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Arius' Adventures in DC
Chapter 16: The Fall of Olympus
-Persephone-
Persephone stood frozen, staring at the space where the now-closed portal had vanished. Her hands trembled violently, her breath ragged as the weight of what had just occurred sank in. Hades was dead, truly dead, and she would have been next had she delayed Arius' request. Seeing that the Saiyan was gone, the anxiety that clawed at her chest, finally hit as her mind spiraled into chaos.
'What do I do? What happens now?' She thought looking around as the walls of what remained of the Underworld seemed to press in on her, the oppressive emptiness left by Hades' absence threatening to crush her.
But then a surge of energy, powerful and overwhelming, erupted nearby and started funneling into her and Persephone gasped, her eyes widening as divine power flooded every fiber of her being. It was intoxicating and she knew what it was, Hades' death had left the realm without a ruler and it had chosen her, so she was no longer just the queen consort of the Underworld, she was its ruler.
A slow, incredulous smile crept onto her face as realization set in. The fear, the panic while still present wasn't nearly as bad as the sheer weight of newfound divinity made her feel more certain of herself. It made her feel alive in a way she never had before, her body humming with strength that rivaled, if not surpassed, what Hades had wielded since she was now the Goddess of Agriculture and Death. Feeling the power the idea of vengeance flickered in her mind.
'I could go to Olympus,' she thought, 'I could defeat Arius and avenge Hades.' She thought, her fingers curled into fists as she imagined Arius kneeling before her, broken and defeated, licking her feet and worshipping her, but as soon as she focused and opened another portal to Olympus, she felt it.
Arius' aura.
Even through the portal she still felt as if he was still right next to her and the moment from earlier replayed in her mind, his very presence was suffocating, a dark, unrelenting force that pressed against her very soul. The oppressive weight of it made her knees buckle slightly, and her breath hitched once more as she came to realize the undeniable truth.
She can't win.' She acquiesced as she exhaled slowly calming her nerves trying to think of any way to get back at the Saiyan who took the life of her husband, but no matter how much she racked her head it all came back the same.
"The best revenge… is living well." she whispered to herself and with a wave of her hand, she closed the portal and sealed the Underworld, closing it off, so that no one would enter.
She looked at the bigger picture, the Underworld was her domain now, and she would ensure its survival, along with the billions of souls under her care and she couldn't risk provoking a force like Arius again.
'Besides, in a few million years he'll be dead.' She mused, a sly smile tugging at the corners of her lips knowing that for all his power Arius was still mortal and like all others would face the cruel grips of time.
So for now she had to fill in the gap to occupy herself until he passed and she already had her first self-appointed task, to repair the extensive damage Arius had inflicted upon the Underworld. The realm was scarred, entire regions bigger than some planets in volume were erased from existence and it would take time, millennia, perhaps, to repair. But time was something she had in abundance. And when her work was done, when the Underworld was whole once more, she would check to see if Arius was dead yet.
-Arius-
He towered over Zeus, his colossal frame casting an oppressive shadow over the so-called King of the Gods. Arius knew who the man was based on the power radiating off him being the strongest out of all the gods present along with the description Diana gave him once. Zeus' face paled and eyes wide with disbelief, stammered as he looked up at the Saiyan.
"H-How did you escape the Underworld?" Zeus croaked, his divine confidence shattered, but Arius didn't respond with words. He always thought actions spoke louder so he casually tossed something onto the ground with a wet, sickening thud.
The severed head of Hades rolled across the marble floor, its lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead. The remaining eleven gods, along with the captured members of the Justice League, froze in stunned horror at the sight.
Zeus' face contorted in disbelief as he turned back to Arius, but before the god could react Arius attacked, swinging his arm with such blinding speed that no one had time to react and with the single, devastating blow, he pulverized Zeus' entire torso. The god's head hovered in the air for a brief, surreal moment before it, along with his lower half succumbed to gravity and fell lifelessly to the ground right next to Hades' head.
The silence was ended by a piercing scream as a goddess that Arius didn't know the name of, rushed forward, falling to her knees beside Zeus' remains. She clutched his remaining body part, her sobs reverberating through the grand chamber.
Seeing the scene Arius felt nothing and didn't spare her a second glance as he expanded his senses, expecting Zeus to reform like Hades since Mount Olympus was supposed to be his realm, but as the seconds dragged on, there was nothing. No divine regeneration, no return. Just a lifeless head and his lower half body.
Arius scoffed in disdain, his voice dripping with contempt as he muttered, "Puny god."
Turning his attention to the remaining ten gods, Arius' glare hardened. "Stay still." he warned, his voice tinged with a commanding tone.
With that, he strode toward Diana, who was bound in chains, her eyes softening at the sight of him. Without hesitation Arius gripped the chains and pulled, shattering them like brittle pieces of spaghetti.
Diana wasted no time and immediately threw her arms around him, crushing him in a powerful hug. "I knew you would save me," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion and Arius was momentarily stunned.
He hadn't expected Wonder Woman, the embodiment of pride and strength, to welcome rescue so openly as he knew she wasn't the type, but he didn't reject her and returned the hug, his massive arms wrapping around her protectively, knowing that she had to have suffered something cruel beyond all measures at the hands of the gods to react like that.
"I'll handle the rest, for now just free the others." he murmured while trying to comfort her and Diana nodded, quickly moving to release the captive members of the Justice League.
Arius turned back to the gods, his anger stoked even further as his eyes narrowed. The woman was still sobbing while clutching Zeus' head, the others stood still, following his order which he didn't expect, but as he debated how to kill with them for making Diana suffer one of the Goddess' stepped forward, her posture steady despite facing him.
Looking at her Arius had to admit that she was beautiful, but he sensed that she was even weaker than Zeus and that sorry excuse of a god was already disappointing enough, "I am Athena, Goddess of Wisdom," she announced, her voice calm and measured, "I was the one who gave you the visions that led you here." She explained and Arius raised an eyebrow, curious about what she was going to say.
"I ask that you spare me," Athena started and if true he saw no reason to kill her, but she continued, "and grant me the right to inherit the mantle as the true god of Olympus."
"There are plenty of puny gods here. What do you mean by 'true god'?" Arius frowned, not understanding what she meant because even now he could sense that she wasn't the strongest being of the gods present and it was unlikely they would submit.
Before Athena could answer, the sobs ceased. As the Goddess clutching Zeus' head shuddered as her aura ballooned, surging with newfound power. She moaned aloud, the sound a mix of agony and ecstasy, before standing upright, her eyes burning with hatred as she glared at him, which Arius found mildly amusing since he was the same when he arrived, but when facing such weak beings he couldn't let his anger go unchecked.
Athena's voice cut through the tension. "Divinity doesn't go unclaimed," she explained and Arius turned back to her wanting to know what she meant by that, "It is only passed down and I want to absorb the divinity of the other gods for helping bring you here." She paused, her eyes glinting with something unreadable. "I would even become your divine consort and personal goddess, if you wish."
Arius was taken aback as he hadn't realized that the death of a god meant that another could absorb their power. 'Did Persephone inherit Hades' divinity?' he wondered, but he quickly dismissed the thought because even if she did, Persephone would never match his strength.
"Did Athena tell the truth?" He asked Diana, who was in the middle of freeing Batman, for confirmation and she nodded reluctantly, which confused him considering that amazon was so different, but before he could ask, the Goddess who inherited Zeus' power launched herself at him, cloaked in lightning, her newfound power crackling around her.
Without looking Arius caught her by the neck, startling her. She struggled, realizing too late that even with her increased power, she was still hopelessly outmatched. Arius slowly turned to face her, his expression one of bored indifference.
"Utterly pathetic," he sneered, his grip tightening as he glanced at Athena, "What are their names?" He asked wanting to know the name of the gods he was going to kill and Athena obliged, pointing to each god one by one, naming them. When she finished, Arius nodded, his decision made.
"Alright, you can have their divinity." He agreed and after uttering those words he squeezed and crushed Hera's neck effortlessly, her body going limp in his hand. The remaining gods realized that Arius wasn't going to spare them and bolted in terror.
Athena moved swiftly, arriving next to Arius and reaching out into the air and making a pulling motion, and her aura immediately surged as she absorbed the power of the now dead Hera and Zeus.
"Close off Olympus so they can't leave while I hunt them down." Arius ordered Athena who should now have authority over Olympus because of Zeus' power and she smiled, a wicked gleam in her eyes as she obliged and sealed Olympus, trapping the remaining gods.
Before he took off Arius turned to Diana, "How do you want them to die?" he asked, his voice cold and casual, as if discussing livestock rather than gods.
Diana paused as she freed Superman, who was the last one, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she looked at the remains of Zeus and Hera and grimaced, "I worshiped them all my life," she admitted quietly, "I still hold some affection for them."
"They touched you, so I'm going to kill them." Arius said with finality, his disdain for the Olympians palpable and Diana sighed, knowing there was no reasoning with him.
"Just… make their deaths quick and painless." She replied and while Arius wanted to make them suffer he would abide by her request because they were too weak for him to care too much about and again before Arius could respond, a small, irritated voice shouted.
"You can't kill them." He shouted and Arius looked over to see the boy who was chained along with the Justice League. The boy's face was flushed with frustration, his young voice defiant despite the fear in his eyes.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Arius asked, his tone more curious than hostile.
"I'm Shazam!" the boy snapped, standing as tall as he could manage.
Arius blinked, genuinely surprised. He focused his senses, analyzing the boy's Ki signature and was baffled because even now it was nothing like the Ki he'd felt from Shazam before.
"Your Shazam?" He asked skeptically and Athena, ever the opportunist, nodded.
"Yes. That boy is Billy Batson, a mortal who channels the power of the gods to become Shazam. Once I absorb all the divinities, I can make him even more powerful than before." She exclaimed with a sly smile.
"There you'll still be Shazam." Arius said, not bothering to pay any more attention to the boy, "Have you sealed off Olympus?" He asked the Goddess wanting to make sure he didn't have to hunt down the gods to other realms as it would be troublesome.
"Yes, they're scattering like flies. Once you kill them, I'll absorb their divinity." Athena's eyes gleamed, "And Arius, good hunting."
Arius cracked his knuckles, ready to finish off the Olympic Pantheon, but as he prepared to move a hand fell on his shoulders and he knew who it was, turning his gaze meeting the determined face of Superman.
"That's enough," Batman said firmly, his voice low and authoritative.
"You've done enough damage, Arius," Superman added, his tone more measured but no less serious.
Arius' eyes narrowed, his patience thinning. The audacity of these weaklings trying to command him was almost laughable. His aura flared, a silent warning to the heroes.
"Are you trying to order me around?" Arius growled, his voice taking a dangerous edge. "After everything they've done to Diana, you want me to let them live?"
"I'm a hero and I don't tolerate killing." Batman replied, his tone unwavering and for a moment, there was silence. Then Arius burst into laughter, a deep, guttural sound that echoed through the cell. It wasn't just amusement he was feeling, it was because of the sheer irony coming from the two.
"What's so funny, Arius? We're serious." Superman frowned, but he ignored Kal-El and continued laughing, getting it out of his system because it was better to laugh than to kill, but even then Arius' eyes gleamed with anger as he stared them down.
"What's funny," Arius said, his voice low and mocking, "is that you weaklings think you can command me." His gaze shifted to Batman, and his scowl deepened, "But what's even funnier is you trying to order me around while being so hypocritical."
"I've seen the news. A couple of years ago, when those Martians invaded Earth? You let millions of them die. Millions." Arius said, his eyes narrowing and Superman's mouth opened to speak, but Arius shut him up with a glare and continued.
"And even if I ignored that," Arius continued, "I saw with my own eyes all of you, and every member of the Justice League, slaughtering Parademons without hesitation. So tell me, where was your code of honor then? Were they less deserving of life because they were aliens?" He asked and both Batman and Superman stood silent, unable to answer.
But that only pissed him off because if they had the balls to take such a stance then they have to have some reasons to back it up. So he unleashed his aura, carefully controlling it to focus entirely on the two. The pressure forced Superman and Batman to their knees, their legs buckling under the weight.
"You make up these faulty codes to feel better about yourselves," Arius snarled, his voice reverberating through their bones. "The only reason you care now is because these gods look human. You didn't care when it was Martians or Parademons and the only reason both of you aren't dead is because it would upset Diana."
"Just like everyone here killed those aliens without remorse to protect your world… I'll do the same because the gods took what was mine. I'll make sure they don't get a second chance." Arius finished his rant and stepped away, letting the pressure off the two, still barely restraining his fury.
With that, Arius lifted his hand, a bright green orb of Ki forming in his palm and without hesitation, he launched the beam up, the blast obliterating the entire mountain above them, exposing the cell to the sky.
Arius didn't wait. He blasted off into the sky, his energy signature burning like a star as he hunted the fleeing gods.
-Bruce Wayne (Batman)-
Superman shot him a desperate glance before taking off after the Saiyan, leaving the Dark Knight standing alone amidst the rubble.
Batman's fists clenched at his sides as he glared in the direction Arius had vanished. The anger in his eyes wasn't just for Arius, it was for the entire situation spiraling out of control.
Everything from Arius' separation from them to their capture was all because he didn't plan well enough and now under the behest of Athena, Arius was determined to hunt down the rest of the gods. Slowly, he turned to Diana, his gaze sharp and accusatory.
"Why didn't you speak up?" He demanded, his voice seething with frustration, knowing that she could have dissuaded Arius from killing the rest after he ended the lives of Zeus and Hera.
-Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)-
Diana stood dazed to the side, the roar of Arius' Ki blast still echoing in her ears, the destruction of Mount Olympus. The gods scattering like frightened lambs, but it wasn't the destruction of the home of her gods or the sight of them fleeing that left her dazed, it was Arius' indirect confession.
'The only reason both of you aren't dead is because it would upset Diana.' His words echoed in her mind, a quiet warmth blooming in her chest that washed away any guilt she had about the deaths of her gods. For all his fury and chaos, she was his reason for all of this.But the warmth quickly evaporated when Bruce turned to her, his eyes dark with anger.
"Why didn't you speak up?" he snapped, his voice sharp and accusing. Diana snapping out of her daze scoffed, the audacity of the man sparking irritation deep within her.
"You have the nerve to ask me that? Arius was right. You're a hypocrite, Bruce." She shot back, stepping closer and getting in his face. Bruce's jaw clenched, but Diana pressed on, her voice rising with each word.
"You've personally killed hundreds of Martians and Parademons and are responsible for the loss of tens of thousands of aliens. Or have you conveniently forgotten J'onn J'onzz? The Martian who brought us together telepathically years ago? He warned us about the Martians, their weaknesses, their potential danger. And what did we do?" She jabbed a finger at Bruce's chest making the man grunt as he stumbled back slightly.
"Your plan is what made him decide that he needed to sacrifice himself to throw the Martian Mothership into the sun, and don't tell me it was the only way because Clark could've done it and came back stronger, but no. You didn't speak up despite knowing that and let J'onn die."
Bruce's fist clenched and she could tell he was getting angry, but he said nothing, and Diana continued, "And now, you stand here, preaching about justice? The gods of Olympus summoned me, imprisoned me, trying to force a weakness out of me to eliminate Arius or make him their subordinate, even though he'd done nothing to provoke them. And when I told them he had no weakness, only Athena trusted my word and now they'll have to face the consequences in the form of an angry Saiyan." She finished with a huff of grim satisfaction.
Bruce finally found his voice, though it was strained. "This isn't right, Diana. This isn't the justice I stand for. It's not the justice the League stands for. We'll find another way to punish the gods, without death."
Diana barked a bitter laugh. "Oh? And how exactly do you plan on doing that, Bruce?" She crossed her arms, staring him down. "You think the court system on Earth is going to deal with Olympian gods? That alone is laughable, but even if we did go down that route every country's justice system is different. Steal in America, you'll get a fine or jail time, if you steal in the Middle East, they cut off your hands." She asked and Bruce opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"..."
"Exactly, this isn't Earth, Bruce. This is Olympus, where gods have ruled longer than humans have existed and I was helpless against them, but Arius stood up for me and now he's their justice." Diana said daring the man to test her with the other members of the league looking away, some in shame, others just not wanting to get involved in the drama.
"And how do you plan on dealing with Arius, now that he has a divine consort in Athena and is sleeping with Selina?" Bruce asked, his eyes narrowed.
Diana's heart skipped a beat. The words hit harder than any punch. For a moment, she stood frozen, processing what Bruce had just said. She'd heard Arius agree to take Athena as his consort, but he didn't seem very interested in Goddess Athena herself, so she knew it was something she could talk him out of, but Selina.
"You're lying," she hissed, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Bruce didn't flinch or hesitate, "Am I? You've been gone for nearly a week, Diana. And the same day he wandered into Gotham, he ended up in bed with Selina." He said with a scowl as if recalling a bad memory, "I still have the video. Do you want to watch it as proof? Or would you prefer the next one, when Kara inevitably sleeps with him?"
Rage boiled within her, hearing him bring up Kara with Arius and before Diana could stop herself, she surged forward and grabbed Batman by the neck, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.
"You're not as smart as you think you are if you believe I'll turn against Arius over an absurd lie," she snarled, her grip tightening. "Athena let me watch over him nearly the entire time I was captured."
While choking for air he managed to rasp, "Nearly. The very night you left, he was with Selina. Ask Flash. Superman. Or even Selina herself." He said his eyes gleaming with defiance.
Diana's eyes flicked to Barry, who stood awkwardly to the side. The speedster didn't say a word. He simply looked away, his silence more damning than any admission.
Her grip loosened as her breath started to come in short, furious bursts. She turned, her gaze locking onto Athena, whose power surged once more indicating that Arius had slain another god. The Goddess of Wisdom opened her eyes and looked at Diana with a calm stare.
"Yes," Athena said, her voice smooth, almost indifferent and Diana felt her heart being torn in two, "He did sleep with Selina Kyle the night you left, but Selina took advantage of him. She lied by omission, never telling him she wasn't a part of the Justice League when he assumed she was because, if Arius had known she was a criminal, he'd have treated her like any other and thrown her to the law enforcement of Gotham."
Diana's grip faltered, her mind racing. Athena's words were meant to soothe at Arius' supposed innocence, but they stung all the same.
"I also know you're uncomfortable with me being Arius' consort," Athena added while going over to pat Diana on the back, her power radiating with a subtle glow that made her relax at the Goddess' presence, "But power attracts. It's why Selina was drawn to him, why Kara is drawn to him… and why you are drawn to him. It's natural for a man like him to have multiple lovers."
Diana's mind whirled at the explanation. Athena, the virgin goddess, speaking so forwardly about sharing Arius, was unnerving and feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on her. She released Bruce, dropping him to the ground like a sack of potatoes and turned away from them all.
Finding a large piece of rubble from the destruction of Mount Olympus, Diana sat down, resting her elbows on her knees, staring into the distance. She needed time to process and think how she'd confront Arius.
Because no matter what they said, no matter what truths or lies were thrown her way, she already knew the moment she dove into his arms for comfort that her heart still belonged to Arius. Now she just needed to know if his belonged to her.
-Arius-
Arius hovered high above the shattered remains of Olympus, his Ki sense expanding as he pinpointed the fleeing gods. Flying over to the closest one he saw that it was deep beneath the waves, so it had to be Poseidon. The sea god probably thought hiding in his watery domain would protect him.
Truly foolish.
Without hesitation, Arius dove into the ocean, his body cutting through the water like a spear and he quickly spotted Poseidon, the white-haired god poised with his trident, eyes wide with fear and defiance. Arius had dealt with Hades' cowardice once and he wasn't going to go through that nonsense again.
In a moment he blurred into existence before the sea god and before Poseidon could react at point-blank range Arius launched a Ki blast directly into Poseidon's face. The explosion evaporated the entire body of water they were in and atomized the god in an instant.
Sensing Athena's power surge from absorbing Poseidon's divinity, Arius knew that he successfully killed the sea god and without pause, he soared towards the next closest gods, Artemis and Apollo.
It didn't even take a minute before he arrived in an open battlefield where the twin gods stood together, bows drawn, their arrows shimmering with sunlight and moonlight. Arius laughed at the notion of them resisting, but he had to give them some commendation for at least putting up a fight until the end. He let them fire their divine arrows and when they launched their attacks simultaneously it sent shockwaves throughout the open area and what might have bruised him before his battle with Death of the Endless now felt like nothing. He caught the arrows between his teeth, his glare cold and unforgiving knowing that the two would still have to pay for touching Diana.
He bit down, shattering the arrows into light and seeing that the twins exchanged a desperate glance and split, sprinting in opposite directions. Seeing them run, Arius sighed internally taking back his commendation as they hadn't even taken a full step before Arius appeared between them, his hands snapping out and grasping both of them by the backs of their heads.
With a squeeze, their skulls popped like overripe fruit.
Seeing the gore Arius cleaned the blood from his hands with a flicker of Ki, and after sensing another surge from Athena equivalent to the power of both gods he prepared to hunt his next victim, but as he was about to move, a blur of red and blue slammed into him.
That one impact hit harder than anything Arius had faced, besides Death, and if it had been before he might have been slightly injured by the hit, but not anymore and Arius didn't budge. His irritation flared, because after everything was said and done Kal-El still dared oppose him?
The hypocrisy was more infuriating than the punch and Arius considered killing him, ending the Kryptonians interference for good, but he knew both Diana and Kara would never forgive him. So with a frustrated growl, he smacked the back of Superman's head, knocking him unconscious and after aiming he hurled Kal-El's limp form back towards the rest of the League before turning his focus back to the remaining gods.
The next closest one was the Goddess who had obscenely large breasts, Arius zeroed in on Demeter and when he flew over she hid deep within a dense forest and while he thought it was foolish at first, as he approached, her presence faded until it vanished entirely, like she never existed.
Confused, Arius decided to treat the forest like the sea and underworld and again unleashed a Ki blast that leveled the entire forest and the earth beneath it for tens of thousands of miles. As the dust settled and he saw the crater he felt Athena's power spike again.
Now only four gods remained. Aphrodite's who was circling back towards Diana and the others was a non issue as he trusted that Athena and the Justice League could handle her.
That left Ares, Hestia, and Hermes, but he was growing bored and impatient, so Arius flew high into the sky of Olympus and with precise aim he launched three massive attacks, mere moments later, he sensed the deaths of Ares and Hestia. But Hermes… Hermes had escaped the blast radius, making him sigh as he flew after him.
But as Arius flew after Hermes he discovered no matter how fast he flew he couldn't catch up and it was in that moment that Arius noted how troublesome speedsters were to catch.
He didn't know how long Hermes could run, but he didn't want to find out, so Arius powered up, his aura crackling and his power level skyrocketed as he ascended to Super Saiyan. The transformation shook Olympus to its core, the very realm groaning under the strain. Supercharged, Arius blitzed after Hermes, quickly closing the distance.
With a final burst of speed, Arius grabbed Hermes by the waist, his grip like a vice as he squeezed, without much effort he felt the god's fragile form tear under his strength. As Hermes' lifeless body fell, Arius released his Super Saiyan form, sensing Olympus on the verge of collapse from his power.
Satisfied, he turned and flew back towards Diana and the others who for some reason hadn't ended the life of Aphrodite, most likely the 'Justice' League preventing Diana from finishing the job, but that wouldn't happen on his watch.
Arius then descended onto the now flat area that was Mount Olympus, his eyes immediately locking onto the last remaining goddess standing beside Diana and Athena. The Saiyan warrior landed with a soft thud, his predatory gaze shifted from the Aphrodite to the others, and he asked with a tone devoid of patience, "Why haven't you killed her yet?" He asked wanting to know if the Justice League truly wished to test his patience.
Athena opened her mouth to respond, but Diana was faster as she stepped forward, "Aphrodite wishes to make an offer." She said her voice firm but calm thought Arius caught a hint of rage, however before he could speculate further the Goddess of Love approached.
She walked to Arius with a grace that was both ethereal and seductive and as she drew closer, Arius couldn't help but acknowledge her unparalleled beauty even compared to the other Goddesses. Something about her aura radiated an intoxicating allure that was unlike anything he had ever encountered and with her perfect figure Aphrodite seemed even more enticing. She placed a delicate hand on his chest, her fingers tracing lazy circles as she looked up at him with coy eyes.
"Lord Arius, I never wished to oppose you." she murmured softly with anguish that seemed genuine and slightly tugged at his heart strings, her voice like melody. "But I was powerless to oppose the other gods. Now, with them gone, I can finally be free to do as I please and what I desire the most is to serve you in any way possible. Especially since you, Arius, are the last of your race… and Athena and I, are the last of ours. Surely, you understand the weight of that."
She leaned in closer, her breath warm against his skin. "I am the Goddess of Love. I can offer you pleasures beyond imagination, seduce any woman you desire, and bless you with countless children. Together, we could rebuild what was lost." She tempted and he could see from the corner of his eye Diana ready to pounce on Aphrodite, but was stopped by Batman.
Arius paused to think because he was tempted by her words and especially by her beauty, but beneath the surface of her charm, he sensed something was off. Her aura felt insincere, as if tainted and despite her acting he could see how fickle she was, Aphrodite's loyalty would waver the moment a stronger force appeared.
She wasn't someone he could trust, so without hesitation, his hands shot out, striking both sides of her head simultaneously. The gruesome sound of her skull collapsing echoed through the desolate plains as Aphrodite's body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
Athena convulsed slightly, her eyes glowing as she absorbed the Aphrodite's divinity. Arius could feel her power surge to a new peak that was multiple times stronger than even Darkseid. He turned his attention to the freed members of the Justice League, their faces twisted in disgust at his brutal execution. But Arius was indifferent. He cared little for their judgments.
"Athena," he called, getting a look of attention from the Goddess, "Give the boy his powers now." He motioned to the boy who was standing between Aquaman and Mera. Athena nodded and with a wave of her hand, Billy Batson transformed back into Shazam, slightly shocking Arius as he still had trouble believing the two forms could have such different Ki signatures.
Arius then turned to Diana, expecting the warmth of her smile. Instead, he was met with a furious glare. Confused, he asked, "What's wrong?"
Diana's eyes blazed with anger as she stomped up to him, jabbing a finger into his chest. "Did you sleep with Catwoman?"
Arius blinked, caught off guard by the question as his mind flashed back to over a week ago when he was left disappointed by Selina's lack of stamina but he nodded, answering truthfully, "Yes, the night you left."
Diana's face reddened with fury as she poked him harder. "Are you planning to sleep with Kara next? Considering how close you've gotten with her?"
Arius, not expecting such questions blanks slightly, not knowing what to say, but with Diana honesty was the best policy and his pride would never allow him to lie about his desires, "I don't plan to initiate anything but if it happens, I would fuck her too." He said and tears welled up in Diana's eyes.
"Do I mean nothing to you, then?" She asked glaring at him with glassy eyes and Arius frowned, genuinely confused not having much experience with women.
"Beyond Shelly, you mean everything to me. That's why I came to Olympus to rescue you." he said and Diana's fist slammed into his chest, though it didn't even make him flinch.
"Then why did you agree to make Athena your divine consort?" She asked and finally realization dawned on Arius because once was chance, twice was coincidence, but three times he needed to be a fucking idiot not to get the hint.
He gently cupped her face, his expression softening, "Do you want to be my divine consort instead?" He asked and it seemed that wasn't what she thought he was going to say as she froze in shock.
Before she could respond, Athena interjected, "If Diana isn't comfortable, I can become your divine advisor instead. Diana can take the role of your divine consort."
Diana stared at Arius for a moment, her anger visibly melting away as she threw her arms around his neck and pulled Arius into a passionate kiss. Arius responded without hesitation, holding her tightly. When they finally broke apart, Diana looked at him with an obsessive look.
"I want to be the only one." She whispered into his ear and understanding her message, Arius nodded not having to big of an issue of going twelve for twelve. He gently set Diana down giving her another kiss and called Athena over. The Goddess of Wisdom approached without hesitation, ready to accept her new role as divine advisor.
-Athena-
Athena was ecstatic. Her plan had unfolded exactly as she predicted, almost as if the threads of fate themselves bowed to her will. Everything from Arius's escape to the slaughter of the Olympian gods. All of it had gone exactly as predicted and with the divinities of her fallen kin now flowing through her, she was on the brink of becoming the one true deity of Olympus. Only one divinity remained beyond her grasp, hidden behind the sealed realm of the Underworld, but she could get that one later even without the help of Arius.
She couldn't keep the smile off her face watching him crush Aphrodite's head. It had been cathartic beyond measure. The goddess of love had always been frivolous, her charms a mockery of true wisdom constantly muddling minds. And while Athena regretted not bringing Hestia, Artemis, and Demeter into her scheme, their sacrifices were necessary. After all, their loss served a greater good, her own greater good.
The only thing she didn't account for was Diana's jealousy, not expecting the amazon to have such affection for the Saiyan and while it saved her from surrendering her cherished virginity that she had guarded since birth. The Amazon's fierce rejection of Athena becoming Arius' Divine Consort did more harm than good as it prevented her from obtaining Arius' Loyalty in the most secure way possible. Attraction that is nurtured almost always turns into affection, and bearing his child would fortify her new pantheon's power, cementing her position as his queen and wife.
So she wanted to protest and convince Arius that she was the more appealing woman, however she could see that Arius cared more for Diana, but with her newfound strength and the divinity of love coursing through her veins, Athena was confident she could seduce Arius away from the amazon in time, patience was a virtue Athena possessed in abundance.
When Arius called her over after kissing Diana, Athena felt a thrill of anticipation knowing she needed to show her worth. When he sought her presence she could further her own agenda and if he was really bold he might even share a kiss with her as well.
She approached with measured grace, her heart pounding with expectation, but before she could utter a word, Arius' hand shot out, faster than she could perceive. His fingers pierced her neck, the searing pain a cruel contrast to the power she had just begun to savor.
Looking at his face with shock she saw that he hadn't even been paying her any attention solely focused on Diana and betrayal flooded her senses as her vision blurred. Looking at the amazon the last thing Athena saw was the satisfied look on Diana's face, a silent confirmation of her folly.
In that final moment, as life slipped from her grasp, Athena realized the bitter truth, not everything goes to plan and she had gotten too bold for her own good. Her schemes, her manipulations, all for naught. The Goddess of Wisdom had fallen to her own hubris.
-Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)-
She watched Arius kill Athena with startling ease and felt grim satisfaction at the sight bringing a sense of closure. She knew it was a petty act driven by jealousy, but seeing the woman who would have likely betrayed Diana herself if Arius hadn't escaped the Underworld had been a relief.
Beyond that however Diana was more elated than anything else that Arius had chosen her over the more powerful and beautiful Athena. Despite the Goddess being more objectively more useful he still chose her and when Arius turned to ask if she was happy, she nodded, a smug smile spreading across her face.
With the Olympian Gods gone, there was no longer any threat of them causing trouble for her or anyone else on Earth and though she felt a twinge of guilt knowing that without Athena, Billy Batson would lose the powers of Shazam, she believed it was for the best, no boy that young should be fighting on the Justice League against world ending threats and supervillains anyway.
But as these thoughts crossed her mind, Diana was suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of power. She could feel her body changing as divine energy poured into her, just as it had with Athena earlier. The sensation was unlike anything she'd ever experienced, and it shocked everyone present. The Divinities of Olympus had chosen her, elevating her from a mere clay sculpture brought to life to the Goddess of Olympus.
-Bonus Scene-
Zeus stormed through the foggy expanse of the afterlife and found Hades, seated on the ground staring at the ground hopelessly and seeing his brothers sorry state the King of the Gods' eyes blazed with fury as he roared, "Hades, why did you let Arius out of the Underworld?!"
Hades' head shot up as he made eye contact with Zeus as if in disbelief, "Let him out?" he repeated baffled, but when the words of Zeus finally set in his anger surged like no other.
"That Saiyan killed me, Brother! He gained an authority over Death that even I couldn't contest. Do you think I'd let myself die on purpose you bumbling oaf!? How did you die I gave you plenty of time to torture that ungrateful bitch of an amazon and findout his weakness! Why didn't you avenge me?!" Hades yelled his fury burned hotter than the fires of Tartarus that had been useless against the Saiyan.
As their heated argument continued through the afterlife, the other gods of Olympus began to trickle in. Zeus turned, his heart swelling with a mix of sorrow and pride when he saw Hera arrive first. He smiled, assuming his queen had valiantly tried to avenge him. But as more gods arrived a different narrative unfolded.
"Athena," Poseidon spat, his face dark with betrayal. "That conniving witch switched sides the moment Arius killed Zeus and left us all to fend for ourselves."
"Not only that, she betrayed us from the beginning!" Artemis hissed, her silver eyes flashing with fury. "She's the one who told the bastard that we were holding Diana in the first place!"
Even Aphrodite, usually the picture of calm allure, fumed with indignation. "Well what else did you all expect? She played both sides of the field," she snarled, upset that she failed to seduce Arius despite her allure being full blast, any other man god or not would have begged to be her pet, but she got killed for it.
Zeus and Hades exchanged glances, their earlier anger redirected towards a new, shared target. They joined the chorus of curses, their voices blending with the other gods as they condemned Athena's treachery.
And then, as if summoned by their collective rage, Athena herself appeared in the afterlife, her eyes wide with disbelief as she took in the furious faces of her fellow gods.
There was no time for words as the eleven gods surged forward as one, their divine wrath ignited and united as they descended upon Athena, their blows fueled by betrayal and vengeance, determined to make her pay for her shameless betrayal.
AN: Alright well this was how Arius resolved the issue that was Olympus and now it's time for the next arc.
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