The sound of spears hitting human flesh and the screams that accompanied them was excruciating to me. The Achaians were dying and there was nothing that I could do to help them. Why had my father forbade me from physically helping the warriors? All I could do now was give them advice. This didn't help anybody in any shape or form. In any war, if a warrior thought about anything but eliminating the enemy, they died. They could not afford to lose their focus to think about something as trivial as advice. Glancing around in despair, I saw Achilles deflecting a spear off of his shield. Maybe, if I could get him away from the battlefield, I could tell him everything that was going to transpire. I could help the Achaians reach victory and get my revenge on the mortal man for giving Aphrodite the golden apple, and all without breaking my father's orders. If this truly worked, I could get everything that I so desired.
Figuring out a way to get Achilles away from the battlefield was much harder than I'd originally expected. From my perch in my chariot, I could see everything. Achilles was surrounded. Warriors from the Trojans' side were attempting to kill him from any angle they could. To his credit, every time somebody tried to stab him, he met them head on. His spear was a blur and the Trojans were dropping like flies. Bodies were starting to pile up around Achilles, but for every warrior he killed, two more came to take his place. Unfortunately for him, no mortal man could fight like that forever. It was only a matter of time until he wore himself out. This was when I would strike.
It took hours for any sign of weariness to prevail over the adrenaline that Achilles obviously had. In this time span, he had killed one hundred warriors. Achilles could barely hold up his shield now and the Trojans could see their opportunity to kill him. As they started to creep closer with their weapons drawn, I swooped down from the sky and snatched Achilles up by the back of his armor. Due to the exhaustion that he felt, he did not at first realize that he was suspended several hundred feet above the ground. However, when he did not feel the ground underneath him, he started to thrash in my grip. When he had enough common sense to look up, he saw nothing. This only aided in his struggling.
Soon enough, I had landed the chariot on the snow-capped mountain of Gargarus. If I got caught now, the other gods would suffer and Achilles would be incinerated by my father. No mortal was ever allowed near the home of the gods. Looking around for signs of danger, I pulled Achilles into the chariot. I let him see me in the form of a little girl, for my true form would incinerate him upon one look on his part. He looked at me in confusion for a few seconds and then realization crossed his face.
"Yes Prince Achilles, it is I, Pallas Athena. I have taken you from the battlefield to tell you of what is to come. You must listen carefully, for I will only say this once. My father has forbade me from helping you and the Achaians to victory. I am only allowed to give the warriors advice of how they should fight the enemy. Both of us know quite well how well this has worked out. I am on the side of the Achaians and wish for them to be victorious. I cannot tell you exactly what will happen, but I will tell you that you must watch your ships and make sure that you are on your guard. Hector will send spies to your camp. You must trust no one but your own warriors," I said solemnly.
Achilles nodded. "I will follow your advice, Pallas Athena. Hector owes me many lives including that of my companion Patroclos who died in my place. I will avenge his death and all others who could not return home." Throughout his small speech, Achilles had a look of deadly determination on his face.
I smiled gravely. "I'm sure that you will not disappoint me." The threat was there. If he failed me, there would not be a body returning to his home for burial. I would incinerate him, and then his ashes until there was not even a speck of him left if I was even a touch angry with him.
A brief look of fear crossed his face before he could stop it. No mortal could make a god or goddess angry without dying a very painful death. He nodded his head to show that he understood me and accepted my request. I brought the chariot up and started to fly it back to the battlefield. Achilles was wide awake and fidgeting, his adrenaline back. Barely paying any attention to him now that I had delivered my message, I landed the chariot in the middle of the field. Achilles thanked me for all I had done for him and marched off to face the Trojans and the despicable Hector once again.