Prologue
Mt. Olympus
“NO!”
The rumbling outcry startled the gathered host from their thoughts. A dropped goblet of stone crumbled on the smooth alabaster floor, spilling the last of the yellow drink. Gods and goddesses stood in pairs before twelve, white thrones of a glistening hall open to the crystal blue sky. Above each seat was the etched emblem of the ruler who sat beneath it, symbols of the Divine Twelve of Olympus...
“Poseidon...?” The god paired with the distressed deity stood helplessly confused, watching the other stumble backward. His goblet hovered before his lips, where he had just drunk. Poseidon had entwined his right arm a moment ago with his to drink, but this sudden fit intimidated his partner, freezing him in place.
“NO!” The Sea King roared, gripping his thick gray mane. “NOT AGAIN!” Clenching his bared teeth, tears dribbled from Poseidon’s gaping pools, staring at something the rest could not see. “I WILL NOT BE CONSUMED AGAIN!”
Throwing his head back to scream in defiance, the ground beneath the deities began to tremble. Though subtle, the elder Olympians understood the dire situation unfolding before them. The Sky King tore his gaze from his brother to the gods near him.
“He is conjuring an earthquake! Lift his feet from the floor before he brings down the-!”
Zeus felt his strength suddenly drain from his body. Life ebbed away from the god king's eyes staring blankly at the deities before him. The Roman unlinked himself to grasp his partner's limp arms to brace the fall, but Zeus touched his empty left hand on the other’s shoulder.
“It has begun...” The whisper reflected the weariness in his eyes. “Go to my brother... There is nothing to be done... for me... Ju...pater...”
Jupiter parted his lips to respond, but Zeus recoiled away toward his throne. Rather than sit in the seat, he slumped to the steps before it. Leaning his head to the side against the alabaster throne, the Sky King resigned himself to the inevitable. As the Roman gawped at his partner, cries of hysteria rose around him. The curse was claiming them.
“Neptune,” Jupiter called as he forced himself to turn away from the other king, “we must lift him! Even if it is just above the floor!”
Quickly dropping his goblet, Neptune reached for Poseidon’s right arm to brace his left shoulder beneath it. Grunting, he realized the urgency of Zeus’s words. As his brother pushed through the havoc of panicked deities, his anxious gaze watched Jupiter approach to mirror his stance.
“Brother...” Neptune’s voice quivered, “... what is this... force...?”
“One you do not share with him,” Jupiter grunted through his clenched teeth. “His command of tremors must be linked with his chaotic temperament, so we must try to break his connection... to the earth!”
The brothers struggled to lift the god as his cries of distress echoed around the quaking hall. Still gripping his scalp, Poseidon's voice was indistinguishable from the seismic roar tearing through the mountain. Grand columns that encompassed the throne room splintered cracks as the tremors intensified. The reflecting pool - flowing from the center of the room and down the front of the cliff face- began to recede.
"Jupiter!" A feminine voice's cry drew the god's ear, "The pool is dying!"
"Juno is correct..." Neptune confirmed after stealing a glance. "Are we too late...?"
"If Olympus falls..." Jupiter growled, continuing his efforts to push Sea King upward, "... then this sacrifice was for not...! We pledged to protect them, brother...! That encompasses their chaotic roots as well...!"
Neptune stared at his brother's resolve, realizing the depths of the oaths they had spoken. As Poseidon continued to draw upon power from below, he burned the agonizing expression into his memory. Digging deep into the depths of his strength, the god screamed as he pushed with all the power his legs could muster. Jupiter felt his brother's effort, joining his cries to overcome gravity.
Though barely a hair apart, Poseidon's voice died as soon as his feet left the alabaster floor, and his strong arms slumped to the sides, braced on the Romans' shoulders. The quake's rumbles subsided, but the tremor's damage rendered Olympus unstable as unseen splinters continued to echo, albeit slower. The deities paused, waiting with bated breath for whatever would happen next.
"Am...phi...tri...ti..." Poseidon whispered. With his visage facing the clear sky above Olympus, a broken voice escape his strained throat. "Am...phi...tri...ti..."
"Your queen?" Neptune questioned the name as new tears flowed from the god's eyes. "She will be safe, Poseidon. Your sacrifice will assure this."
The brothers felt the strength wane from the god as choked sobs wafted over the tense hall. If not for the fear of his tremors, they would have lowered him to rest. Instead, Jupiter and Neptune stood rigid as they supported his lethargic form above the floor.
Another cry broke the stillness, returning urgency to the throne room again. Unable to leave their post to assist, Jupiter craned his neck to look for Zeus. The other deities busied themselves to address the new crisis unfolding, but through the breaks in the crowd, the god saw the Sky King resting before his throne. Unlike the other deities, tranquility rested on his face despite the bedlam. His eyes were closed as though his weakness alleviated him. The Roman was struck by how relieved his partner was amid the dire circumstances.
"Not... again..." Poseidon's agonizing grunt drew Jupiter's attention.
"Are you in pain, Poseidon?" Neptune pressed with concern, observing the god's suffering countenance.
"He is dispersing," Jupiter answered solemnly on the Olympian's behalf. "Perhaps he is reminded of being consumed by his father. Memory is often worse than the initial pain to relive."
"Water..."
"Water?" Neptune questioned the new word.
"Water... Bring me... water..." Poseidon pleaded weakly.
"Jupiter," the Roman cried, realizing the request, "help me bring him to the pool! We must hurry before it dries!"
"We cannot risk the contact," Jupiter reminded him sadly.
"I remember when Father consumed me," Neptune countered urgently. "Submersion was a comfort after you raptured us. Even if it is merely his hand, I am certain it would ease his suffering."
Jupiter heaved a labored sigh. The end was upon them. Crossing the mayhem around them to reach the reflecting pool would be a fool's errand. There was not much time before the spring drained away. Catching a glimpse of Zeus's face formed a tension in his chest. He realized how resolved his brother was to his oath and wondered if he had failed so soon. Nodding exasperatedly, Jupiter surrendered to his brother's plan.
"Out of the way!" The god king's deep voice bellowed before the brothers attempted to cross the mad crowd of deities fighting their emergencies.
"Away from the pool! Please!" Neptune yelled as they pushed through the crowd. "Hold fast, Poseidon! We are nearly there!"
"Water..." The god moaned as his eyes drifted toward his scalp.
“Hold for a moment more,” Neptune cried with earnest. “I will deliver you to the pool, Poseidon!”
Jupiter noticed the god's form beginning to break apart into golden dust, but he feared drawing the Sea King's attention to it. Hearing Neptune's desperation to aid his counterpart, he realized they could move faster without him.
"Neptune!" Shifting the Sea King off his shoulder, Jupiter pushed his brother and his charge toward their destination. "Hurry!"
The god struck the alabaster floor, feeling a tremor as Poseidon fell beside him. Seeing the dispersal of the god's hands and feet, the Roman grasped his trunk as he tried to stand and drag the fading god the remaining distance to the reflecting pool. The last streams were trickling away, but as he lifted Poseidon over the lip, they rolled into the remaining divine waters.
"There..." Neptune huffed as he smeared tears of his own with a muddied fist. Turning to look at the god beside him, the strong form dissolved into glowing embers in a golden haze before his eyes. The pain faded from his visage as the last of the streams passed the Sea King's cheek. As much as it wounded him to see the once fierce deity fall, the Roman felt guilty to be relieved by the peace at this end. "Let the water soothe you..."
"Amphi...tri..ti..." Poseidon whispered as his body disintegrated.
"Fear not for your family," Neptune reassured his partner with a forced smile. "Your queen and children are safe."
"No..." The Olympian croaked as his brow furrowed.
"What then?" The guardian blinked as his counterpart tried to clarify his final words.
"Home..." Poseidon wept as he held Neptune's gaze with desperation. "Amphi...triti... was..."
The Roman deity stared with trembling lips as the last of the words were lost to echoes in the golden mist. Reaching to touch the fading essence, his brow furrowed in despair. These dark times had changed the nature of the divine, but he had not expected such a shift in his Greek counterpart. If only he could have heard the rest of his words, he might understand how he could have comforted him, but Poseidon was gone. As Olympus rumbled around him, Neptune curled his empty arms around himself to sob alone...
"Grandfather," called a youthful voice over the clop of hooves, "do you think the horses will join us today?"
"They should, Demeter," an elder Graeco laughed as he rode behind his granddaughter along the river. "I know they look forward to your visits."
The girl smiled widely ahead of her grandfather, leaning forward over her white and gray stead. While she was small for her age, the child and creature appeared connected as they galloped ahead. As he watched her posture from the back of her riding coat, the elder did not show signs of concern, placing faith in her instruction and skill as a rider. His only care was her pleasure in the early evening race along the river to the plains.
"Grandfather," Demeter spoke up after a moment, "is that a boat on the Pripyat?"
"You see someone up ahead?" Her grandfather queried curiously. Graeco sight was sharp, but he had realized his granddaughter was unique even among them. Her crimson ones often saw things before others did...
Demeter pulled her reigns to ease the horse into approaching the water. Knowing to avoid getting too close to the bank, her innocent curiosity dared to chance a bit closer to see who it could be. As her grandfather slowed to approach, a sudden clap of thunder startled their horses.
"Whoa!" The Graeco called firmly as he tried to calm his rearing gray beast. "Demeter! Come back from the bank!"
"Snegurka!" Demeter echoed her elder's tone, "It's all right, girl! Just some thunder..."
The girl's voice faded as a chill ran through her veins. Staring at the horizon, she saw a dark cloud movement roll from upstream behind the boat. Shuttering, Demeter tugged her reins to face her grandfather.
"There's a storm chasing the boat!" The child screamed with fright. "Grandfather, help them!"
By the time the Graeco felt the wind, he glanced in time to see a small sail boat in the distance. He knew this was one of her precognitive visions. They only ever came moments ahead of time, so he had to act quickly. Gripping his reigns to guide his horse, he kicked his heels to drive the creature onward.
"Stay away from the river, Demeter!" He shouted as he passed her.
Hurrying along the water, it wasn't long before he noticed the clouds rolling in. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to make out the passengers in the boat. It was a wooden sailing vessel with single mast. The elder saw a Graeco male scrambling to furl in the sail while a female knelt, clinging to the mast. Just before a flash of lightning illuminated the dimming landscape, the scream of a baby reached his acute hearing followed by a second crack of thunder. Just as his granddaughter had said, the clouds were encroaching upon them along with a swell of water. As he reached his hand before him to cast a spell, an unnatural voice echoed from the river silenced him.
"Turn back!"
The strange voice made the horse halt, startling the Graeco. Before the male could think about who was calling, he stared in bewilderment at his horse as it turned without his guidance. Had the steed understood the voice's command?
"Morozko! Where are you going?"
The Graeco looked back at the boat to see if the river had caught up to it yet. Grinding his teeth, he knew he could only focus on himself or the boaters. His death wouldn't help anyone, so he gripped his reigns to regain control of his horse.
"Morozko! Back along the river, boy!"
Morozko grunted as he galloped along the bank to return to Demeter. Leaning closer to the horse's back reassured the creature in his master's hands. Once the Graeco felt the beast had found his rhythm, the elder looked back, seeing the boat catching up to them. As the river's swell lifted the stern, he reached his left hand out toward the vessel in horror. The mother coiled tighter around the mast to shield her frightened babe, but the Graeco noticed a glow hovered over her as if holding her in place.
As the surge flipped the boat over, the Graeco felt his heart clenched in a vice. Where had this swell come from? How could a storm cause such a phenomenon in the dry season? That was when he felt the trembling beneath his horse, realizing this was not a normal current. Demeter had worded her vision correctly. Something was chasing that boat.
"Demeter!" The grandfather screamed over another thunder roll when the child was in view. "Get away from the river! Now!"
"GRANDFATHER!" Demeter wailed as she watched the swell rushing for him. Even as he darted away from the bank, the water appeared like arms stretching out to sweep up anything it could along the river. Try as he did, Morozko could not keep up his pace with the tremors beneath him. Demeter's naive desperation drove her to ride into the chaos as her grandfather reached for her before being engulfed. "NO!"
The river washed over the bank like a tidal wave before receding backward. After a few moments, pieces of the boat bobbed up to the surface, drifting along with the current. An eerie calm settled in just before a desperate gasp came from the surface.
The elder Graeco felt his body pulled up before he sensed his face breach the water. Coughing up the water in his throat as the force dragged him onto land, his black eyes darted around his blurred vision for who or what had grasped him. Where was Demeter? Fear engulfed his core as he refused to accept the answers rising in his thoughts.
When the grip released him, he rolled off his back to try rising to his knees. Hoping against reason, he looked for any sign of his granddaughter, Snegurka, or Morozko. As tears washed the river water from his eyes, the male trembled as the truth sank in. Before he could scream from grief, he heard another cry to his right. Glancing in shock, he saw the Graeco baby from the boat lying on the muddy bank, crawling to reach the infant.
"Are you all right?"
The voice from before rippled into his ears. He trembled as he realized it was not from this plane. Perhaps a nymph or spirit had tried to help the family. It would make sense why Morozko had been influenced by their voice. Nodding anxiously, the male tried to breathe as he reached to take the extended hands of the child.
"Thank you..." The Graeco tried to sound grateful, but the grief rumbled within his deep voice. "The child was the sole survivor... was he not...?"
"I am afraid so."
When the baby grasped his large hand, the Graeco felt his paternal instincts return to him. Reaching to pick up the baby, he sat on his heels, pulling the child to his chest. Sobs choked in his throat as he allowed himself to cry with the babe. Soon the invisible grasp draped over him to embrace them both.
Blinking to clear his vision, the Graeco noticed the same glow from the boat that tried to cover the mother. A thought struck him to look at the child once more. The wet swaddling had come loose enough to pull it away from the back. Sure enough, there was a tri-pronged mark on the right shoulder blade.
"Poseidon...?" The Graeco gasped in awe, realizing who rested in his arms. He turned to look up at the entity's aura draping over him. Calm settled in his chest. "You are... Neptune, are you not?"
The glow took form as the deity stared down at the Graeco in surprise. Neptune's toga rippled subtly on an unseen breeze, and his wavy gray hair and beard rustled about his face. The two stared at one another in disbelief before the specter could think of something to say.
"You... know of me...?"
"Of course," the Graeco quavered with reverence. Regardless of his losses, he understood the Fates had brought him to this river. The burden of the Moerae's knot could never be denied. He could only hope his sacrifice produced something fruitful to come. "Do you not know where you are?"
"We sailed the Pripyat for the Dnieper to reach the Black Sea," Neptune recounted. His grief echoed in his ghostly voice, glancing back at the calming river. The gray brow furrowed at his useless efforts for his charge's family. "I confess I was distracted by the sudden swell. We..." He couldn't finish his thought as grief struck him.
"The Dodekatheon are rarely granted a peaceful life," the elder Graeco pulled the infant closer to his shoulder. "I am no stranger to their plight, even if our line is far removed from its roots."
"Line?" Neptune queried at the statement. Turning to look at the Graeco, he watched a light grow beneath the shadow engulfing him. Was that hope?
"Despite the discouraging circumstances," the Graeco spoke with dignity as he turned his face to the deity, "I bid you welcome, Lord Neptune and Young Poseidon, to the Chernobyl. My name is Daidalos..." He paused to swallow the lump in his throat before continuing. "... the Head of the House of Demeter."
