Sleeping on a sofa in a moving, magically enlarged oyster sounded a lot worse than it actually was. I had no idea how many hours had passed since I fell asleep, letting Aphrodite concentrate on sailing us further north. My muscles were sore, and only at this point did I realize how tired I must have been.
Apparently lying half-dead on the shores of an island didn’t really count as sleeping as far as my body was concerned. And after having run away from home, fought with a flock of harpies, and swum across the Aegean Sea for who knows how long, I had a lot of sleep to catch up on. Not to mention engaging in the most active ways with a goddess of sex and subsequently running away from two dozen angry catoblepases.
I rubbed my eyes and looked to my side where Aphrodite was sleeping, having now changed into a blue silk robe. Thinking of all the possible islands and creatures I might have stumbled upon, I still couldn’t believe I had been fortunate enough to find my way into the realm—and even better, the bed—of Aphrodite.
I definitely wasn’t under the illusion that she’d joined me because of my incredible strength or amazing performance in bed, though that second part definitely didn’t hurt my case. But at this moment, I didn’t mind. I knew she wanted something out of helping me as much as I was getting something out of her. But this was the best possible scenario for me at this moment. Especially if the mountain she was referring to would help hide me from my father and his minions.
I looked at my inventory and realized I still had no water to quench my thirst and guessing that we might soon be engaging in more fighting, I decided against opening one of the multiple wine bottles I had. Those would have to wait until we’d managed to find a secure place to stay.
Instead, I stood up and looked through the collection of jugs that were neatly placed on the back of the room. Thankfully, Aphrodite had an ample supply of drinking water because I almost got through a whole one before I put it down again. The noise of the clay jug touching the ground was enough to wake her, and she launched herself off the sofa immediately, apparently not used to have anyone else with her in the comfort of her oyster.
“Sorry about that,” I said.
“It’s fine,” she replied, and stretched.
Despite all the dangers I’d faced over the last few days, I found myself feeling like a teenage god around her. I wasn’t sure if this was part of her divine charm or just me but I didn’t much care at the moment. I was running for my life and for all I knew, any of these days might be my last.
“Have we arrived?” I asked.
“Indeed,” she said and took a couple of water jugs along with some food from the shelves on the far side of the room. “We’d better get going.”
“Should I take something?” I offered.
“Your best attitude,” she said, and smiled when she saw my confused expression. “We will be making our way out of the sea at the village of Melathria. You’d better make a good first impression there.”
“What gods do the people believe in?” I asked, as we climbed the stairs.
“The sun, the moon, and the sea.”
“Savages then,” I noted.
“Careful how you speak about your future followers,” Aphrodite said. “If you want to build something on top of that mountain, you’ll need followers doing your work down here. Unless you already have enough of them?”
I opened my ascension skill tree and glanced at the overview.
* * *
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Divinity Level: 4
Followers: 24,581 / 25,000
Divinity Points: 4/4
* * *
Only a week ago I’d had quite a few more that twenty-five thousand devout followers. I was sure Cronus had started to spread misinformation about me and stolen enough followers from me to drop me down from Divinity Level five to four. I didn’t lose any of my unlocked skills, of course, but I had already seen the difference in how many times I could use my lightning skill per day.
* * *
Name: Divine Smite
Level: 5
Type: Active - Divine
HP Consumed: 0
MP Consumed: 85
DP Consumed: 1
Power: 26000
Range: 7000 inches
Precondition: The skill is only usable in outdoor environments with an atmosphere or places where electric currents are available.
Description: Being the god of thunder carries the advantage of being able to manipulate electricity, from the smallest spark to the biggest thunderstorm. With the expense of one Divinity Point, electricity can be directed at your will or a bolt of lightning can strike a specific target. Upon a critical hit, the lightning will chain and strike an additional enemy of the caster’s choosing.
* * *
Seeing as my Divinity Points were only returned to me after a good rest, I would now only be able to smite enemies four times per day at my new lower Divinity Level. And since I’d also needed to use my weather manipulation skill on the day I escaped, it made perfect sense for my father to try and reduce my divine influence. But if I wanted to be able to take control of a place of power, I needed to regain my higher Divinity Level. Only then would I be able to use the skill needed to claim it.
* * *
Name: Establish Divine Domain
Level: 1
Type: Active - Divine
HP Consumed: 0
MP Consumed: 500
DP Consumed: 5
Power: -
Range: Melee
Precondition: This skill can only be used at the core of a place of power.
Description: Undergoing the Apotheosis quest has opened a new world of possibilities as a god walking among mortals. Using this skill, a deity can claim a place of power and transform it into their domain, upon which they would be able to build their religion.
* * *
I definitely needed these villagers to believe in me and I could only hope that the rest of my follower count didn’t fall too much in the meantime.
“I know, I know,” I said, replying to Aphrodite’s comment with my best smile.
As we reached the top of the stairs, I heard faint clinking sounds coming from the outside. It was as if somebody was trying to pry the oyster open.
“Boy, will they be surprised when—” I said, but stopped mid-sentence as Aphrodite opened the oyster herself.
As I had expected, there were a couple of men holding metal tools in their hands that scurried backward as they saw us emerge from what must have seemed to them to be an impossible-to-open oyster.
“Good day, mortals,” I said, my voice booming at the gathered crowds. “It is I, Zeus, the god of thunder that—”
Aphrodite was smiling next to me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel the sharp pain of her heel pressing on my toes.
“And my queen, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, love, and sex,” I hurried to add. “We come here in peace and reach out to you with a single purpose, offering you protection in exchange for your allegiance.”
I looked at the gathered crowds and saw, as expected, nothing out of the ordinary. Not that this was a bad thing. These type of people were the easiest to convince to change their ways and follow a new god. Since Cronus was taking away my followers rapidly, I needed to remedy that as soon as possible.
I looked at a few of them to get a sample of the levels we were dealing with and the information I absorbed confirmed my suspicions.
* * *
Name: Nikas of Melathria
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Level: 3
* * *
Name: Peania of Melathria
Race: Human
Class: Mystic
Level: 4
* * *
They all looked to be fishermen and farmers and their eyes were filled with wonder upon looking at the two deities that had just appeared in front of them. Some of them were already on their knees, while the most daring of the younger villagers were giving Aphrodite and I playful looks. I had the feeling I would rather enjoy myself here but that enjoyment would have to wait.
“We have come here to take over the great mountain...” I said and turned my eyes up to look at it for the first time.
I raised my head higher and then even higher to take in the impossibly large mountain towering over this small fishing village. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, its peaks hidden behind white clouds. What wasn’t veiled by the sky shone bright under the sun that was still rising in the east. In fact, the mountain was so bright, that its name was inevitable to me.
“To take over Olympus!” I announced, and a wave of whispers rushed over the mortals around us.