Chapter 8: The King of Olympus
The doors to Zeus’ throne room began to open.
The sound echoed throughout Olympus.
The noise should have hurt Adonis’ ears.
Instead, he felt it resonate through his chest.
Like the storm inside him recognized the sound.
The massive doors finally parted.
The throne room was magnificent.
Columns of gold and silver stretched higher than the eye could follow.
Celestial constellations drifted across the ceiling.
Rivers of divine energy flowed through the floor like living starlight.
At the center sat the largest throne Adonis had ever seen.
And seated upon it was the King of the Gods.
Even before speaking, Zeus radiated power.
Not merely magical power.
The feeling of standing before a force of nature.
Adonis could feel waves of divine energy rolling from him.
The closer he came, the stronger it became.
Hecate lowered her head respectfully.
His voice carried effortlessly through the room.
“I trust Olympus has not collapsed in my absence.”
Then his attention settled on Adonis.
The room suddenly felt much quieter.
Zeus leaned forward slightly.
“This is the child from the mortal world we have been sensing.”
“This boy from the mortal world is a descendant of Olympian blood.”
She gestured toward Adonis.
“Our research confirms he is descended from Dionysus’ mortal bloodline.”
“Which means he is ultimately descended from you, my King.”
The King of the Gods stood.
Even the air seemed to tremble.
“Mortals do not normally survive the journey to Olympus.”
He slowly descended the steps of his throne.
“Many demigods never come here.”
“And yet here you stand.”
Zeus stopped only a few feet away.
Lightning flickered across Zeus’ eyes.
“Imagine my confusion when I sensed electrical energy that was not under my control.”
“That has never happened.”
Adonis didn’t know what to say.
The King circled him once.
Almost like a scholar examining a mystery.
“We have not had a demigod worthy of Olympus since Heracles.”
“I can tell simply by looking at you.”
The King’s gaze sharpened.
“You are something different.”
The words sent chills down Adonis’ spine.
Then suddenly Zeus paused.
His attention shifted toward one of the side entrances.
Everyone in the room seemed to understand except Adonis.
Zeus turned toward Dionysus and Hermes.
“You should return the boy to the mortal world for now.”
The King of Olympus looked directly at him.
“This will not be your only trip here.”
The storm within Adonis stirred.
“I believe great things will come from you.”
Those words settled heavily in his heart.
Then the audience was over.
Dionysus and Hermes guided him from the throne room.
And someone entered as they departed.
Before Adonis could ask who Zeus meant, movement caught his eye.
Someone was entering through one of the side entrances.
He only caught a glimpse.
A presence that immediately commanded attention.
More than her appearance, Adonis noticed her aura.
Yet strangely intimidating.
Like staring into the heart of a royal fire.
For a brief moment he felt something inside him react.
Just a strange sense of pressure.
As though the storm within him had suddenly become alert.
Then the throne room doors closed.
The woman disappeared from view.
Neither Hermes nor Dionysus answered immediately.
“Someone you’ll meet eventually.”
“Let’s hope not too soon.”
Hermes answered much too quickly.
Which only made Adonis more suspicious.
The group walked through Olympus once more.
Eventually they arrived at a magnificent pillar overlooking the mortal world below.
Clouds drifted beneath them.
Entire continents could be seen in the distance.
“My family is probably worried.”
“Time flows differently here.”
“Only a short time has passed in the mortal world.”
“It’ll be almost like you never left.”
The three stood quietly for a moment.
“Until next time, little one.”
Hermes immediately burst out laughing.
Dionysus nearly joined him.
Hermes wiped a tear from his eye.
“You possess incredible divine power.”
Hermes seemed genuinely confused.
Adonis pointed at himself.
Dionysus folded his arms.
“You never know until you try.”
“What kind of advice is that?”
“You control electrical energy.”
“Why wouldn’t you be able to fly?”
he didn’t have an answer.
As he considered the possibility, something caught his attention.
A faint green aura surrounded her.
Like the last leaf of autumn refusing to fall.
A powerful gust of wind engulfed him.
Adonis squeezed his eyes shut.
When he opened them again
The city lights glowed around him.
The familiar streets stretched ahead.
And standing nearby was Kaerith.
Adonis pointed immediately.
But Hermes was already gone.
Only a faint sky-blue spark remained.
Then she sprinted toward him.
She grabbed both his shoulders.
And so he told her everything.
The impossible landscapes.
Kaerith immediately interrupted.
“There was actually a unicorn?”
Then came more questions.
By the time she was finished, Adonis wasn’t sure if he’d answered anything at all.
Eventually her voice faded into the background.
Because his mind kept returning to one thing.
Hermes had said it so casually.
As though it were obvious.
Toward the place where Olympus now existed beyond his sight.
Unknown to Adonis, the possibilities before him were now limitless.
And somewhere high above the mortal world…
the gods were already watching.
