What Choice Will the Queen Make?
***
Just as I bit my lip in anxious anticipation, wondering what choice the queen would make, she delivered her swift and resolute decision.
"Citizens, I confess that I have engaged in an improper relationship with Thyestes, my brother-in-law and regent of Mycenae. The gods will not forgive our sins."
It was a bombshell declaration. Screams and shouts erupted from all directions.
Even amid the chaos, the queen remained composed as she continued her statement.
"However, I must clarify one thing: all of this was not by my will, but forced upon me by the regent."
Another bomb detonated. The fallout was even more explosive than before. The crowd was now in full riot, beyond mere uproar.
"The truth! We want the truth!"
"Death to the regent! Is this any way to rule?"
I found the queen's judgment utterly fascinating. Her choice was laser-focused on utterly destroying Thyestes. She had completely discarded any other options, like preserving her own conscience or honor. No matter the personal cost, she was determined to make her enemy's eyes weep blood. Women hold grudges like no other.
Bwooooooo—!
Suddenly, a long horn blast echoed through the air, followed by the roar of an army. Marching in perfect unison came soldiers clad in black armor. It was the Mycenaean royal guard—the regent had finally called in the troops. These were elite forces on an entirely different level from the local guards maintaining order nearby.
He's lost his mind.
I could only click my tongue inwardly. The regent had decided to crush the situation by force. Everyone was stunned by his willingness to spill blood among the citizens just to restore order.
"How dare he bring out the army!"
"The regent's gone mad!"
The fully armed black-armored soldiers formed a wall of shields, herding the citizens back. True to their elite status, they showed no mercy once the order was given. Shields slammed down, boots kicked out, and blood sprayed everywhere.
"You bastards! Don't you have mothers or fathers?!"
"Attacking your own citizens!"
It was pandemonium. The time for talk was over. I hurriedly evacuated Hestia's priestesses.
"Priestesses! Fall back!"
Regent Thyestes had completely flipped out, bellowing wildly.
"Drag them all out! Hack down anyone who interferes!"
In this mess, no one would spare them just for being priestesses. Respect only exists when reason remains. Worried that those who had helped us might get hurt, I urged them to return to the temple immediately. Then I called out to Atalante, who had been hiding among them.
"Secure the prince!"
"Got it."
Atalante, who had been biding her time, shed her priestess robes and sprang into action. The soldiers guarding Agamemnon hadn't been on high alert against the priestesses, so they were subdued in an instant.
"Urk!"
"Agh!"
With short cries, the soldiers around Agamemnon crumpled. She was the one who had previously laid low the prince and his warriors in a humiliating defeat. These guards were child's play for her; she successfully secured Agamemnon without issue.
As she untied his bonds and gag, the prince's face was filled with shock.
"You!"
He might not recognize her face, but those skills were unforgettable. He'd been personally humiliated, after all.
"I get the grudge, but shelve it for today, Your Highness."
Atalante handed him a sword as she spoke, and Agamemnon nodded.
"Like the ropes you just freed me from, I'll let bygones be bygones."
Agamemnon had that bold, magnanimous side to him. I dispatched nearby soldiers and joined him.
"We'll get you out of here, no matter what!"
He seemed deeply moved by my words.
"They say you learn who your true friends are in times of hardship. I, Agamemnon, see now that today's trials were not in vain. Thank you."
Looked like I'd scored major points with the future king. Worth all the effort. But then Atalante cut in. She was effortlessly toppling charging soldiers one by one.
"Sorry to interrupt the touching reunion, but isn't it a bit much to leave the fighting to a lady alone?"
Feeling guilty, I jumped in to help. By now, even the royal guard was rushing toward us. The pressure from those black-armored elites was intense. But I was no longer the man I used to be.
"Hah!"
With a shout, I kicked the brass shield of an elite soldier. A dozen or so, who had been holding firm, collapsed like dominoes. It was like a bomb had gone off from a single kick.
"Gasp."
Even I was shocked by my own power. How could a human kick send a squad of ironclad soldiers tumbling like that? And I hadn't even fully tapped into my divinity.
Atalante's pretty eyes went wide; she wasn't the only one stunned.
"Are you some kind of monster?"
Her expression screamed, What the hell have you been up to while I wasn't looking?
I had plenty of stories to tell, but now wasn't the time.
"That's our Peleus!"
Agamemnon, who had always overestimated my strength, nodded approvingly as if it was only natural. He thought I'd single-handedly repelled Atalante and slain a man-eating giant on my own.
"You worthless scum! If you're the royal guard, draw your swords and sweep them away!"
From behind, Regent Thyestes was frothing at the mouth. The situation grew ever more dire as enraged citizens hurled objects and sparked riots. The guards were dominating unilaterally, but the citizens' counterattacks couldn't be ignored.
"Down with the regent!"
"That damned goateed bastard must have locked up our true king too!"
Anti-regent cries erupted everywhere, but sadly, the army's might was overwhelming. And Thyestes's long-entrenched power wouldn't crumble from this alone. Retreat seemed the best option today.
"Peleus! Shouldn't you draw that divine sword?"
Anxiety laced Atalante's voice. Our superior strength kept us holding even while fully surrounded, but breaking through the heavily armored horde looked impossible. Mass slaughter wasn't an option either...
"Hmm."
I bit my lip lightly, fiddling with Zeus's sword at my waist. This blade had been secretly delivered yesterday by a heavyweight from the kingdom I'd recruited. Prepared for today, but using it gave me pause. These soldiers were humans like me, just following orders. They had no choice. Armies demand obedience, even to distasteful commands. They had families, were sons and husbands. Unleashing Zeus's sword would reduce dozens, hundreds to bloody chunks. I hesitated.
"Not yet. We end this with minimal bloodshed!"
A massacre here would burden Agamemnon politically down the line. Plus, the sword's power might draw the eyes of gods uninterested in today's events.
"Then you must have some plan! When's that heavyweight you recruited showing up?!"
Atalante was panting, shoulders heaving. She'd been restraining herself from killing at my request, making it tougher for her.
"Any moment now! Hah!"
I threw a punch, sending a charging soldier flying with his crumpled shield. Clang! The impact felt lethal. That's when our ace finally arrived.
Neighhh!
A horse's cry echoed from the sky, drawing all eyes upward. Two winged white steeds were descending. The Pegasus pair, treasures of the Mycenaean royal house. And atop one was the heavyweight I'd been waiting for.
"He's here!"
I lit up, and Agamemnon, staring skyward, shouted in astonishment. His own brother was riding in on Pegasus.
"Menelaus!"
Menelaus, the fifth prince of Mycenae—the one who'd smuggled me Zeus's sword through our secret dealings and rallied Hestia's priestesses. He was the real heavyweight because he'd one day become king of Sparta. According to Greek and Roman Mythology from my Earth days, he'd marry the infamous beauty Helen, sparking the Trojan War when Paris abducted her. But in this world, the apocalypse hit first, preventing that war.
"Looks like I made it just in time."
Menelaus was even more crucial than the queen for today's rescue op. He adored his brother Agamemnon and agreed readily, making things smooth. He'd stolen Zeus's sword, recruited Hestia's priestesses, and now commandeered Pegasus—feats only possible for royalty.
"Prince Menelaus, there's no turning back now. You'll have to flee with us—is that alright?"
As he landed the two Pegasus, he replied to my question.
"Better to choose freedom with my brother than cower under that filthy regent!"
"Perfect!"
Hearing his firm answer, I gathered divinity in both hands and slammed the ground with all my might.
Kaboom!
Rumble rumble!
The shockwave flipped the plaza's paving stones, shaking the earth like an earthquake. In the chaos, we mounted the Pegasus—Atalante and me on one, Agamemnon and Menelaus on the other.
"Citizens! I shall return! With justice!"
Agamemnon bellowed from the rising Pegasus. The crowd roared in response.
"Come back to us!"
"We'll be waiting!"
It was the perfect heroic tableau: the righteous prince exiled by his scheming uncle, only to return later and claim his throne. Straight out of a fairy tale.
"Whew..."
As Pegasus cleaved the wind, I sighed in relief. We'd successfully rescued Agamemnon. Below, Thyestes tore at his hair in impotent rage. I considered mocking him, but his shout chilled me to the bone.
"Orion! Orion! Shoot your bow, now!"
What? Orion? Why the hell was he here? Orion, son of sea god Poseidon, was a legendary hunter unmatched with the bow. I glanced down hurriedly and spotted an extraordinary figure in hunter's garb drawing his bow on us. It really was Orion. Thyestes had his own ace up his sleeve. He'd tried handling it solo at first, but with us escaping on Pegasus, he'd called for backup.
"Dodge!"
I yelled urgently, but the arrow had already left the string.
Twang!
Instinct told me I couldn't block it. The arrow targeted Pegasus's belly. An Orion arrow there meant certain crash. Should I summon lightning faster than the arrow? Risk the gods' attention with a massive bolt? As I debated, something absurd happened.
Thwack!
A massive bird intervened, taking the arrow instead. Feathers exploded like a pillow burst, and the deflected shaft struck Pegasus's rump instead of its belly.
Neighhh!
Pegasus whinnied in pain but flapped harder. The arrow's path had veered slightly piercing the bird, avoiding fatal damage. No issue for flight. Orion lowered his arm mid-second shot, shaking his head. We'd dodged disaster.
Soon he was a mere speck, but I swear our eyes met across the distance. We'd be enemies for sure. And as Artemis's close friend, he'd never warm to me. Still, we'd escaped the crisis.
"Whew..."
Wiping sweat from my brow in relief, I pondered that random bird. Then it hit me.
"Ah! Luck!"
Goddess Hestia had smiled upon me.