The Trial of Ares and Poseidon - (3)
The sight of Poseidon walking away lingered in my mind. As I watched his retreating back, Zeus approached and stood beside me. He gestured toward the empty chair next to him, so I took a seat. A translucent barrier formed from his divine power, completely blocking out all sound from the outside.
"Because of his children?"
Zeus was probably referring to Tantalus, the one who had tried to deceive the gods not long ago. If that bastard had actually obtained divinity, he might have become a true god of madness who surpassed even Dionysus.
"When Poseidon called Ares a good-for-nothing earlier, do you know what I was thinking, brother?"
"...?"
The weak tone coming from Zeus was unusual. His eyes had sunk slightly, lacking their usual spark. This was the dark heart hidden beneath the ever-confident, majestic King of the Gods. I studied his serious gaze for a moment. Thanks to the barrier of divine power, no one outside could possibly overhear our conversation. It seemed he felt comfortable enough with me to reveal his inner thoughts.
It wasn't as if Zeus lacked any desire for beautiful women, but from a broader perspective, his actions had ultimately benefited the gods. After all, great heroes like Perseus, who carried the blood of the supreme god, were occasionally born because of it. He knew that courting mortal women one by one and waiting for them to give birth would take far too long, which was why he sometimes resorted to forceful methods. That didn't make those methods justifiable, of course, but Zeus was still doing his part to fulfill the prophecy by bringing forth heroes.
The golden-haired god stroked his beard with a bitter smile. As our conversation stretched on, the surrounding gods began casting curious glances our way before awkwardly turning their heads. I slowly scanned each of them.
Apollo, the proud son of Zeus who governed the sun and countless other domains. Ares, who looked moderately satisfied with the trial's outcome yet somehow uneasy. Hestia, who smiled at me after catching my eye while chatting with the goddess of youth, Hebe. It was understandable that Zeus's heart felt heavy having to oversee all these gods.
The Titan gods were trapped in Tartarus, dreaming of revenge. Grandmother Gaia refused to acknowledge us. The Gigantes, the gods' mortal enemies, still lurked in the shadows, and the prophesied hero had yet to appear...
"Hm?"
He looked at me with a bright laugh. His face had finally returned to something befitting a king. How could the King of the Gods look so gloomy?
In truth, I had plenty of flaws myself—just as I'd told Mente—but...
Flash— Rumble!
The King of the Gods rose, dispelling the barrier of divine power around us. He puffed out his chest and soared into the sky. The last glimpse I caught of Zeus's face looked considerably brighter than before.
After the trial ended, Poseidon was returning to the sea with his lawful wife Amphitrite and many other gods when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. The lesser sea deities who had been following him looked at the Lord of the Sea with puzzled eyes.
Poseidon slowly turned his head to the right, speaking toward an empty clearing.
Gaia? Wasn't that the name of the Protogenos currently hostile toward the Olympian gods? The surrounding deities were shocked by his words, but the real surprise was yet to come. A captivating female voice rang out from the empty space where nothing had been standing.
As expected of Poseidon. Truly worthy of the chief god who rules Oceanus's domain.
Poseidon had already summoned his Triaina and now gripped it tightly, glaring at the empty space with clear wariness. Yet the beautiful voice carried no trace of tension whatsoever.
Of course I've come to persuade you. I too heard about the quarrel that arose between you and Zeus's son.
Gaia was the earth itself—a Protogenos with precedence over Demeter in dominion of the land. Anything that happened upon the earth could hardly escape her eyes.
When Zeus's son killed your son, I saw it too. It was Ares, wasn't it? The sword swung by Zeus's son sliced cleanly through your son's neck. Then the cold corpse was scattered across my surface, and icy blood flowed forth. Doesn't it anger you?
Poseidon's expression grew even more grim. As the chief god who ruled the seas grew increasingly displeased, the briny sea wind began to churn violently. Nevertheless, Gaia continued speaking to him in a gentle voice.
Drive a wedge? How is this driving a wedge? Your son died unjustly. And wasn't the dominion of the sky, sea, and underworld decided by you three brothers drawing lots?
"......"
I intend to drive out Zeus and the other Olympian gods. If you help me...
Amphitrite anxiously reached out and gently took one of Poseidon's hands. The lesser deities around them had frozen completely, not even daring to breathe. If one of the three chief gods joined Gaia's side, could Olympus truly stand a chance? They waited in suffocating silence... for the chief god's decision.
I wouldn't mind granting you the position of King of the Gods. The dominion of the sky as well, of course.
Poseidon closed his eyes. Memories of the past surfaced—the moment they had defeated the Titan gods and divided the world among themselves. While Hades had seemed indifferent, Poseidon had always coveted the dominion of the sky. That was why he had once led a rebellion and often found himself in a relationship of mutual restraint with Zeus. The position of King of the Gods and dominion over the sky were certainly tempting.
But...
"...?"
A majestic roar erupted from his throat. Long ago... during the rebellion Poseidon had raised alongside Apollo and Hera. Even if the rebellion had succeeded, he had never intended to imprison Zeus or cast him into Tartarus. Zeus was his brother, and he owed him for being pulled from Cronus's stomach. He had planned to strip him of his heavenly divinity and exile him, but nothing beyond that.
However... if Gaia were to sweep away Olympus, what would become of Zeus and the rest of his kin?
...You're rejecting my offer? I thought we might be able to reach an understanding...
The tip of Poseidon's proud Triaina pointed toward the earth. He raised the trident high with both hands and slammed it down. The moment it struck the ground, an earthquake erupted and devastated the surroundings. The power of the chief god, fueled by rage and amplified by the Triaina's authority, was truly overwhelming. The area around him was completely torn apart, exposing the raw flesh of the earth. The aftershocks of the quake grew stronger and stronger... until a tremendous roar overturned everything visible on the land... Countless lives caught in the sudden catastrophe perished in vain.
Amphitrite and the other gods could only stare at his back as he tried to suppress his fury. His rage seemed even greater than when his own son had died and he'd lashed out at Ares.
Whoosh—
Hermes, sensing the disturbance, flew down urgently from the sky and landed behind him. The messenger god's face was drenched in sweat, terrified by the flow of divine power strong enough to easily destroy an entire city.
Even to the messenger god's question, Poseidon didn't turn around. He simply answered in a heavy voice.
"What...! Uncle..."
One of Poseidon and Amphitrite's daughters, Rhode, bowed to her father and approached the messenger god. The Lord of the Sea then walked past the bewildered Hermes and quietly descended into the depths of the sea.