Fear of Erebus

Upon The Horizon

I was worried for Apollo.

Despite everything else, he's still my brother—my only real brother—and even though there are times when I just want to throw him into a volcano or kick his childish ass all the way down to Tartarus, I couldn't help the protective nature that still remains in a small corner of my heart. After all, it's what I promised mother.

I was concerned that Apollo was beginning to show signs of fading... It only brought back the uncomfortably memory of how a lowly son of Poseidon dared to try and fade me only several hours ago—what has the world come to? Has everyone gone mad?

"Young Perseus has been in Tartarus, I would be quite surprised if its horrors hadn't clouded his judgment." The tattered voice nearly broke my heart. There in front of the grand open fireplace within my palace, sat a very solemn Hestia, her grief-stricken eyes staring hopelessly at the dying flames that struggled against the blacken coals. I didn't really know what to say. Hestia was the one deity upon Olympus who was able to show equal compassion for everyone, and now she probably has fallen into the inevitable spiral of depression at the news of Poseidons' fading. "Tell me... Tell me it's not true." She had fallen so far that she could barely look at me when she stood. I felt ashamed, guilty even. My family was falling apart around me and I felt hopeless to save them.

"I'm sorry." I pathetically whispered. Hestia pursed her lips as the tears once again began to flow. I was never good a comforting people, so instead of awkwardly trying to apologise like my inner being suggested, I just walked forth and guided Hestia to the sofa, where we sat in silence as I rubbed soothing circles on her back–it always seemed to work for mortals.

It took a moment for Hestia to regain some form of composure, at least enough to create parts of sentence. "Do you know... how it happened?" I thought back to what Perseus had told me and considered how best to gently tell my dear aunt the truth.  

"Oceanus." Was the only explanation needed in the end.

She sniffled—in an almost human way—and looked longingly into the dead fire pit. "And what of young Perseus?"

I sat back and pondered the question. Over the last few days, so much has happened that I hadn't really had a chance to sit down and reflect. "Perseus is a man who spent the last four years in Tartarus, I'm not sure we can really trust anything he says... But I can feel the void that Lord Poseidon has left."

Hestia tilted her head to look at me, there were dusty pink rings around her eyes and dried tear stains down her freckled cheeks. "And yet you trust him enough to rely on his aid in the coming war?" I glared. Hestia did have a point. Di immortals! What is happening to me? I shouldn't be so quick to trust a man at his word—especially that of a mortal, mentally-insane man!

"If Erebus does rise... and he succeeds... Then it won't matter if we can trust Perseus or not. Erebus will destroy everything." Something hardened within Hestia's eyes. A furiously eternal sense of protectiveness for her family, for our family.

She grasped my hand and leaned forth, determined lines carved their way upon her face, "Then we best make sure that we don't let Erebus win!" I wanted to say something, something just as equally inspired but the instant sound of flapping wings and something breaking upon the floor distracted us from our deep conversation.  

I regretted turning around when I lay eyes on Hermes who was struggling to get off the floor that was now accompanied by a new blanket of broken glass. "Ah...Sorry?" He groaned.

I crossed my arms and glared down at him as Hestia gracefully helped him to his feet. "You better have a good reason for breaking my window!"

As he straightened up, brushing off bits of glass and make a point to not look me in the eyes, he simply stated; "You need to get to Camp Half-Blood beach. Both of you."

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It was dusk when Hestia and I arrived at the beach, Hermes following closely behind, and honestly, I was surprised by how many demigods—both Greek and Roman—and deities had gathered there as well, all curiously looking out at the calm sea.

"What's going on?" I asked no one in particular as I pushed my way to the front of the crowd, instinctively I felt Hermes follow but Hestia opted to stay behind.

"Artemis!" My head snapped to the left at the sound of Athena's concerned voice.

"Athena?" I quickly went to her side, automatically worried at the sight of the uneasy look in her grey eyes. "Are we being attacked?" She didn't respond, instead casting her eyes out at the sea. I followed their direction and was surprised when I noticed the unnaturally large ripples erupting from the the seas depths.

"What's that?" Hermes voiced the question that everyone else was no doubt wandering. "Is it Poseidon? Maybe he's still alive!" I cringed at Hermes words; the camps didn't know yet and now there was low hum of flying rumours. I made sure to use my special glare as punishment on the guilty god before returning to the mysterious on goings.

"Maybe it's Oceanus." I faintly heard Hera whisper to Zeus. I couldn't see father's face, therefore I still didn't know where he stood on Poseidon's fading but his recent behaviour is beginning to make me question his intentions. There was a harsh wind and dark clouds gathering on the horizon were the sky met the water.

"Demigods!" Zeus turned to face everyone, eyes stern and cold. "Satyrs and nymphs! Prepare your-" Zeus never got to finish his sentence. There was a low hum at first, then a weak tremor ran through the earth, almost like a warning. Fates Above, I hope this isn't Gaia searching for a rematch. 

Then everything went deadly silent.

"Maybe it's over...?" Hermes spoke to soon, as the sea unleashed its true power.