APOLLO

I walked back to the cave where my child was probably now sleeping. None was there to follow me or spy on me, I made sure of that. I wouldn’t get attacked by a mortal again. I was more than a mortal. How dare they do that to me?

‘’How pathetic’’I spat to the cave for Python to listen to me. My child, A child of mine, being hidden like a rat, eating sheep and mere mortals.

I could remember his first outrage like it was yesterday. His great height destroyed kingdoms and mountains. I could look at him from Olympus and I had to hold my joy as ‘Father’ was glaring at me and the Queen trying to hide her enjoyment.

But one time I had to interfere as he was destroying my work.

I had to look where he is now.

‘’But I won’t let anyone kill you’’I whispered in the cave. ‘’Only I can have the enjoyment of that.’’

‘’You gave her…’’Ares scouted around the forest as he was talking to me while I was trying to fall asleep.’’A flower.’’

‘’I also gave her poison’’I corrected him from above the tree.

‘’Still’’Artemis jumped to my side. ‘’You gave her a hyacinth…’’Her bare brow frowned as she tried to look away with pity.

‘’She seemed to like them,’’ I replied. As much as I did not like to give them to her, my mind could not stop playing the part where her harsh face was peaceful when she let those flowers in her face. Her nose wrinkles and even her lips…

It hit me. I am going insane. I haven’t had an interaction and I was going insane with a woman kissing with her lips the petals of a flower.

‘’Is this your plan?’’Ares laughed.’’Make her fall for you?’’

‘’My plan is to make her succeed.’’I announced to them with Aphrodite flying near my side. ‘’The moment she is on top she feels that she can hold power like a king, then it will take one small push’’I spread my hand and try to show the air pushing away from me. I let out a smile. ‘’Then she will be all pathetic and asking for forgiveness.’’I closed my eyes and laughed.’’Being on her side it would make it more enjoyable.’’

Artemis let out a sigh. ‘’It seems …’’She whispered.’’What if she finds out?’’

I looked at her with a frown and as I tried to speak another voice broke.

‘’Nonsense’’Hermes laughed from the sky. ‘’She won’t find out. The woman does not believe that we even exist.’’

I tried to stand up but he let out a halt as he flew now on my side. ‘’I told you that I would keep an eye on you and the woman did I?’’

I remained silent while the rest replied with the same grunt.’’So she doesn’t believe in us…’’I sighed. ‘’What else do you know?’’ I asked curious.

He smirked and let his head rest on his hand as he fell to my log. ‘’She and the follower of Ares are lovers.’’

‘’What?’’Ares spat.

‘’That is a lie’’I answered. ‘’There is no follower of..’’I stopped talking and looked back at my half red brother. ‘’Oh,’’My eyes opened, and I started laughing.

‘’Well, he was a follower of Ares,’’Hermes explained. ‘’It seems that she was captive a long time ago in the temple and both of them fell in love with their loneliness.’’He pouted.

‘’So they are lovers’’ I frowned, thinking about what happened today. They seemed to be close but not the way the lovers acted. Even in secret…

‘’They sure love each other’’Hermes sighed and turned to Aphrodite.’’Wouldn’t you say the same?’’ She chirped and looked away.

‘’Come on, we both know the truth, you can see everything from the start.’’

I turned to her and saw how she was trying to avoid the rest.

‘’Wasn’t that the reason why you helped Paris?’’

Back in Olympus when I was a true Olympian every day was the same. Watching Helios laugh on his carriage as he was moving the sun and I was controlling the threads of all. Then there were visions I had to send to my oracles that they needed more than their gift. It was mostly paperwork as I was giving them to Hermes. Each hour the day was passing I could see him getting even more tired. I wondered if I was looking like that too.

Then the night was coming and it was my moment to celebrate a tiresome day.

Playing in the forest with my lyre, letting out rhythms for nymphs and mortals to listen.

Sometimes a few of them got too close to me. And sometimes I did not mind it. Until mortals appeared to want more than I could give it to them. And I wanted to give them more.

You cannot fall in love with a mortal. You know the consequences. And that warning became more silent as the urge to wonder how love is with them grew more.

And every time…

One day, I dozed off on my desk and had a vision. A golden apple falling from the sky. When it fell to the ground the scenery changed and the ground was drunk in blood.

‘’Really?’’ I asked Aphrodite while we were in Sparta, watching a king and his queen chatting softly in their chambers. The king had a charming face with his auburn hair covering a few scars around his face. The queen replied with laughter as the king made a joke and her pale hand touched his wounded face, letting out a kiss on his cheek. She was as pretty as the mortals said with her long dark hair falling to her back and her night eyes were watching them man with admiration.

Back then, she was a tall great Goddess. Her sea-green hair floated like the foam of an ocean. Her sapphire skin perfectly sculpted with her pearly eyes was facing the window with a surprising sorrow. I could see even rubies trying to drip out from them as her golden lips were trying to restrain a frown.

‘’I did promise him’’Aphrodite snearked. ‘’And I cannot stop it.’’ She had this prideful face on hers as she explained her plan to me.

I let out a laugh. ‘’The goddess of love and you are probably the most cruel.’’

‘’None said that love can’t happen with cruelty now ‘’She laughed as we kept watching the couple keep laughing and chatting. They just did that. They just simply…talked. And I could feel something inside me burning.

‘’Do not do it’’I told her.

‘’And what will you do?’’ She asked. ‘’You know how it will end don’t you?’’

I replied with a nod as I watched her seafoam hair waving around the night sky.

‘’I do.’’

‘’’ Father’, wants you to join them’’Herms replied with a laugh. I stared at him with a heavy brow but he did not seem to joke. Was this another punishment for me?

Favorite son the mortals were calling me. So did the rest because he was paying attention to me. But there is a difference between attention and favoritism.

‘’It would be nice to take part in a war right? With mortals…’’

‘’My form will kill them’’I laughed back.’’Anyone who would fight against us and with us…’’

‘’We won’t be completely in our true form…’’ explained the laughing brother of mine.

‘’We?’’

Hermes frowned and tried to avoid looking at me. And it hit me slowly.

‘’No’’I gasped.

The battle had ended for the day as we could all see the burning fires that were holding each body down, letting prayers for them and us to help them the next day. I was sitting down on a pillar with Aphrodite fixing her silver dagger and looking at the armor she would have to wear. Meanwhile, I was drinking Nektar and playing music with the other hand.

I could say that I enjoyed the way some of the mortals looked at us. We were the sign of their hope that they could win. But then again I hated that I had to fight my family. All because of the mortals…

‘’Come on…We won today.’’I smiled at her. She did not smile back with her face stained in red stone from her eyes until down her cheeks.

I let out a sigh. ‘’I know that you do not want to fight.’’

I saw her fighting. The way her power made a few Achaians drop on their knees in front of one Troyan. And then, everyone was slaughtered thanks to her. She did not seem to care but her eyes had a different expression. She was holding a smile but her eyes were.

‘’Do not be a fool’’She turned her eyes at me. ‘’The fight will be as easy as before.’’She rested her hair down on the pillar. ‘’But’’She pouted. ‘’Helen was crying today.’’

Helen? How simple gods can call the mortal’s names like we are equals with them.

‘’Was she?’’

‘’Your eyes were elsewhere’’She grinned.

I looked elsewhere as my gaze found the place where the young princess of Troy was looking down to the fields. I tried to hide my smile but of course, Aphrodite noticed it.

‘’This won’t end well’’She replied.

‘’For who?’’I asked her.

‘’For all’’Her other hand found her golden necklace which was holding an apple in the same shade.’’How long are we here?’’

‘’Six years?’’

‘’Do you remember how it all started?’’

‘’Do you?’’I asked her. Was she trying to not act guilty about it? Like she did not push her? Or push him?

She narrowed it down.’’Love is interesting in battle isn’t it?’’She replied. ‘’They all fight to protect something that they love. They are killing for love and killing loved ones. Parents, husbands, children… And we fight against people we love…’’

‘’I do not think so’’I replied.

She faced me confused.

‘’We are Gods. We do not love. Not mortals.’’I reminded her.’’You stayed too long with that weeping girl. ‘’

‘’How dare-’’She tried to speak but as drunk as was I kept talking.’’And now that you won the first battle, you started the war…and you are regretting it?’’

Her lips parted before she started laughing. ‘’The war is going to end one way or another. And you know how it will end…now tell me.’’She rasped. ‘’What will happen tomorrow?’’

I blinked and closed my eyes.

’’There is a mortal who will try and fight you. Your charm won’t work on him.’’

She laughed bitterly.

‘’But you will kill him with your own hands’’I smiled at her. ‘’You will kill him and the rest of the Achaians will die like ants. The war will end because of you. That is the truth. The war will end tomorrow.’’ I felt a tight pain around my chest but I could see everything. She would win.

She smiled gently at me as she took my flask of Nektar and took a small sip, kissing it with her golden lips.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

‘’Then, it is settled isn’t it?’’

The day after came. Every scream, every shout, every swing of a sword was an instrument. An instrument playing a melody that was making music. Music that if anyone would listen to it, I was sure the war would be over. But only I could listen to it. Ares was giving all his pride and wrath to the riders while me and Artemis were on the archer’s side, trying to move both sun and moon to their side and mind.

And Aphrodite.

She was furious. Six years of sorrow, losing loved ones, People grieving and her red tears dripping down to the ground like the blood of the mortals. She was fighting like one of them like she was trying to protect someone that she was holding in her heart too. But Gods do not have hearts. We can pretend and say we have ones to make us feel equal like them for a moment to not feel envious of them But that pain in our chest was nothing. Because we do not have hearts. Not even the protector of love.

And then, that soldier appeared. She was ready to end it. To end every suffering of them. The soldier that was not getting controlled by her charms. that It was him and only…

My eyes snapped as I found another man. In my vision, he was not there...The man from my vision, had an archer next to him a bronze helmet with a carved owl symbol at the top of it, hiding behind a rock. And yet, he could manage to hit everyone. His arrow was aiming at the soldiers but for a moment, I felt.

Was he looking at me? Was he grinning at me? His arrow turned on Aprhodte who was ready to shoot at the main target. The end of the war…

I didn’t see…I didn’t see him there.

‘’Wait’’I shouted at her. She heard me and she noticed the man and turned far away from him. But she was in a blind spot when the other man found her with his blade.

I tried to speak. Artemis noticed Ares too.

His blade was made of…

A scream broke.

And every love that was holding everyone in this war became hatred.

‘’Why doesn't it stop?’’Aphrodite asked with her skin dripping gold. Ares sat next to her with her eyes glaring at me at our hiding spot. I was holding her hand tight, trying to heal her. Artemis was remaining silent and I could not stop the bleeding. Not fast enough. Her face was drenched more in red as she tried to stand up.’’Why didn’t you…’’

‘’I did not see him,’’ I explained. ‘’I did not…’’My lips parted. The man’s head would have dropped to the ground. People around him would cry And APhrodite would charm them all. That was my vision. And then the archer appeared.

Artemis finally spoke as she clapped her hands.’’It is alright, it will be different tomorrow. You can fight and then..’’

She shook her head.’’This is pointless’’She stood up, blood still dripping from her wrist as she tried to walk away. I caught her shoulder as Ares tried to stop me. Artemis shouted at me.

‘’You listen to the war and all you hear is music’’She whispered. ‘’I can only hear cries. But not from the soldiers.’’ She explained. ‘’Mothers, children, fathers, lovers, every scream in my ears…’’Her teeth started to shake.

‘’You have to fight’’I commanded her. She would give up and the war would be over.

‘’If you know the outcome why did you take our side?’’

I gasped. Ares turned to them for Aphrodite Artemis out of spite of Agamemnon. And me…

Father told me. That was my excuse. But that was not the truth. Prayers and glory? No. But I knew that I could not choose the Achains. I could not…

But then, Aphrodite let out a laugh.’’She is not here…’’She admitted to me and only me.’’But you already knew that didn’t you?’’

My eyes snapped and looked far to the castle where a bright light was shining showing where Helen was. Or the one who was supposed to be her was...

I nodded my head slowly.

‘’I have already lost. ‘’And she pushed me away, forming a sparrow and flying away.

‘’Well’’I pouted. ‘’She knew where the most beautiful woman in Greece had her heart on.’’

Her eyes opened wide and Hermes snored.

‘’Always honest’’He laughed and kept talking about the woman.

‘’She was a follower of yours when she was a kid.’’He explained after.’’Not a good one.’’

‘’Let me guess’’I spatted’’Was threatening people with poison?’’

‘’Oh’’He clapped his hands.’’It feels that you know her so well, you two must be close.’’

My eyes faced away.

‘’Why are you helping him?’’Artemis asked Hermes.’’It won’t benefit you.’’

‘’I am not helping anyone sister, I am simply bored with doing all the work. I prefer to enjoy a nice theater once in a while.’’

‘’My entire fight of existence is your theater?’’I frowned.

He replied with a nod.

I tried to smile but I took a deep breath.

‘’Now, tell me what other important thing you know’’I asked him.

‘’Oh, I won’t tell you everything now, what's the fun in that…’’His smile faded with his fingers flipping a silver coin and vanishing.

My brow twitched and noticed that Artemis had the same reaction. Her ears flickered and turned fast at me. ‘’Will you go back tomorrow?’’She asked.

I nodded and looked at my palm with my fingers moving on their own, trying to remember the familiar rhythm of my lyre.

Back at the Gardens of the Palace of Troy, there was a woman with long crimson hair sitting near the bushes with the fountain accompanying doves to shower in the cold water.

The woman seemed that her eyes were shut close as she was humming a little melody out of her red lips, her fingers touching her blue dress.

‘’Show yourself’’Her harsh tone commanded.

My lips parted as I was sitting behind a tree, holding my lyre tight, trying to listen to her music.

‘’How did you know that I was there?’’I asked her without showing myself. I would not dare to do that to the young princess.

‘’You were following me the past few days…’’She explained herself. ‘’I thought I was going insane’’

I let out a chuckle but she did not seem to laugh.

‘’So, will you show yourself?’’

‘’In time’’I replied.’’If you continue the song of yours.’’

The woman took a deep breath and started humming the melody again. And my fingers played the lyre, accompanying her. The flowers around the gardens started blooming, birds started chirping and the sun started becoming brighter. Like her melody and my help could make everything alive.

It was a peaceful day, far from the war that would begin any moment. I just wanted to see my side. The people on it. And I found her…

When her humming stopped I could listen to her crying.

‘’A war will happen’’She admitted.

Wait…that wasn’t…That is not what happened.

‘’I did not want your gift’’She cried. ‘’I did not want you.’’

I stood up from the garden which was now on fire. The fountain dried up, and the doves died to the ground.

‘’I gave you everything.’’I admitted to her.’’I gave you a power that everyone would want.’’

I could see her dress bathed in red. Still, having her back at me.’’And you are saying that you do not want me? You do not want what…’’

I grabbed her shoulder but she turned on me. Her eyes. Her eyes were not there.

‘’She will die’’The woman grinned and everything became different. I was in a palace that I hadn’t been to before. The stones were dark and cold in a strange black paint. There were no statues and outside the window there was a storm showering the sky. Thunder erupts the earth with the fire going out of it.

And down to my knees.

There was the woman. Her gaze was cold, blood dripping from her mouth. Her raven hair was down to the ground, free from any ribbon, her dress black and wet and her mouth gasping for air.

‘’Is this what you want?’’She asked wryly with a smile on her face. Tera fell from her eyes as I could see even as her face was dressed with a smile how terrified she was of me. How my shadow was conquering every inch of her body. Taking a look at one of the walls I could almost see my reflection.

My hair was far longer in the shade of fire as they were moving with the wind, my skin glowing with my antlers taller and sharper, and with my tail flickering to the sound both of my sharp ears could now listen once again… Music. I could hear music. I was no longer trapped.

I twitched as my lips curled to a grin.

‘’Yes’’I admitted, watching the blood falling from her body.

‘’Please’’Her voice begged with her hand touching my clothes. So pathetic.

Yes.

She tried to mouth her last words but no voice was coming from her. I grabbed her by the hair and forced her to stand up.

‘’Now’’I switched a grin to my lips as she tried to get away. Still fighting even in her death.

‘’This is the truth. Unbound and unbroken.’’ I mouthed

And then, I woke up to the forest.

Panting breath came out of my mouth as I looked at my shaking hands. I haven’t seen a vision since…

But it was what I wanted to see. How pathetic she will look. Begging for me. That’s what I wanted and it will be as I planned

I let out a chuckle as I looked back and saw Aphrodite staring at me while Artemis was kicking the snoring Ares with her hooves.

‘’I saw what would happen’’I told her with joy drawn on my face. She kept staring at me. And my smile disappeared.

‘’It will happen. I know it for sure. What I want will be true and I will be remembered. She will be forgotten and dead and I will be back.’’I let out one more harsh laugh. But Aphrodite did not react to any of those things. She just stood silent.

I gritted my teeth at her. Even her silence could mean everything and she wanted to hide it all for herself.

It doesn't matter though. Because what I saw, what I foresaw was everything that I wanted.