Vol.6 Ch.3.2 – Audience With The King Of The Gods II
“The first thing is pretty simple,” I said. “You don't even have to do anything. We want to go after Ares.”
Muttering broke out behind me. None of it sounded concerned or upset, which was good. Apparently news of his treachery had reached everyone present.
“Commendable,” Zeus said. “But you are correct in that I do not see how this is a request for us.”
I nodded. “What I want to do is to deprive him of worshipers, make him as close to mortal as I am capable. If you, all of you, could tell your clerics about his treachery that would be appreciated, but most of all we will be going to Sparta, to convince them to worship a different god.”
“Am I correct in thinking,” Hera said, “that the god you are thinking of isn't one of the Olympians?”
“Yes,” I said. More muttering.
“So,” Zeus said, talking over the muttering instead of waiting for it to quiet down, “what you are really asking is for us to sit idly by and allow you to take one of the largest cities worshiping the Olympians away from us.”
I shook my head. I had expected this complaint. “Ares is a traitor not just to Olympus but to the world. Any worshipers of his are already lost to you. You are not losing anything from allowing this. And of me and mine, the only one with close enough ties to a deity of war to pull this off would be Selene,” I indicated my lovely paladin next to me, “who is a paladin of Freya.”
Zeus considered for a long while. Finally he said: “Very well. Let us assume that you are right, that Sparta is lost to us no matter what. What is it that you want from us?”
“Mostly I want your approval,” I said honestly. “When anyone claims that what we're doing is blasphemy against Olympus I want to be able to tell them that this is happening with your approval. And, of course, your approval to do to Ares whatever we want.”
He let out a breath that wasn't quite a sigh. “Very well. I agree to this request. Now, tell me of the other two.”
I nodded. Good. If he'd started arguing here already, this would have gone poorly. “The second thing I want is for you to free Prometheus.”
The muttering broke out again, but this time it sounded far more positive.
“Out of the question,” Zeus said and the muttering behind me intensified, suddenly sounding a whole lot more belligerent.
“There was a traitor among the Olympians, one who sold out our entire world,” I said. “And it wasn't Prometheus.” I let that sink in for a moment, then continued: “All the knowledge he stole from you, we would have figured out eventually. There is absolutely no reason for you to keep him here other than your ego.”
The most furious scowl came over his face. Needling Zeus was a really bad idea and I knew it. But I had my reasons. The Olympians, at least the majority of them, had petitioned Zeus to end Prometheus' torture before it had even truly begun, which meant they had disagreed with Zeus' methods. After all, it made sense. If Zeus could have this done to a god without the others complaining, he might do the same to any of them in the future. It was a precedent that nobody had wanted to set.
“What exactly do you want?” Hera asked as Zeus seethed in silence. “Do you wish for us to banish him from Olympus?”
“No,” I said. “Simply allow him to come and go as he wishes. He has a cozy place here. I'm not even asking for him to officially join the ranks of the Olympians. Just free him, let him grow his worshipers, let him gather strength of his own. With the Black Goat looming, he might just tip the scales in our favor.” I was laying it on pretty thick but I knew I had to. The scars the Holy Maiden had caused here were still fresh in everyone's minds. If I wanted this to work I had to appeal to their desire never to repeat an ordeal like this.
“And what if he betrays us?” Zeus growled. “Again?”
“He never betrayed me,” I reminded. “The only ones who betrayed this world were Ares and Bres.”
“That we know of,” Zeus growled.
I gritted my teeth. I had a trump card left over but did I really want to play it already and give up the chance to use it later? My gut told me he'd be even less amenable to my third demand but... Yeah. If I let him deny me now already there would be no way he'd agree to my third wish.
“Remind me again who opened that portal for the Holy Maiden?” I said just loud enough for the Olympians behind me to hear. “Are you sure you want to be throwing those accusations around?”
Apparently that bit of information hadn't gotten to all the Olympians yet because they were no longer muttering. They were loud and they were angry. And I had more fuel to add to the fire. I turned around and asked the Olympians:
“When you guys petitioned him to free Prometheus from that cliff, I doubt that decision was unanimous. Did Ares agree with you?”
They paused for a moment, then became even louder. Apparently Ares had been all for keeping Prometheus chained up.
“Alright fine,” Zeus finally barked. “Prometheus can come and go as he pleases.”
Shame. I had been about to bring up that worship of Zeus had gotten so degenerate that people had been unable to tell that his sex cult had been taken over by the Black Goat.
But instead I nodded.
“Now tell me why you care so much,” he demanded. “As you know, his torture ceased millennia ago and he is quite happy here on Olympus. What does his freedom mean to you?”
I decided to be honest. “When Athena asked us to come save you all from this mess, I very nearly spat in her face. I considered this whole ordeal poetic justice for what you lot did to Prometheus. We only took this quest after she swore to us that his torture had ceased. If they hadn't demanded clemency for him, you all would still be in the same predicament and we would have been overrun by those armored knights from another world. All because you decided to make an example out of Prometheus.”
Zeus' knuckles were white on his throne and the muttering behind me held a note of horror now.
“And also,” I continued, “if you wanted to torture him for the knowledge he gave the mortals, I fear you'll want to do worse to me for my third demand.”
I heard the marble of Zeus' throne rumble alarmingly he was clutching it so tightly. “Name it, then.”
“I want all mortals to be able to see stats.”
Stunned silence followed. After a moment, everyone started speaking all at once.
Zeus, to his credit, let them get it all out rather than trying to silence them all. Maybe he had realized they weren't going to take orders from him anymore. When everyone had quieted down he said: “That is madness. Not only is it impossible, could you even begin to guess the consequences of giving that knowledge to everyone? Society would collapse overnight.”
I shook my head. “I did think this through. I don't want everyone to be able to see everyone's stats. I'm aware that would lead to discrimination at best. I want everyone to be able to see their own stats. No others, just their own.”
That seemed to calm him down somewhat. “Your reason being...?”
“Learning of my stats and those of my lovers has been eye-opening,” I said. “Knowing why none of you ever gave a damn about me hurt but at least I finally, after all those years, had an explanation. But it also made me think of the implications. I bet there are thousands of adventurers training themselves in fighting styles that make no sense for them. People with horrendous Strength potential trying to swing greatswords, people with terrible Dexterity trying to be archers. But also the reverse. People with incredible Faith not becoming clerics or paladins, people with amazing potential wasting their lives away as bureaucrats. If everyone knew what they were good at, they would be able to choose their path in life with certainty. I would likely have made all the same choices regardless but that doesn't hold true for everyone.” Of course, what I didn't mention was that, if everyone knew their own stats, that would be yet another thing the gods couldn't lord over us any longer. Melinoe had been right. I had picked this specifically because it would hurt the gods in the long run.
“While I see the wisdom is your words,” Zeus said begrudgingly, “this is still an impossible request. I cannot grant this.”
“Why not?” I asked. “And if you can't grant it, can't you ask this White King to do it for you?”
More muttering behind me. And as Hermes had said, people weren't happy that I knew of this White King that controlled all the worlds.
Zeus looked like he'd bitten into a pastry and found half a rat in it. “The White King does not concern Himself with the goings-on of our world, at least not that I am aware. And even if He does, He has never once answered us. No, the reason I cannot grant this is that our pantheon is not the only one in this world. I would have to speak to every single god of equal rank to me and come to an accord.”
“I would be fine if it was just within the borders of the Trismegistian kingdom,” I said. “That way you would only have to speak to Brigid and Odin.”
He opened his mouth to reply but I continued:
“Think of it this way: If you are worried about losing followers because of what we'll do in Sparta, think of all the believers you would gain once people find out that they can see their stats only in this realm.”
He considered. Clearly that idea intrigued him. Gods above, he could even brag to his followers that he had negotiated that deal. It was everything the bastard liked wrapped up with a little bow.
I gave him one last push. “I'm not demanding you implement this immediately. What I want is for you to swear to make a proper effort to implement this. I don't care how long it takes, so long as it happens someday.”
He considered for a long time, looking behind us to gauge the reaction of his kin every once in a while. Finally he said: “I swear upon my power that I shall do what I can to convince Brigid and Odin to allow mortals to see their own stats within the borders of the Trismegistian kingdom.”
I gave a deep and formal nod. “Thank you.”
He nodded back, much more shallow. “Now, do you have any more demands for your silence?”
“No,” I said. “Permission to go after Ares, freedom for Prometheus and the ability for mortals to see their own stats. In exchange we won't spread around what happened here any more than necessary.”
“More than necessary?” Hera asked.
“If the officials in Sparta want to know why Ares is considered a traitor I will not lie to them,” I said. “They need to know exactly what their god did.”
Hera nodded in understanding and clearly my answer had mollified Zeus as well.
“Now tell me,” Zeus said, “what are you planning next, Tailor?”
I smiled. “Now? Now Athena will give us our actual reward for completing this quest.”
He was about to object but then Hera's hand slipped from the throne down to his shoulder, her thumb digging into his flesh. He closed his mouth again and tried his best not to look in pain. Apparently at least Hera had realized that we were still due an actual reward for the Mythic Quest of saving their asses. This right here hadn't been a reward. It had been a price for our silence.
**
Athena led us out of the tholos and only once we were on the second light bridge did she speak up: “I thought he was going to strangle you at least three times.”
“I counted four,” I said. “But Hera's iron grip prevailed.”
“You noticed that?” she asked.
“Everyone noticed that,” Alisha said. “Not only is he under her thumb, they are no longer cowed by him, either.”
“Rubbing his treachery in their faces was a dangerous gambit,” Yume said. “It worked out but it could have gone horribly wrong.”
“It could still go wrong,” I corrected. “If they decide they can't forgive his treachery and depose him after all, we'll be just as screwed. All our deals were with Zeus, not with the Olympians as a whole.”
“I would do my best to make them uphold the deal,” Athena said, “but I doubt it will come to that. As Odysseus said, all of this unrest will be temporary.” She paused. “At least I used to think that. I have never seen them so defiant.”
“You, too,” Melinoe said. “Everyone noticed the way you stood between us and Zeus.”
Athena winced.
“Also,” Melinoe said, “I thought you were putting it on a little thick when you said that them petitioning for Prometheus' release was the only reason you came to rescue them.”
“I was dead serious about that,” I said. “Hestia and Hephaestus are decent folk and Hermes isn't as big a prick as I used to think but I really did think this was poetic justice. If they can wish eternal torment upon others they shouldn't be surprised when it comes back to bite them.”
“Speaking of,” Yume said, her canines showing, “apparently Ares was perfectly fine with wishing eternal torment upon this Prometheus.”
I grinned. “I love the way your mind works, little fox.”