[Third Person POV]
Mount Olympus
Thum... thum... thum...
A deep, measured rhythm, each slow and deliberate. Each tap echoes softly through a marble hall, resonating like distant thunder beneath the hush of Olympus. It's not loud, but commanding. The kind of sound that makes the air itself seem to pause.
On a throne of white marble and pure gold that radiates both majesty and authority sat lazily a towering, muscular man with a broad, powerful frame and imposing shoulders that command attention. His long white hair and beard move with a life of their own, flowing like controlled lightning that flickers faintly when the air stirs.
His eyes shine a brilliant molten gold, sharp and unwavering. His skin is pale with a subtle inner glow, like sunlight filtering through clouds, and his features are strong, symmetrical, and unmistakably regal, yet wearing only a golden cloth tailored into fitted shorts and a gleaming golden scarf that shifts with a faint electric shimmer.
Thum, thum, thum, thum.
As the man kept taping on the armrest with increasing pace, the already irritable man expression hardens with every second that passes.
—THUMB!!
Then it all came to a halt once his final tap carrying the same force to make the sound of thunder struck the armrest of his throne.
But then, his scowl broke in an instant into a relaxed, toothy grin
"...Ah~, Hermes, I hope you brought the information I seek."
"Sure did, pops! Though I'll admit, it wasn't easy getting it."
For a moment, the calm of the white marble halls was broken by the rush of a strong breeze.
Appearing before the throne, is a lean and athletic youthful man in his mid-twenties, hair is vivid red streaked with tints of gold, clear vibrant blue eyes, bright with mischief and intelligence, carrying a spark of wit that never fades.
Wearing a traditional wide-brimmed traveler's hat and sandals. Draped across his shoulders is a simple chlamys over a lighter, sleeveless tunic, all seemingly basic normal to mortals eyes who are unable to see the level of craftmanship put into it. In his hand rests the caduceus — a slender staff entwined by two serpents, its surface faintly radiant with divine energy.
This was none other the messenger God of greek mythology who is currently half bowing to the man on throne, and not just any man, but the King of Olympus, Zeus.
Hermes after finishing with his courtesy began to share information no different from an excited house wife who just learned some juicy gossip, "So apparently after hearing from a fish who from a bird who also heard from another bird, who was easedroping on a Nymph who heard from a turtle telling her rumors it heard from—"
"Enough! Just get straight to the point, please." Zeus already started to show hints of exhaustion as his son began to ramble on, clearly this has happened to him a few times before.
'My word, not even Hera would get like this..."
Hermes lips however imperceptibly curled up as he proceeded with his narration, "Right! Anyways, the grape vine has it that after...well, the whole "Athena unexpected coming" event, Hera locked herself in her quarters for the past few months."
"And apparently~ at some point had made her Nymph servants to bind to an Oath, and after investing a bit more I found remnant of Divine energy...and I mean NEWLY BORN divine energy, the same one Athena when she pop out of your head." Hermes finished off as he gave that last bit with a complete dramtic tone.
"Which you would mean—"
BOOOOM... rrrrmmmble...!
"She.Gave. Birth." Zeus finished off now with visible fury as his brilliant molten gold eyes, their glow intense enough to seem almost blinding as numerous lightning sparks began to fire off.
Yes, Zeus is aware that Hera despite all her flaws is a woman of absolute loyalty when it comes to marriage, either it was her original personality or something she inherited after accepting faith of mortal beliefs, he didn't care as long she is loyal only to him.
What infuriates him is this possible child could have been made asexully, of course he didn't care about the repercussions of the child health, what did care about is the fact she made it WITHOUT him.
'If you wanted a child so baldly you could've just come to our bed chamber!'
'I mean seriously!– we couldn't have sex because you got upset with Athena's birth, yet you gave birth anyways??'
'Honestly when I see her again, I'm gonna drag her into a room and then—" Before Zeus can contemplate any longer a loud *Ahem! left Hermes tounge, forcing Zeus to calm himself to keep his dignity intact infront of Hermes, though not knowing he had already long lost it and merely follows his father out fear of his power.
"Uh pops, about the child—"
"Mm? Oh, Right, I want you to find that child, don't care how, just that you do."
"Now if you excuse me I'm off to my wife a..."
"A visit?"
"Ah! A hard f*cking! I'm off to give her a hard f*cking." Zeus said with a smug expression as he disappeared in a lightning bolt with a loud boom.
Hermes lips continuesly twitch before shaking his head with a sigh, 'Guess I'm off for another errand...'
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"I didn't think collecting subjects were going to be this easy."
Back within his forge Hephaestus had managed to procure subjects for the Elixir of Anástasis with apparent ease.
Though that wasn't too far fetched with his Ratholos armor with functional wings, covering the island was quite easy, and this Island didn't have much fauna to be begin with being populated mainly by snakes, lizards, migratory birds, and the subjects of Hephaestus today experiment, tortoises.
Using the Mad Doctor to summon top quality foliage and plant matter as bribes, 3 young and recently abandoned tortoises(more specifically spur-thighed tortoises), had came willingly to try this stranger new drink, who claimed it was just as good as the food it gave it.
After which Hephaestus placed each of them in blast proof sections with a bowl of plant food, the same ones he fed them before, and next to it a bowl of the Elixir of Anástasis.
Hephaestus had originally made these rooms when he was making the craftsmanship sections to deal with more destructive forms of craftsmanship like fireworks and explosions are a form of craftsmanship, thus he naturally needed such rooms to handle the destruction. Now they're being substituted as experiment containments to handle "possible" unexpected factors.
"It should fine...Hopefully." As for Hephaestus himself, he was watching from the distance, looking through the heavily enforced windows through the windows as watched these tortoises feeding.
Once they finished eating they finally settling their eyes on the bowl of the Reconstruction Draught.
"It's starting..." Hephaestus couldn't help clenched his fist in anticipation, waiting to see if the Elixir of Anástasis actually works like the knowledge the Mad Doctor gave correct.
The bigger of the 3 tortoises had normally drank the bowl by sucking the elixir through its nostril, the second one just directly dunked its head in, while the youngest seemed to have accidentally fell in the bowl.
The waiting was agonizing; every passing second dragged on like an hour. As nothing happened, Hephaestus's excitement faded into mild disappointment. 'Did I… do something wrong?'
POP–CRACK!!
FWUMP–BOOM!!
THA-BOOM!!
Then three blinding lights flashed bang Hephaestus eyes causing his to close his eyes tight in mild pain, fortunately the blindness faded as quickly as it came, taking a few seconds to adjust his vison.
"By the Gods...IT WORKED!!!" Once Hephaestus vision returned he couldn't help but be excited by these once ordinary creatures new reforged into something magnificent.
The biggest of the 3 that had drunk normally, now resembles a creature that perfectly blends body of a tortoise and the broad, powerful head of a lion. Its thick shell made of emeralds, golden like skin, and in the creature's eyes are calm and steady, golden or green in color, giving it a thoughtful and intelligent appearance.
The one that dunk its head in, now resembles more of a massive sea or snapping turtle with a long neck and tail, and a draconic head, having scales with lighter green, accented with golden highlights or fringes. It's shell being streamlined with jagged protrusions, and large, taloned limbs.
And the last one that fell in the bowl who seems the least transformed, only its color turning into a shade of black and now entwined by a snake that is coming of the same socket its tail once was, yet somehow radiates a more "primal" energy compared to the other two.
KRASHHH!
Before Hephaestus could say anything the 3 Giant Tortoise creatures had mashed through the walls of his forge and began running in a wild charge.
"...Pft-HAHAHAHAHA!" Though wasn't upset in the slightest, only laughing wildly in amusement. Once he was done laughing, took out a giant skin pounch he made specifically for the Elixir of Anástasis.
"It is time." Hephaestus said as he opens the cap.
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Got Exam on Monday so early chapter for everyone today. (And wish me luck!✊️)
Also don't be expecting a chapter within the next 3 to 4 days, I have been having some issues with an old job that I need to get sorted out, I'll try to be as fast as possible so hold on to your pants.
Also apologizes for being a shorter chapter, I'll try to make the next longer if possible.