One With Nature

The World's Heartbeat: 2

I was still staring at Zeus with wide eyes.

I'm Archtype Earth now? When did that happen?!

Was it during the fight? I mean, I guess getting that mark after or during it means that's whe it happened. But why did it happen then? Sure, there was that moment in the fight where I felt the whole world, but....

I... I felt the whole world?... for a moment, I really did feel the ENTIRE world...

Not to mention what I did to the water Poseidon was controlling. That was the first time I did something like that. Change outside elements, I mean.

I can control and change my own element just fine. But, I've never been able to change a rock in front of me to water or anything else. That was a first for me.

"And as for Athena," Zeus spoke again, breaking me out of my thoughts. "She brought this on herself with her petty grudge. Even after she cursed Medusa, she still sent warriors after her. Those were the consequences of her own actions, and I have no desire to justify her childish grudge born of jealousy."

"You are... being more reasonable than I thought," I stated while tilting my head.

Zeus sighed. "You were right in what you told Athena. We Greek Gods did not come from this world, and it was through this world's kindness that we became gods in the first place. If you, the Spirit of the world, said we overstepped our boundaries, than who am I to claim otherwise?"

At first, I was pretty shocked. Then I remembered that Nasuverse Zeus was far more worldly than normal Myth Zeus because he was grateful for the world and humanity for accepting them as gods.

I thought that only applied to their Lostbelt version, but I'm glad that wasn't the case.

"Alright, then why are you here?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"While I cannot punish you or blame the Gorgon sisters, your actions still caused a state of unrest in the Greek Pantheon. However, my brother Hades suggested a solution. In exchange for a 'favour' from you, he is willing to resurrect Athena's body for her to return," Zeus explained.

Just her body? Oh, wait. When Gods in the Nasuverse die, they stay as conceptional entities until they either get a new body or their original one gets fixed. That's how the Greek Gods are still around after Sefar killed their original bodies.

But, this does raise the question. "What is this 'favour' that Hades wants from me?"

Zeus shrugged. "He did not inform me. You will need to ask him personally for the details."

I thought this through as much as I can. There was not much I could lose here but there was a few things I needed to be promised.

"If I agree, how do I know that the Gorgon sisters won't be harmed?" I asked.

"I shall order for everyone to leave the Shapeless Isles alone. Even if Athena's worshipers are mad, they would not dare to go against my word," Zeus replied.

"Do you promise that?" I asked.

"I promise on the Primordial Cha-"

"No, I want you to swear on Nyx's name."

Zeus stiffed and glared at me slightly as I cut him off.

Why do I care that he promises on Chaos' name? Chaos is on the other side of the galaxy. It can't stop him from breaking that promise.

But, I do know that Nyx is on Earth, and that Zeus is scared of her. Promising on her name is not something any god of Greek can afford and then break.

After a few seconds, Zeus sighed. "Very well. I promise on the Primordial Goddess of Night that I will make sure no harm comes to the Gorgon sisters while you fulfil your favour to Hades."

"I accept those terms," I nodded.

"Very well. I shall inform Hades and he will most likely send his proxies to take you to an entrance to his domain. Until then, Archtype," with that, Zeus vanished in a flash of lightning.

I just floated there for a few more seconds, trying to digest what just happened. Slowly, I floated down and back to the Gorgon sisters' house. When I got there, I turned to my Divine Metal element and made the walls split open to reveal the house.

That took a while since I had so many walls.

"Took you long enough, tree!" And of course, the first thing Euryale did when she came out was complain.

"Zack, what happened?" Medusa rushed over and began checking on me.

"I assume the lack of noise means you talked it out?" Stheno asked with a raised eyebrow.

I shook my head in exhaustion. "This will take a while to explain."