I've just finished the update and, all in all, it was pretty cool ! However, several mysteries remain surrounding Zycris' true nature.
He seems to be more than just a demigod/incubus (Is that titan/primordial god's blood he has ?), but it's hard to know exactly what.
What god (I suppose, maybe something else ?) comes to his aid in his duel with Athena ?
Who is Nari (human, something else ?) and what is his role as Axius' servant ? What other deities does Artemis mention ?
Will Sirius succeed in reproducing Zycris's healing abilities, or will he perish in the attempt ? If Sirius survives, will he become a rival or potential enemy ?
Will Athena be impossible to reason with, or will she remain our enemy to the end ? Is there another force behind her, manipulating events from the shadows ? Finally, what is Athena and Axius' real plan, and why have they joined forces ?
It was interesting to learn more about Athena's past, as well as certain facets of her personality. Part of her motivations seem to be shaped by a deep conviction, where she claims to be acting for the greater good, but her methods are more than morally dubious.
It's possible that this image of “nobility” she's trying to sell us is simply a facade, or even an artifice to conceal her true intentions. It seems that Athena wants to overthrow the gods of Olympus and establish a new order for mortals, in order to impose her own principles and make her vision of the world real and tangible.
I get the impression that Athena follows the archetype of the initially noble character, but who, through personal trials, becomes more wrathful, vengeful and cynical. Athena is the type of main antagonist who is not intrinsically evil, but rather relativistic and cynical.
She thus seems ready to use manipulation and deception to achieve her ends, making her a far more complex and dangerous figure than the ideal Athena of myth.
I also wonder who is behind the revelation of these visions of Athena's past. Is it Auge who informs us about her story ? And if so, is she really acting in our favor, or is she playing a double game by intervening in Athena's shadow ?
I wonder why Athena turns innocent human beings, who haven't asked for anything and have already suffered enough, into creatures of darkness and lust. She claims to want to help them, but her actions go against every principle of benevolence. Why does she have such power as an Olympian deity, and why does she use it if lust is a vice she deeply disapproves of ? It doesn't seem consistent with the image she wants to project of herself.
What's more, this method seems particularly hypocritical and cruel. The people Athena claims to save are transformed against their will, condemned to an existence of servitude and to become instruments in her hands. They are reduced to mere pawns in her game, used to prey on those who displease her. This can only raise questions about his true intentions and the legitimacy of her “rescue”.
What will ultimately happen to the peaceful path, where, with Zycris, we choose not to confront Athena in order to avoid incurring her wrath ? I have my doubts as to whether this will prevent her from becoming an adversary, or whether this decision will lead to a favorable outcome or "good ending" for the protagonist. Personally, I've always chosen to confront her, it seems to be the natural evolution of Zycris's journey as main protagonist, and Gary Stu on the edges, the plot strongly urges us in that direction.
