My Final Trial in Stray Gods: Unmasking Athena's Plot

The apartment felt too quiet after the underworld's chaos. Persephone stood by my window, her presence a silent comfort, while Freddie—well, if I'd given her my Eidolon, her nervous energy would be bouncing off the walls. Apollo arrived with that familiar, troubled look. As he delivered his vague warnings, I couldn't hold back. I confronted him right there in my living room, demanding the truth about the prophecy he’d given Athena. The pieces were finally clicking into place, forming a picture I didn't like. Persephone offered her final piece of counsel about handling the goddess of wisdom, her tone a mix of warning and solidarity, before she too vanished, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The city map glowed before me, each location a crossroads from my past. I had one last chance to seek clarity. Would I Confront Pan about his cryptic guidance? Speak to Persephone again about the throne of Hades? Return to Apollo for the full story? Or, if Freddie stood beside me, would I check on her? Every conversation was a reflection of my journey—who I sided with when the old gods clashed, whether I sent Freddie to her doom or saved her, who I placed on the throne of the dead, and the very nature of Grace I had chosen to embody: Charming, Clever, or Kickass. These weren't just dialogue choices; they were the bedrock of my defense.

When I finally chose to Go to the Auditorium, the world shifted. A reprise of my first song swelled around me, but the lyrics had transformed. It was no longer a song of confusion and fear, but a anthem woven from my alliances, my regrets, and my resolve. The melody carried me straight into the heart of Old Olympus.

Song: "The Trial"

The silence in Athena's office was deafening, but brief. Hermes and Athena herself escorted me to Old Olympus, a majestic, crumbling hall filled with every god and Idol I'd met. The audience for my judgment was my entire world. Athena began coldly, announcing the slow death of the Idols. My heart pounded, but I found my voice. I asked her about her role in it all. Her confession was chilling: she declared she would do anything to keep us alive, her "anything" now clearly including sacrifice and murder.

Then, Freddie did the bravest thing. If she was there, she stepped forward, declared herself the new Last Muse, and tried to take my place. Athena, unmoved, simply sentenced her alongside me. If Freddie was still in Hades... well, then I stood alone, but my accusation against Athena rang just as loud. I confronted her with the prophecy, and in her defensive retort, I heard the twisted logic of a protector turned tyrant. Then, the music began for the final time.

Athena took the lead in "The Trial," singing a powerful, sorrowful ballad about the burdens of leadership and the dirty secrets she kept to preserve our hidden lives. But she wasn't singing alone for long. The god I had the strongest bond with stepped into the spotlight beside me. Was it Apollo, with his guilt and golden lyre? Pan, with his wild, protective spirit? Or Persephone, with her underworld-forged strength? Who stood with me depended entirely on the alliances I'd nurtured and the heart I'd maybe given away.

Athena called upon The Furies, spectral enforcers of divine wrath. As they advanced, my one ally held the line, their song a shield. Then, I had to choose. I could pick two others from the gathered host to join our stand. As I pointed to them, they sang their reasons—brief, powerful verses reminding me of the moments that earned their loyalty.

Faced with this chorus of defiance, Athena finally faltered. The fight left her. She lowered her head and left her fate in my hands. Grace's choice. My choice.

I looked at the goddess who had framed me, manipulated gods, and was ready to kill to maintain her control. What did my Grace do?

• Forgive Her? Understand the impossible weight she carried and absolve her, choosing mercy over vengeance.

• Punch Her & Exile Her? Let my fist (or my magic) express the rage for Calliope and for all of us, casting her out forever.

• Make Her Step Down? Demand a peaceful transfer of power, acknowledging her efforts but declaring her time as leader over.

My decision echoed through Old Olympus. After the song's final note, I waited in Athena's office—Freddie by my side if she lived—for the verdict. The gods returned with a stunning decree: The Chorus was disbanding. No more hiding. We were going to reveal ourselves to the mortal world. The thought was terrifying and exhilarating.

I could ask about everyone then—Medusa, Eros, Asterion—and learn how their stories continued. Then, my closest ally, the one who sang first for me, asked for a private word. That conversation... it was shaped by everything: the two core traits that defined my Grace, and whether Freddie was there to share a knowing look or a poignant absence.

Two Months Later: The Epilogue

Life had changed. We were out in the open. The scene in my apartment was warm, filled with friends. Apollo, Pan, Persephone, Freddie—they were all there, laughing, planning, living.

I went around the room, asking about everyone. What happened to Medusa after the reveal? 💬 Did Aphrodite and Eros find a new dynamic? The answers were uniquely mine, tailored to the choices I'd made for them weeks ago. It was a beautiful, personalized recap of the world I'd helped shape.

The Final Number

And then, one last song. If I'd found love—with Apollo, Pan, or Persephone—they'd take my hand. We'd sing a duet about our future, a sweet, romantic promise as the others smiled and slipped away. If I was single, or if a romance had shattered under the weight of difficult choices, the song was different. It was with my friends, a celebration of our found family and the wild, new world we were building together. The melody was one of hope, of community, of a story ending so a new one could begin.

As the last note faded, the credits began to roll. I sat back, the journey of Grace—my Grace—complete. From a scared woman with a dead muse's power to someone who stood before gods and changed their world. Every choice, every song, every alliance led to this moment. It was more than a trial; it was a crescendo. And it was absolutely unforgettable.