บท 10: Olympus
Those Olympians. They're a wild bunch, full of chaos and unboundedness. There's no denying it. They don't like to play by anyone's rules but their own. It's a messy scene, like a storm tearing through everything in its path. But you know what? There's something strangely captivating about their madness. It's raw and unfiltered, and it has a certain beauty to it, especially that Apollo. He lives with an intensity that's hard to ignore. So let them be wild; let them shake the foundations of this wretched world…..perhaps even we can lend a hand to them when time arrives.
- Ishtar, Mesopotamian Goddess of Love and War.
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Artemis cautiously advanced through the pitch-black depths of a cave, her body coiled like a spring, her fingers white-knuckled around her bow. The feeble glow emanating from her figure resembled a pallid moon, casting eerie shadows that danced and flickered, revealing filthy terrain ahead. The haunting whispers from the depths echoed in her ears, a cacophony of ghostly tales that sought to ensnare her forever, but she pressed on, sinking her teeth into her lip and drawing blood. Ichor trickled down her chin, a testament to her unyielding determination, as she forced herself to block out the stories and focus solely on the ethereal resonance of a spring that reached her ears.
Finally, she beheld it—a small clearing that lay before her. The sight that unfolded within the clearing confirmed beyond doubt that this was no ordinary den of filth, tainted by the stench of serpent remains. This was sacred ground, pulsating with a presence that surpassed mortal comprehension, maybe even divine.
Before her, the hallowed waters, shimmering with ethereal luminescence, cascaded in delicate rivulets; their crystalline purity seemed to reflect the wisdom of the ages. Every droplet that fell from the stalactites above seemed to carry the weight of ancient prophecies, whispers of long-forgotten gods and goddesses mingling in harmonious symphony.
Within this holy place, time appeared to stand still. The air hummed with an otherworldly energy, as if the very fabric of reality had been woven into a tangible presence. Shafts of light pierced through narrow crevices, casting ethereal rays that danced upon the water's surface, illuminating its depths with a sublime radiance. The atmosphere itself seemed to vibrate with the cosmos, resonating with the echoes of the past and the secrets of the future.
This, right here, was the very heart of Delphi—the ancient ground where countless stories had unfolded, a wellspring as old as the gods themselves.
Artemis, standing at the edge of the clearing, hesitated. She could feel the weight of Destiny lingering in the air and the overwhelming power of the echoes that resonated from the depths. This was no place for her to venture lightly. She feared that if she took one step further, she might lose herself forever in the relentless grasp of fate.
In any other moment, she would have marvelled at the magnificence of this sacred wellspring, its waters shimmering with a divine glow. But not now. Not when her brother was nowhere to be found, his absence gnawing at her heart with each passing moment. She tried to check the connection with her Aunt Hestia; it was still there, even in the presence of this cosmic ground. So this place couldn't be the cause of the projection of her brother being cut off, as she had assumed. 'Where in the Tartarus is he?' she thought, her worry and anxiety increasing by the moment.
In that instant, a voice pierced the air, catching Artemis off guard. "Artemis," the words rang out, unmistakably in her brother's voice. But she dared not bask in the comfort of relief, not on this twisted ground. With a tight grip on her bow, she pivoted cautiously, her senses on high alert. But her worries were baseless; the wellspring hadn't played any tricks on her; it was undeniably her brother, unmistakably that imbecilic face. He emerged from another path into the clearing, his surprise evident as he gazed at her. Without hesitation, she approached him, slinging her bow onto her back.
"Where have you been?!"
"What are you doing here?"
Apollo and Artemis spoke simultaneously, standing eye to eye. The Huntress-Goddess reached out, her hand resting on her brother's chin, tilting his head from side to side as she scrutinised him for any signs of harm.
"I'm fine, sister," the God of Light sighed, his annoyance apparent at her concerns.
"Where were you?" Artemis pressed, her silver eyes narrowing as she continued her examination. Her brother appeared intact, yet something seemed different, though she couldn't quite place it. And that troubled her.
"I was in the Garden of the Forking Pathways," Apollo replied, his voice tinged with gravity. His languid countenance shifted, weighed down by sombreness. "It was the Destiny of Endless, the Sovereign of that realm, who summoned me forth."
"Destiny of the Endless." Artemis repeated, her brows knitting together in a perplexed expression.
"I will tell you later," Apollo nonchalantly remarked, his shrug failing to conceal the weight of his words. "But for now, I implore you to release me from your grasp, dear sister, and explain to me why you are here?"
Artemis leaned closer to Apollo and whispered to him. After Apollo had just vanquished the mighty Python, Zeus had called for a recess in the council until Apollo's triumphant return to Olympus, where he would have claimed Delphi. While the others departed, Artemis chose to remain, imploring Aunt Hestia to sustain the projection. She even summoned her mother, who observed her brother through another projection in another chamber, accompanied by minor gods and other immortal beings.
Together, they continued to watch her brother as he offered humble prayers to the Earth Mother and received her solemn acknowledgment—a clever move in Artemis' eyes, ensuring that any possibility of the Earth Mother seeking retribution against her brother was thoroughly extinguished.
Then they watched in anticipation as Apollo mustered his courage and stepped into the cave of Delphi, albeit with a moment of heavy hesitation. However, their hopes were shattered when the projection abruptly vanished. Artemis and Leto were filled with immediate panic, desperately turning to Hestia for answers. Hestia, with a look of profound concentration, closed her eyes briefly before opening them again to deliver a startling proclamation: Apollo was no longer on Earth.
In the face of such a proclamation, Artemis took a moment to comfort her distressed mother before entrusting her to the care of Hestia. She swiftly grabbed her bow and made her way towards Delphi, determined to personally confirm the whereabouts of her little brother.
With a prolonged sigh, the Goddess of Hunt concluded her account. "That's why," she said, finally allowing the embers of her emotions to fade. She found solace in a moment of relaxation, leaning on the smooth wall of the cave beside her brother.
Apollo, unexpectedly, appeared surprised. It seemed he hadn't anticipated her coming after him like this, and that realisation pricked her heart. "Artemis—" he sighed in a way he does when he was perturbed, but she sharply cut him off, turning away. "Don't say those words," she hissed.
With a sidelong glance, she caught Apollo's outstretched hand, but his sigh and the gesture fell flat. Frustration etched deep lines on his forehead as he absently scratched the back of his head. "I'm such a hypocrite," he muttered, his voice laced with exasperation. "I should've just acknowledged your concerns."
Artemis's gaze snapped towards him, her eyes narrowing. "I don't know why," she confessed foolishly, "but that only made me feel worse."
Apollo's laughter erupted, breaking through the veil of tension. "Oh, my foolish sister," he managed to say between fits of mirth, his hands landing on her shoulders and yanking her forward along their path. "You know full well why."
Artemis, her frustration ignited by his cavalier manner, clicked her tongue disapprovingly. With a firm push, she distanced herself from his touch, her annoyance rippling through her like a silent storm. She knew the truth all too well and understood the depth of his concern for her, but pride held her tongue captive. She refused to admit the fragile satisfaction that blossomed within her every time his words of genuine worry spilled forth. She was the eldest in their relationship, not him.
"But Aunt Hestia..." Apollo's laughter abruptly died down, and a flicker of intensity ignited in his eyes, like an inferno about to consume everything in its path. His gaze wandered, fixated on a distant point, as if he could see something hidden from her. "She is truly marvellous..." His voice trailed off, his words weighted with a mix of admiration and foreboding, as if he had glimpsed the power that lay dormant within Hestia. For a brief moment, silence lingered, pregnant with the weight of his unspoken thoughts. Then, in a voice laden with caution and respect, he whispered, "And dangerous."
"What did you see?" Artemis blurted out, fully aware of her brother's knack for prophetic episodes.
Apollo strolled towards the sacred wellspring of Delphi, his response at the ready. "It's kind of wild, sister. Our beloved aunt may be Olympus incarnate."
"What—" Artemis' eyes widened, but as she saw her brother walking towards the echoes of Fate emanating from the wellspring, growing louder and more chaotic in response to his presence, she instinctively lunged forward. Her hand shot out, reaching for Apollo's shoulder, a warning etched in her voice, "Stop—"
Apollo froze in his tracks, his head slowly turning to meet her gaze. With a flick of his hand, he dismissed the echoes of fate, compelling them to recede into an unsettling calm. His voice carried an eerie confidence as he reassured her, brushing aside her concerns with a single phrase. "It's fine, sister." And without missing a beat, he resumed his determined stride towards the wellspring, his proclamation hanging in the air. "Come and behold your brother claiming the Delphi."
Artemis stood rooted in place, her gaze fixed on her brother's figure for a moment before following him. With each passing second, the truth etched itself deeper into her mind. As she continued to observe him, it became clear why he seemed changed, why he seemed different. The echoes of fate and the ethereal luminescence of the wellspring began their relentless dance, weaving around him in a mesmerising cyclone. The air crackled with an energy that seemed to defy the natural order. It was as if he possessed the power to bend the very fabric of destiny with his mere presence.
Apollo stopped at the precipice of Delphi's wellspring, his hand plunging into its ethereal waters. The air held its breath, a pregnant pause, before an explosive torrent of light burst forth from the wellspring, blazing like searing solar flares, engulfing everything in its path.
Artemis squinted, her eyes stinging against the blinding veil of lights that engulfed everything. With a hand shielding her silver eyes, she strained to see through the dazzling glare.
After what felt like an eternity, Apollo withdrew his hand from the waters. The torrent of brilliance receded, revealing the transformed wellspring of Delphi in all its resplendent auric glory. The once serene waters now flowed like molten gold, bearing the unmistakable imprint of her brother's power.
"Finally finished!" Apollo exhaled, relief lacing his words. He turned to Artemis, his gaze meeting her silver eyes with a faint smile. "This place is hardly befitting of my sacred wellspring, wouldn't you agree, sister?"
"Come to think of it," Artemis responded, wrinkling her nose in distaste, "Python was supposed to be the guardian of Delphi. Yet, look at this wretched place, tainted by its filthy remains."
"Well," Apollo drawled, his voice tinged with disdain. "It was a monster, after all."
Artemis nodded, her gaze flickering back to the gilded wellspring. "True, but at least it had the sense not to desecrate the wellspring itself."
Apollo hummed, his eyes fixed on the shimmering waters, lost in contemplation.
"So," Artemis pressed on, sensing her brother's intentions. "Where do you plan to relocate it? And can you even move it in the first place?"
"Yes," Apollo affirmed, though he still seemed to be deep in thought, his fingers tapping against his chin. "As for its new destination, I have a few places in mind, but we shall see." He extended his hand towards her. "Now, come. Lead me to Olympus."
Artemis clasped his hand, her fingers digging into his palm, their connection grounding her in the moment.
"If somebody asks about the disrupted feed," Apollo's voice came out in hushed tones, "just tell them I meet with the Fates. I don't want to raise unnecessary questions,"
Artemis let out a contemplative hum, but Apollo's words only fuelled her inquisitiveness about the Destiny of Endless. "Remember your words," she pressed, pointing out his previous promise.
Apollo's response came in a flurry of emotions, a blend of resignation and mirth. Chuckling, he replied, "Yes, yes, I will tell you all about the Endless afterwards. Although I must warn you, it won't be a pleasant tale."
Artemis snorted in disbelief, "I think I can handle it, especially when I have a brother like you." She retorted, triggering teleportation to Olympus and specifically aiming for the cosy palace of their aunt Hestia.
Apollo dramatically pressed his hand against his chest, basking in the glow of pale silver light.
Artemis rolled her eyes as the surroundings twisted and warped, and in an instant, they vanished.
—————-
Ascending towards the heavens, Olympus loomed like an untamed behemoth, its craggy peaks veiled in wisps of celestial mist. The sun's fiery rays, unrelenting in their assault, seared the mountain's rugged slopes, casting a molten glow that seemed to seep from the very core of the earth, suffusing the landscape with an otherworldly radiance that defied mortal comprehension.
A celestial city sprawled haphazardly across the boundless firmament of Olympus, an audacious testament to divine audacity. Imposing structures of cold marble and alabaster, their surfaces etched with intricate carvings and elaborate friezes, clawed their way towards the heavens, defying gravity itself in a display of architectural defiance.
These palaces of the gods stood as towering monoliths, their resplendent facades mocking the sun's brilliance, while ethereal gardens burst forth with a profusion of untamed flora, their petals caressed by the tempestuous winds that swept through this realm of raw power.
Waterfalls plunged with unbridled fury down jagged cliffs, their crystalline torrents merging with iridescent pools that shimmered like stolen treasure. The air pulsated with the discordant symphony of celestial birds, their cacophonous songs tearing through the atmosphere, an unyielding reminder of the chaotic beauty that reigned supreme.
'The chaos and unboundedness of this divine realm,' Apollo marvelled, ascending the stairs to the main palace of the gods. 'It truly is the abode of the Olympian Gods.'
With every step, his path was laid bare before the immortal eyes, their gaze unyielding, fixated on him alone. Eager and restless, they wanted to witness his ascent to the hallowed thrones of Olympus. Their eyes, filled with a tumultuous blend of curiosity, envy, and reverence, were directed solely towards him.
Apollo was keenly aware of his fame. From the moment of his birth, nearly all the Goddesses and Titanesses were present, bearing witness to his arrival in the world. His loving grandmother bestowed upon him the name Phoebus, meaning "the bright one," as if foreseeing the greatness that lay ahead. As time went on, his renown only grew, but it was his recent triumph over the Mighty Python and laying claim to Delphi that truly propelled him to new heights.
Yet witnessing it all firsthand still felt somewhat surreal to him. He wasn't really accustomed to such fame, but it was something that was going to follow him from now on.
And so Apollo adapted to the situation, his features radiating warmth and a subtle smile gracing his lips. He didn't go overboard, keeping his expression just right in acknowledgment of the immortal beings around him. He had also dressed himself in attire befitting the gods, utilising his divine powers to make the process a breeze. Being a god certainly had its perks, making mortal life's complexities seem trivial and easily manageable.
His attire consisted of robes woven from threads of the purest gold, cascading in delicate folds that shimmered with every movement. They seemed to capture the very essence of light, emitting a luminous glow that illuminated his divine presence.
Upon his broad shoulders rested a regal mantle of the purest white, crafted from the finest celestial fabrics. It flowed like liquid moonlight, embracing his form with an aura of ethereal elegance. And his head was adorned by an auric crown of laurel leaves amidst his flowing golden locks.
With all eyes fixed upon him, Apollo ascended the staircase, his stride ever graceful as he reached the end of the threshold of the grand divine edifice. Before entering, he paused and cast his gaze back down the path he had traversed. At the end stood his mother, her presence a comforting beacon of support, standing with his grandmother. Locking gazes with her son, she bestowed upon him a warm smile, and her nod was an affirmation of her unwavering encouragement.
Returning her nod, Apollo turned his attention back to the imposing edifice before him, his figure bathed in the rays of the sun. As he stepped forward, a figure emerged from within—a Titaness of unparalleled stature. It was none other than Themis, the divine ruler of Law, Order, and Custom.
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