Nnamdi-Aakil and his little gods have escaped the gloomy, damp prison that was Kronos' stomach, joining their youngest brother Zeus to depose their father and his brothers. And now they wait, they wait for the day that war strikes Gaea. They wait for the day that the Moirai must have prophesied, dreaded even.
Rhea and Theia, the blessed Titanesses over the wilds and sight respectively, hide Nnamdi and the future Olympians in a cave of Mount Erymanthos, its entrance protected by wild dogs from Tartarus and hidden by a haze created by Theia. They know what is coming but when... that is up to the Fates.
A fire sits in the center, Hestia is keeping it strong and well-lit as her siblings rest for the night. On Nnamdi's left lies Demeter, resting on his shoulder with Hera sleeping blissfully nearby on her elder sister's legs and covered by a blanket knitted by Rhea.
"I couldn't give them warmth then so I will now. I regret not trying to stop him but I am glad I saved Zeus," says the dejected Titaness. She hands the blanket to Nnamdi, gorgeous flowers of every color sewn into the image of a field sitting near the shining sea, and thanks him for taking care of her children. "You are a better father than he could ever be."
Hades is on his right, piercing blue mesmerized by the dancing embers of the fire while his head is on Nnamdi's lap, the watcher gently stroking his black hair. Zeus and Poseidon are parallel to them, the latter within the fields of dreamless sleep while held up by his younger brother's shoulder.
Nnamdi is grateful that some of his little gods can sleep peacefully without being disturbed by their birth father's constant movements.
The day they all had been spat out was glorious to see. According to each of the gods, Hera found herself within the arms of Zeus, Poseidon in the sea, Demeter in a field, and Hades in a deep cavity.
Hestia had walked out of Kronos' mouth as the Titan had fallen from spitting out his children, her flaming hair shining even brighter out in the day. Each of them was quite excited to see the outside world, feeling a powerful sense of freedom and a brief moment of peace.
Nnamdi can't even accurately describe how it felt to see his little gods so happy to be the world they were robbed of so long ago, bright smiles on their faces as they took their new surroundings. But the peace did not last long and now here they are, in a cave preparing for the day that Nnamdi could not have dreamt of.
They all may rest now and enjoy this brief time of contentment while they can.
When war comes, they will be ready and Nnamdi is willing to do anything to protect his little gods, even kill the Titans he had once allied himself with so many millennia ago just to make sure his little gods stay safe.
Kronos be damned and may Chaos grant them victory for this is one war that Nnamdi will not lose, even if his spirit is crushed and he is close to death.
This time will be different.
This time, his family will live even if he must die.