The Cloud and The Storm

Many demigods are praised throughout Greek history. Hercules, and Perseus, to name two of the most famous. Many Greek heroes were met with fates that were worse than the quests that they embarked on. The very Gods and Goddess's that gifted them and praised them were the ones that cursed them, dooming them to fates of death or worse.

The Gods, to put it lightly, grew jealous very easily and were angered by the slightest injustice against them. They easily forgot that mortals were not bound by the same laws and social systems as them, and questioned things that the Gods would rather not be questioned.

During this time that the Gods ruled over all of Greece, between famous heroes that would be brought into favor by the Gods and dropped back out in the same life time, lived a demigod who only wanted to live in peace.

This demigod was unusual, his name was Erastos and he was a son of Hades. He lived on a small farm, and growing up he was able to speak with the spirits that lived around his land. He chose to travel from a young age, however always avoided large cities and places where heroes could be found.

Erastos did not look like a hero. He had his fathers black hair with his mothers light green eyes. He was tall and skinny, though strong from growing up on a farm. His skin was pale, though not unnaturally so, and his eyes were always downcast.

He was very shy and kept to himself, only speaking to the spirits that he could see. He found more friends among the dead than the living. He found the living to have to many problems. The dead were simple, they never needed saving, they hardly asked him for help, and his favorite, they only spoke of one God. His father.

While Erastos was avoiding his already doomed fate of the life of a demigod, especially a child of Hades, a noble family was planning a wedding. Their daughter had been chosen by Zeus to marry one his demigod children. His name was Kleon and he was everything that a hero was seen to be. He had sun kissed blond hair with beautiful blue eyes, he was tall and strong. His presents was immediately noticed in a room and he had proven his worth as a hero many times over.

The only problem with this wedding was the would be bride. She refused to marry the son of Zeus, stating that she would rather live on a cloud than be shackled to the hero. Every morning she would be brought back to her room by the guards that had been sent to keep her on their land. She became very creative in her ways of escape. From attempting to just walk through the front door to ripping apart all of the curtains and making a rope to climb out of her window.

Pelagia was as determined not to be married as Erastos was not to be a hero. Not even the Fates could resist a meeting between these two. They set it up by causing Erastos to fall asleep on the horse that was taking him to his newest town and then guided that horse to the bushes under Pelagia's window.

Pelagia was halfway down the wall when her curtain rope snapped and she fell, landing in Erastos's arms seconds after he awoke. While the Fates had planned this meeting, what they had not planned was the instant spark between the two.

Erastos and Pelagia spent the entire night talking and every night after. Erastos would ride his horse to her window and she would climb down. They never left the small area under her window, however they spoke of everything. The only thing that they kept secret from each other was the very things that had sealed their fates. Pelagia was a promised woman, and Erastos was the son of Hades.

For weeks they met in secret every night, until one night Pelagia could no longer handle the pressure of lying to him. She told him everything about her engagement and also how she had fallen in love with Erastos.

Erastos was conflicted, for he had fallen in love with Pelagia as well. However he had spent his entire life trying to avoid his fate. He decided to tell her everything as well, starting with how he loved her as well, and ending with the fact that his father was Hades.

The two, deciding that neither wanted to accept their fate, ran away. Erastos used his knowledge of the darkness and spirits to get them past the guards and soon they were off of her land and riding for the next town.

Zeus, upon hearing that Pelagia had run away and was not going to marry his son, became angry and sent his daughter Artemis after the couple, unaware that the man she ran away with was his brothers son.

It took Artemis two months to find the new couple, who had been living moving from town to town. She took them both back to her father, who was waiting for them at Pelagia's home with his son.

Zeus ordered for Pelagia to marry Kleon and told her that if she did not then he would kill Erastos. Before Pelagia could agree Erastos took away her choice by telling Zeus to kill him. He told Pelagia to run and enjoy her life for the both of them and stood facing his uncle. It was then that his father decided to intervene.

Hades appeared next to Erastos and asked his brother if he was really making the right choice in killing the young mortal. He explained to Zeus that Pelagia would never marry his son, and any punishment to Erastos for taking her should be shared by her for leaving with him.

Zeus, agreeing that death was to simple and easy a punishment for what they had done, decided to curse them for bringing shame to their families and disobeying the Gods.

He took Pelagia's soul and bound it to a cloud, making her a Nephelae or cloud spirit. She could no longer touch the ground and was now one with a cloud.

Zeus took Erastos's soul and bound it to a storm, making him an Anemoi or storm spirit. His eyes turned to lightning and his movements were quick and jerky.

Zeus cursed the two of them with an eternal life together, however if Erastos ever touched Pelagia his storm would destroy her cloud and she would die. Leaving Erastos alone and with the knowledge that he killed her.

After everyone left and Pelagia and Erastos were alone Hades approached his son. Erastos yelled and screamed at him, asking him why he couldn't just let him die when it could have saved them an eternity of suffering.

Hades merely kissed his sons forehead, calming the storm within him and making him a promise. During the times that Erastos could calm himself enough to be still he could touch Pelagia without killing her. Only for a moment, a second or two at the most, but a touch without death it still was.

Pelagia allowed her cloud to lift into the sky and, with Erastos chasing after her, traveled the world. For eternity.

Living for the brief moments where the cloud could touch the storm and not be consumed.