Chapter 12
Shadow
Agleaming haze settled on Olympus, covering each unique structure like an ominous secret no one even dared to speak aloud.
As the wispy mist of the night played with the shadows of each building, causing them to shift and change form, there was one of them that seemed to defy the ethereal manipulation of the night.
The night was calm, but only Shadow could feel the underlying uproar caused by the god’s mischief, Shadow thought as he finally stopped in front of the imposing God of Love’s home.
He still felt a stirring of anger that he couldn’t follow Zeus to his secret meeting in the Underworld. His curiosity regarding Zeus’s plans intensified after observing his overly intimate interaction with Thalira Lunara.
However, the recollection of his secret rendezvous with Hades was something he wouldn’t be able to let pass. He would watch the king in secret to understand what scheme he was planning behind the other gods’ backs.
A thought persisted, and he understood its resolution hinged on following his intuition and extensive knowledge.
He took note of all the times Eros would glance at Artemis, as if he was trying to convey a secret message to her.
A clandestine exchange had transpired between them, and though their unusual behavior went unnoticed by others, Shadow observed everything.
Just as he was on the verge of diving deep into his persistent thoughts, the enormous red door of the house swung open. Eros crossed the threshold, and the gentle warm wind caused his linen shirt to shift, revealing more of his chest as it delicately clung to his body beneath the fabric.
Shadow was able to tell that Eros was feeling overwhelmed, based on his behavior and the way he was carrying himself. While he was known to enjoy walking while deep in thought, Shadow was still curious about his reason on this particular day.
Your eyes betray a truth that you cannot conceal, my beloved god.
Keeping his shoulders straight, he walked down the marble paved alley.
Let’s see where you are heading.
As he let Eros get farther away from him, Shadow lingered closer to the god, analyzing each movement of his imposing body, but staying far enough away to keep him from realizing he was there.
Each time his feet hit the earth, he would turn his shoulders to the side, then to the opposite side, and he looked around at everything in his vicinity, noticing every single detail. He walked swiftly and without delay to the alley where his home was.
Curious thing, indeed.
As Eros moved, his steps revealed a blend of both uncertainty and excitement, each footfall both cautious and quick. The subtle tension lurking behind every movement of his body betrayed Eros’s underlying hidden motivation.
Eros navigated the space like a shadow, weaving through the buildings that overlooked the marble alley. Eventually, he strode on the path that led to the residence of none other than the Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild herself.
Is your visit to your best friend’s house resulting in a surge of such various emotions?
Intriguing.
With each step he took, he got closer to the gate that divided Artemis’s wooded domain from the surroundings of Olympus.
Bathed in the gentle light of the moon, the forged silver and steel took on a radiant sheen.
The tips of the stags and the bowstrings appeared as though they were reaching upward to connect with the gleaming constellations in the sky.
The silent opening of the gate created a soft echo that traveled through the sturdy tree trunks as Eros finally entered the area. Beyond all the forged metal, cypress trees rose like sentinels into the sky, their roots subtly emerging from the black ground.
“Greetings, argyrós*.” Eros’s voice caught Shadow’s attention as he crept closer to him, causing him to notice the imposing silhouette of a stag coming out from behind a myrtle bush.
Artemis’s divine messenger, the creature that was born from the first moonbeam that ever touched the gods’ world. The only of its kind.
The creature got closer to the god, its moonlit antlers glowing as the moon caressed them with its gleaming light. His furry coat reflected the light as if silver liquid dripped from each strand. His eyes, pools of pure white, focused on Eros, carefully assessing him.
With a cautious movement, he tilted his head, inviting Eros to pat him, and he let out a vague, soft whisper that rolled through the woods. Eros’s hand gently caressed the silky strands of hair covering his head, and the stag closed his eyes, enjoying the touch of the god.
What a heartwarming scene but I am not here to see you petting magical creatures—I want to see the reasoning behind your strange behavior.
Eros’s lips coiled into a tender smile as he resumed his walk toward Artemis’s mansion.
Finally.
Moving past the tall trees, his vision fixed on a building not far ahead. Situated in the heart of the forest, her house was enormous, old, and surprisingly, vibrantly alive.
Distinct from the other gods’ houses, Artemis’s residence possessed high columns of pale stone that gleamed like the bones of the earth itself.
The dark green ivy coiled up around them, while every wall seemed to hum with the wild rhythm of the forest surrounding it.
This was the temple and refuge of the Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild herself, and although it was not the typically opulent palace that most of the other gods owned, it was indeed a sacred place.
Eros made his way into the house without knocking, and Shadow trailed behind him, ready to devour any secret that he and Artemis were keeping.
Without waiting for anyone to greet him, Eros walked through the vast corridor that stretched under the arched ceilings sculpted from the same pale marble as the columns that towered outside, each vault engraved with running stags and starlight patterns.
The mysterious nuances of deep forest greens and midnight blues lined the walls. The tall shelves that hung along the hallway held Artemis’s ancient scrolls, hunting tools, and various relics of the wilds.
Eros didn’t pay attention to any of it. He knew her house better than anyone, but when he reached the end of the shelves, he stopped briefly. His gaze narrowed as he reached for the statue of the silver stag, and the moment he rotated it on the shelf, he vanished beyond the confines of the shelves.
The secret room—I almost forgot about it.
Shadow made it through the rough walls, only to be met by the most bizarre godly encounter he had ever thought of.
At the mahogany table’s head sat Hades.
On his right, Athena was analyzing some ancient papyri. Her owl gently stood on her shoulder as if it was also helping her.
On his left, Artemis stood up from her chair and greeted Eros with a delicate wave of her hand, offering him a gentle smile. “Excellent. You’re finally here.”
I would never have expected that Hades, Athena, Artemis, and Eros would be involved in anything together.
This is a scheme of considerable sophistication.
Hades pierced Eros with his infinite eyes and kept his posture straight against his chair. “Welcome, Eros,” he spoke, his voice reverberating throughout the room.
“Cease with these welcoming formalities,” Athena stated, the seriousness of her voice betraying a hint of anger intertwined with tension. “Given the constraints on our time, let us proceed to the important matters on the agenda now that everyone is finally here.”
Artemis subtly gestured toward Eros as though apologizing for the unsettling atmosphere he had just entered.
Agreed.
After taking a seat beside Artemis, Eros glanced at the papyri that Athena had spread out on the table. As curiosity took hold of him, Shadow moved closer, keeping a safe distance from the gods.
The Deathbounds.
What is the reason for needing the Deathbounds?
These beings were always summoned to complete unfinished business and retrieve old relics, yet they would always demand an object that they had possessed in their past life as compensation.
Should the requested object not be offered, an unending haunting will begin, ultimately resulting in the summoner’s descent into madness.
“Athena, I do not agree,” Eros asserted decisively once he finally figured out what they were up to.
The goddess raised her eyes toward him, her eyebrows meeting in a gentle furrow. “This is the only way to make sure our plan succeeds. I must do this.”
With a scoff, Eros took the paper, carefully examining its script. “A different method could be used, rather than you summoning these manipulative beings.”
“I tried to convince her it’s not a good idea already. She won’t listen.” Artemis jumped into the discussion, darting her gaze toward Athena as if she tried to beg her not to go further with her plan.
“You are welcome to try to sway my decision as much as you like. I have made my choice,” Athena stated firmly, snatching the papyrus from Eros.
“You cannot—”
“She is capable of making her own choice,” Hades finally spoke in a raspy, subdued tone. “Since you’re adamant about avoiding contact with the Deathbounds, what is your recommended approach for obtaining the book?”
Obtaining the book?
This encounter is proving to be more intriguing than I had anticipated.
A heavy silence descended upon the four deities, with both Artemis and Eros visibly displaying their concern across their face. Hades kept his eyes pinned on Athena as if he were trying to read into her soul.
But why?
“Your silence is response enough. We have no other choice,” Hades announced, a look of defiance gracing his features. “The only method of finding the book detailing the demise of Zeus is to permit Athena to summon the Deathbounds.”
Interesting.
Hades seemed as if he was playing on both sides.
First, he had a meeting with Zeus the night before, and now he was having another meeting with three other gods, exhibiting nothing more but his possibly deceptive nature.
Though it was impossible for Shadow to feel such things, the turmoil within his void nearly made him feel as though he was going to be sick.
Sitting before him, the four gods were planning a scheme to assassinate their king.
But what the other three gods remained unaware of was that Hades was perhaps secretly collaborating with Zeus as well.
They are looking for the book detailing the demise of Zeus. This situation has unfolded quite interestingly, indeed.
This situation will be exceptionally difficult for them to keep secret.
In order to assassinate a god like Zeus, it is essential that they first made certain that their strategy remains confidential.
Given that Olympus could perceive and know everything, and the chance of Zeus discovering their assassination plot, the situation could potentially end terribly for everyone.
Given Hades’ involvement on both sides, how could the secret be maintained?
Unless . . .
* From Greek argyrós (?ργυρ??) = “silver” or “made of silver.”