Chapter XXXI

[Warning: Dark, Mature Themes]

Author's Note: My sincerest apologies for the long hiatus - life got very real for me. But now that I've settled, regular uploads will continue. Thank you and enjoy!

Hephaestus gazed down at the Obsidian Army before him, entranced.

Three hundred Obsidian soldiers awaited command with quiet repose at the base of the shallow canyon. The surface of their intricately carved armour shimmered beneath the amber glare of the sun. Even in a heat like this, where they had been standing since sunrise, they did not buckle nor bend.

Like a boy, his mind bloomed with dreams, visions.

Trumpets herald the birth of war. Their brass cries resound across the kingdom and wings soar into the air as beasts of flight flee from the trees. A golden horizon, the glowing rays of a dying sun spilling across land. And from that horizon cascades a wave of black jewels, glittering across the dusk and towing with them the weight of long, red night.

Hephaestus shut his eyes.

And at the helm of the jewel army's charge, a red general with a mane of fire.

The clip-clop of hooves drew Hephaestus from his thoughts.

Turning from the cliff's edge, he shielded his eyes as he looked towards the rocky path leading out from the forest's treeline. Through a cloud of red dust, the smooth black muzzle of a horse appeared before the wild hair of its rider came into view.

Athena waved as she approached and with a smile Hephaestus motioned her to his vantage point at the cliff's edge. Tugging at the reins of her steed, she brought the obsidian horse to a halt before swiftly dismounting.

'Athena,' he sighed with relief, 'finally, you've made it.'

'Hephaestus,' Athena greeted him with a nod, 'I'm glad to see you. Please forgive my tardiness.'

'No forgiveness needed,' he said warmly, 'All that matters is that you are here. And of course, with our muse in tow.'

Hephaestus beamed as he extended a broad hand to the obsidian horse. Tentatively, it eyed him before snorting in recognition of its creator. It nestled its muzzle into his palm and whinnied with delight.

'My,' he remarked, inspecting the beast carefully, 'he's gotten even more lifelike since last I saw him…'

'He?' Athena raised a brow. Hephaestus blinked, taken aback by the sudden hardness of her expression. Her lips curled into an impish smirk and he couldn't help but laugh.

'I see. Then my hardy stallion became a gentle mare in your company.'

'Hardly,' Athena laughed, stroking the horse's neck absently, 'I never thought beyond seeing this invention as more than that – an invention – when you first offered it to me. But after that council meeting, and realising the significance of our bond to this cause, I made a concerted effort to understand my relationship with this creature. It was through this quiet rumination in the forests surrounding my temple that I realised she is more than a magician's trick. She is intrinsic to me now.'

Hephaestus watched Athena's hand as she caressed the smooth nape of the horse's neck.

'Has she a name then?' he asked.

'No,' she smiled thoughtfully, 'I suppose we never needed names to call upon one another.'

Gazing down at Athena, Hephaestus felt a strange flurry of emotions. Since he first took up mantle as the Kingdom's resident blacksmith and mason, not once had an Olympian spoken so graciously about one of his creations. Not once had they looked upon his handiwork with such tenderness.

Hope fluttered in his belly. It was this connection between Athena and her steed – the channel through which that connection travelled being crafted by his own hands – that he was sure would bring about Olympus' victory.

Suddenly, Athena's gaze met his as she looked up at him quizzically. A jolt shot up his neck.

'—Olive.' A voice tore through the silence between the two gods as the dust on the red path erupted into the air again. Hooves came to a halt before the two gods as Ares came into view.

His caustic glare fell upon Hephaestus.

'The name Olive. I believe it would suit her, the horse. Smooth and black, glittering in the sun's rays—'

Ares' gaze drifted to meet Athena's.

'—and intrinsic to you.'

An electric pulse surged through the base of Athena's belly. The words spilled from his lips like nectar, oozing with dangerous intent.

Filthy intent. Athena felt beads of sweat trickle down her spine.

'And who exactly—' Hephaestus' roar boomed through Athena's ears, 'invited you here to this closed demonstration when—'

In a moment, a plume of smoke bloomed beside Hephaestus and a dark figure appeared only a few feet from him. Donning black from his fine leather boots to the gloves on his hands, the shadow stood motionless before the three gods. Atop his tall frame was a large hat whose brim was entirely encircled with an opaque mesh.

'I did.' he said flatly.

Athena and Hephaestus started. The obsidian horse balked and stamped her feet, equally distressed by the sudden entrance. Athena grabbed her steed's reins and tugged at them, drawing the creature towards her.

'Hades?' she tried to shush the frightened creature, 'goodness! How about some warning next time?'

Hades made sure to stand still as he waited for her to ease the horse's nerves.

'Apologies to you…and your horse,' he said beneath the mesh, 'although I agree it ought to be named. The one Ares suggested is decent.'

'See?' Ares said triumphantly, 'I told you.'

'You've been here this entire time?' Athena glared at Hades and shuddered.

'Never mind that,' Hephaestus' face flushed with fury, 'what is the meaning of this, Hades? This trial was to be kept from the rest of Olympus until—'

'I know that Hephaestus, and I have my reasons for inviting him. Chief of which being the fact that Ares is our direct line to the King's ear, even if through his mother. If today is a success, it will be his responsibility to relay it to the Palace. Not to mention, he is the god of warfare and his expertise—'

'What good is he here?' Hephaestus' spat as his head whipped to Ares, 'This involves more than just the brutish bloodthirst of combat – this is a matter of spirit and the divine—'

'And what do you know about spirit, Hephaestus?' Ares grinned, his eyes cast down upon Hephaestus, 'Are we to believe this project has made you sage in the esoteric? Or are you just trying to appear cultured for the lady?'

'You bast—'

'That's enough, you two,' Hades interjected, 'We haven't the time for petty squabbles among us. Hephaestus, try to understand. And Ares, will you come down from that horse?'

Ares could barely hide his amusement as he dismounted, his eyes fixed upon Hephaestus' seething expression.

Her mind spinning, Athena couldn't keep up with the three gods' rapport. The sun's heat scorched her shoulders and back, and she felt sticky beneath her dress. She had been out all day, so why did it feel so hot all of the sudden?

The hairs on her neck prickled and she realised Hades' gaze had fallen upon her beneath the mesh.

'Is that hat really necessary? Aren't you hot under there?' she inquired, feeling unsettled.

'Yes, and yes. And apparently, I'm not the only one with questionable fashion tastes.'

Hades' hat tilted slightly and Athena followed the direction of his hidden gaze to her feet.

Oh yes. Those.

Perhaps, Athena thought, it would have been better to arrive as she had been in the forest – barefoot. Because now, she wore a pair of oversized leather boots that were quite obviously not hers and suddenly she felt just as ridiculous as they looked.

Ares and Athena's journey to the canyon involved a small detour. The two departed from the stream in silence. It was only once Ares noted that Athena could not walk along the canyon's scorching base barefoot that they deviated from their path out of the forest. Instead, Ares lead them deeper into its heart until they reached the bosky and decadent domain of Dionysus.

In brief, Dionysus was surprised to see them – and even more surprised that they needed a pair of his boots.

There were few options to choose from – Dionysus preferred being barefoot, otherwise he was an open-toed sort of god – and the only suitable option was a pair of old, disused riding boots for a pair of feet much larger than hers.

When Athena looked up again, Hephaestus was looking down at her boots with just as much incredulity as she felt shame.

'Yes, well,' she folded her arms tautly across her chest, 'I was…I didn't quite…it's a long story.'

'I sense that,' Hades turned away, 'now come. Take a look.'

Moving over to the cliff's edge, Hades beckoned Athena over. With Hephaestus and Ares in tow, she approached the edge and peered down into the shallow canyon.

Her eyes widened, a wave of awe washing over her.

In the canyon's base a black, stone army stood in silence. They were equipped with weapons and armour, and the sun's light bounced from their forms.

An actual army. Hephaestus and Hades had actually done it.

'That's…' she began, barely audible, 'that's…they're…'

An overwhelming giddiness bubbled in her belly. There were few of them, not nearly enough to match the numbers of her own troops, but each was beautifully crafted and stood with the pride and poise of any flesh and blood soldier. For the last months, there was little that could lift her spirits and each day passed with mounting disquiet. And yet…

Laughter of elated disbelief erupted from her chest.

'I can't believe this!' she beamed, 'Hephaestus, Hades…you two actually…' she trailed off, unable to avert her eyes from the Obsidian Soldiers.

She whipped around to her steed, unable to contain her joy.

'Look! Look Olive, their incredible – and they're just like you!'

The horse neighed with equal excitement, stomping her hoof as though she might dance.

Athena turned towards the canyon again, but not before she found herself caught in Ares' gaze beside her.

The sun was on his face and it looked brighter and clearer to her than ever. His expression was a mix of fascination and wonder as he inspected her face, fixating upon her lips and how they had curled in delight. He gazed into her eyes, and the spring of weeks before blossomed in his. A gentle smile appeared on his lips.

'Olive?'

Athena's chest tightened. His voice was like honey. Sweet and golden, sticking to the interior of her mind with just one word.

'Well…' her voice was tiny, 'I suppose it's—'

Hephaestus shouldered his way past Ares and into Athena's view with urgent enthusiasm.

'It isn't quite done yet!' he blurted eagerly, 'You see, it was intended to be a small but versatile army – at least five hundred troops strong! I mean we...we've not yet got that many here but as per Hades' suggestion we ought to have a test run before completing all five hundred so…'

Hephaestus absently clasped the nape of his neck, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

'Sorry,' he grinned sheepishly.

'Do not apologise,' Athena felt she could breathe again with Ares' eyes obscured from her, 'even just these three hundred. They are…magnificent. Excellently crafted; like something from a fable. This may be your greatest work yet, Hephaestus.'

He smiled, feeling a little surer of himself. Athena turned to Hades who looked down upon the army with what she assumed was his resident sombre expression.

'And you, Hades,' she tried to see through the black mesh, 'slowly, I am being made aware of the true extent of your powers. I fear I've underestimated you for too long. It is your power that breathes life into this army.'

Hades turned to her, contemplating her for a moment.

'No,' he said firmly, 'it is not my power but yours.'

Athena could not meet his gaze yet she knew it was intense. Behind that mesh, there was conviction and an assertion in his words.

With a strange grace, he extended a slender, gloved hand to her. Athena looked down at it, curious.

'May I?' he asked.

An inexplicable compulsion flowed through her, and with little thought of his intentions she placed her hand in his.

In a moment, her vision was filled with black.

Athena's eyes flew open.

In seconds, she felt as though she had been hurtling through the sky. Unsure if she had landed, her knees buckled and she crumbled to the ground. Beneath her fingers was hot, red dust.

She felt a firm grip around her bicep and her hand, and with a gentle tug Hades helped her to her feet.

'Your first time, I see,' he said, steadying her.

'What was that?' she asked. Her ears rang painfully before they were filled with the quiet whisper of the wind passing through the canyon's base.

Looking up, she found herself staring into the faces of the Obsidian Army.

Blinking away the lights in her eyes, she wondered how only moments ago she was…

She whipped around and looked up the canyon wall. There Ares and Hephaestus' tiny forms stood, peering down at her.

'That was…' she muttered, turning to Hades.

'Yes, how I travel. It can be disorienting at first but you aren't at any risk of serious side-effects.'

'It felt like I was…falling through the sky. For just a moment but falling nonetheless.'

'It involves creating two small tears within the fabric of this realm. We enter one and exit the other. Once we've passed through these tears from one location to another, I stitch them closed.'

Athena could feel her balance return to her and a clarity in her mind.

'Ares mentioned,' she dusted off her hands, 'something similar in the council meeting. In regards to Typhon and his spawn.'

'Yes. However, in the case of those spawned beasts, they do not have the divine power to determine where their tears are created and certainly cannot stitch them closed.'

'No, only you can do that with such ease. So, you're…somewhat of an interdimensional tailor?' she smiled sheepishly.

Though Athena could not see his expression, something told her that his quiet pause after her words was one of amusement.

'Look upon these soldiers, Athena,' he looked out ahead of them.

Athena turned to the Obsidian army. She gazed upon them, their splendid armour and broad shoulders. She stepped towards the frontline, dust flying up at the trudge of her boots.

Inspecting their faces, she saw that the soldiers were modelled after broody, heavy browed men. Their black faces did not sport the fresh naivety of youth, but instead were chiselled to reflect the hardened wear of age.

As though hearing her thoughts, Hades' voice floated to her ears.

'It was crushing work for the masons and smiths. Apparently, to maintain their morale, they took to modelling the faces of the soldiers after one another. I hear it got quite competitive.'

A warmth surged through Athena and heat welled in her eyes.

Approaching one soldier, tentatively she reached out to him. Her hand found his face and when she touched it, it was cool and ridged where the masons had given him age.

'They modelled the soldiers after one another,' she repeated to herself with a laugh, 'what a silly thing to do. They don't look like soldiers; they look like old men…old men who have had the chance to live and laugh lines onto their face. Not young boys to slaughter.'

Hades watched her carefully, following her as she moved from one soldier to the next, peering into their stone faces.

'As suspected.' he said quietly to himself. Athena turned to him inquiringly.

'When Hephaestus first approached me about an invention of his, a stone horse he was keen to bring to life, it was evident then that his forging skills alone would not be enough to realise this creation. I conjured a simple enchantment, one whose divine coding, like the chains of DNA, was incomplete. I told him then that in order for the enchantment to reach its full potential – in order for the stone beast to come to life – one possessing a unique divine power would be needed to complete the chain.'

A breath of wind brushed past the two gods and Athena watched the mesh of Hades' hat ripple like black waves.

'A god whose divine power bloomed from a fundamental desire to connect with others, and protect those connections with a fierce loyalty. A god who, even in the face of great fear and turmoil, prioritises the welfare of others before their own. That was who was required to complete the chain. In the end, Hephaestus chose you.'

Athena felt her throat become tight. She turned to the cliff's edge where the two tiny dots that were Ares and Hephaestus stood. It appeared they were bickering.

'Without prompt,' Hades continued, 'you recognised the spirit of the masons within the faces of these stone sculptures. Even while looking upon an indestructible army, you thought of the boys of flesh and blood who had fallen at your command. So as suspected, only you can complete the divine coding that enchants this army. Your bond with them, as is with Olive, has already been created. Through compassion – through a desire to protect.'

The two stared at one another in the ringing silence of the canyon. Hades observed the mist in her eyes. The rosiness of her cheeks.

'This Olympus as it is, is a cesspool,' he said suddenly, 'you can save it from the maws of Typhon and the fires of destruction, but what will change? What will the hardships of this battle change for the kingdom, for you? If the time between the inception of Olympus and this very moment is indicative of the kingdom's potential for change, then it will see none. So, I'll ask again as I did that time: why do you endure it? Do you not ever dream of what is beyond these marble clouds?'

His words cut through her, and yet the gentle timbre of his voice lulled Athena. It soothed the profound disquiet those words created.

Her eyes fell to the ground and absently followed a trail of ants hard at work. She smiled ruefully, a pain in her chest forming as she thought of a time in a balmy bath chamber where a similar question was asked. Where a world beyond the marble clouds became forged in the heart of a desperate, misaligned god.

'Would you believe it,' she began, 'If I told you that I've been presented the offer before? To abscond, to fly from these marble clouds into…a firmament of folly, I suppose. Back then, the same as now, I was unable to see beyond our own gilded skies. I don't think I want to.'

She looked up at Hades and he could see a faint despair behind that gentle smile.

'I think you and Hephaestus maybe think too highly of me. My instincts to protect and serve…I often wonder if they are just that, instincts. Compulsions from which I cannot escape; innate to me from the moment I erupted from my father's temple. I've known nothing else. To deviate from who I am is frightening, its unnatural. And yet…to relinquish other things, the decadent things I desire is…pain. It is torture.'

Hades could not draw his gaze from Athena. Her white dress billowed in the light wind and those absurd boots made her look small. The taut frame of this goddess stood against the backdrop of a glorious, towering black army, sparkling in the sun. And they only made her look smaller.

'Obsidian is the stone of protection,' he said finally, 'perhaps it is the power of these instincts you describe that resonate with the stone and complete the divine coding of the enchantment. Or perhaps…'

He paused thoughtfully.

'It has identified you as needing protection.'

Athena set her eyes upon the army. Grizzled faces, stern brows and hard features. Beneath those faces, the spirits of those who revere their craft, who make art of the mountain's hard fruits. An army that could know no pain, that could only pursue victory.

The Obsidian Army that would protect this kingdom.

A memory flashed through Athena's mind. It was the first time she witnessed Olive split apart into hundreds of pieces before floating towards her, landing on her skin and engulfing her form with armour.

The Obsidian Army that would protect her.

The canyon filled with a deafening boom.

*.*.*

Athena flinched, feeling the ground beneath her tremble. Red dust flew into the air creating opaque clouds around her. Coughing, she narrowed her eyes and waved a hand before her, trying to create a line of sight.

'Hades?' she called out, but the ringing within her own ears would not allow her to hear any voices outside of her own.

The dust slowly began to settled and finally Athena could see it.

The frontline, who had just been at rest, were now at attention with their weapons at the ready.

She heard a coughing behind her and was glad to find that Hades had not moved from his place and had not met any harm.

'What…that was…?' she muttered.

Hades brushed dust from the brim of his hat.

'Yes,' he dusted his gloves, 'instinct, I suppose we can say. That was your doing. You must have been engrossed in a powerful thought. It was the intention behind this thought that called the frontline to attention.'

Athena felt light-headed; she wiped her brow which was damp with sweat.

'That's all it takes, then?'

'Not quite, but that was certainly a start. To command this army to the fullest extent of its strength will require more than just intent and instinct. Fundamentally, you must understand the distinct difference between divine power and divine energy and how to channel and hone both.'

'Divine power and energy? I didn't know there was such a distinction, I assumed we used those terms interchangeably.'

'That doesn't surprise me coming from an Olympian, but do not allow the gold and glitter trimmings of this gilded realm fool you. Sophists will have you believe that divine power is just a display of a god's unbridled strength. That the energies we exude are an inexhaustible resource innate to us because we are gods. But those of us who reside deep within the earth, who mingle among the spirits of dead, understand that power and energy are far more complex than that.'

To Athena, Hades looked like a ghostly flower against the red canyon. His words were strangely enchanting and again she found herself drawn in by the sound of his voice.

'Divine energy,' he noticed her attention, 'is something with which every god enters their existence. It is the very thread that weaves the dense tapestries of our souls. A raw material. Each god's divine energy has a particular signature and this signature determines what charges or depletes our energy. What we do, where we reside, whoever is in close proximity to us, where our convictions lie and what we do with them – all of these things influence our divine energy whether we want them to or not. Even the prayers of the humans who worship us can influence this energy.'

'Take, for example…' Hades pondered for a moment, 'Persephone. Contrary to what…detractors here in Olympus might say, her divine energy is more bountiful than the average Olympian. This is in part because she is always close to nature, a measure which is within her control, but also because of the ample time she spends in the Underworld. The souls that roam the underworld are raw divine energy, even if only tiny amounts of it, and her proximity to them charges her own divine energy even when she doesn't notice.'

'Then your own divine energy,' Athena's eyes widened, 'must be immense.'

'You're catching on.' Hades said after a brief pause.

'Then what of divine power? What is its significance?'

'If we are to think of divine energy as a raw material – like carbon deep within the mantle of the earth – then divine power is much like a diamond. It is the result of refining one's divine energy and applying immense pressure to it through focus, control and intent. The result is a manifestation of one's will. My hand is always on the fabric of this realm, and where others must grasp at the void to find it, I am constantly making contact. This is because, as you noted, my divine energy reserves are immense and consequently, making such contact is out of my control. It is something I've always been able to do for as long as I can remember. However, to trace my finger along the fabric and locate the points I need to enter and exit requires me to envision those desired locations with deep intent. To then tear those points open, just as far as I need to, requires the control of a steady hand. Finally, my focus is required to pass through these tears without letting the void between them consume me. At times, I use this focus to suspend myself within the void.'

A moment of clarity descended upon Athena.

'That's why I couldn't tell that you were right there beside us. You were…in the void?'

'Correct.'

'So then just now,' Athena glanced at the soldiers, 'was that…energy or power?'

Hades was quiet for a short moment. Athena watched him in anticipation.

'That was divine power with strong intention and no focus, no control. Think of it as a liquid flowing through a funnel. When you are with Olive, you have enough divine energy to pour through the funnel's mouth. This divine energy is a mixture of your intention to have her as a companion and loyal steed, your focus upon the mission that makes you call upon her and the control you have when you mount and steer her. This mixture is just the right consistency, flowing out the bottom of the funnel as divine power. Right now, your mixture has plenty of intention, but the focus and control needed to allow it to run through is missing. When something that is viscous tries to pass through a funnel, it does not pass through in one go—'

'It comes out in lumps.' Athena nodded, feeling foolish that she had not figured it out sooner.

'That was a lump,' he continued, 'and it was inspiring to see. It was a start. But without maintaining that focus and control, you won't see results beyond this. It's best we try a proper demonstration on high ground where the dust won't disturb you. I'll explain more about the process on the cliff.'

Again, he reached out to her with a black hand and again, Athena felt draw in by it. Without thought or hesitation, she extended a hand to him and placed it in his. She felt him clasp her fingers and she shut her eyes tight, awaiting the plunge.

But seconds passed by and she felt no different. Carefully, she opened one eye. She and Hades were still in the canyon's base and once again she could feel the pierce of his gaze beneath the mesh veil.

'What?' she said tersely, feeling her face heat up.

'I'll tell you this here while we are alone.'

Athena's belly knotted. His voice was low and ominous. But there was a kernel of something else there too. Almost like the tone taken up between close confidants.

'When the mixture is too viscous, too uneven, the only way to get it through is to shake the funnel. When we cannot maintain focus or control our mixture is uneven. However,' his grip tightened ever so slightly, 'sometimes, when we have not been diligent in maintaining our divine energy reserves, the mixture will be uneven regardless of how much control we think we have, how much we try to focus. You mentioned that to stray from who you are frightens you, but to let go of what you desire is painful. A heart that is quickened by fear can recover; it can become stronger. But the fortress of a soul that is battered by pain will not stand for long.'

The sun's light cascaded upon Hades and Athena wished she could see his face.

'Remember,' he continued softly, 'that what charges our energy is not up to us. As much as we may fear it, it is what's good for us. Only this kingdom asks of you to relinquish desire – but your divine energy does not.'

Athena's eyes widened. She parted her lips to speak.

Blackness.

*.*.*

Athena's eyes flew open and once again her knees buckled. Hades caught her before she could meet the ground and Ares and Hephaestus jogged over. Ares' heart drummed in his chest as he approached.

'Athena—'

'That was incredible!' Hephaestus jostled his way past Ares and into view, 'I mean, I was watching wondering what in heaven's name you and Hades were chatting about for so long but when that frontline suddenly stood to attention I—'

Ares gripped Hephaestus' shoulder and with an explosive jerk, nearly toppled the hulking god over. Hephaestus stumbled out of the way, his brace locking up before he could crash to the ground.

'Can't you see that she's winded and here you are—'

'Enough,' Hades intervened with resident composure, 'she's fine. Just a little disorientated.'

Athena's eyes swam and blood rushed through her ears. Hades steadied her, and slowly but surely, her mind started to become clear.

'I'm fine,' she blinked lights from her eyes, 'I'm alright just…yes. Disoriented.'

'Good to see you two haven't torn one another limb from limb yet. Not for lack of trying, I see.' Hades dusted his gloves and straightened his shirt.

'I've had more than enough of you,' Hephaestus lugged himself to his feet and pointed a thick finger at Ares, 'and your pompous schoolboy attitude. You were never even meant to be here—'

Ares gripped his belly and erupted in raucous laughter. He turned to Hephaestus with a grin.

'So, what now? Are you going to hit me?' he got out breathlessly. Hephaestus shook with fury and charged towards Ares.

In an instant, smoke bloomed in the space between Ares and Hephaestus and Hades appeared.

'No one is hitting anyone,' he said sternly, 'you two and your disruptive behaviour will compromise this trial. We can tolerate no more distractions. Hephaestus, please stand next to Olive.'

Hephaestus glanced between Hades and Ares and with a huff that made his silver whiskers tremble, he hulked his way over to Olive. He petted her muzzle and grumbled to her; his cheeks still red with anger.

'And Ares, please stand in the spot next to Athena.'

'Gladly,' Ares nodded, looking chuffed with himself. He sauntered towards Athena; his eyes fixed upon her.

'—And Athena, please stand here, next to me.'

Athena walked towards Hades unsteadily, her gaze meeting with Ares' briefly. She quickly averted her eyes from him and onto Hades who was peering down into the canyon thoughtfully.

'This army,' he began as she took her place beside him, 'is not so dissimilar from Olive. The enchantment upon her allows her to operate as a single entity; one with which you can form a bond. This army operates as a single entity as well. As is with an army of flesh and blood, you will likely not be able to create a bond with each individual soldier. You won't necessarily find a name for each one, develop a personality for each one the way you have with Olive. But when you see them as having a hive mind with the soul purpose of serving the Queen Bee, you, then you'll find that commanding them to act as a group – and even individually – is within your capacity. The seed of your bond with this army was already planted when we stood there, when you saw the spirit of the masons in their faces. But now, I want you to envision it more clearly. What is the true meaning of this army to you? Who do they represent and what will you accomplish as their commander? Nourish the seed of this bond with the waters of intention.'

Athena took in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. A gust of wind blew over her face, cooling her down from the sweltering heat for just a moment. She closed her eyes and sunk into the dark, cool recesses of her own mind.

An Obsidian Army, finally here and manifest. When the idea sprouted in her head at the council meeting, she blurted it out like a child. In that moment, she almost felt like one. She felt inspiration, the naivety of hope. She finally saw a crack in the cobblestoned walls of Olympus' bleak future, sunlight pouring through that crack and onto her fingers.

Her fingers, her hands which until now had felt frozen in place were being warmed by those golden sunrays. With those hands, she could command an army that would secure Olympus' future.

On the night of a bloodred sky, an army of obsidian shields would protect her as something dear to them – while she protected that which was dear to her.

Athena opened her eyes, tranquillity washing over her. She looked up at Hades.

'You needn't tell me what your intention is,' he said quietly, 'so long as you clasp it close to your heart when you command them. Now, for focus. If intent is the destination, then the journey to that destination is procured through focus. In the future, after plenty of practice, you will have to focus on complex tasks to get the army to perform combat. However, today I'd like you to think small. Close your eyes and envision them marching forward towards the canyon wall. Envision it clearly and clasp it to your heart right beside your intention.'

Again, Athena closed her eyes after a slow inhale. The ground in her mind shook and rumbled. Clouds of red dust erupted in the air and the glitter of black bodies peaked through them. Each step they took was rhythmic like the beat of a war drum. Boom…boom…boom…

She exhaled and felt like the air that passed her lips was a toxin finally escaping her body.

'Now,' she said feeling lighter, 'for control.'

He knew she couldn't see it, but Hades smiled at her beneath the mesh.

'With Olive,' he didn't delay, 'you control her in the same way you command a real horse. You call her, you mount her, you steer her and she dares not resist your command. This is the will of your divine power. As she stands beside Hephaestus, the autonomy she exercises is a result of being in proximity to your raw divine energy. But to get her to follow your instruction, even the instruction that is not spoken, requires control through divine power. The easiest way to exercise this control is through mimicry. How would you command a real flesh and blood army to march?'

'I'd simply command them to.' Athena blinked, wondering if the answer could really be so simple.

'Correct, with your voice. With the conviction in your voice. Hold out your hand and envision the mixture you've made pouring into the funnel. In the moment you command your army, envision that mixture shooting out the end, through your fingertips and into the army's hivemind.'

Athena gazed up at Hades hesitantly. He nodded in quiet assurance and took a step back. She walked right up to the cliff's edge and took one more deep breath.

This time, she let it sit in her chest. She could taste the dust of the canyon on her tongue and the feel of the dry wind coated the interior of her mouth. She reached out her hand, extending her fingers as far as they could go.

She closed her eyes, and envisioned the funnel. Liquid in.

Liquid out.

'March!' she cried out.

Silence. Opening an eye, she glanced down into the canyon and noted the soldiers still firmly in place.

'March!' she repeated flinging her hand.

She stared at her hand incredulously, feeling blood rush to her ears. A sense of panic engulfing her, her heart started to pound in her chest. She had found her intention, maintained her focus and envisioned the funnel to exert control. What else was missing? Were they…wrong about her being able to do this?

'Athena.'

She turned ever so slightly, afraid to meet a gaze she could not even see. Hades waited patiently and again that pillar of black, for some reason, settled her mind.

'An army needs a commander they can trust. Whatever doubts have burdened you in the last few months, lay them to the wayside. This has always been your charge. This is one truth you can trust above all others.'

Athena felt a warmth surge behind her eyes and her vision misted. Nodding, she turned to the canyon. She shifted her feet apart, squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. In her mind, vignettes of every battle she had ever fought fluttered past her eyes.

Extending her hand, she curled her fingers towards her palm until only her index finger pointed to the sun. She closed her eyes and breathed in.

Liquid in.

Her eyes flew open. Liquid out.

'March!'

*.*.*

White light flooded Athena's vision, blinding her.

The canyon rumbled furiously around her and the boom of footsteps sent birds soaring into the air from the nearby forest. Hephaestus stumbled, gripping onto Olive's saddle to keep his balance. The horse cried out, suddenly compelled by a tremendous force. Ares staggered, his heart racing at the sudden commotion and his own steed neighed inconsolably before bolting off into the forest's treeline.

The canyon's base flooded with dust with each boom. It swarmed up above the cliff's lip and into the air around them.

'What on earth—is it working?!' Hephaestus cried out as he tried to calm Olive in her erratic state.

'I can't see her—I can't see Athena!' Ares waved his arms frantically between coughs.

Hades, who had managed to maintain his balance with eerie repose, silently raised both hands in the air. He pressed his palms together and held them there for a moment.

With a fell swoop, he cleaved through the air before him.

The dust surrounding them and all throughout the canyon's base soared into the air in two enormous plumes on either side of the canyon. Now at the wind's mercy, the dust clouds followed a gust of air to the east. Ares and Hephaestus looked up at the travelling clouds, awed, before gazing down into the clear canyon. Finally, they could see it.

Hephaestus rushed to the cliff's edge to find his army, his handiwork, come to life. The soldier's marched rhythmically towards the canyon wall, their backs erect and their faces held high. Their smooth surfaces glittered in the beating sun and they moved in perfect unison.

Weeks' worth of toil in the pits of his smithies and workshops finally come to fruition. Elation erupted within him, followed by an uncontrollable euphoric laughter.

'Ha-ha! Yes…yes!' he raised a fist in the air.

His vision clear, Ares finally caught Athena in his view. He glanced down at the magnificent march of the army, but they couldn't keep his attention. Athena was still pointing to the sun, her wild hair billowing behind her. Her mouth was agape, her eyes wide, only the whites visible, and her head and body were stiff as lead. The veins in her neck and temples bulged.

Something was wrong.

'Hades…Hades,' dread siphoned the strength from Ares' limbs, 'make her stop…Hades, make her stop now!'

Forcing his legs to move through sheer will, he scrambled towards Athena, reaching out to her.

'Ares, stop!' Hades' voice boomed with a force and urgency Ares had never heard before. He froze in his tracks.

'Do not touch or move her in this state! You could do more damage to her than good!'

Hephaestus, drawn from his state of euphoria by the roar of Hades' voice glanced between the two gods. Finally, he laid eyes on Athena and the blood drained from his face.

'Do more damage—what do you mean more?!' Ares howled in fury, 'You promised me this would be safe…you promised me no harm would befall her!'

'Athena…' Hephaestus muttered, reaching out to her with a trembling hand, 'we have to do something…we have to stop this—'

'Athena, enough!' Ares cried out, 'You're hurting yourself! Enough…please…'

Beneath the mesh veil, beads of sweat trickled down Hades' face. He suspected something like this might happen, but not to this extent. And now, he wasn't sure how best to stop it.

'Athena!' he called out above the boom of the army, 'you've shaken the funnel—do not disrupt the flow of your divine energy any further. Let go!'

Fixed in her catatonic state, her face slowly began to change into a shade of violet. Hades' heart drummed. He searched his mind for an answer.

He knew there had to be something. He had to connect.

'You've done your kingdom proud Athena, you've proven enough! Now, please—let go!'

The boom of heavy stone footsteps came to a halt.

Ares, Hephaestus and Hades stood, frozen in place. Ares' stomach cramped into a knot and only his fervent heartbeat filled the silence around him. Hephaestus didn't dare move. Sweat streamed down Hades' temples.

From her index finger, to her tightly curled fingers, to her taut arm and rigid chest, Athena's body limpened. Her jaw unlocked and her head rolled forward, lolling against her chest. The firm lock upon her knees disappeared and they quickly buckled, her balance disintegrating.

With not an ounce of strength left to hold her up, she toppled over the cliff's edge.