Valhalla Saga

Episode 58/Chapter 3: The Goddess of the moon (3)

TL: Tsubak

ED:

“How surprising. For the master of Asgard to also be the successor of Erin. I could have never imagined that.”

“I was more surprised that you took control over Echidna. The only one that has been able to gain control of the ancient dragon that is the mother of all monsters was Heracles.”

When Hestia and Athena arrived at Echidna’s palace after being led by Adenmaha and said some words, Echidna spoke with a dim expression as if she was reviewing her memories.

“Ah, Heracles was certainly amazing. Yes yes, he should be at the top five in my entire life. No, the top three.”

It seemed like Echidna got excited just by imagining things that she started to pant heavily. Hestia forced a smile at the abominable scene and looked away and Athena let out an enraged voice.

“Abominable snake, choose your words wisely. You are in front of Hestia-nim.”

She spoke quite offensively but Echidna just snickered and bowed down in an exaggerated way.

“Yay, yay. I will do that.”

Athena’s eyes became sharp as it was clear she was teasing her. Echidna looked at Athena’s eyes fixedly. She was telling her to do it if she dared.

“Athena.”

Hestia grabbed Athena’s hands softly and showed a smile. The simple smile instead of thousands of words made her calm down and then took a deep breath.

It was at that moment.

[It’s certainly sur-prising concern- a little-]

[Apollo?]

The voice of Apollo was heard from Sybilla as he had come out to face Athena and Hestia. The voices of the Gods was only transmitted to Athena but his words were cut off in parts and his voice was bad.

[Typhon’s- power- connection- unstable]

It seemed like the power of Typhon surrounding them was obstructing with Apollo’s power. They had been forgetting that Apollo was hiding in his shelter and wasn’t moving because it had been quite smooth until now.

Athena had no way to know how far away they were or if there was something else in between the two places that was obstructing their connection so Athena could only think of it as being Typhon’s power.

Whatever the case, Athena just decided to focus on another thing.

[Apollo, what are you saying it concerns you?]

[Warfare- You more than me- He- Part of Olympus- Conquer- If- Mistake- Olympus- All]

Those were words that gave you goosebumps. Athena flinched for a moment and then denied it bluntly.

[There’s no way.]

It had been short but she had still observed Idun’s warrior, the master of Asgard. He had come to this place to help Olympus, not to take over it all.

[But- Probabilities- High- Think about it. From now on his sacred force- Get wider- Plenty of possibilities- And on top of that we have to help him. To win, he has to- widen his sacred force. That’s why when we get a hold of ourselves we may find ourselves in a situation we can’t turn back.]

It was a situation that was as important as their will and your thoughts got to change depending on every situation.

[He’s the master of Asgard and the Gods of Asgard are Gods of war. That cunning guy Odin could have gotten greedy after he saw his sacred force getting made in Olympus. What do we do if the army of Asgard flock over here with the excuse to liberate us?]

Apollo’s voice became clear. It seemed like he had found a way to stop Typhon’s obstruction as expected of the God of messages.

[Athena, you should know better than me as you are the Goddess of warfare. That’s why you should think and judge carefully. He’s not a warrior or a hero anymore. He’s the master of Asgard and the successor of Erin. He’s someone that had revived Erin in Olympus. In addition, he also has a strong army of dragons. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that he has already surpassed us.]

Everything he had said was right.

Athena believed in Tae Ho. It made her trust in him deeply as he had rescued her.

But she couldn’t trust in Odin.

In addition, Tae Ho was indeed the master of Asgard but they had no ways to know as to what kind of relationship he had with Odin.

If Odin was thinking of taking over Olympus. If those atrocious Gods of war of Asgard desired Olympus.

Will Tae Ho be able to control all of them? Won’t he rather get convinced by them and end up conquering Olympus? He was also the God of conquers.

[But we have no other choices.]

There was no strength in Athena’s voice. The God of rationality Apollo answered with a bitter voice at her deluded voice.

[Right, we can only help him. We can only hope he’s not someone like Odin. But we can at least be on our guards. We can’t let our nose get cut off while we have our eyes opened.]

Apollo wasn’t a fool either. He didn’t say absurd things like they should obstruct Tae Ho or attack him when they weren’t even winning.

He just didn’t allow his heart. He didn’t leave behind his heart that was on guard.

[I understand what you are thinking. I will bear it in mind. But Apollo, at least I think that the master of Asgard is someone we can trust in.]

For Asgard and the nine realms.

Asgard won’t leave behind Olympus.

It wasn’t only Tae Ho. There was no lie in the yells of the Valkyries and the warriors of Valhalla.

[I also hope my trust towards them doesn’t break.]

The conversation with APollo ended here. Athena looked at the front again and flinched unconsciously.

It was because Echidna was observing her with unchanging eyes compared to before.

“What are you talking so secretive about? Is it troublesome if I hear it?”

The voices of the Gods was transmitted more quickly than when you spoke physically but they couldn’t trick Echidna’s eyes.

This land had become Erin and entered Tae Ho’s hands but she was still the queen of this city. Even if it was impossible to eavesdrop their conversation, she could easily grasp that there was a conversation between them.

Because of that Athena made up a logical excuse.

“What secretive talk? Typhon’s strength is so strong that his divine message got unstable so we only talked through the voices of the Gods for a moment.”

“The situation here- wonder- itself. Certainly difficult-.”

Apollo spoke through Sybilla trying to back up Athena. Echidna opened her eyes sharply at the voice that was heard with a lot of difficulty but then snickered.

“Hm, okay. I won’t talk to you then.”

Her words were directed to Apollo but she was still looking at Athena. Hestia couldn’t see that anymore and stood up.

“Echidna, we are in your side. Let’s combine our power and hearts.”

Hestia’s voice and smile was as warm as the hearth. Echidna could step back unavoidably at her gentle smile that had no selfishness.

“Well....let us both work hard. It won’t work if only one of us does.”

But she still couldn’t throw away her small banter.

In the end Adenmaha, that also couldn’t handle watching them like Hestia, spoke to Echidna through mystical magic.

[Echidna, why are you picking up a fight like that?]

[Lewd lady. Do you think I didn’t notice? That Apollo is thinking of a completely different thing. Athena has a good head but she sucks at acting.]

That was the reason she didn’t want to call the Gods of Olympus to the new Erin. She had already guessed that they would get a change of heart when they saw this place.

Adenmaha glanced towards Sybilla and then pouted.

[You said that you wouldn’t call me lewd anymore.]

[Master doesn’t have to hear me say that. Isn’t that right lewd lady?]

[Only I will suffer if I argue with you. But even so, don’t act too much like that. Just like Hestia-nim had said, we have to join our strength.]

There was sincerity in Adenmaha’s voice. That was the reason Echidna liked Adenmaha but she was also quite frustrating.

[Too soft. You are so soft it feels like you will get crushed if I press on you. Lewd lady doesn’t know the Gods of Olympus at all. They are beings that may strike your back at anytime and anywhere. They can put poison in your drink right in front of you while smiling.]

Echidna had never gone outside of Olympus but she was sure of it.

There was no race that was as nasty as the Gods of Olympus. No matter how nasty the Gods of Olympus and Erin were, they shouldn’t be as much as the Gods of Olympus.

[Um....but you know that you are also a God of Olympus right?]

Because she was a God of dragon.

Echidna snorted at Adenmaha’s remark.

[That’s why I got conquered by master roughly. My mind and body become to master so there’s no way I will betray him.]

[Hey, when did you get conquered roughly! Please stop saying things that can bring misunderstandings.]

[You should be the one that controls your expression. Athena and Hestia are looking at you with weird faces.]

“Adenmaha, are you hurt somewhere?”

Hestia asked with a worried face at the perfect moment. Adenmaha got bewildered at her really gentle look and then answered with difficulty.

“A bit of anemia........Thank you for worrying about me.”

She tried to finish it by smiling somehow but it was certainly awkward. Echidna even clicked her tongue telling that she could only act that much.

“Whatever the case, we now got a base and an army so we should be able to fight properly. In addition, this base isn’t known to the enemy yet so it should be good to make a surprise attack.”

Athena gathered the attention of everyone. Echidna also didn’t make useless enmities and agreed while biting on a cigarette.

“The basics should be striking and retreating. But we won’t be able to win with that. You also know that, right?”

Even guerilla tactics had its limit. They didn’t only have to destroy the army of the enemy but also take away their land. If all of Olympus excluding the new Erin entered the hands of the enemy, no matter how many times they won they would still get defeated in the end.

Athena also knew that well. Strategic battles would always overwhelm tactical battles.

“We have to recover our sacred forces and make an aspect of a force. The first priority is to recover Apollo’s sacred force.”

Athena believed in Tae HO. She wanted to. But Apollo’s words also had some truth behind them. Rather than increasing the force of Erin, it was better to increase Athena’s and Apollo’s strength as they were two of the 12 Olympians.

But of course, Athena wasn’t saying this recklessly. It was because looking at it strategically, it was proper to recover the polises of Apollo that were safe and increase their forces.

“That’s one thing but what do you think about the Protogenoi?”

Athena frowned as Echidna asked another thing.

“I think that there are probabilities but i’m not certain of it. I think that we should prioritize fighting the enemy in front of us and overturn the situation.”

“Well, I also agree as that’s a standard textbook move.”

Because they should defeat the enemies in front of them first.

When Echidna answered a bit slantingly, Adenmaha let out a sigh once again and spoke to her once again with her mystical magic.

[You did say things like betrayal and other things but.....isn’t it just that you don’t like Athena-nim?]

[Yes, that’s right. I don’t like her.]

Adenmaha could only let out a sigh as Echidna cut off her words.

‘Well, is that an obvious thing?’

It was a meeting between a God and a monster that had a feud for a long time. They couldn’t close the distance in an instant even though the two of them were beings that wanted to maintain the world.

Adenmaha looked at Hestia instead of Athena and Echidna that had started to have a staring contest and Hestia, that was thinking similarly to Adenmaha, nodded and put the situation in order.

“I think that we will be able to proceed with the detailed story when the master of Asgard arrives.”

“Right. But it seems like he’s arriving. Hermes is also here.”

Echidna looked at the ceiling and said. Not long after that, Tae Ho and Hermes arrived on the palace of Echidna.

“Wow, this really is Erin. This air belongs to Erin.”

Hermes sniffed as if it was amazing and spoke. Hestia dropped her shoulders at that simple look and put a sincere smile.

She really welcomed Hermes’ return because of the uncomfortable atmosphere created by Athena and Athena.

“Hermes, you were safe. I’m glad.”

“I have returned well thanks for your concern.”

As Hermes smiled Echidna and Adenmaha also welcomed Tae Ho.

“Master has also done well.”

“Did you have a safe trip?”

Echidna spoke bewitchingly as if trying to seduce Tae Ho and Adenmaha just spoke brightly because she liked that Tae Ho had returned.

Tae Ho nodded in a good mood because of the different responses and then sat next to Adenmaha.

Athena threw a question when everyone took seat.

“Hermes, what happened with the news outside? Did you accomplish something on your search of Demeter and Hephaestus?”

Hermes could roam Olympus freely thanks to his winged shoes Talaria.

In the first place, the reason he arrived in the new Erin later than Hestia and Athena was because he had been on reconnaissance.

Hermes frowned at Athena’s question and then scratched his head.

“There are good and bad news. I think it should be good to say everything at once so gather everyone that you deem needs to hear this.”

Adenmaha stood up and went to call everyone as Tae Ho nodded.

Fortunately, everyone was nearby so they could gather them in a few minutes.

Hermes looked at Hydra in Nidhogg’s embrace with a surprised look but then started to speak.

“First....I couldn’t figure out Hephaestus’ location at all. But what is fortunate is that I have somewhat grasped Demeter’s location.”

“Do you know where she is?”

Drakon Ismenios asked hurriedly. Hermes put a sorry expression as he knew of his relationship with Demeter and answered.

“I think that Poseidon took her.”

Grief appeared in Ismenios’ face. Athena wasn’t putting a good expression either.

“If I speak in more details.....the kids of Sparta got liberated after Ares died right? It seems like they freed Demeter when they got a hold of themselves. Demeter also took care of them instead of venting out her anger on them as they have also lost their God suddenly. Should I say that their leaders changed?”

“And Poseidon attacked in the middle of that?”

Hermes nodded at Athena’s question.

“It seems like he descended himself. THat old man was someone that thrusted at Demeter even when he was sane.”

Athena closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Just like Hermes had said, Poseidon really desired Demeter at his usual self.

She had forcefully made Demeter to have a child with him when she had fallen in despair when Persephone disappeared so there was nothing to talk about now that he had become someone wanting to destroy the world.

“What about Sparta?”

“It obviously is a chaos. I have something I have to say about that.”

Hermes took a breath and then looked at everyone and spoke.

“Ares died but they still have five of the 12 Olympians to take up his position. Zeus-nim stays silent in the mount of Olympus but that isn’t the case for the other four. If I were to say an obvious thing.....the remaining three aren’t powerless at all.”

The 12 Olympians was a gathering of the strongest Gods of Olympus. They weren’t so powerless as to wait dumbfoundedly for them to get destroyed one by one now that Ares had died.

“A proper counterattack has started. Looking that they moved in a bunch while we were taking some air, it seems like they finally started with the connection.”

Until now, it had been a transition period for the enemy. The time each one of them turned into beings that wanted to destroy the world after being seduced by the voice was different and they still didn’t know clearly who had turned sides.

But that wasn’t the case anymore. The ones wanting to destroy the world that were scattered everyone started to join their forces.

“Poseidon has swept don all of the cities near the shores and is sending his army to the ground. He’s planning to attack the remaining cities of Athena, Demeter and Hephaestus indiscriminately. It seems like the lesser Gods and nymphs that have remained as beings wanting to maintain the world are also attack targets.”

Athena’s face dimmed. The pain she got when she lost Athens felt like it would tear her chest again.

“Artemis, that stayed silent for a moment, has started to move her army again. It seems like Dionysius has joined her now.”

“They should be coming towards me.”

Apollo spoke through Sybilla’s mouth. Hermes nodded.

“That’s right. Dionysius army of monsters were added so it’s a really huge army.”

It wasn’t simply because Artemis was obsessed with Apollo. It was because only attacking Apollo’s polises in a concentrated manner to completely destroy his sacred force was much more beneficial than destroying various polises.

“Aphrodite has also started to move. It seems like she has started to fill the empty space Ares made. I think that she used the power of seduction that she is taking over Ares’ sacred force at a quick rate.”

“What about Zeus-nim?”

“Zeus-nim is only mobilizing his heroes. Almost all of them are on the connecting path to block it but it still seems like some heroes joined Poseidon, Artemis, etc.”

It really was an attack in waves like Hermes had said.

Athena, that was listening to the story with a dark face, bit her lower lip once and then organized the story.

“If we summarize it, it should be like this. Demeter got captured by Demeter, Poseidon’s army that is attacking all the polises, Artemis and Dionysus that want to destroy Apollo’s sacred force, Aphrodite that is taking over Ares’ sacred force, and the army of Zeus-nim that is still conquering the connecting path.”

“Whatever it is, I think that we should also move. We can’t get pushed to the brink just by standing still.”

Hermes finished talking and looked at Tae Ho. Not only him but everyone in the room also looked at Tae Ho.

‘You are the one that will decide.’

Cuchulainn said. Tae Ho was the one that would decide the action of the group just like he said.

They couldn’t answer to all of the five options. He had to choose one of them.

How would they move? Who will they rescue and who will they fight against?

Tae Ho’s pondering didn’t last long.

< Episode 58 – The Goddess of the moon (3) > End