Athanasios Perseus Apollyon - The Forgotten Tide

Chapter 18: Divine Conflict and The Wedding Treaty

Percy's POV

The tension in Olympus had reached a boiling point. Zeus and Poseidon, once allies, were on the brink of war. The celestial atmosphere was charged with an electric tension as the two great gods prepared for battle, their armies gathering and the divine realms on edge. I had watched from the sidelines, knowing that the inevitable clash of titans would reshape the fabric of the divine order.

The council of gods convened in an emergency session. The grand hall was filled with the mightiest of deities, their presence commanding respect and awe. I stood at the periphery, my heart heavy with the weight of what was to come. The gods' arguments were fierce, their voices echoing off the marble columns as they debated how to prevent the looming war.

Zeus, his face a stormy cloud, glared at Poseidon with barely contained fury. "This insolence will not stand! You dare defy my authority? I will not tolerate such rebellion!"

Poseidon, his trident crackling with raw power, met his brother's gaze with equal intensity. "You're the one who has been sowing discord, Zeus! I will not bow to your tyranny any longer."

The council chamber roared with the cacophony of divine voices, each deity adding fuel to the fire. Ares, eager for conflict, egged on the confrontation with fervor. "Let them fight! The gods should prove their strength!"

Demeter, her face etched with concern, tried to intervene. "We cannot let this escalate. The balance of the cosmos is at stake."

Athena, ever the strategist, watched with a cold detachment. Her eyes betrayed a hint of satisfaction at the discord, though she kept her opinions to herself. Her resentment towards me was palpable, a simmering hatred that only seemed to grow with each passing day.

Hera, always a minor presence in the council, offered scathing remarks. "This is a mess of your making, Zeus. You always think you're above the consequences of your actions."

The situation was dire. The gods were deeply divided, and the prospect of war loomed ever larger. Just as it seemed that the conflict would explode into full-scale battle, the council's voice of reason emerged—Hestia. She stepped forward, her presence radiating calm and authority.

"Enough!" Hestia's voice rang out, commanding attention. "We cannot afford this war. The stability of our realms and the mortal world hangs in the balance. We must find a resolution."

With Hestia's intervention, a tense silence fell over the room. The council convened privately, the gods huddled in discussion. The fate of Olympus rested on finding a compromise that could prevent the impending disaster.

The resolution, though far from ideal, was reached. A treaty was forged, binding Zeus and Poseidon to a truce. But the cost of peace was steep. To seal the accord, a marriage was decreed—Artemis and I were to be wed. The idea was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was a condition imposed to maintain balance and unity.

The wedding preparations were swift and grand. Olympus was adorned with celestial decorations, the grandeur of the ceremony reflecting the significance of the event. Aegon and Thalossios stood by my side as my best men, their presence a comforting reminder of my past and the friendships that had endured through time.

Artemis, her demeanor as cold and unyielding as ever, was a vision of divine beauty in her wedding attire. Her eyes betrayed no hint of emotion as she prepared for the ceremony, her pride and arrogance palpable.

The ceremony itself was a spectacle of divine opulence. The grand hall of Olympus was transformed into a celestial palace, its walls draped in shimmering fabric and illuminated by the light of a thousand stars. The gods assembled in their finery, their presence a testament to the gravity of the occasion.