“Caw!” Muninn cried, winging in to perch on Odin’s right arm. For most, that single utterance would have been insignificant, the singing of a raven, but for Muninn and Odin, there was so much more.

“I agree,” Odin replied. “Something has changed.

“It is faint. I would never have noticed if not for the Jotunn’s latest movement. Where did they get a potion so powerful that Mothi remains in [Sleep]? No matter what magics Freya has used or what healing skills Hardol and Eir attempt, nothing can release him.

“That they remain enchanted can only mean the Jotunn have the means to trade favors with another Pantheon of Gods.

“Caw!” Huginn cried from Odin’s other shoulder.

“Yes, another God, another Pantheon would dare. Gods of every Pantheon enjoy their scheming. One Asgardian and one half-breed Jotunn won’t make a difference in the grand scheme of the Universe, but whoever the God was that not only gained access to Asgard but managed to conceal their identity behind [Illusion] is worrisome.

“There are only a few Gods that control a [Domain] that might create something like this. Sekhmet of the Egyptian Pantheon. Bao Sheng Da Di, the God of Medicine in the Taoist Pantheon. Ashvins from the Hindu Pantheon. Of course, Apollo from Olympus, to name a few.”

“Caw!” Muninn said, reminding Odin of another possibility.

“The mortals? You think a mortal could create something powerful enough to affect a God?”

“Caw!” Muninn replied confidently.

“The Elves, Sidhe, Vampires, Dwarves, or Beastkin?” Odin mused. “I suppose one of those races can create a potion, but how would they get it to Asgard? Heimdall would notice if a mortal traveled the Bifrost Bridge.”

Odin raised his hand to silence Huginn before he could offer a suggestion. “I suppose it might have been brought to Asgard by one of our people. An item offered in worship by the Norse or something that caught the notice of someone that had visited Urt.

“The problem with that is that item could have been collected at any time and sat collecting dust in an Asgardian’s horde until somehow it reached the Jotunn.”

“Caw!” Muninn and Huginn sang together.

“I’ve searched using Odin-sight,” Odin replied dismissively, “that is the first thing I did once Thor explained the situation. Whoever is behind this is protected from my [Sight]. That is the main reason I believe a God from another Pantheon is involved.”

“Father?” Thor said, gaining Odin’s attention as he entered the room and disrupted his father's conversation. “Eir believes the potion used on Mothi is a poison that was drunk rather than an unguent that was allowed to seep in through contact.

“She hasn’t seen anything like it and isn’t certain when or if she will find a cure.”

“Did you or Loki get a sample of the potion from the Jotunn?” Odin asked.

“They claim they never had access to the potion. Utgard-Loki was poisoned to prove the potion worked. Krampus claims they have no idea why Mothi was poisoned, but it doesn’t take Syn to question him under [Truth Domain] to know he is speaking lies.”

“Thrym is not ignoring the attack on his citadel. He will retaliate. You and Loki have sparked another round of fighting between our people….”

“What would you have had us do?” Thor said indignantly, interrupting Odin in his haste to defend his actions.

“I didn’t say your actions were wrong or that I disapproved. I am merely pointing out that your actions will have consequences.

“You and Loki will lead the Asgardian forces as we push back any incursion that Thrym and his people might attempt.

“I want you to keep this new war localized. If all of Asgard is pulled into this altercation, I will act. And if I act, you and your brother will find your powers restricted and both of you banished to Urt until tensions settle,” Odin warned.

Nyx, Goddess of Night, was well pleased.

She was still working with her magic to determine who had managed to derail the schemes of Zeus and Odin, and the truth couldn’t be hidden for long. All secrets were whispered in the night. She had her son, Morpheus, God of Dreams, visit the minds of those men that worshiped the Olympian Pantheon to discover what he could.

Alexander, the Macedonian King, had offered the most significant hint.

Men were partnering with the Sidhe because of the actions of Ares. He had gifted his mortal children with blessings that gave them the confidence to act with seeming impunity. That impunity was now being challenged, and his people were forced to contend with Sidhe's retribution and Macedonian fury.

The scheme to poison Alexander had left no room for bargaining. He would see Rome conquered and Caesar dead.

Nyx still wasn’t sure how the Sidhe had regained their magic. Her ability to spy on them or to ferret out those words whispered in the night was severely limited. The changes rippling across the aether centered on the Sidhe and the return of the Demi-fey and [Fairy].

The Tuatha de Danann Pantheon had gained a foothold in this Universe, and she intended to take advantage of the ripples that slowly eroded the [Authority] of Zeus. She would see Zeus fall and unseat him as King of Olympus. Nyx was determined to restore the Titans and regain the power that Zeus and his brethren had stolen.

A change had come, and Nyx would leverage that change to shake the very foundation of Olympus.