91 MEMORIES

"Hey there, Ophi!", Scylla chuckled and the Ophiotarous gave her a little twirl in acknowledgement.

Mooooooooooooooooooo!!!

"Hmmm? Cetus tried to chase you today? Mom gives him too much freedom. Don't worry, I'll talk to that big bully! ", she comforted the monster while bending down and booping his snout.

"You know, you're too cute to be alive"

MOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

"It's a joke! A jo-, Haaaaah! You know I'd never hurt you", She sighed as she slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the pool for her bath. The cold water hugged her skin and she sank into its comfortable embrace while the Ophiotaurus busied itself with staring at its own reflection which it loved to do.

Moooooooo!!!

"Yeah, yeah, you are very handsome", sighed Scylla, washing her lush, black locks.

MOOOOOOO!!!

"I said I kn- what! intruder? That's impossib-Ugh!!!"

Her body lurched as a wave of nausea smashed her body akin to a sledgehammer. She instinctively called for her protectors but something was blocking her connection to them. She lost her footing on the crystal floor, making her entire body fall and sink. The nausea never stopped, instead, it became worse - building up in intensity every second; making her cry out in pain. Unfortunately, it was a silent struggle and all that could be seen were bubbles.

She could see Ophi desperately swimming around her in a panic, worry and fear present on his cute face.

'Was the intruder here for Ophi?', She thought while dread filled her very being.

No one, not even her mother knew about the Ophiotarous choosing her as his protector, thus she had believed them safe, but apparently, she had been a little too naive. The enemies of the Olympians, which were entire Divine Races, would never stop hounding the poor monster. The power the Ophiotarous would give them when sacrificed was too much for them to let go.

{ Ophi! Leave! Run! }, she screamed via the mental connection she possessed with the Ophiotarous as her protector.

Mooooooooooo!!!

{ I'll be fine! Just go. I'll be right behind you }

Moooooooo!!!

{ I told you! I'll come back. Trust me }

Faint emotions could be read via the link too which meant that the Ophiotarous understood that Scylla didn't believe what she herself said. Perhaps it wasn't the first time he lost one of his protectors. The Ophiotarous finally gave in, disappearing into thin air after giving her a long look.

Scylla gave an internal sigh of relief when Ophi disappeared but yet another wave of nausea smashed into her, almost making her retch. Her vision slowly began to blur but she managed to spot a hooded figure appearing next to the pool. Almost all of its features were indiscernible, except for a braid threaded with gold.

The figure uncorked a bottle and poured its contents into the pool which almost immediately clouded the water.

It was a dark purple.

And then came the pain.

and mindless anger.

The hate.

The hunger.

The darkness.

That murky darkness.....

GASP!

Within the white cocoon, two eyes flashed open - their previous green colour now replaced by a bright and beautiful violet.

***

Meanwhile, in a large, moving, golden box, a few hundred feet below the Atlantic Ocean, a large man stood ramrod straight, his hands clasped behind his back. He stared into the murky waters that were barely lit up by the sunlight above. Large schools of fish moved in perfect unison, while the occasional large shadow flitted past him, yet his eyes were one of concern.

His son was one who had defeated an Olympian, yet he couldn't help but worry. Perhaps it was the woes of being a parent. Would Athos' previous exploits place a target on his back? Would Zeus use the Moirai to get to his son? Would the Olympians attack? Or would the Alliance act first? After all, his son had a knack for getting into trouble, much like his younger self.

"....I take after you Dad..."

Herakles softly chuckled as a fond memory surfaced but that grin was almost instantly wiped from his face as he sensed a powerful presence materialize behind him.

The presence of an Olympian.

With a twitch of a finger, a five-foot-long polished cylinder of celestial bronze with a studded handle appeared in his hand. His famed strength exploded as he vanished from his spot, reappearing next to the intruder while swinging his weapon.

WHOOSH!

Herakles' muscles bulged as he burned Divinity to enhance his already considerable strength which made the club break the sound barrier as though it were made of paper.

BOOM!

The club met its mark, smashing into the being with enough force to level a mountain range. Yet, Herakles didn't seem too happy, his electric-blue eyes glaring at the intruder's own.

"Why are you here?", he growled.

"To talk. Why else? Have you not deduced as much?", said the intruder who had one finger stretched out, blocking Herakles' strike as though it were from a child. The faint grey hue hanging around the hand implied the usage of Divinity, but the action was impressive nonetheless.

"Do you dare swear on it?"

"I swear."

Thunder boomed in the distance.

"Why would I have deduced that? Unlike you, I'm no Selock Hoges", Herakles sighed and put away his weapon before taking a seat on a golden chair he materialized. "I assumed Dad sent you. You know, to ekk out punishment. Being atomized by Pallas Athena. It sounded like a good way to go."

"It's Sherlock Holmes, you musclebrain.", Athena replied, staring at Herakles with her stormy grey eyes. "And why would I ever wish to atomize you? The Stymphalian Bird you gave me still hangs in my abode."

He sighed, looking at her. She was dressed completely unlike what one would think a goddess of wisdom would dress like. Blue jeans, a denim shirt and hiking boots. Her long, black hair was tied into a ponytail and a bronze watch with a carving of Aegis adorned her wrist. Her face was bafflingly beautiful - she wasn't hailed as one of the most stunning goddesses' for nothing. Her expression was regal, but was also slightly scary, the way one would expect a warrior goddess to look like. After all, she was Pallas Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Reason, Crafts and Arts, and Strategy and Warfare.

Olympus' number one strategist and one of the most powerful amongst the Olympians.

A grey chair materialized behind her - it was similar to Herakles' but was far more elegant and beautiful, on which she promptly sat.

"And he is but a mere mortal. A fictional one at that, not of any importance. Anyway, if it makes you more comfortable, dad did not send me.", she continued, giving Herakles her signature cold, grey stare.

"We are fictional too. Or more like, we were fictional.", Herakles countered.

"That remains undecided", Athena shot back.

"It's undecided because no one has the balls to admit it. The reality-altering property of souls is most obvious. Logically, we, the so-called gods, are merely the result of the faith of many millions of hu-

"Stop!", Athena interrupted Herakles. "I did not come here to argue the divine version of the chicken or the egg."

"Why you have come?", Herakles asked.

"To make a proposition. We are reaching out to as many Immortals as we can for support and you are one of our prime candidates."

"Who's we? Olympus?", Herakles scowled. "Surely, the Goddess of wisdom doesn't believe that I am a prime candidate to serve the Olympians."

"I don't", Athena leaned back and crossed her fingers. "The 'we' here are a faction wholly separate from Olympus and the Alliance with the sole purpose of overthrowing Zeus."

Herakles' mostly stoic face cracked as his jaw almost dropped to the golden floor. He instinctively looked up, waiting for a giant blue lightning bolt to slam into Athena's impassive face, but nothing came.

"You need not to worry. Zeus cannot hear what we say, nor can he sense his name being spoken out loud", Athena said calmly, a smug look appearing on her face for a brief moment before once again turning apathetic.

"So you're telling me that.....", Herakles almost whispered.

"Yes...?", Athena leaned forward.

"....if someone calls out his name, he wouldn't hear it?"

"Eh?", Athena's delicate brows twitched. "That's what I just said...."

"Yes or no?"

"Yes, he wo-

"FUCK YOU ZEUS!!!! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!", Herakles' bellowed and the ground below him cracked by the sheer volume of the shout. It almost seemed like he used some Divinity. Large waves formed above the Atlantic Ocean, spreading omnidirectionally with him as the epicentre.

Athena sighed at Herakles' behaviour, massaging her divine head but a small smile danced on her lips as if she had secretly done the same.

"Haaaah, I needed that", Herakles grinned at the sky. "Are you sure he can't hear it?"

"A ninety-five per cent chance that he doesn't hear it."

"I'll take those odds", Herakles shrugged but almost instantly turned serious. "But is what you say true? Blocking a Higher Immortal from sensing their names has never been done before. How did you do it?"

"That's classified. As for the rebellion - it's true. Consider it another attempt at overthrowing him. The last time we tried to do so, we failed. Horribly."

"It was a horrible plan", Herakles nodded but was met with a fiercer glare than usual.

"It was not. The plan worked. Zeus was compromised and democracy had been set. I did not foresee Thetis freeing him", Athena spat.

"Your plan was to bind Zeus, the strongest of all Theonites, with a rope."

"It was a magical rope. Unbreakable"

"Well, he still broke free. I hope you have a better plan this time"

"Would you join us if we do?", Athena questioned.

"No. I still have other things to consider", Herakles shook his head.

"Like your son's plans?", Athena said, crossing her arms but Herakles' whole demeanour changed.

"What do you know about my son?", Herakles growled, his club materializing in his hands. His muscles bulged once more - ready to unleash his strength.

"A lot. He was one of the factors in the rekindling of the rebellion. At least, his success with Nereus' plans did. The Fatebreaker succeeded in doing the impossible. If a mortal can do it, why can't we?" Athena said, calming down the riled-up Herakles.

"That was all it took?", Herakles said, baffled.

"It also has to do with it being the best time for a rebellion. Olympus has never been weaker - not since its conception. We've always disliked Zeus' tyranny. If not now, it would've happened in a few centuries."

"I see....", Herakles said, sinking into thought. "How many do you have on your side?"

"Not many, since we have just emerged", Athena replied. "Hephaestus, Demeter and I are recruiting. So far we've managed to convince Hecate and Aphrodite. Well, Aphrodite was into the rebellion ever since Demeter pitched it to her. Something about it being a good story and such", a scowl settled on her face, as though the very thought of Aphrodite made her want to vomit.

"Hephaestus, Demeter and Aphrodite have also set up a meeting with Kratos."

"That musclehead?", Herakles snorted. "How'd you manage to do that? His loyalty to Zeus was greater than Bia's own."

"He was young back then. He's mellowed down a bit after a few aeons. He's reached the age of reason."

"Sure he has....", Herakles muttered, faint signs of jealousy appearing on his face but he shook his head to clear it up. "I can't agree. Not yet. My son's plans take priority."

"You really are weird", Athena said, looking at Herakles as though he were an animal in a zoo. "I didn't think you cared about him that much."

"I'm a parent. Any parent would", Herakles said.

"I'm a parent too. Even I do not dote on my children as much as you do. We are Theonites, Gods."

"Correction. Any reasonable parent would", Herakles answered, a slight smile on his face. "You know, have you heard of the saying by mortal parents? We are meant to be memories for our children."

Athena snorted, "Oh please, we are Immortals. Our children are our memories."

"Not in my case", Herakles shook his head.

"Why? Do you believe he'll become an Immortal? Even if that may be, you shall never be reduced to his memories. You're an Immortal too."

"No, It's not because of that", Herakles chuckled and looked down at the seemingly infinite depths.

"It's because I'm a little selfish", he sighed, a hint of sadness flashing past his blue eyes.