Darkness.
That is all Athena ever knew ever since she was 'born'.
A daughter born from the marriage of Metis, the Goddess of Wisdom, Council, and Deep Thoughts, and Zeus, the King of Gods, Lightning, Thunder, and so much more.
Her future was supposed to be that of an adored princess. The first proper child born to the children of Rhea, the first generation Olympians. They who overthrew the cruel Titans and took their place as the rulers of the cosmos. A child born from a proper marriage, unlike her elder half-sister, Persephone, who was born from a fling.
Yet, the Fates would not have it even if their designs were no longer as ironclad as before.
Athena felt the gentle presence of her mother, whose consciousness still lingers within the mind of the King, despite her physical body and divine essence having long since faded under the sheer might of the Olympian.
A tragedy orchestrated by her own father, all because those despicable fates convinced him that she would bring about his downfall, taking advantage of the absence of a certain uncle of hers.
Despite being only a year old, she had long since matured fully, showing her lineage as a real god and mimicking the growth rate of her father and his siblings.
However, no matter how much she grew, she knew she would not get out of the King's head for years yet to come, for her domains had yet to condense from her affinity of Wisdom, inherited from her mother.
So, she remained silent within her father's mind. Taking in all his wisdom and ideas, while her mother's consciousness still gave the king insights into her own wisdom voluntarily, a tragic display of the love that the goddess held for him even in such a state.
Then, one day, things suddenly changed.
She sensed it from her father before anything else.
A primal terror and a rush of divinity not his own invaded his body. A fear so all-consuming that Athena and her mother's consciousness, for a fleeting moment of terror, believed the Titan King might have returned.
Yet, the reality was so much worse for the King, and so much better for Athena herself.
One moment, Athena was still reeling from the feeling of terror from the King. Then next, she was standing in the middle of the Olympian Council, still clutching her spear and wearing her armor, woven by her mother with her own divinity.
And standing in front of her, thoroughly exhausted and horrified, was her father, Zeus, the King of Gods.
And standing beside him was his brother, whom Athena knew all too well from Zeus's memories.
Brolios Asterion. The God of Destruction, Nature, and most recently, the Lost. A domain that had not existed in the cosmos until the god's actions in the war, where he rescued all kinds of life forms that were 'lost' either in body, mind, or soul, and granted them sanctuary, brought it into existence.
A domain that, Athena suspected, might have played a hand in her current situation.
"One year. One Tartarus-damned year. That is how long I was gone to explore what is outside our realm, and everything went to the pit in my absence!? What in the name of Gaia are you doing? Brother!?"
Her father had no words to say as his mind still reeled from her uncle's thunderous expressions.
No, it would be better to say that the king himself was extremely confused on what exactly was happening, as if some kind of veil was....taken...off?
'....Oh. So that is how it is.'
The newborn goddess arrived at a conclusion so bold and blasphemous that she dared not speak lest she gain the attention of those who were responsible for all of this. Yet, she would not remain ignored in the council that was supposed to be her home.
So, with a deep breath, she took a step forward, drawing the attention of all the stupefied gods and goddesses that were still sitting stock still on their thrones, just as confused as Zeus.
"I am Athena, daughter of Metis and Zeus."
The silence was equal parts deafening and embarrassing for the young goddess while the gods were still processing what was happening.
Then, something that would always remain locked away in her memories as a shocking yet moving scene happened.
Brolios slapped the stupefied Zeus's head with annoyance.
"Claim her already, you dimwit brother of mine who is so easily tricked by those three old crones."
A heavy oppressive atmosphere dominated the council room in warning at his words, as if the 'old crones' did not appreciate his comment.
However, her uncle did not even budge. Instead, his eyes and hair flashed purple for a single instant. A single instant that made Athena's breath hitch as she clearly felt the unfathomably deep abyss that was her uncle's power.
In response, the presence of the three retreated instantly, knowing that they had overstayed their welcome.
This show of force also brought Zeus back to reality as he straightened up and gazed at her with a complex look. One full of love, heartbreak, confusion, worry, and pure terror.
"I, Zeus, confirm Athena's declaration, and claim her as my daughter. Forevermore from now, you shall be my daughter. For the slight you have suffered, you shall be awarded with a throne within this council."
Zeus looked to his siblings and asked.
"Any objections?"
The gods and goddesses either remained silent, still in shock, or simply shook their head, showing their approval. A satisfying sight for the King of Gods.
With a nod, he continued speaking.
"From this day forward, you shall be the goddess of-"
"Let her decide, you fool. Its the least you can do for what happened."
Once again, her uncle intervened, making her father chuckle nervously at his brother's words.
"Right, right. So? What domains do you seek? My daughter?"
Athena's mind raced, knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hasten the formation of her domain.
As for the talk about a seat on the Olympian Council, that could wait for later, when she has the time to calm down from the excitement of this day.
Tempered by the wisdom of her mother, which told her that she should not choose a domain that she has no affinity for, as well as using the memories of her father as the base, she chose domains that would forevermore define her.
"I choose Wisdom, father, as well as War."
Zeus grinned proudly at her words.
"Good! Now, let us celebr-"
"Not now, brother."
Brolios turned to Athena with a warm smile and moved forward, making the young goddess tense.
She would be lying if she said she was not afraid of the Olympian in front of her.
For he was the god whose existence was clearly imprinted within the memories of her father. He who single-handedly brought down many a first-generation Titan at once, successfully threatened Mother Earth herself, burned away the tapestry of fate itself, and even earned the approval of Chaos itself.
Feats that each, by themselves, would put a god beyond the reach of any average divinity.
So, when such a god approached her like this, she could not help but fear him and tense up. Her mind working scenario after scenario on how to appease the god or escape from him, should he have some kind of outburst at her for being born as she was.
After all, her father's memory held the clear line that was never supposed to be crossed when it comes to Brolios Asterion. His family.
Suddenly, all her thoughts came to a grinding halt as the warm palm, which once casually pushed down several titans to their knees, fell upon her head, patting her like a little child.
Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, outrage. But also a warmth that she had never felt in her short life.
"Let me be the first one to give you a gift for your birth, niece. You are, from now on, permitted to visit my sanctuary in Mother's Grove."
The God of Destruction smiled at her stunned look.
"Go there now and visit your grandmother. I have already informed her telepathically what happened, and she is eagerly awaiting your arrival."
Then, his gaze sharpened as he turned to his siblings. His eyes suddenly flashing a pale yellow that sent chills down her spine.
"Meanwhile, we, the adults, need to talk."
"H-Hey!! Why drag me into this as well!? I did nothing!!"
"Yeah! Besides, I am a very busy goddess. It is time for harvest, and it won't do for me to be missing."
Poseidon and Demeter picked up the threat that was coming for them, thanks to their long experience with their beloved brother, and tried to bolt out at once.
As for the others? They were even faster.
Hades had already used the Helm of Darkness to vanish from existence. Hera, the Queen of Gods, was already trying to sneak out of the council chambers, while Hestia simply sighed at the debacle she was witnessing and continued poking at the hearth of the council, her throne left alone as always.
Zeus, on the other hand, had already resigned himself to his fate. His face and gaze completely hollow, as if the world no longer had any meaning left for him.
Athena's lofty and untouchable perception of the gods collapsed completely after witnessing this scene.
Brolios sighed and muttered out words that made Athena's last dregs of seriousness and propriety vanish into thin air.
'So, these are the kind of memories that father locked away so tightly in his mind that neither mother nor I could ever touch them?'
"Bunch of children, the lot of them. I knew I should have prolonged the Titan War for another ten years at least. Then, they would have fully matured, instead of whatever this is."
Athena's shoulders slumped as she hung her head in defeat, as she heard Brolios's whispered words. Words that filled her mind with more questions than answers.
"I guess I'll just go then....?"
"Hm? Oh, you haven't left yet? Go, go. Let us adults handle things here. Children should spend their time learning from their elders. Incidentally, your elder sister, Persephone, is also there so you two should play around in the meantime."
'Play around....? do we look like children to you...?'
Athena's incrudelous gaze did not reach the god who turned away from her.
His face sported a grin that made Athena take a few steps back in pure terror.
"Speaking of, it has been a long time since my siblings and I have trained together properly. Hopefully, they have kept up their training. If not? Heh!"
With that, the God of Destruction vanished from his spot in a blur of speed.
The next thing she knew, she heard various shrieks of terror from across the realms and even from the Underworld itself, followed by a gleeful, manic laughter that rang out across the realms.
With a sigh, the young goddess disappeared into the aether and headed towards the grove that Brolios had imprinted into her mind when he was patting her head.
'I guess this madhouse is my family now.'
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Persephone: (Click for image)
Athena: (Click for image)
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