Chased out of Olympus, she had wandered the Earth with a slow and somber tread for half an eternity. Neglect had dyed her pure-white toga a dingy beige. Her once glistening aegis had grown dull with dust from being dragged defeatedly behind her. The spear was the only thing, including her own body, that she still held with any remnant of pride. Immortal she remained, so she had no need for the protection of a shield. But disgraced she was, and her shame had turned to anger and her anger to bloodlust.
Weapon always at the ready, the goddess Athena had just a fortnight prior found herself in a new island kingdom, one that was strange to her but that vaguely reminded her of the mortal city she had once ruled. It seemed as though ages had passed since her last kill, and she was hungry for battle. "Lalotai," the mortals had whispered as she passed unseen among them. "Realm of monsters." She could think of no better battleground.
Athena stood at the base of the stone pillar, which loomed ominously overhead. Staring straight into the dark grey of the surrounding clouds, no darker than the grey of her own eyes, she smirked with eager anticipation before making easy work of the climb. She was at her best and boldest just before battle.
Once she had reached the summit, she set aside her aegis and spear to perform the chant and dance she had seen the islands' demigod perform only a few days ago. Athena had learned little of the gods and their powers in this corner of the world, and she'd thought it wisest to observe from a distance. Having completed the maneuver with a leap followed by a forceful landing that caused the ground to shake, she quickly gathered her effects and, with one bracing breath, without so much as a downward glance, stepped into the open pit with the self-assurance only a goddess could summon.
No sooner had she jumped than she became enveloped in water. Her eyes widened in brief surprise, and she gripped her weapons tighter. She felt her helmet slipping off and upward into the stream and quickly tucked the aegis under her spear-bearing arm, so she could save her armor. She had only just managed to gather it to her chest when she felt dry air on her skin once more before landing sure-footedly on the ground.
She took a moment to marvel at the bizarre but beautiful flora around her, helmet still clutched tight against her body. Just when Athena thought she had full knowledge of Gaia's creations, the mother-goddess had still more surprises for her. She breathed in this strange new world before placing the helmet atop her brown curls, now sopping wet, as was her toga. Dropping her shield and spear, she began wringing out the cloth, and as she did so, she noticed that the fall had washed it white again. She turned her gaze toward her weapons and saw that they, too, were gleaming as brightly as the day they had been forged. Athena couldn't help but beam just as brightly at them. Many a day had passed since she had last seen her belongings in such glory. With reverence she had not shown them for far too long, she gathered the aegis and spear to her and stood tall.
"Perfect," she said, looking the length of them with admiration before turning her eyes ahead once more. Her brow furrowed in determination, and a sly smile crept onto her lips. "And now the flood."
She strode forward, eyes peeled for any sign of movement. Soon came the soft thunder of wings, and she ducked just as an eight-eyed bat passed overhead. A grin spread across her face as she looked up to assess the danger. "I've slain Gorgons thrice your size," she said as she sauntered forward, but her advance was stilled by a storm of wings. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a flock of bats headed straight for her, and for a moment she allowed fear to grip her. Her confidence faltered, and she flung herself beneath the overhang of the nearest reef. Breathing rapidly, her shield resting in the shade beside her, she closed her eyes and, both hands holding steady to her spear, steeled herself to peer beyond this shelter.
She grabbed the aegis and pulled herself up to meet a swooping bat. Raising her arm, she silently prayed to her estranged sister to make her aim true, and she felled the bat with a single blow to the head. It plummeted from the air with a shrill squeal, a twisting mass of leathery black, and hit the ground with a heavy thud. Aegis in hand, Athena raised her shield arm above her and darted from the reef to the low and sheltering fronds of a neighboring plant. On her way, she withdrew the spear from the bat's carcass and shook it clean.
Lalotai quaked with the screaming and winged fury of the bats as they dove at the goddess. She had just begun to gauge the timing of her next attack when she felt a searing pain brush over her shoulder. Before she had time to react, her shield arm was encircled by one of the fronds hanging above her, and it wrapped her in flame. Just as the other leaves started to reach for her, Athena gritted her teeth against the pain, steadied her spear, and sheared off the one that held her, turning it to black ash. The remaining fronds drew ever closer and swiftly. She could feel their heat, but she had positioned herself in such a way that all it took was one graceful twirl to disarm the entire plant. Her haven now in ashes, she drew herself up to meet another bat that had grown too daring in its dive. When it had flown low enough, she pierced it through the abdomen, but - disabled as it was - it continued its now weakened flight.
Athena scowled at her inaccuracy, but this disappointment did nothing to slow her feet or dampen her courage. Her pace fearlessly measured, she mounted the closest rock and waited for the wounded bat to fly near her. She knew that the rest of the flock would keep their distance, having seen her harm more than one of their own. Their diving, at this point, served only as an attempt at intimidation, and for this reason she held the aegis idly by her side. The wind of the creatures' wings sent the delicate cloth of her toga billowing around her. Beneath the red plume of her helmet, a few loose curls whipped about her head. Her eyes were set, and for the first time in a very long time, her arms felt strong.
When the bat had made the fatal error, she lunged from the precipice and, using the spear still jutting from the creature's side, pulled the winged beast from the air and slammed it into the earth. This show of force was enough to send the other bats flying away with only the slightest hesitance. In the absence of their incessant shrieking, Lalotai almost seemed as though a monastery. Almost. The creature beneath Athena's feet was heaving and rasping through its last gulps of air. Ever desirous of a quick kill, Athena pulled her spear from the bat and delved the blade into its heart. It was only after delivering this mercy that she felt the full burn of her own wound.
Looking down, she saw that her left arm, normally an unblemished alabaster, had been striped with red bright enough to rival that of her plume. She winced at the sight as much as the blistering flesh but immediately gathered the resolve to wait. With time, she knew, her skin would be pristine and painless again. After wiping the blood from her now retired weapon, as well as the sweat from her brow, Athena stood tall and proud in the quiet of Lalotai.
"That's enough," she murmured. "For now."
Little did she know that two large and luminous blue eyes had been watching her with equal parts awe and intent.