DEKAEPTAIA | ΔΕΚΑΕΠΤΑΙΑ [Volume 2]

by DaemonAdamas

Summary:

Ἄνδρας μοι ἔννεπε, Μοῦσα...

Sing to me of the men, Muse, the men with divine powers who, mortals born of Immortals, rose against Kronos, the devious-devising, all-powerful father of the race of gods, the men who faced many perils in a war of tears and blood, and who bore the brunt of suffering for the world's salvation.

Notes:

Khaire everyone! Welcome to volume 2 of Dekaeptaia! If you've just tuned in, know that you must have read volume 1 beforehand to understand this story.

Now, if you want to read this volume 2, I strongly advise you to check the tags carefully, as they contain some pretty important TW! If the tags scare you, know that some of them aren't as bad as they seem, but I've included them as a precaution. Additionally, if a chapter contains something particularly graphic, I'll put a warning at the beginning.

All that's left for me to do now is to wish you happy reading and hope you continue to enjoy Dekaeptaia!

Chapter 1: Prologue

Great sire of men and gods in heaven's abodes, mighty Titan whom all revere, endued with various council and gifted with prodigious strength, to whom perfection and decrease belong, by whom matter’s flowing forms die, by whom restored, thy power is contained in everlasting chains across Earth's silent plains. Kronos, etherial father of Time, Kronos, crooked-counseling father of vast eternity, divine, blossom of Gaia and of starry Ouranos; obstetric power and venerable root, indestructible Titan, best of beings, of a subtle mind, propitious hear, to suppliant prayers inclined; the sacred rites benevolent attend, and grant a blameless life, a blessed end.

Bring to those who pray to thee the promised new Golden Age. Receive our sacred offerings. Avert thy ancient wrath from us; may it be unleashed on those who have imprisoned thee in the depths of the earth. We summon thee. We adore thee. Free thyself from the Tartarean confines where the race of Titans, forefathers of our ancestors, have for too long nurtured their vengeance.

Eternal Kronos, Most-Excellent Kronos. Hear our songs. Answer our prayers.

These words, for a length of time impossible to quantify, echoed louder and louder in the sulphurous air of Tartarus. No light shone on the prisoners in the bowels of the Earth. Not even the threatening glow of the river of fire could reach them, for their punishment condemned them never to receive light or feel a cool breeze on their skin. The atmosphere was stifling. In the distance, the cries and lamentations of the damned souls could be heard. The Titan stroked his thick, bushy, disheveled beard, inhaling deeply the pitch fumes of the primordial deep. He clenched his fist. His chains rattled on the rocky ground.

On earth, far above the vast depths, as far from the bottom of Tartarus as from the summit of heaven, the fumes of sacrifice no longer rose towards the aether and Olympus. They descended – a sign of chaos to come, defying the order of the Cosmos – and gradually seeped into the layers of the Earth. They descended, crossing the nearby Erebus, carrying with them the prayers and invocations of the worshippers of the Ancient Gods, forefathers of their ancestors.

"Be ready," he said in a hollow voice. The sound echoed between the rock and brazen walls. A few chains creaked in response as the other prisoners turned to listen to the voice. "It's time."

"My brother..." sighed another prisoner in the darkness. "We've tried a thousand times to free ourselves from these chains. All in vain..."

"Our vengeance is written, Coeus," the first replied curtly. He made an annoyed gesture with his arm, and one of his chains clattered against the rock. "The prayers and offerings of mortals feed me and regenerate my strength. Their faith and devotion bring me closer to the surface of the Earth. As soon as I've left this abyss, I'll return from the outside. I'll tear down the walls my sons have erected, and we'll all be free. Then we'll reclaim this world that's been stolen from us."

"Such a perfect plan... It's been failing for years, Kronos."

"Rest assured, if you continue to doubt me, I won't break your chains, Iapetus, and you'll stay in this abyss forever."

With this threat, the Titan rose to his feet, dragging his icy chains behind him. He stretched his arms upwards and once again inhaled the stale air of Tartarus. This time, the scent of the offerings reached him, and he felt a shiver of power run through him. He closed his eyes and listened to the chanting of prayers in his ears. He followed them, knowing he was heading in the right direction as they grew louder. The putrid haze of Tartarus became less pervasive, the invocations clearer, more distinct.

Kronos gasped as he felt a draft of air, cool at first, then warmer. He opened his eyes. And he saw. He saw because there was light all around him. The dancing light of the pyres. Right before his eyes, he saw a man take a few steps back, staring wide-eyed in fright. The chanting and praying suddenly stopped. Kronos tried to move, but only his head obeyed his movements. He looked around.

It was night. Fires all around him filled the air with fragrant smoke and cast dancing shadows on the rock wall behind him. Several men and women stared at the Titan with horror and amazement. Some screamed and fell to their knees. They were at the entrance to a cavern.

After a few moments, Kronos felt his limbs come to life. He could now move. He carefully raised one arm. Before his eyes, a reddish clay was gradually taking on the color of skin. The Titan ran his freshly enlivened hands over his face, tracing its contours with his fingertips. His body was still cold.

"Free. At last," he muttered, inhaling the fresh air. "Out of the bowels of the Earth that gave me life."

He turned his head towards the first man he'd seen, who was only human in appearance."Prometheus," the Titan called him. "To you, then, I owe this clay body? To you, I owe this rebirth?"

The other Titan, whose name had been spoken and heard by all, bowed his head in deference. Kronos smirked. He turned around, startling some of the worshippers, and faced a hitherto discreet woman.

"Rhea." The woman, the Titanid, lowered her head in turn. So Kronos walked over to her, raised his hand to her cheek, and forced her to raise her head. "My dear sister, my tender wife," he said, caressing her cheekbone.

Her lips trembled, as if in fear, or as if the Titanid hesitated to utter a word.

"The mother of my children," the Titan added.

His gaze darkened as he continued to speak. His touch on his wife's cheek became stiffer. Then he stopped moving. His hand tightened. He leaned over and breathed a single word at Rhea's face:

"Traitor."

The Titanid let out a frightened cry. Kronos saw a tear glisten on her cheek. He wiped it away with his fingertips.

"Have you chosen your side?"

She nodded. "Yes, my king..." she whispered.

Kronos stared at her for several seconds before turning away and leaving her to weep. He returned to the hearths and looked at each of the worshipers. All trembled before the presence of the Titan, and the king was delighted.

"There's no time to waste," he announced loud and clear to anyone who would listen. "I will free my brothers. Then we'll find the traitors and give them a chance to repent." Suddenly, he pointed at Prometheus, who froze. "Starting with you. In the war against my son, you chose his side. Rest assured, if you make that mistake again, you'll receive the same punishment I received from him."

"I obey you, my king," the Titan stammered.

"Good... I'll make sure of it."

With that, he resumed his monologue. "Then we will annihilate the race of gods and the race of mortals who have replaced me with Zeus. They will pay with their blood. It's time to raise the army that will overthrow the established order." One by one, he pointed to the men and women who had prayed to him. "If you are my faithful, then engrave in your skin the glyph of the sickle with which I will mow down those who oppose me."

No sooner had he spoken than one of the women around the pyres seized the knife that had been used for the sacrifice and, with the point of the blade, cut the back of her hand, quickly followed by all the others. The spilled blood stained the ground and delighted the Titan. He was about to take a step towards the exit of the cavern to expose his new clay body to the night, when the voice of the Mother of the Gods echoed faintly:

"My king..."

Kronos turned abruptly. "What ?"

"Your children and their children... have had children with mortals from the Lower World."

"What of it? Why should I care?"

"It's said that the gods created them to fight and defeat you."

Kronos tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowed, then an incredulous smile twisted his face. He burst out laughing. "Have they created demigods to fight me? Are they so afraid of me that they send mortals as sacrifices?"

His laughter suddenly died away. His face veiled in cruel anger.

"I'll kill them all. Mere mortals will not prevent me from taking back my throne.

"They say they are powerful..." Rhea warned him.

"And I say they're already dead!"

His wife fell silent and shuddered with fear. The Titan's shout echoed through the cavern like the muffled roar of a volcano about to erupt. When the echo died down, Kronos turned without another word to Rhea. This time, nothing could stop him from revealing himself to the Night. He looked up at her starry veil. At this appalling sight of the Titan escaped from Tartarus, the stars and the half-moon concealed themselves behind dark clouds, plunging the world into a deep, ominous darkness. And Kronos, his gaze cold yet burning with rage, calmly announced:

"Let's go and get my weapon."

Notes:

Dekaeptaia vol.2 officially begins! And this new arc starts with the awakening of Kronos... As you've probably guessed if you've read the tags, a lot is going to happen. Be prepared :)

Chapter 2: Rhapsody 1

As they came off stage, the members of Seventeen were more euphoric than ever. They had just finished their media showcase, and the response had been more than positive. The performance had gone off smoothly, and they were off to a good start with their album promotions. Back in their dressing rooms, they had a few minutes to freshen up, to check fans' reactions to their comeback before their manager came to collect them for their comeback live.

This was the usual routine for each of their albums; a time to chat with fans about the new songs, the MV, the album... Still in their stage outfits, they set up in front of the camera and, as usual, conducted the livestream to perfection, in their familiar loud good mood. Almost half an hour later, when the camera was switched off, they went over what had been said, what they had forgotten to mention, without ever losing their smiles.

As they chatted, Mingyu looked up for a second. He saw a woman in the room with them, staring at them, waiting to be noticed. Mingyu froze. She wasn't one of their staff, but she was strangely familiar, like a known presence in disguise. Knowing she had been spotted, the woman turned her back and left the room. The son of Apollo tapped Seungcheol on the shoulder to get his attention, then whispered:

"Hyung... I think Iris is here."

The smile on the son of Zeus's face gave way to a worried frown. "Where?" he asked, scanning as discreetly as possible the people in the room with them.

"She just left... but I'm sure it was her."

Seungcheol licked his lips nervously. If the goddess had taken the trouble to come to them in the Lower World, hidden among the common people, then there must have been a situation that demanded it. Seungcheol rose to his feet and, with a nod, conveyed an order he could not speak. Without waiting, they all followed the leader out of the room, ignoring the bewildered remarks of their staff.

They made their way to their dressing room, where they had left their rings. As they entered, they immediately spotted them. The rings, still in their place, shone with an intense, unearthly glow. Seungcheol remembered the moment when he had first discovered his ring, more than a year earlier. Back then, it glowed with the same light. In the room, the woman – Iris in common guise – was there; no golden wings, no ancient tunic, but the distinct aura of a goddess, for those who paid close attention and knew of the existence of gods.

"Demigods, put on your rings," she ordered.

Rarely did the goddess of Rainbows speak in such a tone. The demigods complied. They took back their respective rings and turned to Iris.

"What is going on?" Seungcheol asked.

"Climb up to the Ossa and arm yourselves. I will open the rainbow to where you have to go."

"Wait, what's happening?" Jihoon insisted. "Why all of a sudden?"

"Demigods, if the moment demands that I tell you more, this is not the place," replied the goddess. "Just do as I say, soon you'll know the truth of the matter."

She spoke faster and faster, and the demigods couldn't clearly identify whether she was under time pressure or nervous. Whatever the case, her frantic pace only exacerbated a dawning anxiety in the demigods' souls. To confirm what he was thinking, Junhui turned his head towards Minghao. He was already facing his boyfriend; the son of Hermes seemed to have been expecting Junhui's gaze. With a nod, they understood each other.

The door flew open.

"Ah, there you are!" a familiar voice exclaimed. "What were you thinking, leaving like that? You..." Their manager paused suddenly, noticing the unfamiliar woman in the group's presence. "Who are you?" he asked sharply.

All the demigods widened their eyes in a frightened grimace, remaining silent. Some hid the divine ring, shining with magical glow, behind their backs. In doing so, they drew their manager's attention to the rings. He looked at the still visible jewels, then at the mysterious woman, then at the group members, who said nothing and did not move.

"What the hell are you doing here?" insisted their manager as he stepped into the room.

He looked both confused and menacing, and the demigods exchanged panicked glances. They didn't know what their manager intended to do, and Seungcheol, in a protective reflex – no doubt misplaced as Iris remained an Immortal – stepped in between the goddess and the manager. The latter bowed his head and frowned. In his eyes, incomprehension was coupled with reproach.

"What's going on here? Who's she?"

"Hyung, I promise we can explain everything," said Jihoon.

"Why is there a stranger with you in your dressing room? Do you know her?!"

Seungcheol was about to answer when the goddess put her hand on his shoulder. He looked behind him at Iris: she was staring at him with gravity and in her eyes, all the urgency with which she was asking them to get out of this situation.

"I'll call security," decided the manager.

In a matter of seconds, the son of Zeus realized the seriousness of the consequences of what he was about to do. He saw their manager reach for his phone. He thought they would have to apologize to their staff anyway, with even more lies. They could hardly be in a worse situation. So, he rushed at the manager, grabbed him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room before slamming the door and locking it. He barely heard him shout and protest; he leaned back against the door to block it, while their manager was already banging on it and struggling with the handle.

"Let's go," he decided in a short breath. He moved closer to the rest of the group, who were watching him with wide eyes, and to Iris, who never lost her look of seriousness. He showed his left hand, the ring he had received from Zeus, and got anxious nods in response.

"Hyung, we're in trouble, aren't we?" Chan inquired.

With a deep sigh, Seungcheol answered in the affirmative before teleporting to Mount Ossa. In an instant, they had left the artificial light of their dressing room for the glow of the flames that led the way into the darkness of the paradigm's night. Iris had resumed her divine appearance, and her golden wings shone in the half-lit Ossa. With a wave of her arm, she pointed inside the palace, and Seungcheol motioned for everyone to head for the armory in the basement.

In the corridors, they didn't exchange a word, only worried glances. The fact that they were being asked to rush to the weapons didn't bode well. Several times, they hesitated to run, but as no one seemed inclined, they all adopted a hurried, uneasy walking pace. They skipped down the stairs, always in silence, disturbed by their rapid steps on the marble, echoing in the empty corridors.

In front of the room, Iris was already waiting for them, teleported by her divine power. She held the door open. They hurried into the armory, aware of the goddess's presence nearby, and headed for their respective breastplates. They dropped their stage outfits and replaced them with a tunic and metal plates. Not a word was spoken. All that could be heard was the clinking of orichalcum. Even requests for help in fastening the heavy breastplates were nothing but silent stares. It was only when they reached for their weapons that they had a moment of hesitation.

This was not an exercise. The Goddess of the Rainbow was pressing them with her very presence. Their faces did little to hide their concern. Mingyu slipped his quiver behind his back. Joshua fastened his sickles to his hips. Junhui lifted the heavy Aegis and slung it over his arm. Seungkwan gathered up the javelins. All felt the growing anguish that weighed more heavily than their equipment.

"To the stables, demigods," Iris ordered.

She disappeared into thin air, and the demigods set off in full gear for the stables. They arrived shortly afterwards. The goddess had opened the stable doors and brought out a horse for each demigod. She had also placed saddle clothes on their backs and tied bridles around their heads.

"Iris, tell us what's going on!" Seungcheol asked on behalf of everyone as he approached the goddess.

"Mount up," she said simply.

Uncertainty added to apprehension, and against all the signals their bodies were sending them – sweaty hands, palpitating hearts, tremors – they hoisted themselves onto their horses. Iris told them to follow her, and she flew to the entrance of the Ossa. It was only when she spread the rainbow that she finally answered:

"Kronos has broken free."

Again, the only reaction was a heavy silence. Until then, Kronos had been nothing but a name, certainly threatening, but with no real body, no real presence. He was a distant enemy; he was a myth. So, when they heard that the fateful moment of his liberation, feared by the gods, had come, the demigods were stunned. Only Soonyoung dared to question Iris.

"How can this be? How could he get out of the Underworld?"

The goddess of the Rainbow did not lift the mystery and ignored the question. She took a step along the colorful, supernatural path through the night.

"You must go immediately to where he emerged. The rainbow will take you there." She pointed to the horizon and didn't move. Then they understood that the golden-winged goddess would go no further.

"What should we do?" asked Seungcheol, whose voice betrayed unease.

"What you've been trained for."

The demigod of Lightning bit his lip and looked over his shoulder at the distraught faces of his friends. He sighed. His hands tightened on Boreas's bridle. With a light nudge of his heels, he drove him forward a step.

"Good luck, demigods." These were Iris's last words before disappearing. If her presence had been a great source of nervousness, her sudden absence was way worse: suddenly, they felt abandoned, thrown into a fate far too great for them.

The time of fame and acclaim was suddenly replaced by an immense emptiness, towards which they were being pushed. Boreas took another step over the rainbow, and Seungcheol turned around again. The others had not moved.

"Where are we going, hyung?..." asked Mingyu.

Less a question than a cry of distress, Seungcheol couldn't answer. As a leader, he had to lead the way. But he, too, was feeling overwhelmed by the turn of events. Moments earlier, they were still on stage. They hadn't even had time to take off their make-up. They were not ready. Whoever was standing on those horses, on the edge of the rainbow, at that moment, was no match for the prophecy.

"I don't know..." replied the son of Zeus in a trembling voice. "B-But... But we've got to go..."

He hadn't meant to stammer. He was ashamed of being terrified. He didn't want to go, and he could read on every face that nobody wanted to. Even Hansol, who had proved his fighting spirit time and time again, kept his eyes downcast. They didn't put on airs and graces, now that it was real. Now that their enemy's name had become a presence.

"We've got to go," Seungcheol repeated, convincing himself to move forward.

When he lightly pressed his heels against his horse's flanks, he didn't feel he had made the gesture. His body had decided before his mind could come to terms with the idea. Boreas took the rainbow, and from then on, Seungcheol never stopped him. The horse crossed the colorful path, and a few moments later, his hooves touched rocky ground. There was no more light. No more Ossa flame. Only a world bathed in darkness, starless. The half-moon's rays barely filtered through the black clouds.

Seungcheol jumped at a sudden noise behind him. He turned again: twelve more horses and their riders had come down from the Ossa and followed him. Behind them, the rainbow receded. No more divine magic accompanied them. They were alone, in the middle of the night, in an unknown place, with only the certainty that their prophetic enemy had escaped from the most terrible prison in the Underworld and that they had come to confront him.

"Where are we?" whispered Seungkwan.

The atmosphere of the night was so heavy and calm that he didn't dare disturb it. A few hootings, perhaps, and a light breeze could be heard in the distance. Seungcheol had no answer, so he looked around at the other demigods. None of them had a clue. All they could do was assert that the landscape was mountainous. From what little light the veiled half-moon offered them, they could make out, between the treetops, high massifs that seemed to rise up to the sky, and which looked as if they were about to collapse on them. They were on the slopes of a mountain, in an area that was relatively flat and passable, but also overgrown with vegetation.

Seungcheol conjured up the Thunderbolt in his hand. Its electric crackle disturbed the stiflingly quiet atmosphere of the landscape, but its bluish light revealed a rocky path between the trees. This was undoubtedly the direction in which they should be moving.

"Uh... B-Be careful..." muttered Seungcheol.

He could only note that his own words were of little weight, but he couldn't think of anything better to say. Holding the Thunderbolt in front of him with his right hand, he led Boreas with his left. The horse took to the trail, and behind him could be heard the steady clatter of other mounts' hooves on the stone path. They advanced slowly, without knowing where they were going.

Some, more nervous than others, kept one hand constantly on their weapon. Wonwoo had even notched an arrow on his bow and held his weapon with both hands, guiding his mare with the rest of his body. Seungkwan seemed on the verge of tears, but in the half-light, no one noticed. Everyone had their own panic to deal with.

"Where are we going?" asked Chan breathlessly. "What are we even doing?..."

Jeonghan shook his head in response. The confusion that surrounded them, drowning their minds in a frightening fog, was matched only by the dark night and its invisible specters. They kept up their pace. The path began to climb and rise up the mountainside. After long minutes of climbing, their nerves tested by the impossibility of releasing the tension for even a second, they reached a more open space, devoid of trees, but which was becoming incredibly challenging for the horses.

Jihoon was the first, feeling his mare's legs slipping on the stones, and put his foot down. "If we want to keep going, we have to walk," he advised.

The demigods followed his advice and dismounted.

"Keep going where?" hissed Seungkwan. "We should just go back! Please!"

Seungcheol silenced him with a wave of his hand. He had just spotted an opening in the rock a little further up the steep path. He turned to Jihoon, who was standing next to him, and silently asked for his opinion. The son of Poseidon squinted and reluctantly assented. He didn't want to go, but it seemed obvious that this was where they needed to be.

Leaving the horses behind, they climbed up to the cave they'd spotted and stopped in front of the entrance. It was a dark chasm in the silvery mountain wall, a black hole that hid everything in its lair and sucked out what little light there was. Seungcheol let out a fearful gasp. He could hear his heart pounding in his temples. His whole body was screaming at him to flee, but he couldn't. He raised the Thunderbolt to light up the interior of the cavern. The light stopped a few steps in front of him, swallowed up by the darkness, as if the cave refused to reveal its secrets.

"I don't like this at all..." Seungkwan gasped. "Not at all, not at all!"

Despite everything, Seungcheol stepped forward. Seokmin joined him at the front of the group. He was no less frightened than the others; the cold light of the half-moon didn't help his pallor. He held out his rapier in front of him and lit it like a torch. The fire mingled with the Thunderbolt's electric light and pushed the pitch-black back a little further. Junhui, in turn, dared to step forward to the edge of the halo of light, at the frontier of the unknown and the invisible. He squinted.

Seokmin, looking around, noticed a pile of twigs against the cave wall. He frowned and approached, moving the light of his sword with him. He touched the wood with the flaming tip of his blade. Just as the twigs ignited, Junhui blurted out:

"Someone's there."

Everyone gasped once at these words, then again when the light from Seokmin's fire penetrated further into the cave, revealing a shadowy figure. Some screamed and froze in fear, and others had the reflex to brandish their weapons. But no one stepped forward. Wonwoo, with bated breath, had drawn his bow and was aiming at what looked like a specter, a dark shape surrounded by a drapery that fell at its feet. Neither its face nor the general shape of its body was discernible.

There was a slight sound, like heavy breathing, not that of any demigod. Wonwoo felt his fingers trembling on his string. Suddenly, the noise became a roar, and something moved at the back of the cave. Behind the first, human-sized figure, two more shadows appeared, walking on all fours. They approached and stepped into the light. They were two large lions. Wonwoo inhaled sharply and lowered his bow towards the two beasts.

Some of the demigods took a few steps back, frightened by the beasts. But before the son of Artemis could decide to shoot, the first figure raised its hand. Immediately, the beasts stopped moving and sat down on the rock. Then the figure stepped forward into the light and slipped the veil that had previously covered its head off its shoulders. It was a woman. It was a goddess. It was a Titanid.

"Wh-Who are you?" Seungcheol called out in Greek.

He had braced himself and kept the Thunderbolt in front of him, hoping the divine weapon would be enough of a deterrent to keep her from coming any closer.

"Rhea," she replied. Her voice was calm and deep. It didn't sound threatening, but its intonation was imbued with severity.

"She's Kronos' wife," Junhui whispered to the rest of the group. "Queen of the Titans."

As soon as they heard this information, they all raised their weapons, some in the hope of appearing aggressive – they couldn't really claim to be, they felt so faint with fear – others to hide behind them.

"You must be the demigods" said the Titanid, inclining her head. "And you, you are holding the Thunderbolt... You're my son's son."

Seungcheol didn't answer and hoped his face didn't show too much confusion. It had never occurred to him that Kronos was indeed none other than his grandfather, and Rhea his grandmother.

"How did you manage to escape from the Underworld?" Soonyoung asked in a trembling voice.

The Titanid watched him for a few seconds. Her gaze lingered on the pitchfork around which his hands were desperately clutching.

"I've never been locked up in Tartarus. My sisters and I didn't fight alongside Kronos back then, and my son was merciful."

"But what about Kronos?..."

She remained silent. She scanned the demigods one by one, then, without a word, she pulled her veil back over her head, concealing her forehead and eyes. In the half-light, only her lips could be seen moving as she spoke the words:

"The one you seek is not here. He left hours ago."

"Where?" asked Seungcheol. "Where is he?"

In a vain attempt to impress her, he brandished the Thunderbolt and made a few electric crackles sound. He felt ridiculous. Large beads of sweat ran down his forehead and nearly dripped into his eyes. He didn't have the stature of a hero. The Titanid didn't back down. Clearly, he didn't impress her.

"You shouldn't undertake this venture," warned Rhea.

As all they could see were her lips, they couldn't tell with which gaze she was uttering these words – threatening, sincere, worried. Her intentions remained unknown.

"You're no match for the wrath of Kronos," she continued. "He will destroy you. It's a waste of time."

"We've trained!" Jihoon retorted, holding out his trident towards the Titanid.

She smirked. "No, demigods... You do not know what you are up against. It took my children ten divine years to defeat their father. It will take my husband a few seconds to slaughter you. Do not waste your youth on a war you are certain to lose. There is still time to join the victorious side."

Seungcheol hesitated, uncertain whether to attack. He had the chance. But he lacked courage, daring, or fearlessness. Like all the others, he remained on guard, but without moving. Rhea, noticing that her words stirred no reaction, went on:

"I say this for your sake."

"Our mission is to defeat Kronos," Seungcheol replied.

A laugh escaped the Titanid. She did not seem to believe the son of Zeus. "Very well. Then there's nothing I can do for you." She stepped back, and her lions rose to follow her into the shadows. "He's heading for Drepane," she whispered. "You might have a chance of surviving him if you get there before he does."

No sooner had she uttered these words than she disappeared, taking her beasts with her. Seungcheol gasped and turned to Junhui. The son of Athena had lowered his spear and shield.

"We're alone," he confirmed.

The demigods lowered their weapons in turn and finally allowed themselves to breathe. It took Wonwoo a few seconds to release the tension in his arm. His fingers ached from pulling on the string. He crouched down to relieve his tensed body. Others tried to calm the panicked beating of their hearts. They didn't look too good. For a few minutes, nobody said anything.

"What do we do now?" Jihoon suddenly asked under his breath.

"What do you mean by 'what do we do'?! We do nothing!" cried Seungkwan.

His voice echoed through the cave and startled the demigods. They turned to the son of Hera, whose face broke into a grimace of fright.

"You heard her!" he continued. "If we go, we're all gonna die! Do you realize she's threatened our lives?!"

He had tears in his eyes, and his legs seemed about to give out on him. Joshua went over to him and put his hands on his shoulders to steady him.

"But we're supposed to stop Kronos," Mingyu muttered.

"Stop saying that! Why do you insist on listening to the gods? All you're gonna achieve is to get yourselves killed!"

"So, we just give up?" questioned Soonyoung.

"I'm not sure the gods will let us," whispered Wonwoo.

The son of Apollo looked up at the son of Artemis. The latter was expecting Mingyu's gaze; he quickly averted his eyes to stare, like most of the other demigods, at their leader. Seungcheol was still showing obvious signs of anxiety, but he was trying to slow down his breathing.

"Does anyone know Drepane?" he asked.

Hearing the question, Seungkwan sighed loudly and slipped out of Joshua's grasp to walk away from the conversation he refused to hear. Minghao raised his hand.

"Drepane is another name for the island of Corfu. It means 'sickle'."

"It refers to the shape of the island," Junhui added. "The myths say it's shaped like a sickle because that's where Kronos' weapon is found."

"So that's why Rhea told us we had a chance," Jeonghan deduced. "He doesn't have his weapon yet, and he's on his way to retrieving it."

"Isn't it already too late?" Joshua wondered. "He can teleport, can't he? Like the gods? He must already be there..."

"But Rhea said we had a chance of getting there before him," Jihoon remarked.

"Do you believe her?" said Chan. "She's Kronos' wife. It's probably a trap..."

"In the meantime," retorted Hansol, "we'll have to make do with what she's told us..."

Seungcheol took a deep breath, trying to assimilate all the different opinions he was hearing. He was having trouble thinking, yet he knew he was expected to make a decision.

"All we have to do is ask the gods," Junhui said suddenly. "They'll know better than us what to do. Or at least... they can tell us what they want us to do."

"What they want us to do is die for them," Seungkwan hissed. His words threw up a new silence, which Jihoon finally broke.

"I think going to the gods is the best solution. They're the ones who gave us this mission. They're the ones who'll give us our orders."

Seungcheol nodded before turning to the rest of the group. Some gave their approval as well, while others remained in the background, without expressing any contrary opinion. As the majority sided with their leader, Seungcheol decided:

"Let's take back the horses, return to Ossa, and then go to Olympus."

With that, Seokmin extinguished the fire, and they all left the cave. Junhui, at the rear of the group, paused at the cave entrance. He turned and took one last look around. As the group made their way back down the stone path they'd climbed, he re-entered the cave and picked up a scroll of papyrus hidden behind a rock on the floor next to the still-reddish embers, as well as a long branch, surprisingly straight, as if it had been carved, and on which, as he ran his fingers over it, he felt inscriptions.

"Are you coming, Junnie?" called a voice from the entrance to the cave.

The son of Athena turned around. Minghao was waiting for him. He got up and joined him, and together they followed the other demigods who had already advanced along the path. A few minutes later, they were back on their horses and called Iris. The rainbow opened up before them, and they hurried away from the dark woods and its frightening shadows. Once back on the Ossa, they dismounted.

"Let's go to Olympus," ordered Seungcheol.

Immediately, everyone conjured up images of the palace of the gods in their minds and imagined themselves transported there. But the landscape around them did not blur. They didn't feel that slight dizziness they usually experienced when the magic of the gods allowed them to teleport. After a few seconds, Seungcheol frowned and met the eyes of the other demigods, who seemed just as confused as he was.

"Uh... Why are we still here?" asked Seokmin, a slight worry in his voice.

As they had no answer to offer, they continued to stare at each other in bewilderment; bewilderment that turned to nervousness as they struggled to get to the mountain of the gods.

"It's not working..." As soon as Jeonghan pointed out the obvious, they stopped all their efforts.

"What's going on?" Joshua asked. "We've never had this problem before..."

"Does it have anything to do with Kronos' awakening?" inquired Chan.

"Forget it," breathed Seungcheol. "Let's use another way. Iris!"

No sooner had he uttered the name than the golden-winged goddess appeared before them in a burst of multicolored light. She still looked grave and severe.

"Please spread the rainbow to Olympus."

She did not move. She lowered her head. The demigods waited, but it was clear that the goddess would not comply.

"Well, Iris..." Seungcheol insisted. "You insisted we hurry. What are you waiting for?"

"I cannot do this, demigods."

"What?"

She raised her desolate eyes to the children of the gods. They all knew at that moment that they would not like what she was about to announce.

"I cannot unfurl the rainbow to Olympus for you," she said. "For the gates of Olympus are now closed to you."

"What do you mean?" replied the son of Zeus in the name of all.

The goddess took a deep breath before explaining: "A few months ago, I delivered a message to the gods. A warning from Fate. As soon as Kronos awoke, they would be forbidden to let their sons see them, as this would compromise your success. So, as soon as the gods learned that Kronos had emerged, they severed all ties with you and closed Olympus to you. You are now forbidden to see them, and I ignore if they will ever lift this ban."

A thud was heard. The demigods turned to see where it was coming from. Jeonghan had dropped his bow to the ground. More than terrified, his face showed the extent of his distress. He was breathing fast, very fast.

"N-No... No longer see the gods?..." he repeated. "None of the gods?"

Iris shook her head with agonizing slowness. Jeonghan put his hand on his chest, and Seungcheol, who knew the gesture all too well, rushed through the small crowd of demigods and took his fiancé in his arms to keep him from collapsing. The son of Aphrodite wept and struggled to catch his breath. Joshua, on the other hand, was staring straight ahead. He lowered his eyes as he took in Iris's announcement.

"They've known for months... and they haven't told us?" gasped Seokmin.

Junhui could see all the demigods breaking down before his eyes. Minghao sighed before turning away, a hint of guilt in the way he ran his hands over his face. Soonyoung remained stunned, motionless, as if he was unsure what reaction he was supposed to have.

"Iris," called Seungcheol. "It can't be true... What do they want us to do if they're not here to help us?..."

"Demigods, this is your story. It's up to you to write it," replied the goddess. "The gods have given you the keys to fighting your enemy."

"No!" shouted Seungkwan. Several of them gasped, hearing him scream. The son of Hera also had tears in his eyes. "All they did was impose a suicide mission on us! And we had no choice! And now they've abandoned us! How can we have faith in such gods?!... We're all gonna die because of them!..."

Wonwoo stretched out his arm towards Seungkwan to stop him in his tracks. The son of Hera turned away as a sob caught in his throat. He didn't want to show himself in such a state of despair. The goddess of the Rainbow contemplated the pathetic scene with sadness. All the demigods were on the verge of collapse, crushed by the messenger's announcement, heartbroken by the abandonment of those they had come to regard as their parents.

"I'm sorry, demigods," she murmured. "There is nothing I can do..."

With that, she unfurled her wings and, in turn, flew away, before thirteen bewildered stares. She disappeared, and a thick silence enveloped the demigods. Some wept without a sound, others looked towards the horizon, towards Olympus, in shock. They understood Iris's words well – they were clear – but they were desperate to find another meaning in them. They couldn't believe they'd been abandoned without warning. But as the minutes passed, and nothing contradicted the goddess of the Rainbow, they had to face the cruel evidence.

They were alone.

Notes:

Khaire!

I knew a lot of you were waiting for this first chapter, so here it is! The first chapters of this second volume will mainly serve to build up the tension and threatening atmosphere following Kronos's awakening.
And what better way to do this than for the demigods to realize that they're now on their own, without the gods at their side? As Iris said, this is the story of the demigods :)

See you next time!

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Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of DEKAEPTAIA | ΔΕΚΑΕΠΤΑΙΑ