The Armageddon

3. Ignorance is Bliss

I paced the length of my room for the hundredth time today. I had to do something. I had to warn Zeus.

MOUNT OLYMPUS,

ZEUS’ THRONE ROOM

“Nike,” this is a pleasant surprise. Zeus greeted. “so, what is it that you want?”

Although Zeus and I go way back and he is fond of me, he tends to get on my nerves way often than I like. Zeus always gave me whatever I asked for.

“I have not come here to ask for anything Zeus, at least not for me.” I answered.

“really?” he c****d an amused eyebrow. “Now this should be interesting, go on”

“I have come to warn you Zeus.” I said.

“Warn me.” He repeated.

“And might I ask what about Nike?”

“Atlas…” I paused and waited for the name to register in his mind.

“And what about Atlas?”

“He is going to freed, a century and a half from now and he is coming fully prepared.” I said seriously. Zeus fell silent for far longer than I was comfortable with as he starred me down.

Suddenly he let out a bark of laughter and that only irritated me. He looked at me like I was the silliest of creatures to exist, which made my blood boil hotter.

“Dear Nike, you always knew how to keep a man entertained and happy.” He said after he finally sobered up.

“I am glad I could be a source of amusement to you, but I do not Jest Zeus, I am as serious as a crime of stealing your lightning bolt” I said.

Zeus was silent again.

“And how do you know of this?”

“I saw him, he killed me. He had the dagger of Delphi and he plunged it into my heart”

“Dagger of Delphi? You do realize that all this is… impossible do you not?”

“I know it sounds impossible, but you of all people should know nothing is. We are gods are we not?” I challenged.

Zeus still looked at me like I had suddenly run mad. He did not know what to make off anything I had just told him. It would be a real shame if his favorite goddess, whom he treated like an only child, suddenly became senile.

“I have always spoken words of wisdom and sound advice and you always payed heed to them have you not?” I continued.

“Yes, you have always been wise and I have always heeded your advice, but…”

“Then why does it have to be any different this time around Zeus” I cut him off.

“because this time you sound like a you attended one of Dionysus’ parties before coming here Nike”

I glared at him and sighed.

“You have to believe me. You know that I would not be here if this wasn’t important or if you hadn’t summoned me.”

“Nike you said you saw this yourself, but we all know that you were not gifted the ability to prophecy or the gift of manipulation of time. The only beings that are capable of such a feat are the prophetesses of Apollo, the sisters of fate and the god of time.”

“Aidon, Aidon was there, he saw Atlas too.” I hurriedly said.

Zeus gave a deep sigh before summoning Aidon.  While we waited, I kept tapping me feet like an angry mother hen whose chick strayed away from the group. Why didn’t I think of Aidon earlier? He was there of course he saw everything too. Maybe now Zeus will believe me. It irritated me greatly that Zeus thought I would jest about something like this. Obviously, Zeus wasn’t foolish, he knew what it means if anyone of the titans escaped especially Atlas.

After a while, Aidon arrived. He glanced at me then Zeus with confusion apparent on his face.

“Zeus, you called.” Aidon stated.

“Yes Aidon, I was told a very interesting… tale”. Now, this caught his interest.

Aidon glanced at me quizzically before answering.

“and what might this tale be about.” He asked

Zeus then went ahead to tell Aidon everything I had said.

Aidon paused and looked at me again, but he didn’t look at me the way Zeus had, like I had gone mad, but there was still confusion all over his face. He didn’t remember, he had no idea what I was talking about.

“From the look on your face Aidon, you know not of what she speaks about.” Zeus said before looking to me. “Nike do you have anything else to say?” he asked me wearily.

I didn’t know what else to say.

“I really do hope that I am mistaken, for if I am not, then you will regret this…”

“I am king of the gods; I regret nothing and I suggest that you choose the word you speak very cautiously goddess of victory.” Zeus cut me off with a roar.

I knew he was getting angry and frustrated and I didn’t miss the subtle threat in his words either. Zeus always did whatever he wanted, he was king of the gods and there was really no one to stop him, till now.

“Are you aware that only I can free Atlas from his prison and his shackles?” he asked me.

“I am” I answered quietly.

“You also know Poseidon alone knows where the dagger is and he alone is capable of acquiring it?” he asked again.

I gritted my teeth and answered, “Yes”.

“Then you also know that hades alone grants access to the ninth level of Tartarus?” he asked again.

“yes” I mumbled once again.

“Do you know that it takes Rhea, hades, Poseidon and I to realize the titans from the deepest pits of Tartarus.”

Rhea? She and a group of few titans and few other creatures who had supported the gods been pardoned and had disappeared after the war.

“answer me when I speak to you” Zeus bellowed when I took too long to respond.

“No” I answered.

Now I knew why he thought it was impossible. Tartarus is impenetrable and it took three of strongest and major gods and the former titan queen, Rhea to free the titans. It is no secret how much Rhea hated Cronus, her husband and king of the titans. There was no way she would ever agree to set the titans free.

Maybe Zeus was right, maybe I was slowly running mad, but everything felt so real. That paralyzing fear I felt for the first time in thousands of years was real.

Zeus sighed.

I glanced at Aidon who had been silent through out this entire conversation. He was deep in thought, probably also wandering what suddenly made me go looney one day.

“If anything happened, I would feel it. This all makes no sense; however, you are right and I have always listened to so I will at least examine the situation in all the mentioned locations and keep close watch on the prisoners.”

I guess this is as much as I am going to get out him.

“then I have nothing else to say. I shall be on my way” I said turning around to leave.

“And Nike,” Zeus called and I turned back to face him.  “This goes to both of you” he said addressing both Aidon and I. “you are to speak of this to no one, I am to hear of this from no one else, am I clearly understood?” he asked with authority. Zeus could be intimidating when he wanted to be.

I gulped and nodded. I didn’t even need for him to attach a threat. I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

I gave Aidon another glance as I walked away.

Moments after, Aidon exited Zeus’ throne room and approached me.

“Nike,” he called and I stopped in my tracks. Aidon briskly walked towards me.

“I do not know if all you have said is true, if it is, I do not have any memories of it. Do what you must but remember, time is a very fickle thing. If you truly were sent back in time, then know that your actions from now on will have fatal consequences, good or bad.” Aidon warned before leaving me and walking away.

I watched his back fade away as he turned a corner. Aidon and I were not as close as we would be a century and half from now but we were on friendly terms now.

ZEUS’ THRONE ROOM

ARES

I was greatly surprised when I received Zeus’ summons. He never summoned me for anything, except when he wanted a very demanding and heinous task done efficiently and quietly, not that I enjoyed being in his presence either.

I highly detest that man. Though he was my father, we had no relationship apart from that of king and subject.

“Father” I greeted.

“Ares its been a while. It is good to see you” he mused.

It most certainly was not and he knew it. He was testing my patience.

“what do you want father?”

“you know me too well” he drawled “straight to the point as always.”

I gave him a bland look telling him to bloody not waste my time.

He chuckled, but spoke anyways “I need you to visit Hades and Tartarus. The ninth level to be exact. Make sure that it secure and highly fortified.”

The ninth level of Tartarus? Did the titans try to escape? If so then they failed if not, not only Olympus but the underworld and even the earth would already be in chaos.

“Then I want you to visit Poseidon. Make sure the dagger of Delphi is secure” Zeus commanded.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that something was happening.

“yes father”

“No one else is to know of this. Do you understand?”

“yes”

“lastly I want you to watch Nike closely. I want to be informed of what she does and where she goes”.

“yes father” I answered again.

“Good you are dismissed” he made a shooing motion with his hand.

As I walked away, my mind wandered to the Zeus’ las request; Nike, the goddess of victory. I wander how she all fit into all this. Father had always been fond of her so I wander why he would ask me to spy on her. Is he suspicious of her for something? I asked myself. Does he think she is planning something regarding the titans?

Well only one way to find out. Do as he says.

Nike

I passed several minor gods and goddesses and other creatures in clusters in heated discussions no doubt about the hottest topic of the week. It was probably about Aphrodite and another one of her many affairs. I wouldn’t even be surprised if it was about Zeus either. If gods could actually die from disease and ill health, Zeus and Aphrodite would be the first to die of every STD and even those unknown to man. Zeus thinks that he is untouchable and has no regrets, but he is soon going to find that out otherwise.

I have always felt sorry for Hera, being married to someone so scandalous. You really can not blame her for always being jealous, even with behavior, she loves him still. Everyone knows that Zeus is a gigolo, but no one dares to say it to his face.

Hera has caught him cheating more times than I can count and every time he begs for forgiveness and she forgives. I wander if love is supposed to hurt you or bring you happiness, I will never understand. Zeus will come to learn that one of his greatest regret will be treating Hera the way he does, for she will eventually grow a spine and teach him a lesson. A lesson never to be forgotten.

Everything seemed so peaceful now. Everyone was at ease oblivious to the coming storm. I had half the mind to sit back and just let everything unfold and only save myself and a handful of those I care about. A major population of the gods and creatures got on my last nerve on a daily basis. But I can’t let that happen, because if do, there would be no place to run or hide.

I was starting to get paranoid. If they wouldn’t listen to me, then I would have to do this on my own using what I know.

Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power.

I can’t be the only one that knows of this right? My mind wandered back to Aidon. I wandered why he couldn’t remember or was it I that was just dreaming? But dreams sometimes have meanings, right? Visions and prophecies come to some as dreams.

The sisters of fate.

If they are as powerful as they claim to be then surely, they know something of this. Even if other priestesses or prophetesses didn’t see it, they must have.

It is decided them, my next stop, the realm of fates.