CHAPTER 1
160 BC
Hera sat on her throne embedded in a mode of thought. Outside Olympus shone brightly, little godlings running here and there, minor gods going to the marketplace to purchase nectar and ambrosia.
Thunder boomed the throne room, lightning flashed and Zeus walked in, decorated with shining armor and his master bolt in his fist. He marched over to his throne next to his wife’s and slumped down.
“My husband, I am terribly troubled.” She whispered in his ear. “Why do you hate me so?”
“Hera, what is this nonsense? What do want?” Zeus complained, not even glancing at his wife. He scratched his beard and set down his lightning bolt, a two feet long cylinder charged with energy on his lap.
Hera stood up and began pacing in front of Zeus.
“Husband, all my fellow Olympians have themselves a hero, a representative, a demigod, even Artemis has her huntresses”
“Yes, and?”
“Well, I would like to be represented by a hero as well.”
Zeus rose from his seat slowly. For a while there was awe on his face, then it shifted to a humorous gaze. Laughter echoed the throne room, lightning flashed and thunder boomed while his laugh dominated Olympus.
“My wife, how are you going to accomplish this? You are the goddess of marriage, will you go against your beliefs and mate with a mortal?” He laughed again and gestured outside the throne room as if to say, go ahead.
Hera glared at Zeus, then snapped fingers. Nymphs flowed into the room carrying trays of godly food and wine. Zeus’s face softened and he helped himself to some wine. Hera made sure that he was intoxicated enough that she could share her ideas to him about her situation.
After talking to him, and encouraging him to grant her her request, Zeus sat up, he was still drunk but he still pondered on Hera’s proposal.
“Are you sure wife?
“Yes, there isn’t anything else I’d ask for, I’m positive!”
“Okay Hera, we’ll have to discuss this with the rest of the Olympians including my brother from the underworld.” Zeus said with distaste.
The next day the throne room was filled to capacity, not only the Olympians were seated on their thrones, but also all the other minor gods and goddesses were assembled there. Thunder pulsated through the throne room leaving a loud humming sound. Zeus appeared in the middle of the throne room. Twelve thrones made a semicircle at the end of the giant room opposite the doors. Zeus turned around to face the pantheon of gods.
“Olympians, we have assembled here today mostly because we are required to as on the winter solstice. More importantly, we are here because my wife has a proposal to make.”
There were some groans among the crowd, but Hera’s face scowled. She gracefully rose from her seat.
“My fellow Olympians, as my husband has fore-mentioned, I have a proposal to make, most of ,”
She was interrupted from a blast at the corner of the room. A portal appeared and a man with dark robes stepped out. His face was pale white and he had dark hair. His robes was embroidered from tormented souls.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said grinning. “You know how the traffic is from the underworld to here,” he paused, “Ohh, you probably don’t know,” he said with a bit of regret on his face, he shook off the feeling and walked leisurely to a little stool at the end of the semicircle.
“Hades, welcome finally to the solstice,” Hera chided, “May I Continue?
Hades gestured with his hands to carry on.
“As I was saying, most of you here would have your demigods doing your bidding and representing you in the world below, even Artemis would have her little huntresses to bring her glory. I have never tasted this glory or have any heroes to represent me on earth. I have come to the conclusion that I want a representative,”
There was some snickers throughout the room but Zeus put his hand up to cease it.
She continued, “I have devised a plan that would grant me the honor to be represented by a hero. Each Olympian will put a fraction of their power into a specially carved hand forged by my son Hepheastus.” She flicked her hand and a podium appeared next to the hearth.
Everyone turned their attention to the podium. On it was an open flask. Disagreement and disorder rose in the throne room. Athena rose and everyone became quiet.
“Hera, this is foolish, your ‘representative’ would be extremely powerful, he or she would have a terrible life, they would face numerous amount of horrors! Every day will be a torture for the hero. You can’t possibly do this!” Athena exclaimed.
Zeus stood from his seat, “This is my wife’s request, it isn’t much to ask. I expect you to honor her.” He said.
Athena sat back down.
Hera continued, “Don’t worry, every hero must live through challenges, and I will ensure that his life would be difficult, but there is no choice. I need a representative”
“May the granting of powers commence!” Zeus thundered. He raised his lightning bolt and thundered boomed throughout the throne room for the last time.
He stepped up to the podium, cut his wrist against the brim of the flask and golden blood, Ichor dripped from his hand into the flask. All the other gods followed his action with Hades being the last. Hades walked up to the podium, but before he cut his wrist, he turned to face Hera.
“Sister, you’re either dooming the world, or making it better place, either way, this hero is going to be rather lucky, especially wielding some of my powers.” With that, he cut his wrist letting golden blood drip from his hand into the flask.
Hepheastus snapped his fingers and the flask transformed into a miniature fist crafted brilliantly from celestial bronze. It gently hummed with power.
“Every seven centuries, a hero will rise from mortal parents with faint godly ties. He will be the one to wield the godhand. The godhand cannot be taken from the present wielder. The wielder will be formally called the godhander and my wife, Hera will be the patron of this hero.” Zeus said.
Zeus flared his nostrils and the godhand disappeared from the podium to arrive in the hands of some powerful yet unfortunate young hero.