Zeus hated these unfilial children to the extreme, yet he was helpless. The upper beam was crooked, so the lower beam followed suit. It ran in the Olympus bloodline—he himself had never been a good son, so he had no grounds to lecture them.
The old gods watched Zeus eagerly, scratching their ears and cheeks, practically wishing they could agree on his behalf.
Some time ago, Russell had risen to prominence. The old gods had lost Helios, while the Twelve Olympians had lost Ares.
Their misery had canceled out, leaving them even. Although the old gods knew Zeus had been meddling behind the scenes, they could swallow their resentment.
Today, Zeus had interfered again. Artemis was trying to seize Selene's authority as the Moon Goddess. No matter the outcome, if the Twelve Olympians lost another Apollo, the old gods would be delighted.
Sensing the old gods' intentions, Zeus snorted coldly and shot Apollo an icy glance. "Sit down. You are not the main character today. Settle whatever grudges you have with Russell in private."
Zeus's favoritism was far too obvious. The old gods began murmuring among themselves. Though their voices were low, the atmosphere in the hall grew even more rigid.
"Let me say something fair!"
The moment Russell suddenly stood up, Zeus shuddered. The old gods beamed with delight. Just as they had said, Russell feared the world was not chaotic enough and would never disappoint them.
"A duel is a matter between two people. When Helios, Ares, and I dueled before, both sides agreed to it. Only after signing a fair contract in the presence of the King of Gods, the Queen of Heaven, and the other gods did we proceed."
Russell laid out the facts and reasoned calmly. "This time, Apollo is offering his authority as the