Category: Greek Mythology

Rating: M

Couples: Athena/?, Hephaestus/OC

Warnings: AU (OOCness for some of the gods at times), Hints of Lemon, Blood: read Torture (but nothing graphic), Character Death

Chapter: 11

Copyright: Greek Gods © By Whomever they belong, Plot & OC´s © by me

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Zeus had managed to get himself out of his bedroom to do something, that much had been true, but now that he was on the battlefield he wanted nothing more than to get back into it. His children stood beside his father and it broke his heart. He had hoped they would come to realize that he had never wanted Athena to die, but that hope had been useless.

A hand closed around his, squeezing it gently. Hera looked up at him, her purple eyes shining in the fading light. Poseidon stood beside them, his trident glowing with power. The other two sisters stood on their other side, dressed for war.

Hades was not here though. The former ruler of the Underworld was still not properly healed and would only be a distraction if he had been present. He and several minor gods had stayed behind on Olympus, as a last line of defense should the army fall. Not that it would matter much then, but it was better to go down fighting. And fight they would, even if that meant tearing their family apart.

Sadly, it would come that far. Ares stood proudly beside his grandfather, golden snake resting over his shoulders while the Twins of Leto flanked him. Their bows glowed with their power as fitting arrows rested on the strings.

"Something is wrong." Leto whispered. She stood behind him, her own bow resting loosely in one hand.

"What would that be?" Hera asked. She and the Titaness had bonded over the treachery of their children and got along much better now.

"I know Artemis and Apollo, they are my children. They are not angry, only grieved." She gestured with her head to where the two were standing. "Look at them. Their heart is no longer in this battle."

"Then why are they still fighting it?" Hestia wondered, the braid of her long red hair dancing around her in the wind. "If their hearts are not in it, why do they still side with Kronos?"

"Maybe they are afraid of Ares?" Demeter suggested, gesturing to her nephew.

"Would that cause them to betray their family?" Hera asked. "I doubt Ares can be that fear-inspiring."

"Careful, sister, do not underestimate him." Poseidon warned her. "He is not the Ares from before Athena's demise, remember?"

It was a terrible truth they had been forced to face: war had been split between two deities with Athena holding the strategy and Ares the massacre, but with Athena gone Ares seemed to have gained dominion over both, making him far more dangerous than he had ever been before. And each and every bit of his new skills seemed aimed towards eradicating his family. Unlike his siblings the only thing visibly on his face was anger…

They saw how Kronos spoke to the son of Hera, whispering in his ear. Ares answered in kind, his elaborate helmet hiding most of his face from view.

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"Ready, my siblings?" Ares turned to the other two Olympians.

"As ready as we will ever be." Artemis answered him, her face hardening. "Let's do this."

"It is now or never." Apollo agreed. "I have foreseen it: Athena's prophecy will come to an end today. The side betrayed in her name will fall."

"Good to know." Kronos smiled. "Come then, let us go and meet Zeus."

"As you wish." The four walked down the hill, the army parting for them. Power radiated from the children of Zeus, the lessons of the Titans having caused a grow-spurt in their power.

Their movements were mirrored by the children of Kronos in the Olympian army.

Four met five in the middle of the battlefield.

"Are you sure you wish to proceed, my… son?" Kronos grinned as he studied Zeus. The God of Thunder still bore the marks of grief. "Are you this eager to lose more of your children?"

"I'm more eager to beat you back to Tartarus." Zeus snarled, thunder rumbling in the distance.

"Father, relax." Ares spoke. "Save your energy, you will need it."

"Keep out of this." Hera pointed at her son. "You are a disgrace. I should never have cast Hephaestus from Olympus, but you!"

"And that would have prevented this?" Ares growled. "I think that would have been another good reason to throw you into Tartarus."

"It would be the first reason." Zeus pulled Hera back. "Ares, Apollo, Artemis, it is not too late. I never wanted this: I never wanted Athena to die."

"It is too late, father." Apollo countered. "The end of this battle is determined. And we will be victorious. Athena's prophecy – the one you killed her for – is coming to an end."

"I made a mistake!"

"That will cost you all." Kronos smiled. "Perhaps in the end I was a better father. At least I did not kill my favorite child because she was pregnant."

"No, you ate all of them." The shadows of the sisters thickened, rising up to form a man. "Making it two things I owe you for." Hades pulled off his helmet, tucking it under his arm.

Kronos' eyes narrowed as he watched his oldest son appear, but soon he grinned when he saw the slight limb Hades had.

"Well, let us see how well you will do in battle, uncle." Apollo's face was filled with disdain. "A good hit against your leg and you're down."

"First someone will have to hit it." Hades towered over his nephew, the two of them opposites in every regard. "I dare you to try, Apollo."

"We have better things to do." Artemis snarled. "More important things. You should have hidden yourself away, uncle. Now you will witness our victory and suffer the consequences."

The Titan-delegation turned on their heels and marched back to the army. None of the children of Zeus looked back once.

In the Olympian army there was one who had just faced a terrible realization: Dionysus, God of Wine and Theatre, had seen something which had revealed a terrible truth to him. A truth capable of determining the fate of the world.