Laz had been in many difficult situations throughout his lifetime, but this was never one of the ones he expected to be in. As he stood looking at the bed where the Queen was resting and being treated, he couldn’t help but glance at the women who had also gathered in the chamber. He had no idea what was going on, but it seemed like the secret had been leaked and he was in no mood to be on the back burner through all of this.

"I can explain your highness..." Laz began, but she raised a hand to silence him. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Aphrodite and noticed the slight shake of her head. While he didn’t know what that meant, he did know he should keep his mouth shut now.

"I called for you, but they have shown up on their own. Tell me boy, what exactly have you been doing while I’ve been away?" Hera said, her bloody red lips creasing into a smile that seemed like she had suddenly discovered something both angering and amusing at the same time.

"I have been diligently training in the arena as I was suppose to do your highness," Laz said, standing tall while saluting.

"You are a slave, not a solder. And we both know that isn’t all you’ve been up to. Now then, I’m left with a very difficult choice. My daughters have come to tell me something, but I have been poisoned by the shadow dragon and require treatment. All of you, wait outside. I shall call you in when I am ready," Hera ordered, waving away her guards and the doctors who had gathered to treat her.

"Your highness! If the poison isn’t removed as soon as possible, it could deal lasting damage to your body. We must make ready to drain it from your system and pump new blood into you if we have any chance of saving your life!" The head doctor, an old man whose white haired head yet mostly bald head shone in the light of the candles from the chandelier.

"Your highness. You are at your most vulnerable right now due to this injury. How can we walk away without being able to ensure your safety first," the lead guard, dressed in the ornate gold armor, said before looking at both Laz and the group of daughters who had made their way inside.

"Sigh. If my daughter wished me harm at this point, there is no way any of you would survive. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, but it is also the truth. Besides, if any of them wished me malice, I would be the first one aware of it as I’m sure you all already know. As for this boy? What possible harm could he do. As I am not found of repeating myself, leave now before you lose the ability to ever leave again," Hera responded in an angry growl. The doctors fled first, unwilling to upset the empress any more while the guards hung on, stubborn in their nature to protect her. It wasn’t until Hera gave a smile and nod to the one in golden armor that the guards followed the footsteps of the doctors and retreated behind the door as a loud thud suddenly echoed out even before the door was closed.

"What is it now?" Hera called out while rubbing her temple.

"Another of your daughters has made her appearance, but she attempted to run the moment she arrive. We were able to restrain this one and ask for orders about what to do with her," the golden armored warrior called out.

"Send her in. Let a few of my other daughters restrain her while I finish my business, Hera said, waving her hand in mock indifference.

Athena was quickly escorted inside where two of the girls quickly received her from the lead guard before the woman bowed and left again, this time locking the door behind her.

"Ah. My dear Athena. To think you to would come to inquire about the state of your mother. I am truly touched to know I was wrong about how I perceived you," Hera said, a very slight and hidden mocking tone in her speech.

"Of course lady mother. How could I not be worried about your health and well being after your return..."

"Oh please do shut up. I can’t handle the putrid stench coming from your mouth at this moment considering we both know it’s a lie. You obviously followed one of them here and was looking for a way to sneak closer without being caught, which resulted in failure all the same," Hera said with an expressionless face.

"Ha. Always the insight you have mother. It doesn’t matter if I find out nothing. As has been said before, father has no need for you and your lacking skills considering you went even able to complete such a simple job as this. So soon you will be replaced and there are more than one of us that wish to do that replacing. After all, you’ve sat on the seat for far too long while wasting far to much. Better to give it to someone younger than you with a much brighter future ahead than you have left. As we all know, the one by father’s side shall be the next god to descend. And when that happens, what value would you possible have left?" Athena said, mocking spite sprinkled into her words.

"You are such a fool despite having such a good head on your shoulders sister," Artemis said, stepping forward.

"And you’ve never once beaten me in combat. So what does it matter at who is smarter? I can kill you any time I wish and then I shall be considered the smarter one," Athena laughed while the other sisters gathered just sighed.

"Can see the forest for the trees, hmm?" Hera said, jokingly.

While everyone seem distracted by her words, Athena made a mad dash for the door, in which stood a waiting Eris and Persephone.

"I don’t wish to fight you two!" Athena said, hoping they would move.

"It won’t be much of a fight," Eris said with a laughed and struck out, faster than Athena had ever thought possible. The strong punch hit the muscular woman right in the stomach and she doubled over, falling to the ground while fighting not to throw up.

"How the fuck?" Athena asked, before Persephone followed up, just as fast as Eris and grabbed Athena by the neck, lifting her into the air. For the strong and solid built Athena to be lifted up like a rag doll with her arms and feet flailing around was a rather comical sight, one that more than a few of the gathered goddesses laughed at. Athena had been a pain in more than just a few of their asses and to see her handled like this was very soothing to the soul. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Of course they all could do it now, but that didn’t mean they wanted to. There was no telling if the buff warrior would ever become a goddess herself and seek them for revenge.

"This... is.... impossible..." Athena got out in baited breaths.

"It’s not impossible, just not probable. But when there is one that has a tendency to break probability, well... I guess even you would be surprised? Eh dear sister?" Aphrodite laughed, no longer holding back her aura.

At her release, all of the others did so as well, stunning both Hera and Athena at the same time. Hera had felt that all of her daughters had somehow broken through the shackles of the god seed, but she had never dreamed they could grow this powerful. Unlike the realms of the Void, the god realm was divided into nine levels, nine peals of insight if you would, that means you’ve managed to understand and travelled that far down your path. Nine steps, each one as wide as the oceans and as high as the heavens, needing both understanding and energy to get you there.

But right now, in front of her, there wasn’t a single daughter of hers that was even stuck at the first step. Even the weakest had already begun their journey past the second step while Persephone had gained the most, already completing the fourth step and still working forward. Compared to their mother at the seventh step, this wasn’t much.... but considering they had all done it in the month she had been away was striking in so many ways.

Hera’s head shot back to Laz who was completely unfazed, instead looking at Persephone holding the struggling Athena and thinking to himself of what kinds of things the crazy woman would do if she had been alone with Athena. More that once Athena had ridiculed Persephone for her imprisonment and lack of a meaningful life, so the deep seeded anger of Persephone was pouring out in the only way she could at the moment, by squeezing the woman’s neck so hard it seemed like bones would crack. Considering her strength, almost none of the other sisters could stop her even if they wanted to and Hera was too injured to act. Eris was the only one whose strength could rival that of Persephone, being just at the forth pearl, but Eris hated Athena almost as much as Persephone and wasn’t going to get the ’bronzed bitch,’ as she liked to call her, out of this one.

"Sister. That’s enough..." Aphrodite said, walking over to Persephone and placing her hand on her shoulder in an effort to calm her down. But much to her dismay, a strong blast of energy shot back at her, making her withdraw her hand quickly before she was hit. Even her three pearl god strength wasn’t enough to go against the angered goddess of the underworld.

"DAUGHTER!" Hera tried calling out, but her strength was barely that of a goddess while in the state she was in.

Laz sighed and stepped forward, knowing that this would only complicate things but also knowing he had no choice.

He walked up to where the struggling Athena was started to go limp and with one well placed swing, slapped Persephone right on the face, causing her eyes to shoot from Athena to him as recognition came back to them. Still being fully covered from head to toe, it was hard to read her expression, but Laz saw it quickly. Madness slowing receding beneath the weight of recognition.

Laz slapped her again with the back of his hand this time, causing Persephone to reel back and drop Athena to the ground, Laz then strode forward and wrapped his own hand around the woman’s neck before pushing her back against the wall.

"You’re ignoring me? Really?" Laz said, a deep and dangerous whisper, right in her ear.

"I wouldn’t dream of it... master... I’m.... sorry...." Persephone said, quietly, but in the still room it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

And once again, except for Hera and Athena, no one else was shocked. As Hera looked around after recovering, the only thing she could see on her daughter’s faces was a mix of longing and jealousy.

’He fucking tamed them all?’ Hera thought, her head spinning.