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7DeadlySins: So much confusion! I am not sorry for this! But eh! You are about to get your answers!
Thank you for your comments and also thank you for your incredible patience! I know I am late but here I am!
Chapter 37: Atlas
Many years ago
As the time flowed, Atlas began to forget how heavy the sky felt on his shoulders. He grew so used to it that he kind of forget its presence. No, it wasn't the weight that was the problem: it was the lack of freedom.
He wanted to laugh. Could he truly complain? At the end of the Titanomachy while they lost, most titans siding with Cronus had been sentenced to Tartarus by Zeus. Atlas had been the only exception. As Uranus, the Titan of the sky, saw his strength declining, the sky came to approach dangerously close to the Earth. As the strongest being ever, Atlas was fit to hold it and therefore, he was sentenced to hold it forever as his punishment.
Well, still better than Tartarus, he would recognize.
First, he could enjoy the company of his daughters, the Hesperides. His other children and other members of his family could also pay him visit from time to time, making his punishment less unbearable.
Yet, he went to the final battle against the Olympians knowing his wife was pregnant… His greatest regret.
He heard a sound. Somebody was coming to his garden. He rejoiced, expected a relative or a friend of him coming to relieve him from his loneliness for a moment.
What appeared in front of him was a pure stranger. He analysed him.
He was a man. First thing that hit his eyes was his musculature. As the strongest divinity, Atlas needed a lot in order to be impressed. And well, the apparent strength of this newcomer did give him a good impression.
"Who are you?" Atlas asked.
"My name is Heracles of Tyrin. I am here to accomplish a task requested by my master, the king Eurystheus."
Atlas raised his eyebrows in shock. His own grandchild, Hermes, who often came to visit, had talked to him about that famous demigod. Tales of demonstration of strength, slaughtering of monsters and defying impossible feats emerged in his mind. Never could he have predicted that one of his labours would lead him to his own isolated place.
"What is your task?" He asked.
"I must take a golden apple from the garden my father Zeus offered to his wife Hera for their wedding and bring it to Eurystheus."
What this king would do with this apple? He wasn't curious enough to ask. Mortals knew how to confuse him well with their strange choices. It felt like this king just wanted to see how far this demigod could reach to accomplish those exploits. Like a kind of show off. Killing dangerous monsters, he could understand but bringing a golden apple of the garden of Hera?
Again, it was simpler to not question the motivations of mortals.
"You know it is pretty dangerous to go there? There is a powerful beast named Ladon that keeps the garden of the Hesperides. Also, don't underestimate my daughters that would do anything to prevent you to steal the fruits of the Queen of the Gods."
"I know. Your friend Nereus advised me to ask you to go there by yourself. Your daughters would not object your presence and you know better than anyone else how to tame the beast."
He sounded pretty confident that he would convince the Titan to accept such proposition. By the way, did he forget the obvious problematic detail?
"I'm sorry, but because of my condition, I cannot leave this place. Somebody has to hold the sky and this is my forced job."
"You really think I neglected this very known obstacle?" Heracles said, amused. "Don't worry. Luckily, I might be a demigod but I am the only being whose strength can match yours. In conclusion…I will bear the sky on my shoulders during the time you will go and retrieve the apple."
He took a while to figure out what this possibility meant beyond an occasion to accomplish this task.
His heart bombed with hope.
Centuries since the beginning of his punishment. His main relief had been the visit of his many relatives who didn't forget about him. Sadly, not everybody could come. His brother Prometheus had been punished himself in a harsher way after he stole the fire of the gods to give it to mankind. His wife had been rudely angry at him for preferring to go at war than staying at her side. She had refused to go back to him. This could be seen as a divine equivalent to divorce.
But the worse was that there were children he never got to meet, never managed to watch grow up. As a dutiful father, it pained him beyond words.
His niece Amphitrite often visited him. She confessed that not only his youngest twin daughters didn't want to visit but they also commanded to not talk about him at all.
He feared that they possessed abandonment issues while was unfairly common among orphans given up by their parents. The thought alone made him angry at his wife. Why hadn't she raised them on her own?! They would have an absent father but they would still have their mother and siblings Also, they could visit him!
Yet, he still had the feeling he was the only one to blame for the breaking of his family.
If Heracles could hold the sky for him… This was his chance!
"I accept."
…
Not having the sky upon his shoulders provided such a weird feeling. It was like if he never had a normal life before. He felt like a child learning to walk for the first time.
He wanted to describe it as liberating, comforting or appeasing. But no, just weird. Had he gotten too used to it?
Getting the golden apple had been an easy deal. Now the hard part was coming.
Atlas returned to Heracles. Just as strong as the Titan, the demigod held the sky with a fierce endurance. He struggled a little as he didn't have the habit and remained a mortal, but still, he looked solid.
Solid enough to give him time to do what Atlas wanted to do.
"So, you succeeded. Thank you!" Heracles said.
Atlas was silent.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, but I will not switch my place with you yet. You see. I have daughters that I never got to properly meet as they were born just after I was sentenced. They refuse to come to see me, so, I will go to them. I only need you to maintain the sky on your shoulders just for the time I will be gone. But, don't worry, Son of Zeus, I will be back. Just to prove you my good faith, I will even give the apple to your king in order to complete your labour for you. But I need to see my daughters, you understand?"
Heracles blinked his eyes, stunned. But after a deep reflection, he responded. "I understand you. To be honest, I am doing those labours because I accidentally killed my sons and this is the only way for me to make amends for my atrocious mistake and gain some peace. You deserve to see your daughters and fix your own mistakes. So, you can go."
"Thank you, my friend, I will never forget."
"But wait! Can you just allow me to put some soft padding on my shoulders? It would help me to hold it for such a long time."
Atlas understood he got a point. Contrary to what most people thought, he wasn't cruel. He wouldn't impose such weight on Heracles's shoulders without a minimum of comfort so he agreed.
They switched. Once it was time to switch again, Heracles took the apple and prepared to leave.
Shocked, Atlas screamed. "Wait! What are you doing?"
"Going back home. My job is done."
"What? But what about our agreement? You said you understood!"
"Do you really think I am an idiot? Do you truly believe that I would trust you and expect you to come back, not running away to enjoy your freedom and escape your punishment? Many people on my road warned me about your tricks and not fall on them. I thank them."
Heracles could hear his hope breaking like bones cracking. No! He was so close. This was maybe his only chance. He needed to see his daughters and ask them their forgiveness.
"Please! My daughters! I beg you. I understand I wasn't the most trustful being in the past, but many centuries of sufferings can change someone. I swear upon the Styx River that I will come back. Please! Think about your sons if you had a chance to see them one last time."
Heracles looked hesitant. Atlas had touched a weak spot. He could still hope. Right?
"I'm sorry." The demigod turned his back and left.
Tears flooded on Atlas's face. He thought about his wife Pleione. How she had begged him to not go to war against the Olympians. To chose neutrality like Oceanus and Nereus. That he was a father of many children with two she was currently expecting.
But his arrogance had triumphed. He was persuaded that Cronus would win and the glory and wealth that could come from his loyalty and bravery was way too tempting.
How sour regret tasted.
Until one day…
…
Back to present
Delphina had heard about him very often. Not just because he was her father but simply because of his high reputation. After all, who hadn't heard about Atlas, the legendary Titan whose strength and stamina were said to be unmatched? The divinity who had been sentenced to hold the sky on his shoulders?
Delphina had no idea how to react. She had never wanted to meet him simply because the thought alone made her freak out… And she was freaking out!
Right now, he hugged her sister, giving her the comfort she needed. Like the loving parent he should be. Calypso let him do, not protesting and not showing signs of confusion.
The situation paralyzed the goddess. What should she do? What was she supposed to say? Why was he even here? It should be impossible considering his particular situation. Why did he choose to come here? Was he mad at them for never visiting him?
He raised his chin and gazed at her. Father or not, she was intimidated as she faced a being far stronger than herself. Yet, the deeper she stared at him, the more she could detect a genuine feeling of affection.
She had no reason to be afraid.
"Delphina." He said. Then, he looked at the woman in his arms. "Calypso."
"Father." Calypso replied as she let go of him and he freed her from his embrace. She looked at him. "I… We…". Now she got back to her sense, she expressed a more normal reaction to the awkwardness of the situation.
"Please, don't force yourself. I am the one who is showing up uninvited. Can we just sit somewhere? I would love to converse with you."
They all went to sit in the main room at the table. Calypso chased all the other nymphs from this personal moment and required intimacy. She took care of serving the ambrosia and nectar herself.
Atlas appeared as nervous as them. They were all waiting for somebody to disturb the elephant in the room.
Then, he broke the ice. "I'm sorry. I wasn't there for you. I didn't think of you when I did my actions. I cannot talk for the decision of your mother, but I deeply regret that from all my numerous children, you were the only two whom I couldn't be there to raise. I hope you will forgive me someday."
Delphina's mouth struggled to function. She didn't know what to say. Could she forgive him? Honestly, she sucked at forgiveness. But she managed to forgive so much more terrible deeds, in particular from Apollo. However, with her father, it was about her whole life.
She tried to remember if she had wanted to meet him just once in her life. When she was really young, she used to think that Nereus and Doris were her real parents, although they never allowed her and Calypso to call them Father and Mother. In her childlike naivety, she thought that they would earn the privilege growing up… Then, they learnt that their real parents had abandoned them at their birth and their whole innocent world crumbled.
"I don't know what to say." What an honest reply!
"It's okay. I would not like to put any pressure on you although I would like…"
"What?"
"I would like it if you tell me about your lives. I missed your childhood and everything else. I know I cannot repair the damage done by my absence. But if you would allow me to know more about you, I would be honored. But, if you don't want to, feel free to refuse."
She will refuse. She will not. She will refuse. She will not.
"I will." Calypso decided.
She told him about their childhood. How much they were close. Their games in the water. The songs they sang on the beach. The adventures they shared together. She even talked about their promise to spend their life together in their own refuge somewhere.
Then, she told the tale of how Delphina created the dolphins.
This picked Atlas's attention. "This power may come from your uncle Epimetheus. He is the one who created all animals on earth. The power to create new species must run in the family but you are the first other than my brother that I see develop it. This is incredible." He said that while looking at her. She blushed. She was intimidated and still quiet but she couldn't deny that this comment made her happy.
"How it was when you created the dolphins? What did you feel?"
She had described that to Apollo she had know for a long time but how will she do that to her own father she was only beginning to know? She had a choice to answer or not but she wanted to. She had always been afraid to talk to him but now she felt the need to share everything with this person whom she should have grown up with.
"I felt…accomplished. Like I have waited this moment my whole life. I felt like I could be useful, like I could bring some light in this world. I finally found a purpose of life and this animal represented it."
A flashback of this day hit her mind. She saw her tail changed and the dolphins smiling at her. Nostalgia was so powerful. Her throat hurt. She missed it.
"Delphina. Are you crying? I am so sorry. I probably went too far with my questions."
"No… " She never imagined her father to be so kind. So caring. "It is just that I wish I could show you the dolphins but I can't."
"Why?"
"I… I lost my powers. It is because of a mistake! I betrayed my own values and terrible consequences followed! My powers left me after that!"
"Calm down! Shush!" He intervened while taking her by the shoulder to support and comfort her. "It is alright. You don't need to tell me all the details. Come on… Whatever you did, in my opinion it doesn't change what you are. You are still very kind to my eyes and I am proud that you devoted yourself to bring compassion to the mortals."
"But my mistake caused the deaths of so many people!"
Atlas sighed. Delphina hoped she didn't exasperate him. But he surprised her by saying. "I need to tell you more about your uncles. Did you hear about your uncle Prometheus?"
"Of course. He stole the fire from the gods to offer it to the mortals and give it to the mortals. He got punished by having his liver devoured by an eagle just to be regenerated and eaten the next day for eternity. Luckily, he was freed by Heracles."
"Indeed. Epimetheus had well equipped all the other animals but left the humans with nothing. The gods didn't even bother to correct that and decided to let the humans on their own despite their disadvantage at survival. So cruel. But the heart of Prometheus is pure and he dared to commit this crime so man kind could have fire as their own tool. It worked. He knew he would atrociously be punished for his act but he did it anyway. Mortals wasn't even allowed to worship him. But he was the definition of selflessness among immortals."
"He still is if you want my opinion."
"Maybe. But you know what happens next. Zeus decided to punish mortals by creating Pandora, the first female human. She became the spouse of Epimetheus. She was given a box she was told to never open. We all know it was a trap. The gods knew she would be too curious to open the box and she did. All the diseases were released and plagued the world. In panic, she closed the box but she prevented Hope to get out of the box. The gods won. They made the mortals suffer while putting the blame on a woman even thought they purposely submitted her under the power of curiosity."
A moment of silence. Such a sad story. Only a few immortals would recognize this event as a tragedy and, luckily, they all belonged to this group.
Atlas added. "I heard about you, Delphina. I know about your transformation more than you think. After all, who doesn't? I know how many mortals you helped without asking anything in return. I know that not a single sacrifice was practiced in your temple. I know how you stood up in front of other gods to defend your ideals. I know how you stayed humble and always looked to get better. I know what your dolphins symbolise. They represent what most gods lack: compassion, community, generosity, joy and even love. I know I wasn't there to see you grow up but I know that I can say this: I am proud of you."
Was he saying that because he wanted to be a good father and compensate for his absence? After all, he was saying this only from what he heard and didn't know her that well. At least, he had paid attention to her development and seemed eager to get news from her.
But… "I know what you mean, but…"
"I cannot talk for the level of trauma you went through after your mistake of judgement. But just like Pandora who panicked after her error, you closed your own box and you locked hope away… Don't be afraid and let hope be free once again."
She opened widely her eyes. Then, she heard Calypso say. "He is right."
They turned their attention to her. She pursued while looking at her sister. "I may have been a little jealous. Not just of the attention the dolphins received from you. But also, of what you had become. It is…amazing all the good things you did. Even before this event, you were already known as the little girl with the kind heart among the Nereids. I was proud to be your twin... I am still is. I am sorry if I failed to show any compassion for your lost powers."
Delphina felt the sadness of her sibling deep in her bones. Atlas approached and touched her hand. With eyes filled with empathy, he spoke. "Calypso, sorry, I almost forgot you. But don't worry, my dear. I made sure to hear about you as well."
"Not so much to know about me."
"You sure? What about that island? I heard it was desert before you arrived here. Well, it looks so full of life from my point of view. Few immortals possess such amazing skills. I don't understand how you could be envious of your sister. You are both amazing in your own ways. I am only sad that I discover it just right now. But better late than never and you both impress me."
Calypso and Delphina looked at each other then they looked at Atlas, speechless. Maybe it was time to let go of the past and have a new start with their father.
Well, they both made their choices when they went to hug him.
…
"I need to leave now." Atlas said after spending more time with the girls talking casually. "I have to return home back to my duty."
Delphina blinked her eyes. She forgot that detail. "Wait. You hadn't told us. How did you get here? I thought you were..."
"You thought I was in the far western part of the sea, holding the sky on my shoulders."
"Yes."
"Well, I always wanted to come to see you as you would not come to me. I knew I had to be the one to reach you and apologise for my mistakes. I once had my opportunity when I received the visit of Heracles but I missed my chance. Luckily, very recently, Heracles came back again. He told me about an agreement. His father, Zeus, convinced him to go to me to replace me while I could venture in the world as far as I wanted. The only condition is that I have to come back before one full day pass after the replacement. Even better, I can ask for a replacement like that at least seven times in the year. What a relief from my punishment."
"Really? It is quite surprising from Zeus to do something like that."
"I thought the same. Then, Heracles told me it was Apollo who requested this to his father. Very kind from him."
He gave her a blink. He knew what was going on between her and the god.
Apollo? Apollo negotiated such a sensible matter with his own father for her? Really, she didn't deserve him.
She also needed to go back to him.
But first… "Will we see you again soon?"
"Well, I am going to use my new privilege with wisdom and I will not waste it too soon. But don't forget you can visit me too."
"Yes, we will now. We promise." Calypso responded.
"Perfect. Now, I am leaving. Take care of yourself."
He left with a chariot probably lent by the gods to allow him to come here.
He was gone. Their own father. Someone who went from an absent parent to someone who had found the best words to lift them up.
"I feel bad for never visiting him when I could. We were mad for his absence during our childhood and not staying neutral during the Titanomachy for our sake, but he truly believed he would win. Also, he always regretted when he thought of us."
"You need to not be hard on yourself. Don't forget we were children with abandonment issues. It has always been complex. You need to not feel bad for this."
"Just like I need to stop making feel you bad for not visiting me."
"Calypso…"
"It is okay. I feel better now. And meeting Father makes me learn that I do not want to lose you at all. I will not keep grudge against you. Don't worry."
"I will try to visit you more often. I will write to you. I will learn from my mistakes."
"Thank you. You should go. I believe somebody is waiting for you."
"Calypso, are you sure you will be fine?"
"I will not lie. It is still hard. I miss Odysseus and I am still scared of the future, but I am rethinking my talents. Maybe I will leave this island and try to bring beauty elsewhere to help people. Maybe… I need to reflect. But I know you have a purpose to go back to, so, please, make me proud. Thanks for staying with me."
Delphina didn't want to leave. She had just rediscovered her family and felt like she was letting her sister down again. So, she got an idea.
She sang. A few minutes later…
"Look! A dolphin!" Calypso screamed.
Delphina watched one of her previous companions and she wanted to cry. She hadn't lost them. "I am offering this dolphin to stay with you. You can play with him, talk to him. If you ever want to see me, he will message me very fast. He is your friend now."
"Delphina, I cannot…"
"You can and you will. It is the least I can do for you. Please, accept."
"Thank you." They hugged each other under the cry of joy of the dolphin.
They let go and the goddess reached the water. She took a breath and she transformed her legs.
What a joy to see her dolphin-tail!
"You are back!" Calypso cheered.
"I am back!" It was a miracle! She was reborn!
"Go now! This world needs your return. I will fine with the dolphin here."
"I love you!"
"I love you too!"
A splash, then, the Goddess of Dolphins emerged from the ashes.
She reassembled her pod and together, they reached the shores, making their presence known. The fishmen celebrated as the venerated mammals jumped. The sailors cried and sang hymns to Delphina. Nobody understood how it happened. Why the goddess suddenly made her presence known again? They didn't care as hope seemed to resurge in particular with the news of the return of Odysseus.
The sun was up in the sky. Delphina knew it would now be time to expose herself to it. However, she wanted to swim a little longer. It has been forever since she had felt alive this way. She needed to enjoy this personal freedom before becoming patron of Delphi again.
Suddenly, she heard a cry. She hurried up and found one of her dolphins stuck in the net of a boat. It wasn't the first time that such thing happened but it made her mad every time. She approached and tried to free her friend. The net began to be lifted and Delphina got accidentally trapped in the net as well. She pursued her actions nevertheless and managed to get the dolphin out of there. The net went up again and it was too late when the goddess felt her body exited the water.
The sunlight hit her. She knew what it meant but overall, she knew she was in trouble.
"Look what we got here."
Thank you for reading.
Fun fact: At first, I wanted to include Prometheus and Epimetheus in this chapter. Thankfully, I changed my mind. That would make too much characters for this chapter and the intimacy between Atlas and his daughters is much better.
I feel I could have written this chapter better or maybe I am too harsh on myself.
Well, I still hope you loved it.
See you soon!