Chapter 8: Lachtára

Athena had not visited Hephaestus in what felt like an eternity.

The lonely god of the forge had spent countless days in solitude,

consumed by Aphrodite's infidelity, wishing Athena was there to comfort him.

When she finally arrived at his workshop, both of them were ecstatic.
Athena rushed to his side and embraced him ever so tightly.

Hephaestus, unable to contain his emotions, kissed her tenderly.

Athena hesitated for a while, caught off guard by the intensity of his feelings,

but the tension between them was just unbearable.

She ultimately surrendered to the moment,
her most vulnerable self now lost in Hephaestus' passionate kisses.

Meanwhile, as Poseidon made his way to visit Hera,
he caught sight of a figure emerging from her home.

It was Aphrodite, her beauty dimmed by an unmistakable sadness.
The sight of the pregnant goddess stirred something within him,
and he felt compelled to approach her.

However, before he could reach her,
Aphrodite suddenly swayed and fainted, collapsing to the ground.

Without hesitation, Poseidon rushed to her side.
He gently lifted her in his strong arms

and carried her to his private cave,
a sanctuary away from the prying eyes of Olympus.

Meanwhile, Apollo and Artemis had just left the island of Delos.
Walking towards the sea, they stumbled upon a simple raft along the shore.

With curiosity guiding them, they climbed aboard and reached a nearby island the next day.

Thirsty, they set out to explore the area until they discovered a sparkling river.

They quenched their thirst and refreshed themselves in its cool waters.

As evening approached, they sought a place to rest for the night.

While settling down, Apollo noticed a thin plume of smoke rising in the distance.
Intrigued, he suggested to Artemis that they investigate it in the morning.