HIS GOD COMPLEX | under construction!

16 | δεκαέξι

16 | δεκαέξι

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❝WHAT ARE YOU all planning to retrieve first?" Persephone waltzed into the garden all excitedly, like she was the one who had been given a quest to go on. Her wild hair was tied up for the first time, though the little flowers littered throughout were still present as her large plump lips smiled down at all of us.

"Where ever the lacus fabrica takes us, as long as it isn't Mount Olympus." Apollo replied, though he wasn't paying any of his attention to her. He was examining the object around my neck. "When all is said and done, Seph, I guess your husband isn't really that useless after all... this is remarkable." He snarled.

"Careful, nephew, or I might start to think you like me." Hades winked at him, earning a snort back from Apollo. "I am thoroughly enjoying all of this loving family bickering, but time happens not to be on our side unfortunately... can we save this for later?" Eris was speaking with a cheshire grin spread across her face.

"She's right, what do we do now?" Ares smacked Apollo's hand away from the device, ignoring a subtle 'ouch!' from him and took it into his own hands. "How does this work?" He asked. "Only the girl can control it, and she knows what to do, all you have to do is hold onto her and you'll be on your way." Replied Hades, all playfulness aside.

It was then that Persephone broke into a puddle of tears right before the lot of us. Ares sighed, Eris rolling her eyes.

She was trying to wipe her tears off with her hand as her tumultuous wails filled the garden until it was the only sound for miles. "I– I'm so sorry..." she whispered anxiously as Hades handed her a particularly floppy red hibiscus flower to wipe her tears. "I just love you all so very much, yes, even you my dearest Ariel." She smiled, now blowing her nose on the damned plant. She ran into Ares first, squeezing him in a tight hug. "I know you can do it." She whispered in his ear before rotating over to Apollo, whose eyes widened in shock when she began to suffocate him. "I know one day you'll get back to the way you were, my dear. These things take time and before you know it, you'll be making prophecies and music every hour of each day!" She broke down again, wiping her tears on the flower she had not since let go of.

She then moved over to Eris, who seemed least enthusiastic to receive a hug from her. "My favourite niece! I love you so very much, please do be careful out there – don't cause too much mayhem, we're already full down here." She said before prancing over to me. "Bravest and smartest mortal I know! You make me proud out there, okay? I'm counting on you." She smiled before squeezing me so tight I could barely breathe. It was nice. It warmed my heart and I think she'd be proud to hear me say her hugs felt like flowers blooming in one's stomach. I enjoyed them very much.

"Okay." She sniffled. "Off you go." She smiled. "If ever you need anything, my husband and I are three turns away, okay?" Hades was watching his wife, silver eyes twinkling in the moonlight as a rare smile tugged at his lips.

I nodded at her. "Everybody grab on." I ordered, and everybody grabbed onto some part of my body as I took the round object into my hand. Okay, i thought to myself. Just give the lateral line three turns, can't be that hard.

So I did, very carefully, I began to turn the golden lateral line. One... I was starting to feel weird, my body was bracing for impact. Two... this wasn't too bad, we'd be out of there in no time. Three... I hadn't expected what was coming, I felt like my body was lost in space as my surroundings blurred, I was feeling sick. I wanted to throw up, what was going on? Would I be alright? Now it was like I was being squeezed through a rather minuscule tube forcefully, compressed into nothingness. I felt like a human yoyo, being hurled around the atmosphere repeatedly until finally –

We all landed on a patch of emerald forest lands. I was face-down on the ground, feeling like my insides had been turned outside with a certain ringing in my head. "He's trying to kill us." Murmured Eris, who was already up, dusting herself off. She was now dressed in what looked like a black jumpsuit, her straight black hair falling down to her back. Her caramel skin was glistening and glittering in the sunlight. Sunlight. I looked up at the sky and it was a warm turquoise colour, there were no trees for miles but I could see a large river flowing a walkable distance away.

"About time you all arrived. I've been waiting for you for hours, goodness you're slow." I turned around at the sound of the voice, heart racing against my chest as my eyes met the source. I could recognize those gorgeous blue eyes and long golden locks anywhere. Ares' face hardened when his amber eyes met hers and Eris' face had contorted into a frown. Apollo was the only one who seemed genuinely happy to see her. "Aphrodite." He murmured, running into her arms as they both hugged. Ares looked disgusted, rolling his eyes at the display. "Sutton." The word flew past my open lips before I could stop it. Her eyes met mine, twinkling with excitement. "Ariel, how are you?" She rushed towards me until she was right before me. "Alright I suppose, besides the fact that I just found out you've been lying to me for two years now." I snapped, not wanting to even talk to her. I felt betrayed. She sighed, and then began to levitate above the ground in front of me. "I was only supposed to look out for you from afar and for a little while... but when I realised that you had nobody, no friends, no family... I just had to know you, to try and make you feel better." She explained, but that wasn't good enough for me. "Since when does the goddess of love lie so easily?" Ares spat his words with such venom it made me wonder if the books were accurate in stating that they were lovers. A feeling I didn't recognize came with the thought, and suddenly I wanted to see the gorgeous Aphrodite in flames away from my fated love. I shook it off. I was being crazy.

"We do not have time for this sad reality TV show reunion special. Aphrodite, would you please show us to the amulet – do not try denying it. We know it is here." Eris broke off the brewing argument between her and Ares. Thank the gods. Apollo was glancing around, trying to locate the amulet.

"You won't find it like that." She said, face resuming seriousness as she glared daggers at Ares.

"This is the river Lycia." We were now closer to the river than before, and now it seemed larger and deeper than any river that I'd ever seen in my life.

"If you wish to retrieve the amulet, you will find it in there."