Cronus' system: Against the gods

The sacred halls of Olympus trembled with unease, a rare tension gripping the gods. The golden palace, usually alight with the sound of revelry and banter, was subdued. Zeus, King of the Gods, sat on his throne, his brow furrowed as he surveyed the assembly before him. His thunderous voice broke the silence, reverberating through the chamber.

"The artifact has been stolen."

A murmur spread through the gathering of deities. Athena stepped forward, her gray eyes sharp and questioning. "What artifact, Father?" she asked, her voice calm despite the weight of his words.

Zeus' gaze darkened, and with a wave of his hand, an image appeared in the air—a glowing orb, swirling with threads of gold and silver energy. "The Aegis Crystal," he said gravely. "A relic of immeasurable power, forged by the Titans themselves. Its magic binds the balance of the mortal and divine realms."

Gasps rippled through the room. Even the usually unshaken Apollo leaned forward, his golden eyes narrowing. "How could it be stolen? The crystal has been hidden for millennia," he said.

"Not hidden well enough," Zeus growled. "It was taken from its resting place in Delphi. The barrier protecting it was breached, and the thief left no trace—only chaos in their wake."

Hermes, standing near the back of the chamber, raised an eyebrow. "No trace? Surely you jest, Father. No thief, mortal or immortal, is that clever."

"Perhaps they are," Hades interjected, his voice cold and deliberate. He leaned against a shadowed column, his black robes blending into the dimness. "Whoever has taken the Aegis Crystal has managed to elude not only Olympus but the Underworld as well. Even the souls of the dead whisper nothing of this crime."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling like a shroud.

Poseidon stepped forward, his trident clinking against the marble floor. "If the crystal remains in the wrong hands, it could spell disaster. The barriers between realms will weaken, and chaos will spill into both the mortal world and ours."

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Zeus nodded. "Which is why we must act swiftly. We will retrieve the artifact before it is too late."

---

The Assembly

Zeus' declaration set the gods into motion. Athena moved to the center of the hall, her expression resolute. "We need a plan," she said, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "The Aegis Crystal is too powerful to leave unaccounted for. We must determine who is responsible and where they've taken it."

"I will scour the mortal world," Apollo offered, his golden bow materializing in his hand. "The oracle at Delphi may still hold remnants of the thief's presence."

"Delphi is your domain," Artemis said, stepping up beside her twin. Her silver bow glinted as she spoke. "I will aid you in tracking the culprit. No one escapes the Huntress."

Zeus nodded. "Very well. Apollo and Artemis will investigate the site of the theft. Athena, you will strategize and determine our next steps based on their findings."

"And what of me, Father?" Ares' voice boomed. The God of War stepped forward, his crimson armor gleaming. "Surely this thief will not give up the crystal willingly. Let me lead the charge against them!"

Athena frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Charging in without knowledge of the enemy would be foolish, Ares. We must be cautious."

Ares scoffed, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "Caution won't bring the crystal back. A show of force will."

"Enough," Zeus interjected, his voice silencing the brewing argument. "Ares, you will prepare for battle. But you will not act until we have more information."

Hades stepped forward, his dark presence commanding attention. "And what of the Underworld's role in this mission?"

Zeus regarded his brother carefully. "Hades, your ability to navigate the shadows may prove invaluable. If the thief seeks to hide in places beyond the reach of light, you will find them."

Hades inclined his head, his expression unreadable. "As you wish."

---

The Thief's Trail

Hours later, Apollo and Artemis stood at the ruins of Delphi, their keen eyes scanning the wreckage. The once-sacred site was a scene of devastation. The marble columns had crumbled, the altar desecrated, and the air was thick with an unnatural energy.

"Whatever did this wasn't mortal," Artemis said, her voice low. She knelt by a shattered statue, her fingers brushing against the debris. "The claw marks here… they're too deep, too precise."

Apollo nodded, his golden aura faintly illuminating the scene. "This reeks of divine interference. But whose?"

As they continued their search, Apollo's gaze was drawn to the remnants of the oracle's chamber. The air around it seemed to shimmer, as though something had recently passed through. He raised his hand, summoning a burst of light that illuminated the chamber.

"There," he said, pointing to a faint trail of golden footprints leading away from the altar. "A trace of the thief's presence."

Artemis examined the footprints closely. "They're faint, but they're there. They lead east, toward the mountains."

Apollo frowned. "The mountains are vast. We'll need to narrow it down further."

A sudden rustling in the nearby trees caught their attention. They turned, weapons at the ready, as a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a mortal, his face pale and his body trembling.

"Help me," the man whispered, his voice barely audible. "They're coming…"

Apollo stepped forward, his golden light enveloping the man. "Who is coming? What did you see?"

The man shuddered, his eyes darting nervously. "A beast… a shadow with wings… it… it took the light from the temple. It—"

Before he could finish, a deafening roar echoed through the ruins. The ground shook as a massive creature emerged from the trees, its body a grotesque combination of shadow and flame. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent red light, and its claws dripped with ichor.

Artemis wasted no time. She raised her bow and fired an arrow that streaked through the air like a silver comet. The creature howled as the arrow struck its shoulder, but it didn't falter. Instead, it lunged forward, its claws aimed at the gods.

Apollo and Artemis moved in unison, their divine prowess on full display as they fought the beast. Apollo's arrows exploded in bursts of light, while Artemis' strikes were swift and precise, each shot aimed to cripple the creature.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Despite their combined efforts, the beast was relentless. Its roars shook the earth, and its claws carved deep gouges into the ruins.

"This isn't just a beast," Apollo said, his voice strained as he loosed another arrow. "It's a guardian."

"Guarding what?" Artemis asked, dodging a swipe from the creature's massive claws.

Apollo's eyes narrowed. "The crystal."

As the battle raged in the ruins of Delphi, a soft whistle broke through the tension. It was followed by the distinct sound of sandals slapping against the ground at an alarmingly casual pace. The beast momentarily paused, its red eyes narrowing at the source of the sound.

From the shadows stepped Hermes, the Messenger God, holding what looked suspiciously like a bag of ambrosia chips. "Well, well," he said, tossing a chip into his mouth. "I leave Olympus for five minutes, and you two are already causing earthquakes. What is it this time? Did Apollo lose a harp battle again?"

Artemis fired another arrow at the beast without looking at Hermes. "We're a bit busy here, Hermes."

"Oh, I can see that," Hermes said, strolling closer but maintaining a healthy distance from the action. "Is this a pet gone rogue or something? Because if it is, I hope Zeus didn't name it. You know how attached he gets. Remember Sparky, the three-headed pigeon?"

Apollo gritted his teeth as a blast of fiery energy whizzed past his ear. "Not. The. Time."

Hermes ignored him and leaned against a half-crumpled column, inspecting his fingernails. "So, what's the deal with Tall, Dark, and Screamy over there? Friend of yours? Or just another Tuesday in Delphi?"

"It's a guardian of the Aegis Crystal!" Apollo snapped, narrowly dodging the creature's tail.

"Ohhh, the Aegis Crystal?" Hermes' eyebrows shot up. "You mean the shiny orb of doom everyone's fussing about? I thought Zeus was kidding when he said it got stolen. I mean, who'd be dumb enough to do that? Except, you know… Ares. He'd probably take it just to use it as a paperweight."

Artemis loosed another arrow, striking the beast in the chest. "Hermes, either help or leave."

Hermes held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get snippy, Miss Huntress. I'll help." He popped another chip into his mouth. "But only because I'm bored."

He snapped his fingers, and a pair of glowing golden winged shoes appeared on his feet. "Watch and learn, amateurs," he said, zipping forward with impossible speed.

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