164. The Universal Summons
The Universal Summons
When we arrived at Oceanus’s palace,
its high arches and marble floors
that I had once known so well
felt unwelcoming and strange.
The air was stifling as we made
our way to the halls where
a thousand great feasts for immortals
of every kind were held.
Perses pushed opened the heavy doors
and took my hand as he led me in.
A magnificent yet terrifying sight
awaited us within this place.
I did not know it was possible
to fit so many powerful Gods
into these halls, which seemed
even larger than I remembered them.
The lesser deities positioned themselves
near the door, River Gods
and nymphs alike jostling
to take up as much space
as they possibly could.
Beyond them were
the more powerful
children of the Titans.
Styx and Pallas were amongst them
as well as Leto. Metis was nowhere to be seen.
Perses and I went to take our place
by their side, our faces grim.
Next to the children of Titans
stood ten of the twelve children
of Gaia and Ouranos, the old Titans
and Titanides themselves.
Beyond them on thrones
made of silver and gold,
sat the most ancient of us all.
The five Primordials.
Even Tartarus had left his volcano.
I glanced at Styx and saw she shared
my great unease. Zelus was at Pallas’s
chest, already grown into a child.
We grew silent.
It was Oceanus who spoke
in the quiet that followed.
‘Primordials. Titans. Children
of Gods and immortals.
You have been summoned here
on the askance of your elders
as a certain darkness shadows our horizon.’
At his words, the sound of thunder
roared across the skies beyond.