Dying Ichor

FOURTY-FIVE

"Let me tell you something really quick. If we don't fix this shit, I guarantee that none of us are getting out alive. Well, the gods won't die, but you're probably going to die, okay?"

Elias sat down on a rounded table with Hera seated across from him. Nemesis and Hecate took their places on both of their sides, already wasting no time to talk. Right now, Hecate had a grim expression and hardly said a word whereas Nemesis gave Elias a vindictive smile. Hera still hasn't taken off her veil, so it was hard for Elias to tell what she was thinking about.

Nemesis repeated, "You're going to die. Got it?"

"Great," Elias soured. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or what?"

"I'll tell you what's going on!" Nemesis exclaimed. "We fucked up with Typhon and Zeus! That was mostly my fault for allowing it but ignore that. Hecate has been keeping watch over you and said you've been in the Underworld a few times. If that's true, you would've met with the Moirai already. Those old hags never let anything slip by when it comes to fate and destiny. I just know they're pissed off as fuck for what Hecate did."

"You've been watching me?" Elias turned to Hecate incredulously. "I went to the Underworld for you. Why wouldn't you meet with me? We could've had this conversation ages ago!"

Hera raised her hand. "I told her not to speak with you."

"What? Why not?"

Nemesis frowned. "Atropos, Lachesis and Clotho should've warned you about this already. The more gods you interact, the more you're messing up our supposed futures. From what I can understand, our destined futures have already been destroyed. What we were supposed to do is off course, and it all ties down to you. The more you stay in Greece, the more problems arrive. Even now this conversation is considered to be an irregularity. It's dangerous. You're dangerous."

"You made me this way," Elias hissed. "You think I wanted this for us? All this time, I've been looking for a way to get back home. If you knew this was going to happen, why the hell did you bring me here—no, why aren't you taking me back right now? If you had the power to do this, then you certainly have enough power bring me back home!"

"That's the problem," Hera softly cut in. "We don't... have power. Rather, it's me who doesn't have any anymore."

"What?"

"When we summoned you... it wasn't really intentional. But in order to have you, I depleted nearly all of my magic. I'm not powerful as I was, nor do I think I'll be able to be the goddess I'm supposed to be. I'm much frailer than the others, so I have to be careful standing around them." Hera grew uncomfortable exposing her secret. "I don't have much power anymore. I can't exactly help you get back home... I'm sorry."

"That can't be," Elias replied in confusion. "You're Hera. You're the queen of all the gods here. Back home, everyone remembered you as a powerful goddess. How can you not regain some of your strength back? It doesn't make sense."

"You've heard lots of us, huh?" Nemesis grumbled out.

"Of course, we have."

"Then let me ask you something, kid. What have you heard about Zeus?"

Elias was puzzled. "Nothing much. I just heard how much of a scum he was... and that he's horrible to Hera and to others-"

"Say no more! Guess what? You're absolutely fucking right. Zeus is nothing but a piece of shit," Nemesis said with an eye roll. "Honestly, he's such an asshole that not everyone here likes him. The only reason why we can't stand against him is because he's the supreme god of the current pantheon. No one has the strength to defeat Zeus. Ares might have a chance, but he's never been interested in fighting the bastard."