MTL NOVEL Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Arrival of Aphrodite
### Chapter 11: The Arrival of Aphrodite
The grand hall of Olympus still thrummed with the aftershocks of Apollo and Artemis's ascension, their giant forms dominating the space atop their thrones of gold and silver. Apollo lounged with a regal ease, his golden curls spilling over his shoulders like rivers of sunlight, his crystallized jewel-blue eyes glinting with a serene confidence that only amplified his unearthly beauty. His golden-blue toga clung to his massive frame, revealing the sculpted perfection of his twelve-pack abdomen, while his white gloves shimmered with Purity, a stark contrast to the raw power radiating from his thirty-five domains. Beside him, Artemis sat poised like a silver predator, her flowing silver hair pooling around her throne, her sharp silver eyes scanning the hall with a hunter's vigilance, *Selene's Fang* resting at her side.
The pantheon's attention lingered on them—Zeus's stormy paranoia masked by a forced smirk, Hera's venomous glare, Athena's calculating stare, Poseidon's gruff amusement—but the air shifted abruptly, a new current of divine energy sweeping through the hall like a warm, perfumed breeze. The storm clouds parted, and a figure emerged from a shimmer of rose-gold light, stepping into the chamber with a grace that silenced every voice and turned every head.
It was Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, born from the sea foam where Uranus's severed essence had mingled with the waves—an origin whispered in awe and dread across the myths. Her arrival was a spectacle of divine splendor: her hair cascaded in waves of honeyed gold, shimmering with a luster that rivaled Apollo's curls, framing a face so exquisitely perfect it seemed to defy reality. Her eyes, a deep violet that sparkled with seduction, swept the hall, and her lips curved into a smile that promised both bliss and ruin. Her gown, a diaphanous weave of sea mist and starlight, clung to her curves, revealing a form that embodied desire itself—lush, lithe, and impossibly alluring. Pearls and shells adorned her, glinting with the power of her domains: Love, Beauty, Pleasure, and Passion.
The gods reacted instantly, their immortal composure crumbling under her spell. Poseidon leaned forward, his trident slipping from his grasp as he muttered, "By the depths, she's a vision…" His sea-green eyes gleamed with a hunger that churned the air with saltwater mist. Ares rose from his throne, his blackened armor creaking, his voice a growl of lust. "I'd wage a war for that—name your price, woman!" Dionysus spilled his wine, his goblet clattering to the floor as he slurred, "Forget the drink—give me *her*!" Even Hermes, ever the trickster, darted closer, his winged sandals buzzing as he flashed a grin. "Aphrodite, eh? I'd steal the heavens for a night with you!"
Hera's emerald eyes narrowed, her peacock crown rustling with indignation, but even she couldn't deny the ripple of envy that crossed her regal features. Athena remained still, her gray eyes cool, though her owl ruffled its feathers as if sensing the disruption. Zeus himself straightened, his massive hands flexing on his throne, his gray eyes sparking with a mix of admiration and suspicion. *Another beauty,* he thought, his paranoia flickering. *But this one's trouble—too much sway over the others.* Yet his gaze lingered, betraying a flicker of desire he quickly buried.
---
Apollo, however, didn't stir. His giant form remained relaxed, his golden curls swaying faintly as he turned his jewel-blue eyes to Artemis, his voice a low melody of Sound and Harmony meant only for her. "The mortals are singing louder now, sister. Delphi's growing—shrines popping up like wildflowers. We should plan our next move—maybe a festival, cement our hold."
Artemis nodded, her silver hair glinting as she leaned closer, her tone sharp with Hunt and Precision. "Aye, a festival's smart. Let them see us—sun and moon, unassailable. But we'll need to watch Father—his mood's shifting. I feel it in the wilds."
Apollo's lips curled into a faint smirk, his domain of Prophecy whispering faint threads of Zeus's unease. "He's proud, but he's paranoid. Typical Zeus. We'll outshine his doubts."
Their twin bond thrummed, a quiet unity that drowned out the chaos of Aphrodite's entrance. Apollo didn't spare the new goddess a glance—his Beauty was unmatched, his focus unshaken, his heart tethered to his domains and his sister. But Artemis's silver eyes flicked toward Aphrodite, and her expression darkened, her lips curling into a sneer of disdain.
"She's *ugly,*" Artemis muttered, her voice a hiss of Wilderness and Chastity, low enough for only Apollo to hear. "Look at her—prancing in here like a peacock with no feathers. All that gaudy flash—it's nothing but a mask."
Apollo raised an eyebrow, his golden curls shifting as he followed her gaze. Aphrodite stood at the hall's center, basking in the gods' lustful stares, her violet eyes gleaming with triumph. "Ugly?" he echoed, amused. "The others don't seem to think so. They're drooling like mortals over a feast."
"To me, she's hideous," Artemis snapped, her silver eyes flashing. "Beauty's not in curves or smiles—it's in strength, in purpose. She's got none of that. And I've got a feeling—a hunter's gut—she'll be a cheater. Mark my words, brother, she'll ruin whoever claims her."
Apollo chuckled, a sound like sunlight on steel, his domain of Knowledge weighing her words. "Prophecy doesn't show me her future yet—too new, too chaotic. But your instincts are sharp, sister. If she's trouble, we'll steer clear. We've got bigger prey—Olympus itself."
Artemis nodded, her silver bow humming faintly at her side. "Good. Let the fools lust after her. We've got thrones to hold."
---
Aphrodite's voice broke through the hall, a sultry lilt that wove Love and Pleasure into every syllable. "Olympians," she purred, her honeyed hair swaying as she spun slowly, her gown shimmering. "I am Aphrodite, born of the sea, bringer of desire. I seek a place among you—will you welcome me?"
Poseidon slammed his trident into the floor, seawater pooling around him. "Welcome? I'll build you a throne myself, lass!"
Ares grinned, his fists clenching. "Forget the throne—I'll give her a battlefield to conquer me on!"
Dionysus stumbled forward, wine dripping from his chin. "A dance, Aphrodite—dance with me, and I'll make you a goddess of revelry too!"
Zeus raised a hand, his thunder silencing their clamor, though his gray eyes lingered on her curves. "Enough," he boomed, his voice steady despite the paranoia gnawing at him. "Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty—you're Olympian now. Take your place."
A throne rose beside Hera's—a delicate seat of pearl and coral, draped in rose petals—and Aphrodite settled into it with a smile that promised chaos. Hera's glare could've melted stone, but she said nothing, her peacock feathers rustling with suppressed fury.
Zeus's mind, however, was elsewhere. *Another power in the hall,* he thought, his grip tightening on his throne. *Aphrodite sways them with a glance—Apollo and Artemis with their might. Too many threats, too fast.* His paranoia deepened, the myths of his own rise haunting him—Cronus's screams as the sickle fell, the Titans' cries from Tartarus. Apollo's thirty-five domains flashed in his memory—Prophecy to foresee his moves, War to strike him down, Fate to unweave his rule. Artemis's arrows, unerring and swift, could pierce his storms. And now Aphrodite, bending the gods to her will. *Are they plotting already? My twins—my beautiful, terrible twins—will they turn on me?*
He forced a laugh, loud and rumbling, masking the storm within. "A fine addition! Love, beauty, and power—Olympus thrives!" But his eyes darted to Apollo and Artemis, their giant forms towering over the hall, and then to Aphrodite, her allure a weapon he couldn't wield. *Should I strike?* he wondered, his thoughts a tangle of godly dread. *Chain them all—twins and temptress—before they grow too bold? Or wait, watch, bind them with loyalty?* The indecision burned, a paranoia as ancient as his crown, but he kept it hidden, his smirk a shield.
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Apollo leaned toward Artemis, his golden curls brushing his throne as he murmured, "She's got them wrapped around her finger already. Pathetic."
Artemis snorted, her silver eyes cold. "Let them drool. She's no threat to us—just a distraction. Father's the one to watch—his thunder's too quiet."
Apollo's jewel-blue eyes glinted, his domain of Sight catching the faint tension in Zeus's frame. "He's rattled. Good. Let him sweat—we'll prove our worth beyond his fears."
The system chimed:
"New entity detected: Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Faith nodes: 280. Influence radius: 1,050 miles. Objective updated: maintain Olympian dominance amid rising powers."
Apollo's twelve-pack flexed as he adjusted his toga, his beauty unshaken by Aphrodite's arrival. "Dominance," he echoed, his voice a godly promise. "That's ours, sister. Let the others chase her—we'll chase eternity."
Artemis gripped *Selene's Fang*, her silver hair gleaming. "Aye. Sun and moon—none will outshine us."
The hall buzzed with lust and tension, but the twins sat above it all, giants of power and purpose, their thrones a testament to their rise—and a silent challenge to Zeus's faltering reign.