Hey guys, I recently received a review from 'just a reader', and he/she has a good point, so I am going to explain some things. First, the Elios in the past is nothing like the Elios in the future, he was basically given back his life in exchange for giving up his old ways, but also, when past Elios meets present Serenity (Rini), he has already been sinful, and she helps a bit to change him. Elios has committed an unforgivable sin, though not on purpose, and when he dies, he needs to repent for it. Of course, it is a lot more complicated than that, and you will have to wait to see why I say that. Second, in order to use the character Helios, I needed to make him Elios so that the God of the Sun could be Elios, and it wouldn't be too confusing. Third, I know that I was very vague with the argument between Helios and Hades, but if I had been any more specific, the entire plotline would have been given away, and I can't do that this early in the story, it's only the first chapter after all!
Last, I am going to list the Gods mentioned so far or to be mentioned in the next few chapters. I suppose that I will put lists like this up in the beginning of my chapters so that you can understand everything better.
Hades- God of the Underworld (see the animated movie 'Hercules' for more in depth explanations)
Helios- God of the Sun, merged with Apollo, the God of Light, who is commonly made into the God of the Sun by mistake, leads the chariot of the sun across the sky, is the father of the Oceanid Perse's children
Selene- Goddess of the Moon and sister of Helios, she follows him with the chariot of the moon, and is in love with Endymoin, a shepherd (this will be explained better later, and no, she is not Serena, nor is he Darien, this is before their time) Artemis, tough she wears a moon symbol on her forehead, is actually the Goddess of the Hunt
Eos- Goddess of the Dawn, she opens the gates of heaven for Helios, therefore the light coming out of the gates as they are opened actually initiate dawn
Zeus- God of Thunder and the King of Gods, most people already know something about him, but many do not know of what a womanizer he is, nor that he married his sister (many of the Gods did the same)
Next thing: The three hells
Elysian Fields- Where all of the heroes and people who are very kind and charitable go
Isles of the Blessed- Where most light sinners may repent for their sins (even though it was an accident, Elios did something really bad, so he didn't go here) and then go to the Elysian Fields
Tartarus- This is where Megara went when she died in 'Hercules', it is a river of the dead, and it takes them downward into a pit whose myth is that if you dropped a really heavy anvil (anyone who can remember the right number, please tell me) into it, it would take nine or ten days to reach the bottom, it is where the really bad people go, Elios would have gone here except for the fact that Hades took pity on him and let him repent for his sin, though he is, at this point in time, being pushed into it since his choices are to either be a priest or go to Tartarus
Let me think, what else do I need to clarify...? Oh yes, I absolutely love Elios, I mean no harm to him, but I really wanted to explain his past in an original way. If I forget to explain any mythological characters, check out Pantheon.org, which is an awesome website. Now, you may have thought this was just an announcement post, but it actually is also a new chapter post!
***
~446 B.C.~
Race Course Near Mount Olympus
Elios steered the team of unruly horses toward the finish line and cracked his whip. At the sound of the leather flying through the air, his horses sped up and he ended up claiming victory as usual. Accepting the drachmas that had tripled from his original bet, he took a moment to look each young noblewoman up and down before starting his horses toward his home near the base of Mount Olympus. He lived for racing and for women (fourteen years-old on), and who could really blame this nineteen-year-old? All the other young noblemen had the same attitude, so why couldn't he? Speaking of women, he'd been quite surprised to hear that his sister had been on a morning stroll when she found a young woman dead near their home. Thankfully, no one had an inkling of whom she was, which meant that no one from their city-state had been killed. The girl had apparently had no wounds to speak of, and looked to be in excellent health, but no one saw any sign of breathing, and so everyone had assumed that she was dead. Elios himself had not bothered to waste any time with this girl; he had nary a chance with her if she was dead.
Elios' Father's home, Previously Called: The Home of a Nobleman
After arriving in the stables, Elios unsaddled his horses and lead them into their stalls. Halfway to the house, he spotted Athene, his sister, and ran over to her. "Athene, what is going on here? Why is there no one in sight?" She glanced over toward him, and with a smile, explained. "The girl is very much alive, Elios, she woke earlier and said that her name was Lady Serenity. Everyone is excited because they believe that Selene saved her from Hades, I personally think that she may not have been breathing visibly, but physically, she was always alive." This intrigued him. "Lead the way." Athene did so, and was surprised to see a very beautiful young woman speaking delightedly with the curious servants while his father watched from the upstairs balcony with one eyebrow raised.
Serenity answered each and every question she was presented with, though she had very many of her own, and noticed someone in the shadows, watching her with familiar amber eyes. Those eyes... Elios' eyes are exactly like them! Once all of the servants had cleared out, an older man came into the light. "Hello, Sir, I am truly sorry if I have imposed on you, I shall be on my way at once." Them man clucked his tongue. "Methinks that you have no place to go at all, please feel free to stay here, we would be most delighted to have you until you find your bearings." Not allowing herself to be rambunctious, Serenity smiled gratefully. "You would be right, and it is most gracious of you to offer your hospitality." He nodded once and turned away. "My children, Athene and Elios, should be of some assistance, if you find them, they can show you to the guest room." Had she just hallucinated, or did he say that he had a son named Elios? Serenity had to admit that she knew very little about the priest whom she had not seen for two years. "Thank you." Then, after the man left, she was left in silence for a moment. What had happened here? Her time-key was nowhere in sight, and the pink and silver crystals were unresponsive. Why oh why had she not taken Diana with her? The little kitten would have been very helpful at the moment. Suddenly, another person stepped out of the shadows, and she saw, to her surprise that it was Elios. Curiously, he had golden-blonde hair, and that he was not wearing his robes. It could have been sheer coincidence except for the fact that his eyes were exactly the same. "'Tis not very often that such a beauty appears in our backyard. I assume that you would be Lady Serenity?" It was he, as surely as the walls around her were solid, he was very much there, and in front of her, minus the horn. He took her hand and laced her fingers with with his, brushing his lips against each knuckle without breaking her gaze. He heartbeat thrummed in her ears. "I am she, and I assume that you are Elios?" A smile played across his lips, but she knew that, though this was Elios, it was nother Elios. Already, she could see what kind of a man he was: a gambler, a budding womanizer... time really does change everything. The Elios that she knew was sweet and gentle, and the Elios that she knew was the one that she had fallen in love with. Because of his status, the priest of the Elysian Fields could never have her, and nor could she have him.
Heaven
Helios and his sister were both grumbling about the situation with Hades as Eos came to fetch him for his ride. "I feel his emotions: he longs for her." Selene met his gaze. "And she longs for him." Eos cleared her throat. "If you two keep brooding like that, you'll end up more depressed than you are now." Still grumbling, Helios left in his chariot as Selene left by foot to visit her lover, Endymoin.
~3000 A.D.~
Elysian Fields
Elios had been praying for nearly sixty hours before he received the flash of memory of his meeting with Lady Serenity in his old life. So his old self would know her! In fact, she had probably already met him as a nineteen-year-old! Why were his memories so fuzzy? That was the last thing that he could remember before dying, thee rest had possibly been... blocked? He couldn't even remember his death, but he had a feeling that Serenity had something to do with it, indirectly of course. He just had to go back, but how? Hades perhaps? It was possible that Hades would at least grant him that, though he had been bitter with him for a few thousand years now for no reason that he could think of. So he left the Elysian Fields and went in search of Hades.
The Underworld
"No." Elios was surprised; he had not thought that Hades would refuse him so immediately. "But, my lord..." Hades shook his head. "No, I'll not have you leaving for the past, you could alter it too much." Now, his only other option was to pray to the God whose name his parents had given him. Quite a ways from the throne room, Elios went down on his knees and prayed. "Helios, please, I need your aid, my liege refuses my appeal, can you not help me?" The God of the Underworld despised the God of the Sun for a reason that he could not rightly discern. Suddenly, light flooded the hallway, and he shot to his feet. A beam of pure golden energy whirled around him, creating a spiral of dust, and somewhere in the back of his mind, a thunderous but familiar voice said; "Granted."
Last, I am going to list the Gods mentioned so far or to be mentioned in the next few chapters. I suppose that I will put lists like this up in the beginning of my chapters so that you can understand everything better.
Hades- God of the Underworld (see the animated movie 'Hercules' for more in depth explanations)
Helios- God of the Sun, merged with Apollo, the God of Light, who is commonly made into the God of the Sun by mistake, leads the chariot of the sun across the sky, is the father of the Oceanid Perse's children
Selene- Goddess of the Moon and sister of Helios, she follows him with the chariot of the moon, and is in love with Endymoin, a shepherd (this will be explained better later, and no, she is not Serena, nor is he Darien, this is before their time) Artemis, tough she wears a moon symbol on her forehead, is actually the Goddess of the Hunt
Eos- Goddess of the Dawn, she opens the gates of heaven for Helios, therefore the light coming out of the gates as they are opened actually initiate dawn
Zeus- God of Thunder and the King of Gods, most people already know something about him, but many do not know of what a womanizer he is, nor that he married his sister (many of the Gods did the same)
Next thing: The three hells
Elysian Fields- Where all of the heroes and people who are very kind and charitable go
Isles of the Blessed- Where most light sinners may repent for their sins (even though it was an accident, Elios did something really bad, so he didn't go here) and then go to the Elysian Fields
Tartarus- This is where Megara went when she died in 'Hercules', it is a river of the dead, and it takes them downward into a pit whose myth is that if you dropped a really heavy anvil (anyone who can remember the right number, please tell me) into it, it would take nine or ten days to reach the bottom, it is where the really bad people go, Elios would have gone here except for the fact that Hades took pity on him and let him repent for his sin, though he is, at this point in time, being pushed into it since his choices are to either be a priest or go to Tartarus
Let me think, what else do I need to clarify...? Oh yes, I absolutely love Elios, I mean no harm to him, but I really wanted to explain his past in an original way. If I forget to explain any mythological characters, check out Pantheon.org, which is an awesome website. Now, you may have thought this was just an announcement post, but it actually is also a new chapter post!
***
~446 B.C.~
Race Course Near Mount Olympus
Elios steered the team of unruly horses toward the finish line and cracked his whip. At the sound of the leather flying through the air, his horses sped up and he ended up claiming victory as usual. Accepting the drachmas that had tripled from his original bet, he took a moment to look each young noblewoman up and down before starting his horses toward his home near the base of Mount Olympus. He lived for racing and for women (fourteen years-old on), and who could really blame this nineteen-year-old? All the other young noblemen had the same attitude, so why couldn't he? Speaking of women, he'd been quite surprised to hear that his sister had been on a morning stroll when she found a young woman dead near their home. Thankfully, no one had an inkling of whom she was, which meant that no one from their city-state had been killed. The girl had apparently had no wounds to speak of, and looked to be in excellent health, but no one saw any sign of breathing, and so everyone had assumed that she was dead. Elios himself had not bothered to waste any time with this girl; he had nary a chance with her if she was dead.
Elios' Father's home, Previously Called: The Home of a Nobleman
After arriving in the stables, Elios unsaddled his horses and lead them into their stalls. Halfway to the house, he spotted Athene, his sister, and ran over to her. "Athene, what is going on here? Why is there no one in sight?" She glanced over toward him, and with a smile, explained. "The girl is very much alive, Elios, she woke earlier and said that her name was Lady Serenity. Everyone is excited because they believe that Selene saved her from Hades, I personally think that she may not have been breathing visibly, but physically, she was always alive." This intrigued him. "Lead the way." Athene did so, and was surprised to see a very beautiful young woman speaking delightedly with the curious servants while his father watched from the upstairs balcony with one eyebrow raised.
Serenity answered each and every question she was presented with, though she had very many of her own, and noticed someone in the shadows, watching her with familiar amber eyes. Those eyes... Elios' eyes are exactly like them! Once all of the servants had cleared out, an older man came into the light. "Hello, Sir, I am truly sorry if I have imposed on you, I shall be on my way at once." Them man clucked his tongue. "Methinks that you have no place to go at all, please feel free to stay here, we would be most delighted to have you until you find your bearings." Not allowing herself to be rambunctious, Serenity smiled gratefully. "You would be right, and it is most gracious of you to offer your hospitality." He nodded once and turned away. "My children, Athene and Elios, should be of some assistance, if you find them, they can show you to the guest room." Had she just hallucinated, or did he say that he had a son named Elios? Serenity had to admit that she knew very little about the priest whom she had not seen for two years. "Thank you." Then, after the man left, she was left in silence for a moment. What had happened here? Her time-key was nowhere in sight, and the pink and silver crystals were unresponsive. Why oh why had she not taken Diana with her? The little kitten would have been very helpful at the moment. Suddenly, another person stepped out of the shadows, and she saw, to her surprise that it was Elios. Curiously, he had golden-blonde hair, and that he was not wearing his robes. It could have been sheer coincidence except for the fact that his eyes were exactly the same. "'Tis not very often that such a beauty appears in our backyard. I assume that you would be Lady Serenity?" It was he, as surely as the walls around her were solid, he was very much there, and in front of her, minus the horn. He took her hand and laced her fingers with with his, brushing his lips against each knuckle without breaking her gaze. He heartbeat thrummed in her ears. "I am she, and I assume that you are Elios?" A smile played across his lips, but she knew that, though this was Elios, it was nother Elios. Already, she could see what kind of a man he was: a gambler, a budding womanizer... time really does change everything. The Elios that she knew was sweet and gentle, and the Elios that she knew was the one that she had fallen in love with. Because of his status, the priest of the Elysian Fields could never have her, and nor could she have him.
Heaven
Helios and his sister were both grumbling about the situation with Hades as Eos came to fetch him for his ride. "I feel his emotions: he longs for her." Selene met his gaze. "And she longs for him." Eos cleared her throat. "If you two keep brooding like that, you'll end up more depressed than you are now." Still grumbling, Helios left in his chariot as Selene left by foot to visit her lover, Endymoin.
~3000 A.D.~
Elysian Fields
Elios had been praying for nearly sixty hours before he received the flash of memory of his meeting with Lady Serenity in his old life. So his old self would know her! In fact, she had probably already met him as a nineteen-year-old! Why were his memories so fuzzy? That was the last thing that he could remember before dying, thee rest had possibly been... blocked? He couldn't even remember his death, but he had a feeling that Serenity had something to do with it, indirectly of course. He just had to go back, but how? Hades perhaps? It was possible that Hades would at least grant him that, though he had been bitter with him for a few thousand years now for no reason that he could think of. So he left the Elysian Fields and went in search of Hades.
The Underworld
"No." Elios was surprised; he had not thought that Hades would refuse him so immediately. "But, my lord..." Hades shook his head. "No, I'll not have you leaving for the past, you could alter it too much." Now, his only other option was to pray to the God whose name his parents had given him. Quite a ways from the throne room, Elios went down on his knees and prayed. "Helios, please, I need your aid, my liege refuses my appeal, can you not help me?" The God of the Underworld despised the God of the Sun for a reason that he could not rightly discern. Suddenly, light flooded the hallway, and he shot to his feet. A beam of pure golden energy whirled around him, creating a spiral of dust, and somewhere in the back of his mind, a thunderous but familiar voice said; "Granted."