***BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!***
NOTE AGAIN:
I have not been updating much because I am very busy with work. Recently got promoted and got even busier. I dont have time to write at all and I miss it terribly. Thank you for those not flooding my inbox with questions as to when I am going to update. Seriously guys, if I knew when, it would have been posted already. *sighs* Hahaha. Anyway, happy new year! Hope this will be a great one for all of us. :)
P.S. I got a new boyfriend too. Haha. Goodbye 2 years of being single! XD
CHAPTER 22- ALL FOR YOU
The Meadow of the Immortal Flower
Somewhere in Mount Olympus
-Zeus-
“My knees hurt!” Hermes cried.
I rolled my eyes and kept a steady pace. My own muscles hurt but a complaint never escaped my lips. This quest was for Hera and I would gladly do anything for her.
“My back hurts!” Hermes complained.
I turned around to shout at him but Poseidon beat me to it. “Shut it, boy!” he hissed. I heard Hades and Ares snicker and saw Hermes glare at both of them. Hades just shrugged and his face showed that very annoying smirk of his. Ares’ hand went to the strap in his back where his battleaxe was sheathed.
Needless to say, Hermes instantly shut up.
“I just have a question,” Hermes piped up after we walked down a steep hill. “What?” Dionysus asked.
“We’re gods and all but why can’t we use our powers to find that freakin’ flower? And now that we’ve found it why can’t we teleport back?”
His words actually sounded more like a whine than a question.
Hades was the one who answered. “Because we cannot use magic directly while we are near the Immortal Flower. It will die and then we will have to do it over again.”
Hermes turned to look at me and so did the others. “That’s right,” I told them.
“How come it can live on Olympus? We always use our powers there,” Ares asked.
I sighed and rubbed my hand on my face. Why did I have to bring these buffoons with me?
“They will live in Hera’s garden. The fountain in her chambers are a gift from Demeter. All flowers thrive there. Even this magical one,” I answered.
That placated the others and there were another few moments of blissful silence.
“I have another questi—“ Hermes began.
“Oh for the love of all that’s holy!” Poseidon shouted.
“This is a serious one,” Hermes replied. He walked ahead and was directly beside me. “What is it?” I asked.
“Why are we suddenly on this gods-forsaken quest to find the immortal flower? We’ve spent hours finding it! And we’re spending even more hours to walk back because we cannot use magic.”
Hades slapped Hermes on the back. “Because my brother here is in love. And for love, people do the craziest things.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Thanatos smile. The god of Death who was always so forlorn and grim actually smiled.
What have I missed then? Have the times changed so much?
I pretended I did not hear my brother and continued walking. I pretended not to hear the snickers that followed as well. But as I walked, I thought about what Hades said for it was true. People indeed do the craziest things for love.
For thousands of years, I committed a lot of mistakes thinking they were all for love. But I was wrong. And as another saying goes: One does not realize the value of what he has until it is taken from him; I did not realize also how priceless the treasure I had was until she slipped from my fingers.
And now, I would do everything I can to get her back. Eros told me to give her flowers. And as the King of the gods, I would not settle for just any flower. I had to find the best.
I looked down and the three flowers I found were still wrapped in the golden cloth and tucked safely in the crook of my arm. I can still remember the joy in Hera’s face when we walked hand-in-hand in this very same meadow and saw these flowers for the first time.
I wish I’d get to see that look on her face again the moment I give these to her.
“Zeus? Calling Zeus? Earth-to-Zeus?” Hephaestus said and waved a hand over my face.
“What?” I asked in an irritated tone.
“What’s the plan, by the way?”
“What plan?”
At this point, everyone stopped walking and all of them were staring at me. I stopped as well, rolled my eyes and sighed.
“We’ve discussed this a thousand times! I’m going to get Hera back whatever it takes.”
I turned around to start walking again but Hephaestus stopped me. “What happens after you get her back then, father? You’ll both be happy again for quite some time? Then you’ll go back to your old habits?”
And just like that, all the joy was sucked out of what felt like a very wonderful day.
I just kept my mouth shut, yanked my arm from Hephaestus’ grip and started walking.
“Mother has already been through a lot. Because of what you did to her all these years, she’s changed. She’s become bitter, jealous... but mostly lonely. This was her chance to be free. To meet someone who will truly love her. To do the things she’s longed to do since the dawn of time. But those were things she never got to do because she put you and her duty above everything else...”
Hephaestus stopped and took a deep breath.
Then, hazel eyes the exact color of Hera’s looked deep into mine. “Tell me, father. Is this a game you are playing? To get her back because she is another one of your conquests and you want another challenge?”
My anger spiked another notch and it took everything I had to hold back my powers from responding to my fury. The flowers would easily wither and die and I’d have nothing.
“Hephaestus... I’m warning you...” I growled.
“And I am warning you, father! I would not stand idly by as you hurt mother over and over again! This is the first time I’ve seen her genuinely happy. And I will not let you ruin that for her!”
I took a step forward. I saw surprise in Hephaestus’ eyes but it was instantly gone. “I know what I am doing. And I will never hurt Hera again. I feel as if there’s something different this time. Maybe it’s because our bond is already broken or maybe it’s because of something else. I also don’t have any guarantee about the future. I am not an oracle and the future is never set in stone! But what I can do is to give my very best. To give her all my love and hope that she’ll love me back the way she used to!”
With that, I turned my back. I did not want to see any disbelieving looks on their faces. I don’t want to be angry and for the skies to darken with my powers causing the flowers to die.
I know I made a mistake—thousands of them in fact. But how is one person supposed to change when every time he tries, he is being reminded of the past instead of being helped to move forward?
“Zeus, wait!” Hades shouted.
I continued walking.
Suddenly, there was a loud rumble. Then, the ground lurched and I was thrown several feet into the air. I immediately tucked my body into a roll and landed lithely on the ground. My first concern was about the flowers. When I realized they were safe, I sighed.
But the ground lurched again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And while the earth beneath my feet, trembled, a sinking feeling rose up from the pit of my stomach. It felt like it turned my blood to ice and that ice spread from the middle of my body to the tips of my fingers.
“Something’s wrong!” I shouted.
“Ya think?!?” Hermes cried sarcastically.
The last time there was an earthquake on Olympus it was because Cronus had awakened. And then there was this great war which wiped all of us and all of humanity out. And now we were facing an even bigger threat—Erebus.
“No... I mean—“ I never got to finish what I was saying for there was suddenly this knife-like pain in my chest. It felt like being ripped from the inside out. It was like a part of me was wrenched off, leaving this large, hollow space.
Because of the intense pain, my knees crumbled and I hit the ground. I clutched my chest and because of that, the flowers rolled to the ground. The white cloth was removed and I saw that the pristine, white sparkling flowers were now black and decaying.
In an instant, Hades and Poseidon were beside me. I closed my eyes as another wave of pain washed over me.
“What’s happening?” Hades asked. The two of them helped me up. I felt so weak and my knees could barely hold my wait. The pain in my chest never stopped. In fact, it intensified by the second. And so did the shaking of the ground.
“Something’s wrong. I know this is... connected... to Hera!” I shouted. Everyone suddenly became alert. Poseidon saw the flowers on the ground. They died because of whatever magic was causing the earthquakes. There was no point in us holding back now.
He extended his hand to try and calm the land but nothing happened.
I clutched Hades’ arm. “We have to go there right away!” I cried.
“Let’s go,” he replied.
All of us prepared to teleport. But suddenly, the ground before us split into two. Now, there was this great chasm and large chunks of rock were falling down.
“Nooooooooo!”
That cry was followed by a huge burst of pure energy. The cry echoed in the meadow and I’m sure it was heard all over Olympus and the underworld as well. We also felt the huge burst of power. It originated far from the meadow but the shockwaves were felt all the way here.
All the hair on my body stood on end as I heard that loud wail. That voice belonged to no other than Hera. Along with her cry, I felt another jolt of pain in my chest which brought me down to my knees once more.
“Hera!” I shouted. At this point, everything I saw was red. Whoever is hurting her will die the most painful death.
“We have to go! Now! The whole meadow is falling apart!” Poseidon shouted.
The others prepared to teleport again. I looked around our special meadow one last time. And before we teleported, the last thing I saw was the immortal flower’s ashes scattering in the winds.
My heart started beating faster. I have to get to her! I have to help her and fight whatever it is that’s causing her pain! And I’m sure she’ll be terrified for her memories have not yet returned. I was so agitated I could barely stand still amidst the pain. All that will comfort me now is getting to hold her in my arms and make sure that she’s safe.
Hold on, vasilissa mou.
Just a few seconds more and I’ll be there.
I’m coming for you.
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Told ya shit's about to fly. Hahaha.
Next chapters are even gonna be more intense. I just hope I get time to finally write them. XD
Please vote if you liked it! Thanks!