Designate | Fated Four: Book 3

Chapter Eight

"You weren't invited Eris," Nike stated. Eris rolled her eyes.

"Yes, thank you for stating the obvious, Nike," Eris told the Goddess of Victory.

"Why are you here, Eris?" Hera asked.

"I'm here to speak to the entire pantheon," Eris declared before turning to the other deities in the room, "Aren't you tired of being beneath the Olympians? Grovelling at their feet? Having to listen to their commands? Well you won't have to. I plan to reduce the human world to ashes. And by doing so, I will bring the Olympians to their knees. Join me and we will conquer this world together!"

"Some of us are content with our position in the pantheon, Eris!" Nike growled.

Artemis summoned her bow and arrows and Apollo did the same.

"Fine, I guess Ares and I will be going, but know this, the longer it takes for you all to surrender, the more men, women, and children will be turned to stone," Eris cautioned, "At this rate, there won't be any humans left."

Eris and Ares vanished and Arrow stormed over to Hera.

"You said this place was protected!" he growled.

"It is!" Hera insisted, "I don't know how they got past the barrier."

"Did we account for Ares when the barrier went up?" Athena asked.

"No," Hestia replied.

"Then that's how they slipped past the barrier," Athena replied, "The magic of the barrier recognized Ares as an Olympian and therefore, let him pass through."

"I'll reinforce the barrier at once," Hestia told Hera.

"See to it that you do," Hera replied. Hestia nodded and rushed off.

"Hera, we need to convene the Council," Poseidon told the Queen of the Gods.

Hera sighed.

"I know," she replied.

"Curses, that means this party is over," Dionysus groaned.

Many of the minor Gods and Goddesses left and Hera and the other Olympians sat down on their thrones.

"You may all stay for this meeting," she told us.

Arrow nodded and we all approached the thrones. Persephone perched herself on the armrest of Hades' throne, while Hecate and Melinoe stood nearby. I suppose Hecate and Melinoe both had a personal stake in this situation. After all, Rosalie and Clarissa were their daughters, respectively. And it made sense that they were here. Nike was sitting next to Hera's throne.

Hestia returned and sat down on one of the two empty thrones.

"The barrier has been fixed," Hestia stated.

"Good," Hera stated, "To other business then. Eris and Ares have sent a message by coming here."

"Indeed," Athena agreed, "They wanted to show us that we aren't safe here, that Olympus is vulnerable."

"Have you found a way to reverse the effects of the Shield of Perseus?" Calix asked.

"No, but we're working on it," Hera replied, "Hecate?"

"Right," Hecate replied. The Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic, Crossroads, and Necromancy turned to us. "I've been spending a lot of time in the library of Olympus," she told us, "And so far I haven't found anything of use. But I'll keep looking. There must be a way to reverse the effects of the shield."

"Keep looking, Hecate," Hera told her.

Hecate nodded and Hera turned to Hephaestus.

"How is the armoury?" Hera's asked.