Cheiron

I remember those train rides across the continent almost like they had happened yesterday. This was the first time I really got a chance to look at the world outside, and see what this long war had done to it. There were deserted houses that had been peoples homes and there were destroyed factories, roads and bridges, ruins of farms with burned down fields as well as abandoned temples of dead gods. And large refugee camps filled with mortals with sad eyes. Who to help them? I wondered, also getting tears in my eyes.

There were empty wastelands of what had once been metropolitan areas but also towns and cities starting to rise from the ashes. The Lakvidian tunnel had caved in (if it was because of the war or an earthquake I do not know) and the train had to go a long roundabout way on temporary tracks instead. But where the big junction Delphi lies today I saw the light of hope being born with the advent of a returning oracle, hailed as a sign that the gods were still alive and would be back one day.

Yes, we would, if we only knew where to start the process of healing and rebuilding. And if we could do it without fighting among each others. I felt shame burning on my cheeks, were we really worthy calling ourselves gods?

I also remember the trains and their passengers. The coaches as well as the engines were mostly old and worn with colouring pealing off, the filling escaping through holes in the seat fabric and with broken windows. And on top of everything this ever-lasting smell of engine-smoke, garlic, floor polish and human sweat. The passengers looked worn as well. Even the young ones. And I felt stared at even if I had hidden my godship and travelled incognito.

Only once did I show my true self, and that was at Argos Central Station. I saw this woman beating up her child, and no-one was doing anything to stop her! And finally I couldn't take it anymore, but comfronted her as a goddess:

- Listen, young girl, I'm Hera! One of the few remaining goddesses, and I demand you to stop this act of abuse immediately. Your child is small and depending on you. He is your responsibility. Rise him with care! This world has just come out of the most terrible war, and the very last thing it needs is more violence. So don't pass it on to the next generation! Teach your child peaceful and honourable solutions instead, or we will be back in the violent times again sooner than anyone knows it.

The woman was staring at me in awe, catching her breath and I stared her down a bit before I finished, now aiming at the handful of gathered listeners:
- Remember this, I said, children are vulnerable and easy adopters of their parents ideas. If we teach them violence as a way of solving problems, they too are going to use violence to handle their conflicts. But if we instead give them other working tools, peaceful ones, we'll teach them that there are better way to reach solutions than beating up other people.

I made sure that my words had hit home, at least somehow, before I let myself disappear in a wisp of a cloud - an impressing "turning invisible"-technique I've picked up from Demeter.

But that have been the words of Zeus spoken through my mouth. I realised I had become so affected by him, so saturated with all his ideas over the years that I was almost thinking just like him. Another reason for getting away. I wanted my own ideas, even though I agreed on every word about not using violence against little children.

I saw no other immortals during these long tours. And what reason did they have for using trains by the way? They could fly much faster than these old choo-choo's. And they had no Zeus to hide their energy tracks from. But I had decided that Zeus should not be able to find out where I was going, and thus used trains. I felt like I couldn't stand seeing his face at the moment. And even if this meant to give up friends like Hestia, Hyperion, Iris and Leto it was necessary. For me Zeus and his New Pantheon was a closed chapter.

Argos was to become the next chapter in my life though. Argos, located on the river banks of Gerdya, was at that time a middle-sized town with about 200 000 inhibitors, gaining its income from the port and tourism to the hot spring spas at the northern edge of the town. These springs were connected to the old volcano Diro.

Diro had had an incarnated god warding the town as well as keeping the mountain under control. But he, like so many others, had become a victim of the Titans, and now the mountain looked sad and lonely when you entered the town via the east-bound railway. Like that poor volcano was actually missing its keeper. (At that time we had no knowledge about quantum-base-connections between dead and living things and how incarnations actually worked. We only knew that it did work, that some deities were born intimately connected to powerful natural phenomenas and forces.)

Cheiron lived in a part of Argos called Western Ground. I mindcalled ahead, and not only was he surprised, he was really pleased to have me coming, and he gave me directions. Tram 12 was going to take me from the train station and almost to his very door.

I waited and waited by that stop. Trams arrived with all kinds of numbers except for twelve. If this had been a casino I'd been broke. Now I only felt irritated and hungry. And there - suddenly a tram with the number 12. Well not one - four at a time. Talk about priority to these Argosites, someone please!

It became a pleasant surprise. The blackhaired, slender man with the almost boyish look was more than happy to see an old Warsister again. We hugged and cheek-kissed and then Cheiron served me dinner. We sat in his living room while the rain was falling outside and talked about old times. Cheiron wanted to know what had become of all the people in the order. So I told him everything about New Pantheon and the people I had left behind. Cheiron tried to comfort me when I told him about Neario's death, but I told him he didn't have to. Then he had a good laugh at some things and was surprised about others.

- I heard of some tries to form a pantheon in Thessalia, but we don't get that many news here. It's all about local bickering.
- And you live here as a mortal I have come to understand.
- Yeah, rising race horses. There is already a god. A certain Erebus. And you don't challenge him if you know what I mean. He claims to be one of the few remaining aristocrats. Older and more powerful than Zeus and those new gods.

- So he's an aristocrat, eh? Do you know which house he claims being from, this Erebus? I asked Cheiron.
- No idea... And frankly I don't give a fly's crap. I have never been impressed by the aristocrats. Not back in the Order and not now. There weren't that many in the Order by the way. Your Neario was one of course and then this incredibly strong man Poseidon said could carry a planet on his bare shoulders if he wanted. What was his name again?
- Atlas.
- He was Dorian if I remember correctly, but he never made a fuzz about it.

- No, you're right. He's very down to earth. He and his cousins Eurynome and Metis are the only Dorians left by the way. And then there's a Lakonian and some Achaians and Ayonians around. All the other grand pantheons seem to be gone.
- Really?
- So if we could recieve Erebus' genetical details...

- Don't count on any help from Erebus. He will not have anything to do with those "New gods".
- Not even if it's about confirming his heritage?
- Not even then. He'll say something like "I'm well aware of who I am, I don't need a little brat from the Zeus posse telling me that".

- Sounds like an arrogant jerk of a god. But I guess Amon was right calling them arrogant and conceited, those aristocrats. Arrogant, conceited and also degenerated. Sloppy and decadent crowds of gods and goddesses living in their overgrown pantheons believing that only their good names and heritage were enough to receive worship from the mortals.

I stopped abruptly, surpriced at my own sudden outburst of rage, but Cheiron simply nodded and opened up another bottle of the firy and flavoury Argos wine.

- Guess it was like that most of the times, Cheiron said. Amon, by the way, wasn't he from the Wolfmen guerrilla? Those who merged with the Order at the end of the war?
- Yes, he was. And perhaps he was right about the aristocrats. How else could a pantheon like the Thanaderia, consisting of over 500 members, be annihilated in less than a week?

- Were they really so easy to terminate?
- According to Zeus they were.
- The Thanaderia. Amazing. They who were so high held and worshipped beyond reason. Still remember the big Theban temple dedicated to Taira, their pantheon head. Goddess of the steam engine. Thousands of pilgrims every year. The mortals couldn't believe she was gone.

- But I guess this will change now, with all those houses gone. At least in Zeus's dominion. His idea is that worship should be connected to deed, not to pantheon status. In fact, he is out to redefine the whole pantheon idea. He doesn't like the idea of those big collectives of gods and goddesses living together only to strengthen their power. He believes pantheons should be about friendship and kinship. And hardly bigger than around 30 persons each.

- Sounds interesting. If Zeus gets his ways there's going to be a lot of changes around. Not least for the immortal kind. No wonder he angers oldies like Erebus and other surviving aristocrats. So how is our old leader faring by the way?

As expected Zeus's society building ideas interested Cheiron, and then he became rather upset when hearing about Zeus's woman affairs. He had the same suspicions as me about Zeus blowing his reputation and the respect people were having in him, by not being able to control his desire for women.
- But on the other hand, that could be a late teenage thing. You know, in a war you don't get that many chances.
- Cheiron, the man is 30. He should know better. Especially if he is trying to form a pantheon and take control over the realms.

- And it seems that he has got a bit on his way, Cheiron said. Most people here recognises him as the overlord, but they know nothing about him. They are mostly scared of him, and they rely on Erebus to offer them protection if Zeus should consider coming this way.

At that moment I had to laugh.
- Protection? Against Zeus? Cheiron, except for young maidens bothering with their dignity, no-one has anything to fear from Zeus. He's a good and decent man, and he has established a benign rule in Thessalia. A rule based on shared power.
- Like how?
- A nexus based on a parliament of mortals, a hyperpantheon with elected deities and his own rule as a balance.
- Sounds interesting. Well, that Cretan was never stupid. And if he can keep his desires for women under control he might succeed. There is but one obstacle.

- What?
- As I said, people here don't know him. They fear him.
- Why?
- Mostly because they don't know what kind of god he is. They know that he has amazing powers and that he defeated Chronos. They know that the Chronites are gone, but they don't know what's going to come instead. Zeus is an unknown factor to them. And it doesn't help a bit that Erebus keeps telling them "I'm going to protect you against the new gods".

- Hmmm. I should not really be caring, I'm tired of immortals plotting against each other, but this is not right against the mortals. They need to know that they have nothing to fear from Zeus. Give me just a few weeks to settle down here and I'll see what I can do about this Erebus character. And you don't have to be in if you don't want to.
- Don't worry, Hera, I'm in. To be honest I was starting to get bored with my lot here. I wanted something to happen. And along comes you...

How strange this all felt. Back in Ekarantanni I had been ready to slap Zeus in his face, tell him how sick I was of him and his behaviour. But here, down in Argos, where Zeus was unknown and seen upon with insecurity and even fear, I was ready to be his champion and to defend his name with all it took.

So Hera was on the move again. Up against someone called Erebus. I had to find out who he was first and foremost. And also more about this town-bordering-on-city that was Argos.