Every deity is a child of the Law, but in accepting this honor, they must also bear its commensurate responsibility! When a deity abandons the responsibilities inherent in their divine office, the Law will gradually distance itself from them, no longer favoring that child.
The God of Tsunamis did not believe Athena's words were entirely from the heart. The adulation of the gods had fostered pride and arrogance within him. Poseidon felt he had been sufficiently candid, yet Athena continued to deceive him with such empty platitudes. In his anger, Poseidon departed Athena's temple amidst the roar of the tsunami.
Poseidon first sought out the wise prophet Prometheus, but Prometheus had foreseen the God of Tsunamis' arrival and had long since left his temple, hiding in an unknown corner to distance himself from this conflict.
Only Prometheus's brother, Epimetheus the hindsight-seer, remained to guard the temple. Poseidon, looking at Epimetheus, who bore no resemblance to the prophet, felt his vexation reach its peak. Epimetheus the hindsight-seer only knew of events that had already transpired, possessing no foresight whatsoever for the future.
Returning empty-handed, Poseidon went to the temple of his only ally, Atlas. Tempted by Poseidon, the God of Strength was the first to be swayed. Under the guise of helping his brother, the God of Courage, clear monsters, he descended to the mortal realm. Some of Typhon's powerful descendants were gathered and persuaded by Atlas, who, in league with Echidna, the mother of monsters, secretly plotted an attack on Mount Olympus.
Upon learning that the God of Tsunamis had returned without success, Atlas, who had already been restless, led Echidna and her children in an assault on the divine mountain.
The beautiful gardens turned to mud beneath the feet of the monsters. Atlas carefully avoided the temples of the first generation of Titans who had already retired, heading directly for Zeus's temple at the highest point.
The majestic temple gates were breached one by one. During this process, not a single deity stepped forward to intervene! Atlas and Echidna proceeded unimpeded, directly storming the temple of the slumbering king of the gods.
Neither Atlas nor Echidna were fools. Such an abnormal scene unsettled them both. Echidna turned and departed without warning, disappearing into a crevice amidst the indifference of the gods.
The God of Strength, trapped in a predicament, frantically called out to his ally in the sea. Poseidon, however, never appeared. The sea remained calm, offering no assistance whatsoever.
Zeus, leading the other gods, calmly emerged from his temple. The booming thunder served as the signal for war. The gods surged forward, and within a short time, the monsters were annihilated.
Hecate, the Goddess of Winter, and Dione, the Goddess of the Ice Sea, confronted Poseidon. As the cold mist dissipated, the tsunami raised by Poseidon transformed into a majestic ice sculpture.
The seawater, under the divine power of the two goddesses, solidified at a visible rate. The spreading frost caused the conceptual sea gods of the Pontus lineage to retreat involuntarily. Phorcys, the god of sea's wrath, and Ceto, the goddess of sea's danger, exchanged glances and returned to the deep sea without a word.
Kanos, the God of Disaster, and Urias, the God of Mountains, blocked Pontus's path, preventing the primordial sea god from offering support.
Seeing his children's fruitless efforts, Pontus sighed and ceased his entanglement with Urias. After reuniting with his children, he returned to the deep-sea canyons.
Poseidon, facing the four converging deities, forced a stiff smile and said, "I merely heard that Atlas had colluded with Echidna in rebellion and attacked Mount Olympus. I wanted to return to the divine mountain to support the king of the gods as quickly as possible, not to be among these rebellious cohorts."
Hecate's lips curled into a smile. She waved her hand, sending a snowflake to envelop the God of Tsunamis. A divine power that froze all life trapped Poseidon in a prison of ice.
The gods on the divine mountain gathered in the temple. The dejected Atlas was escorted in by Kratos, the God of Strength, and Bia, the Goddess of Violence. His mother and brothers watched the God of Strength with anxious faces.
Their clamor was quickly silenced by Zelus, the God of Competition, and a hush fell over the temple, so profound that even breathing seemed audible.
Hecate and Kanos brought Poseidon into the temple, marking the commencement of the trial.
Zeus's slumber was merely a fabricated deception, designed to ensnare those gods with ulterior motives. This was the king of the gods' true intention.
"Atlas, God of Strength, and Poseidon, God of Tsunamis, do you have any further defenses to offer regarding your rebellious actions?"
Zeus's face was cold as he enumerated the two gods' defiance.
Poseidon, encased in ice, wished to beg for mercy but was unable to move. He could only cast pleading glances at his two elder sisters and brother seated on the main divine throne. Hera and Demeter wore troubled expressions, clearly aware that their brother’s involvement would not end well. They pleaded with the king of the gods to forgive Poseidon’s transgression.
"King of the Gods, whom all the gods respect, my brother was merely deceived by them into participating, and he did not desecrate the glory of the divine mountain! Please, for our sake, spare him this time."
The Goddess of Marriage and the Goddess of Fertility, with sorrowful faces, lowered their proud heads and implored Zeus for mercy. Hades, the god of wealth and the underworld, also pleaded for his brother at the behest of his sisters. "Guardian of Justice, Just King of the Gods. We are willing to accept any punishment you deem fit for Poseidon, only please do not cast him into the abyss to suffer."
Clymene, the Goddess of Renown, prostrated herself at Zeus's feet, weeping as she pleaded, "I know Atlas's crimes are unforgivable, but please, for the sake of our shared lineage from the Oceanid, be lenient. I will make him swear eternal loyalty to you! And for the sake of my sister, your mother, Tyche, spare his life!"
Lightning flashed in Zeus's eyes, and the arcing electricity shattered the stone slab before Clymene.
"Goddess of Renown, cease your crying!" His thunderous voice left Clymene stunned and trembling.
"Their transgression has endangered not only me, but all the gods on the divine mountain!"
Zeus rose and raised his hands. "The punishment they receive should be decided by all the gods!"
"Your Excellencies, the glory of the divine mountain has been overshadowed by them! In the name of Themis, the Goddess of Justice, you must render a fair judgment!"
The radiance of the Goddess of Justice soon responded to the king of the gods. Themis's scales descended from the void, witnessing whether the gods would make a fair decision.
Hecate gazed at her son, whom all the gods genuinely admired, marveling at his astuteness. Zeus had surpassed his predecessors, and allowing the gods to judge the fate of Atlas and Poseidon was a transparent stratagem, a warning and a lesson to the rebels.
If they cast a guilty vote for Atlas and Poseidon, this undercurrent of dissent would invisibly disintegrate. If they deemed Atlas and Poseidon innocent, they would have no place on Mount Olympus. The former, under pressure, would be forced to pledge allegiance to the king of the gods, while the latter, these confirmed enemies, would only face Zeus's cold retribution.