As of late, life had not been kind to Athena. First Pallas had… disappeared. Then, Poseidon, in retaliation, for sure, had had his way with her favourite priest. Poor Medusa.
Athena stopped to gaze at the empty field in front of her: grey branches, a crumbling layer of dead leaves. Was this the place where…? No, this was not a land touched by the Gorgons' passage. It just seemed to… die.
Fitting for how she felt. Athena walked across the cindery fields. The smell of death was in the air: strangely sweet, the smell that the bodies of mortals gave out when the light in their eyes went out. Athena came upon a village. Had she blessed it? For a moment her heart was lifted by the symmetric choice of roads ad houses, and it soothed her thoughts.
But from the empty blinders peeked out dead bodies. Flies only seemed to be in abundance, and everywhere their constant buzzing was like one final chorus before the great silence.
And not just the village.
The hills behind the village were brown and grey as well. The woods of pine, once resplendent, reduced to a landscape of thorns.
"What is happening here?" Athena whispered. Not that she cared that much for the scions of Prometheus, but mortals had their uses, and were crafty. It was a terrible waste to just… see them wither.
She entered one of the ruined homes. As she crossed the threshold, a vibration rose in the air, and she turned to look upon an Immortal she had not seen in quite some time.
"Athena! Thank the Fates, you answered my call."
"Hecate?" Athena replied, frowning. Then she connected. The threshold.
"I tried to have Hermes contact you, but he could not find you! Where have you been? It does not matter. Now, come, please! I need your help!"
Without even waiting for an answer, Hecate took her by the wrist and crossed the threshold again. One step later, they were in a different place, a different time. It was now night. Around them, open plains, dark, yet dotted by distant fires, and the echoes of death-throes.
"What is this? Are the mortals at it again?"
But no, Athena said to herself a moment later. This was connected to the great dying she had seen already. And it was not just the mortals, was it? Plants, animals… the entirety of nature seemed to fight against itself. Scattered. Broken.
"No, it is much, much worse! Kore has disappeared!"
Athena's frown turned into a scowl. She had liked Kore. She was so young and naïve, but endearing in her own way. Yet another bad news to add to the string that had gathered already.
"And Demeter is going mad! She's walking the earth, crying Kore's name out, and the land is dying, Athena! Crops fail, trees wither, fish turn lakes and rivers into silver graves! Mortals are waging war against each other and do not spare for sacrifices anymore! The hard-won peace is at risk! Please, you must help me find her!"
Athena withdrew her wrist from Hecate's hand.
"Kore has disappeared," Athena repeated, putting a knuckle to her lips. Already her grey eyes were looking for a thread, a connection she could not yet see, but it was there, if only…
Kore.
Last time she had seen her: that final day with Pallas… at the banquet on the shores of Lake Triton.
Pallas.
Dead.
Gone.
Gone to…
Athena gasped.
"What is it?" Hecate interrupted her. "Did you find anything? Please!"
"I might know where Kore is," Athena slowly said.
"Then let's go!"
"It is not a place where you can bring me. I will have to take my leave."
"Not a place where… where I can go…" comprehension dawned in Hecate's eyes. "Oh Fates… I… I teased her about him, did I not? And now… the Underworld? Is she in the Underworld?"
"I am not sure. If she's there, I will bring her back. I am going now. Do not wait for me. And do not tell Demeter where her daughter might be, or she will tear earth asunder to reach her!"
Athena turned and ran. Her sandals scattered dust and bones where she stepped. She did not care.
In all frankness, she did not care about Kore either. If Hades had chosen her and brought her into his home, good catch for him. But that meant…
Athena laughed as she ran. A savage joy, a savage hope ran once more in her veins.
Hades had kidnapped Kore.
Demeter was going mad.
And she might have leverage with the Elder King.
Leverage to get Pallas back.
Persephone kept thinking about one moment in particular.
When Hades had stripped her of her old life and tossed her old name to the side, he had then carried her in her room, after the announcement and the celebration. Persephone's head swam with fear and excitement and the newfound power in her veins. Oh, she was not poor, meek Kore anymore! The five rivers of the Underworld in her hand, the metal crown upon her head, and the unyielding loyalty of Zeus's eldest brother, for all eternity. The sort of thing that went to your head.
"I hear you chuckling, my beloved," her husband – her husband - had whispered as he carried her to her bed. "I am glad you are happy."
"It's not…it's not just that," she answered.
But she was a bit giddy. Tipsy in a way that she could not explain.
Was this power?
No wonder Zeus was so happy all the time.
And as Hades brought her to her room, Persephone realized there was something else to be done.
She was his wife.
He had given her a place, a kingdom, and power comparable to that of Ananke herself.
It was now time to hold her part of the bargain.
With trembling hands, she had begun to take off her clothes.
Hades had looked at her – and this was the moment when Persephone's world had started making even less sense – and with the sweetest light she had ever seen in his deep black eyes, had put a hand upon her head.
He had let it there, softly stroking her hair, looking at her with a tiny smile.
He did not speak.
He did not move.
He just sighed contentedly.
And at last, he nodded, stroke her head one last time, and kissed her brow.
"I will see you soon, my beloved," he had said.
And then he had exited the room.