Cleansing Waters

They were the last. There were mabye forty of them, out of three thousand. None were close to him, though of course he knew them all by name. He remembered each of them, and knew that if he hadn't woken when he did, many more would have faded. Perhaps all of them.

Poseidon sat on his coral throne, in his palace under the sea. The walls shone with a blue/green radiance, and although it was night, a strange shimmery luminance permiated the vast hall. The floor was made of stone, but had sand and rocks strewn about, looking vaguely like a Japanese rock garden. Undersea plants grew here and there.

On a much smaller chair next to him sat the child he'd met in the mortal city. His name, he found, was Anak, because his mother had foolishly named him after the Greek word anaklusmos, or riptide. So he called himself Anak. Poseidon had been suprised to find that the boy could breath underwater without his help. So he invited the boy to stay.

Or, rather, he'd followed Zeus' orders to keep the boy close. The gods were curious about him. Athena was trying to convince Zeus that other gods should go to earth, but so far the thunder god had forbade it.

Hades was in the underworld. The spirits of the dead were restless. Another few yaers and they would have emerged into the mortal world. It was taking all of the death god's energy to keep them in control. He'd had to open new caverns of the great abyss, and as a last resort, to throw the worst blasphemers into Tartarus itself.

Poseidon turned back to the matter at hand. The naiads had pled for his help for almost three days now. He'd done all he could to strengthen thier forms, but most of his power was focused on the sea. A bubble of pure water was slowly spreading from his palace, but the pollution was fighting him back every inch of the way. He had not expected that, and he was slightly drained by it. The sea was, after all, huge.

The sea god stifled a yawn, but many of the naiads noticed. They appologized many times, and then bowed out of the room. Anak almost followed them, but Poseidon called him back."I have a job for you, child. You must give me your knowledge of the mortal waorld. I cannot cleanse the oceans on my own. I must have at least some mortal aid. Are there still those who worship the gods?"

Anak looked exausted. He'd asked this question many times already, but the human hadn't known the answer."I don't know, Lord. They all stay in the law, and worship of the old religion is against the law."

"Why? What are they trying to hide?"

Anak looked suprised at this change of thought."Hiding? They're not hiding anything, Lord. They decided about a hundred years ago that everyone would be better off with one religion, so they outlawed all of the others."

Poseidon nodded."And what is this religion?"

Anak looked like he could pass out on his feet."That all men are equal to all others, and women are man's partner. Science solves all problems, and prayers accomplish nothing. All laws must be upheld as if enforced by divine intervention, and all must follow the path of Steven Franklin." He remembered telling the god of this man, Steven Franklin, who had extended the human lifespan to nearly three hundred years."Now can I go? I really need to sleep."

Poseidon waved a hand."You may go. But return at the first hour of dawn. I intend to change your mortal beliefs. I will venture above the waves and prove the existance of the gods."

The boy looked fairly suprised, but left the room. Poseidon was alone for a minute, then said,"You may enter, Son."

A curtain parted along the halls. In swam a muscular man with long black hair and intense green eyes. He wore armor on the top half of his body, but where his legs should have been, there was only a fish's tail. He swam up to Poseidon, and bowed. Poseidon smiled."Rise, son. You know better than to pay homage to me."

The man did so. He cast an eye around the hall, and said,"How do you stand to be around the mortal? He treats you with disbelief. Four thousand years ago you would have killed him if he didn't bow when you first met."

Poseidon sat again."The same way you could hide yourself from me when I returned. You did not trust me. He is no mortal, as you know. But he is not a god, nor is he my son, Triton."

Triton snorted."And yet you treat him as though he was. I have had enough for one day, following you around, watching the boy love you, as I do. I'm off to the edge. I'll be back by tommorow." He swam out a window.

Poseidon sighed. As if being an all powerful ocean god weren't enough, he had to be a father as well. He reached over and picked up his trident. The water around the three tips started to boil. He stood, and walked to the end of the hall as easily as walking down a garden path on dry land. Unlike his son, and his servants, he didn't need to swim everywhere.

Looking out, he could easily see the black wall that was nothing but concentrated pollution being forced away from his palace. There was a lot of movement, caused by several thousand fish and other creatures, fighting the pollution, making their lord's job a little easier. Every day, hundreds of fish, sea monsters, and random water gods crossed the line. They then helped to extend it further.

There came a knock on the door, and Poseidon turned, calling,"Enter."

A naiad swam in, and made an akward bow. He motioned for her to rise, and she reported,"The wall has fallen back another mile, Lord. We believe we will free the entire Pacific in less than a year."

Poseidon nodded. He already knew this. He was about to turn away when the naiad said,"And the Lord Apollo has requested an audience with you."

The sea god spun around."What?"

The naiad blushed."The lord Apollo, he want's to talk to you. So do the lords Ares and Hepheastus, and the Ladies Athena and Artemis. It appears that Lord Zeus has given permission to venture to earth."

Poseidon nodded, and went to his throne."You may admit them."

Of course, Ares was the first through the door. He was dressed in his usual bloodred battle armor, with his sword, the holder of the immortal soul of the war god, strapped to his side. Athena came in next, dressed in her silvery robes and armed with her spear. Her breastplate, which held the head of Medusa, caused Poseidon to flinch slightly.

Then came Apollo and Artemis, arm in arm. Both were dressed in tunic and leggings, Apollo in gold, Artemis in silver. Both were armed with thier powerful bows. Both had identical bored faces. It almost made Poseidon laugh.

Hepheastus came in last, dressed in filthy clothes and holding his long pike. Poseidon knew tht the weapon was far more than a simple pike. It carried thousands of deadly functions, everything from a whip to a machine gun.

Poseidon stood as the other gods came to a stop. They bowed, aknowledging that he was master of this hall, and then Athena spoke."We would offer you our aid in your battle, Uncle."

Artemis nodded gravely, but Apollo and Ares protested."We are off to the mortal world."Ares growled."We have had enough of the disbelievers. Let them doubt me when I have them impaled!" He strode from the hall, closelt followed by Apollo. Artemis and Hepheastus stayed, and the huntress said,"There are creatures here that I have not hunted in millenia. Please, uncle, let me go hunting in your domain?"

Poseidon smiled at her."Artemis, you would go whether I said so or not. But for the sake of peace in the family, I give you permission to hunt the more malevolent beasts of the sea."

Artemis' face shone with joy."Thank you, uncle! The most evil are the most fun!" She jumped into the air, and then ran forward to kiss Poseidon lightly on the cheek, before she darted out of the hall.

Hepheastus laughed lightly."She is still young for her age. I remember when she swore never to marry. Foolish girl."

Athena raised an eyebrow."I also swore never to marry, Brother. Men can be so stupid, and I cannot be held back by such a feeble thing. Are you calling me foolish?"

Hepheastus shrugged."No. But you have been before. Like the time you fought Ares at Corinth? The first line would have held if you hadn't-"

Athena went bright red."And you would know because?"

Hepheastus stopped, and slowly said,"I . . . uh, gave Ares . . . his army's weapons?"

Athena shouted with rage mingled in victory."I knew it! I always knew it! And it took almost five thousand years for him to admit it! At long last!"

Poseidon cleared his throat. Athen fell back to attention, and said,"I am here to aid you with the negotiation between the mortals and the immortals. Hepheastus wanted to try out his new toy."

Hepheastus grunted, and held out a small round metal sphere."I call it the Polluntatentate. It disolves pollution. It has a six mile radius. Thought it would come in handy."

Poseidon nodded. He was about to go on, when a knock came again on the door. He frowned. Who would be stupid enough to interupt the gods? There could only be one."Enter."

Anak walked in. And he walked, not swam. His powers were growing by the minute."What is it, boy? As you can see, I have guests."

Anak stared at the other two immortals. He seemed tongue tied. Athena broke the silence."This is the boy? The one that is more than mortal?" She stared into his eyes."He seems to have an aura. And a powerful one. And the power over water, as well. There is only one explanation." She stood taller."Welcome, Akaklusmos, son of Oceanus, Titan of the Seas."