Adrasteia Nicolaou's Story

Modern Earth, the age of science has replaced the age of Gods and Magic. They all have disproven everything about them. People have gone to the so called home of the Greek Gods and found… nothing… No grand palaces or anything else. The Gods places of worship have all but crumbled away. Some have been stolen from and some broken into and vandalized.
The mortals have forgotten about them and explained away everything about them.
But they have not thought of one simple possibility…Maybe the Gods have moved… or have their own dimension. The Gods have never met the other gods of a different culture, aside from the Roman and Greek, but that is because they are one and the same…Each realm feels like one would expect from each culture.

Asgard is surrounded by an impregnable wall and is one of the Nine worlds, inhabited by the Aesir, the race of Warrior Gods. It is located at the highest point of their universe and has the Rainbow Bridge connecting their world to Earth. They also have Valhalla the place were slain warriors wait for the final battle, Ragnarok. The realm of their Elves Alfheim and Svartalfheim is also there as well as Vanaheim the home of Vanir, it is a glorious if a bit cold. Also there is the realm of frost giants they are constantly battling. As well as Helheim, their underworld which Hel, Lokis’ daughter resides and is protected by Garm, Hel's enormous dog-guard, lives in the cave Gnipahellir. He is an eight-foot-tall black hound with glowing eyes. It is important not to underestimate Garm. While he may act like a big dog - vicious and dangerous or friendly depending on who you are - it's an act. There is as much intelligence in Garm as in any other of Helheim's guards. He is a Jotun who is always in dog-form, but he is no dumb beast. Garm seems to be on a general patrol around the borders of Helheim, meaning that he could be anywhere at any point.
Mount Olympus is the abode of the chief god Zeus. Also, the foremost gods of the Greek pantheon have their palaces at the summit. It is here that the gods assemble to consume nectar and ambrosia, the substances which reinforces their immortality. The top of the Olympus, which is covered in snow and hidden in the clouds, reaches all the way into the aether. It is the highest mountain of Greece and lies on the border of Macedonia and Thessaly, yet though mortals have been to the top they have never seen the realm. And why would they? The Gods have hidden it from their mortal eyes. Also of course is the Domain of Hades, which is surrounded nine times by the River Styx, where Hades resides.
The Egyptian Gods abandoned Walking the Earth and made their own realm one that mimics Ancient Egypt, yet more elegantly and seems to never decay.
The Aztec took a liking to the lushness of the place they were worshipped and made their own realm reflect that. Lushness surrounding them and the sounds of the jungle ever present as each God resided in their own grand pyramids, very much like the temples that the Aztecs worshipped them in.
The Hindu gods have retreated back into their Lokas, looking forlornly at the world they left, though it should be mentioned that they have never seen the other Gods walk the world, perhaps the Earth of the other Gods are different in some way?

Each God in each realm have seen the flow of time on Earth and seen it change, but never seeing the other realms of the other gods.

Until now.

Ten Gods, including a few Goddesses, have been cast out of their realm by someone, though they do not know who. Some of the Gods and Goddesses are the righteous; some are the outcasts among the gods… They each have their weapons on them and have been assigned lodges at a college. They do not know how they have come to Earth or who these others are, though a few they recognize from their own realm. For the first time in history The Asgardians will meet the Olympians, the Hindu Gods will meet the Egpytian Gods and the Alaskan Gods as well as the Azetec.
Thrown into this mix are four mortals, two men and two women, who are going to the school as well. They know not who these ones are or the powers they possess, but they soon will…
The Gods have a common goal, though some are more reluctant about it than others, get back to their own realm, but to do that they need help… from the mortals. But will the mortals help? Or will they try to kill the gods, for on Earth there maybe a weapon that can kill them. Though only Mortals may wield it.

Adrasteia Nicolaou bid farewell to her temporary home in Athens, only looking over her shoulder once with her hazel before picking up her three pieces of luggage, a battered old suitcase, a messenger bag, and a small cat crate. She wished she had time to go see her families grave but she just hadn't had the time. She wish she had. Her hands went to a simple pebble mosaic necklace, she fiddled witht the pendent before muttering underneath her breath “Goodbye mom, goodbye dad, and goodbye little Abraxas. I am not sure when I will be able to visit you next, but I will be thinking of you.” And with those last words she hailed a taxi. A few minutes later she was at the airport, a ticket for America in her hands.

It was a long and exhausting flight that took most of the night. When she finally got off of the aircraft all she could think about was falling asleep. She was lucky she didn't have any bags that were checked, hers were big enough for carry on. She decided that the best course of action would be to head to her destination.

Adrasteia Nicolaou's destination was a college that she had applied to, it was small, and looked nice. Plus it was away from her past...

She asked around the city where the building was, speaking to a few people in Greek, her native tongue, and the rest in an accented english. She was fluent in english for the most part, but some things were hard for her.

The twenty two year old finally found out the location and as she approached the building she couldn't help but marvel at the structure. It was simply amazing, it seemed to blend different cultural styles and still blend perfectly together.

And then it happened.

The sky took on a grey tone, and the clouds rolled in, it had been a bit cloudy on the way over sure, but nothing to indicate the drastic change of weather that was happening.

There was a large crack of lightening so close that she could see the arching and the branching out of the veins. Andrasteia let out a scream before bolting inside, her feet carrying her swiftly.

The poor animal in the crate was bounced around from the sudden movement and the young woman apologized to the creature before pulling it out of the crate.

It was a small fennec fox that had a collar on it that simply read “Butterball.”

“I am so sorry about the Butterball...but at least the building blocks out the noise...”

Andrasteia looked around the building but the halls were empty...and she really didn't like that. Colleges shouldn't be empty...”Hello? Is anyone here?”

Hades stretched out on his throne and placed one leg over the arm of the chair as he listened to Loki taunting him. He didn’t pay much attention, he was obviously trying provoke Hades and he didn’t care much for that. Once Loki stopped talking Hades went to reply but then another man entered, waving some kind of practice sword around and seemed to be furious with strange man Hades had previously addressed. Hades carried on watching, it was strange, they spoke as if they, themselves, were Olympians. Things were getting stranger, eventually another man entered who had his own elaborate throne, whoever created this place was well prepared. Hades kept himself quiet, these were strange mortals.
As he sat he heard some shouting from the hallway below. Another? Female by the sounds of it, she sounded confused. What was with this? Were these people truly mortals? They had obnoxious arrogance that only came with being a God. But he recognized none of them. He had seen Apollo’s name outside...

“I wonder when my dear nephew will show...”

He turned attention back to the crying voice

“We’re in here! Come in, we could use some more crazy!”

Hades yelled back before chuckling to himself. He sat back in his throne and yawned before turning back to the squabbling children.

“You two certainly are strange little creatures.”

Adrasteia tilted her head as she heard someone calling for her to join them. It sounded like it was coming down the hallway...So the androgynous woman grabbed her luggage and started to go down the unsettling empty building, Butterball following right behind her.

The sound of her boots thudding against the cold floor was the only thing that broke the silence. Well that and a faint humming. At first she couldn't recognize the noise and just assumed that it was the humming of the lights. But as she got closer she recognized it as voices...loud enough to hear but not loud enough to understand. And no whenever she thought she was getting closer to the source, it would change directions. It was almost as if it was coming from everywhere and nowhere.

After what felt like hours of wandering around, but was probably only a few minutes the woman ended up in what looked like the cafeteria. Inside was blonde haired woman sitting by herself, could she have possibly been the voice she heard? Adrasteia didn't think so, the voice sounded like that of a male.

The greek woman sat down in the nearest chair, and rubbed her temple, covering up the tattoo over her eyebrow. What in the world was going on in here? “Are you the only other person here? This is a college isn't it? Where is everyone? And where are the dorms...I would like to drop off my stuff and get things arranged.” She wasn't expecting the other woman to answer her question, but any information would be useful.

Lux looked up at the girl with a start, giving her a quick once over before relaxing a bit. "Well I haven't ran into anyone else but you yet." She tilted her head a bit looking at her "Is that a Greek tinge to your voice? I've always wanted to go." She laughed a her self, "sorry kinda rude I'm Lux." She sat her book down putting it next to her. "I've heard a group talking butjust the muffled sound of voices but I kinda just zoned them out for a while." She glanced at the door as a man walked in "Well it looks like we aren't the only ones after all." She arched a brow as the guy walked in carrying a wooden sword, before three other guys walked in with him. Lux picked her book back up expecting the other girl to get up and go talk to them instead.

(if i moved anyone that didn't want to be i will edit)

Adrasteia Nicolau could feel the girls eyes look her over, and she couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable, she didn't like the feeling of people looking at her. Butterball must have picked up on it, because he started to whine and paw at her legs. The androgynous woman gave the small fennec fox a small smile before looking back up at the women. “So I am the only other person you have met? Isn't this a college? So where is everyone else?” Adrasteia pondered out loud, this was all very strange. The greek woman snapped back into reality at the question of her heratige. “Yes, I am from Heraklion greece, thoug recently I have been living in Athens...It is a nice enough place...but there are too many bad memories there...” The woman said, sadness in her voice.

Adrasteia nodded polietely when she heard her companions name. “I am Adrasteia Nicolau, and this” The woman pointed down to the small furry creature by her side “is Butterball. It is a pleasure to meet you.” The woman said, but she didn't offer a hand to shake. She didn't really mean to be rude, but she also didn't seem to care if she was.

“So you heard the voices too? I tried to find them but it seemed that if I got closer the voices would move. I finally ended up here...I at first thought it was maybe you that was speaking but...I am sure the voice I heard was that of a male. And well, you don't sound like a male.” Andrasteia said with a shrug.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention, and she quickly turned around. The sight she saw was surprising to say the least. It was a group of men, seeming to be lead by a red headed male. They were all attractive, but that wasn't really what had caught her eye.

It was how they were dressed
that caught her hazel eyes. The red head was dressed normally enough, but for some reason he was wielding a wooden sword in his hand, she wasn't really sure she wanted to know why...

Then there was a man with slicked back, and yet still looking wild, black hair. He was wearing a leather outfit of green and black and gold. It was just like he was begging to have all the attention on him. That he needed people to only see him...she couldn't understand that want, she would rather not have to many eyes on her. Either that or he had just come back from some sort of comic convention, though why he hadn't changed she didn't know.

And the last male she saw looked...well he looked like he was going to faint or die at any moment. He was grayish looking, and his eyes were just pools of black. She actually was a little worried about him, and wondered briefly if he was going to be ok. The man was wearing a black pin stripped suit and well, he dressed like a gangster, though she thought that even she would be able to take him on.

“Oh wow...what kind of school did I sign up for? I...I think I need a drink...”

Loki blinked as the man called Erebus introduced himself, “one of the void? Of Darkness and shadow… husband of night? He is not human… but the god of night is Hodur…Who is this man claiming to be?” he thought to himself, a theory was forming in his head slowly, but one that seemed to make sense. “is everyone here-” he started to think before a hard slap to the back brought him back, he stumbled forward from the blow and looked at Thor with slight annoyance before he sighed. “Yes, yes drink and food would be welcome, as well as books.. I need to do some research…” he muttered to himself.

When Thors’ laugh shook the sky Loki seemed a bit startled, if a little bit scared. “Control yourself Thor… We do not want a storm happening… I doubt there was one forecasted… in fact when I walked here the sky seemed clear.” He remarked as he followed Thor. He pushed on the door expecting it to open, when it did not he frowned as tried again, this time using slight magic, again it did not work. “well… Tis seems that you cannot open a door that is not yours…” he remarked with a shrug as he walked back to the wall he came from and once more used a small bit of power to write his name as he walked through the wall and was once more back into the room of candles. He looked around and found a heavy wooden door that he managed to push open. He was now out in the open a few buildings flanked him, one he immediately recognized as being Norse in style, “Must be the dorm.” He thought to himself as he smelled food in the air. With a grin he started walking towards it, catching a faint glimpse of Thor as well. “I am stuck with him…” he thought to himself, the idea seemed a bit appalling to him. He opened the door to the Feasting Hall and saw that a table bore the Yggdrasil tree, apparently that was where the Asgardians were supposed to dine.

He also spied two mortal women, or whom he assumed was mortal by their attire. He once again looked at the assigned table, “I am not sitting there…” he muttered as he walked to a small unmarked table and sat there. “sharing a room is one thing, but eating with him is quite another…” he thought to himself. He saw the food tray on the table and picked it up as he walked to the line of food and quickly pile bread, meat and cheese on it. He saw a machine with labels on it, “sprite, coke, Dr. Pepper? What is the meanings of these?” he thought to himself. He thought that some idiot spelled Spirit wrong and assumed that it was alcohol. With a shrug he took a cup and filled it up with the “Sprite” and heard it fizz making him frown, but then he saw the foam and assumed he was correct in his assumption. He brought it to the small table and placed his tray down as he began to eat, cutting his meat into small pieces as he ate silently. He took a sip of his drink and his eyes widen in surprise as he took another sip, “What madness is this? Tis fizzing…” he muttered to himself in utter shock.

Erebus sought no more interaction with these two very loud deities, at least until he had some alcohol in him, but until he found that he followed them out of the strange round room. Once outside, he scowled and cringed abruptly as they stepped into the sun light. He growled and cursed in Greek under his breath. Turning away from the bright light, he opened his suit coat and reached inside. From within the shadows his suit was made of shadows, he drew forth a matching fedora and a pair of thin, stylish sun glasses, both composed of shadows as well. While he did not care much for humanity, they had made stupendous steps in sun shielding apparel. Erebus layed the shades over his eyes, the hat onto his head and turned back to the outside.

Figuring that Loki, had some clue of where they were going, Erebus followed him and the large thundering Asgardian. Erebus tried to recall the name but almost instantly lost intrest and stopped caring. And the only reason he remembered Loki's name at all was the fact his ears were still ringing from the large oaf's loud voice.

As they stepped into the food hall, Erebus quickly seperated himself from the Asgardians. Since the dining hall was much more dimly lit than outside, Erebus let his shades sit down the bridge of his nose. He walked for the furtherest, most secluded table, in the far corner of the food hall. As he stepped, he could feel himself being watched. Erebus was used to blending into the shadows, out of attention and notice, regardless of where he went. So being watched felt unnerving and uncomfortable, however only one thing was on his mind at the time: liquor, and he would not be swayed from his mission.

Erebus reached his table and as he took his seat, with his back to the rest of the dining hall, the light bulb in the fixture above him flickered twice and then burnt out. "Aww...." Erebus exhaled deeply as if saying 'one problem down'. Erebus spoke slowly and softly as he cast his hand's shadow on the table. "χύσει το άδειο δοχείο." (pour out the empty bowl) With this incantation, Erebus could reach into his shadow and from it draw out anything from another shadow. However, in his weakened state, Erebus felt the connection with all shadows and darkness falter. He could not focus on every shadow, every silhouette, every form of darkness like he normally could. Erebus was starting to become enraged but before it settled in, he remembered a bottle of ancient wine he had hidden away. All he needed to do was focus on the shadow of the wine bottle, buried within the grave of a young roman woman he had met while in Italy millenniums earlier. He had visited her grave often and remembered its exact location. Every few centuries or so, since her death, he would exhume her grave and rebury her within a new coffin, along with the bottle of wine and a few other trinkets he kept hidden. 

"There you are..." Erebus whispered out darkly as he finally connected with the bottle within the darkness of the woman's coffin. He slowly reached inside his hand's shadow and drew forth the bottle. It was aged thousands of years, with a veil of dust encrusted into the glass after years, even the bottle looked like it was from far before the epoch of Anno Domini. 

Erebus had been saving this for over 2000 years, saving it for a day just like his, saving it for a truly s**ty day. The bottle had a bee wax cork and candle wax used to seal it, but neither of these lasted on the bottle longer than a second before Erebus had torn it away. 

Erebus gazed softly into the bottle, gentle remembrances of his past went through his mind. Erebus needed to stop them. He took the bottle to his lips and began to drank slowly, savoring every drop.

Thanato, God of peaceful death woke up with a groan, “Brother? Why am I awake? I don’t need to be awaken quite yet.” He muttered as he sat up and rubbed his head. He plinked as he looked at his hand, “What in the-” he started to say as he heard thunder in the distance, “…Show off…” he muttered thinking it was Zeus, with a sigh he stood up and saw his reflection in a broken window. Thanatos quickly ran up to the window and looked.

He recognized who was in it, but that is what caused him great alarm. It wasn’t him it was a boy he had touched causing the boy to die happy and peacefully. “If this is another of Hermes jokes I am not amused…” he muttered as he saw his sword and dagger near him. He blinked as he touched them concentrating as he made them into shadows. He looked up as he heard a raven caw and frowned… he sensed someone familiar… but could it be? “Erebus?” he thought as he ran in that direction avoiding the honking and the speeding metal mortal carriages as he reached the place of learning. He followed the trail and barged in. He spotted right away it was a place of dining and saw a man with slicked back hair eating alone, a red haired man whose appetite seemed endless from the two platters of food he carried, two mortal women, one whom he thought he recognized from the tales of his sister Keres… she called it her masterpiece when her family was slaughtered, he called it revolting. Finally he saw who he was looking for and walked right up to the man wearing a pinstripe suit looking as old as the mortal he caused the death of and now was stuck in his shell. He sat right across from him, “Hello, where is Hypnos?” he asked softly, his voice like soft, fresh, upturned dirt.

Loki watched the drama ensue as the new person entered. He also seemed to look at Thor, who as usual had pile mountains of food and drinks for himself to consume. Loki shook his head at this and continued drinking his drink, now used to the fizziness. He looked around to see what he could do in the mean time as he took out the key he placed around his neck and examined the chain. "tis not an Midgard metal or Asgardian... so where did it come from?" he pondered to himself with a slight frown on his face. He then stood up and headed to the door intent on heading to the library to find out. He lbrushed lightly past Thor as he did so.