Athena didn't really look like how Arya would have imagined her. She had imagined olive skin, dark brown hair and striking grey eyes. Athena mostly fitted the image but her tanned skin really wasn't how Arya had imagined. The wisdom goddess also looked a lot younger and carefree than Arya had expected - not just in appearance. She had laugh lines on her face.
"Do you want to spar?" Athena asked. "Pallas is busy."
There was also Pallas, Athena's trusted companion. Arya was well aware of the myth and how close the two were. In fact, she wondered if they could secretly be lovers. It would explain why Athena was so devastated and why she swore off men. There were many versions of myths, some saying that they were actual sisters and some say they were just friends. Who knew which was the truth and which was just simply myth?
"I've never used a sword before." Arya said nervously.
"I can show you if you wish. Here." The patron of Athens threw a bronze sword at her.
"What is it made of?" Arya asked, missing it and having to grab it from the ground. "I've never seen it before."
"Celestial Bronze, mined from Mount Olympus itself. Have you been there? I sprung from Father's head while he was sitting on his royal throne. Have you ever met King Zeus?" She asked.
"No, I have never met him." Arya replied; she did not want to meet him.
"He is an impressive man and, if I were not as wise as I were, I would say egotistical." Athena told her.
So... he was? Arya had no doubt about it but she wanted to know what Athena thought of the thunder god. It had been implied in the myths that Artemis and Athena were Zeus' favorites. Mainly the wisdom goddess because the king of the heavens liked to claim that he had given life to her all by himself. Which wasn't possible but then he had stuffed a baby Dionysus in his calf for a couple of months so who knew what crazy stuff these gods came up with.
The bronze glinted like stars in a moonless night. Arya lugged it up, dismayed to find her muscles weren't strong enough to lift. It was true that she could probably change her appearance and muscles to something stronger but she didn't know how to yet and it was better to learn because it guaranteed that you would better at it than just snapping your finger and getting it.
"Hold the sword like this," Athena said while adjusting her grip.
She shifted her grip but Athena shook her head and sighed exasperatedly. Arya tried not to feel hurt; she wasn't that bad, right?
"It's a one-armed sword, Kore." She said and Arya quickly changed it to image Athena's.
Obviously, Athena wiped the floor with Arya. She barely lasted a minute against the war goddess which was kind of expected. It was also obvious that Athena was disappointed in her potential. Arya smiled sheepishly and lifted the sword again, signaling that they should try again. The war goddess shook her head.
"Try these." She waved her hand and a bunch of hellhounds appeared.
"How are you even able to do that!?" Arya yelped as she raised her sword. They jumped to her and she found herself slashing at them, stabbing viciously. In the spur of the moment, she forgot about her immortality.
At last, she was standing in a pile of golden dust. Her legs gave way beneath her like flower stems under pressure. Arya kneeled down as she tried to catch her breath. Her hands were trembling and she dropped the sword with a clatter.
"That was scary." She said shakily.
"So you learn better under attack, huh?" Athena observed.
Without a warning she leaped at Arya who jumped back. The war goddess began fighting her, not a word being said between the two. Arya panicked and tried her best to avoid most of the attacks rather than block them. When she did, the impact vibrated up her arm and made her feel weak and flimsy. Sweat dripped down her forehead.
Suddenly, the tip of Athena's sword slashed right near Arya's neck. She stumbled back, tripping on her own feet, and fell to the ground. She braced herself for impact but it never came. Instead, Athena was tutting and sighing.
"That wasn't too bad but you can't give up too easily. You left too many openings as well and your stance was all wrong! But you were good at dodging - very quick and fleet-footed like the huntress you are. I can work with that, hopefully." Athena said.
Arya felt she was being a little too harsh on her but said nothing but instead wiped her forehead. She snapped her fingers and a cooled glass of nectar appeared in her hand. She eagerly gulped it down, glad that Demeter had taught her how to make small things like food and knives appear. Sadly, the Fates wouldn't allow her to make a phone. Not that it would actually work. But a nice book from the 21st century wasn't too bad, right? But apparently it was.
"Aready taking a break?" Athena asked, clearly disappointed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry that I'm exhausted and that you set a pack of giant dogs on me!" Arya said sarcastically.
"Well how else will you learn how to defend yourself, Kore?" Athena replied.
"I thought I was a goddess, not a demigod." Arya replied, raising her eyebrows. But technically speaking she would need it because of Gaia and Tartarus and the giant kids they had. Also, when did she become so sure of herself?
"The sun is soon to be setting. I suppose you may rest," she frowned before walking off.
Arya watched the young goddess walk off, sitting down on the soft grass. Athena reminded her much of an old friend that she had before the "Merge" as Arya referred to it in her mind. She felt a pang of sadness as she thought of the life that she had unwillingly left behind. She had done a good job of trying to not think about it in the past month but she couldn't hide forever. Arya raised her head back and closed her eyes, taking another sip of the sweet nectar.
When she flickered her eyes open again, the sun had begun to disappear over the horizon. The golden rays spilled over the land, colouring everything bronze and a magnificent shade of gold. Warm breeze brushed over her hair, causing strands of dark red to fly into her face and mouth which she spat out. Arya brushed back her hair and stood up.
She walked over to the edge of a tiny cliff that overlooked a forest of cypress. The black trees speared the soft sky and the cry of birds filled her ears. Arya sat down, letting her legs swing over the edge.
"Lady Kore, I did not know you spent your times here." A slightly familiar voice said.
Arya turned and pursed her lips in annoyance when she saw Apollo. "Why are you here?"
"I like to watch the moon rise," he nodded to the rising moon which brought the waves of midnight blue with it.
"Don't you drive the sun? Why is it still in the sky?" She asked.
"Well, I'm not the only sun god out there. There's Helios and the... other pantheon gods." He said carefully, almost seemingly like he was scared to say the words. Arya's eyes widened. There were other pantheons out there? But how?! Apollo caught her look of shock. "Oh, you didn't know? Father didn't want to tell me either but he wasn't exactly secret about it." He admitted.
"This is impossible..." Arya murmured, frowning at her glass of nectar. What was in this thing?
"You think I'm lying?" Apollo asked, raising an eyebrow. She glanced at him and frowned enviously. Dammit, why were these gods and goddesses so perfect and majestic and stuff?! It was really unfair.
"No, you're the god of truth. You can't lie." She replied. "At least, I don't think."
They were silent for a moment. Arya swished the cup of golden liquid in her hands, accidentally spilling drops onto her chiton and making her curse in annoyance. Apollo watched her and snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. Arya glared at him in annoyance, cursing yet again when she spilled a puddle of nectar onto her white chiton.
"You are the most clumsy goddess I've ever met," he chuckled as she rubbed her chiton. "Kore, you're a goddess. Your divine power can clean spills off your chiton, you know."
She opened her mouth in an "O" and she snapped her fingers, the stain disappearing in a second.
"Do you get the visions too?" The god of Oracles asked suddenly. She snapped her head up and Apollo continued. "You know... the wars, the death and all the blood. Do you see them too? I heard you were a foresight goddess."
He suddenly looked so afraid and out of control of everything. The confident curve to his posture and laughing glint disappeared. Arya blinked in surprise. She stared into his brilliantly bright blue eyes. In that moment, she saw a glimpse of the visions that tortured the god every night when he was asleep.
The smoke curled up from the buildings, filling the air. Flames licked the grey skies and screams tore across the skies. The Mediterranean sea churned as if Lord Poseidon himself was displeased. Soldiers and civilians ran around. The bronze blade glinted in the dull light of the Greek fire that roared in the background.
Everywhere, Arya saw death. She glanced around in horror, trying to shout and help people away from the danger. But she was frozen to the spot. Her voice had been swept away. She could do nothing more than watch the mortals suffer.
"Mother!" A small girl screamed as her mother fell to the blade of a soldier.
Blood dripped everywhere, the stench of metallic blood filling Arya's nostrils. A ghastly grin smeared across the soldier's face, whose helmet had fallen off somewhere during the fight. He raised his sword above his head and struck down upon the little girl. Before the blade hit her, Arya screamed in shock and horror. No sound came out but it rang in her head.
"Are you alright, Lady Kore?" Apollo asked, his hand on her shoulder. Arya blinked, shaken from the vision. Was this what he saw every night? Did he see people die and suffer but have no way of stopping it from happening? How was he still sane?!
"I'm sorry," she whispered before standing up.
He jerked back, surprised by her action. She blinked, her eyes stinging. Arya licked her dry lips and flashed away quickly, leaving the god to stare at the place where she had been in confusion. The mortal-turned-goddess stumbled into the forest clearing, the grass tickling her ankles. She needed to process all this information.