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Icarus loses his son. The fates give him an ultimatum
Percy meets the campers.
Trigger: Child loss
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Kneeling before the ancient stone altar at the Shrine of Hades in Knossos, Icarus whispered prayers for his son, Alexios. The flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the cold walls, and the scent of incense hung heavy in the air. Beside him knelt Nicodemus, the head priest— the son of Hades and a trusted friend.
When the prayers had been spoken, Nicodemus turned to Icarus. His obsidian eyes, as dark as the abyss, held both compassion and curiosity. "How fares your vengeance, my friend?" he asked softly.
Icarus clenched his fists. "Apollo has not relented," he replied. "The two main culprits—the elderly Cretan nobleman Eurytion and Alkinoos, Daedalus' maternal half-brother—are still suffering under his wrath. They were the ones who conspired to take my son's life."
Nicodemus nodded solemnly. "Apollo's rage knows no bounds," he said. "But fear not, for further justice awaits them once in the Underworld. Once they draw their last breath, Hades himself will ensure their torment in the Fields of Punishment."
Icarus remembered how he had petitioned for this shrine when he was only eleven years old, how he had labored to honor Hades in the mortal realm by helping his son carry out his duties in dangerous quests. He had seen the god's wrath firsthand—the way he nursed grudges and exacted retribution. But Hades also recognized those who honored him sincerely, like Icarus.
"Alexios," Icarus whispered, his voice breaking. "My precious son. Even as a three-year-old, he fought like a demigod against his murderers."
Nicodemus placed a comforting hand on Icarus' shoulder. "He resides in Elysium," he assured.
"A fierce soul, worthy of paradise. But death is final, my friend. Trying to retrieve him from the Underworld would only damn you both eternally."
Icarus wiped away tears. "I know," he said. "But it's not enough. I want him back."
Nicodemus sighed. "Death is our shared fate," he said. "We must find solace in memories and honor the gods who watch over us."
And so, in the dim light of the shrine, Icarus wept for his lost son, while Nicodemus stood by, a silent witness to grief and the unyielding passage of time. In the realm of gods and mortals, even love could not defy death's inexorable grasp.
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The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the rocky cliffs of Mount Olympus. Apollo, the radiant god, felt it—the sudden severing of the bond that had linked him to his son, Alexios. The connection snapped like a taut bowstring, leaving an ache in Apollo's immortal heart.
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Feel the Burning Light by Dewy_Pink_Morning_Roses52
FanfictionWhen Hyacinthus died, Apollo grieved the loss of the love of his life. He asked Hades to return his love to him but was denied. Less than a century after the disc struck, Hyacinthus of Sparta was reborn as Icarus of Crete. Once more, he loved and wa...
