Same day, at the temple of Poseidon
Ares was talking to one of the mortals, Mike, about the hidden room and the tomb that was there. This mortal through knew who Ares was, for Mike was a decadent of his line but he wasn't born with any gifts. None of his decadents weren't born with gifts, but they did know of the stories passed down about him. He let this current decadent know who he was so he can help him here on Naxos to recover a lost artifact that once belonged to Aeolus. As he was lost in thought he suddenly felt the stone around his neck come to life. The stone hasn't sense anything or anyone in a long time except when he was in the room with Maera earlier this morning. He knew she was more than meet the eye but he couldn't place what it was about her.
He didn't think she was an immortal or a demigod. He had known her the last four years and the stone didn't sense anything from her until today. Now the stone was reacting for the second time to whoever it was that was near him. Ares looked around and saw Maera standing by the temple and she was talking to an older woman who looked familiar but he couldn't place who she was.
"Do you think we will find anything in that room that might be worth something?"
Ares was distracted that he didn't answer Mike back right away. "It's a possibility, just finding the room alone is something. It's been hidden all this time and no one knew anything about it until now. We do have to contact the museum in Athens regarding the find. We just need to get into the tomb itself and see what is buried in there. If my readings are correct then the artifact I've been looking for will be worth a ton of money on the market. We keep this between ourselves. Let's go before the others start to wonder we are."
"Not a problem. Do you think we will have any trouble from any of the other students?"
"No I don't think so, but keep an eye out on Maera."
"Maera? Does she know something that we don't? I know she's been acting different the last few days. She claimed she found some information on the sea nymph who was a seer for the god Poseidon once lived on the island. Could Maera be one of those born with a gift? A decedent of one of the sea nymphs?"
Ares was silent for a moment, for if it was who he was thinking of then it would mean that Maera is someone that is connected to the gods or at least might have gifts of her own.
"Which sea nymph? There were fifty sisters born to Nereus and his wife Doris. Did she mention the name?"
"Her name was Actaea."
Now that was a name Ares haven't heard in a long time. Not since that day thousands of years ago on the beach here on Naxos. That had to be who Maera was talking to then. It had to be her Actaea, what was strange was that she had aged. What he remembered was that his uncle Poseidon had cursed her to live forever with her guilt of not able to save Aeolus. He had to look into it further and see if she was still on the island, and to know if Maera was who he thought she was.
"Do you think we will get trouble from Maera?"
"I don't think so but best to keep an eye on her, and see what she may know. Let's go head back inside before the others wonder where we are. When Maera comes in just watch her and see how she reacts to when we open the tomb. She acted strange earlier with me when she and I were in there together. Something that she saw that was written on the side of it that had her rattled."
"Does she know? That you're not who you say are."
"No I don't think she suspects anything but if she has been acting different the last two days something may have changed."
Ares and Mike then turned around and both headed back to the main steps of the temple. It was only a matter of time and he would know who Maera was.
Later that day at the market on Naxos…
Amphitrite had left Maera and now she made her way to the main market to see Actaea. She had to let her know what was going on and that Ares was here on the island. Ares was a dangerous immortal for his time in the past, and he still is especially that he possessed one of the stones. If he got ahold of the sword there wouldn't be any way she could stop him. Amphitrite knew she would have to contact Poseidon and perhaps try to find a way to contact his brother Zeus. It was late afternoon the sun was still out when she finally got to the market.
She made her way thru the stalls until Amphitrite felt her stone pulsated. She knew that she was close in finding her sister, even though Actaea was born a sea nymph she was cursed to live forever with her guilt of not being able to save Aeolus who like a son to her. The stone recognized her as an immortal. Amphitrite stopped and found Actaea's stall which had all kinds of jewelry displayed in front. It had been a very long time since she has seen her. To let Poseidon curse her own sister and then watching her lose everything dear to her was too much to bear. Amphitrite didn't know how her sister will react when she saw her.
She then stood directly in front of her sister's stall, and took a deep breath. It was now or never had she thought. Then she saw her sister Actaea standing behind the display table and she was talking with a customer. Once she was finished Actaea turned around and saw her sister standing there. Neither one have seen each other in a long time. Not since that day centuries ago when her beloved Lysander died at sea.
"Hello sister, it's been a long time."
"Actaea, it has been a really long time."
"If you're here after all this time it can't be anything good. Why don't you come around and we can talk."
Amphitrite walked to the stall and followed her sister to the back so they could talk in private. Her sister motioned for her to take a seat and Actaea sat down across from her.
"You showing up here after all this time can only mean something has happened."
"You're right, it seems like each time we have seen each other it never turns out so well. I had a chance today to meet Maera."
"You what? Why would you go to see her? The poor girl has been thru enough and to only recently learn what her destiny is to be."
"I had to see her and tell her how sorry I was for letting things happen to her and her family. She has to know that everything will be alright when she is to end up in the past. I feel even worse for you sister for what Poseidon has done to you. It wasn't right for what my husband did to you. It wasn't enough for him to just curse you but curse your daughters as well. Then to curse all female decedents too."
"Don't forget about my beloved Lysander. Your husband brought that storm in the morning my beloved goes on his boat." Actaea had long ago learned to move on from his death but then there were some days that she thought of the past like now and the pain still lingered. Actaea took a deep breath and looked at her sister. She knew she couldn't blame Amphitrite she did try to get Poseidon to change his mind but the god of the sea was bent on revenge.
"After what happened Poseidon was obsessed in finding out who had gave Otto the blade. Once he realized it was his own brother Hades and nephew Ares he sought them out. I couldn't be with him any longer for that's all he could think about was his revenge. It consumed him day and night. I left him and went back to our father and sisters in the sea. I could no longer be with him after everything he had done."
"I never blamed you Amphitrite. I know that Poseidon was hell bent on avenging Aeolus's death. I lost so much that day, not just losing a son, but I had to leave behind my grandson Drakon and Maera. This island was my home, and I went into self-exile because of what happened."
"I never wanted that to happen to you Actaea."
"I know sister, and I have long ago accepted what has happened, and I just live in this moment. Especially that I am cursed to live for eternity. I have tried to move on and live a simple life. All I ask of you though is leave Maera be, the girl has been bombarded the last two days with so much knowledge of the past. She needs time to process all of it. You being here after all this time can't be good news. Why are you really here?"
Amphitrite took a deep breath, for she knew she had to tell her sister what she found out today when she and Maera were at the temple. "I did come here to see you and to warn you."
"Warn me about what? Is it Poseidon again or another god that's scheming and plotting for more power. Even though there aren't many of them left."
"It has to do with Ares. He's still alive, and has been hiding among the mortals Actaea. This whole time he has been hiding in plain sight, and he has one of the stones. He is passing himself off as a mortal and as a history professor of ancient Greece." Amphitrite looked at her sister to see how she would take the news. Actaea was silent for a few moments taking in what her sister just said.
"This whole time he's been hiding in plain sight? I cannot believe that he is clever to do pull something like that off. Were the other gods not able to sense him here on Earth?"
"He not only stole one of the stones, but Eros cloak of invisibility. That is how he was able to hide undetected."
"Which stone? Not the one out of the three that were made to enhance one's powers?"
"Yes, he stole the black obsidian stone. It was right after his battel with Poseidon. Ares and Hades thought if the two of them would join forces they believed they could defeat the god of the sea. What they didn't count on was Poseidon's rage over the death of his favorite son. He was out for revenge and he wasn't stopping until both were dead. They battled on the beach, the sky became so dark, and the sea raged against them. All three fought fiercely and many believed two gods against one would be an easy fight.
It wasn't though, not when one of those gods was filled with rage. Hades was badly injured even though he and Ares both had the upper hand. He didn't possess a stone like Ares did, one that can regnant and the wearer. Hades then fled half way thru the battle knowing he couldn't defeat his brother.
He was then branded as a coward, and shunned by those on Mount Olympus. Ares knew that if Hades could be defeated he had no chance of surviving, so he too fled but he was able to steal the stone during a brief moment when Poseidon was injured by Hades during their battle. After their battle no one had seen Ares nor Hades for both went into hiding. Hades retreated back to the underworld where he has remained to this day in time."
"Ares hid himself among the mortals all this time, because he knew he couldn't defeat his uncle. He passed himself as a mortal to hide from the others."
"Not only did he hid himself, but he has been using the stone over the years by absorbing other demigod's powers. He has become too powerful and has lived for longer than he should because of the stone. That is why I went to meet Maera. I had to warn her for she needs to know what she is up against here in this time and in the past. I came to warn you as well sister. Ares has become far more dangerous."
"We can't stop him Amphitrite, even though you may have one of the stones but if his stone can absorb other's powers. Yours can only heal the wearer, and Maera has the other stone. Thank the gods Ares does not possess all three for together would make him truly unstoppable. Those stones should have been destroyed long ago. You must contact your husband and any other gods that are still alive after all this time."
"I haven't spoken to Poseidon in almost twenty years, but I do know how to contact him. He will come and do his best to stop Ares. If there is anyone left of the old gods he will contact them. I did warn Maera as well and told her to not be alone with him. I don't think he knows who she is or he would have stolen her powers long ago. I know she is to travel to the past in two weeks, hopefully he doesn't realize who she is until after that."
"Pray to the old gods that she will be safe until then and that he won't realize who she really is. Thank you sister for coming here even though it's been a long time I am really happy to see you. Is any other of our sisters still alive, or our parents? Any family left at all?"
"Sadly our parents are no longer in this world but a few of our sisters are alive still."
Maera was silent for a moment, a part of her knew that some of her loved ones were no longer alive. She had hoped to one day see them again but she didn't keep her hopes up. A part of her knew for a long time, and now her sister was here telling her of her parent's fates.
"Are you going to be alright sister?"
"I'll be alright. A part of me always seemed to know what happened to them. I just thought I would see them again, but being cursed there wasn't a way to see them."
"I am truly sorry sister that you have been alone for a long time. I wish that things would have turned out differently."
"That was in the past, now we must focus on the present and stop Ares from finding out who Maera is. We have to make sure she ends up in the past for that is her density. Do what you must to contact your husband and prey that the other gods who are left will help stop Ares."
"I will, and I wish us seeing each other would be under better circumstances. I'll be back soon and we can catch up with each other. When I spoke with Maera earlier she said she would come and see you in the next day or two. I hope she is alright? She went back to the temple but she isn't alone with Ares. There were other mortals with her, and I don't Ares would try anything. But they did find Drakon's tomb and buried with him if I remember correctly with Aeolus's sword."
"Gods, if Ares gets his hands on that sword and with him being in possession of one of the stones, he unstoppable. Not even Poseidon nor Zeus will be able to stop him. Pray to the old gods that he doesn't, and Maera will be safe long enough here in this time before she travels back in the past."