The impact of Aphrodite's fall echoed through the cosmos like a harp string snapping violently. High atop Mount Olympus, the sky darkened with a fury that no mortal could comprehend. Zeus, the Lord of Lightning, felt the void left by the Goddess of Beauty and knew, in that very instant, that his son had crossed the point of no return.
Eron and Diana were still at the profaned altar when the air around them began to vibrate. A trail of golden light cut through the withered garden, and Hermes, the messenger of the gods, materialized before them. His winged sandals were still sparking, but his face, usually jovial, was pale with pure terror.
— Eron! — Hermes shouted, keeping a safe distance from the magnetic field surrounding the couple. — What have you done? Father is possessed with rage. He has sent a warning: return the essence of Ares and Aphrodite now, or he will descend with the entire legion of Olympus to turn you into eternal ash!
Eron rose slowly from the altar, helping Diana dress in a new tunic he shaped himself from the torn silk, using nothing but his will. He looked at his brother with a contempt that made Hermes take a step back.
— Tell our father he is growing old and slow — Eron growled, his voice heavy with the authority of two gods. — If he wanted to fight, he would already be here. He is afraid, Hermes. Afraid that his son has become the perfect reflection of his own ambition.
Erond felt Zeus's energy high above. It was vast, but hesitant. The King of Olympus was not ready for an all-out war that could destroy the very foundation of the world he ruled.
— But I am in no hurry — Eron continued, a lopsided smile appearing on his face. — I still want to watch this human world burn for a while longer before I take his throne.
Erond wrapped his arm around Diana's waist, pulling his queen close. The pearlescent glow of her skin, now fused with his magnetic aura, created a vision that even Hermes found difficult to look upon without longing.
— We will retreat, for now — Eron decided. — Zeus can stay at the top of his mountain, trembling in the dark. My queen and I have cities to see, wines to drink, and men to dominate. The divine war can wait.
Hermes vanished in a flash of light, carrying the message of insolence. Eron looked at Diana, whose eyes now carried Aphrodite's eternal spell mixed with the bloodlust of an Amazon.
— Where to now, my queen? — he asked. — The world is a banquet, and we are the only guests who matter.