Shade: Author's note at bottom

The Truth Will Set You Free (Serenity's POV)

Serenity felt a chill run down her spine as Hector reached into the box. Her heart began to beat faster as an unusual fear prowled the edge of her mind, but her body tingled with anticipation. This was it. They had finally found what they were looking for. Glancing over at Diego she bit her lip. This is wrong. Chiron would never allow us to do this. The seal even said that it was a weapon of treachery. So why does it feel…right?

Hector hesitated, and then lifted the blade out of the box. The boom of thunder reached a crescendo before falling ominously silent. Serenity didn't turn around however; her eyes were locked onto the blade that Hector held. His golden eyes ran down its length, as if seeing it but something else as well.

The blade itself was beautiful and horrific. As she looked closer at it, she could see that it was made from two different metals fused together, celestial bronze and mortal steel. Her vision had always been better than most, but it seemed like the blade itself was in conflict, the two halves wishing to peel apart but forced together by some unnatural process. Her skin crawled as she got the feeling the blade was forged in pain and suffering and when she looked at its razor edge, she got the impression that the blade itself was hungry for blood. It unnerved her to see it in Hector's hands. He was too kind to be holding such a blade.

And yet… Her mind raced back to the standoff with the lion, the sheer rage and power that radiated from Hector. But was that him? Or Kronos?

Diego finally broke the silence. "I'm guessing that's the blade. So…", he glanced back out at the storm. "Do we stay here or do we head back? Personally, I'd rather not get drenched."

Hector fumbled with the blade for a bit, trying to find a comfortable way to carry it. It was clearly made for someone larger than he. "Stay here. Aunt Luna was quite insistent that we do not leave the temple, no matter what."

Diego raised an eyebrow. "The maiden goddess wants us to stay in her sacred temple?"

Serenity heard in the back of her mind another voice. "Run."

She jumped as Hector shrugged. "It confuses me too. She said something about meeting her hunters. Still, Kronos is quite adamant that we don't stay here and that we head to Mt. Tam immediately. Who is more trustworthy?"

Serenity tuned out the conversation as she tried to focus on the voice. She remembered what Hector said about listening to Kronos and ventured, "Who are you?"

The voice that radiated back was feminine and musical. It brought to mind thoughts of gemstones with the light reflecting off of them. It was tinged with worry, slipping into panic. "You have to run. Get out of there. Listen to me daughter, please!"

Serenity couldn't hide her surprise, catching the boys' attention. "…Mother? Is that really you? Why did you wait so long? Why-"

The voice cut her off. "There is no time to explain Serenity. You have to go!"

"But Artemis…"

"Artemis has betrayed you!" Serenity's eyes went wide with shock. "I overheard her here on Olympus. She told Zeus the trials were meant to kill you. When he gave the order for your execution she didn't protest! She wants you there to die! Run daughter, run!"

Serenity was shaken back into awareness by Diego. He was looking over her in concern while Hector was watching the storm. "Hey are yo-"

She cut him off. "We have to go guys! Right now!"

Hector shook his head, "Aunt Luna said…"

Serenity wanted so badly to tell him what her mother told her, but she knew he would lock up if she accused her. "Hector, I need you to trust me. We have to leave this temple."

"Have you lost it Serenity?" Diego shook his head. "Come on do we really want to disobey a goddess?"

Serenity ran to Hector and took his hands. Her eyes began to tear up as his eyes went wide. "Please Hector trust me! Just this once trust me!"

Hector was unsure for a moment, looking from the statue of Artemis to Serenity and back again. Diego's expression remained concerned, and when Hector looked to him he simply said, "Your call."

Hector looked back at Serenity and his golden eyes flashed with concern. "Okay, we'll go."

Diego nodded as Serenity's face lit up in thanks, before she realized the position they were in and released his hands. She turned away and let Diego and Hector take the lead out of the temple. The three had barely made it out of the temple when the sky lit up as bright as daytime. Looking above they saw a huge white light with lightning flowing toward it. Serenity's eyes widened, "GO!"

They ran forward and flew down the temple steps. They had just made it inside the tree line when their vision went white. Incredible heat bore down on their backs and they felt a gust of wind lift their feet into the air as they blew forward. The sound followed soon after. BOOM!

Their bones seemed to rattle in their bodies and their ear drums throbbed in agony from the sound. They hit ground several yards away from the temple. They turned and all of their eyes went wide. Serenity felt her heart leap into her throat and her stomach drop down to the earth's core.

The temple was gone. The stairs, the altar, the statue, the entire building was just…gone. All that was left was a smoking crater. The sky lit up again and the trio didn't bother looking up. Serenity felt Hector's hand grab one of hers and then Diego grab the other. Hector told them, "Stick with me. To the exit, as fast as we can!"

They ran as the sky opened up and what seemed like the wrath of god fell upon them. Or perhaps just one god in particular. A torrent of lightning bolts fell upon the valley, each impact releasing an explosion that left craters and ignited anything that could burn. Even in her worst nightmares Serenity could only imagine one or two lightning strikes actually hitting the ground. Everywhere she looked over a dozen bolts hit. Hector's path weaved around impacts, sometimes only barely avoiding a blast from on high.

They had nearly reached the exit when a bolt flew ahead and struck the rock above the path. Diego pulled back and kept them from being crushed by the collapsing walls. When the dust cleared, they could see that passage had been buried under rubble. It would take time to clear a path; time they did not have. The three huddled together, trying to hide but it was no use. Zeus made his intention clear; he would scour every inch of the valley if needed. Serenity quaked before coming to a decision. What had Hector told them? The Titans promised aid when the gods would not.

Serenity began to pray, her eyes fixed on the heavens. "Please hear me. The gods have forsaken and betrayed us. Please Titans, help us!"

As lightning began to coalesce in the sky for a final blast, Serenity could hear a distant chanting, a familiar voice. It was clear and strong, and as the chanting grew louder, she instinctively understood; this was the language of magic. Serenity felt her stomach flip as the world seemed to blur and stretch. Her body felt like it was being stretched and then collapsed. Her vision went white, and darkness overcame her.

Flashes and sparks filled her vision. Serenity looked around wildly, trying to regain control. Primal terror ruled her mind, the shock and horror of Zeus's attack robbing her of control. Fragments of memory passed by her faster than she could process. Abruptly her vision was clear.

She was standing in a massive throne room. Surrounding her in an upside-down Omega were the twelve Olympian gods. They all glared down, anger and judgment clear in their expression. She shivered below their stare, but as she became more aware she realized that the gods looked worn and beaten. All of them had grey hairs as if drained of part of their power. Furthermore, they were glaring at something behind her. She turned and gasped.

It was Hector. He was older but there was no mistaking his golden eyes. He was kneeling before the council but not by his choice. Chains had bound his hands to either side and attached to a collar on his neck. His legs were chained down, forcing him to his knees and the chain attached to his collar was too short, forcing him to hunch over in humiliation. In the rear of the throne room was a small gathering of demigods and minor gods. Their expressions varied: some looked upon Hector with absolute hatred but others looked at him with sympathy. Some were averting their eyes, ashamed of the proceedings and others were being restrained from interfering.

Zeus's booming voice echoed through the room. "Have you anything to say in your defense, abomination?"

Despite his position, Hector's voice rung strong. "How can I, when the crime of which you speak was me being born? Children do not choose their father."

A goddess spoke next. Her armor was dented and covered in dust, but her grey eyes shone brightly. She spoke without pity or remorse. "Regardless, your very existence is a threat to Olympus. You and all of your kin must be destroyed if there is to ever be peace."

"Peace!"

Hector shot up as far as he could, the chains ringing and many demigods reaching for their weapons. "Peace! You speak of peace when you forced us down this path! We fought for years for peace. Kronos promised us freedom, a chance to live our own lives! We risked everything for you; we gambled our very future! Yet you condemned us from birth!"

"Enough!"

Zeus stood from his throne. "Insolent creature. You are an abomination, a mistake, a freak result of forbidden magic. Your body born of darkness and your very soul stolen! It is time I enforced the decree I made the day you were born!"

His master bolt expanded and charged up. "You will not be sentenced to Tartarus. I won't risk you escaping. I'll end you myself!"

Zeus threw his bolt at Hector, who rose as tall as he could and looked Zeus in the eye. Serenity screamed, but before she could interfere the entire scene was frozen. The bolt remained frozen in midair as time itself stopped. Three old ladies appeared before Serenity. A weaver, a knitter, and a cutter. Serenity's eyes went wide as they eyed her. Finally, the weaver and the cutter vanished while the knitter bid her to approach. When she stood before the final Fate, the fate reached out and brushed a finger along her temple. Around them the scene disintegrated "You should not have seen this, nor shall you remember this. All you will remember are my words: the only way your family lives is to go to Mt. Tam."

Serenity's eyes were watering. "Is there nothing I can do to change this?"

"Nothing you can do. Only Hector can make this choice. Forget."

Serenity slowly came back to wakefulness. The smell of old wood and embers filled her nostrils. She was warm, the furs covering her acting like an oven in the summer heat. Blinking she tried to rise, her muscles aching in protest. A hand was placed on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down. A woman's voice, "Easy. You three have been through a lot."

Serenity blinked and looked for the voice. A young woman was smiling down at her. Dark brown hair tumbled loose down her back over the silver tee she wore. Her face seemed elvish if that was possible and her brown eyes held a warmth Serenity had only seen in Hector. "Who-"

Serenity croaked on her words. Her throat felt like it was stuffed with sandpaper. The woman reached for a flask and gently poured it down her throat. "Easy. Hecate's spell was improvised and took a toll on you three. My name is Naomi. I'm Hector's mother."

Serenity's eyes widened. Her memories came crashing back: the valley, the lightning. "Where are they! Are they alright!"

She was hushed by Naomi. "They're fine. They woke up a few hours before you did. It seems they healed faster, though that is probably because their heritage is no longer locked like it once was."

Seeing Serenity's confusion increase Naomi sighed. "I will explain all in time. It is complicated so I really only want to do it once."

Naomi left and returned to the kitchen and Serenity took the time to look around the room. Room may not be the right word. She was lying on the couch in Naomi's cabin, the door right across from her. While she was looking at it the door opened, revealing Diego and Hector. Their eyes lit up with glee as they crushed her in a hug. A sharp bark from Naomi made them release their hold but did nothing to dull their relief. They shared how they had awoken earlier to find Naomi already tending them. Since then they had been waiting until Naomi kicked them out of the house. Serenity calmed their concerns over her and then frowned.

"Guys, I had a dream."

They took note of her expression and their faces became serious. Naomi stopped what she was doing as well to listen.

"I can't remember most of it, but I was visited by the Fates. They…they want us to go to Mt. Tam."

A plate shattered as it slid from Naomi's grip. Hector reacted automatically, reaching for the dustpan and some towels as Diego questioned, "Them too? Why would they want us to go to the Titans?"

"Could be because of the prophecy," Hector answered as he gathered up the shards. "They would have a vested interest in seeing it pass."

A cough reminded the trio that Naomi was standing there. Serenity was greeted with the amusing sight of Hector, who had stared down the Nemean Lion and looked the Minotaur and Sphinx in the eye, cower before his mother's glare. Her voice was suspiciously pleasant as she probed. "Hector," he winced, "Is there something you forget to tell me? Maybe an IM you forgot to send your own mother?

Faster than either Diego or Serenity thought possible Hector spilled everything that had happened, from the encounter with the sphinx to the three trials. When Hector told Naomi what the trials were Serenity noticed how Naomi's grip on the counter tightened with anger. Hector stumbled over his description of the blade, which Serenity noticed was hanging from a rack near the door, before he finally reached the destruction of the temple.

"I don't understand. I don't get it. Aunt Luna knew me for years. Why would she do this? Why-" Hector stopped. His eyes flickered back and forth as his mind raced. Looking at Naomi he asked, "What is Artemis to me? What is she really?"

Naomi gestured for the three of them to sit down. Her shoulders were slumped as if she was bearing a great weight but her eyes were sharp with anger. Once they were all seated she addressed Hector first, "I told you that you were adopted. What I did not tell you was that you weren't adopted by me."

Hector's eyes widened. "You mean…"

"Yes, you are the adopted son of Artemis."

"Why would she do that?"

Naomi sighed as she leaned back. "If you had asked me that a month ago I would have readily answered that you found a place in her heart. She helped me raise you, especially when you were younger. She came to care for you and wished to make you hers. I didn't get a say in the matter. But I thought maybe that would protect you from Zeus."

Diego spoke up next, "Not to intrude but why would he need protection?"

"Because all of you were sentenced to death by Zeus shortly after you were born."

Serenity felt her blood freeze. "What do you mean sentenced to death? We hadn't even done anything then?!"

"Your very existence was considered a threat to Olympus. If Artemis betrayed you," Naomi's voice tightened with rage, "then it seems she has changed her mind. I never thought Milady was capable of this but it seems I was wrong about her."

Hector remained subdued. Diego was the first to catch sight of a tear running down his face. Diego moved over by Hector to support him while Serenity pressed, "But why? What are we?"

Naomi seemed to consider it, before her face hardened with resolve. "No more secrets. You deserve the truth. You are not demigods. You are demititans."

Shock was evident on all of their faces as Naomi pushed on, the words coming out like water from a dam. "We never knew how you were born, but Artemis and I found Hector first, then found other demititan children. She is the goddess of childbirth and protector of the young, so when Zeus decreed all were to be destroyed she secreted you away across the nation and some across the world. Only two or three dozen even exist and I don't know how many still survive."

She turned to Diego. "Ajax and I were among those she called to raise the children, in secret."

He asked, "How could we be concealed from Olympus? Doesn't Titan energy feel different?"

"Milady put a seal on your abilities. I protested, as I felt it was like neutering who you were but she insisted that it was to hide you from any gods that may pass by. I can sense the seals are broken now, which means the other demititans should be waking up to their heritage now."

Serenity thought over it a moment, then ventured, "If we are demititans, then our parents are titans." She shot up in her seat. "Hecate claimed that she was working with our parents in preparation for the upcoming war. Does that mean she is working for Kronos?"

Naomi nodded. "Yes, the blade you were sent to retrieve belongs to Kronos. Artemis told me that your trials were a way of her easing you into the truth. But the trials she described to me were very different from what you say was in the valley."

Hector finally spoke, his voice a bit raw. "So we go to Kronos with the blade."

Diego and Serenity looked at him in surprise as he raised his head. His eyes were red and weeping from heartbreak but an underlying anger made them glow. "The gods decreed our death. I do not trust Kronos but right now he is our only chance to live. And maybe, since the gods are so fond of lying and betrayal, maybe he is different than what they say."

To Serenity's surprise Naomi nodded. "I don't want you to fight for the Titans, but I am your mother first and demigoddess second. Besides, Artemis promised me she would claim you, that you wouldn't be left alone. She promised to take care of you. She broke that promise. I'd rather see my son with Othrys than dead."

She snapped her fingers. "Speaking of which, Hecate told me that she had made you a promise. You parents should claim you now that you have retrieved the blade."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than did the first symbol appear over Serenity's head. A glistening blue jewel appeared overhead. Serenity felt awe at the sight but also a sense of relief. Finally, I'll know who I am.

Naomi smiled and announced, "Serenity, daughter of Theia, Titaness of sight and splendor.

A flaming sphere appeared over Diego's head. He grinned up at it as Naomi announced, "Diego, son of Hyperion, Titan of light and the east.

A few moments passed, and right as Hector was deflating a golden scythe appeared over his head. Golden eyes gazed with astonishment and surprise as Naomi softly whispered, "Hector, son of Kronos, the Titan of time and harvest, King of the Titans.

Shade: Well that was a longer chapter than I expected. I've noticed that the number of favorites and follows is beginning to grow as well as the views. First of all, thank you for reading. It is always encouraging to know others enjoy the story you want to tell. Second is a favor I would like to ask. If you want to see the story improve then leave a comment letting me know what you all liked or errors you think need to be fixed. Right now none of my family or friends are interested in or have the time to give me feedback, so each chapter comes entirely from me without feedback. To account for this I check the comments and PMs while working on the next chapter. Already changes have been made, small or large, in response to reader input. If you don't have the time or simply don't have anything to say, no worry! I will never hold back a chapter due to lack of views or reviews. To finish, I hope you all continue to enjoy Hector's tale. Until next time!