Dylan King and His New Roommate Called Goddess Athena [1st Book]

Spin Off: The Birth of Athena - Chapter 6

Metis' POV.

"The prison... is in Zeus' stomach?" Metis responded confusedly. "What do you mean by it, Lady Hestia?"

Zeus had you absorbed into one of Cronus' pearls and swallowed it. This is the method Cronus used when he swallowed me and my other four siblings.

"I can't believe it," Metis shook her head. "Zeus couldn't have done that. Furthermore, I'm now pregnant with his child. He couldn't have..."

I know you will not be able to believe it. But since it's the fact, you have no other options.

"No, no, I can't believe it," Metis shook her head. "Besides, I've just been here for two and half hours. I'm convinced Zeus is now looking for me."

The sound of someone sighing was heard as soon as Metis finished her sentence.

Indeed you only have spent two and half hours inside the pearl prison. However, in the outside world, it's been almost four months.

"No, no!" Metis quickly shook it. "If it's been four months, then my belly must have grown bigger. I must have been seven months pregnant by now!"

The time flowing inside the pearl is different with the time flowing outside the pearl. That's why the moment Zeus released us from Cronus' captives, time has flowed for hundreds of years.

"If you keep lying to me, it's better for you to leave now!" Metis exclaimed.

Metis. After your father tried to force Zeus to release you, Zeus has been keeping himself in his room for almost four months.

"My father did what?" Metis could not believe what she just heard.

Oceanus barged into Zeus' palace and fought him. If only my mother didn't stop them, both might lose their life in vain.

There was a brief pause before Hestia spoke again.

Since that day, Zeus forbade everyone from entering his palace. Like I said earlier, he also locked himself in the room. Only after Lady Tethys decided to let go of everything and asked Oceanus not to exact vengeance, Zeus came out from his room.

"Just leave, Hestia!" Metis dropped and held her head, then she shut her eyes.

I indeed have to leave. Zeus is about to get up and go to the throne hall.

Metis raised her head. "What do you mean by that?"

I'm now talking to you with telepathy, one of my unique abilities. However, I can only do it when I'm near Zeus.

Hestia paused momentarily.

As for now, I'm sitting beside Zeus. But surely I couldn't follow him after he heads to the throne hall.

Metis furrowed her eyebrows; she did not know what she should say as a response.

Zeus is getting up. I don't know when I can talk to you again. But I will pass the ability to retrieve nutrition from what Zeus eats and drinks.

"The ability to retrieve nutrition from what Zeus eats and drinks?" Metis responded confusedly. Followed by the question, a sphere of light came through the surface and flew swiftly towards Metis' chest.

Metis was astonished when the sphere went into her chest. She raised her head, expecting Hestia to explain more about it. Unfortunately, even after a few minutes had passed, the goddess of hearth did not say anything else. Metis hugged her knees.

"Hestia must be lying. Zeus will come to save me."

*****

More than an hour had passed, and Metis had started to feel hungry. The worry that Zeus would be too late began to haunt her; she did not wish to lose her daughter. She laid on the floor and started rubbing her belly. She shut her eyes.

Metis.

Someone spoke, making Metis open her eyes again.

Metis, please say something to me.

It was not Hestia. It was Rhea, Zeus' mother. Metis felt relieved, as she believed Zeus would save her in no time.

"Lady Rhea, where is Lord Zeus?" Metis asked as she stood up.

Silence took place.

"Lady Rhea?"

Metis. I know you couldn't believe Hestia. However, you have to believe her, as it is the truth.

Metis could not believe what she just heard.

"What are you saying, Lady Rhea?" Metis responded. "Lord Zeus couldn't have done that!"

Zeus did that, Metis. It's the sad truth that we have to accept.

"What are you trying to achieve, Lady Rhea?!" Metis exclaimed; she could not hold her anger again.

We do not want to achieve anything but to make you accept this truth. It is because acceptance will be important to you and your daughter.

"If you do not lie, then speak it by the water of Styx!"

By the water of Styx, Zeus imprisoned you, Metis, inside Cronus' pearl. Zeus then swallowed the pearl, so that you may never escape.

Metis was shocked when Rhea did make the oath by the name of Styx.

"Why... did Zeus do this?" Metis asked. "Why... did he have the heart to swallow me, who is now pregnant with his daughter?"

Gaia's prophecy. She cursed Zeus, saying that the next child he'll have with you is a son, and this son will overthrow him.

Once again, Metis could not believe what she just heard.

Metis. If you want yourself and your daughter to survive, you have to use the ability Hestia passed to you. It was the ability that I also passed to her and my other four children when they were all inside Cronus' stomach.

"Lady Rhea, can you leave me now?" Metis asked with a soft tone. "I need some time to process all of this."

I know it will be hard to accept this. But I will do as you requested.

Metis leaned against the wall. She let her legs stretch to the front, so that she may rub her belly. She really could not believe that Zeus could be that cruel. If he was really afraid of the prophecy, why didn't he simply tell her about it and divorce her? Why did he have to take this option?

Metis attempted to figure out the answers to her own questions. But as time passed, she did not find them. Instead, what she found was anger that built up inside of her. She looked to her belly and said, "My daughter, someday you shall take revenge on your father. But I don't wish you to take revenge by physically wounding him. I wish you to take revenge by making him look like a fool."

Something suddenly bumped the upper part of the prison. Metis, already accepting the truth, now knew that it must be the food Zeus had just swallowed.

Metis stood up and concentrated on using the ability to absorb the nutrition. In no time, she felt the hunger had gone away, and she felt stronger than before. She smiled victoriously. If she did not give up, then someday, she would really be able to exact her vengeance through her daughter.