A long silken ruby red train floated into the enormous room as the goddess Pythia entered her sanctuary. When she had been informed by her guards that a son of Zeus had entered her realm at dawn, the goddess had her trepidation.
Could this be yet another trick the ever devilish Ares was playing with her? He was the one Olympian to visit more than twice in the last four hundred years and it was always some ploy to trick her into helping him with some no doubt brutish endeavour. She had fallen for it once and it had resulted in an intense confrontation that left her with an ugly scar on her right thigh and a lashing from Hera in defence of her son. Needless to say, Pythia did not trust Olympians and even less their plots and schemes.
The goddess enjoyed her time in leisure and the occasion of stealing souls of her guests that are too foolish to head warnings for greed or hubris. If this was in fact a trick then she would thoroughly enjoy the bliss of sucking the soul of the handsome prince, Zeus' wrath be dammed.
Her fiery red eyes focused on the kneeling figure in the middle of the room impressed he could still hold himself up with the dreadful condition he appeared in. If she didn't know better she would think him a simple desperate mortal.
"…well well well look what we have a here, to what do I owe the pleasure of hosting the son of the Allfather in my humble domicile?" Leodocus wheezed out-breath after breath as he braced himself on the hard stone floor he was kneeling on. He had finally made it, he was inside Pythias' castle and had been granted an audience with the deity.
"I…am most grateful to have earned your time."
"And I am most impressed with your abilities to confront my elemental beasts." To hear her words even said in a monotone and cold voice was a point of pride inside Leodocus. He had done this completely on his own and made it to the other side fairly unscathed.
"I am most humbled by your kind words lady Pythia." The goddess lifted her hand as a servant came in awaiting a command. Leodocus turned his head up only slightly to get a look at the girl. She was a plain girl in a plain grey modest dress and he could sense she was mortal but what caught his attention were her eyes. They seemed to be vacant and looking in the direction of her lady's voice. He realised then that she was blind, most likely a direct consequence of being in the service of Pythia. If he had to take a guess, she traded her eyesight and her life to be able to keep her soul when she foolishly looked into the goddess' eyes
Unfortunate girl.
"This is a special guest Olla, please take his majesty to the guest quarters to get some rest. He must be incredibly weary." Pythias' booming voice ripped him from his reverie.
"Oh no my lady I don't have the time---"
"You come into my realm without warning, which if I understand correctly is a condition of your banishment…yet you would refuse my hospitality?"
Leodocus gulped nervously, he had been taught that the goddess took respect and decorum seriously. He had to take back his almost blunder and make her feel as important as she is before he was cast out of this world with nothing or worse…turned over to Olympus.
"Lady Pythia I meant no disrespect, I am grateful to accept your invitation to recuperate.."
"Wonderful. I must say whatever has brought you here is making me very curious but we shall discuss such matters at a later time. You shall join me tomorrow morning."
"Not tonight my lady?"
"Of course not, silly prince! It is late and I simply must get my beauty sleep." She said unceremoniously walking out.
As Leodocus was lead out of the room and down the dark halls of this fortress, he could not help but take note of why a goddess who no ever wishing to look at being concerned with something as trivial as beauty. If Methios were here he would surely mumble about that irony.
"There are fresh clothes laid for you, another servant shall bring you a hot meal and our finest wine."
"Thank you, Olla was it?"
"Yes, majesty." She nodded, opening the second door in the large room, the bathhouse. Leodocus walked to the bench already feeling relaxed looking into the inviting water as the steam of the room clung to his clothes. Perhaps he has earned a warm bath---
"What are you doing!?" he jumped back when he felt hands on his shoulders. Olla seemed surprised at his reaction as she gasped.
"M-My lady Pythia commanded me to serve you majesty."
"I am fully capable of undressing myself."
"I see." She nodded and Leodocus' eyes nearly popped out when she began to undo her dress. He reached his hand for her to stop her.
"Olla, please, I do not need this manner of service from you."
"Would you like someone else, there are a few of us here you may choose from majesty?"
He sighed as he made sure to tie Olla's dress back up. He supposed all the stories of men being lured into this realm by all manner of things reigned true.
"Olla, I wish to just relax, on my own and no company. Do you understand?"
"Yes, majesty. I will leave you to it but should you need anything—"
"Thank you for your hospitality Olla." Leodocus gave her a polite smile, she nodded and began to walk out of the room but she stopped at the door.
"Thank you as well majesty." Her soft voice said and she closed the door shut.
Leodocus craned his head taking a deep breath and stripped and in minutes he was fully submerged in the pool. He leaned his head back on the edge as the hot water infused with fragrance and healing oils soaked into his sore body.
He had been bathed, fed and shown comfortable sleeping accommodations but Leodocus was restless. It was safe to say he missed his brothers and was also slightly irate that he would not be having this meeting tonight. The faster this all comes together, the less light;y they would be discovered by Zeus. He never wanted to show the worry he held earlier while bidding his brothers farewell but the prospect of receiving a worse punishment than exile ate at him.
At the feeling of soft silken sheets underneath his bare body, Leodocus was lulled to sleep but he sent one last thought through the Nexus to inform his brothers that he had succeeded and wished them luck with their part of the plan.
*On Earth*
Time and space were suspended as Zargreus watched with disbelief as his brother Athenios flew back in the sky and land in a pile of rubble several feet from them. He felt as if he were in a dream or delusion because even though he didn't share Methios' opinions that this mortal was weak, he couldn't have predicted this display of pure power.
The last time he felt energy this strong was their final day in Olympus and Leodocus fought tooth and nail refusing to be sent away in a fit of blind rage. It took every ounce of strength to restrain him back then and Zargreus looked at this small girl engulfed in godly light in that same way. But he knew the only way himself, his brothers and the mortals of this town could survive would be to subdue her by penetrating her mind.
"Arcus go tend to Athenios now!" Methios commanded as he removed his cloak, tightening his fist and preparing for a fight. The mortal had set a challenge and he was never one to turn away from an honest challenge. He was also fuelled by the anger of seeing his brother hurt by this thing as if he were an insignificant pest.
"What will you do?!" Arcus nervously asked.
"I will distract her so Zar can get close enough to contain her."
"But---" he got cut off by Methios' dangerous glare.
"I SAID GO NOW! Athenios was hit badly and he needs you, brother." Arcus nodded and sprung into the air searching for an injured Athenios. He tried to focus on his brother's aura to find him and fear crept up in his heart that the blast that hit him did some real damage.
"Zar, are you ready for this?" Methios asked the paler looking prince to his left as he steeled himself. He hoped to the gods his brother was not about to show weakness at this most perilous time.
"She is incredible," Zargreus spoke under his breath looking at her rise to the sky as the wind blew harder and her light grew. He could tell even from where he stood that she was being consumed now. She was enraged so she unleashed her powers and now they were protecting her.
"Can you do this brother because once I engage her it will be up to you to subdue her?"
Penetrating a gods' mind was one of the more special gifts Zargreus had been born with and growing up in Olympus many took offence to be mentally violated but that never stopped the prince from mastering his craft. Now was a true test of his strength because if he failed…Zargreus did not even dare to indulge his mind with those consequences. He looked to his brave brother and nodded slowly.
"I am ready."