After saying a few more things with the others, Athena went towards Aphrodite, who looked at her with tears almost falling out of her eyes,'' Athena...''

'' ... Maybe other things happened. We are not sure.'' Athena stayed beside Aphrodite, waiting for Minerva.

After a few moments, Miverva appeared with the communicator in hand, '' Here.''

'' Thank you.''

After getting the communicator, Athena used it right away. But 5 minutes passed and no one answered on the other side. She tried for a few more minutes until she put it aside. '' No one's answering... We can assume the worst.''

After Athena said that, Aphrodite shed a few tears. While all this happened, the few Gods with healing powers went toward Luve and helped her ease the pain. Artemis was consoling Aphrodite

'' They must have encountered some trouble there...''

Everyone was in silence, when suddenly the communicator came to life, '' Hello?''

Athena rapidly answered, '' Hello, it's Athena! Pandora is that you?''

'' Yes.'' Athena noticed that the usual cheerful Pandora had her voice filled with sadness.

'' Can you tell us what happened?'' Athena went directly to the subject that mattered the most.

'' We encountered a few trouble here and a God from this realm attacked us... Hephaestus died in the fight.''

Athena took a deep breath. Pandora just confirmed what everyone knew.

But Pandora continued, '' But we might have found a way to bring him back. Poseidon already went toward the place that might save him.''

This made every Greek God happy, '' Can you explain to us what Poseidon will do?''

'' I have no idea, but from what I heard, they will go toward the Underworld from this realm, in hopes to save Hephaestus's soul.''

Athena sighed in relief, ' They still have a chance...'

After that, Pandora and Athena talked quite more, with the rest of the Gods listening.

'' Goodbye'' Pandora said goodbye.

'' Call me when there's news about the mission.''

''Don't worry.''

After putting the communicator aside, Athena sighed once again, ' Although we have to worry about Chaos, we still have other problems... I would never think someone on our side to die on the mission to save Kratos's wife.'

' But this changes nothing. We have to prepare for when Chaos attack... but without a portal, I can't be sure if what I'm thinking is correct.'

The conclusion Athena arrived, after thinking about it for a long time and studying what they knew of Chaos, was that there's something inside the Realms that makes them stronger.

She wanted to test and see if the Gods who went inside the portals would be stronger too. But with no portal open, she couldn't test it. Athena wanted to take the fight to them, but it would be for nothing if the Gods didn't get stronger.

' Even Poseidon, the strongest of all of us, didn't land a single hit...'

Even though the rest of the Gods around clearly heard the conversation, Athena still said, '' They might still have a chance to save Hephaestus.''

Aphrodite stopped crying and hope returned to her eyes, '' We can't stop now. We have to find a portal to Chaos, otherwise, even though we can save him now, it would be for nothing!''

She was now in fight mode. Luve was still suffering, but she already adjusted herself and was able to stand up, '' We have to do everything in our power to defeat Chaos.''

Everyone here knows that the chance of defeating Chaos as they were right now was close to negative, but this didn't stop them from planning.

' We can't wait... we have to go after them.' Athen stelled herself, then looked at Ra, '' You said a God from your realm betrayed you and opened portals to the Chaos, right?''

Ra nodded.

'' And he still missing?''

'' We can find him anytime we want, but we have bigger problems now... You want to find him, right?'' Ra wasn't dumb. He could see Athena wanted to find Seth.

Athena nodded, '' If he could open a portal one time, he can do it a second time. You have a mission, find Seth and bring him here. You can take any God present here to help you.''

Ra nodded and closed his eyes. He used his senses to see where Seth is. The only reason he could do this is that he was the King of the Gods of the Egyptian Realm. He could sense if the Gods of his realms were close by.

To his surprise, it seems he was in their destroyed realm, ' What is he doing there...'

'' I found him. He's at the ruins of our Realm.''

Athena nodded, '' Take whatever you need and bring him here. Make sure to bring him here as fast as possible. We have to test if my theory is correct. If it isn't...'

' We are doomed.' Athena didn't say that, but everyone knows it.

Ra was filled with confidence, '' We take pride in our travels in the Between the Realms. In less than 2 days, we will bring him here.''

Kratos took a few decades to reach the Egyptian Realm. Only 2 days to travel between those two realms is amazing.

Ra selected a few of the Gods present: Apollo, who he was teaching since both had Sun-related powers, Artemis, Amaterasu, who volunteered to go, and last but not least, Minerva.

It took a little bit of convincing Athena, but Minerva was allowed to go. She was counting on the possibility that there will be enemies to fight. She wanted to release a bit of the rage she felt inside thanks to Hephaestus's death.

The other kids wanted to go too, but Neptune stepped up, '' Stay. While they go there, we will train with the others and get even more strong.''

While they didn't like that much, they trusted Neptune and knew that Minerva was above them in terms of combat. The only kid who was at her level of power was Luve, but she was still recovering from before.

Ra also took a few weapons from the Greeks. Apollo already got his carriage, with a few Pegasus at the lead, ready to go. Everyone said their goodbyes and watched Ra and his group depart.

Neptnued approached Thoth, '' I know this might sound weird, but can you train us? We have absorbed almost everything our parents taught us, so we wanted another to see if you can teach us something new.''

Thoth looked at his missing arm, something that Neptune mirrored, '' As you can see, I can't fight. Besides, even before this happened to me, I wasn't someone who fought that much.''

Neptune laughed, '' We want knowledge.''

Thot noted only Neptune and Sumnis were close. Both of the kids were strategists. Just like Thoth, both were not that good in combat.

' Hmmm, this sounds fun. I was feeling left out anyway.' Thoth thought it would be something fun.

'' If you get permission from your mother, I'll teach everything that I know. But let me warn you, much knowledge is a curse to some people. Some people go crazy.'' Thoth knew how much of a freak Odin, the King of the Norse Realm, is regarding knowledge. He didn't want to make another person like that.

'' We got permission... Please teach us.''

Thoth nodded, '' How about you bring everyone? I'll teach all of you!''

Neptune didn't hesitate. He smiled, '' No problem. Thank you very much!''

Neptune and Sumnis went away to call everyone.

Athena appeared out of nowhere. Thoth didn't seem surprised by that, '' So, what can I teach them?''

From this, Thoth knew she was close by since the beginning.

'' Everything. I regret not doing so earlier. We can't make the same mistake again, but please make some time for them to train in combat.''

Even though some of the Gods who were considered heavy hitters went with Ra, the ones who stayed were enough to teach combat to the kids.

Thoth didn't decline, '' ... Ok.''

After a few more minutes of conversation, Athena left when she felt the kids approaching. She to her home.

Arriving there, she couldn't help but think of her husband, ' Poseidon ...'

----

WITH POSEIDON

Poseidon stared at the scene in front of him. Mimir was discussing with a red squirrel. Atreus watched with amusing eyes, while Kratos looked annoyed.

' I don't know if we are lucky or unlucky to have summoned the Arrogant Aspect.'