Zeus's Transformation
"Zeus, get out! We're sick of you leaving our entire country in a state of chaos," screams all of Greece. Once again, Zeus is standing at the scene of another mishap. This time, one of his lightning bolts is halfway in the ground, pinpointing the middle of a burnt olive farm, glimmering in the sun.
"Zeus, get away for a little bit. Give the people time to calm down, and I'm sure they would accept you again. I'll take care of things for now," says Poseidon, trying to calm his brother.
Dejected, Zeus sighs and says, "I trust that you can lead this land more effectively than I have," as he leaves Greece behind, placing his brother Poseidon as the new leader of the gods and Greece. Zeus travels to Egypt, looking to start anew, a fresh kingdom to reign over. As he enters the country, a loud voice booms into the air.
"Who dares enter my kingdom unannounced?"
Zeus looks around, searching for the source of these words. He came to this land expecting a void waiting for him to arrive. He'd always heard Egypt was just a big, empty desert.
"Show yourself! I am Zeus, King of the Gods," he exclaims.
"You are not the king in Egypt," the voice shouts again, "for I, Ammon, have been king here for as long as time." Ammon steps out, revealing himself to Zeus. Zeus is taken aback, amazed to find out that he is not needed in Egypt either. Ammon senses the discomfort that Zeus feels, and is curious as to why Zeus even came to Egypt. "Tell me, what brings you to Egypt? Doesn't Greece need your guidance?"
After a pause, Zeus looks down and says, "They drove me out. They felt that I was insufficient as a leader, so I left Poseidon in charge and came here in search of a kingdom to begin anew."
"Come, let me show you something," says Ammon. After a short journey, they come to an open area. There is nothing around except a single bird standing tall and proud. "Meet the Bennu."
"What exactly is a Bennu? What makes this bird so special?"
"The Bennu is a bird that I believe you can learn many things from. Whenever the bird is approaching the end of its life, it builds a nest, which is ignited with the bird inside. It then becomes reborn, ready to begin life again," replies Ammon. He looks over at Zeus, who appears deep in thought. "Why don't you stay a while? I can teach you the same lessons this bird taught me."
Zeus quickly agrees, knowing that he does not have any other options after becoming an outcast from his home. He follows Ammon everywhere, learning everything he can, soaking up copious amounts of knowledge. They travel all across the desert, helping everyone in need. This included a wide variety of tasks, from saving the pharaoh when he was stranded on the Nile, to finding Thoth's favorite ibis that had gone missing.
After some time has passed, Zeus realizes that he is a different person than before. Instead of harming people or their belongings, he is helping them! Along with Ammon, the Bennu has taught him many things, and he begins to notice a transformation within himself.
The next morning, Zeus begins his day as he always does, looking out across the vast deserts of Egypt. Today, however, he is surprised to see a new shadow coming over the horizon. Watching it come closer, Zeus squints his eyes, trying to make out what could be coming towards him so early in the morning. Why, it's none other than Poseidon! But why has Poseidon come to Egypt?
"Brother!" Zeus shouts, sprinting to meet Poseidon. "What brings you to Egypt? You're needed in Greece."
"It's horrible! The Titans, they're free! I can't stop them by myself; all of Greece needs you back home! We've tried everything," gasps Poseidon. His face tells the entire story. It is filled with countless pain, stunning Zeus.
"But they just cast me out a little bit ago. Poseidon, I can't return yet. What would they think of me returning?" Zeus sighs, and looks towards the ground. "After all, they couldn't wait for me to leave."
Ammon hears this exchange, and without hesitation, puts his arms around Zeus and Poseidon. He looks directly at Zeus and tells him, "You're ready. You've heeded these lessons well, and you've learned more from the Bennu than I could have ever envisioned. Your resurrection is almost complete. Now go, head home, save Greece, and complete your journey." Zeus nods, realizing that everything Ammon said is true. He is ready to return.
With these words, Zeus immediately follows Poseidon home, and is greeted by the smell of smoke. After a brief coughing fit from the thick clouds of smoke rising from Greece, he looks around, horrified by what he sees. Homes are destroyed, Mount Olympus is a pile of rubble, and Cronus is standing on top of the mountain, surveying the Titans' success.
"It won't be long until we rule this land again!" shouts Cronus, unaware of Zeus' presence.
Furious, Zeus screams at his father, "This is my land! How dare you try and take it from me!" All the color drains from Cronus' face as he looks to his left and sees his own son running towards him.
"I will not let you ruin my return! I should have finished you off while I had the chance years ago." Cronus snarls and prepares to exact his revenge on Zeus, furious that his son dares to try and thwart him again.