Adrasteia Nicolaou's Story

Modern Earth, the age of science has replaced the age of Gods and Magic. They all have disproven everything about them. People have gone to the so called home of the Greek Gods and found… nothing… No grand palaces or anything else. The Gods places of worship have all but crumbled away. Some have been stolen from and some broken into and vandalized.

The mortals have forgotten about them and explained away everything about them.

But they have not thought of one simple possibility…Maybe the Gods have moved… or have their own dimension. The Gods have never met the other gods of a different culture, aside from the Roman and Greek, but that is because they are one and the same…Each realm feels like one would expect from each culture.

Asgard is surrounded by an impregnable wall and is one of the Nine worlds, inhabited by the Aesir, the race of Warrior Gods. It is located at the highest point of their universe and has the Rainbow Bridge connecting their world to Earth. They also have Valhalla the place were slain warriors wait for the final battle, Ragnarok. The realm of their Elves Alfheim and Svartalfheim is also there as well as Vanaheim the home of Vanir, it is a glorious if a bit cold. Also there is the realm of frost giants they are constantly battling. As well as Helheim, their underworld which Hel, Lokis’ daughter resides and is protected by Garm, Hel's enormous dog-guard, lives in the cave Gnipahellir. He is an eight-foot-tall black hound with glowing eyes. It is important not to underestimate Garm. While he may act like a big dog - vicious and dangerous or friendly depending on who you are - it's an act. There is as much intelligence in Garm as in any other of Helheim's guards. He is a Jotun who is always in dog-form, but he is no dumb beast. Garm seems to be on a general patrol around the borders of Helheim, meaning that he could be anywhere at any point.

Mount Olympus is the abode of the chief god Zeus. Also, the foremost gods of the Greek pantheon have their palaces at the summit. It is here that the gods assemble to consume nectar and ambrosia, the substances which reinforces their immortality. The top of the Olympus, which is covered in snow and hidden in the clouds, reaches all the way into the aether. It is the highest mountain of Greece and lies on the border of Macedonia and Thessaly, yet though mortals have been to the top they have never seen the realm. And why would they? The Gods have hidden it from their mortal eyes. Also of course is the Domain of Hades, which is surrounded nine times by the River Styx, where Hades resides.

Each God in each realm have seen the flow of time on Earth and seen it change, but never seeing the other realms of the other gods.

Until now.

Ten Gods, including a few Goddesses, have been cast out of their realm by someone, though they do not know who. Some of the Gods and Goddesses are the righteous; some are the outcasts among the gods… They each have their weapons on them and have been assigned lodges at a college. They do not know how they have come to Earth or who these others are, though a few they recognize from their own realm. For the first time in history The Asgardians will meet the Olympians, and many other types of Gods.

Thrown into this mix are four mortals, two men and two women, who are going to the school as well. They know not who these ones are or the powers they possess, but they soon will…

The Gods have a common goal, though some are more reluctant about it than others, get back to their own realm, but to do that they need help… from the mortals. But will the mortals help? Or will they try to kill the gods, for on Earth there may be a weapon that can kill them. Though only Mortals may wield it.

Anthony had been exploring the quiet building, reveling in the odd silence. The only sound he heard was the soft click of his soles on the cold tile floor. He weaved his way in and out of the different rooms, checking out the offices. He found the engineering wing and gleefully- if it were possible for Anthony to be gleeful- explored the labs. He played with the little robots, examining them, figuring out how they were put together. He caressed the different tools that the engineering students used, longing to pick them up immediately and get to work. But he knew that if he got caught using the tools without an instructor in the room, things could go badly for him. He didn't want to get into trouble on his first day.

The man grabbed a sheet of paper and headed up to the highest row of seats in the room, seating himself right next to the door. He pulled a pencil out of his pocket and began to sketch. Anthony tended to lose himself in sketching. He had a whole book full of ideas. Weapons. Robots. The gods of the past impaled with various types of spears and swords.

He had been furiously drawing when the storm picked up outside. The crashes of thunder pulled him from his work and he looked around. Where was everyone, anyway? Surely, he wasn't that early. Down the hall he heard the door open and close just as a huge crack of lightning seemed to strike nearby. Then, he heard a strange accent in a woman's voice.

Sighing, Anthony grabbed the paper and slid the pencil behind his ear before standing. He stretched, his muscles protesting after being bent over for so long. He moved toward the door and stepped into the hallway, eyes gazing toward the woman who was bent over some sort of pet carrier. Pets? Were they even allowed to bring pets to this place? Probably some obnoxious cat that would his and bite him. He hated cats.

But then the woman stood, and he could see that she held not a cat at all but some… ugly sort of dog thing. Igh. Just as bad as a cat. Anthony shoved a hand into his pocket, the other still holding his drawing, and made his way down the hall toward her. "Looks like it's just you and me," he called out, glancing around the halls himself. "Not sure where everyone else is…" He stopped when he was just a few feet away from her, tilting his head a little as he eyed the creature in arms. Finally, his eyes slid up to meet hers. "I'm Anthony."

Dionysus was, as usual, drinking wine from his goblet his wreath of grapes and ivy on his brown hair as he looked at the human realm. “Heheh that guy ran into a door…” he remarked a grin on his face. “Obviously he is a light weight, what did he have? Ten shots of tequila? Pathetic.” He remarked with a hearty laugh as he got up and walked around his home, ivy crawling around the pillars as a water fall of wine flowed out the door and into a pond below. He was happy here, though he did miss the wilderness. He looked once more at the human realm with his wine maroon eyes.

“Oh Hades that girl is plastered!” he remarked with a laugh as he continued to drink, his goblet should have been empty by now, yet it was not. It seemed to be magically refilled… which it was. His cats came in as he sat down in a pile of pillows leaning against them. The cats flopped next to him, and these were not tame cats, but cats of prey. Lions and tigers, leopards and lynxes. Yet he seemed content by company, not afraid as he pat the leopard next to him. “Have you been a good boy Leopold?” he teasingly asked the leopard as it gave out a deep throat purr making him laugh, “I will take that as a yes. How about you Lyall?” he asked the Lynx who just let out a yowling yawn, “Tamara and Mufasa?” he asked the others Mufasa the lion nudged him playfully making the wine dribble down his arm as Tamara the tiger licked it off him, “hey, hey who said you could have some wine?” he teased Tamara bopping her on the nose.


Oh yes Dionysus was content in his house, and why not? He had all the wine he could want, all the food as well, his cats were here and the Satyrs’ played him the pan flute when he wanted music. He did long for the wilderness though. And the humans were destroying it… which he hated. He had taught a few of them a lesson, but they kept coming back in swarms… things were not as easy as the old days. The mortals did not listen to Zeus, well he didn’t always either so he did not fault them for that… he and his dad did not always get along after all, but when they didn’t listen to him the God who gave them the wine and the means to cultivate the grapes to make the wine that they so enjoyed, and allowed them to get drunk and party… well that made him mad. He sighed as he saw one of the forest wilds he so loved. “…don’t take that…” he muttered softly as he took a gulp from his goblet.

His house then started to shake and he bolted to his feet, his cats growling. “Zeus? Is that you?!” he called out, he was afraid his father may be in a bad mood.

A bright light cracked in front of his eyes as he felt the floor of his house crack and break, and then… then he was falling and falling. He closed his eyes and when he opened them next he was... well he wasn’t on Olympus that was for sure. He recognized it right away, “I am on Earth? Gaia what am I doing here?” he whispered as he saw a college near him, carved in tiny letters was his name and instructions to get to the Arena. “…well I would if I knew where that was…” he muttered as looked around, he saw his reflection.

“Oh dude! Is that me?!” he called out in shock. He looked almost the same, but his clothing was way different, instead of his purple toga he was wearing an unzipped light purple hoodie a long and too large on him wine maroon t-shirt, baggy black pants and worn black sneakers. “Dude I look like a mortal! Wait where is my wreath?” he muttered as he felt the top of his head. “nope… no wreath, damn I liked that wreath too. Ah well whatever.” He could still feel the gold band he wore near his elbow, so he wasn’t worried about that.

He heard four cats mewling as he blinked and turned to them. “Leopold, Lyell, Tamara, and Mufasa zat you?” he asked them. All four nodded their head. “You guys shrunk! Daaammmn that is not cool. Way not cool, I mean who does that to my friends? If I see them I will turn them into dolphins… on land this time.” He remarked, he didn’t care about how weird it would be to find dolphins in a place that didn’t have a sea around it for miles. He just didn’t like people messing with his friends. He shrugged, “Well come on lets’ see what this is all about.” He commented as he headed into the college.

He wandered the halls a bit lost as he heard voices up ahead. “Seems like some others are here as here that is a good sign.” He remarked, his accent was of course Greek. His voice as smooth as fine wine, his cats followed him as he came into view of the two; one was a girl with a weird dog thing in her hands. The other was a man with slick back dark brown hair. “he is kinda cute actually.” he thought to himself with a shrug. “Sup dudes? Can someone tell me where exactly I am? I am lost as all Hades here.” He remarked with a carefree laugh. His four cats standing semi circle around him

Anthony

Anthony raised an eyebrow, his quick eyes taking in the two matching tattoos. He idly wondered what the number meant exactly, but he didn't care enough to ask at the moment. His eyes followed where she pointed and he raised an eyebrow. "A therapy pet? What is he, exac-" His words were interrupted by the arrival of another man. He turned to eye the newcomer, his gaze noticing the cats standing around him. He had to hold back the urge to kick one and send it screeching down the hall.

Anthony looked back up at the other guy's face, quickly folding up the sheet of paper he'd been drawing on and sliding it into his back pocket. He waited for Andrasteia's answer, a soft chuckle escaping his lips at her words. "Found the parties early, have you?" he asked, figuring the guy was already so trashed that he had no idea where he was. "You, my friend, are at the finest place of learning in the good ole' US. Don't worry, sometimes I try to forget too."

He ran a hand through his hair, readjusting the pencil behind his ear. "I'm Anthony, and this is And-Adrasteia, I believe." He glanced back to the woman, smiling sheepishly, unsure if he had said her name right or not.

---

Aphrodite

Aphrodite finally finished the string of curses she had been sending to Zeus and brought her eyes back to the odd pair in front of her. She had never been so confused in her life. They were speaking some sort of gibberish; talking about Ragnarok and Odin.. She blinked and shook her head. This goddess did not like being out of the loop.

But when the arrogant man turned to her and called her a wench… She lost it. "You DARE speak to me so? I am Aphrodite, dog! I am a goddess of Mount Olympus, and I will not suffer your insolence!" She stepped up and reached out to touch the staff that he held so lovingly in his hand, watching as it began to turn into a simple walking stick. A smug look crossed her face as she watched him observe her powers. Just as it seemed the staff had been completely changed, a giant, white rose bloomed out of the top.

Aphrodite stepped back and crossed her arms, satisfied with her work. Her gaze popped over to the strange woman and her giant hammer, but the woman hadn't seemed to turn her own anger on Aphrodite, so she looked back to the man. "Hmph, no, I suppose you wouldn't have had anything with bringing me here. You clearly are an idiot." Her anger had abated somewhat and switched her weight to her other foot, reaching up to flick her long hair back over her shoulder before putting her hands on her hips and waiting for the man's response.

Dionysus grinned, “High? Nah I am just lost. America? Huh okay.” He remarked with a shrug, it seemed he was the type not to sweat the small stuff. “Parties? Life’s a party! So why not live it up!” he remarked with a laugh, “In all seriousness though nah I haven’t been partying, damn which I had been!” he remarked with another laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, he seemed unfazed by the four cats in fact he picked up one that was clawing at his leg. “Mufasa no.” he whispered to it. Surprisingly when he put it down the cat stopped his misbehaving.

“Anthony and Adrasteia. Hey Adrasteia means Who does not flee. Nice!” he remarked with a wide grin. “Oh right guess that means I gotta introduce myself to huh? All righty. I am Dionysus. Nice ta meetcha two.” He introduced himself, “oh and this Is Tamara, Leopold, Lyell, and ya already saw Mufasa, but I will introduce him anyway.” He remarked with a soft chuckle as he put his hands in his hoodies pocket. “I am starving, I feel like I haven’t eaten in ages! Any of you know where the mess hall, or cafeteria is? Or a bar is there a bar on campus? Cause that would be sweet!” he remarked with another grin. “I guess first thing is first though, I need to find out which dorm I am staying at! Just came here and all that.” He commented with a laugh as he brushed some of his shaggy brown hair out of the way, “Don’t really know why I was sent here, but hey whatever.” He added, he was a carefree god and wasn’t too worried about well… anything, he knew it would all work out in the end. Might as well party it up while he had the chance, he wondered if he could get drunk in this form? It would be awesome if he could! Well Awesome if he had a high tolerance and no hangovers. Man he wanted to beat everyone at a drinking contest! Or ya know, just drink. Could he still make unlimited wine and conjure wine from midair? He may be one of the more relaxed Gods, but he wasn’t going to do it in front of these too. Maybe in private.

Oh no, Loki's bragging about himself again. Unlike Loki, Thor had no intention of revealing his actual identity when it was highly unlikely none would recognize him. Just as well, he wouldn't have wanted anyone to recognize him as his cheeks started to turn red. Aphrodite had complimented and begun examining him from head to toe, getting dangerously close in the meantime, and while he had wanted to say, "Please refrain from making contact with me," he couldn't get the words out of his mouth as the woman teased his hair. It was almost unbearable, had Aphrodite not been quite a beauty herself.

Thor was able to take a breath when Aphrodite was interested in Loki's actions again, this time with them involving the latter finding a small box. Of course, while Aphrodite received her own, Thor was given no special box; rather, it was a note strung against Mjöllnir's shaft that had managed to get there while he was occupied.

Hello, Thor—or should I say, "Elysia", as that will be your name during your stay here as a semi-human. As much as it may displease you, you shall also take up residence in the women's dormitories, instead of the men's with your father's brother. I am expecting you to behave yourself in their company, as you will find a familiar face; she, however, will not recognize you, just as with Loki. For the sake of your dignity and the respect you have from others—knowing Loki already has none whatsoever—I recommend that you learn how to be a woman so you can keep it that way.

There was a signature near the bottom of the paper, yet it was too scribbled to read.

Why, he asked himself, do I feel as though I should have Freya's head for this foolishness?

He was snapped out of a near-trance for the second time today by Aphrodite, watching her awkwardly gesture to his anti-feminine posture and the oddity of a woman holding a battlehammer almost as tall as her.

Dejected, defeated and disheartened knowing it would be some time before finding a cure to this madness, Thor sighed out, "I... I suppose I have no alternative."



Having lost his wings, the handsome young man had to rely on his stamina, and it was wearing thin until he found solace in a building with only a few vehicles around it. He thought it must have had few people to match. Once the coast was clear, he slipped inside through a door that was left propped open, finding himself facing a small group of people and various pocket-sized animals in no time flat. One of the group was noticeably familiar, but that was because he was stone-cold drunk. It wasn't uncommon to see people like Dionysus on this planet.

Out of breath for the most part, he simply asked in an almost relieved tone, "The hell's goin' on here?"

Nyx grumbled as she walked down the hallway feeling horribly lost and confused, not that she would be one to ever admit that verbally. Turning around a corner she spotted a tall, and very handsome brown haired man, facing a white haired man, and a very 'average' mortal looking man. Oh and there is a long-haired woman, with a marking above her eyebrow... Always interesting...

"Well, well what have we here? Better to see a few stars in the night sky than none at all." She said with a frown and sigh.

"Excuse me boys!" She called to them waving her hand in the air. "May I join your group, as I have no idea what is going on, nor will anyone answer my calls."

Walking up to them, she pulled out her now crumpled list and looked at it again. "Can anyone tell me where I can retrieve a 'class schedule' and purchase the so called books I will need for these classes?" She asked them in an alluring voice while resting her hand on her hip.

Anthony blinked at the two newcomers. This little end of the hall was quickly becoming crowded- which was not something he overly enjoyed. And not only was it getting crowded, but half the people around him seemed confused. He'd thought he had been going to a pretty nice school, but from the looks of it, they were starting to let any old riffraff into the place. The other two guys had a strange air about them; and the one that had arrived most recently had the most annoyingly beautiful baby face. He looked like he should have been in a boy band or something. The woman that had arrived last seemed to not know what she was talking about. While positively gorgeous, she seemed a bit ditsy- the way she accented the words 'class schedule' as if she didn't even know what one was.

Anthony peered at all the new faces, a little smirk on his lips. "So… I take it none of you are from around here? And I, apparently have been assigned to show you around or something. Right awesome." He sighed as he pulled the pencil out from behind his ear and began to flip it through his fingers. "Well, kids," he said with a bit of a grin. "I'm Anthony. Welcome to school." He tilted his head a little, considering taking them outside so they could take a quicker route to the office building where everyone could get their schedules, but the thunder that cracked in the air and the sound of rain hitting the roof changed his mind. "C'mon, I'll show you around, if you want, and take you guys to get your schedules."

He turned and began to stride down the hallway, not bothering to look back to see if anyone was following him. They could all stand around with those dopey looks on their faces for the rest of the day if they wanted. But he had better things to do. Like get back to the dorm and see who he'd been roomed with. He prayed it wasn't baby face or the drunk guy. He'd probably kill them both if he was stuck around them for too long. As he walked, Anthony pointed out the different teaching sections for anyone who cared. He wasn't sure what classes they were taking or what their majors were, but he figured it couldn't help for them to have an idea of what was where. If anyone was even listening to him, that is.