Chapter 28 The Pantheon

I had finally made it back down the cliff and was continuing along the trail. It was climbing fast and had lots of turns and overhangs, the view was impressive. After several hours of walking, I came to a large gate in a wall that stretched all the way around the curvature of the mountain. There were two cyclops at guard and they looked me over as I approached.

The nearest cyclops lifted his hand and said, “Stop, no one may enter the grounds of the Pantheon unless invited. I suggest you turn around Elf and head on back down the mountain.” The other guard simply stared at me and growled.

I looked at them level 10 Warrior class, they were a steady yellow on my minimap meaning they were not enemies but not friendly towards me. The both carried Polearms, with a blade that was at least 40 centimeters long and had a wicked curve. Each blade had a small hook on near the tip about 10 centimeters down on the backside. The weapons could be used for stabbing at a distance and chopping down at an enemy and the hook would be effective in disarming a shield.

The air was still as the guards waited to see what I would do, I looked at them both and said, “Hermes showed up at my home and told me to come see Zeus, so here I am.”

Frowning at me the nearest guard said, “Little arrogant prick that likes to fly around, has a real shitty attitude with people? He told you that the boss wanted to see you?”

I nodded as there was not much more to say, it would depend on if the guard’s believed me or not. I watched as the closest cyclops pointed at me and said, “Don’t move.” Then they both withdrew a few feet and whispered at each other for a minute. Finally, they returned and the talker said, “All right we will let you pass if you are lying the Gods will deal with you. The Pantheon is in the middle of all the temples and is where Zeus holds court.”

I thanked them and passed through the gate, once inside the air somehow felt richer and the colors of the plants and rocks became deeper. Must be the closest thing to heaven I thought as I wondered the pathways. The grass was gently sloped upwards with various flowers and bushes scattered around the expanse. There were a number of small temples and shrines, and walking along the pathways were Gods and demigods, along with centaur’s fauns and other mythical creatures.

The closer I walked to the Pantheon the more crowded it was. Yet strangely not one person bothered me, many looked at me and a few whispered to each other as I passed but no one actually stopped me or tried to talk to me. The whole situation was somewhat surreal but I was brought back to reality once I entered the Pantheon.

The tall white marble columns were flecked with gold and green jade, and the interior was sectioned off with a long central area with little porticoes that branched off from each side that led to other smaller rooms. As I slowly made my way past I glanced in and observed everything from scholars studying scrolls to orgies where not all the participants were human.

I finally arrived at the throne area and saw that the room was shaped like a T with Zeus sitting on his throne and to his right was Odin I would guess. He had a patch on and there were two ravens sitting with him on his throne. He looked at me and nodded as I approached. On the other side of Zeus was a small dark man he looked East Indian and radiated a cold power. That would be Shiva I thought, cold looking guy, would not want to meet him in a dark alley.

Looking straight ahead I saw Zeus, the king of the Olympian Gods and the de facto ruler of all the other Gods. He was rolling back on his throne while kneeling between his legs was a tall green skinned woman of impressive attributes. I glanced at everyone and saw that no one was paying any attention and in fact, several other Gods were also in the act.

My attention was drawn to a short fat figure who was lugging around a barrel and filling any empty wine glasses. The barrel was damn near 6 feet long and 4 feet wide, it must have been over 400 kilos and yet the short God had no problem pouring drinks.

At this point, Zeus called out Bacchus more wine and then as he sat up he noticed me. With a grunt, he whispered something into the woman’s ear and as she got to her feet and turned he pinched her bottom. Then taking a swig from his flagon he stepped down and walked up to me, and smiled.

Clasping his arm around me he pulled me towards him and said, “Torn, the newly ascended demigod come to join us at the Pantheon, welcome. Then speaking almost in my ear he said, “it is about damn time someone managed to ascend, I was giving up hope on people. Then without a pause he SPOKE and the sound projected throughout the whole Pantheon, probably throughout the whole of Mount Olympus.

“Gods and demigods, allies and friends, I bring forth Torn the first to ascend to Mount Olympus since time long past, make him welcome brothers and sisters, I declare this day to be in his honor.”

That was that with a smile Zeus turned back to the throne and began to drink, within seconds a new maiden was walking towards him and pulling her top down. AS I glance over the crowd near Zeus I saw the second throne behind his but closer than any other, sitting on it was an attractive lady she appeared to be in her mid-thirties with sad brown eyes and light lines of tension around her mouth.

As I began to drift towards her Bacchus arrived and offered me a flagon of his wine, taking it I thanked him but remembering the stories I quickly put it down and left it behind. As I mingled and was greeted it became apparent that the Gods were curious about me and my perception showed more than a few were upset that I was present. Only a couple seemed to wish to really harm me and aside from trying to crush the bones in my wrist as they clasped arms with me the departed quietly.

I was finally able to make my way to the sad lady and as I approached she glanced down at me. I could tell that she was lonely and proud and very sad, but still full of fire.

“I am Hera the wife of Zeus and his queen, you may approach me,” she said. I bowed before her and introduced myself, after exchanging small talk for several minutes I still could not fully understand what I was feeling from her. The emotions were strong yet tangled was how I would describe them.

Hera looked at Torn this newly ascended Demigod and thought he is only level 5 yet he radiates power and something more. Taking her time Hera spoke, “Let me ask you a question Torn, we all have powers, and abilities both Gods and demigods, what are yours?”

Torn thought very carefully before replying and then said, “I have been gifted in song and verse, indeed if I may, let me entertain you with a small song.” Seeing Hera smile he quickly opened his PIM and began to search for something in the music library that he felt would be appropriate.

Locating the music in the subfolder named classics he wanted I asked, “May I sing for you?” Seeing Hera nod her head I spread my arms and with a don’t fail me now thought I began to sing.

"Brown Eyed Girl"

I was keeping an eye on Hera as I sang and I could see her close her eyes as the music radiated out from me and when I sang the last two lines of the first stanza “My brown eyed girl, you my brown eyed girl” I could see tears start to fall. Hera had brown eyes I had noticed.

As I continued to sing I noticed that all the other sounds were fading away and glancing around I could see the Gods were all starting to listen, even Zeus. I continued on and soon as I approached the end of the song singing about making love in the green green grass with my brown eyed girl I felt a hand upon my shoulder.

All I could think of was shit I stepped into it this time when I heard Zeus speak.

“Torn you have awakened memories of an earlier age when my love and I would sneak off and spend time alone. Zeus then smiled at Hera and walked over to her, extending his hand he waited as she looked at him, then taking his hand she began to smile.

I could suddenly feel her love for Zeus, and I realized that her pain and anger had to do with his constant screwing around. I was not a marriage counselor but as I looked at Hera I could see the lines disappear from her face and suddenly she seemed no more than 20.

Zeus leaned towards her and whispered something which caused Hera to giggle and then she pointed at me and whispered back at Zeus. Suddenly Zeus began to speak and once again his voice was amplified so everyone could hear.

“Torn, as thanks for restoring to me and mine the memories of our youth I grant you a boon, what would you ask of the king of the Gods?”

Thinking back to all that had happened I had no clue what to ask for when suddenly Lakhesis stood in front of Zeus.

“Zeus, his threads are now tied to an island at the foot of Mount Olympus and he has indeed joined the Pantheon, yet he has a duty to finish in another realm. He must return to that realm and accomplish what his geis is before he can return here.” Her voice had also projected, and now people were beginning to take a closer look at me.

It is not a comfortable feeling when a few dozen Gods turn their attention on you. Zeus interrupted my thoughts by nodding at Lakhesis as she vanished then walking up to me and placing his hand upon my head.

“This is now your home and the land you are tied to is forever yours, receive the mark of hearth and home. Now before you begin to establish yourself here return to your distant realm and fulfill your duty.”

Suddenly I was gone hurling through time and space like a bad episode of DR. Who. Then suddenly I was standing on a dock behind some crates listening to the worker's curse as the moved crates bags and chests around. I glanced at the sun it was about halfway across the sky. Stepping around the crates I glanced down towards the end of the dock and observed Reona being led down the dock by the Capitan.

She was in chains and very little else, and surrounding her were two of the Capitan’s crew, aside from that she did not appear to be guarded. She stumbled and almost fell but with a savage jerk of the chains binding her she was yanked back to her feet.

She must be drugged, I thought as I knew that she was much stronger than a normal woman. She was a Dhaympire, a daylight vampire and tough as hell. Something was not right and I felt I should fix it. The Capitan did not notice me lounging around the piled crates until he was level with me, and by then my fist had broken a couple of his ribs.

He stared at me his eyes wide with shock and stuttered, “How is it possible, you drowned in the sea, we left you fighting a giant?”

I was too busy to answer him as the first crewmember attacked me with a rusty saber. I grabbed the blade and sent a powerful current down through the metal and into his hand. This caused him to sail across the dock and into the side of a ship after which he dropped into the sea next to the dock.

Those Nanobots have saved my ass several times I thought as the second crewmember began to poke at me with a long pole with a hook on the end. Grabbing the pole, I pulled the sailor towards me and then grabbed him by his shirt and pants and using all my strength I threw him over the docked ship and into the sea.

Turning towards the Capitan I caught a flash of steel as he tried to rush not me but Reona, without thinking I cast Dragon fire on him and watched as his face took on a horrified look before the screaming started. It did not last long. And soon he was a pile of ashes on the dock which had a small seared spot where he had been standing.

Turning to Reona I found her staring blankly at me, it was clear that she was drugged and by how she was dressed I suspected the Capitan had been planning on selling her to a wealthy private individual. I grabbed the chains and easily broke them, tossing them aside I glanced at her, the sheer covering hid nothing from her flaming red patch to her dark nipples.

Shrugging I took off my shirt and covered her up, but as my shirt came off and my chest and arms were revealed I realized that she could see the roses and swords on my arms and the runic script that was all across my chest and back.

I could hear a stunned Gasp and then suddenly a whisper, “Tor, you are Tor!” I glanced at Reona as she said this only to see her face turn white and then suddenly she fainted into my arms.

Well, this is another fuck me moment, I thought as I began to walk back down the dock towards the ship carrying the passed out Reona.