by Dani Hoots
Then again, there were also gods just standing here as well so I felt a bit better about myself.
“I do. After the prophecy of Metis’ child destroying you, you know she had another, that the daughter of death would bring a change to this world. That was why you forbade me from having children, but you don’t even know if it was this child she was talking about. I won’t allow you to harm her because of your paranoia. I’m responsible for her well-being and that of others, I’m telling you that I am taking Chrys back with me to the Underworld, a place that you can never reach her. She will forever be in my protection and I can guarantee that she will never set foot on this world again.”
“Just like you told her never to come here before? I see that worked so well the first time.”
“I doubt she would ever disobey me a second time,” Hades growled.
“And you can guarantee that?”
“I can.”
Zeus laughed. “You really are stubborn, aren’t you brother? Strict and stubborn.”
Yeah, look who’s talking…
“It was no wonder that she tried to escape your grasp and ran away. She couldn’t stand being around you any longer, much like with Persephone.”
“That’s not true,” Chrys exclaimed. “He’s a loving father that has always been there for me!”
Zeus smiled. “Oh how sweet, she’s defending you. Then why did you destroy all his hard work of hiding you by coming out into the open like this? How could you betray him like that?”
“I… I didn’t think…”
“That’s right, you didn’t think. And now your father has left his position, his busy schedule, to come and save you, not to mention the threat of a war brewing because of your simple mistake.”
A war? They couldn’t be serious, could they? What did that even entail, when gods went to war? From all the stories, it made it sound like the Earth was always the battleground, the thing that gets hurt the most in a clash between immortals. There hadn’t been a war like that for thousands and thousands of years. Humans had developed so much since then. I couldn’t imagine what a war of that scale would do to the world as it was.
I had to look deep down to see whether or not I really cared. I did, but it took a while. Although there was a lot of things I hated about this world, there were a lot good things about it too. For instance, tea.
“Please, don’t. I’ll go back. I won’t cause any more trouble. Please, just stop,” Chrys pleaded.
“It’s too late for that and your father knows it. Now, it’s his decision. Hand you over or start a fight between the two of us. Which is it going to be, brother? After all these years?”
Hades stared at him for a moment, contemplating what to do next, I figured. “Huntley, take Chrys and get back to the Underworld. Chrys, take this.” He handed her something, it looked like a helmet. Like a cool Spartan helmet. Was it a Spartan helmet? “Now run.”
I grabbed Chrys’ hand and we ran away from where Hades and Zeus stood, intense power radiating off both of them, just waiting for the time for all their pent-up power to erupt all at once. Whatever was about to happen, I didn’t want to be around when it exploded. Melinoe and Pothos followed after us, wanting to clear the area as well.
Then it started. A thunderous roar of power echoing throughout the city. The battle had begun.
It sounded like thunder, an explosion of sorts. It was louder than anything I had ever heard, the energy nearly pushing me down on the ground. I knew the power my father had was beyond anything I could ever have imagined, but that still didn’t mean he could take on Zeus like he was. I hoped that he would succeed, that we could get to the Underworld safely and things would go back to normal, but I knew that wasn’t possible. Zeus was the God of Gods for a reason, if Father could have taken him out, he would have done so long ago. We could never go back to normal, not after the shit I caused.
The way he looked at me, his anger and disappointment in his eyes, I would never get that out of my mind. I had never done anything to hurt my father before, and he had never done anything to deserve the situation I had put him in. I had disobeyed him, causing this vicious battle before me, causing him having to fight his brother. He could lose because of me, and then what then?
I rather die than let anything happen to my father, especially since it would be my fault. All of this was my fault, putting Huntley in harm’s way, bringing my father into this. If only I had figured out A.J.’s intentions. This was all because of him, because he wanted to live forever on Earth.
No, I couldn’t place all the blame on him. I knew the risks, he didn’t force me. I just had been so mad at my mother that I wanted to know what Earth was like, how she could think it was better than life in the Underworld with me and Father. I still didn’t understand, but that was because in the past hour I had been almost kidnapped and almost killed so I couldn’t really talk.
I could see why my father didn’t want anything to do with his own family, though. Didn’t seem like they got along even before this. However, being force to stay in the Underworld, Father had held much resentment against his brothers during that time, so them threatening me was just the tip of the iceberg needed for him to explode in retaliation.
But that didn’t mean I didn’t make it worse, making it all shatter. I was the catalyst to all of this.
And what was this prophecy about? That the daughter of death would bring change upon all the worlds? Why did no one tell me this? Was I the daughter of darkness? No, I couldn’t be. I couldn’t change the world, I was just some goddess who should have never left her spoiled little world. There was no way I could take out Zeus, not when my father was having trouble doing that very same task. It had to have been someone else, even my father said that.
But then why didn’t he tell me sooner?
Gaia had predicted that the son of Zeus born by Metis would become stronger than Zeus and overpower him. So he killed Metis’ unborn child, as apparently deities do to solve their problems. So I could see why even Father didn’t think I was part of the prophecy, and wanted me to stay clear of Zeus. Just wished he had told me that whole story earlier. Maybe it would have made a difference. Probably not.
We stopped a little distance away from the battle and I looked down at the helmet in my hand. It was old, worn, like every other relic in the Underworld. It was Father’s helmet of invisibility. No one would be able to find us if I used it and we all joined hands.
“What is that?” Huntley asked. I glanced over at Pothos and Melinoe. I could tell they already knew exactly what it was.
“It’s the helmet of invisibility. I held out my hands to the others. “If we all gather hands, we can disappear.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so earlier?” Huntley grabbed my right hand and Melinoe my left, with Pothos holding her hand. I put the crown on and we turned invisible.
Under the helmet of invisibility, we hurried as fast as we could towards the boat. This was our only chance and I knew Father could easily travel to the Underworld after his fight. He didn’t even need a boat as he knew where all the secret passages were. I wondered what would happen after we made it through this, if we made it through this that is. I don’t know what Father will do to me now, how harsh his punishment will be, whether or not he would ever trust me again.
I didn’t want to lose his trust. My father was one of the most important people in my life, if not the most important. I looked up to him, loved him with all my heart. Yet I still betrayed him like I did. I had really thought it would all be okay, that he wouldn’t find out, that he was just exaggerating the dangers of me leaving the Underworld. Apparently I was wrong.
We kept running. I wasn’t quite sure why Pothos and Melinoe were still at our side, why they didn’t run off like Prometheus did. Or I guess that’s what had happened as he was gone by the time Zeus knocked me out of the sky. He probably knew Zeus was coming and didn’t want any part in that fight. Couldn’t blame him really. I was surprised he even stuck around for
that long.
So for Melinoe and Pathos, maybe they just felt sorry for me or didn’t get along with Zeus or Poseidon. Maybe they just wanted an adventure, who knew their reasons. Gods were weird as I was finding out. And humans. And demigods. Everything was just strange. Hopefully, given some time, I’d learn from conversations with them just why they were willing to follow my lead. That is, if I ever saw them again.
After rounding the corner, we came upon a woman. We all stopped, forgetting for a moment that we were invisible. She had long curly brown hair, a long white dress with gold accenting it. I had never seen something look so beautiful and so pure. I gaped at the sight of her. She only could be one person and that was Athena.
Her eyes were closed as she held a spear and shield, as if meditating. I had heard stories of her heroic deeds and how she was loyal to Zeus. He must have called upon her to help him find me. The four of us quietly started to turn around to sneak away, but it was useless. She could somehow sense us.
“Daughter of Hades! You are to surrender now and be taken to Zeus or else I will have to take you by force.”
Ah, Athena, there is a reason she is called the Goddess of Warfare. She was known as being strategic and not many have won against her and if they did win, she would just kill them later. I wondered what my chances were even with the helmet of invisibility. Probably low, unless I used my power again, but I had a feeling that would get me into more trouble than it was worth. Well, I didn’t know if I could really get into more trouble at this point. Seemed impossible, really.
Melinoe looked at me and smiled. “We got this. Run.”
I was about to say something when she and Pothos let go of my hand and became visible to Athena. Huntley and I had to run before she realized where we stood.
Athena opened her eyes and smiled. “Oh, Melinoe, we meet again.”
“Athena, still suffering from those nightmares I gave you all those years ago? Of the man you fell in love with?”
Her lips tightened but she held her composure. I could only imagine what Melinoe must have done to her. And why exactly had she messed with the Goddess of Warfare in first place? I mean, she didn’t seem like someone you wanted to cross.
“I have never fallen in love with a man, god or human, and you know that.”
Pothos coughed. “Liar.”
The gossip between gods, I swear was crazy.
Athena shot him a look. “Do not call me such things. I could have you both tried for disobeying Zeus’ orders. Now, stand down or I will have to take you both out to achieve my mission.”
“Chrys, run before it’s too late!” Melinoe shouted.
Still stunned about everything going on, Huntley pulled me away from the duel and towards the boat. It wasn’t that far now, just a few more blocks. I was glad I was good with directions because this city was like a maze. Alleyways went every which way, ending abruptly even. It didn’t make sense and just pissed me off.
There weren’t that many people out now, not that they could see us anyway. They simply heard our footsteps, looked, saw nothing, and probably dismissed it as their imagination or ghosts. I heard that there were a lot of ghosts in these parts.
As we were rounding the last corner, almost free of all that was going on, Athena appeared in front of us. Apparently Pothos and Melinoe couldn’t handle it. We were so close.
“Give up now. It’s no use.”
She still couldn’t see us but somehow she could sense us, and was able to tell where we stood. She pointed her spear straight at us. “If you do not back down I will kill this human and his soul will be thrown into Tartarus where they all belong.”
I couldn’t let that happen and I knew I wouldn’t be able to go up against her without Huntley getting in the way or getting hurt. I thought hard about it, whether or not it was possible to win, whether or not the rest was worth it.
It wasn’t. The sound of Zeus and my father fighting had subsided which only meant someone had won and since Father wasn’t here now where he knew we would be, it meant that he wasn’t successful. That Zeus had him.
“Fine,” I said, taking off the helmet. It was the only thing I could do at this point. Give up and hope no one else would get hurt in the process. “I will go with you.”
Huntley shook his head. “No, you can’t— ”
“There’s no other choice, no other outcome. Even if I made it to the Underworld, there are a select few who could come after me under Zeus’ orders. I would have to hide for the rest of eternity and I don’t want that. I must see what Zeus says and try to get him to spare me. It’s the only way.”
Huntley frowned but he knew I was right. There was no other way out of this. I had to plea with Zeus himself for my life.
So… Athena was pretty hot.
I mean, she wasn’t Chrys, but yeah, I could see why she was the Goddess of Warfare. She didn’t seem like someone you could easily beat. In a fight, very strategic. Pothos and Melinoe were nowhere to be seen, of which I hoped they were okay. Hell, she knew where we were and we were invisible.
From what Chrys had told me months before, she was a virgin goddess who was smarter than most other gods. Virgin, well, I found that a little hard to believe after everything that had happened tonight. Melanie and Pothos were talking about some guy and it didn’t seem like any of the gods could be virgins. Didn’t blame them, they had a lot of time to kill. I mean, a lot. And smart, well yeah. She managed to outwit all of us. Even with the helmet of invisibility.
I wondered what Melinoe meant when she said she haunted Athena with nightmares of the man she loved. And why would she even do that in the first place? I didn’t really want to get involved, though, I was just a bit curious. I thought about asking, but after everything I had seen tonight, I had finally learned to keep my mouth shut. There’s a first time for everything, am I right?
Prometheus must have really feared Zeus. He was gone in a flash. So was A.J., but I understood why he fled the scene. Hades would have sent him to Tartarus in a heartbeat if he knew he betrayed his daughter like that. But Prometheus, I had no idea why he would turn his back on Chrys, though it wasn’t like he knew her well enough to really have to stay. It was just odd that he would stand up to Poseidon but not to Zeus. And we really needed him back there, or against Athena. Maybe he could have gave us a little more time.
I hoped Hades had actually defeated Zeus and that we could all just go home. I knew that wasn’t the case, that if he had won he would have been here right now. It was quiet now, the battle already over.
I had never been so afraid in my life, this silence making it all the worse. Chrys was walking straight to her death, if I wasn’t mistaken. There was no way she could talk Zeus into letting her live, was there? What could she do to make him change his mind?
Athena led us to the Globe Theatre. Never in my wildest dreams, or highest of highs, did I imagine that I would be trespassing on the property that once held Shakespearian plays hundreds of years ago with a bunch of Greek gods practically involving themselves in a fight to the death. My imagination was never that great though, and now I was living a life, or death, that I never expected.
I peered around as Athena forced us through the modern lobby and down towards the historic theater. Why we were coming here of all places, I had no idea. Because the gods simply could? Probably, I knew I would break into places if I were a god just because I could, making humans not remember I was ever there just as Chrys did at the school. It just wasn’t fair, really. that they had this power. I supposed that if they were responsible for all of creation, that they were privy to all sorts of benefits.
Chrys hadn’t said a word as Athena escorted us. She had a lot to think about, especially after her father looked at her the way he did. She was probably devastated bringing him all of this drama, though I knew he would do anything for his daughter. But he was still pretty pissed she went behind his back.
I just hoped we all would get out of this okay. That we could return to the pleasant
glory days of playing poker, or days spent in Chrys’ company without having to worry for her safety all the time. Though that outcome didn’t seem likely. Did Greek Mythology have genies? Maybe we could find a magical lamp and make all this go away.
I mean, what would happen if not everything went okay? Would we all be thrown into Tartarus? And what kind of war would Hades and Zeus start? There is a lot that was still up in the air. Our next few steps had to be calculated carefully, like how we all thought when playing poker.
We went to the main theater area to find Zeus standing in the middle of the stage. Center of attention, of course. He was still as lively as ever, gold practically radiating off of him. Although he mostly appeared to be okay, I could tell that the fight with Hades had indeed exhausted him. If Chrys could use her powers fully, I was sure she could win against him.