Artwork by:  James_Corck

Setting inspired by: Persona 5 (Owned by ATLAS)

THIS WAS SUCH A LONG TIME COMING! But it's here at last. Such artwork captures me a ton in a nutsheel and my feelings towards society in general. I do belong with the Phanton Theives in their efforts to change hearts, and I hope you all appreciate the thought and work put into this depiction of Zeus here. If you are sensitive to topics concerning religion, I'd advise you do not read ahead.

Persona Name: Bellerophon
Thief Codename: Titan (Allies call me Ithax out of jest/endearment sometimes, like Inari for Fox of the Phantom Thieves)
Melee Weapon: Spear
Ranged Weapon: One handed crossbow

Arcana Represented: Tower (Taking a normally negative tarot card into something empowering instead)
Persona Main Attacks: Lightning and Nuclear. (Can learn fire and bless too)
Persona Resistances: Lightning, Physical attacks (I'm pretty tanky)
Persona Drains: Bless (The Gods themselves can't lay a finger one me due to my rage against them)
Persona Weaknesses: Wind, Psychic

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Awakening Story

In the metaverse, Zeus finds himself in the midst of a grandiose cathedral dedicated to the famous Judeo-Christian deity. His hooves clacked along the marble ground, pondering why he's having this recurring nightmare every other day or so.

"No... no dammit! Can't my brain decide to go somewhere else for once!?"

Little did he realize that he was stuck in the palace formed by a Mega Church preacher that's influence had spread across the entire, major metropolitan city he was in. His breathing quickened, along with clenched fists as he scattered across the empty space, trying to find a way out. Unfortunately for him, the grand doors to the front slammed opened, revealing a horde of shadows that resembled people he knew growing up. Among those were people who left his childhood church, fooling the pegasus into thinking they moved on but instead fell into a different sort of trap. There were also members of the congregation that only saw the fading glistening figure of the pegasus before he fell out of the picture entirely. All everyone seemed to care about was his love life and the status of his career, nothing else. Being a part of this controlling cult ensured a narrow, accepted world view for the masses it ensared through dishonrable recruiting methods.

But the most damning reality of it all were his own parents. Every time he was here, his own family couldn't look him in the eye with love and understanding. The pegasus only saw fear, worry, and depression. Their only source of solace was an extragavently robed shadow at the pupil, preaching his nonsensical and hateful rhetoric to falsely empower the masses. Out of the windows of this cathedral, anything the preacher said was materializing as real, creating a faux world to entrap any followers. From violent, protesting individuals in the streets to hoards of people with cameras waiting to "cancel" the masses out of their comfortable lives. These shadows banged on the windows, yelling how they wish to burn their culture to the ground and eradicate them from the world. But Zeus huffed, seeing beyond that illusion, knowing these people being targetted were the same as they were. Harmless people villinized for simply existing. People that didn't fit into the narrow lifestle mold of the majority. People needing better direction and new hope in their lives.

It broke his heart to see so many people he grew up around staying in this terrible, zealout filled prison. But shame overtook him from the minute he stepped out of line. If he'd simply try to exit, he would be grabbed by his parents shadows back inside. He listened to that cold sermon once more, waiting for that dreaded moment. Every word killed him more on the inside, knowing how meanspirited and manipulating it was. But then came that "altar call" that would turn new guests from the congregation into blind worshippers of a deity he knew as evil and heartless. The stallion was sweating, trembling as his parents shadows were glaring at him with those disapproving eyes of his, waiting for him to admit defeat and accept the "good" message already. Even though the stallion had left the church years ago, the pressure to fall back in grew by the week. The metaverse knew about the double life he kept putting up to keep the peace, punishing his shadow with a reminder. By refusing to go back, the metaverse tried to convince him that he was a failure of a son and member of society.
But Zeus refused to let today play out the same way. With spread wings, he lept in the air, and shouted as loud gasps rose up from everyone else below him.

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Listen! My family and dearest friends... do you not see what this man is doing!? He's twisting the world at large to fit a false reality. A false prosecution and peace that your so called "good news" movement has brought about for centuries. There are less enemies than you think out there. In fact, the real enemy here is those that perpetuate hate!" He said, pointing to the powerful shadow ahead. The shadow laughed, pointing back at the rebellious pegasus.

"Look, my brothers and sisters! An agent of Satan himself is among us! A shame, my lost and foolish sheep. Do you not understand how sad you've made God himself? Let alone, your beloved family!? The pleasures of this world are temporary. You have rejected the promise of eternal salvation through accepting the one true God. Why must you continue to be tied to the world that seeks to destroy all remaining good in it? I'm afraid we have no choice any longer. Per the Holy Word, we are tasked with removing dissenters and people who lost their hearts to the devil."

The shadow snapped his fingers, clearing the pews and letting armed guards with swords approach the pegasus. The parents shadows were sobbing, pleading with their son to stop and return to normalcy.

"It appears your journey to eternal punishment is at hand. I cannot have you drag down these good people with you. Now, by the glorious name of the Father, be gone forever!"

Normally, Zeus would bolt to the exit, only for the doors to be shut and being dragged back in with his parents. But he felt in immense danger for once, not realizing that dying in the metaverse meant permanent psychological damage in the real world. He knew in this heart that such injustice and lies could not stand any long. Instead, he grabbed a flag near the front to use as a staff, swatting away at the guards to defend himself.

"NEVER! I will never bend the knee to you. To your "God". To ANYONE on this Earth! I... I will CRUSH you where you stand!!!"

Just as he said that, an echoing heartbeat would ring through his head, along with an invisible wave of power that knocked over the attacking shadows on their armored butts. The stallion thought he was having a heart attack for a moment, only for a voice to start speaking to him at last.

"Doth some one say that there be gods above? There are not, no, there are not. Let no fool, Led by the old false fable, thus deceive you."

"W-who... what are you...!? AGGH!"

"Have you truly seen the truth? Are you sure that which you see out of these windows are the lies spun by the powerful?"

"Lies that coddle the privilged, giving them false hope at the costs of the safety and normalcy of others?"

"...just as you once did."

"N-no! I'm not like that anymore! I... I have to change... everything...!" Zeus was silenced, eyes aglow as that headache of his intensified, bringing him to his knees.

"Yes, quite so, my awakened warrior. But remember this. Events will take their course, it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best account of reality."

"These masses of people you grieve for, they are not the object of your scorn. Nay, take such wrath over those in false seats of power."

"I AM THOU! THOU ART I!"

"If you seek true empowerment, I shall be your noble steed going forward."

Zeus was panting, sweating bullets on the ground, before finally getting the willpower to stand to his two hooves. He stared dead ahead, with wings unfurled and hunched over in a growing rage.

"As you wish! I accept the contract!"

A mask would materialize over his face, bonding with his fur. He once more saw what he once did, angering him. His past self, blinding obeying the hateful messages of old. Both hands went to that disgusting mask, trying to take it off. Of course, as he did so, the pain set back in, trying to make him back down from this decision. But the rage was too strong. He couldn't DARE give up now. Blood streamed down his eyes, moments before he finally ripped off the mask, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Come, BELLEROPHON!"

Theme starts playing

A flurry of wind and fire surrounded him, with Greek Hoplite armor materializing around his toned body. His mane stuck through the top of his helmet, while a golden spear formed in his right hand. A one-handed crossbow with a thigh strap appeared on his right thigh as well. Zeus gasped, looking down at his new body with awe and sheer excitement.

Behind Zeus, Bellerophon rose from the ground, galloping around the entire cathedral to knock over pews, slam shadow guards against tall pillers, before getting behind Zeus, raising its torso to let out a potent neigh. Blue fire formed around its hooves, with arrows of energy spawning behind its back. It snorted out an angry stream of steam ahead, getting ready to charge again and follow its user's lead.

"The world's Olympus should tremble now. For I will now be the agent of change it needs! Gone will the deities of old shall go. And in its place, true peace, empathy and understanding may finally settle in!"

He twirled his spear around in place before getting into a forward stance, preparing for battle. A new glint of energy formed in his yellow eyes, just as he charged into the shadows themselves, destroying them one by one until there was just the robed shadow left. The congretation were praying to this shadow, giving him power from desperation. But Zeus calmly told the masses as he faced this potent foe.

"Enough with the prayers! Stand by me and face the ugly realities of this world. No matter how bad things are, it is never too late for change. So go now and be free at last!"

He announced, with some fleeing the area in panic and others chained to the ground in their stubborn faith. But such was only the start of the real battle. This shadow was just one of many on Zeus's radar to take down. Part of him was still scared, but he knew that there were others out there who could join him. No one was ever truly alone after all.

The Phantom Thieves came calling days later after news of his success broke out to the public. And now, he's part of a growing verse to rid the world of corruption one shadow at a time.