TW (TRIGGER WARNING):
- Awful English (OW1's 3rd language is English..)
- Inaccurate characters
- Verbal abuse / emotional abuse
- Threats of violence / death
- Psychological trauma / despair
- Family estrangement / neglect
- Physical distress / injury
- Dark / oppressive atmosphere
- Anxiety / panic
- Supernatural horror / incomprehensible power
- (comment any other TW I, OW1, should add.)
~~~
It was the year 230 BCE
(I'm lazy so I'm gonna be straightforward with the year:3)
The Titanomachy is finally over. After 10 years of war waged against Titans, the gods could rest now.
The scent of freshly baked bread filled the air as the 11.5 gods sat on the ground, fields upon fields of grass surrounding them.
The seafoam glow around Poseidon flickered gently, pastel aqua-lavender hair brushing against Levia's warm golden skin.
Poseidon yawned, slightly slumped against Levia's side, her amber-sunset hair draping over him like a soft lioness canopy. "Are you exhausted, Ichthys?" She asked, raising her hand to stroke his hair.
Poseidon didn't respond verbally, just gave a short bob of his head.
Hestia's lips curled upwards, her molten-orange hair glowed like a quiet flame, warm peach skin illuminated by the forest-light aura drifting around her. Glancing around her younger siblings' forms, she was so proud and filled with pride at their small moment.
All of them were. None of them noticed the air getting heavier, Even Hades' shadow-gray skin dimmed under the thickening gloom, his crow wings twitching instinctively.
The skies darkened, not one of them noticed the electric feels of the area got more dense.
Not until they heard a loud, booming voice.
"CHILDREN."
Dread came crawling up at the 11.5 gods, they knew who that voice was from.
"Eldest brother," Giovan mumbled, His silver-gray hair fluttered in the rising wind, small bunny ears flattened tight as he pressed near Zeus' golden-lit form, his voice low as he instinctively got near Zeus.
They could feel it. His anger, his grief.
The life around them withered in an instant.
Flowers wilted, grass became thatched, the trees snagged.
The clouds grew darker, thunder rolling off, as the creator of all descended from the dimension that cannot be comprehended by mortal minds.
His anger palpable even from realms away.
"You INSOLENT BRATS. What have you done?" He spat, disdain rolled off his tongue with every word he made sound to, "Do you have the intellect to comprehend the depth of your STUPIDITY?"
"Brother.." Hestia started, voice filled with warmth wrapped with dread.
But he didn't let her speak, didn't let her finish.
"NO. Don't 'brother' me. You have NO RIGHT," He snarled, anger reaching new peaks.
Poseidon's wings uncurled, his translucent shrimp plates flickered erratically, multicolored eyes widening with fear as neon feelers curled close to his chest. His wings wrapped around Levia and Dion, as if attempting to protect them from the eldest's wrath.
Hades went in front of his younger siblings, His black-silver hair whipped in the storming wind, metallic crow wings spreading wide, violet shadow-glow rippling off them like armor. He wouldn't let them take any hits. Not anymore.
"You cast them down to Tartarus, why? WHY?" the words rolled out his mouth, more statement than question.
He took one step forward, the ground shook and cracked under the weight of his divine fury.
"You were mistakes from the start, I should have NEVER let you be created, I should have destroyed you the day you proved you were nothing more than pathetic, measly pests." His anger spoke louder as the air grew denser, heavier.
The gravity surrounding them thickens, folding into itself as even the world knelt to its righteous creator.
"You are all such FILTH! TRAITORS! THE vermin OF MY NIGHT! Hear me and choke on my wrath:" he started, raw anger starting to rise once more,
"Let your spawn tear apart as they form, their sparks shriek, gutter, and fall back into my Void where YOU BELONG!"
The gods felt the air grow colder and suffocating as the curse began binding to their very souls.
"Let life cling to them by one dying mote, and let nearly all of them fail— Fail— FAIL!"
Hestia felt her heart compress, her knees bucking.
Her molten gradient hair dimmed from bright amber to weak peach, warmth draining from her forest-glow aura.
Hecate caught her before she could fall to the ground, The cool lavender-violet sheen of her hair shimmered under the strain, misty sparks drifting from her antlers as she held her twin tight.
"If one endures, let it be by defying even me,"
The gods soul broke as the curse bound itself more to them, carving deeper and deeper into their souls.
"for you have NO strength and NO honor! From this moment on, you are completely on your own."
Hestia felt immense pain flood her immediately, Hecate embraced her tightly.
All the gods felt it. Their soul ties to their elder siblings, both the Titans and Primordials, start to splinter and tear.
"No aid from kin, no shelter from blood— NOTHING."
The soul bonds of the gods between their elder siblings completely broke.
"I am ΧΑΟΣ, your First Brother— I spit upon you. I curse you."
His words landed deep. Harsh and unfeeling.
"AND I WILL NOT UNMAKE IT!"
Those were the last words he spoke before he went and turned from them.
Leaving them aching and hurt as the curse fully bound them, spiritually and mentally.
And oh gods, did the curse hit them hard.
A small whimper made its way out Poseidon's mouth, his pastel hair lay limp against his icy-blue skin, colors dulled to pale seafoam
He wasn't good at handling pain, he never was.
"That— he— why—" Hestia was incoherent. Her warm aura sputtered like a dying ember, amber leaves falling lifelessly around her as she sobbed quietly, the broken family ties hurt her.
Overwhelming pain shot through all of them.
The knowledge that they would never cradle children of their own tightened like a knife.
They felt pain knowing even those who they'd known their entire lives, their family, refused to even acknowledge them.
They felt pain, knowing they had no more family ties to rely on at their darkest moments.
This was what they deserved, as the eldest said.
But for what?
For rebelling to gain the freedom they yearned for?
For throwing the Titans down to Tartarus when they had done the same years ago?
For daring to challenge the authoritative figure?
For daring to try and survive this hellish world?
As the last of their tears fell, they all sat in cold silence.
Was this truly how much the elders wanted them dead, gone?
If this was what the eldest desired, why not grant it?
As the gods all stood, their decision final and unchanging.
Fury, grief, and loss was felt by all.
The gods were certain this was the correct choice.
As they ascended to the highest mountain, they knew what had to be done.
Seconds passed by the fastest.
Seconds bled into minutes.
Minutes turned to hours as the foundation of their new home was starting to fall into place.
Those hours turned to days as the walls and ceiling of their new home came to be.
Day and night, they built and they built. Until finally.. The last of their home was finished, there sat Olympus.
Its architecture made by Poseidon, walls crafted by the 3 cyclopes, materials harvested and found by Hades, Hera's dove-white wings cast a serene shadow over the new stones, frost-blue mist trailing behind her as she guided the younger ones, warmth and home radiated by Hestia, the fields surrounding it created by Dakota. Dakota's earthy glow pulsed softly as she shaped the land, green highlights catching the sun as leaves swirled around his boar-touched form.
The home of the gods was created by them. For even while surrounded by grief and loss, making a new home is what brings those broken together
(OW1 A/N: The heck was 2AM me thinking?)
One day, after the creation of their new home, Poseidon sat at the edge of the mountain cliff.
His legs were hanging slightly off the cliff as he laid, staring at the starry night sky. The silence was loud.
Not war quiet, not dangerous quiet. Just..
Quiet.
Footsteps approached, 4 of them.
"Rhis?" Poseidon called out, more of a guess than anything, "You seem to be deep in thought, Ichthys ." Chiron inquired, Chiron's silvery-blue hair flowed over his shoulder, his opal glow brushing softly against Poseidon's seafoam hues, then he laid beside Poseidon.
"I've just been thinking about the stars, I've.. I've been wondering about them more lately, ever since Cha—" Poseidon stopped, "He.. Ever since he cursed us." He corrected himself.
"Oh? What of the pin-pricks interest you?" Chiron asked, looking up as well.
"not just the small lights, Rhis." His mismatched eyes reflected the stars like shifting tides, rainbow-tipped hair glowing faintly in the night air. "I've.. I've been seeing more of the skies lately."
Chiron looked down at his older brother, a curious look dawning on his face. Poseidon took it as a sign to continue.
"The sky.. the heavens... they are no different than the sea. They, too, are vast.." Poseidon started, glancing at the starry sky with a deep longing desire to explore more, his voice low, quiet like a single raindrop, "unexplored, waiting to be discovered."
"What if.. What if there was a world beyond those fixed lights, Rhis? I've seen them shift some days, I've seen distant moons appear one night then disappear other nights." Poseidon continued, "If that's not something worth exploring, I don't know what is."
Poseidon looked at Chiron, "Please, Rhis. Believe me on this, I don't want to believe myself insane." desperation, "the thin lights do move, you've seen them move too!"
Chiron just looked up, silent, uncertain.
"Perhaps, they have.. But that's not enough to think of a world beyond the fixed pin-pricks of divine fire, Poseidon." Chiron stated reason and logic.
Poseidon frowned, he knew there was logic in Chiron's words but still. He didn't like not being believed.
Chiron sighed, "Now, now.. don't pout, Ichthys. You'd look adorable."
"Hey!— I AM NOT ADORABLE! I am monster." Poseidon snapped, puffing out his chest to attempt to prove his point.
Chiron just stared blankly at him then burst out laughing, Poseidon pouted harder, "it's not funny!"
But Chiron didn't listen, laughing harder instead.
Zeus perked up at the noise, His golden hair stuck up in chaotic tufts, lightning sparks flickering playfully along his long bunny ears. "What's funny?" He asked, sitting beside Poseidon without invitation.
"Ichthys here was just showing me how monster he is," Chiron teased, Poseidon's cheeks burnt blue as he blushed and turned away.
"..He's not a monster, he's baby." Zeus stated, raising an eyebrow at the monster comment.
Poseidon burnt brighter, "I'm not baby—" He argued, "You sorta are.." Hestia chimed in.
Poseidon glowed as blue as the shade of Aqua Prism Light— "I am NOT!," He pouted, fists clenched.
His wings puffed out in displeasure and frustration, "You're so mean!" He grumbled, lips quivering as he looked away.
Dion immediately took notice of Poseidon's frustrated state and did the only thing he thought was the correct response to his older twin's distress.
Dion bit Poseidon's arm, His teal-magenta eyes gleamed with ferret-like mischief, fluffy tail swishing wildly behind him— Poseidon flinched in surprise, "Takos, what're you doing?" He asked, brows furrowed. Too stunned to react to the pain.
"Comfort," Dion said simply, as though biting someone was the most logical thing in the world.
Chiron and Zeus looked at each other, then burst into fits of laughter at Poseidon's flustered and confused expression.
Aphrodite shimmered into view first, pearl-pink glow softening the air as her pastel coral-lavender hair floated like seafoam.
Levia followed in a blaze of golden-amber light, lioness ears shifting as her sunset hair rippled behind her, Levia looked concerned at Poseidon's troubled expression while the others acted as if this was a comedy.
"Pyra! Orios and Rhis were bullying me:(" Poseidon whined, Levia's face hardened.
"Keras, Linos! What did I say about bullying Ichthys? No bullying the baby!" Levia scolded, Her radiant amber aura flared protectively, warming Poseidon's icy-blue glow.
Aphrodite chuckled lightly at how blue Poseidon was.
For the first time since that dreadful night, warmth enveloped the gods as they bickered.
Hestia was watching her younger siblings, Hecate was still sitting beside her, her violet mist curling quietly at her feet.
Dakota and Hera were still attempting to fix the field gate that the three Cyclops accidentally broke, Dakota's earthy greens clashed with Hera's frost-blue feathers as they both argued with the wooden frame.
Hades was asleep atop a tree that wasn't supposed to be there, his shadow-gray skin blending into the bark, crow wings drooping over the branches like a dark blanket.
Poseidon blushed the shade of Aqua Prism Light from embarrassment and frustration, Levia was trying to defend her older twin while Dion was attempting to comfort him (he's failing miserably).
Chiron was laughing with Zeus as they both teased Poseidon, and Giovan was.. Missing, actually. He went to gather sticks because he wanted to.
Hestia and Hecate could both see Giovan's silver-gray hair bobbing between the grass as he searched for "the perfect stick.".
The half primordial goddess was just delighted at the sight of Poseidon's childish pout.
For once, since the day their eldest had cursed them, they felt like children again.
And that, for now, was enough to get them by.
So as the sun fell, the family of gods sat quietly.
The heavy reality they might never have the chance to nurture life as they pleased dawning slowly on them, as the loud came to a halt, warmth blanketed the gods' new home as they, one by one, began to surrender to a wishful dream.
A dream where they were allowed to nurture life, protect it even. Something they wouldn't be able to easily do.
And yet. This was something they all had yearned for.
But not all dreams could come true, not all dreams were existing.
As the last of them slept, the silence grew without much thought.
This was enough for now, a family tied by love, grief, and soul was more than enough for them.
Family was always going to be a welcome feeling and presence for them, and nothing was going to change that.
Nothing would be allowed to change that