Chapter 4: I Don't Like Not Being in Control

"Hestia," Aundrea breathed. "Of course, how could I forget…"

"Well, there aren't many myths surrounding her."

"Really? I mean… I personally don't remember many…" she agreed. "But that also means that A: she was not an important Goddess, or B: she was a very nice Goddess."

"It can't be A, that's for sure," I reasoned. "I mean, she's quite literally the Goddess of the Hearth and Home… Without her, there would be nowhere for the Olympians to return to."

"Good point, and now that I think about it, you are right. 'Cause I'm pretty sure nearly every major city in Ancient Greece always had a hearth built at its center or something like that…

"Huh…" she muttered. "You'd think with how important the hearth and home were, she'd have a bunch of myths and legends surrounding her…"

"There's your B. She didn't do anything… too dramatic compared to her family. Although I'm sure there are a few myths surrounding her since, like you said, the hearth was an important part of Ancient Greek Culture.

"That… or she was so ruthless and meticulous, that there was no one to witness the incidents."

All at once, the teenagers turned their heads to the Goddess of the Hearth, who held a somewhat amused expression on her face. In response, she winked and made a shushing gesture. Did that just confirm that she silenced everyone and everything? Or was she simply joking? But considering the way the other Olympian Gods and Goddess acted… It's entirely possible she wasn't.

"Uh… Well, let's hope that Lady Hestia is a kind Goddess," Zach chuckled nervously.

"I mean, she did help all of you when we first got here. Those logs," I said, gesturing to the four fallen trunks, "Weren't here when I first woke up. Hestia- Lady Hestia put them there so you all could have somewhere to rest until you stopped being flashbanged."

"Huh."

A few of the teens thanked the Goddess, to which she smiled gently, making all those that received it smile brightly in return. The smile alone filled them with a sense of deep calmness. They felt true peace, all the while joy was mixed in. Yeah, there was no mistaking it. Hestia was a good Goddess. Is a good Goddess, for that matter.

"Whoever gets to be her Champion, then, will be very lucky," Matthew said without thinking.

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

"Uh… Well…" Matthew hesitated, trying to think of some way to save himself. "I mean, it's just that out of all the Gods here, Lady Hestia might be the…"

"Nicest?"

"Kindest?"

"Friendliest?"

"Most pleasant?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Despite myself, I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Well now that we've established who our favorite Goddess is, how about we continue with the selection of Champions: Me and Scarlett with Hestia and Ares."

I let out a long sigh, before looking at Scarlett with a kind smile. "You can become a candidate for Lady Hestia, Scarlett."

She looked up with surprise, the small panic that was slowly creeping up her spine disappearing. "Are- Are you sure?"

Aundrea frowned for a moment, thinking. "Wait, Eryl, let's consider it for a little more… No need to rush into things. Cause if you both go along with this: do you understand the Patrons you will represent? Eryl, do you understand War and Courage? The need to battle and have the courage to do so? And you, Scarlett, do you understand the Hearth and Family? To have a home, and feel at home where your family is?"

Grant snorted, "Seems like you understand it."

She glared at him, ignoring the comment, saying, "I… I don't know how to say this, Eryl, but I think you should choose the God- or Goddess- you understand because… Well, because as it stands, you're kind of our leader. Or, at the very least, the one who took charge."

Others agreed with her. "She's right, Eryl," Grant spoke once more. "Let's think for a moment: Why is it so important that we understand the domains our Gods represent?"

That certainly made us think. I frowned at the question, thinking for a moment. From what I knew…

"The more we understand those domains… the more control we have over them. Meaning… should powers be given to us, the more we understand that which we represent-"

"The stronger we are," Aundrea finished, marveling at the realization.

Grant raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I'm not saying that that's true, but all I'm saying is that if understanding the Patron's domains is so important, that you have to make sure the God you choose is the one you understand the most."

"Dang, Grant, that's actually a really good thing to notice," I praised. "But here's the thing: Scarlett does not like fighting. That much is obvious. And I'd rather not give someone who resents fighting to a God who literally thrives in it."

"We- we know, Eryl," Zach faltered. "But we're just making sure you are choosing the right God."

I looked at him in confusion. Then at the others as they agreed. "What do you mean, me? You make it sound like the obvious choice is Lady Hestia."

"Isn't it?" Aundrea challenged. "The moment all of us here woke up, you were there to comfort us- to make sure we didn't panic. You made sure we… Oof, let me ignore the cringe- You made sure we felt safe. That we could rely on you- trust you. And as evidence shows, that was the right call. You…"

"...Made us feel safe, and reassured, Eryl," Grant finished. "You made us feel like we were at home… Like…"

"A family, in a way," Matthew offered. "And with the way you acted and reacted, leading us through these… life changing moments, you're essentially the head of this makeshift family."

"When I first woke up," Crystal spoke, making all of us turn to look at her, "I was close to panicking. If anything, I already was. But you, Eryl- you somehow made me calm down. Like Aundrea and Grant said, you made me feel safe… Like I could be safe so long as you were here."

"Just like a hearth," Aundrea breathed, her eyes lighting up. "A hearth was also a place where sacrifices and prayers took place. It was the connection between mortals and gods- it was a sign of security. Something that made people feel safe- like they could depend on it since-"

"So long as the hearth was there," Scyla interrupted, "Safety was guaranteed since, in a way, the Gods were there… Just like you, Eryl. As… corny as it is to say, you just being here and being the first thing here to reassure us is like a hearth: a sign of reassurance. A sign of safety. A sign of protection."

"And in homes," Zach butted in, "It would also mean a sign of… well, a home, right? Since like you said, Aundrea, a hearth essentially meant protection from the Gods, so surely a home wouldn't be complete without it?"

The girl nodded. "You're not wrong, Zach. Especially with the fact that hearth literally means home… I think. Eryl, as kind it would be of you to not let Scarlett become the Champion of Lord Ares, it just wouldn't match."

"You can't deny it, Eryl," Scyla said, staring at him with her dead eyes. "You've already represented what the Goddess of the Hearth does. Especially since the rest of us match pretty well with the rest of the Gods and Goddesses here. You… you clearly only have one choice."

"..."

They weren't wrong, in a way. Sure, I may have acted like that towards them, and I will admit I was trying to make sure they all felt safe when waking up, but… But I physically couldn't be the Champion of Hestia… I don't… I don't even know what it's like to have a family. I don't remember what it's like. How could I possibly represent something I don't remember- much less understand.

I glanced at Scarlett, since her eyes filled with horror at the realization of what it meant for her. Now, I'm a pretty selfish person at times, but I like to hope I'm a good person. As such, I always try to do good things to others, especially if it doesn't end in anything bad. So the moment I saw the pure terror in Scarlett's eyes, I understood what I had to do.

"No," I shook my head. "Even if you're all right, I won't make Scarlett the champion of something she hates. I won't force her to do something she has clear resentment towards. Besides," I tried to reassure them, "being a Champion of the God of War doesn't sound so bad? I mean, at least you can rely on me in battles."

Aundrea, Grant, and Scyla looked at me with pity and slight disappointment, and just as Aundrea was about to speak, a giant Greatsword embedded itself right next to me. It was so close that if I was as much as one centimeter to my right, a fine layer of my right arm would have been sliced off. The soon-to-be-Champions all backed up in fear, looking up at the God that threw the Greatsword.

I followed suit, except I didn't move from my spot and merely turned around, looking up at Ares as he sneered at me with clear humor on his face.

"How courageous of you, boy," he mocked. "But you all seem to be forgetting something. You can decide all for yourselves who gets to be who's champion, but the deal we made was that WE make the final decision. Not. You."

My gaze hardened, clenching my teeth and shaking my head softly, trying to dent the inevitable.

"You won't be my Champion, boy," Ares sneered at me before gesturing to the cowering Scarlett. "She'll be my Champion. That is the final decision. That is how it's supposed to be."

I clenched my fists, my fury growing the longer I stared at the War God. He seemed to notice my anger and looked down on me, an arrogant look in his eyes, silently challenging me to do something. I couldn't. So I did the only thing I could do: I did some thinking.

It's the final decision. It's how it's supposed to be. We do not choose. It's the Gods. They just went along with the deal- The deal!

"Wait," I said, my voice booming just as Ares sat back down on his throne. "You said the deal makes it so you all can choose the Champions. Yes, that's true, but I also said that on the condition that when we got the choice wrong we would understand WHY. Why it's wrong."

I raised an arm and pointed at Ares, the tiniest of sneers on my face. "So answer me, Ares. Tell me how a girl that obviously hates violence could possibly be the best choice for you, God of War."

Said God stared at Eryl for a moment before his eyes caught fire. His face contorted in rage and in an instant, he already had his greatsword in hand. Within that instant, not only had Ares taken the sword out of the ground, but he was also already sending it straight to Eryl's head. It wouldn't even take a millisecond to slice right through the human, and Eryl's brain had just barely begun to register that he was in danger. But before Ares could slice through the mortal, a commanding voice rang out from the middle of the room. A voice that could stop armies. A voice that commanded over all in their domain. A voice so powerful, that even the King of Gods was affected. And this voice spoke one word.

"Stop."

So he did. My eyes suddenly focused on the razor sharp point of the Greatsword that was an inch from my forehead. Ah. I had almost died. I had almost died. But I didn't. I know someone said stop, but surely a single word wasn't enough to make the God stop that quickly. It was instant. Like, literally instant. But the odd thing was that Ares had still not moved. He had been stopped, and was evidently still suspended in time.

No, that's not it. His eyes are still moving around. His entire body had just paused, as if an invisible force was holding it right there. But I knew that it was no invisible force. Or it might have been, who knows? What I did know, however, was who the voice came from.

Turning around, I looked at the scene with slight fear. The Goddess of the Hearth had her eyes aflame which were brighter than the fire Ares' eyes had. Her face was contorted in slight anger, but even I could tell that her eyes were filled with disappointment. Disappointment at… Ares. This was, even though Hestia's eyes were literally fire, that wasn't scary in any way. If anything, it was actually quite cool.

The scary part was the Hearth behind her. Although the flames were quite high for my juuuust six foot height, I could still look at the flames with slight awe. I mean, it's not every day that you see fire nearly three times your height. But… behind Hestia was not the comforting fire of the hearth. This fire was so bright it forced me to shield my eyes. And the flames were so hot I involuntarily took a step back.

But the worst part wasn't the brightness nor the heat, no. It was how tall the flames were. Rather than standing at a somewhat fifteen feet tall height, the flames currently blasting in the Hearth reached the ceiling. And I could not tell you how far up that was. Easily more than sixty feet. Maybe more than eighty? Possibly one hundred? It didn't matter. All that did matter was that it was terrifying. And the one who caused not only the flames in the Hearth to grow, but also caused Ares to stop, was the sweet Goddess that had cared for all the teens here. The Goddess that they believed was the most harmless of the divine beings here.

The flames returned to their normal height, and the fire in Hestia's eyes disappeared. The moment they did, Ares suddenly fell onto the ground, kneeling and gasping for breath. The Greatsword clattered onto the ground, making me cover my ears and a few gods wincing. As the God of War slowly caught his breath, he hesitantly looked up from his kneeling position to stare at the Goddess of the Hearth.

Big mistake. The moment his eyes connected with hers, he felt the disappointment she felt, making a void of guilt within his stomach. He quickly averted his eyes, but the damage had already been done. He had made a mistake, attacking the mortal that was to be Hestia's Champion. Ares shakily got up, picking up his Greatsword and making it disappear with a snap of his fingers before bowing his head to Hestia.

"I apologize, Aunt Hestia," Ares said with a small voice. "I… I wasn't thinking."

"..."

"..."

"Sit down."

He sat.

"Niece, explain to Eryl why Scarlett is the best choice as Ares' Champion."

Athena nodded immediately, clearing her throat to make the mortals look at her. "To put it bluntly, Scarlett is skilled at fighting. Despite being soft-hearted and an earnest girl at heart, the moment she gets into a fight it's as if… a flip is switched, as your humans would say. Her instincts and adrenaline go into overdrive, and she's capable of - and has- taking down trained men who are more than three times her size and weight.

"The times Scarlett has fought with others, none of them ended with her getting harmed in the slightest. Not even the tiniest of scratches from flying debris. It's unnatural for a mortal to possess such strength, much less to use it as expertly as she does. As such, the girl grew to be fearful of not only herself, but of others. Terrified of the things she was capable of, and scared at the chance of hurting those that grew close to her. So she eventually came to resent her fighting ability and… violence in general."

"..."

That wasn't quite what I expected. To tell the truth, I did believe Scarlett was good at fighting, but she just couldn't control her strength. Which was why she didn't like violence- she had hurt people unintentionally. But to find she can control her strength, and it's so overwhelming to the point that she fears herself was… unexpected. But it did make sense. At least, in terms of why she's a good choice as Ares' Champion.

But I still didn't like it. I still refused to make her Ares' champion. But I needed to find some fault in the reasoning. Some reason that would show it's a mistake to make her Ares' champion. She's good at fighting, has overwhelming strength, and can control it very well when she enters a fight. But… she's terrified of violence. So how could she possibly overcome her fear?

"Then…" I said, looking at both Athena and Ares' eyes, "How do you plan on making her overcome her fear of violence? What exactly is your plan to… train her to become your Champion?"

"Train?" Ares asked, genuinely confused. "Why would I need to train her? She's already good at fighting. I mean, maybe I'll spare with her once or-"

"Are you telling me you don't have a plan? A plan to ensure we actually know how to use the powers that you'll give us?"

Ares sneered at me. "Don't interrupt me, boy. There is no reason to have a plan to train you all. Just ask Glasses over there."

Athena narrowed her eyes at her War counterpart but nonetheless explained. "...Since the selected mortals understand the domains in which they will represent, they will understand the powers the domains give them- the powers we give them. As such, there is no plan required. As Ares said, perhaps there will be a few refinements, but no training. It isn't necessary."

I scoffed slightly, running a hand through my hair. "Do… Do all of you follow this line of thinking?"

"Do you question us, boy?" Zeus spoke for the first time in a while.

"I… question whether or not this is the best course of action, Lord Zeus."

"You question nothing!" he commanded. "And your time is up. The girl will be Ares' Champion, and you shall be my Elder Sister's champion. That is final. That was fate. From the very beginning, the selections were already decided."

"It is rather impressive, though," Hades admitted. "He got all of our Champions right, save the final two. But in a way, the boy did represent our Elder Sister well: he'd rather put family in front of himself."

Poseidon tilted his head in agreement, and Demeter smiled at me softly. Aphrodite shared the sentiment, and even Hera gave an acknowledging blink.

I couldn't return their praise. My mind was whirling. Another small thing about me, which isn't my greatest quality: I have to be in control. I have to be the one leading the situation- the one who decides. This isn't because I need to be in control, or because I want to be in control. It's just that I feel so much more reassured if I knew everything that was happening. If I understood everything that was happening.

Remember that first quality I mentioned: If I didn't understand something, I had to know WHY or HOW it didn't make sense. This quality lines up with my other quality. In tandem, they ensure that I not only have control over a situation, but I understand everything about that situation, thus ensuring I am in control. But this… What these Gods were doing… It's entirely out of my control… And I don't know what to do. I didn't like feeling this way. That much, I understood. I didn't like not understanding something. I didn't like feeling out of control.

Think, Eryl. THINK! I yelled at myself. What is it I don't understand? What is it I'm confused by? What… What do I need to know? What do I need to understand in order to feel in control? I shook my head, making my way onto one of the logs and dropping myself on it. I didn't know. I wasn't in control of this situation. So change it. I looked up, surprised at the realization. If I can't be in control of this situation, then let's create… a new one.

They're planning on turning us into their Champions, then just send us out to do their will. No training, no preparation or anything. They took us from the trash just to throw us into a fire. I refuse to let that happen. I delved deeper in my mind, resting my head onto my hands and ignoring Zeus who was speaking once more.

"Since you're finished, the decision on which mortals shall be who's Champion is finaled," he spoke, sounding muffled.

They chose us, they'll make us our champions, and then they'll just send us out to do willy-nilly for them. There has to be something wrong with that. Well, there obviously was, but I had to find a large mistake in it. A mistake so big that the Gods couldn't ignore it. Think! THINK! I'm not the smartest guy, but I am quick thinking. So think of everything, Eryl!

"Each Patron God shall take their Champion to their throne now, and we shall begin the process."

Gods.

Champions.

"The process to imbue them with divine power."

No choice.

No training.

The teenagers shouted in surprise as all the Gods sat up simultaneously.

No preparation.

They began to make their way to the Hearth, each step causing the ground to tremble for the mortals.

Send us out.

Do their will.

All the teens there looked to Eryl, but found him still stuck in that same position, making their panic rise even more.

Gods.

Gods' wills.

As a few of the Gods extended a hand, offering a willing form of transportation, other's simply picked up the mortals, albeit gently.

Their Champions.

Make us do whatever they want.

The teenagers that were grabbed shouted at Eryl for help! For Eryl to do something!

Gods… Champions….

Champions… do the will of the Gods.

They trusted him, and he was just sitting down.

Champions… Gods… Wills… Gods!

…Champions represent Gods!

With the mortals now in their respective God's hand, the divine beings began to turn around.

They represent their Patron God… I smiled wickedly. And I mean a wicked smile. Villainous, even. If anyone saw Eryl's smile, they'd think that this barely-adult had just had the most evil and sinful idea in all of existence… and found humor in it.

They represent the Gods… I had to force myself to not chuckle. To not laugh. To not have the best laugh I've had in my life. Belly-clutching, silent-laughs, and gasping for breath- the whole set of extreme laughter. I failed.

As the Gods had their back turned to the hearth, they suddenly heard laughter from behind. Laughter unlike any that they've ever heard. All the Gods turned around to the boy that was sitting down, leaned over with his elbows on his knees and head in his hands. The boy whose body was shaking up and down in laughter. Laughter so great you'd think the funniest joke in history had just been told to him.

It was still muffled slightly, but it was obvious the great amount of humor the boy had. It became so obnoxious that a few of the Gods- specifically Ares and Zeus, began to sneer slightly in annoyance. But just as they began to raise their hand to enact some kind of vengeance, he whipped his head up and laughed heartily into the air. Slowly but surely, he sat up straight, then got up, still laughing- although some would say it was a cackle at this point. They'd be right to say that.

As the boy turned around to face the God of the Sky and Goddess of Marriage, along with the God of the Sea- all rulers in their own right- he suddenly stopped. It was as if someone had hit pause on the boy, but that wasn't it. Just seeing his chest heaving up and down alone was enough, but the thing that secured this fact was the slow connection of teeth. Teeth that connected to form a wicked smile. At least, some would describe it as wicked. Others would say arrogant, while others would say it was a smile filled with humor… They'd all be correct.

"Zeus," Eryl finally spoke, his voice booming in the throne room. The wicked, arrogant smile filled with humor slowly grew and grew as he stared at the King of Gods. Slowly, the mortal raised an open hand directly at Zeus. Slowly the gap between his teeth opened up ever so slightly, and he spoke nine words.

"I offer you an accord. Let's make another deal."

Chapter 5: Trade Offer- I Speak, You Listen

The God of the Sky looked down at the boy, stunned. The rest of the Olympians and Hades were the same, although a few were stunned for a few different reasons. Zeus, Hera, and Athena were stunned that a mortal not only laughed at them but also wanted to make another deal. Hades, Poseidon, and Artemis were stunned because a mortal, quite literally, laughed in the face of (a) God. It impressed them a little, Artemis a bit less than her Uncles.

Aphrodite was also impressed, although not for the best of reasons. It'd be a good idea to not share what was going through her mind… Apollo and Hermes were slightly indifferent, but it would be a lie to say that there wasn't the tiniest amount of respect for the mortal. Demeter, too, stared at the mortal, stunned by the fact that the boy was standing up for himself and the other humans he had just met minutes ago.

Hestia, on the other hand, knew now that she had not made a mistake in her selection. She now knew that her choice to pick this boy out of all mortals was the correct one. A boy that understood her love for family, and understood the necessity of a hearth- a home and its significance. Yes, she had made the right decision, and she'd support her Champion no matter what. Just like he asked the other young ones, she will trust him as well.

The Goddess of the Hearth was filled with pride at her soon-to-be Champion. She had been hesitant choosing this boy, she had to admit, but it was obvious that he was far from what she expected. Hestia understood that he had morals that matched her own, but to think he was so adamant on them- it filled her with pride. So when this boy began laughing, she was concerned, especially after seeing the wicked- and borderline evil- smile on his face. Although, after seeing him raise a hand to her younger brother, she knew that his only reason for acting was obvious: to protect those he holds responsibility over- to protect the small family he made in a few minutes.

Zeus snapped himself out of his stupor, and stared coldly at the boy. "You dare order me? You dare think you are in the position to bargain?" Zeus sneered, the world shaking around him as the room was filled with the smell of ozone, thunder rumbling outside. "Know your place, you lowly mortal! You are lucky I'm not killing you where you stand."

"..." I stared right back at the King, ignoring the absolute dread that was choking every part of my body. "So," I dared, "Do you at least want to hear what I have to offer?"

Poseidon let out a laugh of surprise, while Hermes and Apollo choked in surprise. Demeter coughed, not expecting the boldness of the boy. Even Hades couldn't stop the small smirk as the mortal challenged his younger brother.

Zeus bared his teeth, extending his right hand and causing his lightning bolt to fly into his grip. The God's body was suddenly covered in lightning, causing the rest of the Gods to back away, not wanting their clothes to be singed. The ice blue eyes Zeus once saw through were instead occupied by lightning that was seemingly constantly striking down. A growl came out of the King of Gods' throat as he winded his right arm.

"YOU DARE-"

"Brother."

Zeus stopped his attack, the lightning disappearing from his body as he looked up with a small feeling of annoyance. "Sister, please! The boy has insulted my honor-"

"Hear him out, at least," the Goddess of the Hearth said. "Do remember what he said: he will simply ask a few things, and those things will not be unreasonable; they will benefit us, should we choose to listen."

Zeus clenched his teeth, but nonetheless shut his mouth. Every time his Elder Sister had spoken, the course of fate had changed. Whether that be by convincing everyone to go along with a plan, or to destroy the idea all together, she had major influence. Not only over the Council, but all of Olympus itself. She had always spoken with reason, and he would not start questioning her now, even if his pride hurt a little.

"And he has already proven himself so. His first deal ensured that our Champions understood what it meant to be our Champions. The sense of security and reassurance he gave to the young ones made them far more willing to go along with our plans.

"And besides, you saw the way the children reacted when the boy didn't. They panicked immediately. If him simply acting is enough of a comfort for them to remain calm, then it's in our best interest to ensure his safety. And if what he says stays true, then his deals will ensure our own best interest."

Some Gods turned to look at Zeus and see what decision he would make. Poseidon looked at his Champion curiously. The boy had been one of the willing ones, although there was hesitance as he stared at Hestia's champion when the boy wasn't moving. A few of the other Gods were doing the same, and even Athena's champion was speaking to the Goddess of Wisdom.

"...I will hear him out, as you say Sister," Zeus nodded, albeit forced.

She smiled at her brother, which made his anger dwindle down as the younger God nodded reassuringly. I, on the other hand, was surprised that that had worked. Then again, it was only thanks to Hestia that I was even alive. Huh, she's saved me twice now. Seems I owe her favors.

"You may speak, child," Hestia told me, touching my shoulder gently. "I trust you hold reason."

I nodded at her. "Of course," I reassured. "So… my deal is simple, but it does require some necessary knowledge. So I hope you're willing to answer a few of my questions, and you'll hopefully see it was worth your time."

Zeus didn't speak, simply narrowing his eyes. He neither confirmed nor denied he'd answer.

I took that as an I won't kill you, so talk. "The question I have is, when we become your Champions, will you send us out to enact the Council's will immediately, or do we have some sort of grace period?"

"...You would be sent out on your mission… immediately," Zeus answered, his voice booming.

"Thank you for answering," I bowed my head. "In that case, my deal may sound less appealing. But before I offer it, I'll ask another question: would it be at all possible to put the date of that mission back a certain amount of time?"

"Why?" the God seethed. "Why would you possibly wish to push back a mission you know nothing about."

"Would you answer me if I asked what the mission was specifically?"

Zeus merely narrowed his eyes.

"Right…" I continued, "In that case, my reasoning is simple and it aligns with my deal. To send us out immediately after becoming your Champions is not a smart idea. And I'll tell you why: We are your Champions."

Ares cursed at me. "Obviously, Sherlock!"

"Do not use my child's name," Athena huffed.

He ignored her. "You become our Champions. We send you out to make you do your only reason for existing: enacting our will. Why is that such a problem?"

"...Because," I explained through my teeth, "Your Champions will represent you Gods. The Olympian Gods. Those that stand above all the other Greek Gods. We would represent you… Now imagine this: You secretly send out… an infant on some kind of secret mission, and for some reason think it'll succeed. News flash! The baby fails. And suddenly, everyone is aware of the failure of the baby- and even more aware that the infant was sent. Out. By. You.

"You picking up what I'm putting down," I asked mockingly. "No offense Grant, but I'm gonna use you as an example."

"Hey!"

"Imagine the Champion of the Great King of Gods… striking a random pigeon with lightning rather than his target, simply because he didn't know anything. Nothing of his powers, much less how to control them, and much less knowing how to use them… How embarrassing is that for the King of Gods when his own Champion can't control one of his most important domains?

"You picking up what I'm putting down?" I asked once more. "So here's where my deal pops up: Rather than sending us immediately out on a mission, you will reveal to us everything you can about our powers. Everything you possibly can within a limited amount of time."

"Do you understand how impossible that would be!" Athena snapped. "It took us decades- some of us centuries to fully understand our domains, much less our pow-"

"Uh-uh," I interrupted, wagging my finger. "I didn't say a single thing about your domains. I simply said powers. Hmm… Aundrea help me out here. There's a better word for this other than powers. It's… not power so much as it is things we are capable of doing…"

"Abilities?" the girl offered.

I snapped my fingers, pointing to her. "Abilities. Within a certain period of time, you will show your own Champion everything you can on the abilities they are capable of doing."

"And what, pray tell boy, would be the point in that?" Artemis asked. "One cannot simply teach what took us years to perform in the span of… of whatever time you ask for. Because despite what you think, using the domains' powers respectively requires you to understand the domains thoroughly."

"My Niece is correct, child," Demeter said. "Even if we wished to, it would be impossible to teach our Champions everything there is to know of their abilities within a certain period of time."

"You speak reason, Lady Artemis and Lady Demeter," I assured, bowing my head. I spoke again, except slowly and dramatically, "However, there is one small thing you all seem to be mistaken on: I never said teach."

I put a dramatic pause, making a few Gods frown in confusion. "I simply said to reveal all the abilities your Champion can do within a certain amount of time. To show and tell them their abilities. Whether they perfect them or not- heck, if they can even do them is completely irrelevant. You all simply need to dump all the abilities you are capable of doing, to ensure your Champion is, at the very least, aware of them."

Athena thought for a moment, looking at her father for a few seconds before looking back at me. "That isn't a bad idea, mortal, but it isn't a good one. What would be the point of revealing all our abilities if we don't even ensure they can use them- much less fully understand the domain that ability comes from! Besides, where is even the deal that you promised in all of this?"

I grinned wickedly. I had them. "I'm glad you asked, Lady Athena. Here is my proposal: you all will reveal as many abilities as you can to your Champions in a certain amount of time. Whether you choose to train them, or simply show the ability a few times is irrelevant- you just have to make sure they know of that ability. In return, I will train them. I will be the one to help them understand the domains they represent…

"Let's give an example. You are showing a child something, however you are only showing it to them on some sort of television. Perhaps you are teaching them to clean up after themselves. In the deal I offer, all you Gods will be doing is simply showing a video of that task being performed. In return, I will be the one to teach the child how to clean up after themselves. I will teach the child why it's important to clean up after themselves. You all will do one thing- perhaps many times- but I will be teaching them that one thing many more times."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"That's quite the bold proposition, mortal," Hades said finally. "Very bold. Arrogant, even."

Poseidon nodded. "It is noble in a way, that you offer to train our Champions to represent our domains well, boy, but it's not so simple. To understand our domains does not simply require you to think you understand. It's so much more than that. If it were that simple, well, we'd only need one mortal to become the Champion of all of us."

Athena nodded. "If you were some perfect mortal, this idea would hold much merit. But you do not understand us- much less our domains enough to offer such a deal."

"... If… If I did understand you all and your domains, would you take the deal?"

She narrowed her eyes at me, as did some of the other Gods.

"Would you?" I asked again.

In return, Athena clenched her teeth, the tiniest of sneers on her face before looking to her father. Both were quiet for a minute, deep in thought before Zeus spoke.

"If you did understand our domains, then we'd take the deal. But you don't, do you?"

"I… I am quite confident in saying that I could help your Champions understand their Patron God's domain much more than if I didn't help. And the effect would be extreme, that I am sure of."

"This boy has quite the silver tongue," Hephaestus grunted. "I'm impressed. If it's decided to consider his deal, put my vote as 'Yes.'"

Athena looked at the God of Forges in surprise. "Hephaestus, do consider it for longer. You said it yourself that he has a silver tongue- do not fall for his words."

"I'm the same as Hephaestus," Hades agreed. "All I have to do is just show a few demonstrations and that's the job done? In return, my Champion won't embarrass himself when he can't so much as speak to the dead? I'd take that deal."

In truth, Hades just wanted to enrage his youngest brother. Inwardly, the King of the Underworld smiled as Zeus looked at him furiously. After all, even if Hades was not an Olympian, he was one of the eldest gods here, and his words were considered.

"I'm all for it," Aphrodite spoke, surprising Eryl. "I think it'd be a lovely idea since he'd be doing all the work."

Like Hades, she also had ulterior motives. They were… drama! She could imagine it already: the handsome teen talking and getting close to the different female Champions, causing different relationships- whether friendship or romantic. Aphrodite forced the small squeal that threatened to come out from all the drama to silence. After all, nothing is more entertaining to the Goddess of Love than seeing Love be created and destroyed. And after the promise the teen made to her Champion… It was too sweet of a deal to pass.

"I'm cool with his deal," Apollo said with a knowing grin. "Not only can I show Benjamin how cool my powers are, but another will be the one to teach them? Psh, give me a coconut with a straw and a lounge chair at this point!"

"If we do decide to accept the idea," Hermes said hurriedly, "Then just put my vote as 'Yes.' Like others have said, not only can I ensure my Champion represents me well, but I can also leave his training to Eryl. And with how busy I am… It's a load off my shoulders."

"... It is an agreeable notion," Poseidon boomed. "If anything, it is a good one. As many here have unofficially decided, my Elder Sister's Champion can be considered the leader of our Champions. As such, would it not make sense that the leader understands those of which he leads?"

Poseidon, although hoping for a few things, didn't have as bad ulterior motives as Hades or Aphrodite did. He meant every word he said, but he also wished to see just how far his Champion could go with the help of Hestia's Champion's assistance.

Although many were being swayed by Hades agreeing, Poseidon convinced them entirely. Afterall, they had inadvertently been treating and speaking to the boy as if he was the leader. So if the leader could understand better those he led, it would prove beneficial to all.

Athena thought this aloud before she realized she was mumbling to herself. "It also aligns with his first deal… They'd be far more willing to go along with our decisions if they understood all they could. And if the leader understood all he could along with those he led… they'd be far more willing to follow him.

"And as Aunt Hestia said," she continued, "It would be wise to… as much as I dislike saying this, get on the good side of the mortal if he is going to lead out Champions. Just as they'd be more willing to follow him, he'd be more willing to follow us if we agree…"

Athena cursed. He was smart. That, or he improvised so well that he could take control of any situation. Hestia had given the mortal a chance, and he took it by the reins, making sure the Gods were dragged along with him. They'd been played. However, despite herself, Athena couldn't help but be impressed by the boy.

If he did indeed represent what her Aunt did, then he did not do this with any ulterior motive. There was no ill will within his thinking- he simply wanted the best for the other Champions, and made sure it was agreeable by putting good trade offers to the Gods. Athena could not help the small smirk that appeared on her face. He was smart. And he knew it.

But despite this, he insisted that others were placed before him in his decision making. After all, he had given himself so much work to do with training the Gods' Champions. He didn't have to. He most likely could have come up with something else, but he didn't. He chose to do what he understood best: ensure his family was kept safe. Just as he had promised them from the beginning…

Despite whatever Athena was thinking, I, quite literally, was shaking in my boots. I completely improvved everything. Sure, I had the general idea that the Gods should put in more effort since I was sure they didn't want their Champion to embarrass them. But… everything after that was completely made up on the spot. I had absolutely no back-up plan, nor any kind of insurance should my deal be flung off the table. My back was drenched with sweat and panic threatened to make me curl into a ball at any moment. Luckily, I was constantly poking it back. Is it actually working? I mean… that's what? Six out of the thirteen- Seven, if I include Hestia… Doesn't that mean it's guaranteed then?

"Why…" Zeus grit his teeth. "Why are you speaking as if we've accepted the mortal's deal?"

Hades and Posiedon narrowed their eyes at their little brother, and even Athena was surprised. "But… Father, although the deal does push our timeline back, it should be okay to go along with it- so long as the time we decide on is practical."

"But we do not have that time!" Zeus bellowed. "There is a reason I hurried to go through with this plan."

"And what, pray tell, dear husband," Hera asked coldly, "Is that reason? The reason that you refuse to share. Are you willing now?"

Zeus grit his teeth in frustration. They could not delay… Perhaps by a month or few since she was far… But he needed to make sure she was safe.

"Two months," I said, making sure my voice was clear. "For one month, you all show them everything you can about their abilities. Within that month, I will help each and every Champion with understanding their domains and training them.

"After one month, we'll train together to make sure we can actually function as a team- as one. That, along with me refining their abilities further, will take another month. If any of you decide that maybe you'd like to show your Champion more abilities, or maybe even assist in training them, I won't stop you. Heck, it would be incredibly kind- Of course, I'd have to work it into my schedule," I joked. No one laughed. "That's my period of time I offer. Two months. One month you all with me, and one month me with all the other Champions. That is my final part of the deal."

Despite himself, Hades couldn't help but laugh out loud. "This boy… And here I was, thinking he'd offer half a year at the very most." He chuckled a bit more, shaking his head in amusement. "But even so, I still remain with my decision. This short amount of time just made things much more exciting."

"Two months…" Athena muttered. Was it possible? Technically, it was, yes. But surely more time would be better. Like her Uncle said, they were expecting several months at the very least, not two. "But why two… Why such a tight small frame…"

Her Champion tapped her shoulder, making the Goddess glance at the girl as she gestured over to the King of Gods. "Ah… of course." Once more, she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. "Truly a silver tongue, with a mind to match," she murmured.

I extended my hand once more, like I did when I laughed wickedly. "What's it going to be, Lord Zeus? Is two months reasonable?"

The King of Gods looked down at the mortal, his face contorted with fury. Two months was reasonable. It was actually the most amount of time he'd allow…

Zeus cursed. He'd been had. "Very well, boy," his voice boomed, filled with venom. "You have proposed two reasonable deals, each with their own benefits as you've said. For the sake of Order, we shall hold a vote to accept the deal or not."

Hades raised his hand first, followed by Posiedon, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Apollo, Hermes, Demeter, and Hestia. Even Athena raised her hand after a few seconds. It was clear. They would go along with Eryl's deal.

Zeus raised his lightning bolt, prepared to strike it into the ground and make the decision final before he was stopped. "Wait!"

Zeus looked at the boy with wide eyes, absolutely exasperated. "What do you have to say now?"

In response, Eryl merely raised both his hands. "I just… I need to ask Lady Hestia something, please."

On hearing his Elder Sister's name he paused, but nodded nonetheless.

I nodded thanks before turning around and walking to the Goddess of the Hearth as she absolutely beamed, seemingly proud of me for actions. It made me feel… good. I felt as if I had done something good, and her smile alone was the only reward I needed. The only sign that I did do good. However, as great as the feeling was, I needed to do one more thing.

I… I knew that I had to somehow ensure the Gods really did go along with the deal. Sure, they may agree to it, but what if one day they decide not to do anything? We'd lose precious time- precious time that wouldn't be lost if I did what I would do next.

I stopped in front of Hestia, smiling kindly at her before kneeling. "Hestia," I murmured, so quiet that only she could hear me. "I'm sorry if this is selfish, but can I ask you to protect me once more, just in case?"

"..." She didn't say anything which made me wince slightly, thinking I had pushed my luck. So I looked up, expecting to see some sort of begrudging look. Instead, I saw a look of an emotion I couldn't quite place on her face. Pride? Joy? Respect? Admiration? Sincerity?

She slowly lowered her hand to my face, cupping my cheek and I involuntarily leaned into it, closing my eyes. "Oh, Eryl…" she said softly, once more with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "You do not need to ask. I trust in you, my Champion. Go, without fear, child. For I have no fear that you will do the very best you can."

Without even noticing, a tear fell down my face as I nodded. I couldn't explain a lot of things. I especially couldn't explain a lot of things that happened today. But I knew one thing. One thing that I would make sure I kept true no matter what: I will not let Hestia down. I will make sure she is always proud to have me as her Champion. I will make sure to represent her well… I will keep her safe, and protect her just like she did to me. But for that… I needed the Gods to do one thing.

Opening my eyes, hardened with determination, I removed my face from her hand and nodded, standing up. "Goddess of the Hunt, Lady Artemis, Goddess of Wisdom, Lady Athena, Goddess of Love, Lady Aphrodite, Goddess of the Harvest, Lady Demeter, Goddess of Marriage, Lady Hera, God of Lightning, Lord Zeus, God of the Sea, Lord Posiedon, God of Travel, Lord Hermes, God of the Sun, Lord Apollo, God of Forges, Lord Hephaestus, God of War, Lord Ares, and God of the Underworld, Lord Hades…"

I turned around, staring at all of them in the eye- although I did scoot right on past Aphrodite. "Before you make this decision final, I request for you all to do one thing."

Zeus widened his eyes even, and couldn't help but let out a laugh incredulously. It sounded like wheezes as the God of Lightning steepled his fingers, looking at the mortal with absolute shock.

"You…" Zeus let out a dry laugh, speaking in a dangerous tone. "You request US to do something. I truly do suggest you shut your mouth, boy. Otherwise, those two months of preparation will disappear."

I ignored his words, saying, "All of you… to uphold your end of this deal…"

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment. This is where things will change. Where things might become… worrisome. But it didn't matter. If this was reality, then I had make sure it was a good one. And with literal lives becoming my responsibility, I needed to make sure I covered all bases.

I trust in you, my Champion. Go, without fear, I heard Hestia's words in my head and I snapped my eyes open, ignoring the churning anxiety in my stomach. "You all will swear on the River Styx that you will uphold your end of this deal."

Silence. For a solid three seconds, there was nothing but silence. And at exactly three seconds, all Hades broke loose. Immediately, Zeus pulled his arm back, his face absolutely filled with rage and hate as he called the biggest lightning bolt he had ever made in the past millennium. Ares was doing the same, his Greatsword was already flying towards Eryl, glowing red ensuring that nothing would stop it. Artemis had pulled her bow out, and within less than a millisecond, an arrow was flying straight to Eryl's head.

Even Hades was shocked as he jumped back within half a second, thrusting a hand forward as shadows flew to Eryl's heart. Poseidon was the same, already having aimed his trident and sending a pillar of water so dense it was more dangerous than a flying steel pillar that supported a skyscraper. Even Athena had pulled out her spear, already aiming it at the mortal and letting it fly. They had all moved so quickly that neither the soon-to-be Champions nor Eryl could even register that any of them moved. None of their brains nor bodies could even register the peril danger they were all in. Well, perhaps a few could.

A lightning bolt capable of vaporizing an entire mountain range, a greatsword thrown with such force that it would completely escape the Earth's orbit, a glowing silver arrow shot with such speed that within the moment it was released from the bow, it broke the sound wave, and was only getting faster. Shadows that could swallow entire cities whole were going to strike within the next moment, water so dense that even if the entire ocean was put into the same volume as a baseball, it may have matched the density of the water flying from the trident. And finally, a spear that was aimed with such accuracy, it was guaranteed the target would be hit. A single one of these attacks would absolutely erase the boy from existence, and six of them were going to kill Eryl. At least… they would have.

One word. One command. That was all it took.

"KNEEL."

A great pressure suddenly beared down on all the Gods. A pressure so heavy that it felt like the Cosmos themselves fell onto their back. A pressure… that was actually power. Power so great that all weapons flying to the boy either instantly dropped to the ground, cracking the marble, or disappearing in an instant. Power so great that even the King of Gods had gotten onto his hands and knees, put into an act of submission. Beside him, so too had the God of the Sea been forced to kneel, baring his teeth as he fought with everything he had to ensure his face wasn't crushed into the ground.

Hades was in the exact same position, trying to manipulate the shadows to hold himself firm but they just wouldn't listen. As if the shadows themselves too had been forced to stop. On the other side of Zeus, Hera had unfortunately fallen onto one elbow, using her other hand to press against the floor straight with all she had to not be squished into the ground. Demeter, on the other hand, was simply on her hands and knees. She was unable to get up, but it wasn't absolutely crushing like it was for the other Gods.

Hephaestus, Apollo, and Hermes were also the same, although not exactly. Even if the pressure caused by the extreme amount of power wasn't crushing them like it did their Father and Uncles, they were not as powerful as the Elder gods. As such, the moment the word had been uttered, they had collapsed into the ground. And they had collapsed. It was as if the heaviest weight in the world was just dropped onto glass. The marble flooring shattered under the male Gods the moment they were in contact with the marble. Even if the pressure wasn't crushing, they still struggled to make sure their bodies weren't flattened.

Ares, however, experienced the exact same thing the Elder Gods did, save Demeter. The moment the word had been said, it was obvious that it was far too much for the God of War to bear. Within less than a milliseconds time, he crashed into the floor, breaking tens upon tens of bones and immediately falling unconscious. He couldn't even react. Not only was it simply too fast, but the pressure was simply too great.

Athena and Artemis also experienced the same as Ares, as they too were lying on the floor unconscious. Aphrodite, on the other hand, was just like Demeter. Simply on her hands and knees. Sure, she was struggling to remain in that position, but… the Goddess glanced at other Elder Gods. Compared to them… she was alright.

However, all those who remained awake and could move their head or eyes, all looked to the only being in this room that could cause this. The one being who could make even the King of Gods kneel. The one being who all in the room respected and loved, yet were once again reminded why the being should be feared. Reminded once more why… she was the Eldest Olympian. Save Aphrodite but she's a unique case.

Hestia had grown into her thirty foot form, towering over her family as she looked at them in disappointment. The fire on the Hearth had grown and was a pillar that filled the center of the room, just barely shy of burning the God's limbs in her flames. Said flames were also covering Hestia, her arms crossed as the flames burned hot, causing some of the Gods to wince and turn their face away.

The extreme pressure- the extreme power that had crushed the Gods in an instant… was caused by the loving Goddess of the Hearth.

"There will be no fighting within this family. Not so long as my Hearth burns."

The pressure increased even more, making all respective Kings- and Queen- slam their face into the marble, almost knocking them out as they struggled to even breath under the extreme pressure caused by their Eldest Sister.

"And you will especially do well to not harm my Champion… Do. You. Understand?"

They all shivered at the question, but all nodded- at least, those who could. But it seemed that that was not enough. For the pressure increased even more, choking all the Gods that remained conscious.

"Do you. UNDERSTAND?!"

Cries of yes, and 'I understand' were heard along with nods from all the Elder Gods. Once they were done with the pleas, the pressure disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. The flames of the Hearth shrunk back to fit snugly into the hearth, and Hestia had already returned to her human sized 3o year old form, completely flameless.

She nodded. "Good."