Apollo's Story

"He hasn't told you."

It was a statement her twin spoke, not a question and Artemis could hear the utter disbelief in his voice. She was confused though and watched him expectantly to continue on and tell her just what was so important. "Apollo, who didn't tell me what?" The huntress was in the dark as to what information should have been passed on from her brother and she certainly didn't know that it pertained to all of her kin and not just herself.

Artemis was a bit startled as Apollo, abruptly in her opinion, left her and marched his way towards the dining room where the others were gathering. She sighed rather loudly and brushed a hand through her hair before following after him. The Huntress was certain that things were about to become so much worse in the following hours. As customary she took the seat beside Apollo, watching out of the corner of her eye and all but ignoring the complete bullshit spewing from Zues' mouth.

Artemis could see the tension in her twin, the tightness of his jaw and the glare in his eyes. She knew that something was terribly wrong, especially because Apollo was usually one of the calmer of the Olympians. She was actually fairly surprised as he stood from his seat, her head turning fully towards him in response.

“Feel like a family? You want us to feel like a family? Please don’t even try to pretend that we have any semblance of that word, at least not until each of us can openly acknowledge our failings and vices, myself included. But more than that, wouldn’t it be far more prudent to address imminent threat to us, and all six billion men women and children on this earth?”

The goddess bit her bottom lip in nervousness. No one really ever spoke against Zues' words of 'family', it just wasn't done. This was a group of beings who almost prided themselves to see how they could keep up appearances and backstab the most unsuspecting relative at the same time. Apollo's words were true none-the-less and Artemis felt her heart swell in pride for her brother having the balls to speak the truth in front of everyone else.

She listened intently as he recounted his vision and the near destruction the future held for the mortals and their own kind. The only knowledge that Artemis had of the Titans was her own mother, sweet and gentle Leto who had given everything to raise her and Apollo into who they were today. The rest had all been locked away in Tartarus long before her time, but as her brother spoke of each death, Artemis could honestly say she feared for what could become of them.

Artemis was actually surprised to hear Hera speak first, then again the elder goddess never missed a chance to talk. Alas the words the queen spoke were true and honest to the best of her abilities. Hera may have been jealous and power hungry at times but she would do all she could to keep the very few she cared about safe and the balance of power in check. Even Aphrodite, with no power, skill, or knowledge to truly help in battle offered to do what she could to aid the impending situation.

Taking a deep breath the huntress took her brother's hand in her own, giving it a squeeze in reassurance. "You know I am always with you brother." There were few whom the goddess truly loved but her brother was certainly one of them. Their existence had been intertwined since the moment they had been conceived and Artemis would always do what she could to protect him.

Ares.



Cael stared at Athena and slowly blinked his eyes as she went on to explain to him about conflict. He raised his hand as he yawned deeply, and then blurted, "Blah, blah, blah, your incessant prattle is like a fly to bullshit. You and the fly are both drawn to it."


He wrinkled his nose when his sister drew close to his side and whispered in his ear:


A word of caution brother, you've had your conquest, and you've tasted the spoils but beware that your foe is not beaten and simply bides his time. I don't doubt you'll ignore me, but don't say I didn't try.


Grinning arrogantly, Cael whirled as his eyes followed his sister into the banquet room. "Let my foes plot and strategize against me. They will build armies and I will crush them and their dreams of toppling me."


The war god grunted and glanced back to the foyer, realizing that he was the only one standing in it. Frowning and feeling pains of reluctance, Cael sighed irritably and followed the gods into the banquet room to take his seat across and three chairs down from his beloved.



Zeus.



Brandon's brows rose when Apollo stepped forward and angrily dove into a rant of rage and disgust. He, however, listened to his son's feelings while discreetly glancing at his watch every now and then.


Cael sat back in his chair with eyes half-lidded and looking as though he would keel over and die any second. His golden eyes rolled over to the enchanting Aphrodite, throwing himself into his own trap. He had been trying to avoid the goddess all night until then with Apollo's speech setting the uneventful mood. He made faces at the goddess, his eyes rolled back into his head and he slowly sank in his chair as though he had taken a knife to the chest. This dinner was torturous and Apollo's rant just made it worse. Sitting up, his lips stretched into a naughty smile. Who knew the thoughts that were occurring in his mind and putting that look on his face?


Anton only glared at his brother who obviously paid him no mind. Aphrodite hadn't seemed to care for his existence either. It was the last straw. Heeding his uncle's advice, if he had to beat Ares to win back his wife, then he would come up with a device so powerful that Ares would have to submit. The smith, thus zoned out through Apollo's spiel as plans for a super golem began to sketch themselves upon his conscience. It was all he would be able to think about for the entire night and once the dinner was over, he would get to work with his golems and build it.


Dmitri's chin was resting in his palm as he actually listened to Apollo's whining and then finally, the prophecy that had put him into such a tantrum. As he described in explicit detail how each of them would die, the mafia boss's brows rose with intrigue when he explained how he would die with his wife in his arms. Unlike the other gods who were disturbed and snorting their disbelief, Dmitri proudly smiled. It was how he would have hoped to die with his spring flower cradled protectively in his arms. The image was beautiful.


Hardly disturbed by the premonition as the godlings were, Dmitri said, "Your prophecy is interesting. It implies the Titans are stronger now than they were in the last war, but how is unexplained. If they are as they were before, then they stand no match as they did centuries ago. Even more so with my brother's offspring."


Brandon glanced to his older brother. "Hades, you must have known the Titans were missing from Tartarus. Why didn't you alert me?"


Sitting up, Dmitri sat comfortably back in his seat and Bernard set upon his table a plate with a fancy lid on it. He removed the lid as a plume of white steam arose revealing the shrimp linguini with garlic crumbs beneath. Picking up his silver fork, Dmitri calmly answered his brother, "The matters of The Underworld are only of my concern. No one can escape my Underworld of their own free will, so I am curious, which one of us helped them escape."


Brandon frowned in offense and suspicion. "What makes you think one of the gods would free such beasts?"


Slurping a few noodles into his mouth, he lifted his napkin and wiped the sauce from his lips. Smirking, Dmitri replied, "Let's say I've been running my own investigations."


Throwing out his right arm, from his sleeve expelled a plume of black smoke that swirled and billowed into a circle. The smoke then dissolved, revealing its pitch-black center, and from it escaped a chilling breeze--a hole to The Underworld. From the hole, the gods could see the one Titan Hades had imprisoned. The colossal creature wore chains like a straight jacket as it sat on its nubs, missing arms and legs, and wiggling in pain like a worm. The creature sat on the edge of the massive chasm that led to Tartarus and the sight of his brother's sadistic work disturbed Zeus greatly.


"Is that Crius?" Brandon asked in awe.


"Was," Dmitri said simply with a sinister smile. "He had refused to tell me who had set the Titans free, but he did make one mistake. He slipped and said, 'You are a fool to not see the betrayal of your own kin.'"


The dark god turned an eye to the hole and black, gnarled hands rose from the pit of Tartarus to snag Crius's screaming and writhing body to yank it down into a seven day plunge into a belly of eternal nothing.


Brandon's skin crawled. Never would he ever wish to be banished or even visit Tartarus. He stared at his brother wide-eyed as though the man seated at his own table was a stranger. Had The Underworld really warped his brother? He was thankful not to have pulled the wrong straw. Freeing himself from his chilling thoughts, Brandon's expression hardened.


"No doubt Crius's plummet will reach the ears of his brethren. I want for my sons and daughters unacquainted with battle to stay here. I cannot permit you to return to your mortal homes. As Apollo explained this is-"


Brandon's eyes happened to trail over to his son Ares who was practically drooling at the news.


"WAAAAAAR," Cael finished on a hungry breath before he slammed his fists upon the table and roared with excited laughter, "YES! I HAVE WAITED A MILLENIA FOR THIS! FOR CENTURIES THE TITANOMACHY HAS LEFT THE LIPS OF MUSES AS A TALE, AND NOW THE SEQUEL. HIS LEGEND, ARES, THE GOD OF WAR WILL BE TOLD TIME AND TIME AGAIN. THE TITANS SHALL FEAR AND FOREVER REMEMBER THE DAY THEY CROSSED ME! I WILL PAINT THE EARTH WITH THEIR BLOOD!"


Brandon scowled irritably at his son's boisterous boasting. "You will make no moves until I command it or I will bind you until the war is over."


Cael wrinkled his nose at his father and his upper lip turned upward cockily. "Huh, then you might as well admit defeat."


A clash of lightning tore loudly through the sky outside and the rumbling thunder that followed shook the mansion's foundations. The lights flickered and Brandon's eyes flickered wildly with electricity and in white chains, it coursed up and down his arms.


Cael held up his hands in surrender and nonchalantly didn't look his pissed off father in the eyes. "As long as I get to cleave a Titan a new ass to kick, then I will only engage when commanded."


The lightning fizzled out and Brandon sighed in exasperation. Children were sometimes a pain in the ass.


"Athena, I want for you to run an investigation on all of our kin. If you discover who the traitor is, then you have my permission to apprehend god or goddess. You bring them straight to me and do not let him or her escape. Is that clear?"