The majority of the gods of Mount Olympus were in shock except for a few. Athena was one of them as Hera had not been a terrible stepmother to her, but a distant stepmother at times. Athena had clearly seen with her own two eyes at how each time her father’s careless betrayal tore Hera apart. Perhaps, that is why Hera was cold at times but rarely cruel to Zeus’s children. The expection's were Zeus’s mortal children at the time, but that was only when Hera was younger. After that, Hera did not even gather the strength to touch them.

Maybe, it was selfish of Athena, but Hera truly was happy for Hera. If anyone deserved to be free of her father, Zeus, it was Hera. However, a tiny spark had been born as well. If Hera could go out and be finally brave and stand up for herself, couldn’t Athena as well?

That night for the first time in a very long time, Athena went forth and visited the lotus lake on the river that flows through the entire cosmos. Athena almost staggers to her knees at seeing the familiar figure waiting next to the lotus lake. Athena can suddenly hear the sweet, spicy voice say, “I will wait for you by the lotus lake each night until you return to me.”

Athena almost turns away in guilt as a well-toned man with milk chocolate skin, dark hair, and glowing golden eyes says, “Have you finally returned to me, my Athena?”

Athena flushes and says, “This was a mistake.”

Anubis, the Egyptian god hastily grabs Athena by the hand and says, “Then why come? Why give me hope to only so ruthlessly crush it?” Anubis carefully pulls her hands to his lips and gently kisses them.

“We can’t be together, we both know that,” Athena said with tears in her eyes.

“Maybe once but leave with me. I have already spoken to Osiris and they will have us in Fable. We can finally be together,” Anubis pleaded.

Athena whispers, “I can’t just leave and betray everyone.”

“You are not betraying anyone,” Anubis said. “You are not joining the Chaos faction, but a neutral faction. Isn’t this what we always pleaded for and fought for?”

“I-I,” Athena stammered in confusion.

“Please say, yes,” Anubis pleaded.

With her heart pounding, Athena the Goddess of Wisdom for the once in her life tosses logic to the wind. “Yes,” Athena whispered back.

Anubis eagerly pulls Athena into his arms as Athena wraps her arms around his neck. For the very first time, the two lovers did not care who saw them as they passionately embraced. And just like that the two lovers renounced their respective factions and eloped to the Fable faction.

And though both sides of the factions were furious, most especially Zeus, many gods found that they were charmed by the daring young lovers daring to elope for love. It would become the great, Romeo and Juliet tale of the century with the exception, of course, this time around the lovers were able to be together.