ATHENA
Kill me now!
Marlin couldn't shut up for a second, after Dora's mysterious exit right before his eyes, his mouth had been running like a tap. We were at his apartment as he packed up a few things, I painfully agreed with him to move in with me, on the condition he never asked me out again. He was neat guy for an ass, I was always going to think of him as an ass, and he would never know that.
For one, his apartment was well arranged, there was TV bolted to the wall which faced a soft, nice, leather couch, behind the couch was the kitchen which was fairly well stocked and clean, his bedroom was exposed to the right from the living room, a thick mattress on the floor, and surprisingly, a beautiful aquarium with a Black Marlin. I stood by the window, sorting through my thoughts while Marlin packed and ranted about all the possibilities of his revelation to a new dawn.
Jaimie, aka, Zeus, Dora's friend, I saw into his mind from the brief moment I saw into Dora's own mind, his thoughts weren't pleasant. It was jumbled up in a twisted and tangled up way I got fascinated just thinking about it. There was a city he kept thinking of, Mountain Olympus. All his thoughts were focused on building it so badly, and he felt reasonably scared of Dora, not Dora per say, but another being in Dora. Someone Dora wasn't aware of.
"Ellen"
Marlin reached out his hand to string me back from my thoughts, he touched me momentarily on my shoulder. I couldn't explain it, yet I suddenly felt reassured, and less worried. I just smiled at him and led the way out of his apartment.
I was still not over the fact Dora abandoned me in the prime of our lives, how do you introduce a child into this world and not nurture it into adulthood? I kept asking myself this question knowing I was the abandoned child. Marlin would not understand, not yet anyway, he'd just been exposed to this, and so had I in a much more different way.
I believed it was Dora's duty to guide us, and not just bestow such great powers on us. What if one us decided to abuse such power? Who then would stop us, or some mythical creature attacked us, how do we defend ourselves? Blessed with all this power and I still didn't know how to defend myself. All I could do was read minds.
My mom used to say I think too much, unfortunately she was right. Now, it's even worse now that I was Athena.
"What else can you do apart from see into people's mind?"
"I can make people shut up when I want them to"
Marlin swallowed "Okay"
Walking down the street of Boston I kept an eye out for a shimmering ray of Apollo, after about a minute of continuing down the street I see a ray of light on the cobbled street thinning out slowly. I followed the ray slowly but not before I warned Marlin to shadow my exact path, and then I relayed all the facts about Limbo from my mind to his without having to utter a single word.
As we walked through Limbo, Marlin was mesmerized at the rise and fall of buildings, and I explained the mist being a figure of magic.
It didn't take long for us to appear in front of my door, which was ajar mysteriously.
"I have a _"
Bad feeling? Me too. I could hear two voices, one was very raspy like gravels being poured on the ground, filled with terror. The other was really enslaving, more like a warriors' voice. All his thoughts were mostly commands and wicked thoughts. I couldn't see into their minds from this distance. I made a shush sign at Marlin warning him not to make a sound as I walked into the apartment. I took baby steps, cautiously watching out. I was very scared, I felt my own heart thumping against my ribcage, and every fiber of my being urging me to turn back and get the hell out of my own apartment, but also my curiosity got the best part of me. It was like two different personalities living in me. The cautious personality and the curious personality, very antagonizing and such a dilemma.
I reached the kitchen, leaning against the wall, and just as I was about to have a peek at the intruders, I felt this intense fear causing me to be still. My mind and body forcing me not to look, this corrosive fear ate its way into my body, I shook like a phone on endless vibration. My legs paralyzed, my eyes trying so hard to pry. I'd never felt such a crippling feeling before in my life.
"I can smell your fear Athena"
The enslaving voice said, "Now walk towards me"
My legs moved on their own out of the kitchen, the second I laid eyes on him I fell to my knees, and immediately I knew who they were. I knew their history, and I felt so much hatred against them just as they had so much against Athena.
"Fear and Terror" I managed through deep breaths "Also Phobos and Deimos, sons of Ares and Aphrodite."
Phobos growled "That condescending voice, even the new goddess of wisdom has her voice" My wall clock suddenly evaporated into thin air, and six hundred dollars washed down the drain.
Phobos majestically walked towards me, taking in my features, as do I. He was exceptionally grim, scraggly hair, in ancient Greek armour, and very dirty, like he just crawled out of a grave. His dark eyes gazed upon me so much I thought my eyes would explode, his lips were sealed together, and a deep cut was scarred along his cheeks.
Deimos too was of the same description, but he was much calm, with his hand oddly lying on the hilt of his sword, as if the sword and hand were merged together.
"What do you want?" I sheepishly asked, oozing out sweat like I just run a five-thousand-meter race.
"The Chosen must die, before the awakening" Deimos responded
"But first we need something from you"
I had a feeling whatever they needed was not something I would love to give willingly "What exactly do you need?"
Phobos shrugged "We ask the questions here new comer, not you"
I tried to give a yes sir smile but Marlin was so scared I could feel his mind contemplating. There's a million things he was thinking right now, and they all involved running from my apartment. Not even one included him trying to save me. He already concluded I was not going to make it out alive, and to think he planned on going out with me. Who knew Poseidon would be such a coward and self-preserving ass.? oh wait, I did!
Deimos unexpectedly nodded to Phobos, just then he walked out the door, I heard some punches, after that Marlin slumped into the wall in front of me. Should I be worried? Yes I am, but no, I'm not sorry. He deserved it.
"Now that we have a powerful god and goddess, we can begin Deimos"
"Begin what?"
I get smacked on the head by Phobos, you'd think he would not hit a lady but no, I didn't think fear (Phobos) was all about caring for manly manners. It hurt but the pain quickly subsided.
"We'll drain you of your powers and save it for the awakening"
The awakening? Of who? and when was this awakening?
"We should begin Phobos" Deimos ordered
Phobos gently wrapped his hand around my head, my heart beat quickened "Don't worry this will be over in minutes" Phobos assured me "But very painful" Did he just tease me?
"Brace yourself young goddess"
Come on Ellen, Do something before your die
"There's nothing you can do young goddess"
Deimos just sucked out the last of my will and strength with that statement. Deimos began chanting slowly, his voice grew louder. I turned my sights to Marlin, he was unconscious, laying on the floor like a dead body.
Deimos abruptly stopped chanting, the sound of Deimos' sword unsheathing called for my attention. Their guard was up, out of thin air Phobos pulled out an axe.
The slow entrance of smoke from beneath the door caught my eyes. Phobos and Deimos turned to the door, they looked at each other and nod in unison.
'It's them' Phobos said in his mind.
'Of all times' Deimos growled.
The smoke got thicker and once it reached me I felt so cold, sour and lifeless.
Hades
Thanatos
I couldn't think far after I heard those names; by the time I was fully aware of the complete darkness, I got dizzy.
I heard the clanging of swords and axe, then a loud burst of something I couldn't explain, glass shattering like someone has been thrown out my window, a loud cry followed, then another cry followed and then total silence.
What is happening?
In the silence I regained control of my body, the smoke slowly cleared while a gross, suspenseful itch to know who Hades and Thanatos were made my skin crawl. I saw well designed Nike shoes, dark brown, in jeans then suddenly a strapping man standing by the window, dark long hair tied in a ponytail. He turned and I was greeted by a lifeless and colourless face, more like death starring right at me in the face, his facial looks were not stagnant, almost a million dead faces reflecting and at the same time so bottomless I took a step back.
I hit something like a brick wall, then I had to blindly touch the build of a man with hard skin, and muscles. I let go immediately when so much sorrow and pain engulfed me.
First, I felt fear and terror, now death, sorrow and pain. I turned to meet the sparkling young eyes of a guy, man or whatever he was.
Their face just kept shifting and I couldn't even tell if it was their actual faces, but at least I could look him in the eye compared to the other guy (Thanatos, god of death) how do you look death in the face? Hades was more approachable. They didn't speak, only stare at me with so much fascination I'm creeped out.
"You must be Hellen" Thanatos broke the wheel of awkward silence, even his voice was sizzled.
"It's Ellen" I wasn't even sure if that was necessary.
"I'm Hades, but you already know that. You can call me CJ" I faced him, still making out the lot of his faces, I tried to smile like okay.
"I'm John"
The soft moan of Marlin suddenly drew our attention, I run next to him and helped him up. He was dazed, and his face swollen, like lumps of boils on his face, now I actually felt sorry for him.
"You okay?"
"I'll live" he groaned.
Thanatos, sorry John, knelt next to him and touched his forehead, next thing I know Marlins face was back to normal.
"Poseidon, you are weak" Hades said.
Oh believe me, he's not just weak, he's an ass, a coward and a bitch if I may add.
Hades raised him like a piece of paper and I just admired the brazen confidence of CJ, Marlin looked like a baby ready to piss himself.
"We'll mould you into the god you're meant to be" Hades said "Soon"
"Thank you" I interrupted
CJ dropped Marlin "You were with Dora moments ago, where is she?" the urgency in his voice only made me wish I knew the answer to that question.
"She left us to fend for ourselves"
Thanatos chuckles
"Classic Dora"
You see, even the god of death knows.
"We lost her again" Hades murmured.
DAMN IT
I heard from him "What's the urgency?" I dared ask
"There's anomalies rising everywhere, old souls that need to stay dead are resurrecting, hunting the chosen gods and goddess."
"We killed two gorgons, now Deimos and Phobos are doing the hunt." John cut in "We know for a fact they plan on resurrecting a titan but we don't know which one"
"The awakening" I whispered
"Yes"
"How many Titans are there?" Marlin chipped in.
I almost forgot he existed for a moment there.
"More than you know" John answered.
"And Dora can stop them?" I asked.
CJ exchanged glances with John, a benign pause and then a moment of contemplation, he was doubting me.
I'm the goddess Athena, I see into minds and yet still they try to act like they can hide their secrets. This is too much.
"Not Dora per say" Hades said.
"The Big Guy"
"Who is that?" Marlin asked, feeling like the odd one out.
"Jaimie"
Hades surprisingly glared at me like How did you know?
"I may know where Dora is heading to, but I can't get us there"
"Leave that to us" John said with an upbeat voice, which is enlightening. At least he's got spark.
If I was thinking right and I saw the importance of Jaimie to Dora, then I'm sure she was returning to that hospital he was in. The thought of seeing Dora again made the hairs on my skin stand with joy.