What happens when mortals stop worshiping their gods? Many of them, being mortals, often mistakenly surmise that they cease to exist. Nobody forgot the gods of Olympus, though all save a small handful stopped paying them homage. Yet they lived, for they were gods. It was the Olympians, above all others, who got more fascination than any others from watching the mortals go about their lives, worship or no. Hephaestus had o...

When Hera returned to Olympus, the mood was different. Not jubilant, but also not stagnant, like it had been before. To her surprise, the first one to greet her was none other than her husband, Zeus. “Enjoyed your time with the mortals, did you?” She stopped in her steps, but only for a moment. “Yes, I did. What’s it to you?” To Hera's greater surprise, her husband showed no sign of anger. An obscene grin crossed his face...

“Might you top off my ambrosia?” Hermes asked. Without even a remark on his forwardness at expecting the Queen of Olympus to serve him, Hera freely poured ambrosia into his goblet. “Anytime.” “I’d say things are looking up around here, wouldn’t you?” Hera nodded. “We’re out of our stagnation, that’s for sure. And we have you to thank for that.” “Me? I hardly did anything. Hephaestus made the mirrors.” “And you made the ar...