It was cold and dusty, and the scent of wet earth lingered in the air.
There was sunlight from high above, seemingly floating on a void of darkness, to which its origin remained concealed. Pitch black as the starless night, low-spirited as the moonless heaven as conveyed on the aura that appeared to cage someone out from its freedom.
There were no walls, no floors, and nothing from any hither-tither. Athena walked a long road with confusion in her head. She observed her surroundings more, but not a thing manifested to at least offer her some clue.
As if bound to a gag on her lips, she could not speak. The silver-eyed maiden was maimed and forced to swallow every call that her mouth would form, remaining in painful silence as she walked the endless road of uncertainty.
A dream, perhaps? For there was no other reason she could be in that foreboding scenario. But lost could be the perfect word to describe what she felt. Desolation seemed to be crossing into her reality. A dreamlike state, though the darkness that enveloped her became tangible.
"What is this place?" She wondered, gaining only the same bellowing silence since she opened her eyes.
She walked for more steps, seeking rest and perhaps an answer. Her feet pranced on an invisible pavement as she calmly sought the end of the tunnel. However, as she marched forth, the light that seemed to follow her gradually illuminated at its highest point—blinding her along the way and making her pause on her endeavor.
Once the darkness dispelled, sparkling wisps appeared and rounded Athena until her body shined, and her eyes could see no more.
There was a struggle, yet it slowly became like a dance as she glided above gravity. Hands gracefully raised towards her sides—she was like a high-praised offering, raised to the heavens so the gods could receive the earth's remarkable gift.
Brighter and even more blinding—the light that once was little became as large as the sunshine, turning everything into plain white and warm. No more did Athena's silver eyes see, only sensing the melted abyss that softly burned her skin and bones until nothing became of her.
Until the body turned ash—
And until—
"What?" She gasped, fluttering her lashes briskly as she eased her rapid breaths. "Where—where am I?" She pondered as she looked around to see a downtrodden place.
The wall was of plundered corals, mossed by time, and there above was a lone window that permitted little rays inside the gloomy and small space. As the fair maiden stood, she realized both hands were chained, restricting every movement.
"Wha—why am I—this does not make sense?" She blurted out while trying to pull the chain with her strength.
But as she pulled harder, her brute vigor no longer matched the binding shackles forged by mortal hands. She tried harder and harder, accumulating sweat on her forehead and rose color on the tips of her fingers—yet all exerted force only received a payment of failure and exhaustion.
Athena gave up and sat on the damp ground, pondering all possibilities of what would happen to her. She could not fathom the humiliation she gained, knowing her small strength once could easily break a mortal's chains—but now, something has changed. The tides had moved on to another course.
Sensing the dread of a dried hope, she called out to someone who could hear her. "I am here! Please!"
Passing winds replied for the first seconds. After which, scuffles followed through, tingling the ears of the imprisoned maiden.
"Khaire! I am here! Anyone out there?" She called again.
Somehow, there was another silence. The shuffled noises, what seemed to be pairs of feet carefully stomping behind the bolted iron door, faded. But Athena knew she was not hallucinating.
Battered by stacked misfortunes, she sat back and leaned her head against the wall, stretching her mind on how she could leave the claustrophobic space she unknowingly went into.
***
"Your Grace," A soldier bowed after hurriedly presented himself. "The prisoner is awake." He added.
"Oh—" A long pause settled in, slowly painting a crafty smile on Enyo's face. "Is she? That is such a marvelous news. Call for Eris."
The soldier bowed again and immediately actioned the goddess's demand.
Once the doors were closed, Enyo sparked some joy as she walked away from the large window. "Fascinating. The tart is awake. Ha! She survived the stabbing. She is one hell of a solid rock." She chuckled while thinking about morbid things she could do to her jailbird.
No sooner after she requested an audience, Eris came with one brow arched in wonderment. "What is it now, Enyo?"
"Athena is awake." She solidly replied.
"Awake? I thought she was dying by now."
"I do not know her state, but a soldier informed me she is awake."
Eris stared at the floor and added, "I thought your dagger was laced with poison?"
"Oh, indeed. The powerful kind." Enyo emphasized.
Eris raised her head and responded with a contented sigh, suggesting a slight skepticism. "Well—that lady is a tough one. I was under the impression that after we destroyed Athena's gem, she would die immediately."
"Let us not forget that Ares pulled her away once my dagger cut through her flesh. Perhaps by that action, my poison had not penetrated through."
"The change in him has become apparent. Did you notice it, Enyo?" Eris interrogated. Upfront and downcast, she intently stared at the other goddess as she continued, "Something morphed. He is not the Ares we know. He was showing signs of softness—especially to Athena." She then covertly grinned.
Enyo's face soured. "It does not mean anything."
"Then why did he grab her when you stabbed her? Why did he dance with her on the night the constellation of the charioteer was born? Have you noticed the way he looked at her?"
"Enough with your innuendo!"
"Ha! Ha!" The goddess of discord taunted, "Oh, poor little Enyo—still hoping to capture his attention? That is so sad to hope against hope."
Raged by her jeer, Enyo bolted towards her, closing almost the space between their faces. "I said enough! Athena is alive because she may have had a desire to live. Ares did not care for her nor showed soft emotion towards her. He had a purpose for all his actions. I knew not what it was, but he had a reason."
Their eyes met in madness: brown eyes versus brown, emanating each to own's omnipotence.
Eris held on to her hunch, closing in on Enyo as she roughly whispered her reason, "I know I am right this time, Enyo. And I know that you know I am right!
Enyo snarked and retorted, "You do not know what you are talking about Eris. All I heard was a mumble of a jealous woman who knew she could not win a competition. If I were you, you better hush and prepare for the coming hour's merriment."
***
Still seated on the damp floor, Athena quietly organized her thoughts as she let her head rest for a little while.
She could not remember how she got to where she was. The last moment she recalled was the blurry shadow and the pang on her back. Athena then let her hand traverse to her right side, and there it was—the pain stung so much that she even felt the wound protruding through her ripped robes.
Her face scrunched from the throbbing discomfort. She carefully rubbed her skin, and once she lifted her hand, dried blood had ornated the tips of her fingers.
"What was happening? Who did this? This is too much, and I still have no answer for everything!" She moaned between her teeth, gritting the frustration of all mounted confusion.
Some minutes passed, and footsteps suddenly broke the harrowing misery. Once Athena heard it, the piteous maiden jolted from her rest and listened to inspect whether she was hearing it correctly or not.
Indeed, pitter-patters were closing in. And with that, Athena rose to her feet and prepared herself as she apprehensively arranged the pleats of her lower fabric.
"At last! Someone behind that door." She groaned but with growing ease and hopefulness.