"You guys saw that, right?" Ares asked in the guild chat.

"Yeah, I noticed," Aphrodite whispered. The voices of men arguing could be heard in the background. "Does this change our plans for tomorrow?"

"Nothing changes," I said. "We need to do things in parallel. I know it will be hard but we can't afford not to. Everyone should give their orders as we discussed. Once that's done, there's nothing more we can accomplish even if we stick around up here. We'll go and get the ores Hephaestus needs."

"In that case, I'll happily call off this meeting," Aphrodite replied, this time much louder.

"Will the ships coming up to our mountain harbor make it in time?" I asked her.

"They will be in port before noon tomorrow," she replied.

"I know we don't have a lot of space in the port for more ships, but perhaps the ones in Dion right now can also cross through the portal?" Artemis asked. "It would be a shame if we evacuated Dion and left the ships there for the taking or even destroying."

"We can probably fit a few more in," Aphrodite replied. "I'll speak with the harbormaster and see what we can do."

"Alright, everyone knows what you need to do," I said. "Let's make sure people know what is expected of them and that if they do exactly what we ask, there’s nothing to worry about. The best is yet to come."

I smiled at Hephaestus as I closed the guild chat and squeezed his shoulder. He gave me an understanding nod and walked around the corner of his workshop, where the pygmies were working.

"Alright, gather up!" he shouted. "There are some things I need you to do and they’re now your number one priority. Drop everything you're doing and…"

His voice slowly faded as I walked away to leave him to his preparations. Within a few minutes, the feverish building of houses and farms turned into silent focus as everyone got on with the tasks they needed to do in order to prepare our town for the attack. I didn’t have anyone specific I needed to talk to and knew that someone like me, who people went out of their way to meet and please, would likely only be a disruptive force just now.

The best thing I could do for them was close myself in our manor and let the men and women of our town carry out our instructions.

However, those who would be most devastated by the incoming attack were the citizens of Dion—the town that changed its name to honor me. It had been a peaceful harbor town before I took over the place of power at the top of Mount Olympus. This had done wonders for the city's prosperity, but it also brought many problems to it, as is usually the case with sudden big changes. And the biggest of changes was now sprinting its way toward them.

The troops of Cronus’s army would come marching over land and sailing across the Aegean, and they wouldn’t have a way to appear magically at the top of the mountain. They would have to go through Dion. Since everyone knew the people living there were my believers, they would destroy it and slaughter everyone in their path in order to weaken me.

I needed to be the one that announced to them why they needed to leave their homes and come up the mountain. Why their town might be destroyed and they might never see their homes again. And perhaps I would be the only one able to convince them that their lives were more important than fighting for everything they’d spent their whole lives building up until now.

I arrived through the portal of Dion to bows and formal salutes from the people there. I ordered the guards at the portals to spread word of my arrival, inform the masters of the village, and let everyone know that I would be addressing them in the main square in no more than ten minutes.

The pace with which people dropped their work and started flooding the square was admirable. I regretted not having come down to Dion for quite some time, but was very pleased to see that the town was flourishing. New buildings were being raised, more stores had popped up, and the overall appearance of the citizens was better. Their quality of life had increased exponentially and, as good as it felt to know that I was responsible for it, it would make the blow of letting all this go even harder. After all, the more you have to lose, the harder it gets when you actually do.

Walking through the crowds, hearing their praise and thanks, I felt a little sad for what I was about to ask them. I didn’t want to order them to leave their town. I wanted them to make the decision on their own, as was the right of any man and woman when it came to what to do with their lives.

However, it wasn't only their lives at stake here. As much as I didn't like to see them as pure numbers, if they died, they would be subtracted from my believers count and my divinity level might drop as well as my DP regeneration rate. And I wanted to have everything possible at my disposal since the full force of Cronus's armies were coming for us.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I climbed several steps up to a podium they’d set up for me and raised my hands for everyone to quiet down. Looking at the faces of the people, I realized they had no idea of what was about to happen. They were just genuinely happy to see their god address them after so much time.

Not wanting to sour their moods right from the get-go, I summoned a lightning bolt that erupted from my hand and shot into the sky, the sudden boom making everyone jump with surprise. The aftermath of people screaming with excitement and admiration was definitely louder than the thunder itself.

This time, I waited for everyone to quiet down before I addressed them.

"Thank you for your warm welcome to my favorite town in this whole world," I said, and they cheered again. "Dion has always been there for me, from the moment I set foot on this blessed land. Your city grew as my guild grew. We were happy to see you expand your merchant activities, and it is always a pleasure to hear the word ‘Dion’ spoken with admiration by emissaries of faraway lands.”

I took a moment to appreciate the perfect silence around me and smiled at the people waiting to hear what I had to say.

“Alas, there are people who would like to destroy everything we have built here," I continued. "They are jealous of our hard work and how fast we are growing."

The crowds booed in unison, but stopped as soon as I raised one hand again.

"These people hate you. They hate us. They hate me. And they are making a move against us as we speak."

The sudden tension had the citizens of Dion looking at each other, but before any questions were voiced, I began explaining.

"Cronus, the father that betrayed the most sacred bond—that of a parent and their offspring—is sending his armies against us at this very moment," I said, my words dripping venom, in an effort to get them all focused on the plan I had in mind. "Little does he know that we are more than ready to beat his troops and send them back crying."

The response was, as expected, a mix of celebration and savage war cries.

"But we have to be clever about this," I continued, as soon as they quietened down. "The most important thing we have right now is you, my people."

I took a deep breath and looked at them all with affection.

"Sure, buildings are great. Large ships and beautiful streets laid with such impressive craftsmanship are truly a work of art. But what would all these things be without you here to use them. No, that simply will not do. For this reason, I need you all to take everything of importance to you and cross through the portal to the top of Olympus by nightfall tomorrow."

A collective gasp from everyone gathered followed my words.

"I know this is a lot to ask," I continued, trying my best to show that I sympathized with them. "There is a chance that the enemies armies will destroy some of the buildings here. They might steal your goods and burn your boats. But you are what makes Dion great. And I will see you safe on top of the mountain. Take everything you can so that the evil-doers will have nothing to steal. Leave this town empty. For they will find no joy in bringing down buildings if they find nothing and no one living here."

"What about the ships?" asked a man from the crowd.

"Our harbormaster at the top the mountain will communicate with Dion's harbormaster to decide which ships can come through our Aegean portal and which should leave immediately," I replied.

"And our crops?" asked a woman.

"Our animals?" came the voice of another man.

"You will take all your animals with you through the portal," I replied. "And you will bring all of the crops you can through it with carts as well. Anything you can’t bring yourself, leave it.”

“Your Divine Presence, should we burn the remaining crops so that the enemy can't make use of them?" asked another woman.

"Your idea is good, and normally it would be to our advantage to keep them from the hands of the enemy. But the truth is we do not need to do that this time," I said, and watched as the crowds grew completely still yet again. "Burning the crops would benefit us if the siege were to last for a longer period of time. But knowing the determination of the people of Dion and the citizen of Mount Olympus, I am absolutely confident this siege will not take long to end. As a matter of fact, I don’t think you will even have time to unpack once you're at the top of the mountain.”

The crowds cheered again, which had been my intention with these words. I didn’t want to end this in gloom. I needed them all on high alert and ready to follow any orders given to them. I wanted them to look forward to all this passing so they could return to their normal lives.

"The most important thing, and this I command as your patron god, is for everyone to evacuate Dion," I repeated. "I do not want a single life to be lost just because someone is under the false impression that by staying here, they're doing something courageous or heroic. Anyone who stays back does so knowing that this is against my will. And make no mistake. Any damage that Dion takes will be remembered. Not only will we repair it as soon as this cowardly attack is over, but our aggressors will pay for it a thousandfold."

The burst of cheers that followed was almost as loud the one following my thunderous display. A nice closing before leaving them to better comprehend what I had just said and start acting according to the plan.

"As soon I leave, people will come down here to help you with everything you might need in order to move people, livestock, and goods through the portal," I said. "I want to see every one of you up there, up where I can do my best to protect you and where the walls can withstand any attacks long enough for your gods to crush your enemies."

I stepped down from the podium to the cheering of the entire population of Dion. I didn't really want to order them to abandon their homes but difficult decisions were a necessary burden I had to shoulder. And so I smiled at the parting crowds as I walked to the portal. As soon as I passed through it, the people I had promised would assist those in Dion made their way through it in the opposite direction. I walked straight back home. Not only did I need to keep out of their way, but after so many intense days, resting was the best thing I could logically do for myself.

I wouldn’t even have considered resting under normal circumstances. I would probably have been out there overseeing the work being done and pitching in myself. But I knew better now. And so I stayed in and forced myself to rest until Aphrodite returned and took her place next to me in our bed.