For years now there is very little known about the Hera and Zeus Familia. I started to imagine what might have happened. One thing let to the other and now here is a brand-new story. There will be some characters based on other media, but too little to be considered an actual crossover. There is simply too little information outside of Orario especially before the start of the series. Any suggestions and advise are welcome. Without further ado:


Chapter 1: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

The first light of dawn crept through the windows of a beautiful mansion, casting long shadows across the marble floor. A woman stood at the window, her gaze fixed on the city of Orario sprawled out below. But unlike the peace and quiet that the new morning brought, her heart was heavy with apprehension.

She was Hera, the goddess of marriage and family. She usually possessed an ethereal beauty that commands attention wherever she goes. Tall and regal, she would carry herself with grace and confidence. Her presence exuding a sense of authority and warmth. But this was an unusual situation. Instead, she slouched, exuding only sorrow.

Her usually long, flowing hair, the colour of burnished gold, cascaded down her back in loose waves. It now framed her delicate features in a messy manner. Her eyes, usually a striking shade of emerald green, sparkling with intelligence and compassion, reflecting the depth of her wisdom and love. But now they looked red and puffy.

Hera's usual attire was befitting of her divine status, a gown of shimmering silver silk adorned with intricate golden embroidery, symbolizing her status and connection to the heavens above. This look was finished with a golden tiara upon her brow to accentuate her noble bearing. But now she wore a simple black outfit more fitting for mourning.

This change of appearance had a reason. Only five days ago, the unthinkable had happened. They had lost. Hera could still feel the moment when the majority of her beloved Familia perished. Her connection to the Falna of her children suddenly snapped away, leaving an unfillable hole in her heart. Just thinking about it was enough to start the waterworks again.

The loss of so many of her beautiful and strong children was enough to almost break her. But the sting of the brutal defeat had gotten even worse. When the defeated and injured survivors of the fatal quest returned to Orario, they were first met with a cheering crowd. But the moment the citizens and adventurers from other Familia saw that they had failed, the mood took a nosedive. The people they protected for more than a thousand years slowly started to turn on them. Fearful murmurs started spreading, and not long after that, insults and objects were being thrown.

When her beloved girls got home, they all burst into tears. Even the stoic Alfia had a tear running down her beautiful face. From her Familia more than 200 strong adventurers who had gone on the quest, only 12 returned, injured and with their spirits broken. For the Zeus Familia it was about the same. But even the combined might of the Hera and Zeus Familia were not enough to defeat the last big beast.

Of her Familia, only 5 had not gone on the quest, all of them tried their best to cheer them on or tend to the injured. It was a struggle. One of them who stayed behind was the cute Meteria. She was feeling sicker than usual, but weirdly enough, she had a dopey grin on her face for a couple of months. Something that left Hera confused and strangely enough made Alfia more angry at her than usual. Like it was the goddess' fault.

And of course, the little sleeping toddler in her arms could most certainly not go on the quest, even if his mother went. That mother was none other than The Empress. A fine beauty that looked almost exactly like her. Her Captain and only level 9. Or rather she was.

The little toddler was a boy of only 3-years-old, the youngest member of the Hera Familia. The boy's name is Achilles. Named after the legend of a mighty hero before the age of the gods.

Most thought that Hera only accepted girls in her Familia. And that was true. But if any of her girls got pregnant and had a boy, she would not simply send them away. She was also the Goddess of Marriage and Family, for goodness' sake! She would most certainly not force a boy away from his mother! Only most of the time, the boys chose to go to the Zeus Familia when they got older, which reaffirmed the untruthful fact in everyone's mind.

Usually, he would be a bundle of boundless energy and innocent curiosity. With his chubby cheeks and dimpled smile, he exudes an irresistible charm that melts the hearts of all who encounter him. His mop of unruly hair, the colour of golden wheat, frames his cherubic face in a halo of soft curls. He certainly was loved by the whole Familia. Maybe even more than the cute Meteria.

When he is awake, his bright, curious eyes, the colour of the brightest gemstone, green like her own, sparkle with wonder and mischief, reflecting the untamed spirit that lies within. His innocent laughter would ring out like music, filling the halls of the manor with joy and laughter wherever he goes. His tiny hands would grasp at anything within reach, eager to explore and discover the wonders of the world around him. Despite his tender age, he possesses remarkable intelligence and keen intuition, eagerly absorbing the world around him with insatiable curiosity.

But much like herself and any of the remaining girls, he cried and his spirits were down the past days. Her heart aches knowing the little boy cried himself asleep last night. Missing his mommy. Only when she herself picked him up did he sleep peacefully. The boy regularly confused herself and the Empress. Instead of making a big deal out of it. They simply decided that both were his mothers.

But his true mommy had to go on the quest, even if she wanted nothing more than to stay behind. She even delayed the quest by a whole month until the weapon she commissioned by the best blacksmith in the Familia was done. It was a gift for Achilles. A gift Hera would need to give to the boy in her arms. At least once he is old enough. She had promised to take care of the little Achilles after all. But The Empress needed to go. She was the strongest and was leading the quest. However, the moment Hera felt her Falna go cold, the toddler cried, as if he too felt that his mother would never return.

A soft knock echoed through the empty halls, and Hera turned to see Lira standing in the doorway. She was one of the scouts keeping an eye on the city and did not go on the quest. The mute girl had a resigned expression on her face. In her hand was a scroll, that was held a little too tightly for it to be any good news. With a sinking feeling in her chest, Hera hold out her hand to receive the report.

As she read the contents, her worst fears were confirmed. Her week was about to become even worse. A lot of Familia were starting to mobilize, in particular the Loki and Freya Familia. To her it was obvious what their goal was. Both of these Goddesses wanted nothing but to obtain the position she had. But to know that so many other Familia were joining them hurt.

Yesterday one of the girls went out to get some supplies. Before she even made it to the store, she was attacked. It was an ambush by some small Familia. She had dealt with her attackers. But the many bystanders did not cheer for her. No they were cheering for her attackers. When it was her that was victorious, some even started insulting her and throwing rotten food. It seems like they were on their own. Even the guild, the Ganesha and Astrea Familia were doing nothing. Hera felt a surge of anger at the betrayal, but she knew there was no time for despair. She had to act quickly to ensure the safety of her remaining Familia members, even if Alfia was still with them and ready for combat. She couldn't fight off dozens upon dozens of enemies while also protecting the injured and weak.

"How long?" she asked, needing crucial information. Lira simply held up two fingers while her face showed she was not sure. "Days?" Fortunately, the girl nodded. Good that would give them some time. "Zeus also got this information?" Again, a reluctant nod. The girl really did not like their allied Familia. Not that she could blame her. They were a special kind of special… And massive perverts. Sometimes she herself questions her relationship with Zeus. But now was not the time for this kind of thinking.

They needed to act. And fast. Many plans were going through her head. But one after the other was discarded. The situation was deteriorating fast. She was living almost since the beginning. There were only a limited possible directions this would play out. In the best-case scenario, they would force her Familia out of the city. They could also simply try to end this in a mor permanent way. Orario just wasn't safe anymore. Not for her Familia, or even herself.

In the end she could only see one way that had the chance that would see most of them, if not all, safe. She did not like it. She did not like anything about this whole situation. But she had no choice. Gathering her resolve, Hera made her way to the common room where her girls awaited her. They all slept in the common room since the return, understandable not wanting to be alone.

She noticed that all of them were already updated on the situation by Lira. Good girl. A sense of foreboding hung heavy in the air as she prepared to address the room. Even little Achilles was looking at her in trepidation.

"You all have witnessed the situation. They see us as weak. Failures. The greedy and our enemies will see this as an opportunity to deal with us. We will most likely be attacked soon. Even now our enemies are watching our every move," she announced, her words echoing through the silent room. Not her best speech, nothing at all to lift the already sombre mood, but who could blame her in this situation? There wasn't any positive point to be found. "We will start operation: The Queen's Downfall variant Delta 3"

The room fell silent as Hera's words sank in, the gravity of their situation weighing heavily on each member of the Familia. Some exchanged worried glances, while others bowed their heads in resignation. It was one of the extreme emergency plans, essentially bringing on the end of the Hera Familia on their own terms.

They all knew the emergency plans. Over the course of a thousand years, many members of her Familia had made plans for almost every situation and improved them over time. Every captain would make it a requirement for new members to learn and memorize all of them. Even the Goddess was no exception. Hera had always thought of them as only fancy projects to keep them busy. Why would they ever need them? But now… now she was very glad for her late daughters' work. Even if she suddenly silently questioned if the terrible naming sense of some gods carried over to mortals. But that thought was quickly banished from her mind.

With practiced efficiency, the members of the Familia set about gathering their belongings and preparing for their departure. Everyone helped each other, even the cute toddler, who was seen waggling all over the place with small items in his hands. All the irreplaceable items were put in a special large backpack that could hold ten times the amount but weighed ten times less. It would also hold everything needed to start the Familia again if she wanted to, including the most valuable item a Familia could ever have: The Book of Knowledge. A magically endless book with all the information gathered since the beginning of the Hera Familia, like how to get stronger, the dungeon and the monsters.

At nightfall, the remainders of the Hera Familia were ready to leave their home, with Hera herself carrying the backpack. Gone was the beautiful dress she always wore, replaced by more efficient clothing. Lira already notified them that their movements were noticed. More and more adventurers were preparing themselves for combat and coming their direction. They needed to move fast.

With only one thing left to do, Hera started to speak. "While I may not have always been the best leader, I will always love every one of you, no matter what choices you'll make or what path you choose to walk," Alfia scoffed at this but no-one paid it any mind. It was well known in the Familia that she and Hera did not go along very well. Hera continued, her voice filled with emotion, holding back tears from streaming down her face as she addressed her comrades. "But I will not make that decision for you. This is the end of the Hera Familia. At least for now… I hope you all the best."

When she had finished speaking, Alfia had already picked up Meteria and spirited her away to safety without a glance at the goddess. It started a feeling inside Hera that she quickly crushed down. Now was the time to temporarily leave all feelings and emotions behind. When she was at a safe place, she would need to reflect and make plans for the future.

The final members of the Familia began to speak amongst themselves, discussing their options and weighing their choices. Some, still nursing injuries from the failed quest, chose to depart quickly when they still had the chance, seeking solace in the quiet embrace of distant lands. Others shared a determined look and went towards the remnants of the Zeus Familia to bundle their strength.

As the group began to disperse, Hera felt a tug at her sleeve and turned to see the young Achilles standing beside her, his eyes filled with determination. But to Hera, it was just adorable.

He was dressed in simple, practical clothing suited for a young adventurer fitted just for him. The boy tried to carry himself with the confidence and determination of one much older. He was trying to imitate his missing mother, she realised.

"Stay with you, Mommy," he said, his voice unwavering while holding his stubby arms up.

Hera looked down at the boy, her heart swelling with affection. Despite the dangers that lay ahead, she knew she could not deny him, certainly not with that cute expression on his face. Especially with the promise she made.

"Then stay with me, little one," she whispered, her voice filled with warmth as she picked up the boy. "Together, we will face whatever challenge comes our way."

After a final glance at her home for almost a millennium, Hera and the boy set out into the unknown, her footsteps echoing through the now-empty halls as they embarked on their journey of exile.

Hera moved swiftly and silently, her movements purposeful as they made their way through the streets of Orario. Her heart heavy with the weight of their exile but her resolve unshaken. She smoothly and stealthily went through winding alleyways and hidden passages, avoiding the main thoroughfares and the prying eyes of the city's inhabitants. Some noise could be heard in the opposite direction, but she paid it no mind. She needed to move quickly.

Halfway to safety, she saw a blue glowing light behind her, before it detonated with a mighty explosion. Immediately snuffing out the light that came from the direction of her manor, or rather where her manor once stood. That was the final part of the plan to make sure everything they had worked so hard to accomplish would not fall into their enemies' hands. What was not part of the plan were the smaller explosions and the sound of fighting she could hear. They sounded like the explosions coming from magical attacks. Some were quite familiar to her, as she liked watching her girls train and grow.

"Those damned stupid girls," Hera cursed under her breath. Now she understood the weird looks the girls shared. It also explained why her journey went unhindered and unnoticed. Even when the plan was the exile of the Familia as the situation was unattainable, her girls made sure she got away safely. She hated this plan. But it was better to 'voluntarily' go into exile than being forced out of the city by shouting and cheering enemies. It was only a symbolic victory at best.

"Stupid girls," the boy in her arms agreed with her, making the goddess chuckle. Not wanting their efforts to go to waste, she moved faster to a hidden exit, and their chance out of the city.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the outskirts of Orario, a few kilometres beyond the city walls. Here, they paused to catch their breath. Tears were still falling from her eyes as she had felt three more of her girls die while they were escaping. An already slowly burning flame inside the goddess was turning, twisting, and growing. A silent promise was on the cusp of being made. One that would change her and the future forever. But first, they needed to move to a safer place. Far away from the city that betrayed her.