The first rays of sunlight revealed the true nature of the epic battle. Apollo's rays forced the darkness to coward away and so did the monsters. The moment the sunlight smacked them across their skin, they vanished as if they weren't there at all. The blood that stained the earth was wiped clean and the bodies of monsters that had died were no longer in sight. The only evidence that suggested a battle had occurred was the gods' weapons that lied on Gaia. Many of the gods scanned the area with confusion, shock and exhaustion. The little blue god stood high in the sky with a child in his arms, staring back at the earth, with sounds of sobs escaping from his lips.
Hercules' body had returned back to normal but was now gasping for air. The bolt had shocked through his system and had paralysed him but his demi-god's genes work hard to prepare the damage. His eyes shut tightly as the pain conquered his legs, arms, head and chest. He felt as if gravity had increased on his body and wished that the paralysis was still there. 'Dad,' a small whisper entered his ear and small warm human like hands touched against his cold shoulders. He slowly flattered his eyes open. His little son, his precious, little, baby boy filled his vision and a weak smile formed. He look deep into Zack's eyes and with the strength he had left, he lifted up his hand and cupped his check. 'Zack,' the soft word barely escaped his lips and slowly rubbed the tears away from his check. The rivers continued to follow, pain, suffering and lost filled his eyes. 'Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry.' The words blurted out from the sobs. 'Shh,' Hercules curled his fingers and stroked his check. 'You've done nothing wrong.' Zack just shocked his head and collapsed on his father's chest. 'But I've done nothing right.' Tears stain his armour. Hercules weakly placed his hand underneath Zack's chin and gently pushed against it. 'There is nothing you could have done. This war was something you couldn't prevent.' Hercules struggled to breathe, there wasn't much time left. 'Go find your brother and mother, whatever happens, promise me you'll protect each other.'
'Don't talk like that. Everything is better now. We'll both find my mum and Alexis. I'm mean; you're okay now right Dad? You're a hero, just another day in the office, right?' a hopeful smile was brought to his lips as Zack grabbed onto his father's hands as if he was holding onto life itself. But his hands were cold and they fell away from Zack and bounced on the ground. The mighty hero's eyes rolled back into his head and shut them. His lungs finally took their last breath of air. 'Dad? DAD!' Zack roughly shook his body. 'Dad, please wake up, stay with me. DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE US AGAIN.' The body lied among the glory of nature, cold and lifeless. Hermes took off his helmet and brought near his heart as the sorrow for his nephew filled his face. Zack wrapped himself around his father's body and wept even more than he had ever done before.
The Queen of the gods rested in the softness of the clouds. Alexis struggled to sleep. Something was wrong, very wrong, he can feel it. Dawn had arrived; the battle seemed to be over. He couldn't shake the feeling away that something was wrong with his twin brother. That built within him and at one point he rose from the cloud bed and was determine to find his brother. He pain from his head hadn't recovered but it was tolerable. He slowly and cautiously walked through the corridor, gods was returning. Their bodies dragged along the floor like the undead raising from their graves. They were so tried and exhausted that no noticed the small mortal on Olympus. BANG. Alexis hit something hard and solid. 'Alexis, what are you doing up here?' A deep male concerned voice entered his ears. Alexis raised his head, the lord of Olympus stood before him. 'I was injured, next thing I knew I woke up here with a major headache.' Zeus raised an eyebrow and spoke.
'Then you should be resting and not wondering Olympus at this time. Dawn has just broken and the battle has just ended. All of the gods are taking the day off, with a few exceptions, and that goes double for you.' Zeus spoke calmly but a sense of authority was heard from his voice. This was one god that was rarely disobeyed; this was going to be one of those rare moments. 'Hey! What about my brother? He is somewhere out there, most likely hurt and I don't need another firefly telling me to rest.' Both of his ears were streaming. Everyone was so concerned about his welfare that nobody even mentioned the word Zack. Zeus didn't expect so much hostility from someone so young. He shocked his head and knelt down to his level. 'First of all your brother, Zack, is fine. I've saved him from a giant dog like monster just moments ago. My massager god, Hermes, is with him at this every moment and we'll be reunited soon enough. Now I understand why you're angry but that is no excused to be disrespectful to your elders, let alone your grandfather. I'll let it slide this time.' Alexis wasn't convinced not for a second. He had a gut feeling, something was defiantly up. 'Look, something is wrong. I've got a gut feeling and Dad always told me to go with my gut. And that exactly what I'm going to do. So, the way I see it you can either take me to my brother or you can get out of the way, either way I'm going to see him this very moment or today, whichever comes first.' Zeus signed; his grand kid was combo of his father's stubbornness and his mother's sharp tongue. When those two are mixed together nothing can prevent it. 'When you find your brother, will you then returned to Cassandra and rest and that not a request, you hear me?' Alexis nodded; at least he was finally getting through to somebody.
Zeus guided him to a chariot that was covered in a real live image of a storm. Alexis' eyes widen, it was like the storm is trapped inside a glass frame. Lightning was concisely being thrown from the clouds within the chariot. 'Alexis focus, you're here to find Zack. So shut that mouth and get into that damn chariot.' His voice of reason snapped him back to reality. Zeus was already aboard this wondrous chariot, drumming his fingers against it. Alexis close his mouth and jumped into the chariot. 'Hold on,' Zeus warned as the chariot leaped from the sky and descended to the mortal world. Alexis curled in the corner with his knee to his chest, 'Where's Pegasus when you really need him?'
Zack lied next to his father's now dead body. One of his father's arms was beneath him while he placed his other arm across his child body. It looked like they were both sleeping as the sunlight blanketed them. Hermes floated there, tears rolling down his eyes. 'How could this have happen? Why does everything bad always happen to the brave and innocent? First he was kidnapped from Olympus and made mortal, tortured throughout his childhood. Then was fighting his uncle and was a tug-a-war rope between his siblings Ares and Athena during High School. Now his sons are fatherless and possibly motherless.' Sorrow and grief filled his entire soul, 'The worst part is that now I've got to tell Zeus that he has killed his own son. Man, sometimes I hate this gig. ' Hermes turned his body away from them to give the boy some space. A small whimper brought his face up. Pegasus lied on the ground, whimpering for aid. Hermes slowly floated towards the stallion. 'Please, help me up. I need to be with them. My wing is broken but my body is strong, I just need to be with the ones I love.' Pegasus spoke to the blue god. He placed his staff on the ground and help Pegasus up onto his hooves. He nodded his thanks and slowly trotted to his dead best friend and his son. He placed his horse body next Zack and with his undamaged wing, placed it over their bodies. Hermes sat on a rock as his body ached for rest but he felt that it was his duty to protect his great nephew until someone came to collect him. Then thunder exploded and crash above him, breaking his train of thoughts. Hermes gasped, as he saw Zeus' chariot heading straight for him and he seemed to be in a hurry. 'Looks like Zeus will find out sooner than I thought,' Hermes swallowed hard as the chariot drew closer.