Before anything I sensed the soreness of my aching muscles that cried out with fatigue, crying out to continue their rest. The crisp morning air tickled at my bare chest as I groaned awake, my bleary eyes blinking to life. Theseus was the first to take notice of my rousing, gently peeling open my eyelids to inspect my pupils.

"Looks like he will actually be rousing this time folks! All hands on deck, this is not a drill people!" He called out happily to the growing crowd of eyes surrounding me. A hard deep blue sky hung behind his dirty face with streaks of orange that indicated it was sunrise. The moisture in combination with the chill caused a compulsive shiver to run up my flesh.

Lilith and Asterion peered over at each other from above Theseus, who crouched beside me.

"You caused us a lot of trouble you little shit." Lilith started in sternly. "Glad to see you're okay for now though. Means Lord Lucifer is okay as well. Right?" She added with a sly smirk. I nodded groggily in response, despite my constant work outs within my soul realm, my body had been stuck stationary all this time. Bones creaked and ligaments groaned under the stress of resumed movement.

"Now, now Lilly. Desmond has been sleeping a long time, perhaps we give him his space. He has earned it after all." Asterion's monotone resonated into my ears with a nostalgic sweetness.

"It's okay Ace. I missed you too Lilith." I smiled happily as I groaned with the effort of pushing myself upward using my knees. Finally standing upright, Theseus held my arm gingerly as I wobbled, still finding my balance like a baby.

Finally feeling security in my balance, I stretched my aching bones, shaking the sleep out of them. "I'm glad to see you're okay Theseus, and I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you guys with Apollo..." I said, bowing my head in shame. My hair had grown in the last few weeks, my bangs dangling down my forehead.

I felt a punch on my arm, it was not hard, but enough to nearly knock me over. I looked up to see a frustrated expression from Theseus.

"Are you kidding me? You saved my ass, and you have the gall to apologize to ME?" Theseus shook his head back and forth in dismay as he grinned from ear to ear. "You are a good kid, Desmond. Too good for this life. I promise not to put you in a position of needing to come to my rescue again. That is a promise!" He beat his right fist against his chest, firmly over his heart, followed by extending it outward before me, parallel to the ground.

I was taken aback by the formal salute, my surprise evident on my face as I struggled with how to reply. Offering the only salute in return that I knew, a standard American one....

Theseus grinned and Asterion chuckled deeply in the background. Lilith huffed loudly as she stepped forward into the center of our group, her golden blonde hair swaying in the wind as she approached.

"This reunion is all well and good, but let's not forget we killed a major god and his son. Standing around is probably not a good idea-"

"I could not agree more." A strange voice cut her off, and our group spun meet the interloper head on. Lilith already had her dagger in hand, Theseus and Asterion both had axes brandished, poised to take blood from whoever threatened us.

Before us stood a tall women, more than six feet tall and thin, but not overly so. Her skin was porcelain white. Soft curled brown hair draped her shoulders, an intricately engraved silver crown sitting atop her head radiating with a light that reminded me painfully of Apollo and his son Agreus.

Theseus and Asterion immediately sheathed their weapons' and bent to their knees.

"My lady Athena... You honor us with your presence." Theseus said in a practiced tone that reeked of reverence.

"My lady..." Asterion mumbled in a less immediately reverential tone.

"Rise, I come not in my official capacity of Olympus, but as a friend. One whom is worried for her warrior hero and his companions." She stepped forward, searching the surroundings carefully as her white robe hung daintily from her slim and sensual figure. As she approached the long fabric drug through the dirt behind her, yet maintained its pristine unblemished color.

"You may disarm yourself, Demoness. I come bearing ill tidings, but no ill will. Unless you force me to defend myself." Athena's voice was soft and sweet, yet carried with it a commanding tone that indicated she would not be refused.

My skin bristled as I realized that despite her obvious direction of Lilith, she had not bothered to even look at her. Her stare still firmly fixated on Theseus.

Lilith growled something unintelligible under her breath, but spun the dagger away nonetheless. She had taken a defensive posture in front of me though, and refused to move.

"I allow myself but a short recess from supervising you, hoping to allow you but a few moments of peace to reconnect with our companions, and I return to find you engaged with yet another Greek god?! Have you no moments of respite, young Desmond!" Lucifer bellowed incredulously.

"What can I say, we are popular I guess?" I retorted mentally, keeping my gaze firmly planted on the goddess before me. Her deep brown eyes seemed to shine in the growing morning light as they suddenly peered back into mine, unflinching and filled with determination.

"You are the one who slew Agreus, are you not?" She asked finally. Theseus and Asterion were slowly rising from their kneeling position, and looked up to their goddess with trepidation.

Unable to turn ignore the mention of the demi god this time, the harsh memories of that moment came flooding back into me. His look of confusion and desperation as I ripped my spell from his chest...

I'd had two weeks of self imposed agony within my soul to fully digest and attempt to come to terms with what I had done to Agreus, but seemingly faced with what amounted to a relative of his, I found my resolve faltering.

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My voice caught in my throat, tears welling up within my eyes as I attempted to give her the confirmation she desired. However, upon seeing my struggles, she cocked her head and simply smiled, her arms outstretched, offering me a comforting embrace.

"Oh my child, I do not blame you for what you have done. You did what you needed to survive. Just as my Theseus did what he felt he had to." Seeing as I was not moving forward to accept her advances, she lowered her arms without a shred of disappointment.

"I have been watching you all these past few days. From afar, of course. I have been awaiting your rousing with bated breath Desmond, for I have much to discuss." With a simple twirl of her fingers, an oak table appeared before her; A cloth of pristine red slipping down the center of the table's top, leaving its sides exposed to the beautiful stained wood. Various fruits, breads and vegetables winked into life atop golden engraved platters.

"Come, sit and break bread with me. I do hope the presence of an adequate meal will assist you to digest the penurious news that I bear." As she sat, a chair manifested beneath her, its tall back rising up beyond her head with an engraving of an owl, wings spread wide as if swooping down upon its prey.

"I see no harm in doing as she asks, Desmond. Athena has an outstanding reputation for being wise and virtuous. She is a deity of peace after all, so we should be relatively safe... For now." Lucifer's reassurance did well to soothe my growing angst, though my thoughts still reeled with the curiosity of what news she brought.

Based on what we had done, I could -and was- imagining a veritable minefield of potential consequences the gods of Olympus had planned. As I approached the table, five chairs that appeared in every way exactly the same as Athena's multiplied into being. As we each tentatively took our seats, my mouth and stomach watered as I gazed upon the perfect food that sat before me.

Red and green apples sliced into perfect sized pieces sat in bowl directly in front of me, with steaming hot bread cut into large loafs beside it. My stomach gurgled audibly, reminding me I had not eaten in days. I looked to Athena who nodded, gesturing with her hand that I help myself.

"Will Lucifer be joining us? I must say that I was surprised not to have seen him these past few days." Athena asked innocently from the head of the table.

I opened my mouth in reply, but was interrupted by the cold piercing grip of Lilith, her fingernails dug deeply into my arm. I quickly turned my gaze only to find her glaring daggers into me, shaking her head.

"Lord Lucifer is away at the moment. We expect him to return soon." She lied, her tone perfect and innocent, betraying no hint of her dishonesty. I watched as Theseus and Asterion exchanged curious glances. Whether Athena had noticed or not, I did not know, as her expression did not change.

I sensed Lucifer's hand smack against his forehead. "Stick to the swordplay girl, leave the political intrigue for the ones who actually practice it..." Lucifer groaned. I held in the smirk that threatened to crease my lips.

"Ah. I see." Athena said simply, waving away the fifth chair as if she had no need for further explanation. Without any of the flair it had made while materializing, the chair simply vanished. "Well then, help yourselves, we are short on time and have much to discuss."

Asterion and Theseus were quick to fill their plates with luscious apricots, delectable nectarines and pristine cherries. Theseus noticed that Lilith and I had yet to partake in any of the bountiful feast before us.

"Hey, do not be rude. Remember, tradition dictates the host cannot serve themselves until you do." He whispered, nudging my ribs with his elbow.

"Tell Lilith she can momentarily relax her guard, I am keeping a watchful eye on the situation. That should allow her to calm herself before she further makes a fool of us." Lucifer added, exasperated with her previously blunt lack of tact. I quickly and quietly translated his words to her, to which she audibly sighed in relief, despite the harsh choice of words he had forced me to use.

After we helped ourselves to the many colorful items before us, Athena finally allowed herself to speak of the 'urgent' matters she had come to discuss.

"As you are no doubt aware. Yarhibol and the other angels of Heaven are seeking your death. Though they have as of yet refused to explain why, only that you travel with Lucifer Morningstar, and are extremely dangerous." Athena started, her words direct and to the point, no longer interested in wasting time on pleasantries.

"Well, Desmond. I must inform you that while Zeus had previously allowed Yarhibol to make use of Apollo in order to track you down with prudence. It was only meant as a means of gaining favor with Yahweh, the Christian God. I have been informed he had no intention of handing you over until he had calculated the full value you held... Given this new development however; The murder of not only Agreus -a demigod and son of Apollo- but also Apollo himself..." Athena's brow furrowed with sympathy as she mentioned the death of her fellow god, but somehow I felt that it was directed more towards Theseus, who she continued to glance at with undisguised affection.

"Zeus and all of Olympus is now left with no option but to demand satisfaction." Her words were now icy and calculated, but altogether unsurprising.

Lucifer and I had spent much time within my soul realm planning contingency upon contingency should the other Olympian gods find us before we could escape this increasingly dangerous and unpredictable place.

"My lady, forgive my interruption." Theseus started, placing his food back onto his plate as he gave her a look of confusion. "But surely your being here alone must mean you are not in alignment with Zeus and the other gods?"

"As perceptive as always my warrior hero." Athena purred happily, still making no effort to hide her affections for him; Even going so far as to conjure a golden wine cup and pitcher, filling it to the brim before him without so much as offering any to anyone else.

I found myself increasingly uncomfortable at these displays. It was obvious that they had some prior relationship that I was not aware of. Though it quickly became clear I was not the only one feeling this way...

Asterion huffed a gust of hot air from his nostrils, refusing to allow his lover to be flirted with so blatantly whilst in his presence; To which she merely chuckled lackadaciously. "Easy now you bullish man. I know for whom his heart speaks. Theseus has long since left my side." She allowed the pitcher to vanish from view with a twirl of her wrist, leaving me feeling more parched than I had just moments before.

"Back to the matters at hand. Yes, Theseus you have the way of it. My brother, Apollo, was brash and cruel in his treatment of you, this was unplanned and unexpected on our part. However, you must understand that Olympus must not allow itself to be so publicly affronted in such a manner. As such, Artemis has specifically requested to track you down and finish for herself, what her twin brother had started; and Zeus has permitted it." Everyone save myself audibly winced at the mention of Artemis.

"Why is everyone so worried about Artemis?" I asked internally of Lucifer as I searched my companions grave expressions for some indication. I did not understand why a goddess of the hunt would be more dangerous than the god of the sun.

"Quiet, She is not done. I suspect there is more..." Lucifer dismissed my question, his attention still very much cemented upon Athena. With a frown, I returned my attention to her as well.

"Before you believe that to be all... Zeus has commanded Enyo, Eris, Phobos and Deimos to join her on her hunt." If her previous words had been cold, these were a blizzard. Theseus' shoulders slumped and Lilith cursed aloud.

"Damn. This is worse than we could have possibly imagined." Lucifer uttered, his confidence waning.

"Tut tut tut. Before you begin to lose hope. I come bearing an offer of redemption. But know that it is not without cost." Athena's sharp glare took us in as she appraised each in turn.