The Armageddon

5. The Olympics

“Apollo” I called. He turned around giving me a gentle smile.

“Nike it has been a while” he greeted

“yes, it has” I answered.

“So, what have you been up to?” he asked as we walked down the marble paths of Olympus.

I shrugged “nothing interesting”

“Yes, nothing intriguing happens anymore” he muttered. Oh, if only he knew.

“what about you? Have you done any recent paintings?”

“well I did do a few a while ago, but nothing seems to catch my attention enough to paint recently” he said with a slight pout.

“it would be unfortunate if you stopped your art, you know how much I love to admire them” I said gloomily as if there would be something wrong with the world without his art.

He looked deep in though like was trying to find a way to make my wish come true. I smiled. He was falling into my trap.

“how about you give me something you like and I’ll paint it for you as a gift” he said like he had just solved one of the riddles of a sphinx. My smile grew wider.

“that is truly generous of you” I said. He played right into my palms.

“So, would you like a portrait of you glorious self-Nike?” he asked with a charming smile that would have left many women at his feet. He was a charmer like his father, Zeus, and he had the looks and all, but lets just hope he didn’t inherit any of his philandering ways. This was not the first time Apollo has tried to get with me either and I wasn’t using him, I was just taking advantage of the situation, though I felt a little guilty.

“No, I want something else” I said and furrowed his brows. Who wouldn’t want his portrait painted by a god, not just any god, but the god of art?

“but maybe I be your muse another time? I could be your model” I asked to cheer him up. His eyes lit up and he gave me another breathtaking smile.

“okay” he nodded.

“actually, it is a dagger” I said. He rose a questioning brow at me. “You see I saw this dagger once and it was it very captivating.” I added.

It was more than captivating alright.

“you know how much I admire armory” I said again.

Once we got to his studio as it is called by mortals in the 21st century, I described to him what it looked like.

It was truly magnificent, its brown sheath was designed with gold, its hilt was also intricately designed with gold and embedded with diamonds and its shiny silver blade had a wavy shape and had the words ‘death’ engraved in it.

The dagger of Delphi. I had never actually seen it before until Atlas.

Apollo had been so eager to please me that he came running to me with the painting just the next day and it look absolutely beautiful and real. I had rewarded with a kiss on his cheek and he could not even stop grinning like a fool.

Sigh, he was such sweet person, but alas I was not the one for him. If I was, I would not have done what I just did, I would not have used him so, even though it was innocent.

I admired the painting again and smiled. Hephaestus should be able to work with this, I thought to myself as I made my way to his workshop.

“Nike, what brings you by today? You have not broken another sword, have you?” he asked as soon as I set foot in the workshop. Hephaestus was a really down to earth person, well not earth, but you know what I mean. He found joy in working with his hands and loved his craft just as Apollo did his art. I was a usual here. Like he said I was the cause of many broken weaponry, albeit he was always glad to fix or forge me a new one.

“No, I haven’t Hephaestus” I chuckled. “but I have something I am sure you would enjoy crafting” I added.

“okay let’s see it” he said and I immediately showed him the painting.

“this is quite the piece” he mused.

“I am more than sure you will make it even more magnificent as you always do” I praised. He puffed his chest and grinned at me, his ego growing greatly. I let out a giggle

“I’ll get right to it” he responded and got down to work.

We made small talk as he worked, but after a while I left. I had other things to plan and other people to approach.

 A week later, the Olympic games began. The first item on the list was chariot racing. I hardly took part Olympics but I had to this time. It should be fun.

Chariot racing only required two participants per team. One to drive the horses and another to defend. It wasn’t going to be some simple boring race, it was going to have hurdles and your other opponents are allowed to attack, more like sabotage you.

I decided to join the race as the rider and Athena as my defense. Our chariot was silver with gold linings and was attached to a pair of brown sturdy horses.

Next to ours was hades whose chariot was black with silver designs and attached to his two midnight black stallions. He looked regal and very intimidating.

 I was already in my chariot, but Athena was nowhere to be seen. I wander where she ran off to this time. Hades turned to me.

“trouble in paradise?” he asked quietly. Hades want much of a talker and the fact that he was the one who initiated the conversation was quite odd, but then again, I was sure he was as curious as everybody else why I wasn’t by Zeus side this time. I was always with Zeus without fail, I was his lucky charm. Zeus may be king of the gods, but it doesn’t mean he is a prodigy at everything.

I don’t always win either, even though I am the goddess of victory. We gods still have to put in effort.

I would use this opportunity to my advantage.

“you could say that” I answered casually, “but we will get through it. Couples argue all the time” I joked. His lips curved a little “just don’t let Hera hear you” he teased further. I let out a laugh.

“anyways, how does my dearest Persephone fare? I do hope that you do not keep manhandling her the way you did in that forest” I said. I watched his expression, but knowing him, I knew I would not get any.

“should I keep kore away from you knowing that you were there while she was being taken but did nothing to aid her? I am sure that Is known as being a horrible friend.” He mused.

I let out another laugh “of course, but then again should you not also be thanking me for not standing in the way of you and your love and for also not allowing Demeter to interfere either?” I asked amused.

He didn’t react to anything I just said, but the little twitch of his lips upward let me know that he was quite pleased.

The race was about to start.

“then it seems that I do owe you a favor Nike” he said. I knew that kore meant a lot to him and he was not like his brother Zeus who took things for granted, especially love. I had gotten on his good side and I knew that one day that favor would come in handy.

Hera came forward and stood in front of the line of chariots.

“Ready” she yelled and paused.

“oh, and be sure to keep this from kore, will you? Not until she comes to realize I had done you both a great favor” I said.

Hades answered with a nod.

“set” Hera yelled again.

Athena decided to make an entrance then.

“begin” she yelled again bringing the golden cloth clutched in her hand down.

 All the horses jumped into motion.

Not too far from the finish line a whole lot got eliminated. I swerved and dodged and slowed down when needed, I didn’t join the race to win, but that didn’t mean that I wanted to have broken bones. It still hurts though it would heal.

Artemis and Apollo were behind us. Artemis pulled out two arrows from her quiver and strung it to her bow and aimed at us. Artemis was great with a bow, she never missed. The arrows were fast and precise, but Athena also being skilled blocked them off.

“I got you love” she said.

“I know you do” I smiled. I was never worried.

There was dust and debris all around. Artemis and Apollo were still on our tail and Athena was doing a marvelous job keeping them there. I glanced back to see Artemis getting frustrated.

From my left I see Eris and Thanatos catching up to us. Thanatos tried to literally slice me in half but I dodged further to my right. Eris stared their chariot to ram into ours which caused Athena to lose her footing and stumble. One of Artemis’ arrows got passed Athena in that second and headed for me but at the last second, I caught the arrow a mere inch from my eye with my right hand and held unto the reins with my left.

It was one fierce race.

While Athena was occupied with Artemis’ arrows, Thanatos and Eris came from my left again and Hermes and Hephaestus from my right. We were surrounded.

I heard Athena groan behind me. She was being attacked from all sides. I had to do something. I pushed the horses to go faster.

“Athena take the reins” I yelled and pushed them into her hands when there was a little space between us all.

I flip my body a few feet in the air and gather as much momentum and strength and land with my fist to the ground. The ground rumbled and cracked and the force sent everything around me flying a couple of feet. I spread my wings and jumped back on our chariot which was still thundering through all the chaos.

“bloody cow Nike, you pack a punch” Athena exclaimed. I was also the goddess of strength remember.

We were getting closer to the finish line and I could see the three brothers or musketeers, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon up front. Hades was first then Poseidon and then Zeus I urged the horses to go faster. My veins were pumping with adrenaline and excitement. I could see the crowd at the edge of their seats.

As we caught up to them, I see Zeus’ eyes widen in surprise as I zoomed past him and then past Poseidon while dodging their attacks, till I was directly behind hades.

“Athena, do not let Zeus get passed us.” I told her.

“no problem” she answered. Zeus was furiously trying to catch up and was partially beside us.

“Sorry father, it is nothing personal.” She yelled to Zeus. I thought she would attack and distract them or break a wheel, but she did not exert herself. She waited till they were close enough and she cut their reins before they could react, she swung her sword again and broke whatever it was that had connected the horses to the chariot. She was not the goddess of wisdom for nothing.

Now hades. I pushed harder but Poseidon and his partner triton were not having it. Poseidon rose his trident and suddenly we were in the air enveloped in water. We didn’t suffocate us to death but it restricted our movements. We were extremely close to the finish line now. I threw my sword out of the water In front of hades horses and they swerved to the side, creating a path to victory for Poseidon.