So I'm sorry I have been gone for so long. Years really. I've been busy, school, getting a degree and now work but I'm close to finally publishing my novel. I wanted to thank everyone who ever read or followed any of my stories because Fanfiction was where I learnt to love to write. I've had this story in me awhile and while I work on getting the other out there for people to read, I thought you could all enjoy this.
Hope you like it and leave some feedback. It has been awhile so I appreciate any feedback
Chapter one
Mother said all life was precious, nobody deserved life more than anybody else. She used to whisper that in my ear before I went to sleep. When I was a child, allowed to be ignorant to the horrors of this world.
Unfortunately, I am not a child anymore.
Her words were spoken with hope, she believed what she told me but now? Now it could never be true. Cronus didn't deserve life. He deserved the darkest part of the under realms to rot in. Then again, he'd probably enjoy that.
'On your knees!' A mortal voice shouted, distracting me from my thoughts and reminding me what was important.
Mortals.
The fiery heat of the burning buildings around me would have been overwhelming if I was a lesser being, the smoke stung my eyes but the cloth I wrapped tightly around my mouth protected me. It was part of my disguise. My armor.
A cloth concealed my face, a cap and hood kept my hair back and the worn leather armor was thick enough to look like I needed it.
I crouched lower on the rooftop I'd perched on moments before. It was the crying that had called me here, the begging for help that I couldn't ignore. A raid on a small mortal village, their homes burning to the ground as their males lay dead trying to protect it.
'Please!' One woman screamed, clutching a sobbing child to her chest. A chest soaked with blood. From her pale face I could assume it was hers but I knew these warriors better than that. It was possibly her husband's blood or anyone who would try to defend her. They had gathered them in a small field around the back of the huts, dragged some of them here. Waiting for carts and horses to move their new found treasure.
Cronus had taught his mortal worshipers well, taught them that the earth was foul and great payments achieved from capturing beautiful women. The mortal females of this village in Karaska were known for such beauty. Cronus should know, he'd crafted his own Harem on Olympus.
'I think you have had enough.' I called out, my voice carrying over the chaos, making one of the warriors who was in the process of ripping a female's dress stop. They all turned, looked up to try and find me.
The silence was the only calm I'd get, a moment of clarity. I straightened, taking on step and dropping to the dusty ground of the field.
'Enough?' The main warrior stepped forward, his face covered in blood, head and exposed skin heavily tattooed with marks of Cronus.
'Time on this earth. I believe it is time you met your maker.' I replied, I was always calm. There was nothing to fear for me here.
'Foolish female.' He snapped, shaking his head as if he addressed a temperamental child. He pulled the chain at his waist, his attempt at a restraint. If I could care, I might feel sorry for him, sorry for how obvious his mistakes were.
My daggers were tucked neatly in my weapons belt, easy to reach but I didn't believe men like him deserved a death so simple.
My energy curled in my gut, warm and waiting to be used. I let it flow into my palms, let it curl around my hands, hot like fire.
I saw the moment, the moment he realized what he'd done. I didn't give a second to let the apology leave his lips. I released my magic and shot a hole right through his chest.
He hit the ground before the females who screamed, clutching onto one another and whimpering. His men screamed, some dropped their swords and ran, others just stood planted with fear. It didn't matter how they reacted, it was time they resided below for their crimes. I pulled another smaller orb into my hand, bringing it close to my mouth and whispered a simple command.
'Stop them.' I flew from my pam, faster than mortals could track, it darted across the field and shit through each and every one of the warrior's necks, coating the grass in blood and a pile of bodies.
The women's screaming had stopped, the orb flew back to me, a silence so heavy I could hear the beat and rhythm of my magic where if floated just before my face. With a wave of my hand the orb turned to dust.
'Go now.' I said, the females watching me with wide eyes, trembling in fear. They should be afraid of me, I was nothing as simple as merely a God. They hesitated another moment before grabbing their children and each other and running from the field.
Mother said I shouldn't use my abilities. I knew why. Dark magic was the worst kind. It was raw and unattainable by other powerful beings. Cronus had trapped and controlled all the beings he could see as a threat. Mother had told me never to be too loud, never to draw attention to myself. She wanted me to sink into her shadow, to become a meek and mild servant to the temples of Earth.
She wanted those things to save me. To keep me safe. If you were useless you were safe.
I was far from useless and in this world, with Cronus in power… I couldn't settle for just safe. Not when mother's words echo in my ears. No life was inconsequential. That included mortals too and I couldn't watch them die anymore for the amusement of Cronus.
'Persephone.' My name came softly from over my shoulder, making me turn to see Menthe there. The Nymph had red cheeks like she'd ran here, her brown hair tangled and her matching eyes wide.
'I told you not to come.' Menthe knew of my moonlighting, my fight to bring Cronus' mortal servants to heel. She didn't believe it was a good idea but she covered for me none the less. I hoped that was out of friendship more than simple service to my mother.
'Your mother was caught again.' She said and those words cut through me harsher than any blade could.
Mother wanted to help too, but she'd been broken awhile and getting caught was what usually happened. I believed she was only alive because Cronus liked to watch her suffer. After every time he caught her helping mortals, he'd lash her with the Titan's whip.
I'd begged her to stop, to just follow the rules but I saw in her eyes she couldn't. She couldn't just as much as I couldn't.
'Is she resting?' I sighed, pulling the cloth over my mouth a little higher. It could be said I got my rebellious streak from my mother, only I had better luck at not getting caught. She had been in Cronus' bad books since my birth.
Cronus had control over Olympus and he also had control over who mated and that no goddess bore a child. He didn't want any beings on his mountain who were not under his control. Children were born free of the curse to serve him. He had his eyes on my mother for his own amusement but when she came of age someone had already beaten him to it. She was pregnant and wouldn't give up the father.
Cronus slayed any human male who even knew of Demeter's existence, my mother suffered greatly because of that. She was of earth and mortals were a part of her as much as the seasons were. Zeus saw her suffering, saw her courage and came forward to claim it was him. He knew Cronus would never kill him, he needed his abilities too much.
He made Zeus pay for touching what was not his, cursed him to have an unfaithful heart. He couldn't be with Hera, the only female exempt from Cronus' plans since Zeus and her had bonded before Cronus had commanded the world.
Cronus made her hate him, made her his own devoted plaything and Zeus lost everything.
Zeus lost his love, my mother lost her pride and I was a creature nobody wanted around.
'She wishes to see you.' Menthe whispered and all I could do in answer to that was nod.
She didn't have much left, not her pride, her powers or even her mind these days, but she had me.
I turned from the field, checked for any mortals and slipped down the alley between two of the larger huts. I was in my white serving gown in a moment, my red hair falling around my shoulders in soft waves, no sign it had ever been tucked up into a cap. I extended my hand summoning my dark energy but Menthe caught my hand.
'There is a meeting on Olympus this morning. You cannot risk it.' She whispered, pushing my hand down and summoning her softer and weaker earth magic.
She'd just saved me from a foolish mistake I might never have recovered from. It was moments like this that made me glad to have friends, if only one.
Shifting from the mortal world to Olympus was as easy as blinking, the cool air that brushed my skin from the meadows that surrounded the temple a relief from the fires below. Menthe had shifted us behind a large pilled hidden I shadow and out of sight of any guards.
I ran a hand over my dress, fixing any creases before patting down my hair and checking the green jewel that hung on my forehead was straight. It was the perfect match for my eyes and the only protection I had against Cronus. A symbol I was destined to serve in the temples, a lesser being that he wouldn't be seen associated with.
'See to mother, I shall go to Artemis and try to acquire a tonic to help her heal.' Try because if Cronus was in a foul mood he wouldn't allow Artemis to mix one and mother would have to heal on her own. An excruciating process that I could witness again.
I stepped out from behind the pillar, looking out at the meadow and the soft rising sun as it dusted the dew covered grass and flowers in golden light.
'Hurry, she calls for you.' Menthe whispered, touching my cheek before picking up her skirts and darting off in the direction of our rooms.
I turned in the direction of Artemis' rooms but I should have known better than things to be that simple. I bumped into a large and very warm form, so harshly that hands reached out to steady me, clamping down on my forearms.
I tipped my head up to see the God of war looking down at me, a sick smile on his face. A face to perfect to ever be trusted. The sweet smell of the oils he used to slick back his hair made me nauseous and I was quick to shrug out of his grip.
'Ares.' I snapped, rubbing my skin where he'd touched me.
'It is your vows in less than a season.' He continued to smile, no greeting just straight to the point. Thinking as always with one part of his body.
'You seem to be far too interested in the seasons for a being of war.' A season and I would officially be a servant to the temple. Out of reach and locked in a cold, marble monument for the rest of my days. Worshiping the energies of the universe which created us. I didn't know if that or coming under Cronus' command was worse.
'When a beautiful female is about to make herself uneatable… I believe no time should be wasted.' He ran a hand over his copper chest plate, highly polished and new. Everything about him was too pristine and perfect. His gaze and smile too friendly compared to what I knew was underneath.
'I will always be uneatable to you.' I smiled, if the vows didn't get in the way of that I would. Cronus was too distracted ruining the world, the moment I started fluttering my eyelashes at Gods he would realise I wasn't a child anymore. Then there was nothing down for me.
He reached out, taking a gentle hold of my arm as if to try and draw me closer. 'I do not think so. I am certain I can convince you.'
'Last time I checked, your ruler is in charge of what you can and cannot have. I'm off limits, unless you wish to end up like Zeus.' Not that a curse to be unfaithful would affect Ares greatly, but I had to say something.
He didn't like that, his grip tightened so harshly for a moment I had to consider if I was going to fight him.
'Ares.' A sharp tone cut through the hall, making me suddenly aware how far my defenses had fallen.
I should have sensed it, should have noticed the chill in the air, the sudden increase in Magic. Ares had stepped back from me like I was made of acid, his eyes fixed on something over my shoulder. I turned and I wouldn't know it at that moment, but my life changed.
Hades
He stood in the shadow of a pillar, arms folded over his board chest. He was taller than I remembered. My run in's with the right hand of Cronus were very limited and limited for a reason. He was the male who had led the fight against the Titans and if the stories were true, he wasn't someone you should want to spend more time around.
He was as stern as he was cold. His face not marked by age, handsome if he wasn't so angry. His eyes were a piercing silver, his hair thick and as black as midnight. It hung past his shoulders, neatly braided back. He was rugged, boots still muddy like he'd just came off the battle field. No clean shave or oiled hair like Ares. It was true Hades cared for nothing, not even his appearance.
'I believe I commanded you to check the boundaries.' He spoke softly, so calm as he stepped further into the light. Letting the soft morning sun reflect off his dark armor, dented and marked from repeated use. The silvery scars across his skin were clearer now. A thin one right though his lip and a thicker on across his right cheek. God's didn't scar easily but when at war with Titans, we were as good as mortals.
'What for? We are Gods.' Ares smiled but I saw his feet shift, unsure in the presence of a more dominant being.
'I do not believe I asked for a reply.' Hades responded, his voice still cool but the menace was clear.
He looked down his nose at me, so much annoyance and distain I wondered for a moment what I could have done to get a worse look than Ares.
'You should know better than to wander alone, where is Demeter?' His eyes shifted to the spot where Ares had grabbed me.
'Growing back half of her skin since your dear Father decided to be in a foul mood.' I probably should have used less attitude but Ares had rubbed me up the wrong way I didn't need Hades adding to that annoyance.
'God's are created, not born. We do not suffer mortal relationships. What did she do?' He asked, unrelenting in his quest for information. He was in charge of condemning the evil of the mortal world after they died so lies were something he knew too well.
Some said he could hear a lie, hear it in the beating of a being's heart. Beings said many things about the God, so many I could either believe all of them or nothing at all.
'She healed a mortal. Waste of her time really since Cronus turned her to cinders moments later.'
He didn't miss a beat. 'You were there?'
'No.' I wasn't allowed out of the temple, at least that's what I was telling everybody. Mother had very little control over where I went.
He leaned forward, bent slightly at the waist and forced me to take a step back, his eyes in line with mine. 'I can sense death on you.'
'Are you not just sensing yourself? I find it hard to believe you can sense anything anymore.' I never usually had to worry about my killings, not many Gods managed the under realms and could sense it.
'You should remember to calm such hatred in your tone. It could get you into trouble.' He replied calmly, not a threat but something deeper that I didn't have the time to decode.
'I would rather be in trouble than a sniveling servant.' I replied, mimicking his detached tone.
'You know nothing.' He whispered, those eyes looking right though me like he could see what was going on in my head. He couldn't. If he had, I would be dead.
'I know enough.' I knew the world was dying and nobody was doing a damn thing about it.
'Careful earth child, your mother isn't present to protect you.' He straightened, turning slightly as if to leave me there. That should have been a relief, I should have just let him but as usual I couldn't help myself.
'I can protect myself and my name is Persephone.' I snapped, why? Why would I want to give Cronus right hand my name?
He looked over his shoulder, those cold eyes taking me in from head to foot. 'You're the only Goddess to be born, you do not have to tell me your name. See to your mother and tell her I will seek her out when she is recovered.' He nodded before turning on his heel and leaving.
'Get a messenger.' I shouted at his back. I shouldn't have but the words just bubble out. He paused once, head tipping slightly like he was fighting the urge to turn. Just when I thought he might, he carried on forward.
I waited until he was gone to slump back against the wall. I was being sloppy. I was risking too much. 'Ares and now Hades, I might have had a death wish.' I hissed at myself, annoyed that I could be so foolish.
I had come to realise that mother hid me for many reasons, if Cronus took a closer look I wasn't just a risk to mother or the lies she's told, I was a risk to the world. He hadn't commanded darker energy yet. He hadn't advanced so far that he could never be stopped. Mother never said it but I knew by the way she looked at me. I was the last God on this mountain who had a chance at stopping all of this.
'You can help nobody if you are dead.' I reminded myself. I needed to be careful, my temper was my worst enemy and it was the smallest things that could get you caught.
I had a season, one season before I was stuffed away in a temple, useless to the world. This was my last chance to change the world. The only one I would ever get and I couldn't waste it.