Deep within a hidden cove in the middle of the ocean lies a little beach town named Poseidon Point. There the mayor sits with a group of students on an overnight camping trip. The fire crackles and snaps as dying branches and twigs gasped for their last breaths before tumbling into the ashes. The group tells stories around the warmth of the fire as they roast marshmallows. It's the mayor's turn to tell a tale when one member of the group speaks up.
"Madam, tell us the one about the summer that Olympus was born again." Her timid voice is barely audible as she awaits a response.
The mayor chuckles softly and smiles, remembering the story the young girl mentioned. She simply nods, takes a deep breath, and begins to tell her tale.
Centuries ago, the gods and goddesses of creation lived on Mount Olympus. They were worshipped and trusted among the mortals. They believed their reign would last forever as they worked together to create the balance of nature, but they were sadly mistaken. One day, a pillar of their home came crashing down. Confusion filled the room as they began to panic. This could only mean one thing: the mortals stopped believing in the gods and goddesses. If this continued and more lost their faith, Mount Olympus would crumble and be rendered obsolete.
They fled from their home and searched for refuge among the mortals they once adored. Poseidon was the first to descend, always feeling more at home near the ocean waters. He found an island hidden from the world, occupied by only a few mortals. Access to the island was limited due to the rocky waters and jagged rocks blocking the entrance of the cove. It was perfect, quiet, and secluded. This would be his new home. However, the appearance would require assistance. The beaches were littered from the neighboring country. The waters cluttered with shipwrecks of previous visitors and clouded by sediment and toxins from the local farmlands.
Poseidon decided to call upon the other gods and goddesses for help to rebuild this island to its former glory. They worked hard to create an island paradise for the mortals who lived there and soon made it their home. Poseidon gave each god or goddess a specific job, while he remained near the sea, maintaining the beaches and tending to his normal duties. They blended in with the mortals and their existence becoming only a legend.
However, this all changed in the summer of 2020...
That year began much like a silent storm. The warning was there, but no one took it seriously, and then chaos took hold. Fires raged and a wave of turmoil headed towards them. A pandemic swept across the globe, causing humans to panic by staying home and wearing masks. Mortals are finicky creatures and many chose not to listen to the warnings. Cases of the virus rose to frightening peaks and that's where they thought nothing else could possibly go wrong. The mortals began to self destruct and crumble beneath the pressure of the world they created. Swarms of Murder Hornets and Locusts attacked. The mortals waged war against one another. Fire and destruction ran rampant in the streets. They struggled to find their identities and fought for change, but the pandemic was still lurking.
Poseidon called for a secret meeting in the cave beneath the cliff. Hermes spread the news and soon the gods and goddesses were entering the hidden council room. The room contained a long, rectangle stone table with twelve chairs surrounding it.
Poseidon and his brother Hades took a seat at either end of the table. Persephone was on her husband's left side with Nyx on his right. Artemis and Apollo were seated beside Persephone with Hermes. To Poseidon's left was Hestia, Aphrodite, her son Eros, and Hephaestus. This was what remained of the Council for Poseidon Point. Many others chose to reside in other locations on Earth including Zeus, whose pride kept him from living in a place named after his brother.
"Should we begin, Brother? I do have responsibilities to tend to." Hades stated, leaning back in his chair.
"Of course, brother. We have called this island home for many centuries. Many of us have even grown close to the mortals who live here, but the mortals from the outside world are destroying themselves. I propose we protect Poseidon Point from any and all outside forces. The pollution and disease of the neighboring country are beginning to infect our people. Our mortals. I propose a barrier to protect the island. Artemis and Apollo, you two could spearhead that endeavor as well as make sure the island still gets adequate sunlight and moonlight." Poseidon declared.
"Yes, Poseidon." The twins answered together.
The Council went over a few more issues before departing and going back to their daily lives. Poseidon was determined to lift the spirits of the mortals around them and devised a plan to achieve his goal. The twins worked hard to provide a barrier, concealing the island while allowing the ecosystem to thrive.
The mortals of Poseidon Point noticed that their world was thriving as they got news of the chaos that was tearing apart the outside world. They knew they didn't have to worry about it spreading into their world as they never experienced any diseases or disasters. They knew someone was watching over them but they had no idea of who or how powerful they were. They were clueless as to how important they were to the Olympian gods and goddesses.
The barrier withstood the fires and the pandemic that had hit so hard. They were peaceful people that knew no hate for someone different but as the fires started to eat at the barrier they started to know how the rest of the world lived.
"Madam," a little boy tugged at her shirt, "does that mean that the people learned to hate one another for looking and doing things differently than each other?"
"No my little love, they got to see how hatred destroyed everything precious. It dimmed the lights. It made them more thankful and they started to leave offerings to the ones that favored them."
"Offerings, ma'am? Like toys and stuff?" The little boy inquired.
"The children left toys when they saw their parents leave gifts." The mayor confirmed, "The adults left grains, flowers, meat, and wine."
"Did the people ever figure out that they were living among gods and goddesses?" A teen asks while stuffing his face with marshmallow.
"The mortals did eventually learn of the gods and goddesses. They sit with us tonight and they celebrate each and every one of the mortals that live here." The Mayor explained, "They see us as their people. We acknowledge and praise them and in turn, they protect us but we aren't their subjects. We are family to them."
"Madam Mayor, how did the gods and goddesses lift the spirits of the people? How did that rebuild Mount Olympus?" A young woman asked.
"They protected the people and showed them that they were always going to be protected. They would do everything with the power they had left to do that. They would throw parties and have town events to show the good in the world. They never did rebuild Mount Olympus. When the people started believing in the gods and goddesses again they strengthened their power which strengthened the barrier. They rebuilt this town and it became the new Mount Olympus." The mayor explained gesturing around them.
Everyone around the campfire glanced around at the thriving town. It had everything they ever wished for. It wasn't perfect, people still fought, they still cried and insulted each other, but the problems seemed to not matter at the end of the day as the people who fought were at the beach together that same night. Family and friendship were important to this town and every time you stepped up to a campfire you couldn't help but feel the love of family.
The sickness never managed to get past the barrier but the people heard all the fights and saw how much injustice was going on. They wanted to help fix the world and make it peaceful, although they knew they couldn't bring them back. It would break the barrier.
They begged the gods to do something until they had no choice but to start to expand their help. Hestia and Aphrodite started on the hate; they let the power they had spread the influence of love and beauty and family. Hestia started to heal the broken bonds of families caused by racism and death. Aphrodite spread the belief that everyone is beautiful and that they should love. It didn't fix everything right away, as their power was still weak, but it opened the eyes of some of the mortals. Nyx had decided to rule the night so Artemis could stay home and watch the barrier. She prowled the night breaking up fights and making sure people got home safe. She fought for the females that were being harmed. She stood beside the people that were being insulted for the color of their skin.
Poseidon knew he had to do something. He stalked around cities and calmed the anger. He put out fires and fixed broken buildings. Hades greeted the dear ones that were lost and let their families know they were safe at last. Eros set out to help his mother and Hestia. He stood up to the ones that caused harm to people and tried to call it love. He punished the ones that broke the scarcity of love and intimacy. He helped the hands of people who made hard choices even if it meant not having a child in their family. He understood that they had to protect themselves. He held the hands of single mothers that needed someone there to talk to. Hermes took the job of spreading the real news and making sure people got the messages from their loved ones. Hephaestus went on a hunt for weapons that were used to harm people and brought them in for evidence. He volunteered for security positions to make sure no one died from a gun, that they made it home to their families. Persephone went with Hades to soothe the hurt of the grieving families. She made sure everything was growing and that the mortals had fresh air to breathe and food to eat every day. She volunteered at soup kitchens and homeless shelters to help feed everyone and to tell stories to the children.
Once they showed the mortals how to heal the world around them, they went home to Poseidon Point and decided to honor their humans by throwing a Summer Bash to help them celebrate the change. Dionysus declared Summer Bash to be a week-long celebration before the Lunar Eclipse and end of Summer.
Poseidon gave Dionysus full reign over the Summer Bash as long as he agreed to help Poseidon clean the beach each night. During the day, the beach was filled with laughter and music. Drinks of all kinds being poured among friends and enemies. The gods and goddesses partied alongside their mortal companions. Love blossomed and teenagers were protected. Families who could have children were blessed and able to grow.
It wasn't till the seventh day of the Summer Bash that the gods and goddesses decided to reveal themselves to the mortals they had grown to love. It was intentional at first, but a young woman, whose sixth night became a nightmare, was saved by Artemis in original form. She had witnessed the event through sober eyes and began to realize that the legends of her hometown were true. Poseidon decided it was time to stop hiding from the citizens of Poseidon Point.
So on the last day of Summer Bash, all the gods and goddesses arrived at the Lunar Eclipse dressed in full Olympus fashion. They wore robes and dresses stitched in the finest gold and silk. Their auras glowed around them and the mortals stared in awe. They finally realized that their paradise was the product of the gods and goddesses living among them. Many of the people they considered to be friends were now the very creatures they worshipped.
The mayor of the town, Hestia went to the podium on stage. Her hair flowing freely down her back. She clears her throat and begins to speak, "Friends of Poseidon Point, we realize this may come to you as a shock. Fear not, for we are not here to rule over you. You all have become our family. You have shown us the good of humanity as well as the bad. You have accepted us and showed gratitude for the gifts you were given." She smiles sweetly, raising a glass of wine in the air.
"Now let's drink and celebrate the beginning of Fall!" Dionysus yells and loud music begins to play.
The mortals of Poseidon Point danced and partied with the gods and goddesses till the sun rose the next day. Now each year in the last week of summer, we throw the Summer Bash and party with the gods and goddesses.
The teen boy sits on the log, pondering the story he just heard. A look of realization crosses his face and he begins to speak.
"Wait! Mayor, are you a goddess?"