The Council (Part 1)

"Call him... Kaeron."

The voices stopped abruptly.

"It means 'new attempt' in an ancient language," He added as he slowly stood up. He siad that to make it more believable that the name was thought by him.

(Meanwhile, at the top of Mount Olympus...)

Sunlight bathed the white halls of Olympus as if the sky itself were protecting them. Everything there was silence and height, except for the occasional sound of a breeze that came from nowhere, as if the atmosphere itself refused to stand still.

Zeus, seated on his throne carved from stone with lightning bolts and celestial symbols, watched. His gaze, however, was fixed on the reflection contained within a floating pool of crystal-clear water suspended in front of him: a fragment of the mortal world, cut out and magnified.

In it, the King of Olympus watched Akhon closely as he awoke.

Zeus's face showed no emotion. Neither approval nor disapproval. He simply watched with a serene expression.

For the King of Olympus, seeing the newly ascended was nothing new. It was part of the role. A king who does not know his kingdom, after all, is nothing more than a privileged spectator. And Zeus had never been just a spectator... and never would be.

"I like the name," he murmured to himself. 'Kaeron..."

"What are you looking at, my love?' asked a female voice behind him.

Zeus did not turn around right away. He had sensed her presence before she spoke.

Hera approached with confident steps, her figure wrapped in a purple robe that shimmered as if the sun were caressing every fold. In her mind, she prayed that this was not another one of her husband's adventures behind her back. Luckily for her, this time it was not. When she reached his side, she leaned subtly to look over her husband's shoulder, her gaze immediately focusing on the young man who appeared in her vision.

And instantly, her expression began to change.

"What are you doing?" she asked, though the answer was obvious.

"Getting acquainted," he replied simply. "Do you recognize the young man?"

Hera narrowed her eyes. For a second, there was no recognition. The young man looked ordinary... at least by divine standards.

Nothing about his bearing or his dusty robe seemed exceptional. But then, something about his face, a line of his jaw, the way he held his head, awakened a distant memory. A feeling.

"Wait..." she murmured. "I know him."

Zeus tilted his head slightly, without taking his eyes off the scene.

"Do you remember him?"

Hera nodded slowly. Her eyes widened a little.

"He's the last one," she said with a hint of amazement. "The last one to emerge from Euthysia. I remember I left him with the Hesperides to supervise his growth, like the protocole says."

Zeus nodded once.

"The island still gives children to the pantheon, though less and less frequently," Hera commented, her tone somewhat lower.

'I didn't think I'd see another one emerge in this era... Much less one unclaimed."

"And yet, there he is,' Zeus said neutrally. "Building a town from the rubble, surrounded by mortals who already speak his name with faith."

Hera frowned. "And why wasn't he introduced like the others? Why did no one guide him, as custom dictates? Why is he alone?"

Zeus finally turned slightly toward her, his eyes sparkling with something that was not mockery, but not explanation either.

Zeus finally turned slightly toward her, his eyes shining with a more serious intensity than before.

"I don't know," he replied in a grave voice. "But I will find out."

Hera watched him more closely, noticing how his jaw tightened slightly, something unusual for him.

"You didn't know until now?"

"That's what's troubling me," Zeus admitted, narrowing his eyes. "Nothing that happens in Euthysia should escape my notice... unless someone has taken steps to divert my attention."

Hera raised an eyebrow. 'Do you suspect someone?"

Zeus did not answer immediately. He turned his gaze back to the orb floating in front of them, showing Akhon, who was now talking to the villagers. His fingers slowly closed into a fist.

Without turning, he said in a low but firm voice, "I will summon the Council."

Hera stood up with a stunned expression. "Do you think it's that serious? He's just a newly promoted officer..."

Zeus did not look at her or answer her.

He simply raised one hand and extended two fingers toward the air. In an instant, a spark of light crossed the sky like a spear, piercing the clouds of Olympus with a dull bang.

A few seconds later, a gust of wind swept through the hall and Hermes appeared, standing with one knee on the ground.

"Did you call me, Father of Heaven?"

"Summon the rest," Zeus ordered. 'Immediately."

Hermes looked up, surprised by the urgency in his tone, but said nothing. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared in a flash of silver.

Hera watched him leave and then turned her gaze back to her husband. 'Do you think this young man poses a threat?"

Zeus, his gaze fixed on the orb, muttered almost to himself, "I don't know. But I will find out..."

And while the echo of his words still lingered in the air, the first footsteps of the other gods could be heard in the corridors of Olympus.

The sound of footsteps in the halls of Olympus was like distant thunder: deep and solemn. There was no hurry in the gods' movements, only the certainty that when Zeus summoned, they must obey. The reason did not matter. It did not matter if it was day or night among mortals. There, at the top of the world, time bowed to the will of the King of Olympus.

One by one they arrived.

Poseidon was the first. His presence filled the air with the smell of salt, and his steady gait made the marble of the hall tremble slightly. He carried his trident on his shoulder and wore a golden armor decorated with scales. Seeing Zeus and Hera, he simply bowed his head in a gesture of respect.

"So urgent that you had to interrupt my rest in the abyss, brother?" he said in his cavernous tone, though without sarcasm.

"You'll find out in a moment," was all Zeus replied.

Then Apollo arrived, his golden hair shining with an intensity that was not a reflection but a light of its own. He was followed by Artemis, light as a forest breeze, her keen eyes searching for signs in every corner. Ares arrived with his armor still stained with dried blood, smiling as if he expected the subject of the meeting to be a new conflict. Hephaestus walked slowly, his body covered in soot, his hammer still hanging from his belt. Dionysus appeared last, holding a cup he clearly had no intention of letting go.

And then, as if the air had turned to perfume, Aphrodite crossed the arches of the hall. Her presence was impossible to ignore: her every step was a silent dance, her every gesture a sigh held back by those present. Her hair fell like blonde silk over her shoulders, and her eyes sparkled with feline curiosity. She didn't seem in a hurry, but her arrival coincided just as the atmosphere began to tense.

"A Council meeting and no one sent me a perfumed invitation?" she said with a crooked smile. "It must be important then."

Everyone took their place in the circle of columns surrounding the center of the room, where the bowl of water still floated, now projected his image on the wall, showing the static image of Akhon standing in front of his new people.

"Who is he?" Apollo finally asked, his voice firm. 'Why are we all here?"

There was complete silence. So Zeus stood up, ready to tell the other gods about his discovery.

"His name is Akhon,' he began, his voice deep as a contained storm. "And he is a newborn from Euthysia. One that none of us saw coming."

The murmur was instantaneous. Even Artemis, normally serene, frowned.

"Was he not presented at the altar of ascension?" Apollo asked, glancing briefly at Hera, as if she could confirm the unthinkable.

"There was no ceremony. There was no warning," she replied. "No messenger. No sign."

"That's impossible," snapped Ares. 'You can't emerge from the island without us knowing. Ascension leaves a mark on the fabric of the world."

"And yet,' said Zeus, gesturing toward the bowl, "there it is. With mortals already swearing allegiance to it."

Poseidon crossed his arms. "And why would they hide it? What would anyone gain by keeping us in the dark?"

Before Zeus could respond, Athena stepped forward. Her eyes, usually calm and calculating, widened slightly at the sight of the image floating in front of the throne. Her voice cut through the air like a sword:

"I know him."

The hall fell silent for a moment, interrupted only by the sound of the breeze rustling through the tall columns of Olympus. All eyes turned to her.

"You know him?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow.

Athena nodded slowly. "His name is Akhon. I saw him in the mortal world a long time ago. He made a kind of display before the mortals in the streets of Athens. To be honest, I mistook him for one of the demigods who wander around. He was strong, yes, but he didn't show any clear signs of divinity. He had no symbol. He claimed no title."

"And why didn't you say anything?" asked Ares, crossing his arms suspiciously.

"There was nothing to report at the time," replied Athena calmly, although her tone was higher than usual. "He was alone, and although he wanted to recruit followers, I didn't think it would work. He showed no abilities beyond those of a gifted mortal. And, honestly, his presence did not upset the balance of any territory."

"Balance, or your own judgment?" Ares commented with a crooked smile, but Hephaestus nudged him gently, silencing him. Tension hung in the air.

Before he could continue his explanation, a silky voice rose above the murmurs.

"Maybe he's just a lost young man trying to impress Daddy." Said Aphrodite with a mischievous smile, tilting her head as she played with a curl of her hair. Her tone was mocking, but like everything she said, it had a layer of ambiguity.

The insinuation was clear. Some laughed, including Poseidon, who let out a low, guttural laugh, and Hephaestus, who snorted more out of habit than humor. But the rest of the presents seemed uncomfortable. Hera pursed her lips in visible annoyance, shooting a sharp glance at her sister-in-law.

Athena, however, was unperturbed. She didn't even blink.

"He's not someone who plays at being a god, Aphrodite," she said with cutting firmness. 'Not now."

"Are you defending him?' asked Dionysus curiously, though not maliciously. "Or are you just intrigued?"

"He intrigues me," she replied without losing her composure, "how someone could rise that way without any of us noticing. No oracles. No signs. No guides. And without even you, Zeus, being aware of his awakening. For starters, everyone knows that new Gods cannot use their powers until the King of Olympus authorizes it, yet from what I can see, this boy was able to use them despite the restriction."

A murmur ran through the crowd. Even Apollo frowned, exchanging glances with Artemis. This was unprecedented.

Zeus hadn't said a word during the entire exchange. He kept staring at the image of Akhon, as if trying to find a deeper answer in it. But then he spoke, and his voice, though low, drew everyone's attention like a clap of thunder.

"This is no coincidence, it must be related."

"Then it's a threat," concluded Ares, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I didn't say that," replied Zeus in a tone that demanded silence. "But if someone or something diverted my gaze from him... then there is a threat. And it's not the boy."

The gods fell silent at this statement. Even Aphrodite lowered her gaze slightly, as if the gravity of the matter had finally reached her.

"And what are we going to do with him?" asked Hephaestus in a grave voice. 'Call him? Test him? Send someone to watch him more closely?"

"That is what we will discuss,' said Zeus. "Here. Today."

Athena looked back at the image. Akhon was still talking to the villagers, his figure outlined by the warm evening light. He seemed unaware that a council of gods was debating his fate.

"I don't think he's a danger," she murmured, more to herself than to the others. "But it's clear we shouldn't ignore him."

Zeus nodded slightly. Then, raising a hand, he made the image disappear before them. The space was empty, but the echo of what they had seen lingered in the air, like an omen.

"The Council has begun," he declared, his voice booming off the walls of Olympus. "And no one will leave here until we know what is awakening... and why."

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