Apollo walked the holy realm of Olympus with his chiseled face devoid of all humor. Without the constant irksome presence of Hermes the place seemed quieter than it had been in several millennia. Even those that wallowed with him, such as Demeter and her daughter Persephone who had surprisingly returned early from the Underworld, much to Zeus's woe, and the usually boisterous Dionysus was solemn. Even more distressing was the missing of Hades from his post. Charon could not control the souls forever.

My, my Zeus, one brother on a revenge quest, one disappeared to earth, and your wife off doing who knows what. Apollo chortled in amusement at his musings and flicked a strand of golden hair from his face. Things were going on without his participation and knowledge, much to his annoyance.

"Apollo?"

The blond god paused in his steps and gazed over his shoulder, his emotionless face screwing into distaste. Hephaestus limped his way, sweat pouring down his ugly face. Apollo was a vain god. After all, how could he not be after being known as the most vibrant and gorgeous in Olympus besides Aphrodite with blond hair of wool like texture, eyes of a vibrant blue, and heart shaped face? He could hardly stand to be in the presence of his half-brother who was the opposite whose whole being was marred by scars.

The God wasn't entirely grotesque due to his own volition, Zeus was responsible for many a scar that was plain on his face. 'Of course that was his punishment for getting in between Zeus and Hera during one of Zeus's bouts of anger.' He had his uses and mostly stuck to his little room where he craft Zeus's bolts. Out of sight, and out of mind.

"Is there something you need Hephaestus?" Apollo asked, his melodious voice not containing his annoyance.

The lame god reached him and after some intakes of breaths, relayed his message to him," Zeus requests your presence in his chambers."

Apollo's celestial blue eyes widened then he nodded his acceptance.

"Before you go tell me, with Hermes now disappeared to the fates know where, are you to be our new messenger? I must disclose that you are...ill equipped for the task."

"Do not push your luck brother," Hephaestus answered him gruffly, still sounding out of breath.

"But of course," Apollo sounded as though he were talking to a child," Olympus forbid I anger our bolt maker. Now, if you were to excuse me, I must get going."

He walked past his brother with unsubtle elbowing his shoulder as he moved. As he had thought, the god did nothing. Apollo erupted into laughter and carried on his way to Zeus.

Ares glared at Vangelis's back and with a huff looked away from the mortal with deep frustration. He cared far too much for his own liking, however, due to that infernal promise he made Hades, he had no choice but to look after someone he knew was doomed.

"Ares,' Ikaros, with ease in his step walked up to him," I wish to speak with you."

"You stay behind. Why," Ares peered deep at the human whose body language seemed too loose for his liking when it came to talking to a god," shouldn't you go after your friend? Or, is it that you wish we were skin ship partners as Vangelis and Hades?"

The human Ikaros did not flinch and sat close to Ares who found his presence oddly calming. 'This must be the reason the boy is so close to him. Shame this calming atmosphere has not transferred over...' Ares frowned into the distance. At what, he had no idea.

"I am not of that kind," Ikaros began softly which shocked the God of War considerably. Usually the ebony haired boy was just as loud as Dionysus," when I go back to my village, if I am to go back to my village, there is a woman waiting for me. My interest in you is not romantic, but pragmatic. It is about Vangelis-"

"I tire of worrying about that fool," Ares interrupted him, as polite as he could to return the favor. He could not remember the last time someone had spoken to him as this as, if he could fully use this phrase, as a human being and not bovine feces under their sandal," his sword skills are improving, but he still have much to learn and we have a mere two weeks' time before we reach Sparta and Zeus knows what will happen then."

"I care not for his sword skills," Ikaros mouth twisted in thought as he attempted to convey his feelings," it is his spirit. That person who walked away from us a mere moments before was not friend. Vangelis that I am in knowledge of is a kind soul, not a vengeful one. He has not been the Vangelis that I grew up with in our village since we sailed from Canea."

Something, an offset of pity which Ares hated more than anything for himself or anybody else, stirred his heart. He grimaced and turned his eyes to the other boy who, whilst not as beautiful as Vangelis, was fairly handsome in his own right. His dark hair was mused in a sloppy fashion that partly covered his eyes which was the stunning color of freshly made bronze. His facial profile was masculine and yet boyish enough to reveal that he was still on the early cusp of manhood. His body, while not as powerful as Ares's, was still very impressive and bulky as opposed to Vangelis who was mostly lean and skin that was fairly sun kissed.

"So what you are saying," Ares began to say after discovering he had taken too long to reply," That your friend might be tampered with?"

"I fear either he has either been driven partially mad by his grief," Ikaros told him, nonplussed by the god's pause," or the seed of discord has been sown by Eris inside him. Maybe a combination of both of them."

Ares's mouth flattened into a white line and he motioned Ikaros to continue. Which the boy did.

"What I mean to say is," Ikaros visibly swallowed," can you undo the enchan-"

"I am not Hecate the Goddess of Witchcraft and neither is Hades. I am deathly afraid that whatever is upon your friend is permanent."

"No...no it cannot be!"

Ikaros wrenched up from his perch beside Ares and began to pace furiously. His eyes burned with the familiar flame of tears. His friend was in danger and...He could do naught to save him from his own folly.

"I am sorry young Ikaros," Ikaros looked back at the god, almost forgetting he had been there," your friend Vangelis was doomed from the time he came from Helen's poisoned cunt."

"Please," Ikaros pleaded and, in a gesture more pathetic than Ares had ever seen, got on his knees in front of him," as with Vangelis being your student, I ask you humbly to be the same."

For the life of him, Ares could not tell the boy no.

Apollo flicked invisible dirt from underneath his cubicle and gazed upon Zeus with a lazy attempt at seeming interested at what he had to say. His mouth was clamped shut, however, the dire straits of the throne room of the head god was quite the gossip topic. It was not Zeus's style to keep such a disorganized space. It must be Hera's doing. The wrench.

"Apollo, as I am sure you are aware, the underworld is in chaos and without a proper messenger it has put a great strain on the cosmos. "

"Oh my," Apollo began, his voice holding a slight hitch," Not the cosmos. Say it isn't so father."

"Apollo," the Golden God flinched and dropped his look of amusement. If just for a moment," would you please take this seriously?"

"Of course my lord Zeus. My folly is my own."

Zeus waved away his apology and began his speech again.

"They will not be that difficult to locate. They are with that…that accursed child of Helen that seems to be causing me problems no matter where I flick my beard."

"Ah, so that Abaddon fellow I've been hearing about. Or is his name Vangelis?" Apollo quipped with a small smile.

Zeus's eyes flashed towards his son.

"How is it-?"

"That it is he that causes trouble," the God of the Sun finished for him," it's simple. Who has not heard Hera rant nowadays?"

Ever since that disastrous meeting all those years prior, the son of Helen was all that was found on Hera's lips. The poor goddess was going insane, however, Apollo used this to his own advantage to hear more of the gorgeous child. Hair of spun gold, lips as red as the juiciest pomegranate, and eyes the brightest silver. He pictures him now and salivated, hardly managing to keep it from Zeus who observed him with a mouth downturned in disapproval.

"I cannot keep you away from the boy, nor can I keep away Hera, but you will bring back Hermes and Hades to their posts." Zeus proclaimed strongly.

"And what of Ares?" Apollo inquired.

"Let him rot. Maybe some years with the humans will tame that hot head of his."

An air of doubt sifted over the two as Apollo straightened himself. He bowed gingerly to his father and fellow god.

"It will be my upmost pleasure to bring them back."

Zeus watched him leave as his fingers drummed against the arm rest of his golden and ivory throne. The Fates were spinning a destiny he, himself, could not foresee. He arose from his throne and headed to them, his steps weighting a thousand tons.

Their backs were turned away from him but he could see that they were at work vigilantly watching over human lives. Even as god of the heavens, they gave him a chill. They held so much power over so many.

It brought his own morality into question.

"So you come Zeus," they sung out in chorus," come to see the boy's fate."

"I have come to see our fate as well," he barely managed to keep the power in his voice and preserve his dignity.

He did not know if it was Clotho, Lachesis, or Atropos, but one beaconed him forward and there in their hands was the boy's life thread. Small, and getting smaller still.

"So the boy soon dies," the relief in his voice was palpable.

He regretted the boy's short life, but reason and order needed to be brought back to Olympus, one way or the other. It was one of those times where he regretted his choice to save the child from Hera's grasp.

"However the boy will not die if he makes the proper choice." they sang, their voices as soft as birdsong in spring.

"Proper...choice?"

"Abaddon is at a crossroads. He will make a dangerous choice that may make or break him."

Zeus's sky blue eyes shifted between the three fates and felt a stone like one held by Sisyphus fall into his stomach. He walked more towards them and there was his scales and Abaddon's lots. He had not touched them since the war with the Trojans to determine Hector's fate against Achilles.

"Zeus," their eyes began to glow an effervescent yellow," it is you who must choose if Abaddon lives or dies."

Zeus picked up one lot and stacked it on one side. The scale tipped over and a silent apology left his now dry lips.

"The boy dies."

Apollo began his trek down the side of Mount Olympus only to be interrupted by a familiar voice that was music to his ears.

"Apollo," Persephone was walking towards him, sullen in her movements," before you go on your way I must speak with you."

With a flair, much too overly dramatic, he bowed to her and grabbed her hand to kiss it as she came closer to his person. A blush tainted her cheeks pink much to her mortification. At one point, Apollo and she had been lovers in secret to hide from the wrath of her mother. Even though she no longer felt and romantic tendencies towards him, his gestures never failed to make a blushing virgin out of her.

"If you wish it my dear, I shall provide. Now put mouth to purpose and tell me what is it that clouds such a gorgeous mind?"

Persephone removed her hand from his grasp and clasped her hands in front of her white chiton as if in prayer. Apollo eyed her breasts hungrily and struggled to keep his hands to himself. White was the color of virginity and a virgin Persephone was not. However, he thought with a silent chuckle, you would have much difficulty convincing Demeter of this fact.

"I wish to be reunited with my husband. Please tell him that I will return back to the underworld and will await for his return."

"You wish to go back to him?" Apollo asked with an arching eyebrow.

"Not after what he did to me," she replied with apt bitterness," however, my mother has convinced me that since I have eaten the food of the Underworld I must go back or plunge the earth to chaos."

"Chaos, chaos, always chaos," Apollo told her flippantly," this request I shall fulfil as I go to him."

"I give you my gratitude Apollo."

Do not thank me just yet.Apollo began his descent towards the human world.