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The Immortal Heart	By : amandalee Category: 1 through F > Clash of the Titans (2010) > Clash of the Titans (2010) Views: 7819 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We do not own Clash of the Titans or the characters portrayed in this story, and we make no money from writing this.

Chapter List
- 58
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Chapter 59

After only four nights spent in Zeus' old childhood home, it was once again time for the Olympians to return to a world now to be governed by them. While Poseidon had assured his younger brother that Chiron was more than capable of seeing over their affairs on the mainland, Zeus would not let himself be dissuaded from returning as soon as possible.

"He is a centaur, not a god," he told Poseidon. "We cannot trust him to rule in our stead."

"He is our brother and has earned our trust many times over," Poseidon argued. "You should truly give him more credit."

"I give credit where credit is due," the leader said plainly. "We are sailing home first thing in the morrow."

Zeus had shared his plans on overtaking their father's fortress with his siblings, and while his proposal was greeted with some initial hesitation, they all agreed that it was the easiest solution until the gods could build themselves a home of their own.

"We might need ladders just to climb into bed," Hera pointed out, having realized that not only the rooms were built to accommodate titans; the furniture were as well.

"Perhaps, but at least you will finally be allowed your own quarters," Zeus replied. "That alone should please you, am I right?"

Hera went silent, thinking that indeed it would.

Each Olympian said their goodbyes to their mother, who had arrived at the shore to bid them farewell. Though still quite big in size, she had offered her presence in a much smaller form than when she had last shown herself to her children. She towered over Hades as she leaned over to give his forehead a kiss.

“Farewell, my oldest son,” she said. “Journey safely. And never forsake that heart of yours.”

Hades smiled at his mother’s words and took Demeter’s hand. Demeter in turn took Hestia’s and they helped one another onto the boat. Rhea then turned her attention back to Zeus. She knew by the look in his eyes what he feared. She always had, even since his infancy.

“Will you be alright?” he asked.

The titaness smiled. “I have much less to worry about,” she placed a hand on her youngest child’s head, covering it from the sunlight, “thanks to my children.”

Zeus smiled back, grasping his mother’s forearm.

“Are you to step out of exile now?” His eyes showed a glimmer of hope when he asked. “You know you will always be welcome among us. You would have a home at the fortress.”

Rhea’s smile faded just enough that Zeus knew her answer, and though it saddened him, he was not in the least bit surprised. His mother was the source of his own stubbornness, after all.

“I will always love my children,” she said. “But this is no longer a world for the titans. It belongs to the gods, now. Besides…” she smirked. “I feel quite at home right here.”

Zeus gave a sad smile, and he stood on tiptoe to reach his mother’s face as he kissed her. This was the only individual he would ever willingly look so humble for.

“You are welcome to visit,” he offered, and Rhea laughed.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Demeter felt a rather strange feeling overcome her as she stepped onto the boat; last time she had been onboard, she had been dying and aware of very little what went on around her. She barely had any recollection of the voyage to Crete thanks to the fever-induced haze which blurred all her senses, but she knew that it had lasted for several nights. The journey back, however, would only last one night according to her brothers.

"You were the reason we came here, sister," Hades said, sensing her thoughts. "Perhaps we even have you to thank for our victory in battle."

The goddess smiled at her brother's appraising words. "I have you to thank for my life," she said. "And I will never forget it."

God and goddess placed an arm around one another's backs and looked toward the quickly disappearing shore to see if they could catch one last glimpse of Rhea. Their mother, however, had already withdrawn into her beloved forest, leaving her children to their own devices.

*

Only an hour into the voyage, Poseidon brought forth a small basket of dried buck meat, offering it to his siblings before helping himself. Everyone except Hestia declined, however, and the god proceeded to happily chew up the contents himself.

Demeter laughed at the other's voracious appetite. She leaned in, nudging coyly at Hades. "Given the amount he eats, it is surprising that he is not twice his actual size," she said.

“Indeed,” Hades replied with a chuckle.

“Are you making fun of me again?” Poseidon asked, though there seemed to be no defensive tone in his voice. Perhaps an attempt to ignore his siblings’ spurs?

“Never!’ Hades replied playfully.

“Now don’t tease our brother,” Hestia said in a reprimanding tone as she nibbled on her own morsel of meat. “After all… he needs to be greater in size if he is to mate with someone as heavy as Chiron.”

Poseidon froze, no longer chewing, and his siblings laughed at his reaction. He frowned disappointedly at Hestia. “Not you too,” he said.

“I apologize, brother,” the goddess said, still giggling. “But Zeus is right. The two of you would make such an endearing couple.”

Poseidon’s frown became a glare, and though he swallowed the rest of his chewed meal, he ignored the rest of the meat, crossing his arms.

“Ohh, dear brother,” Demeter replied when she saw how genuinely affected Poseidon was, and she went to his side, giving him a hug. “Please do not be hurt by our antics. We would be very happy if you asked Chiron to be your mate.”

“He is NOT my mate,” Poseidon grumbled. “I don’t know what he is, but the constant nonsense from you and Zeus is not helping the matter any further!”

Things suddenly became very quiet. In the small space of the boat, everyone was now listening. Zeus looked rather surprised, as though the thought of his brother’s embarrassment had never occurred to him.

“Are we discussing your troubles in the realm of intimacy, Poseidon?” Hera asked, sitting several paces away.

“Demeter, Hades and I were discussing matters with Poseidon,” Hestia replied, looking as cross as she felt. “You were not in this conversation.”

“Have you noticed the size of this boat, Hestia?” the older goddess asked heatedly. “You cannot exactly talk without including the rest of us in your trivial problems.”

"Why must you always stick your nose into things that do no concern you?" Demeter inquired testily. "We were merely having a jest, and---"

"You're right," Hera said, standing up and walking toward the small group, her eyes wickedly gleaming. "It does make an excellent topic for jesting. Poseidon, does it not irk you that the only creature in this realm that will have you is a stinking half-beast with a horse bottom?"

"How dare you---?!" Poseidon was on his feet in an instant, ready to charge Hera. Likely this would have been the outcome if not Zeus had stepped in between them and held his brother back.

"Calm yourself, brother!" he growled. "Will you allow a woman to provoke you into rage? Such is below a god."

Poseidon shrugged out of Zeus' grasp, muttering unintelligibly to himself. His intimate life was a sensitive subject, and he did not appreciate having it brought up as a jest, not even in good humor, as had been intended by Hestia and Demeter.

"Hera, for your own sake, perhaps you ought to hold back any further snide remarks on your tongue," Zeus told his eldest sister, who had recoiled in fear from Poseidon's unexpected response.

"I apologize," Hestia said, regretful that her innocent jest had ended in such serious offense. "I did not mean any harm by what I said."

"I know you did not," Poseidon replied, his rage spent.

Demeter and Hades, equally regretful that their innocent attempt at fun had ended so poorly, remained where they sat for several seconds, until Hades rose to his feet, quickly followed by Demeter. The god and goddesses came together in an embrace around their aggravated brother, who only sighed tiredly and chuckled at his siblings’ attempts at providing sympathy.

“How do you fare?” Hades asked, making Poseidon smile.

“I am well,” he replied, stepping back and parting the embrace. “And I know you only meant to amuse yourselves. I forgive you.”

“Where do your feelings lie with Chiron?” Hestia asked curiously, her voice low, but Demeter interjected.

“Sister, the subject has already caused Poseidon such unease, perhaps it would be best to—”

“No,” Poseidon said with a wave of the hand. “I do feel a connection with him. And I feel we understand one another. But… honestly I do not know if such a relationship can go any further than that. Not between the two of us. It is simply not a good match. Physically we do not fit whatsoever.”

“And imagine how dangerous it would be to…” Hades shuddered before he could finish his sentence.

“Yes,” Poseidon responded, brow raised at the image which grew in his mind of the gruesome outcome of such a union. “There is definitely also that.”

"It is a shame that the shape of your physical forms should keep you apart," Hades then said after some consideration. "If you truly love one another..."

"Now, now," the younger god interrupted, fearing where the conversation was headed. He had not sincerely considered his feelings for or about the centaur - deliberately so, knowing that a union between them was impossible - and was not ready to expose his deepest thoughts to his fellow Olympians.

"It is an entertaining thought, but nothing more," he said. "I am not in love with Chiron, regardless of what Zeus has led you to believe." He sent a reproachful glare his youngest brother's way, meant to warn Zeus about taking his jest further. The Olympian leader simply grinned, and Poseidon knew that his intended threat had not gained its desired effect.

*

The night passed in relative ease, the sky above them cloudless and starry and the wind brisk. It was difficult for the goddesses to comprehend that the voyage would take less than half the time it had previously taken, but Zeus and Poseidon swore that they would reach the mainland of Greece before noon.

"Will Chiron be there to greet us?" Hestia inquired, hoping that Poseidon would not take her question the wrong way.

"He had better," Zeus replied in his brother's stead. "And I fear something else might, as well..."

“What?!” they heard Hera’s voice ring out behind them. The eldest Olympian hurried over, and Zeus suppressed a groan. He would do well to think before opening his big mouth in the near future.

“Do you mean to say that creature from the battlefields will be awaiting our arrival?” Hera asked in alarm. “If it is as big and powerful as you claim it to be, why are we even returning to the mainland? What if it devours us before we even reach the shores?”

“I was NOT referring to the sea monster,” Zeus said over his sister’s voice. As much as he knew Hera would be displeased over the sight of Cerberus, he also did not wish to lead any of his siblings to believe they were in danger from the monster which killed Cronos. Already he could see the same hint of alarm in Hestia and Demeter’s faces.

“Please, calm yourselves,” he said, regaining the composure of the small crowd. “Considering that this sea monster as you call it completely ignored us and our army, I sense that we are not in danger. That said… I was referring to something from our own side.”

“Oh, is that a fact, brother?” Hestia replied, interrupting Hera from any further biting remarks. “Why fear his welcoming?”

“Its welcoming,” Zeus answered, correcting his sister’s words, much to Hades’ annoyance, “can be a little… overwhelming.”

“And Zeus claims he smells bad,” Hades noted aloud. “I tell you, he smelled much worse when we first met him.”

Hera could not help but laugh. “If Hades approves of this thing, then how bad could it be?”

Rather than allow himself feelings of offense at his sister’s barb, Hades only turned and gave Demeter a sly smile.

“Will we be in for a surprise?” Demeter secretively asked with a grin.

Hades winked. “Our sister might.”

The small group of gods became increasingly anxious as the boat steered closer to the shores. The goddesses could not help but be fearful of the thing believed to be awaiting their arrival, and Zeus himself worried over the development which had taken place during his absence.

"What was I thinking, leaving a thick-skulled half-beast to reign in my place?" he muttered to himself, practically steeling himself to encounter a world reclaimed by the titans.

"I do not see why you distrust Chiron so," Poseidon remarked, as always hurt by his brother's unwillingness to put any faith in Chiron.

"One of us should have stayed, Poseidon! You know this!" Zeus snapped, tempted to walk back and forth on the deck as a form of stress relief.

Hades carefully approached his obviously distressed mate, hoping that his presence would have better luck soothing Zeus' nerves than Poseidon.

"We are almost home," Hades said, his soft, cool hands reaching up to caress Zeus' tousled hair, blown about by the wind. "Our brother is right. We have nothing to concern ourselves over."

"Chiron is not a god," Zeus muttered. "He cannot be expected to handle my responsibilities."

"He has served you well so far, has he not?"

"He is still just a---"

"He elected a trustworthy guardian for me, remember?"

"Still, he---"

Zeus' words were cut short by a joyous shout from Demeter.

"I see land!" she hollered, tugging on Hestia's arm and eagerly pointing. "We are almost there!"

Sure enough, when Hades and Zeus looked up in the direction their sister pointed, they saw a dark sliver on the sea’s horizon that was most definitely the first sign of the mainland. Seemingly to snap out of his doubtful reverie, Zeus gave the welcoming sight a smile. He extended his arm, wrapping it around Hades in a gentle hold.

“This is our world now,” he said quietly. Hades leaned his head against his brother’s powerful shoulder, finding that he could at last believe him.

Poseidon, practically beaming with anticipation for the boat’s arrival, jumped into the water and swam up behind the vessel. Zeus’ laughter was quickly joined by his siblings when they realized their brother’s intent, but their amusement did not last long. In a few short moments, a wave swelled behind them, surging past their brother and doing his work for him. The boat lurched forward and nearly knocked the gods off balance.

“Hold on!” Poseidon shouted amidst the waves, and everyone heeded his call. “I’ll try not to get carried away, but we will be going a little faster!”

Hera wrapped her arms around the skiff. Hestia and Demeter held onto one another as they grasped the mast, giddy at the speed. Zeus held onto Hades like one of Rhea’s mother lions protecting a cub, grabbing the prow. Though Hades was alarmed at the waves brought on by Poseidon, he found his sisters’ laughter infectious.

“You could kill us, you fool!” Zeus shouted over the noise, but he was struggling to remain angry. He felt it just as his siblings did: they were about to reach home.

"You can let go, I'm not afraid," Hades whispered in his brother's ear, fearing me might not be able to breathe inside Zeus' death grip for much longer. "Zeus...?"

At first the younger god seemed to not even acknowledge Hades' request, but then he began to gradually relinquish his hold, though still alarmed by the movements of the water beneath them.

Hades exhaled a sigh of relief when the pressure around his ribcage finally relented. He leaned over the railing, gazing toward the steadily growing mass of land, still far away but drawing nearer by the second. It was still too soon to spot any movement on the shores, so there was no way of knowing if Chiron - or Cerberus for that matter - were waiting for them, but the god did not mind waiting for a while longer.

Another one of Poseidon's rising waves lifted the boat easily, followed by gleeful cries by the goddesses, who no doubt experienced the same thrill in the pit of their stomachs as Hades himself did.

Just as the boat was about to ride out the wave, it collided with something very large and solid beneath the surface. The small vessel barely managed to remain on its keel, and several of its passengers were tossed haphazardly about the deck. Hestia and Demeter tumbled into each other and both lost their balance, while Hera was thrown into the mast forehead first, her skull making a nauseating noise when encountering the wood.

Zeus managed to stay on his feet, but his concern for himself did not last long. Though his arm was already out to catch his brother, his fingers only managed to brush the white linen of Hades' robe before the eldest god had already gone overboard and into the sea.

Hades only managed a small yelp before he hit the water, and Zeus was instantly crying out for the boat to stop.

“POSEIDON,” he roared, “stop this damnable thing this instant!”

Poseidon must have seen the impact of his eldest brother against the water, for he was slowing the boat in little time at all. Zeus was shouting Hades’ name, his voice nearly loud enough to be a scream.

“Find him!” he yelled at his remaining brother, and Poseidon was beneath the surface before Zeus could even finish his command.

“Where did he go?” Zeus asked, not expecting an answer from his sisters. Hestia was dutifully seeing to Hera, who was too disoriented to even speak, but sitting upright. Demeter was rushing for the edge alongside her leader when a head once again broke the surface of the water. Having held his breath for half of a minute, Zeus exhaled and was disappointed to see Poseidon once more.

“Where is he?!” the younger god demanded. The furious look upon his visage gave Poseidon the notion that his youngest sibling may just jump off of the boat and attempt to strangle him in the water.

“He is unharmed!” Poseidon exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the shore. “Look!”

Three heads turned to where the god had pointed, and eyes widened when Hades appeared to be sitting on the surface of the sea, looking around himself with deep alarm and confusion. A moment later, his seated form began to travel over the waves as though levitating, heading for the beach.

Zeus could only stare for a moment, hardly trusting his own eyes. Once his mind had finally accepted what his eyes were seeing, he turned back to Poseidon, still furious with his fellow Olympian for supposedly having caused this.

"Bring him back, for heaven's sake, you imbecile!" he shouted, utterly powerless to do anything as Hades was carried farther and farther away. His lightning bolts were utterly useless in this situation, and hated the feeling of powerlessness. "Poseidon, hurry!"

The other's curly head disappeared beneath the surface again, and Zeus could observe the distorted shape of his brother through the water, heading in the direction Hades was being transported.

//If you fail to bring Hades back to me alive, I will kill you!// Zeus thought, his rage barely contained. The goddesses had realized the state of their leader, and none of them dared to approach him to offer words or gestures of comfort and reassurance.

Demeter, pressing a wet rag against the rapidly swelling lump in Hera's forehead, wished for Hades' safe return as badly as Zeus, but she knew that Zeus did not presently need anyone to share his anguish with.

Poseidon did not bother to rise to the surface for air, even though his lungs initially craved it. Instead gills magically appeared on his neck, and the need for air soon abated. His vision in the water was not quite as sharp as on land, and he briefly mistook the gargantuan, dark mass he was headed toward for some kind of island.

Poseidon nearly found himself stopping, staring in awe and dread at what was before him. Instantly he knew what this was, and memories of himself being pursued by this creature so long ago made him fearful of what might happen were he spotted.

This moment of hesitation passed and Poseidon pushed onward, thinking of Hades.

By the time the god was within striking range, he realized he was missing one very important thing which might have given him some amount of chance in fighting the creature, and he grimaced as he recalled where it was.

His trident was still on the boat, where he had left it as he swam behind the vessel.

*

Meanwhile Hades was not certain if he should be afraid of that which carried him, or relieved that it had kept him from drowning. Even now it seemed to be taking him to the shore, where he could now spot two figures. Based on their movement they appeared more frantic than excited at the sight.

Hades did not wonder for long what his traveling companion might have been. Considering that he had no idea what part of the beast’s body that he was riding on – in addition to no sight of possible facial features were it a head – he surmised that this was the same monster in the fog, the same which had devoured Cronos.

What if this thing will only eat me on the sand, Hades wondered. All that I have survived, and now I shall be eaten in less than a second.

Zeus could only helplessly watch as his beloved mate was taken further and further away from him. There was no sign of Poseidon either, and he began to wonder if the creature responsible for abducting Hades had perhaps killed their brother.

Though the prospect of losing Poseidon was equally grim, Zeus' thoughts were so focused on Hades that he did not even dwell on Poseidon's potential fate. Knowing that he could not spend another moment idly observing what was unfolding before his eyes, Zeus left the boat without hesitation, diving into the depths in pursuit of Hades.

He was not as apt in the water as Poseidon and could not stay submerged for long without returning to the surface for air. Despite this, Zeus relentlessly pushed on, adamant to catch up with the creature having Hades in its clutches. What he would do in the unlikely event that he did manage to get up alongside his brother's abductor, he did not know; only that he would not let it claim Hades without a serious fight.

Very little of the obviously gigantic creature was visible from the surface, and Zeus had no idea what to expect. His eyesight in the water was not clear enough to provide him with much additional information.

Relieved to suddenly see a familiar brown head pop up on the surface a few hundred yards ahead of him, Zeus immediately began shouting at his brother.

"What do you see?"

Poseidon, already looking fatigued from giving chase, called back to him. “The monster! The one that ate Cronos!”

Zeus was not at all surprised now to know what was taking Hades away from them, but his heart felt as though it skipped a beat nonetheless. He had surmised rather quickly that nothing else he had seen before had been so immense and powerful.

That thing had spared the lives of Zeus, Poseidon, and Chiron on the battlefield… but what if it had changed its mind since that day?

“What is it doing with our brother?” he demanded to know, swimming towards Poseidon. His brother swam the rest of the way to him.

“Taking him to shore, I think. I have no inkling why.”

“Take me there!” Zeus commanded. “Bring the boat to shore as you were.”

Though he used much less effort in the water than his siblings, Poseidon knew that his stamina was not without end, and he hoped he could reach the shore without exhausting himself into an early grave. Nodding without hesitation, he allowed his brother to grab him around the waist and back to the vessel, waiting for Zeus to board before taking position behind the boat.

“Hold on tightly,” he said, submerging and bringing the tide once more towards the beach at a raging pace. At this point he did not care if Zeus and their sisters had enough time to prepare. He was getting them to the shore as fast as he could.

*

Chiron had instinctively removed an arrow from his quiver and was steadying it on his bow, taking aim. He knew this would barely have any effect on what he was sure to be the creature from the battle, now carrying Hades towards the beach. Cerberus, however, seemed not to care about chances of victory against such a monster, and was now in a growling frenzy, furious at this thing which presently had Hades at its mercy. It would bleed the very moment it reached the shore, by the three sets of snapping jaws.

The firm but cautious hold the creature had on Hades did not relent until the water was shallow enough to obstruct the movement of the gigantic limb. Hades felt himself being released, but the shock of what had just happened had made him dazed and unable to properly coordinate his limbs. Though relatively shallow, the water was still deep enough to envelop the struggling god, who immediately swallowed several mouthfuls of water and began a panicked thrashing.

As though noticing his distress, the creature gave Hades a gentle nudge with its gargantuan limb, encouraging him to move forward.

The nudge, added to the fact that he was now free was incentive enough for the drowning god to fight his way back to the surface, if only for a few seconds. A powerful wave, caused by the withdrawal of the creature's limb, once again swept him off balance and out of view.

Hades, his eyes and mouth tightly shut to prevent more water from entering his lungs, believed he was already well beyond salvation when a strong pair of arms closed around him and swiftly brought him up to the surface.

Coughing as he gasped for air, the elder god tried to speak his brother's name. "P-Pos-seidon...."

Though he himself was weary to the point of death, Poseidon tried to reassure his brother and tell him they were safe as he took the other toward the shore.

By the time Hades found himself on solid land, he could feel dry sand beneath his feet, and he fell to his knees, relieved to be alive. Poseidon, however, having been swimming and pushing, and controlling the waves nonstop, crawled out of the tide and collapsed into the sand, lying on his stomach and trying to catch his breath. Hades could easily reach him, and he placed a hand against his brother’s curly hair.

“Thank you, brother,” he said with an exhale. Poseidon could barely speak past his exhausted breaths, and shakily reached up, patting Hades’ arm.

Cerberus came running up to Hades, and the god might have expected to be covered in slobber from three licking tongues if the beast did not appear as though it was ready to chew his face off.

Hades quickly realized, however, that the animal’s savagery was not directed at him, but at the creature behind him, which was now raising its massive body from the water. Though quite devoid of his strength, Poseidon was lifting himself from the sand and reaching for Hades, ready to guide him to the nearest hiding place they could find, and Chiron was galloping toward them, bow and arrow still at the ready.

"Chiron, take Hades somewhere safe..." Poseidon panted, more or less shoving his brother into the centaur's arms. "Take him..."

But before Chiron could as much as secure a hold on Hades, the soaked, slender god tore himself free and - to the horror of both Poseidon and their half-brother - started to run back into the water.

"Cerberus, no!" Hades cried, starting after the three-headed dog which was already standing in water deep enough to reach its flanks, clearly in pursuit of a creature which could easily crush it with a simple blow.

"Cerberus, come back!" he pleaded, but his plea fell on deaf ears, as the ever so protective beast sank all three pairs of teeth into a thick, fleshy limb, clearly intent on causing as much harm as possible before perishing.

"Hades, are you mad?!" Poseidon's voice suddenly shouted in Hades' ear, and the following moment two fatigued but nonetheless strong arms locked around his waist, lifting him and hauling him back toward the water's edge.

"Let me go! It will kill him! It will kill Cerberus!"

"Rather it than us!" the younger god huffed, his exhaustion apparent in his voice.

The monstrous thing seemed to be completely oblivious at first to Cerberus’ attack, as ferocious and unrelenting as the much smaller beast was. To this monster, the three biting jaws were likely little more than the bite of a mosquito on one of the gods. As it took a step forward, Cerberus was lifted in the air, dangling like a caught rat until it came down into the water again with a mighty splash. Cerberus only growled as though to prove it was none the worse for wear.

“Please, Cerberus, come back!” Hades pleaded, near hysterics. He fought against a new set of arms, which obviously belonged to his half-brother, as they were stronger than those of Poseidon, who seemed ready to pass out.

“His duty is to protect you, Hades!” Chiron cried. “Do not dishonor his efforts by putting yourself in danger again!”

The creature finally lifted its bitten leg and shook Cerberus off with no effort whatsoever. Hades gave a cry of dismay as his guardian was thrown further down the beach, even though the animal stumbled back onto its feet and began to charge the attacker once more. Ignoring the three-legged beast again, it took another step, its size so overwhelming that it left the two gods and half-god within a shadow. It seemed to be looking right at them, and it leaned forward, its numerous pairs of eyes fixed upon their frightened forms. Chiron began to aim, hoping his arrow could at least take out one of those eyes.

Yet both Cerberus’ and Chiron’s planned attacks were interrupted when Zeus appeared from the water. He gave a bold battle cry and ran amongst the monster’s limbs, and in his hand was Poseidon’s trident.

The chaos which had unfolded had caused Poseidon to almost forget about his trident, but seeing it in Zeus' hands awakened a strong urge to reclaim his weapon. Zeus had no business using his brother's gift, and from the looks of it, he was also putting himself in mortal danger.

"Zeus, no!" the exhausted god yelled from his prone position in the sand. "Let it go!"

Hades, having discovered that not only Cerberus, but now also his betrothed was attempting to engage the creature, made another attempt to sprint back into the water, but this time Chiron caught him almost the very same moment, lifting the weak but struggling god into his arms.

"You cannot help him!" the centaur hissed, groaning when Hades unexpectedly bit into his hand. He briefly wondered if the other had been as fierce when trying to defend himself against the titans, but he endured the pain and stood his ground.

Zeus did not listen to either of his brothers. Raising the weapon normally wielded by Poseidon, he drove it into one of the creature's squid-like limbs and simultaneously unleashed an a series of lightning bolts, hoping to amplify the impact of the trident.

The effect he was hoping for not only remained absent but backfired acutely. The force which normally did not affect Zeus coursed through his body and made him feel as though the sea was cooking with him along in it.

This burning jolt of energy only last a few seconds, but Zeus’ experience felt more like the length of an hour. When he finally let go, the bolt of electricity rammed against him like a fist. He was thrown several feet back, landing in the tide and splashing about, still feeling the lingering trembles of the shock.

The goddesses remained in the boat, though their location hardly made them any safer. The massive monster could easily turn around and decimate the vessel, killing them in an instant. Thus, all they could do was hope they would be ignored, as much as it horrified them to see this creature towering over their brothers.

Cerberus had stood back, avoiding the twisting coils of electricity when Zeus had tried to attack, but now that the leader of the gods had been tossed aside, the beast charged again. A huge armored limb came crashing down, spreading dust and sand, and for a moment Hades thought his guardian might have been crushed, but a growl followed the awful sight, and Cerberus was once again in view. It had narrowly avoided certain death, and was now clamped onto the monster’s foot a second time.

Oddly enough, the horrid creature ignored this attack. It had leant down to the point that its face, larger than that of any titan, descended toward Hades and Chiron. Chiron, desperate to protect any member of his family, held onto Hades as though to shield him.

The monster paused, as though deliberating the situation, and made its move. A boneless limb, like the tentacle of an octopus, swung forward and hit the ground, throwing sand and causing Hades to scream in fright. Hiding his face, he cautiously looked up and saw that the limb was circling him, as well as his half-brother. Chiron squeezed him just a little tighter as the monster opened its mouth.

There was absolutely nothing he could do to prevent his own and Hades' imminent death, and Chiron, aware of the fact, closed his eyes as well. In his mind he sent a silent apology to Zeus for being unable to keep Hades safe, despite knowing that he had done all in his power already.

Long seconds passed, and the crushing force of monstrous jaws closing around them did not come. He opened first one eye, and then the other, and though hazy at first, his eyesight told him that the creature's limb was still encircling them. From the corner of his eye, he could see Zeus making an attempt to reach them until another of the beast's limbs effortlessly knocked the Olympian leader aside.

The short moment of distraction was all the creature needed, and Chiron could only watch as the limb wrapped itself around Hades, lifting him high above their heads. The centaur was quick to grab his bow and aim an arrow, but a shout from Poseidon, telling him the weapon was useless against such a formidable enemy, made him abandon his plans to shoot.

Hades' legs kicked helplessly in the air as he was lifted higher and higher by the gargantuan sea beast. The steady approach of the huge maw, whose teeth were all bigger than Hades' entire form, made the god firmly believe that his final moment had arrived.

Rather than swallowing Hades, the beast suddenly inhaled, its intake of breath so powerful that Hades feared it might suck the hair from his head. Hades trembled, terrified, as his captor continued to smell his scent. Deciding if he was worth devouring, perhaps? A low rumbling escaped between the creature’s teeth, a soft growl to the monster itself, but overwhelmingly loud to the god.

“Please…” Hades found himself fearfully muttering. “Please… only make it quick…”

Jaws parted, and a tongue lolled out, but it did not take the god into its gigantic maw. Instead, the monster slathered its tongue over Hades’ shivering body. It was licking him. The tongue would retreat back into its mouth, and craters for nostrils would expand and sniff the tiny figure in its grasp, then return to licking once again.

Hades whimpered for a second, utterly baffled by the creature’s behavior. Whatever this monster was doing, it did not seem to be interested in eating him.

At least not yet, he considered.

“What is it doing?” Zeus demanded to know as he got back on his feet. He joined Chiron as the they looked up in fear and confusion. Though they were not certain, they could not hear poor Hades screaming. Had he been swallowed instantly?

A few moments passed in silence, save for Cerberus’ relentless attacks against whatever parts of the monster it could reach and grab onto with its jaws. When the thing finally leant back downwards toward the sand, relief washed over the gods and their half-brother when they saw Hades was still in its grip, alive but looking quite disheveled. His long hair was in tangles, drenched in something thick and sticky. The rest of him looked to be covered similarly in the slick substance. The god looked predictably disgusted, but otherwise unharmed.

"Put him down, you vile beast!" Zeus bellowed, helplessly watching from the ground as his mate was once again licked by the sea creature. Though not consciously evil like the titans which had assaulted Hades, the beast's intimate fascination with his mate stirred an emotion resembling jealousy in Zeus. Lightning crackled from his hands, aching to strike the animal. Zeus held it back, however, suspecting that while his power might not even harm the creature, it might turn out fatal for the puny being in its grasp.

Chiron, who could not stand to simply watch and do nothing, had finally managed to haul in Cerberus from the water. The three-headed beast still barked furiously with all three throats, its six eyes bulging from their sockets as it attempted to tear out of Chiron's hold to attack Hades' captor once more. The centaur rolled his eyes as the struggle went on. Though fearless and fiercely loyal, Cerberus was apparently not very bright.

During the mayhem which had ensued, the boat with the three goddesses had almost reached the shore. Demeter had taken out an oar and instructed her sisters to do the same, everything to speed up the last bit of the voyage. Hera was not much use, still disoriented and too hysterical to help with the paddling, and Demeter was content just to let her sit against the mast. At least that way she did not have to worry about Hera falling overboard.

By the time they reached the shore, their brothers were gathered around in one place, just below the giant creature. Poseidon was the only one not standing, as his efforts had taken a toll on him, and he sat with his head in his hand, seemingly trying to regain his strength. Chiron was still struggling with Cerberus, which continued its furious growling barks at the monster, and Zeus merely stood, staring maliciously upward, his fists barely visible in the angrily crackling cords of lightning wound around them. He looked ready to unleash his power upon the beast at any given moment.

Demeter wanted to immediately jump off of the boat and run for her brothers, even though her presence would not further help the situation, but she dutifully restrained herself. Hera needed to be removed with assistance. Together with Hestia, they brought the boat to a solid embankment and set about trying to get their eldest sister out of the vessel.

Finally the creature seemed satisfied. Its immense limb descended until Hades could feel the sand beneath his feet. Body tense, Zeus was prepared to strike the very second this monster had let go of his brother. However, when that moment finally came, Hades’ legs wobbled. Zeus found himself rushing towards his beloved, lightning dissipating, and throwing his arms around him.

“I have you,” he said, ignoring the slime which now coated Hades. “Do not worry, I have you.”

Hades drew in a shaky breath; the first since he was allowed back down on the ground, but some of the slime which covered his face was sucked along into his airways, triggering a violent attack of coughing.

Zeus nearly panicked, fearing the creature had fatally wounded his brother despite all, and hurried to lower Hades onto the sand.

"Dearest... do not give up! Do you hear me?" he demanded, doing his best to wipe the offensive sticky substance from his brother's face and hair. "Hades, breathe, I say!"

Hades attempted another intake of breath, one more successful this time, and struggled to see the Olympian leader through the mucus which had even found its way into his eyes.

"I am... unharmed..." he gasped, hoping that he was indeed speaking the truth. Apart from being covered in the creature's runny, semi-transparent saliva, he did not think that any part of him was broken. Despite its size and ferocity, the creature had been beyond gentle when handling him.

Why? Hades wondered. It has never even laid eyes on me before.

"Poseidon, water!" Zeus shouted, looking over his shoulder. "Quickly!"

Though he had regained enough strength to pick himself up from the sand, Poseidon felt far too weary to be ordered around by his youngest brother.

"All our fresh water is still on the boat," he calmly explained. "There is only the sea."

"Here, take this," Chiron said, stepping up to Zeus and offering the god his water sack. Zeus snatched the leather pouch from the centaur's hand in the blink of an eye and proceeded to pour the contents over Hades' features.

Cerberus, still confused, ambled over to Hades’ side. The creature was still present, and yet Hades seemed safe now. Curious, the animal investigated its charge, smelling a scent it had never smelled before. Hades chuckled at the assault of snuffling canine snouts which trailed up and down his body, and he placed a reassuring hand on one of his protector’s heads.

“I am alright now, Cerberus,” the god said. As much as Zeus thinks otherwise, he thought, slightly annoyed with his brother. Did Zeus truly think he was so weak?

“I am alright,” he repeated, looking into Zeus’ eyes. Zeus wore a strange expression, one of concern and genuine worry. Clearly the youngest god had been truly afraid for his beloved’s life.

“Have some,” he said, holding up the satchel of water to his eldest brother.

“Thank you.” Hades swallowed a mouthful of water, and left the rest to cleaning his body of the slime. Zeus faced him, his back toward the creature, and Hades found himself staring upward at the massive figure. It seemed to be looking down at him with great interest. Not just the group, but at Hades himself. It shivered its jaw at him, making a strange chortling noise.

“Hades!” Demeter’s voice cried out. Heads of gods and centaur turned to the source of the voice, and saw the goddess presently running from the shore, toward the group. Hera was walking now, and clearly feeling better, as she was nagging at Hestia to allow her to walk by herself.

“Hades, are you alright?” Demeter was at her brother’s side in seconds, and by the time she was looking him over, Hades was feeling very intruded upon, surrounded by god, goddess, and three-headed, sniffing beast.

“I insist, I am alright,” he replied.

"Anything broken?" Demeter asked worriedly, pawing at Hades' ribcage and abdomen through his robes and then giving a disgusted frown at the sticky substance he was covered in.

"No, nothing is broken, sister," the god snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Now let me be! I just need some air!"

"Hades..." Demeter objected, not bothering to hide her surprise at her brother's reaction. "I assure you, I meant no offense..."

"I know you did not, but I only wish to clean myself and be on the way."

Demeter heeded her brother's wish to be given some space and backed away, but Zeus was instantly there to grab him when Hades attempted to stand, his manner and disposition making it clear that he did not trust Hades' own judgment.

"Can you stand?" he inquired warily, not releasing his grasp despite his brother's irritated struggles. "I can carry you if you wish."

"That really won't be necessary!" Hades growled, finally able to free himself from Zeus and he hobbled toward the water's edge. Salt water was not ideal for washing, but it was better than continue being covered in slime. The creature had begun to withdraw from the shoreline, back into the sea where its colossal weight was better supported.

Hades no longer feared it; if it wanted to kill him, it had had its chance many times over. He was still curious and puzzled at the beast's interest in him, but likely they would never find out the reason for it.

Hades' clothes were beyond salvage, so torn and saturated with the creature's reeking ooze that he did not bother trying to wash them. Fortunately the siblings had brought spare clothing aboard the boat.

“If I may…” Demeter offered carefully as she approached her brother. “I have brought a much cleaner robe.”

“Thank you,” Hades said, squirming slightly as he slipped out of his own clothing. He might have felt just a little uncomfortable undressing in front of everyone had he not been so desperate to separate himself from the stubborn slime which still had not washed fully from his form.

“I apologize for acting so terse with all of you,” Hades said ruefully. “I am still a little anxious. Also… this muck… is ghastly.”

“I can see that for myself,” Demeter replied, rubbing the tips of her fingers together and still feeling the sticky quality of the creature’s sputum. “You will feel better when you have the chance at a real bath. In the meantime, you could always have Cerberus lick you clean.”

Hades finally managed a smile. “I am certain he would try it, but I would rather be free of all saliva, monster or otherwise.”

“Alert us when you are ready to depart,” the goddess said, laying down the robe on the dry sand. “In the mean time, I should go and inspect our brother, lest he expires.”

She waved a hand in the direction of Poseidon, who was standing, but still looking quite exerted. Hades chuckled, regretting the commotion he had made when his brother and Chiron held him back. After all, they were only trying to protect him.

While his siblings began to prepare for a journey on foot, he scrubbed the sticky substance from his skin. He let himself dry in the sun for a few moments, watching the creature continue its passage into deeper waters. It stopped only to look back at the god for a short time.

“You can’t even speak, can you?” he muttered, lost in thought over the monster. It turned away, walked further, and finally submerged. A large splash followed, and the creature was gone.

Would that be the last the gods saw of it? Somehow Hades doubted it. They would cross paths with the creature again, and perhaps find out more about its motives and origins. As for now, however, the gargantuan sea beast remained shrouded in mystery for the Olympian family.

Zeus, not letting his brother out of sight, offered to help Hades dress once the eldest god's skin had sufficiently dried. Hades accepted the offer, now pleased with the attention rather than annoyed. He enjoyed feeling the other's large hands moving over his frame, nimbly working on the fastenings to the robe despite their size and apparent clumsiness.

Zeus finished by delivering a light slap to Hades' rear, encouraging him to move on. The display did not go unnoticed by Hera, who watched the pair with hateful eyes. How badly she wished that Hades had been eaten by the creature. She was still sure that its original intentions had been to consume the wretched god, but something had apparently caused it to change its mind.

"The giants have set up a temporary accommodation for you," Chiron informed as the small group gathered together. "I know it hardly lives up to the standards of your previous home, but..."

"I wish to thank you and the giants for their efforts, however we already have a place where we intend to go," Zeus broke in.

The centaur's curved brows arched high up against his forehead. "Where, if I may ask?"

"Olympus," the leader said. "Our father's fortress stands empty. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

“Oh my…” the centaur’s ear twitched as he considered the possibility. “If you wish it, then it is in your power…”

“However…?” Zeus countered, hearing the hesitation in his half-brother’s voice.

“However,” Chiron echoed. “There may still be titans remaining. Not all were as arrogant as Atlas. Or so stupid. The giants have not come across any in their searches, but some may still linger in such places as their former home.”

“Then I shall deal with them accordingly,” Zeus said with a determined smile. “Why else would we be called Olympians? It was our very birthplace, before Cronos attempted to stifle our chances at life.”

Chiron smiled back politely. “As I said, it is in your power.” He turned to regard Poseidon, who was asking Hades if they could convince Cerberus to wear some kind of harness in order to pull the heavier of the family’s possessions for the duration of the journey.

“I think he will agree to that,” Hades said, patting one of the beast’s heads, and he set to work with Hestia to fashion such a lead.

“Be careful not to speak so strongly,” Chiron said in obvious jest. “You may wear yourself out.”

Poseidon smirked. “I feel improved now that we no longer have monsters to battle, or siblings to rescue.”

“Or boats to push through the waves,” the centaur added. “My offer still stands if you need a ride.”

“I am alright,” Poseidon insisted. “You however, have taken quite the injury. Who would have guessed our brother to be so vicious?”

"Yes, who indeed..." Chiron muttered, eyeing the bite mark on his left hand, located on the fleshy side of his palm, just below the thumb. It still hurt, especially when he flexed his fingers, but one part of him almost felt like laughing at the whole event. Hades had truly proven himself to be quite ferocious in times of need.

The raven-haired god, having overheard the conversation about his recent viciousness, lowered his head in shame. "I beg you to forgive me, Chiron," he said ruefully. "I... I was frantic. I did not mean to harm you in any way."

"Apology accepted," Chiron replied, smiling slightly. "As long as you promise not to do it again."

"I hope you will never have to restrain me again," Hades remarked. "Even to keep me safe."

"I am honor-bound by a promise to Zeus to..."

Chiron's proclamation of honor was cut short by a sudden burst of energy from Poseidon, who started running back to the shore in haste. The curly-haired god seemed almost as frantic as Hades himself had been when struggling against Chiron's protection. It soon became apparent that Poseidon was searching for something.

"My trident! Where is it?! Zeus!"

“You would do best not to restrain him,” Hades could not help but say. Chiron chuckled for a moment until he realized how genuine his half-brother’s distress truly was.

“Please tell me you have not lost it!” Poseidon cried, running towards his youngest sibling.

Eyebrow raised, Zeus needed only look for a second or more, and found the weapon half covered by sand as the tide retreated over it. As he – very carefully – lifted it, brushing the particles off of the handle, he heard a sigh of relief from his elder brother.

“I think it is broken from the way it reacted to my using it,” Zeus remarked as he handed the trident to Poseidon.

“It is fine,” the older Olympian responded, frowning. “It was not meant for your use, just as I am not meant to take your lightning. But you have a point. I am surprised it did not break from the way you attacked that creature.”

“Would you rather I not act in defending our brother and my betrothed?” Zeus demanded, brow furrowed in anger.

“Not that it made any difference!” Poseidon snapped back. “If anything, it could have caused more trouble had the beast taken any notice.”

“Perhaps if you had not been reckless, Hades would not have been taken from us in the first place!” Zeus was now shouting, and the piercing blue of his eyes took on a more brilliant shade, nearly white with electricity.

"Hades falling overboard was NOT my doing!" Poseidon shouted back, his own anger causing him to stand up against Zeus, despite being aware of his younger sibling's flaring, volatile temper. He simply would not take the blame for something that was not his fault.

For a moment, Zeus was at a loss for words. He had not expected Poseidon to take the argument further; in fact, he had firmly believed that his brother would be hanging his head in shame by now, like a chastised dog.

"Your actions almost made our boat tip over, and Hades---"

"Our boat collided with the creature, Zeus. It would have done so regardless of my attempts to give you speed."

Zeus, realizing that his brother was likely right, felt his anger grow to dangerous heights. He did not like to be contradicted or corrected, and most of all he loathed being made to look like a fool.

"You should have brought Hades back the moment he fell into the water!" he bellowed in his fellow Olympian's face, desperate to find something to fault Poseidon for.

"Why did you not catch him before he went overboard?" Poseidon retorted, his grip on his trident hardening. If Zeus tried anything as far as violence, he would not hesitate to slam the flat of it straight in his brother's arrogant visage.

“How can you even question ME?” Zeus finally roared back, and the lightning coiling around his fists popped at such a volume that the entire group jumped at the sound. None of those watching felt bold enough to interfere, with a very surprising exception.

“Zeus!”

“Stay out of this, Hades,” Zeus growled back at Hades, not so much as looking his way. The god’s anger was like a feral beast, dangerously close to breaking free of its shackles.

“Zeus, listen to me! Stop this!” Hades objected, and he stepped forward. Demeter cried out his name in an attempt to make him step back, but the god ignored her.

“I said STOP,” Hades was now shouting, fists bunched with anger.

However, when Zeus finally turned to look at him, his brief sense of daring nearly disappeared completely. He stepped back at the sight of the jumping bolts of electricity which seemed to be hovering around his beloved like glowing snakes. Zeus’ eyes were unfamiliar now, glowing white with the electric current. When the leader of the gods finally looked at his eldest brother, his face softened. Though still visibly angry, he lowered his hands, and the lightning which danced with such fury around him calmed.

“I am unharmed,” Hades said. “Is this not what matters?”

Zeus’ eyes finally returned to their familiar blue. “Yes,” the god said, walking towards his betrothed and lifting a far more gentle hand. “That is what matters.” He reached forward to caress Hades’ cheek, and a tiny pop was heard. Hades flinched at the snapping energy left over from Zeus’ skin, and chuckled.

“That hurt,” he said.

“I am sorry,” Zeus apologized. Anger was still present in the younger god’s eyes, but now he looked too tired to care. He gave a heavy sigh and glanced at the makeshift cart. Cerberus was now tethered to it, ready to pull.

“Let us find our new home.”

TBC...
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The Immortal Heart