Ares And Mia

Chapter 49

Ares has been planning for weeks. Writing and sketching, strategizing and perfecting. Spent nights putting ideas to actions, training me to do everything like a god does. Learning about the prophecy, learning about me. Predicting every next move, every attack, every defensive measure. Everything was saw over by the one god that decided that I was much more than a helpless human.

He was the conductor and I was the electricity. Guiding me, pointing me in the direction that I had to go. Yet, at the end, it was my choice. No amount of wiring could've changed this moment.

I exhale slowly.

I've had my own plans since the day I heard the Oracle mutter my prophecy. And even now, after everything that we've been through...

It has to be me.

"I choose me."

A somber chill in the air sets in. Cold enough to freeze me to the core, cold enough for me to feel like frostbite was leeching into my limbs. I almost want to blame my imagination, but when the goosebumps rise to my skin, I know better. "Mia?" I can't look at him. I can't. I don't want him to know who scared I am. How there's tears in my eyes as I see Cronus smile, wicked and sharp. I clench my hands into fists to stop their trembling.

The silver ring is cold against my skin.

Hyperion turns his attention, twin globes of light centering on me. "Come here, human." I take a step forward, but movement behind me has Cronus raise his hand.

"Mia?!" I press my lips together. "Don't do this, you said you would--"

I swing around, offering the most reassuring smile I could muster. "I'm not scared." My voice shakes through every word and Ares shakes his head at me, eyes blood red. But there is no anger, none at all.

Only overwhelming fear that only I knew about.

Oh, how lonely it must've been. All this time, it represented two very different things. Fear and anger, triggering the color change. "Love, do not--"

"She has made her choice. God of war, be warned--" Black chains erupted from the ground, circling around Ares's wrists and ankles. They jolt him straight to the ground, his knees slamming into the harsh gravel. Ares pulls against them, but he was restrained.

"I have the books on my side, god." Cronus snarls and I can feel the flicker of electricity on my arms. I glare up at Cronus, seething as I speak through clenched teeth.

"Do not hurt him." Cronus nearly laughs in my face.

"As you wish, human. Come." Cronus steps to the side and Hyperion tips his head. Both books levitate before me, moving as I move to the center of the Titan's circle. I give them wary glances, just as the ground illuminates.

Red markings, all in Greek tracing out circles connecting all of them and joining them to... me. The books... They were glowing. Glowing a crimson red, before me. "The books, Mia." Hyperion lifts his hands to his face. His thumbs rested against his temple, hands angled downward. With his fingers spayed out in front of his face, his visage was carved out in sharp 'V' shape. The other Titans follow in suit and I realize that, from their palms, up their arms, and down to their ribs, were the same markings as the ones on the ground.

It was as if... they were apart of the books. "Atlas was a messenger. The books carried everything that..." Cronus laughs suddenly, cutting off his own words. "Oh, what's the point? The human dies no matter what, it's useless trying to explain everything."

Hyperion speaks. "Put the books together, Mia." I look at the books in front of me.

Just... Just imagine them as Ares's journals. Unassuming journals that talk about godly adventures in mountains, newfound hobbies that involve an odd amount of monster slaying, and how... how he felt when he met me.