For a while, I would gain and lose consciousness every few seconds. I heard two female voices chattering and bickering. Something about my wounds, and...Ogygia?
When I came to, I was on a bed, wrapped in bandages. I was happy to be alive considering my condition. I couldn't feel my body, only capable of watching the two women force feed me. For what felt like years, my body was so broken I couldn't feel pain. It caught up to me when I got better, though, which kept me up all night until the women applied some sort of cream on my wounds, although it still hurt a bit.
How long had I been here? It felt like an eternity, with the constant sunlight tricking me into thinking the day never ended. But it reflected the sense of stillness I felt about the place as a whole, as if it never rotated along with the Earth and stuck in one state.
I did think about where I was, but I couldn't find and answer. I thought back to several myths, but the pain made it difficult to concentrate. I also felt like I lost half my body weight. A look in the mirror adjacent to my bed confirmed that, which only got worse as the days passed on, but I was able to move my limbs again.
I gradually remembered the last few moments before I clocked out, and dashed off to find Helen and Elena. But I was a hospital patient that just got out of a coma, so my legs were wobbly, and my brain was telling me I went in an ultra-fast merry-go-round for too long. I hope whoever nursed me back to health didn't have ulterior motives. Hopefully, I didn't land on Zeus's secret resort.
I met the two women at the door with my legs shaking. "Prépei na eísai sto kreváti!" one of them shouted. I complied as the other helped me back to my bed, relieved I wouldn't have to do it by myself. I didn't think I could.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"Ogygia," the other woman replied as she applied ointment to my skin. "You can relax. No harm will come to you here."
"Thank you for healing me. How did you find me?"
"You landed here with nearly all your bones broken," the woman who shouted at me said as she chanted a healing spell on me. "Your wounds have healed very quickly. Perhaps I was wrong before, although you're still severely wounded."
"I was with two other people before. Do you happen to-"
"Yes, they were also in critical condition. Rest assured, they're doing fine now...although they're in much better shape; you still can't get out of bed yet."
"Um, if you don't mind, may I know your names?"
"Yes. I'm Vasiliki, and the woman who shouted earlier is Angeliki."
"Ok, Vasiliki, where is Ogygia?"
"That's...a good question," she smiled.
"Is that something to smile about? How do you not know where you are?"
"Well," Angeliki chuckled, "Ogygia is an island detached from the rest of the world. Usually, only the gods come visit. Mortals seldom crash in here. This is the first time more than one came, though."
"Yes," Vasiliki nodded. "This is the first time I've seen a woman from the outside. Two of them."
"You've never seen women before?"
"Oh, we have, but that was before we came here. We haven't left since."
"Why not?"
"Because our master Calypso is stuck here as punishment."
They told me their story as they used healing magic on me. They were also nymphs and Calypso's friends who fought in the war alongside her, serving as her attendants. When the Titans lost, they ran away to avoid punishment, leaving Calypso behind, and later pled with the gods to be sent here after hearing their friend had been alone for a century. Hearing Calypso say she thought they were dead only added to their guilt, and they resolved to be with her forever then.
Calypso....she forced Odysseus to be her husband, keeping him trapped here until Athena persuaded Zeus to let him go. But Elena's people were also savages who killed their husbands just for cheating on them, according to the myths. Regardless of how true her myth was, I would have to meet her myself to see how she was.
But back to the present. When I could walk, the sisters showed me around the place.
The island was beautiful. It was surprisingly small, just big enough for a town of no more than three hundred people, nothing like the vast Isles of Lemnos. It was a prairie with a forest at one end and a beach at the other. It predominantly consisted of grassy flatland with some small hills here and there. The gentle breeze, along with the scenery, gave a sense of coziness.
But its barrenness created a chasm of emptiness. However pretty the area was, it was engulfed in an eerie silence that stretched for miles since it was mostly uninhabited. The breeze was soothing, but it also felt unnatural, like it belonged elsewhere and was forced this way. The water at the beach never moved, with not even a ripple showing. And with how it contrasted with the prairie, it seemed as if three different parts of the world had been forcefully merged somewhere high above and glued there. Glued there so well that it stayed there as the rest of the Earth spun along, for it was always daytime, and time seemed to be glued too.
While Angeliki and Vaseliki lived in the plains, Calypso lived near the forest, often conversing with the animals there. The sisters offered to take me to her, but I declined. Helen and Elena came first.
When we got back, they were awake and mostly fine, with only a few bruises. Elena had a broken arm, but that was much better than a broken body, thank god.
I told them where we were. "We take that boat to get out of here, right?"
Elena nodded. "Yes, but..." She pointed to the sisters, begging us to stay with their stares. Helen wanted to befriend them. I sighed. I guess we're on vacation now. We'd probably die if we went back to Earth, anyways. We weren't ready to face monsters yet, and especially not me.
Elena wanted to speak with Calypso. I went with her, wanting to see what the nymph was like. And hoping she wouldn't be our enemy.
Calypso lived in a humble abode. The wooden house was ordinary - nothing stood out - plain as the grasslands on the island she lived in. The supposed goddess lived like a middle-class American, not like...well...as a goddess should, in a gigantic palace erected with imposing pillars and opulence like her counterparts on Olympus did. The only thing that was of note was the fact that the kitchen, tables, chairs, and stairs inside all felt out of place, reflecting the island itself.
Calypso was a woman of average height. She had plain black eyes and hair and wore a bland white dress. The only jewelry she had on was a pearl necklace, which was also ordinary. She didn't look so different from other white women I'd see in New York City. I couldn't believe she was a goddess.
"Is my simplicity jarring to you?" Calypso smiled. Even though she looked like a typical adult, her eyes had power that didn't belong. But they weren't terrifying like Zeus's(although you get used to it eventually), showing a hospitality and life that the king of the gods very much lacked.
"I apologize. Don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't expect a goddess to be like this."
"Is it because of the myths you humans tell about me?"
"Well, after seeing their homes, I expected every god to be drowning in gold."
"Yes, Olympus is the epitome of luxury. But I'm also a nymph, and while some of us marry into nobility or royalty or even godhood, most of us live similarly to how I do. In a simple, humble abode in the forest."
"Dryads live in the trees in the forest, though. Not in a house in the forest."
She smiled. "I suppose you're right about that. But I'm not that kind of nymph. Would you and your friend like some tea?"
"Why'd you wanna see her?" I asked Elena as I sat down. "Do you two know each other?"
"I landed here before. About a thousand years ago, I think?"
"You old witch-"
"Watch it," Elena elbowed me. "I may be old, but Artemis granted my people immortality. I may be a goddess in mortal form."
"Someone's sure full of themselves. About the curse...didn't Aphrodite also give everyone a foul odor? What happened to that?"
"Artemis pleaded to Zeus. He likes her enough to spoil her here and then."
"And he pressured the love goddess to undo the curse? The world's biggest infidel? Aphrodite didn't seduce him like the goddess of love and sex she was?"
Elena laughed. "Goes to show that he is the king of the gods. Or that he can be, sometimes."
"Yes...the more you talk about your past, the more I think the gods were different back then. As if the ones we know now are phonies."
"They weren't so great back in the past, either."
"They seemed to care more than they do now."
"About what?"
"Everything. They seemed a little compassionate then. Now they sit on their thrones all day, doing who knows what. The only time they intervened was when Kronos came back - it was too late then. And they likely did it only because they couldn't ignore it any longer."
"Perhaps - but I don't see it. The gods might care less now, but they've never cared much. When you're an immortal all-powerful being, you start thinking you're above the world. And you are. Until you get subjugated by someone more powerful."
"Probably because nobody can hold them accountable. But in that case, why do we let gods rule over us then?"
"What kind of question is that? You think we had a choice?"
"What would happen...if we took Olympus for ourselves or forced the gods to give us a say?"
"They're still far more powerful than us. Forget about them; demigods like yourself are too much for humanity to handle. Especially you, with what fate you have. Even the gods can do nothing but pray."
"But here we are, leading a war against them."
"For new gods, yes. And they're leading the effort, not us. As if we could ever be rid of them," Elena bitterly retorted.
"Then why fight against them now?"
"Well, your existence is an opportunity. And after we've helped out, we can negotiate with Kronos and the Titans for favors."
"So, reform's the best we got?"
"Yiannis," Elena sighed. "I know you'll do anything for Helen, but aiming for the sky like Icarus will get both of you killed. You'd ought to stay within the confines of reality." I felt the tension in the air and wanted to calm it, so I changed the subject.
"Mei's going to murder us once she finds out we've taken a little break to hang out during such an important moment."
"It'll be fine. Besides, I might be able to help Calypso now."
"Help her do what?"
"Get back into the real world."
Calypso came back with the tea. "Sorry about that. I was cooking some fish I caught in the forest."
"That's alright," Elena took a sip. "The two of us had quite a lot to talk about."
But we never talked about how to set Calypso free. Or how she's even trapped here. Or whether she even wants to go. So I might as well ask.
"Hey, Calypso, I've been wondering why you can't leave this place."
"I can't leave because I'm under house arrest."
"So the gods are forcing you to stay here."
Calypso nodded. "Tartarus if I don't."
"And they haven't changed their mind about it?"
"I did rebel against them, after all."
"And you're Atlas's daughter," Elena interjected. "He earned the fury of the gods, who sought to inflict it on you."
"Unfortunately, yes. And I was an easy target. I'm not a Titan general, after all."
"So they lock you up here," I muttered.
"It's not so bad. I can live in relative peace, and Artemis seldom visits. Hermes brings me gifts. Apollo too, but only to woo me."
"That last one sounds bad."
"Horrible. I used to enjoy my time with the other two, but now I don't feel like seeing any of them. Except Artemis, but she hardly comes now."
"I see. Would you ever want to leave, even if it's just to see her or anyone else?"
Calypso was rattled momentarily, rupturing her calm aura. She quickly regained composure and shook her head. "I admit to being lonely, but I consider this place my home. And leaving would incur the wrath of the gods, who'll surely go after my servants, who are like sisters to me."
"If the gods weren't stopping you?"
"Then..." She wouldn't look me in the eye, but her body said it all. Her trembling, her clenched fists wanted to burst out of the artificial stillness of this place, this cage up above. But now wasn't the time to dig deep into her past.
"Sorry. I asked some personal questions after all you did for us. You don't have to answer me."
"You can tell what I want, Yiannis, either way, can't you?"
"Sorry. I won't pry anymore."
"Well, perhaps I can ask you about the world below?"
"Sure. By the way, I was wondering if the forest ended or not. Does it stop, or does the island expand forever?"
Calypso got up. "Better if I show you. Follow me."
The forest wasn't barren like the rest of the island. Abundant lively animals sprung about, from squirrels to frogs to cape buffalos to even tigers. Trees mostly covered this region - their shade giving a particular content - was it because it wasn't so empty like back in the grasslands?
And the forest did end. It was as if the gods picked a section of the Amazon and made it rise to the sky. The waters from the rivers were falling - maybe back to Earth?
"Well," Calypso clapped her hands, "this is the end of the forest."
"So it seems," Elena sat down. "The sky is mesmerizing here, isn't it?"
"Yes. It's always stunning in the evening. Please hold on to the goblets I gave you, and don't drop them. Those are priceless gifts from Helios - and the sun may kill you if you let go of them."
"Calypso - how did you get Odysseus out of here?" I asked. "You didn't have him ride the waterfall, did you?"
"I did."
"I see," I gulped. It was going to be a hell of a ride back home then.
Calypso sat next to me. "But enough of here. What's it like down there?"
"Well...since Elena's from your period, I think she can best explain how drastically the world's changed."
"I would still like to hear from you too. Elena?"
"Hypsipyle had a name change." I quickly explained that and then breezed through history to the Industrial Age, and from there, Elena took over, getting to today's globalized age, the variety of shops and commodities one could buy, and technologies like the iPhone and the internet. Calypso became a curious schoolgirl, fascinated and wanting to learn more, just like Elena did when I showed her around NYC. I found myself smiling.
"Calypso, if you go to the human world for a day, will the gods allow it?"
"I'm afraid not, Yiannis. Otherwise, I would've done so already."
"Can I ask how this island gives you immortality?"
"This is an island where time hardly moves. One can live forever here, although, as a nymph, I can live a thousand years anyways."
And die young - so not fair. But that's not important.
"How does time stay still on this island?"
Calypso shrugged. "This place is too old for someone like me to know that."
"But you're old."
"Not old enough. If the gods don't know, perhaps the Titans or Primordials do."
"Maybe Kronos has something to do with it. Well, how about magic? There's a lot I want to know about it."
"That I can help with," Calypso beamed. "But you should know that not everyone is born with the capacity to use it."
"I know. But I only want to know more about it. First off, do demigod powers count as magic?"
"Yes. The powers work the same way spells do when manipulating anima. But most demigods are born with only a few select powers - like their parents - but true magic is limitless."
"And that depends on the parent deity, right? So what about the children of Hestia?"
"They're the only ones that can freely wield magic and use any power they want. But they have to learn many spells - they aren't born with innate abilities like the ones you possess, just the ability to use magic."
"How about everyone else? How come nymphs and monsters can use magic, but humans can't?"
"Many of the beings you mortals refer to as 'mystical' were born out of the union of the Earth and the other primordial gods. Most of the ones you know today descend from Echidna, the mother of all monsters. I'm sure you know those with divine blood can use certain forms of magic, although I don't know why. Humans, on the other hand, were created by the gods to be weak. With so many monsters able to become threats, it wouldn't hurt to make sure there weren't another troublesome species."
"The gods banned us from using magic? How? And why can demigods do it? And aren't gods limited to certain powers? How did they make us?"
"Well, there's no need to rush. You three are staying here for a while, yes?"
For just a moment, Calypso was more radiant than the sun. Was the goblet still protecting me?
"You've been very lonely, haven't you?"
"Yes. Even with Angeliki and Vaseliki, I'm too selfish to be content with just two people. Even though I love them to death."
"How many until you're satisfied?"
"Perhaps as many in that New York City you described. Perhaps even more - perhaps the world."
When Calypso smiled, she was stunning in her way. Even if everyone else was too, hers was among the best smile I've ever seen, besides my sister's. But it also made me wonder - if I failed to overthrow the gods, would Helen and I be separated and forced to be as lonely as Calypso was, to the extent that I'd force the first person I'd see to stay with me forever? Being isolated from my little sister was enough to make me despair.
"We'll be happy to keep you company," Elena grinned. "I wanted to see you again sometime, after all."
"As did I," Calypso hugged her. "You were the first person I ever had fun with since coming here."
I'd just have to hope we didn't break her heart too, and that we would get her out of here.
"Calypso, if you don't mind, could you also teach me to control my powers? I've been barely scraping by with them as it is..."
"Of course. If you promise to never leave."
"How selfish."