Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
The Ever Twisting Wind: The Gaean War
Chapter Five: Dreaming of the Sky Father - Part Δύο
Beta:
Acting on the news that Pamela had brought them, Andi, Alice and Wendy teleported into an elaborate entrance hall. It was two storeys tall with a second storey level encircling the room that was supported by pseudo-neoclassical columns with an east–west bridge at the center of the hallway. A hall that belonged to the mansion in rural Bavaria that served as the ancestral home of the German Wizarding House of von Himmelsjäger.
According to the details that Pamela had forwarded to them from Ida's investigation, "the gem of power held by the Germanian barbarians" that was the last item on the list of her little fetch Quest was in fact the von Himmelsjägers' greatest family heirloom. A gem imbued with immense powerful energies from which they drew a significant portion of their power. Power that had made the von Himmelsjägers the Wizarding World's most prominent Weather Wizards as they used the power contained within the gem to manipulate the weather.
"Welcome to my home, Lady Andromeda, my goddess." Lord Christoph von Himmelsjäger, Head of the German Wizarding House of von Himmelsjäger, said in his native German as he offered Andromeda and her companions a deep bow, prompting the rest of his household that were gathered behind him to emulate him in offering them respectful greetings in the form of bows and curtsies. All of them dressed in their very best to impress their august guests. Having been informed by Pamela ahead of time of her arrival, the von Himmelsjägers had clearly prepared themselves to welcome their goddess.
Meeting the von Himmelsjägers' efforts with the respect that it deserved, Andi and her companions had dressed for the occasion. Wendy had chosen to wear a shimmery, dark red, sequined, corseted gown. It was a long sleeved affair with a boat neck neckline, a ribbon belt and a skirt that was just long enough that it trailed slightly along the floor. It was a relatively simple affair and befit her childish personality that saw her paying little to no attention to her appearance in general, much less fashion, even if to better fit the dress, she was currently in her adult form.
For Alice's part, she had chosen a light purple and cream Victorian-style gown with three quarter length balloon sleeves. An elaborate gown with detailed golden embroidery spread throughout as accouterments. Its light purple overgown's skirt and bodice opened up strategically with lace trimmed cutouts to give glimpses to the inner cream gown and create a wonderful contrast. An outfit that was completed by a tasteful hat decorated by a large fabric flower.
Last but most certainly not least, Andi was wearing a gown in a mainly burgundy color that complimented Wendy's, clearly showing that they were partners. It was a fancy affair that featured a straight line, off the shoulder neckline, short puff sleeves, and a black ribbon belt. The outer burgundy layer ended three quarters the way down its voluminous skirt in a ruched hem decoratively held up by black bows, whilst a black inner skirt continued down to the gown's full floor length hemline. A contrast that gave the gown a wonderfully charming look. An outfit that was completed, much like Alice's, by a fashionable hat. Hers in a burgundy shade like her gown and trimmed with lace.
Getting dressed up like this had been quite an affair. Unfamiliar with wearing corsets, as was required by their dresses as they were, Andi and Wendy had needed help just putting them on. Add in their abundant skirts and they had taken hours to get their gowns on. Sure, they could have used magic to help the process, but since this was literally the first time they were wearing anything so elaborate, they had chosen to get dressed the old-fashioned way. It was an experience after all. Only Alice had found things easy. Then again, considering her love of cosplay, getting dressed in fancy dresses like they were wearing was probably old hat for her.
"You have a beautiful home, Lord von Himmelsjäger." Andi told the Wizarding Lord in his native tongue - Thank Olympus that becoming a goddess made her a natural polyglot! - honestly as she offered the blonde haired, blue eyed Wizarding Lord a smile. "I would be more than happy to enjoy your House's hospitality on another occasion, however at this time I am on an urgent errand. Could we please retire to your study and discuss the purpose of my visit?"
If Lord von Himmelsjäger was offended by her abruptness, he did not show it. Instead, he just offered her a bow. "Certainly, my goddess. I and my House live to serve. Please follow me, I will escort you to my study."
Nodding with a smile, Andi let herself be led away by Lord von Himmelsjäger. Alice and Wendy trailing after her as they made their way to the man's study.
"You desire the Himmels-Juwel!?" Lord von Himmelsjäger asked aghast.
"Yes," Andi said with a nod as she took a sip of the tea that the von Himmelsjäger House Elves had provided her and her friends and leaned back in the comfortable chair in the man's study. Though considering the sheer amount of books that filled the shelves that bordered the home office, it honestly more resembled a library.
"Pardon me, my goddess, but do you realize that the Himmels-Juwel is not only my family's greatest heirloom, but also the source of much of the power that we use in our family business as Weather Wizards?"
"We are aware." Wendy said, appeasingly. She was her partner and though she usually didn't, she could certainly speak on Andi's behalf. "It is through using the power of the gem that you are able to manipulate the weather with the fine control that has earned your House its reputation as Europe's preeminent Weather Wizards. However, we nevertheless require the Himmels-Juwel."
"My goddess!" Lord von Himmelsjäger cried out, looking towards Andi desperately. "We are your loyal subjects, but this is-"
"But what?" Alice cut in, putting down her cup of tea and shooting the Wizard a dark glare. "By your own words, Andi is your goddess is she not? Would you deny her anything? Would you defy your goddess?"
Lord von Himmelsjäger gulped, clearly intimidated by Alice playing bad cop.
"Now, now, Alice. There's no need to be so harsh." Andi told her friend before she put down her own tea cup and turned to address their host. "I understand that we ask much from your House, Lord von Himmelsjäger. However, we do not ask for it for no reason. There is a war brewing in the realms of the gods-"
"A war? Among the gods!?"
"Yes, Lord von Himmelsjäger. No, Christoph. There is currently a war being fought among the gods." Andi confirmed with a somber nod. "And it is for this war that I ask for you to relinquish the Himmels-Juwel to me. I require it for my war effort."
Lord von Himmelsjäger looked conflicted. Clearly, the revelation that there was a war among the gods was having quite an impact. Andi didn't need to read his mind, which she wasn't doing at the moment, to know that he wanted to do what he could to assist her, his goddess, in the godly war. Yet, on the other hand, what she asked of him was something he found difficulty to part with. A sentiment that was wholly understandable. Not only was the Himmels-Juwel the source of much of his House's power, it was a treasured family heirloom for as long as it had recorded its history. It had been in his House for almost a thousand years!
"If it helps you make your decision, know that come hell or high water, we will be leaving with the Himmels-Juwel." Alice threatened as she glared at the Wizarding Lord with eyes intimidatingly ablaze with green binary.
"Alice!" Andi scolded. Her friend was playing bad cop, but there was no need to be quite so harsh.
The Technodjinn just shrugged unrepentantly. You asked me to play bad cop, Andi. I'm just playing the part. You didn't outline the limits of the role.
I know. Andi sent back. Just tone it down, okay?
Very well.
Even as Andi and Alice conversed telepathically, Wendy had stepped up to speak for them. "We, of course, will not just take the Himmels-Juwel. We know we cannot truly replace it. Nothing we could offer can make up for the generations of history that it has with your House. However, we can offer you a replacement."
"A replacement?" Lord von Himmelsjäger asked, looking curious.
"Yes," Andi confirmed with a nod as she opened her right hand palm up and summoned the replacement gem that she had prepared to offer the von Himmelsjägers. It was a translucent emerald glowing with a subtle inner light that swirled around like gentle breezes.
"This is a gem imbued with my divine power. I would offer this in exchange for the Himmels-Juwel. With my authority over the wind as the goddess of breezes, it will grant you the same power to manipulate the weather. Perhaps not to the same extent, but in exchange this gem will also grant you a degree of power over the wild and Wizarding magic in line with my other domains as well."
For a long moment, Lord von Himmelsjäger looked at the glowing gem, enraptured by the divine essence that it radiated. It was only with a deep breath and an obvious act of great will that he turned away from the gem that was gently floating over Andi's open palm.
"Will this not hinder your war effort, my goddess?"
"Not if you hand me the Himmels-Juwel in exchange. What it can offer me will more than make up for what power I would lose by giving you this gem."
Also, I'll recover the power in my gem in only a few days. If the Himmels-Juwel somehow gives us some kind of boon from Ouranos like we hope, it'll more than make up for it.
Lord von Himmelsjäger nodded and steepled his hands together as he thought over the offer that Andi was putting before him. The goddess of Wizarding magic was sorely tempted to read his mind to see what was shaping his thoughts in the hope of seeing what she could attempt to say to sway his mind. However, she refrained. Better to let him make his decision on his own. There would be less chance for hard feelings that way.
"I am inclined to agree, my goddess." Lord von Himmelsjäger said, lowering his hands and turning towards Andi with a determined look in his eyes. "But that gem alone is not enough. Not if its power over the weather is less than the Himmels-Juwel. Being Weather Wizards is my family's very reason for existing and any undermining of that is unacceptable."
"Then what would you want in addition to this gem?"
"A blessing, my goddess. One that will grant us a special penchant for weather control magic. That should make up for the reduced power for such that we can draw from your gem."
"Alice?" Andi asked, turning to her friend.
"Hmm… According to my computations, I think it should make up for it." The Technodjinn said with a thoughtful hum. "Based on individual variation of course."
Andi nodded, even as Wendy spoke up. "That sounds good but Andi cannot offer it to you for nothing in exchange."
"And what would you want from my House, Lady Wendy?"
"Not much," Andi said quickly, before Wendy could suggest anything. "All I ask is that your House pledge yourselves to my service henceforth. My blessing would, of course, vary based on the extent of faith that any given member of your House feels towards me and my favor towards them."
"A most reasonable request." Alice said, tapping her chin consideringly.
"Are these acceptable terms for this exchange?"
"Yes, my goddess. It is most generous." Lord von Himmelsjäger said as he pulled his wand out of his jacket pocket and waved it over a section of his desk, causing a portion of it to pop open to reveal a hidden safe. Tapping his wand in a complex pattern over the heavily enchanted metal lid of the safe, it too swung open.
Putting away his wand, he reached into the safe and removed an even more heavily enchanted wooden jewelry box. Placing it onto the desk, he bit his thumb before proceeding to spread the blood from the minor wound over the lid of the box in a specific runic pattern. A set of runes that glowed for a moment before the box magically opened. As it did, it revealed a glowing diamond with an inner light that churned like a raging storm. A gem that radiated the by now familiar divine essence of Ouranos.
"My goddess, the Himmels-Juwel." Lord von Himmelsjäger said, presenting the gem to Andi. "It is yours."
Nodding, Andi used her powers to swap the emerald imbued with her power with the Himmels-Juwel.
"And you have my blessing." She said, causing a rainbow aura with a disproportionately strong element of green to suddenly swirl around Lord von Himmelsjäger like a cloak of wind. An aura that disappeared from view seconds later though it did not truly fade, instead permanently threading itself into the Wizard's being.
Closing her hand around the Himmels-Juwel and dismissing it back to her palace for Ida to confirm it was indeed one of the items they needed for their fetch Quest, Andi offered Lord von Himmelsjäger a smile.
"You have made the right decision, Lord von Himmelsjäger." Andi said as he stood up, prompting Alice and Wendy to follow her lead. "Now, apologies for being unable to enjoy your hospitality, good man, but we have a war to fight and thus with our business concluded, we must take our leave."
"I completely understand, my goddess." The Wizarding Lord said as he stood and offered Andi and her companions a respectful bow. "Best wishes, my goddess. May you secure a swift victory in your war."
"Thank you, Lord von Himmelsjäger. And we can only hope." Andi said as with that farewell, she stretched out her power and wrapped it around Alice and Wendy as she teleported all three of them back to her palace.
Little over an hour after they departed Germany and after confirming that the Himmels-Juwel was indeed one of the items required by the Quest given to Andi by the supposed Ouranos in her dream, Alice joined her friend and Wendy as they teleported to the Phantom Isle of Ogygia to meet its queen, the peaceful Titaness, Calypso. The sorceress that Andi's dream indicated would be able to use the items they'd collected to show them the way to the being that had contacted her.
"Uh, Andi, is Calypso even still in Ogygia?" Wendy, now once more in her favored child-like form and dressed in the typical diaphanous sundress that she and Aurae in general favored, asked. "Wasn't she freed as part of Percy's reward for his actions in the Second Titanomachy? His request for an amnesty for all peaceful Titankind?"
"Yes, Calypso was granted amnesty and is free to leave Ogygia should she so choose. However, based on what I've heard, except for short trips, she has chosen to remain here."
"Indeed I have, Andromeda." Calypso said as she appeared in a shimmer of air.
The Titaness bore the guise of a beautiful young woman that appeared to be either fifteen or sixteen with caramel hair that was braided over one shoulder, dark almond-shaped eyes, and a face that appeared to be timeless. Dressed in a white sleeveless Greek dress with a low circular neckline trimmed in gold, she radiated a truly exotic beauty.
"I stayed because I have nowhere else to go. The world has changed so much since I was imprisoned that I don't feel comfortable anywhere but Ogygia. It may have been my prison, but I made it my home and whilst it is the former no longer, it remains the latter."
"Hello, Calypso." Andi said, offering her a respectful nod.
"Greetings, Calypso." Alice said with a nod of her own.
"It is an honor to be in your presence, Lady Calypso." Wendy said with a curtsy.
"Welcome to my home, Andromeda, Alice, Wendy." Calypso said with a smile. "What brings you to my island?"
"We need your help to find someone." Andi said as with a snap of her fingers, she summoned the dress, statue and gem that contained Ouranos' divine essence that they had spent the past day or so gathering. "It is my understanding that you can use these to do so?"
The moment the three items materialized on her island, Calypso recoiled.
"Calypso?" Andi asked worriedly.
Instead of answering, the Titaness shot Alice's friend a deep frown. "I know what you want, Andromeda. You are playing with fire. The being whom you seek is beyond dangerous."
"I know." Andi said with a nod. "But that's precisely why I need to seek him out. We are fighting the Earth Mother! If we want any hope of victory against her, we need dangerous allies of our own."
"That is true." Calypso said, her frown deepening even further. "And of anyone, he might be the best possible ally against the Protogenos of the Earth."
"So you will help us?" Andi asked, shooting Calypso pleading eyes. She wasn't the only one. Wendy had joined her in shooting her puppy dog eyes too.
Alice was tempted to join them but refrained. She was a little too prideful to resort to such tactics.
"I suppose I can." Calypso said after a long moment of consideration. "But for a price."
"That's uncharacteristic of you." Alice observed, shooting Calypso a curious look. "What little I know of your personality suggests you are generally more altruistic than this."
Calypso shrugged. "Things changed. The limited glimpses I had of the world lately since my liberation has made me more mercenary. It seems that's the way of the world now."
"Name your price, Calypso." Andi cut in.
"Well… I am at once lonely in Ogygia with only my conjured servants for company whilst also being in need of a guide to the contemporary world. So what I want is a companion that can help me on both accounts."
"I have a bad feeling about this." Wendy muttered, echoing Alice's own sentiments. Particularly as the Titaness turned to offer Alice a coy smile.
"What exactly do you want?"
Her smile turning outright sultry, Calypso answered. "I want a child from Alice."
"W-What!?" Alice gasped, flabbergasted.
Wendy groaned and palmed her face. "I told you!"
Leaning forward into Alice's personal space a little and giving her a nice glimpse down her dress, revealing that the Titaness was currently lacking in anything supporting her breasts, Calypso explained her position. "You see, as a Technodjinn, a god of the information age, any child of yours will have all the knowledge they will need to serve as my guide to the world as it is. And as my child also, it would likewise serve as my perfect companion."
"I-I see!" Alice sputtered out with a bright blush in response, much to Andi and Wendy's visible amusement as their smothered giggles indicated. "T-That, uh, makes s-sense. I-I, um, am n-not entirely o-opposed. B-But, uh, how do y-you want to c-conceive this child? T-The old-fashioned way?"
Standing back up, Calypso stepped forward and closed the distance between her and Alice before she began pressing herself sensually against her body.
"That is preferred. Other forms of divine conception are hardly as reliable, particularly when it comes to the inheritance of desired traits."
Alice's blush turned atomic at Calypso's confirmation that she wanted to have sex with her.
"Alice," Andi called out to her, putting an arm on her shoulder. "You don't need to do this."
Her friend was earnest but she still radiated amusement at this turn of events.
Ignoring Andi and Alice's own blushing, Calypso tried to sweeten the deal. "If it's any consolation, I'm very skilled in bed. I haven't been with anyone for a while, but I still remember all my tricks."
Well… That should make it easier, I guess? Alice thought as she shot Calypso a hesitant smile. I mean, having a skilled lover for my first time is a good thing, right?
"I-I w-will do it." Alice said with a determined nod.
Smiling like the cat that ate the canary, Calypso traced a hand over Alice's face in a sultry and sensual manner.
"Alice, are you sure?" Andi asked with a frown, any lingering amusement gone. "You really don't need to do this."
"That's not true." Alice replied, confidently. Feeling more so with each word. "The war with the Earth Mother is as much as mine and the Technodjinn's as it yours and the Olympians'."
"But-" Andi began, only to be cut off by Alice again.
"I've made up my mind, Andi." Alice said firmly.
With a sigh, Andi backed down. "If you're sure?"
"I'm sure." Alice confirmed before she turned towards Calypso. "Shall we?"
Smiling triumphantly, the Titaness offered her a hand. "We shall. Let's go to my house. I have a bed there."
Alice nodded at her and let her soon-to-be lover to gently drag her towards her home. As she did, she looked over her shoulder and addressed Andi and Wendy. "See you two soon."
"Seven hours, Alice? Really?" Andi teased her blushing friend as Wendy stood with her goddess and her aforementioned friend in a ritual room inside Calypso's home on Ogygia as the already visibly pregnant sorceress guided her conjured invisible servants in the setting up of a ritual using the items that they had recovered. A ritual that would point them to the direction they need to go.
"Caly was just that good." Lady Alice said with a deep blush, much to Wendy and Andi's amusement.
"Caly?" Wendy asked, joining in on the teasing.
The Technodjinn shrugged. "I was putting a baby inside her. She told me to call her that."
"Did she give you a pet name too?" Andi asked with an amused grin.
"Ally." Lady Alice said, looking over to a busy Calypso. "She calls me Ally."
"Can I call you that too?" Andi asked with a giggle. "Or is that reserved for your lovers."
Lady Alice blinked in surprise at the question, clearly not expecting it. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she considered the matter for a few minutes before finally replying. "You're my best friend, Andi. If anyone else can call me that, it would be you. But-"
"But?" Andi asked with a knowing smirk.
"But I do think I want to save it for my lovers."
"Okay. Fair enough." Andi said with an unconcerned shrug.
"On another note," Wendy piped up as she eyed the elaborate gown that Lady Alice had worn to Germany and had kept on since then. "Did you two have fun getting you out of that dress of yours?"
Lady Alice blushed. "Yes we did, Wendy."
"Did you two like putting it back on too?" Andi teased.
Still blushing, Lady Alice nodded. "We did."
"Enough for Calypso to forget to put on her own clothes?" Andi asked as she gestured to the naked Titaness who was finishing directing the setting up of the ritual.
Wendy blinked. It honestly hadn't registered with her that Calypso was naked. She had gotten so used to running around naked and seeing others, usually Andi, equally undressed since her partner's apotheosis that she had come to see it as just as expected as being dressed.
"I simply refrained because anything I put on would get in the way of my changing body as my pregnancy progressed." Calypso said as she came over, prompting Lady Alice to move to the sorceress' side to affectionately wrap an arm over her shoulders.
"About that, why are you accelerating the pregnancy as much as you have?"
Calypso shrugged. "You have no idea how lonely it gets here in Ogygia. I want my child to be born as soon as possible."
"I can keep you company for a while." Lady Alice suggested, giving the arm of the Titaness that she was wrapped around a comforting squeeze.
"No, no. You have a war to fight." Calypso said, patting one of Lady Alice's arms affectionately. "Though I wouldn't mind you dropping by via an instance once in a while."
"I will. As often as I can." Lady Alice assured her. "But for now, we have a ritual to perform."
"I take it that you are done setting up for it?"
"Yes, Andromeda. I am. Shall we begin?"
"Yes, let's do it."
Calypso nodded before kissing Lady Alice on the cheek and began leading them to the carefully prepared ritual circle. Set up at the center of the room with a high domed ceiling was a triangular spell circle with the three items - the dress, statue, and gem - that they had recovered floating in columns of light at each of its points.
Pushing away from Lady Alice after giving her another light kiss, Calypso separated from them at the edge of the ritual circle before proceeding to carefully walk to the center of the circle. The moment she had, she began waving her hands, wordlessly weaving thick banks of Mist that she suddenly conjured and that proceeded to fill the room. Countless runes and other magical sigils flashed into being before fading away as the powerful Titanic sorceress worked her magic.
Wow! That's very powerful magic she's working! Wendy couldn't help but think with an impressed gasp.
Indeed it is. Andi said, looking at the ritual that Calypso was casting with almost as much wonder as Wendy herself felt.
The sorceress kept up her silent spell weaving for a few minutes before she finally began incanting. "Χρησιμοποιήστε τη δύναμη μέσα σε αυτά τα αντικείμενα και δείξτε το δρόμο! (Use the power within these artifacts and show the way!)"
At the culmination of the ritual, the room exploded in a brilliant white light. As the light faded, Wendy found that the thick Mist that permeated the room had reshaped itself into a three dimensional topographical with a single brightly glowing star presumably signifying the location of where they needed to go. It seemed they would need to go somewhere in the middle of a set of mountains. Which mountains Wendy wasn't sure but she was sure they could figure that out easily enough.
"Alice, recognize where that is?" Andi asked the Technodjinn, who had the ability to access the internet remotely and process information with her godly computing power.
"Those are the Atlas mountains." Lady Alice said, substantiating Andi and Wendy's faith in her ability. "And I have the specific coordinates of where we need to go."
"I know that you are likely unwilling to listen," Calypso spoke up. "But Andromeda, Ally, I must say that seeking out the being that you intend to meet is foolhardy."
"You're right, Calypso." Andi said with a sigh. "You won't change our mind."
"I'm sorry, Caly." Lady Alice said with a shake of her head. "But Andi's right. We need to take this risk."
Calypso clutched her heavily swollen pregnant stomach and sighed. "Very well. Then for all the good that it will do for you, I wish you the best."
"Thank you, Calypso." Andi said genuinely as she snapped her fingers and recovered the dress, statue, and gem, sending it back to her palace for safekeeping. A move that caused the map created by the ritual to collapse and the Mist that had been used to conjure it to begin to dissipate. "We will go now. Alice, since you have the coordinates, mind doing the honors?"
"Yes, leave it to me. I will see you later, Calypso. I'll be back as soon as we complete this Quest." Lady Alice said with a nod as she shot Calypso one last affectionate look, a look that was returned with just as much love, before she joined Wendy and Andi as they teleported away.
Alice's teleport directly transported Andi, Wendy and her mechanical friend to the coordinates in the Atlas Mountains that Calypso's ritual had revealed as the final destination of their Quest. As they materialized, Andi and her friends found themselves met by a sight that even by the standards of the mythic Hellenistic realms was surreal. Said sight was that of a tall and buff man, with longish white hair and a tanned Mediterranean skin tone that was dressed in clothing more fitting a vagrant than a being of his stature riding, there was no other way to describe it, a twenty foot tall giant bald man with gray eyes that had a brutal face, light brown skin, huge shoulders and a very muscular build. A giant who was dressed in a well tailored suit. Men that Andi's powers recognised as Ouranos and Atlas respectively. It seemed the former had somehow bound the latter to him to serve as what amounted to be his living wheelchair.
"Ouranos," Andi greeted as she summoned Skyline into her hands but kept it at her side. She might be wary of the apparently revived Protogenos of the Sky but she wasn't about to pick a fight with him if she could avoid it. She was here for the exact opposite purpose in fact. "So you have been revived."
"Totally," the Sky Father said in a laid back tone that whilst befitting his choice of attire was a far cry from what she expected from the former Lord of the Heavens. "Well, Great Granddaughter, as you can see the rumors of the permanence of my demise have been greatly exaggerated."
"So it would seem." Alice chimed in as she held her gun in such a way that it was ready for action but yet remained non-threatening for the moment. "Were you the one who sent us on the fetch Quest?"
"Indeed, I did, little Miss Alice." Ouranos said with a relaxed grin. "Did you bring the items I requested?"
Andi exchanged a look with Alice and Wendy, receiving a nod from her friend in response even as her partner reached out to her telepathically. We might as well give them back to him. They are full of his essence. Besides, maybe doing so will make him more willing to help us.
"Of course." Andi said, offering her great grandfather a polite smile as with an application of her will, she teleported in the three items that she spent the last day or so collecting. "Here they are."
The moment they materialized, Ouranos opened his mouth and used it to suck in a deep breath. One so deep and which created such suction that his mouth resembled nothing less than a black hole. Torrents of air were drawn into his mouth alongside the dress, statue and gem but it barely affected Andi and her friends at all. Beyond the strong winds whipping lightly at their clothes and requiring the goddesses to hold down their hats, they were practically unfazed. The powerful suction largely ignoring their very existence.
The dress, statue and gem were not so fortunate and as they were drawn towards Ouranos' mouth by the powerful winds he had conjured, they were ripped apart, revealing the divine essence, his essence, from which they had been wrought. Essence that he eagerly drank in and combined with his own.
"Oh! That hit the spot. It'll help my recovery by years." He declared with a loud, disgusting burp.
Atlas winced at that but didn't say anything. Which was just odd! Why was the Bearer of Heaven being so quiet? Heck, he hadn't so much as twitched since they'd shown up. He was indisputably the Titan of Endurance, the infamous General of the Titan's Army, and Lieutenant of Kronos but yet here he was being little more than a silent mount for Ouranos. It felt wholly out of character for him.
But that was hardly the only mystery here was it?
"Ouranos, how are you not dead?" Andi asked the Protogenos bluntly.
Smiling mysteriously, the man dressed like a hobo replied. "As the mortal H.P. Lovecraft said, "That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die." It's been untold millennia since I was scattered by your grandfather. More than enough time for me to reform. And with Gaea steadily awakening recently? Well, that's served as something of a catalyst too."
"I see." Andi said with a nod. What he said made sense. Enough time had passed since the Crooked One took him down that it was possible he could partially reform. She had not missed the fact that the items she'd brought for him were bits of his essence that until he'd reabsorbed them had been out of his reach. "So what are your intentions now that you're back? Plan to crush the world like you used to do back in the Primordial Age?"
Ouranos burst into a laugh at that suggestion. "No, of course not! It took me forever to reform even to where I am now. Plenty of time to do some thinking. Lots of time to observe the world too. And you know what? During that time, I came to love humanity. They are just so interesting! And they are best ruled by the beings most able to bring out the best in them and so far that looks to be you Olympians."
That sounds too good to be true. Andi thought with a frown.
Yeah. He's gotta have something up his sleeve! Wendy agreed via telepathy.
"Ha! You just don't want to rule again!" Atlas spat out suddenly. There was something off about the way he said it though. Andi couldn't quite put her finger on it but it felt somehow unnatural.
Unaware or heedless of her unease, Ouranos shrugged. "It's true. That's one of my reasons but what I told you earlier wasn't untrue either, Great Granddaughter."
"So you don't want to reclaim the throne as King of the Universe?" Andi insisted. She had to be sure on this point.
Atlas flinched at the question, looking horrified by the very idea for a moment before his features abruptly smoothed out.
Okay, that's a little too obvious to not comment on.
"Is something wrong with Atlas?" Alice asked, beating Andi to the punch.
"Depends on your definition of wrong," Ouranos said, his smile turning a tinge twisted. "You see, he isn't too happy with me being back. Especially not with me riding him around like he is a petty mount. Understandable. But he is the Bearer of the Sky and that's literally what I am, so them's the breaks for him. So I had to, you know, take measures to keep him from acting up."
Andi exchanged wary looks with her friends. For anyone to dominate Atlas of all people like this… They were realizing just what kind of power they were facing in dealing with Ouranos. A realization that sent a shiver down their spines.
"As for wanting to rule?" Ouranos said, breaking out into a laugh. "Nah! Becoming king again sounds like so~ much work!"
"Right." Andi said, swallowing the nerves that had built up at the realization of just what they were dealing with. "So… Are you going to fight Gaea then? You know, in revenge for what she did to you in the Primordial Age?"
The Sky Father let out another laugh. "Nah man~! That's too much work! I'll much rather just grant those who are fighting her some of my power. That should more than cover my contribution, yeah? I mean, I have faith in them being able to defeat her. Speaking of that-"
Suddenly cutting himself off, Ouranos spat at Andi. The ball of spit transformed into a shard of the Sky Father's essence mid-flight and that was the only reason, and only that, why the goddess of the wild did not duck out of the way. Instead, she let the shard of the Protogenos' essence hit her whereupon it proceeded to mix itself into her being, empowering her.
"There! That should do the trick!" Ouranos said smugly even as Alice and Wendy turned to Andi in concern.
"Andi! Are you alright?" Alice asked urgently even as Wendy looked at her searchingly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Andi reassured her friends before leveling a glare at Ouranos. "What was that?"
"A blessing." Ouranos said with a grin. "It should give you a source of extra power that you can tap into whenever you feel the need."
"Wha-"
"Uh-uh!" The Protogenos said, wagging a finger scoldingly. "It wouldn't be fun if I just told you, would it? I've told you all you need to know. Go experiment and figure out the rest on your own. On that note! Time for me to vamoose!"
Before Andi or her friends could say another word, Ouranos and Atlas blinked away in a teleport, leaving the three of them alone on the barren mountainside where they had met them.
"Andi, what now?" Wendy asked, turning to her with a look of confusion.
"Now? Now we head home and I do what Ouranos suggested. I experiment to see what this blessing of his has given me. Better I figure that out before I get into a fight and need it but don't know what it can do."
"That's a good idea, Andi." Alice said supportively. "Let's head back to your palace."
Andi just nodded and stretching out her power to cover all three of them, she teleported them home.
Seated in the theatron of the amphitheater in Lady Andromeda's palace gardens where her goddess had chosen to experiment with the powers granted to her by the Blessing of Ouranos that she had recently acquired from the newly reformed Protogenos the Sky, Ida could not help but watch in awe at the power it granted her lady. How could she not when she saw her goddess obliterate a set of test dummies straight from Lord Hephaestus' weapons testing ranges with said powers? So destructive were the forces that Lady Andi could seemingly unleash with little effort when she used the Blessing that she had thoroughly vaporized the dummies which had been designed by the god of forges to withstand, or at least survive, the strongest weapons of the gods.
"So, Ida, what do you think?" Andi asked as she finished surveying her own handiwork.
"Very impressive, Andi." Ida admitted as she moved to stand beside her goddess in the area of the amphitheater usually reserved for the orchestra. "This power will certainly be a great boon in the battles to come."
"Yeah. But you're not sounding all that thrilled about that fact."
Ida sighed. "I am just uneasy. I cannot help but feel so when your new power comes at the cost of allying with Ouranos of all beings. I cannot help but fear that he might be up to no good."
"Neither can I." Andi admitted with her own sigh. "But we have no choice. I already lost against Porphyrion once and that was when he wasn't even at full power. What chance do I have against his mother!? We need all the help we can get against Gaea. If Ouranos tries anything, we'll just have to handle it."
I knew her defeat against Porphyrion was weighing on her. Ida thought with a frown. It was certainly affecting her judgment. Despite that… Her assessment of things isn't actually wrong.
"I hate to admit it, but I am afraid that you have the right of it." Ida admitted grudgingly. "I just hope that in a bid to beat one deadly foe that we haven't made a Faustian bargain with another."
"So do I, Ida. So do I."
Omake: The Growing Congregation
As Christoph saw his goddess, Andromeda Aurae, her Aurae lieutenant, Wendy, and her friend, the machine goddess, Alice, teleport away, he breathed a sigh of relief. As the Head of one of the most prominent Houses in Wizarding Germany, he had plenty of experience dealing with negotiations, both in his political dealings and during various business negotiations. However, dealing with a goddess, his goddess no less, was something else altogether. He was frankly surprised that he had been able to maintain his cool as well as he did during their discussion. Particularly, when they were negotiating something as momentous as handing over his family's ancient heirloom, the Himmels-Juwel.
It is fortunate that the Aurae that informed us of Lady Andromeda's coming hinted that my goddess desired the Himmels-Juwel. Christoph mused as he stood and proceeded to the bar that stood to one side of his study where he poured himself a tumbler of whisky. I would have made a fool of myself if Lady Andromeda surprised me by asking me for it without prior warning.
Taking a sip of his whisky, he enjoyed its flavor on his tongue and the slight burn against his throat. A mix of sensations that prompted the Lord of House von Himmelsjäger to let out an appreciative sigh.
As it was, hearing Lady Andromeda confirm it was still shocking enough to almost have me lose my cool.
Thankfully, he did not. He would never be able to live with the embarrassment if he made a fool of himself before his goddess! He had of course prepared himself to give up the Himmels-Juwel. How could he defy a goddess? Even if he was not one of her followers, defying a divinity was foolish at best and suicidal at worst. But to hear Lady Andromeda actually tell him that's what she wanted from him and his House still surprised him and led him to almost embarrass himself. Though if he came close to doing so at the latter revelation, he came a hair's breadth from it when Lady Andromeda informed him of the reason why she wanted the Himmels-Juwel.
To think that there is a war among the gods!
When he heard that, Christoph had been prepared to give everything his House had to offer to aid his goddess in the conflict. She might be a young goddess, having only recently achieved apotheosis however she was the first goddess of Wizarding magic ever! In the past, Wizards who followed the gods could only offer their worship to one of the various gods of magic. Gods that at best saw Wizards as little more than one group out of many among their followers. Lady Andromeda in contrast had Wizardry as one of her core domains! Yes, she had other followers from her other domains such as the wild and the breezes like the various nature spirits, but she nevertheless paid more attention to Wizardkind than any other god before her! Was it any surprise that more and more Wizards who followed the gods, like the House of von Himmelsjäger, had become devoted followers of Lady Andromeda?
A knock on the door of his study, pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Christoph, is our goddess still here?" His wife, Carola, called out from the other side of the doors of his study.
"No, she and her retinue have departed." Christoph said as with a wave of his wand, he opened the doors. "Before you ask, Dear, she apologized but she could not stay to enjoy our hospitality. She has a war to fight."
"A war!?" His beautiful blonde, brown eyed wife gasped as she made his way towards him.
"That was my response as well." Christoph said with a nod as he poured her a tumbler of whisky of her own. "I did not dare ask for details and Lady Andromeda did not volunteer any."
Carola frowned and shot him a look even as she accepted the offered glass. "You should have asked. Lady Andromeda likely would not have taken offense. From all we know, she does not do so easily. If she did not wish you to know any details, she would have politely told you."
"I know." Christoph said with a nod. "To be honest, I just forgot to ask. I was just too shocked by the revelation."
Carola shook her head in fond exasperation. "I had expected as much. Though, speaking of this war that Lady Andromeda mentioned, how can we help?"
"She did not say." Christoph said with a shake of his head. "Though I presume she will inform us of how we can help her when she feels the need for our aid."
Carola nodded. "So what did we get in exchange for the Himmels-Juwel? Besides that is, the blessing that I felt our goddess granted to us."
Christoph answered by gesturing to the gem that was filled with Lady Andromeda's divine power that had replaced the Himmels-Juwel in the heavily enchanted box that had held the latter for safekeeping for the past few centuries.
"A replacement for the Himmels-Juwel?" Carola asked and Christoph nodded. "I take it that between it and the blessing she gave us, our goddess would match the enhancement to our weather manipulating magic that the Himmels-Juwel offered us?"
"You are correct, my dear." Christoph confirmed. "In exchange, we must pledge our devotion and service to Lady Andromeda."
"Which we were already doing." Carola observed with a sip of her whisky. "I assume this is more formal?"
Christoph nodded. "It is now tied to the strength of our goddess' blessing upon us."
"I would expect no less. That being the case, it is likely best for us to get in touch with other followers of Lady Andromeda."
"Which group do you suggest? The ones promoting nuclear power?"
"Yes, those. As I understand it, they are the most active sect of our lady's followers are they not?"
"You can't be suggesting we join them! They're a bunch of fanatics!" Christoph said, shooting her a shocked look.
"No, of course not." Carola said with a roll of her eyes. "I do not believe we should join them but we share a goddess now. It behooves us to reach out to our coreligionists and at least exchange notes on what our lady expects of us, her followers. Did our goddess not tell them what she expects of them?"
"Ah! That makes much more sense!"
"We can create a much more respectable sect that venerates Lady Andromeda. I am certain that she would appreciate it."
"I am certain she would." Christoph agreed. Considering how insane what she'd heard the nuclear power promoters got up to, he was sure that Lady Andromeda would appreciate a more sensible sect of worshippers. Being a goddess of the wild as well, she must enjoy some of the more unruly worship but that was not her end all and be all. By his estimation, the elegant goddess who had visited his home certainly would like at least some more restrained worship as well.
"Then that's what, as her loyal worshippers, we will do. Ja (Aye)?"
"Ja."
And thus without her intent, and her immediate knowledge, Andi's congregation of devoted followers grew once more.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as always!
Nothing like starting a chapter off with a formal meeting with the mortals, truly Andi has become a lady of taste~ Andi getting the jewel was fun and giving her followers a part of herself? It was interesting.
Nameless: If you are wondering about why we had Andi and co. dress so elaborately in this chapter and behave so relatively formally in the first couple scenes, there is a reason behind it. We essentially did it to show that Andi and co. can pull off sophistication just as much as they can be rough and tumble badasses. What do you think? Did we achieve that?
I think we did! You always find great dresses to use as descriptions and to show on A03. And yeah, while Leo and Calypso are cute and all, her shacking up with Alice for a chance to see the world with someone reliable as her own future child? She would jump at the chance. Plus, it's kinda hot.
Nameless: For those Leo fans out there, don't worry about Alice stealing his one true love away from him. We wouldn't do that to him. The two of them will still get together. It will just happen a little differently. More impactfully imho, 'cos TETW!Calypso has options unlike canon!Calypso and she still chose Leo. Well, more options anyway. What do I mean? Keep reading to find out.
And now, of course, the biggest part. Big Sky Daddy is back with the wife rolling in with her dirt dress. Yeah, I have never seen or read something with Ouranos coming back into the wings as a surprise, but this? Mhm, this is going to be a fun divergence!
Nameless: So… To the surprise of, I hope, very few of you, the big wrench we've thrown into canon is the return of Ouranos! What waves will this create for canon events? Will the fears of our characters about the Sky Father's return, which we hope we conveyed well without laying it on too thick, ring true? Or has he really turned over a new leaf? Well, like I said earlier about Leo and Calypso, keep reading to find out.
Yeah, Andi's meeting with sects of the Wizarding World and slowly growing her own cult? It's a fun little subplot to the story because back in the day, the Greek gods all had their own cults. But with Andi being more active and known to the world as "real" and with news of her ascension spread through the Wizarding World? She was bound to get followers.
Nameless: Just wanted to take a moment to discuss the omake. Firstly, I would like to point out that it's canon to TETW. We just didn't feel it fit into the main story and was too divorced from the main narrative to justify it even being an interlude. As such, we left it as an omake. Secondly, the group of followers that Andi is growing is unfortunately something that again is an idea that we want to explore but is too divorced from the main narrative we have in mind to give it too much attention. That said, we will do our best to explore this when it is relevant even though we doubt it will be often. Hopefully, this is acceptable.
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!