The Tale of Otus and Ephialtes

Chapter 3

The Giants' Challenge

Dealing with the giants who introduced themselves as Otus and Ephialtes wasn't particularly difficult. Avoiding their blows and delivering a few stinging pricks with my bident to make a point...

"Aaagh!"

"Otus!"

When I exerted a bit of my divine power, Otus froze, terror evident in his eyes. Despite their strength, they were clearly inexperienced in battle.

"First, you're going to jail."

I aimed my bident at the fallen giant's eye but actually targeted his ankle. As I feinted with the bident in my right hand, I quietly drew the Styx sword from my waist with my left hand to slice Otus's ankle when suddenly...

"Wait! Hold on, Brother Hades!"

"Zeus?"

Zeus had returned to the banquet hall, calling out to me. His hair was disheveled, and ichor flowed from his scalp, likely from Hera's wrath.

Zeus's attempt to reattach his hair was comical, but the smile on his face was anything but.

Since he seemed to have a plan, I sheathed my bident and stepped back. These giants could be dealt with again if necessary.

"Ugh..."

As I stepped back, the giants slowly got up, but the fear in their eyes and their trembling fingers betrayed their unease. Zeus, looking at the bleeding giants, gave a sharp smile.

"Ahem. We must treat our esteemed guests who have come to Olympus with proper hospitality."

This was Zeus's way of showing his true intentions to those who dared challenge his authority.

"So, you've come to claim Hera and Artemis as your brides?"

There was a chilling menace in his calm demeanor, but Otus and Ephialtes seemed oblivious. Young and brash, they were blind to the subtleties of the situation.

"That's right! We swore on the River Styx to take Hera and Artemis as our wives!"

"Hurry up and hand them over!"

Despite their bravado, it was clear that Otus was slightly more perceptive than his brother. But how could he still speak so boldly after being pricked by my bident?

I had intended to subdue them and drag them to the underworld's prison. The prophecy said they couldn't be killed, and I sensed familiar divine power from them. Zeus knew this but intervened, not to show mercy, but to kill them in the most humiliating way.

"Ah, of course, heroes like you deserve Hera and Artemis!"

"Really? But what about Hades?"

"There was a misunderstanding with my brother, ha ha ha!"

Zeus planned to kill them.

* * *

"I'd love to hand over Hera and Artemis right now, but..."

"But...?"

"They aren't here."

The giants were furious upon hearing that their intended brides were not present. Zeus might have hidden them or instructed them to stay out of sight.

"What?! Are you deceiving us, Zeus?"

Ephialtes snarled, but Zeus soothed him with a gentle voice.

"Artemis is on the island of Naxos handling important business."

"What business?"

"Tracking down the Gigantes, fearsome creatures with the lower body of serpents and the upper body of humans. Even you might find them difficult to handle."

Indeed, Artemis was absent from the banquet. So, she really was on Naxos hunting Gigantes?

"She hasn't returned, so she might have been captured by them. It would be great if some brave warriors could rescue her..."

"Artemis is captured?! Zeus, if we kill those Gigantes and save Artemis..."

"Oh, if you do that, I will personally arrange a grand wedding for you here on Olympus!"

So, that's your plan, Zeus.

Zeus's proposal was full of holes. His tone was subtly goading them, and he set conditions for their marriage that required defeating monsters. He didn't even address Hera's whereabouts directly.

But the young giants didn't notice the flaws. Their youth and inexperience played a part, but the goddess of persuasion, Peitho, subtly exerted her influence beside Zeus. His flawed words carried an uncanny persuasiveness that muddled the giants' thoughts.

"Then hurry to Naxos! Artemis might fall prey to the Gigantes if you're too late!"

"Alright! Keep your promise, Zeus!"

"Where is this island of Naxos?"

The two fools fell for Zeus's words and left Olympus. Being subdued and imprisoned in the underworld would have been a better fate for them.

As if no longer needing to hide his intentions, Zeus watched the departing giants with cold eyes and spoke.

Raising a goblet of nectar, the king of gods drew everyone's attention.

"We had a brief disturbance, but I will handle it personally. All gods, please continue enjoying the banquet!"

"Understood!"

"Anyone who challenges Olympus is doomed."

"Naxos, huh? Their grave."

"Their last bit of luck was when Hades almost subdued them, ha ha ha!"

"Prophecies often have loopholes..."

Apollo's lyre began to play softly again. The nine Muses resumed their art, and Dionysus distributed wine to the gods.

"So, this is the famous wine."

"Thank you, Dionysus."

The gods returned to their revelry as if nothing had happened. Ares, who had broken free from the bronze jar, complained about the lost jar's value.

I approached Zeus directly.

* * *

"Zeus. Did you really find Gigantes on Naxos?"

"Ah, Brother, you might not know. Helios discovered traces of them while driving his sun chariot."

Gigantes were creatures created by Gaia. Their strength and regeneration were formidable as long as they were connected to the earth.

But finding them on an island in the middle of the sea? This must be a trap by Gaia.

They were likely waiting for the Olympian gods to descend to the island to spring their trap.

"Gigantes infiltrating an island? Tricking Poseidon's followers?"

"We suspected they were setting a trap to weaken our forces."

Zeus's head shook side to side. They let themselves be deceived to an extent to understand the trap Gaia and the Gigantes were setting. They could always sink or destroy the island if necessary.

While Gigantes were divine beings, they were more monstrous. Whether they could be killed needed to be seen directly...

"Even if they don't die there, my son Dionysus will handle it."

"Drive them to madness so they kill each other?"

"Indeed. Those who challenge me won't live."

I realized Zeus's intentions when he stopped me from subduing the giants. Using their strength against them, they would be dealt with appropriately.

When Zeus intervened to stop me from subduing them, I had already guessed his plan and didn't object. Their challenge to take the queen of the gods and a sworn virgin by force was a direct affront to Olympus.

This was a battle of power, not justice. If they died and reached the underworld, they wouldn't be welcomed warmly.

"Whose offspring are they?"

"The important thing is they challenged me. They will die horribly."

Even if Dionysus failed to drive them mad, Zeus had other plans. Using cloud creatures to trick them into attacking each other, or having Aphrodite enchant them.

"A good way to check Gaia's trap and eliminate nuisances."

"True, but..."

"Looks like they're heading to Naxos now. Dionysus, prepare just in case."

Zeus showed wisdom as the king of gods, yet his judgment was often clouded by his lower desires. How did the same mind handle matters of governance and personal affairs so differently?