Hi! Here I give you the first part of my spin-off. Don't know how many there will be but I gonna begin somewhere.
I just realised that many of you were reading this story by using a translator as not everybody can understand english. Since english is not my first language, I can perfectly understand that feeling and I now feel bad for not thinking about it. This is why I propose to make an exception for my non-speaking english readers from this website and offer the chapters in a format where you can use a translator in order to allow you to continue having the joy of reading this story. What do you think of my solution? Feel free to write to me in your language. I will translate it.
Also, I forgot to mention but the title will change when it will be published. The title will be: The Goddess of Dolphins.
Now, I let you with the chapter. Just to situate you, it is kind of placed after chapter 14 and before Asclepius death.
Gigantomachy part 1
Delphina blinked her eyes as the first sunrays reached her bedroom. Tiredness weakened her body. Confusion troubled her in the transition between dreams and reality. Yet, the light prevented her to go back to her slumber.
She was at Delphi during near the summer solstice. That moment of the year when the sun rose the earliest and set the latest. Nights were so short that Apollo and Helios agreed to alternate for one month their turn to drive the sun chariot. Never two consecutive days. Each god his turn.
For the goddess, this only meant she received the annoyance to have sunlight so soon in the morning. Mortals might laugh but she was used to live underwater.
Nonetheless, she stood up. With difficulty though. Plenty would relate to that feeling. She stranded her arms then got out of bed, naked as she preferred to sleep like that in the summertime. She put on a white dress then brushed her hair. Since it was still very early, she decided in order to kill time to write on paper what interesting things happened in her life recently. Like a kind of diary.
She wrote about the contest between Artemis and Apollo about who would hunt ten boars first. For once, Apollo almost won while having advance but his twin caught up and got victory. Delphina had once again put her money on Apollo even though he always lost to the Goddess of the Hunt. He appreciated her loyalty. Delphina had lost money one more time but it was fun.
Another time, she visited Asclepius to check how his training with Chiron progressed. She saw him process to erase the blindness of a man while even Apollo struggled to do in spite of his huge power. She feared her friend would be jealous at the perspective of being surpassed by his own son. Quite the contrary, rarely had she witnessed a father so proud of his son among the complicated family relationships of immortals.
So much good memories to write down.
Her thoughts got interrupted by a servant knocking on her door to announce that breakfast will be ready. She responded she was awake. Then, she exited her bedroom and walked towards the dining room. There, a grand rectangular table made of yellowish wood stood in the middle of the chamber with Apollo at the head with the Muses occupying most of the places except one just beside the god, always reserved.
"Good morning." She saluted.
She began to eat and the casual conversation as well.
"So, did you learn that Heracles succeeded to capture Cerberus and bring him to Eurystheus?" Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, said.
From that moment, Delphina saw Apollo put a great amount food in his food quickly. His mouth will remain close.
"Of course, I did. In fact, I observed the event, yesterday, from the pool. Too bad, the sun can't reach the Underworld. It must have been such a spectacle there. Anyway, just watching him emerging from inside the land, riding the dangerous beast… It was epic!" Delphina commented.
"Maybe. But what I don't understand is how Hades may have let something like this happen? You cannot deceive one of the big three so easily." Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, questioned.
"Well, I heard the King of the Underworld had to be convinced to let Heracles do the deed. He decided to let him try catch the beast under the condition that he had to do it without any weapon. He was probably bored and curious to see if the demigod would achieve this new exploit. He likes a good entertainment like us. Obviously, Cerberus will be brought back to its home, anyway." Delphina said.
"I can't believe his last labour is done." Calliope, the Muses of Epic Poetry, lamented. "I wonder if he will get more adventures in the future. In my opinion, he is the greatest hero we ever saw."
Delphina could hear Apollo sigh. She ignored him and responded.
"I agree. He helped so many people by slaying those monsters. I only hope he will now get peace. His life may be amazing to witness but it is also very sad."
"I know. What do you think, Lord Apollo?" Calliope asked.
The God stopped drinking his water and sent a dark glare to the Muse.
"Ho! Sorry, My Lord! I forgot. Please, forgive me."
Apollo sighed again then said. "Forgiven. However, couldn't you have waited tomorrow to have this subject of conversation when I am gone with the sun chariot?"
Delphina rolled her eyes. "Are we going to have this discussion again? I told you. You are not obligated to participate."
Since the famous incident with Heracles at Delphi, Apollo never got a good opinion of the demigod. Unlike him, Delphina understood the hero hadn't been himself and had few controls over his acts. So, she forgave him despite the trauma he put her through.
Of course, Apollo being Apollo, she could hardly expect the same mercy from him. She even suspected a little jealousy from him considering the special attention Zeus gave to this mortal son of his. The God of Almost Everything was so used to be the favourite one.
Anyway, at least Apollo was very tolerant and reasonable about her interest in Heracles's multiple adventures. All she needed to accept was his inability to pretend he shared this fascination.
"Obviously I don't have to participate but after the tiring day I got yesterday, could you spare my ears during my day off?"
The goddess stared at him for some minutes. Then, she began to giggle until she succumbed to her laugh. Not amused, Apollo replied. "What?"
"Sorry, I shouldn't find you so adorable when you get grumpy like that but I do."
The god rolled his eyes but she caught this little smile he attempted to mask. So sweet.
"Ok. Let's forget this." Delphina said. "Since you are free today, maybe we can do something together."
"Of course. I was thinking about walking in some new places in Thessaly. We could finish the day by paying a visit to Asclepius and have dinner with him."
"That sounds perfect!"
…
Delphina embarked on the divine chariot driven by swans. The sky was blue and the air was warm. Perfect weather for the day. She waited for Apollo to join her. He was a little late, very unusual from him, but it was fine. She could wait.
Her initial joy diminished when she saw Apollo coming with a serious face. He wasn't alone. Hermes accompanied him.
"You cannot come." She guessed and concluded with a sad face.
"A reunion of the twelves Olympians has been summoned. It seems urgent. I'm sorry."
"It's ok. We will report it to another day. You can go." As an Olympian, Apollo was very busy. It could sometimes annoy her. How much more precious time with him will she lose? However, she also admired his sense of duty and remained understanding. "I will be fine."
"Thank you." He couldn't hide his own frustration but he had no choice.
Delphina felt her heat sink as he left. A wonderful day was ruined before it began. Not the laughs she expected but only her own lonely internal voice.
The goddess turned to the swans, sighed and said. "Looks like your master has important stuff to deal with. I hate to admit it but it makes me sad each time I don't get to spend the day with him. Don't get me wrong. I still love the company of my dolphins but there is something that is so… pleasant when I am with him. I still cannot explain it." She marked a pause. "Well, let's hope that whatever is important will not bother him too much."
She had no idea.
…
The chamber that received the twelve Olympians in Olympus impressed. It was shaped as a circle delimited with large columns white like clouds, united by a roof richly decorated with sculptures telling the story of the Titanomachy. A reminder of the battle that led to the creation of this mystical place. There were twelves thrones. The biggest and brightest one of course belonged to Zeus, King of the Gods.
Apollo sat on his own throne and looked around him. Everything seemed normal except for one detail.
"Where is Ares?" Hera asked.
The God of War possessed many defaults but being often late wasn't one of them.
"Copulating with a nymph, certainly," Hephaestus suggested with sarcasm.
"Please, Husband. Be serious!" Aphrodite riposted.
"I am serious!"
"For the love of Olympus, please, don't begin this kind of game," Athena stepped in.
"I ask again: where is my son?" Hera repeated with more impatience.
"Silence!"
Zeus spoke, then everyone silenced. Satisfied, the king said. "Don't worry. The absence of Ares is unfortunate but out of his own control. Listen carefully and let me explain.
"Some of you remember the Titanomachy, others don't as you were born in its aftermath. But you all know that my grandmother Gaia was a great ally during my rebellion against my father. A guide, an advisor, a fighter, a protectress and I can even add a mother since she looked over me during my childhood… However, she can easily turn her back on you.
"I remember how glad she was when I freed the cyclops from the depth of her earthy body. She cares for her children and will protect them at all cost. Wrong her just once then you will feel her status as a Primary deity. That's our problem."
"What is the link with Ares? Are you saying our son offended Grandmother?"
"Be patient, Wife. As I said, Gaia loves all of her children. Unfortunately, when the Titanomachy ended, I had to imprison almost all the Titans in Tartarus. You all know why. The risks of retaliation were too high. I couldn't gamble the safety of Olympus and Tartarus is a place nobody can't escape. Consider the fact: I freed some of her children and imprisoned others. You might hope she would be comprehensive but I wasn't that foolish. Never underestimate the intensity of her wrath. That leads me to say: Sorry, I have provoked her knowing the consequences. Now, I will explain why she is only striking now.
"Gaia produced other children known as the Giants. At first, we thought they were harmless. Not anymore. As we are talking, they slowly advance towards us, ready to take over Olympus."
A chill chased the confidence out of the spine of the Olympians. Many crises had been discussed in this room. Problems concerning matters between gods or affairs among the mortals but never their supremacy had been threatened. They still ignored why Ares was absent but with the knowledge of this context, the worst had to be feared.
"You talk like you expected this for a while, Father." Athena remarked.
"Indeed, she gave me a warning soon after the end of the war. I guessed she prepared something and that soon or later, she would strike. Today is the day."
"Why you didn't warn us earlier?" Demeter asked.
"If I had warned you, can you swear to me you wouldn't have tried to confront her directly? She is too powerful to be restricted. She leaves us no choice but to deal with her carefully. But this is not just that. If she had felt spied, she would have adapted her strategy so her intentions would have been better hidden. It was more beneficial for us to not elevate her guard."
"This is wise." Athena acknowledged.
"Also, don't think I didn't act at all in preparation for the ineluctable. I consulted Themis who was the Oracle at the time. She predicted that Gaia would give birth to news creatures called Giants with the blood of my father that fell on Earth. Considering we managed to defeat the Titans, this could appear as a small issue. The trick is the Oracle foresaw that none of the Giants could perish in the hands of the Gods. In conclusion, Gaia created creatures invincible to us."
Most were tempted to panic at the prospect. The threat got more serious the more they learnt. Nonetheless, Zeus stayed calm. He must have a plan. They trusted their king and let him pursue.
"Thankfully, the Oracle told me their weakness: they can only be defeated by a mortal. This is how I outsmarted Gaia. She attempted to look for a plant that would grant invulnerability to mortals. I asked Helios, Eos and Selene to not shine and prevent the plant to grow. In conclusion, we still have a chance to win this, but we need to be careful. It is time to prepare ourselves."
Silence. Silence was usually foreign in this room. No interruption. No argument. No protest. Nothing.
The message was clear: they were about to enter a serious war. They would fight but depend of mortals to reach victory. Some suspected it might be the reason why Zeus produced so many demigods.
However, one mystery remained without answers. "Where is Ares?" An impatient Hera asked once again.
Zeus looked at his wife then deviated his stare towards Poseidon. "Brother, do you remember the children you produced when you mated with Iphimedia?"
"Otus and Ephiates, the Aloades." Poseidon took care to remember each of his children.
"Well, your twins have always been described as Giants considering their strength and size. Therefore, I am sad to announce you they attracted the interest of Gaia. She persuaded them into joining her."
"You lie!"
"He doesn't." Apollo, God of Truth, said.
"You will need to control your feelings, Brother. They are the firsts that acted. Yesterday, Ares was training in the woods when the Aloades came to confront him. Unable to resist a challenge. Ares charged at them, unaware that as a god he couldn't harm them. He got captured inside a jar and he is now their prisoner."
"What an idiot! Only he could get caught so easily!" Dionysus said.
"It is not like we lost the most valuable member of this room anyway." The God of Fire affirmed.
"Hephaestus!" Hera scolded.
"Stop all of you!" Athena intervened. "This is no time for our childish conflicts. What I understand is that we must unite our strength against a common enemy. The most dangerous one we ever faced. One of us has been taken as a hostage as a proof we have to be careful. We need to fight but we also need to accept that in order to win, it will require the aid of a mortal. Otherwise, if we fail to think wisely about each of our actions, Olympus will fall."
The Goddess of Wisdom spoke. The message was clear.
"Which mortal will help us?" Aphrodite asked.
"Don't you think it is pretty obvious who is the best candidate for this role?" Artemis remarked.
Hera growled. Her legitimate son was imprisoned and it would require the help of one of the bastards of Zeus to set him free. No word could describe the humiliation.
Meanwhile, Apollo hid his own annoyance. Although he didn't appreciate Heracles, he could reason himself about the emergency of the current situation. They needed him.
Zeus stood up. "Athena, I would let you take care of Heracles as you are his protectress deity. I can count on you for that."
The Goddess nodded.
"Apollo, can you use your powers to see through the sun what the Aloades are doing?"
Apollo closed his eyes. A few minutes passes until he opened them once again.
"What did you see?" Zeus asked.
The God of Truth looked at everybody who awaited anxiously any news.
"I am afraid to announce that things are about to get complicated."
Thank you for reading.
I know it is short, but since I am concentrated on my main work, don't expect it to be heavily developped as you are used to (this remains simply a spin-off).
By the way, I am gonna take a lot of freedom in the Gigantomachy! First of all, I have included the Aloades even if their myth is separated from this epic event. But there are so many similarities and their storyline is so interesting that I wanted to include them. By the way, I will not depict everything since there are so many battles and I want to stay focussed on the main characters. I need to think about entertainment above anything else. I wish you will understand.
I hope you liked it.
See you soon.