Divine Ascension: Reborn as a God of Power-Chapter 32: The War of Kaeron (Part 1)

Meanwhile, in the mortal world, everything was going well. Life in what had been a simple fishing village just a few years earlier was rapidly transforming into a city of ever-increasing proportions.

This progress, accompanied by an economic boom made possible by the increase of commercial activity in the city and political progress due to its innovative system of government, created the right conditions for many people to view the new city favorably, and some even wanted to move there.

However, not everyone was pleased with the city's progress. The king of Athens, Pandion II, ruler of one of the most powerful cities in what would later be considered Greece, was not very happy with this city. He knew that it was his father who had been the one who expelled those who later laid the foundations for its construction, although in his defense, no one thought that a handful of crazy heretics could achieve anything like that.

Needless to say, he was not amused that the new "democracy" that in his eyes, it was just a rebel state, had attracted many of Athens merchants and thinkers there.

No, sir, for the king, this had to stop, and stop now. So he summoned the highest-ranking officials in the kingdom to advise him on what to do with Kaeron.

The throne room of the Athenian palace was lit by oil torches that cast dancing shadows on the walls carved with mythological scenes. The atmosphere was tense, thick, as if the air itself sensed that important decisions were about to be made.

The officials summoned by King Pandion II lined the sides of the hall, dressed in elegant robes, but their faces marked by worry. They all knew that Kaeron was no longer a simple settlement of exiles: it had become a beacon of change, a symbol of a new system that threatened the status quo of several of the people present on the reunion.

"Speak, I want solutions," ordered the king, looking harshly at those present. "I will not continue to allow that city to undermine the authority of Athens or steal our citizens."

Leontes, the general, was as always the first to respond.

"My king, the clearest path is also the surest. Kaeron does not have an army as large as ours, nor walls strong enough to withstand a siege. We could march before winter, take the city, and disperse its leaders. Once their will is broken, the people will submit without further ado."

A murmur of approval spread among some of the nobles, but not all were convinced.

"And what of the so-called guardian god?" interjected Damaris, a naval strategist known for her prudence. "Reports coming in from the port mention wonders... inexplicable healings, crops blooming out of season, and even accounts of a divine figure who occasionally descends to advise the city's leaders."

"A god?" Pandion II snorted, crossing his arms. "Are we in the age of fairy tales? The only gods worth considering are those on Olympus, and even they would not deign to intervene to help an insignificant fishing town. Why should we care about a supposed new god invented by a bunch of fanatics?"

"Because not everyone considers him an invention," replied Menecrates, an elderly advisor who rarely spoke, but whose voice still carried weight. "There are rumors that even some priests in Delphos have begun to include his name in their lesser prayers. I cannot confirm his divinity, but the effects of his presence seem real. If Kaeron is protected by a genuine entity, do we risk provoking its wrath?"

"Then what do you propose? That we kneel before a lesser god who has come out of nowhere?" Thundered the king, losing his patience. "Athens does not bow down. If this Akhon is real, it does not matter; we will have the protection of the goddess Athena on our side. And if he turns out not to be, his cult will be extinguished by the fire that will raze his city."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the hall. Some lowered their gaze, others avoided giving their opinion, and a few nodded slowly, knowing that openly opposing the king could cost them more than their position. However, doubts were sown. Even among the most loyal, the idea of facing an unknown power generated mistrust.

Pandion II walked over to the map spread out on the central table and, with a determined gesture, marked the red dot representing Kaeron with his finger.

"First we will send spies. Then agitators. I want the city to fragment from within. If the supposed god does not appear to save them from that, then he will not do so when our armies march. And if he does... then Olympus will decide who it really supports."

He paused, but did not remove his finger from the map. His gaze became more calculating.

"No... that won't be enough. The world must see Kaeron as a threat, not only to our authority, but to the very peace of the world. We need something to justify our action to the other kingdoms, something like an incident that tarnishes his name."

General Leontes frowned.

"A provocation, my king?"

"More than that," Pandion replied with a cold smile. "I want a scandal. Men of ours, disguised in the robes and symbols of that cult, must cause disturbances in Athens. Attacks on minor temples, raids on sacred caravans, and perhaps... even the desecration of an altar. Something that will offend not only us, but the rest of the kingdoms in the vicinity."

"That could ignite popular anger, even in our own streets," Damaris warned tensely.

"Exactly," Pandion replied. "The people will demand justice. And I, as their king, will give it to them. We will send an embassy to Kaeron with a formal demand: that they hand over those responsible, pay tribute as reparation, and submit their cult to the judgment of the temples of Olympus. We know they will not agree. And when they refuse... then Athens will have every right to act.

The room fell silent. The plan was bold and twisted... but it could be effective.

"What if the god intervenes?" Menecrates asked, almost in a whisper.

"Then we will face him. If he is a real god, let him come down from his clouds and test his strength against Athena's will," said the king in a harsh voice. "But I doubt he will. True gods do not protect small cities... they protect empires."

The officials withdrew one by one, their faces tense and their thoughts dark. Some were already beginning to imagine what such a war would be like. Others prayed, secretly, that Akhon was real... and merciful.

Behind the throne, the great statue of Athena watched silently to the south. And far away, beyond the valleys and mountains, Kaeron continued to grow. In their temples, the faithful lit candles to the god who had descended to protect them, unaware of the plot already being hatched against them.

(The following week...)

A week later, the Greek world awoke to a climate of tension that seemed to spread like smoke among temples, markets, and councils.

Everything had gone according to Pandion II's plan.

On the third night after the royal council, a group of unknown men appeared in Athens dressed in the white and gold robes worn by the followers of the cult of Akhon during their festivities. They wore bracelets carved with the image of the rising sun, one of the most recognizable symbols of the protector god of Kaeron.

The soldiers acted quickly and with brutal precision.

First, they attacked a small temple dedicated to Athena near the port, setting fire to part of its altar and leaving inscriptions on the walls that read "The new god will bring order" and "Olympus is dead." Then they assaulted a convoy of priests on their way to Eleusis, desecrating the offerings they were carrying. The final act was the most brazen: a hooded figure approached the temple of Athena in the center of the city and threw excrement on the marble steps while shouting praises to Akhon.

Although none of the perpetrators were captured, witnesses, conveniently prepared, swore they had heard the name of Kaeron and his protective god repeated in every act of vandalism.

The reaction was immediate.

The Athenian citizens were furious and demanded justice. The temples cried out for vengeance. The streets were filled with rumors, inflammatory proclamations, and chants accusing Kaeron of heresy and of wanting to replace the old gods with a false idol.

It was the perfect provocation and the spark that Pandion II needed.

In less than two days, an official embassy was sent to Kaeron with a list of demands: the immediate surrender of the alleged perpetrators, a formal apology to the Athenian temples, payment of a tribute for the damage, and most humiliating of all: the dissolution of the cult of Akhon and its subordination to the clergy of Athens who worshipped Athena.

The response from Kaeron was swift. It was clear, firm, and unanimous.

"We will not accept the lies of fear, nor will we bow our beliefs to the pressure of a kingdom that fears change. Those responsible have not left our lands, and we will not acknowledge a debt for a crime we did not commit. Our god watches over us, and there is no mortal force that can intimidate him."

Those words reached the ears of King Pandion like the war cry he had so longed to hear. The statement was interpreted as a direct offense. War was now inevitable.

In Athens, troops were mobilized. Weapons were blessed in temples, and heralds roamed the streets talking about the "holy war" to protect tradition.

In Kaeron, the reaction was different. Although they did not have a conventional army, the city quickly united under the leadership of the popular council. Volunteers began to train. The entrances were fortified. The forges worked day and night. It was not a war they had sought, but they knew they had to defend themselves.

At the altars, the faithful raised their prayers to Akhon. What they did not know was that the god was aware of the situation. The only unknown was what would happen next.