Hecate's Daughter and the Dissipating Mist
-Prologue-
2 Years Ago:
"You're going to want to hear this, pops."
Zeus annoyingly looked toward Apollo, who was waltzing into the throne room of the Olympian Gods. He was about to reprimand the Sun God, but stopped as Apollo was oddly wearing an uncharacteristic worried look on his face.
Apollo stopped quickly, noticing that he walked into something private, but it didn't seem to bother him any more than that. "Zeus, I must speak with you," Apollo paused, looking specifically at the woman who was next to the god, "Alone."
Hera, who had been speaking quietly with her husband, took one look at Apollo and sighed. "I will go now, Zeus. It seems that this is only meant for your ears."
The King of the Gods nodded to his wife, and straightened himself upright in his throne. Apollo watched Hera carefully as she left the throne room, rolling his eyes at the slam of the doors that followed her absence.
"That woman really needs to learn her boundaries," Apollo muttered, flicking back his golden locks carelessly. "I mean, she has been creating a lot of issues between us and the demigods lately, and I don't like playing clean-up."
Zeus glared at his son. "That woman did what was needed to be done. We all know that. Now, what was so important that you had to interrupt my conversation?"
Apollo flashed a cheeky grin at his father. "Having a conversation? Is that what people call it these days?"
The King of the Gods simply rolled his eyes at the Sun God's antics. Apollo took note that he wasn't really getting anywhere in this conversation, so he decided to make his point. "The Oracle has spoken, father. There is a new prophecy, and I do not think you are going to like it."
Zeus's face immediately became grim. "What has the Oracle said?"
"A Child of Three
shall set the sea free,
and start a war
Even greater than before.
The pit shall rise,
the earth at its demise.
Only ended by a death,
with a heroes final breath."
Apollo recited the prophecy with ease, but the usually happy-go-lucky Sun God was now overcome with sadness at the sickening meaning of the prophecy. The poor soul who would be thrust into this prophecy would meet a tragic fate.
He could only hope that the fates would take mercy on the hero, and that was as far as he willed himself to go. Attachments are dangerous, they bring pain and sorrow to both parties, even more so because for an immortal.
Zeus's booming voice echoed, "Who knows about this?"
Apollo suddenly felt small under the scrutinizing stare of his father as he replied, "You and I are the only ones, Zeus. The Oracle has no idea of what she had spoken, but soon her dreams will be plagued with the dreams of the incoming threat."
Zeus nodded. "You must talk to Morpheus about monitoring her dreams. The less the demigods know about this the better off it will be. We don't need any more panic that had been spread after the last war. They need time to recuperate without impending doom in order for them to prepare for what is to come."
"So you want them to live without knowing that they may very well die within the next hour?"
The King of the Gods looked down on Apollo, lightning crackling in the distance. "Don't give me that tone, boy. We must keep this secret until the time is right."
The Sun God sighed, knowing once Zeus made a decision, the decision stayed. There was no way of shaking his will, now.
"As you wish, father."
Zeus nodded, and his shoulders slumped some before he took a deep breath. The weight of the last war had taken its toll on him, that much was easy to see.
"Father?"
Zeus turned his attention back to his son.
"You knew about this prophecy before I told you, didn't you?"
The King of the Gods' eyes were strained, and that's all the answer Apollo needed.
"How?"
Zeus raised an eyebrow, and looked at his son as though the answer was obvious. "Hecate. She has been preparing for this for the past 15 years, now."
Apollo's eyes widened, but Zeus's answer didn't completely take him by surprise. He simply nodded to the King of the Gods and turned on his heel, before walking calmly out of the throne room.
Miles below, a 15 year old girl was sitting in her cabin blissfully unaware at the tragic fate that lie ahead.