Dying Ichor

FIFTY-SIX

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you anywhere?" Hermes pulled Elias over and immediately checked on him as soon as they arrived in Olympus. "Show me."

The appearance of family was not there, yet there was still a bit of familial warmth present. So, seeing him like this made Elias loosen his guard as he shook his head.

"I'm okay..."

Hermes still checked, patting him down even and held his face closely, tilting it from side to side. His gaze was cold and hard, but the look of worry was evident.

"Are you certain? You're not lying either?"

"I'm okay."

The god frowned upon seeing how nervous Elias was and eventually released him.

"You can still call me brother. After all, we were family once."

"Not really. You made it like so, didn't you?"

Hermes doesn't comment on that. He seems to be struggling with what to say, yet he just sighs and fetches something that's hanging from his hip. Hermes lifts it up, giving it to Elias.

Elias eyes the weapon with a frown, noticing it was something the god had given to him a long time ago when he had disguised himself as "Alec". It had been a gift.

The medallion Ares gave him was there as well.

"I was able to take it back from Atlas. Here, take it."

Elias doesn't take the weapon. Only Ares' belonging. Hermes puts the dagger closer to him.

"This one is for you. Take it-"

"Why did you pose as my brother? Wasn't it enough that I was in a fake family by myself? Was it really necessary for you to watch me? Don't tell me you pitied my situation so much that you acted as a mortal."

Hermes frowns and wilts. He lowers the weapon. "It was pity, but I also worried about you. I didn't want you to die."

"I already have," Elias sneers. "You knew what was happening, but you didn't do anything to help me. I wanted to go home, why didn't you do anything?"

"Hera wanted to keep you away from everything while we tried to deal with Eris. I didn't think you wanted to go home so badly you'd end up wandering around without my knowledge."

"Of course I wanted to return that badly! Hermes, I was desperate." Elias shoves him back. "You didn't have to keep me in the dark. If you had told me what was going on, and if you had told me to be a little more patient, I wouldn't have to resort to running around all over the place to find some tepid clues on how to return. You should have told me we met before instead of lying. I don't remember you or how I got here! I was scared!"

"I know, I'm so sorry. Just please, come with me. I'll keep you somewhere safe and-"

"Don't touch me." Elias jerks his hand away when Hermes tries to touch him. "I'm scared of you."

"But I'm not going to hurt you. We were even brothers once, you shouldn't be scared."

Elias shook his head and backed away. "It doesn't matter if we were once. You gods have hurt me enough. Don't touch me."

Elias was quick to adapt to his situations ever since he landed in this place, because he had no other choice to. He's made bad choices that he won't ignore, but he either had to grit his teeth and move forward or face the possibly of ending up dead. But because he had been killed, and there was a war looming over their heads, after what he experienced, he was fully traumatized to where he was scared of the gods themselves. Elias just chose to ignore it even though deep down, but he didn't want to interact with any of them any longer.