Torn Apart

If It's The Last Thing That I Do

Aji has brought the storm, the thunder, the lightning. Red wings circle overhead, navigating the air currents as she searches for a safe place to land. Zeus touches down in the next lightning strike. If a plasma orb took human form, it would pale next to the being that rises from the ashen crater. Blue and white light forks faster than thought across thunderheads coiled tightly to human form that overshadows both Hades and Demeter in size. Overhead, darker clouds blot out the sun and spit rain like scorn.

"Zeus." The name from Demeter's mouth is brittle with frost. "This is unexpected. I welcome you."

Zeus has no features, but his head is swirling with black clouds. "Pleasantries freeze your face, sister. One would expect a true welcome to come with a smile, but we are not here for such things. I have been called to mediate a mere territory breach?"

His ice puts hers to shame. He has heard what he needed to, then, but this tips the balance back to Demeter. She knows something is wrong. She turns to you, stone eyes drilling for guilt. But she has not Hades' rule over the soul and she can only gaze so deep. You whine pitifully, attempting to wag tails that are not there, groveling on all fours. Pathetic, hardly a man at all, certainly her loyal servant who only carried out her orders and suffered a brutal beating for it.

No. You can feel her disapproval. Suspicion. Truth could be beat from you, and she did not forbid you to speak. Have you betrayed her? She is unsure.

Meet her eyes. Think of the seedlings you crafted for her, those beautiful blooms just waiting to sprout and undo her enemies. You want to plant them. Let me plant them, Mistress. Give them to me. Let me prove myself. Anything you ask.

Demeter lifts her head. "My pet is exhausted from Hades' magnificent hospitality. Perhaps you will grant him a few moments to lick his wounds. He is a quick healer, I am sure he will return shortly."

"Get him gone," Zeus thunders, "and in the meantime Hades will present his complaint and you your defense."

You roll to your feet, limping off, but where to? The land slopes downhill ever so slightly, easing your way. The grass before your feet curls itself just barely shorter than the greenery around it, laying out a path. You follow, feigning as much injury as you can while hurrying. You allow the wounds from your beating to heal as you pass into the marble halls. Likely she means for you to take some of her harvest to replenish yourself, but you will not take one more grain, grape, or groat from her hand.

You find the black door. It swings open before you touch it, and there they are. Rows and rows of curses, along with a fresh toga. Of course, you could not hide them otherwise, not in your rags.

This gives you pause. Why is there a toga already waiting for you? You shake it off. It is to hide the curses and hand them over, that is all. Your hand trembles as you shed your rags and clumsily wrap the toga around yourself. You tuck the curses one by one into the folds of the cloth, hiding them here and there all over your body. The vines already growing on you thicken.

Laden with more power than you could hope to achieve in five lifetimes, you return to the path laid out for you. Only light bruises remain and your steps come more easily. The gods come into view soon enough. Hades stands silent as Demeter gesticulates, pointing at him quite often. You lift your head and spy Aji, still circling overhead. She watches you, eyes narrow and mouth shut tight. You arrive and stand by your Mistress' side.

Demeter jerks her chin down. "You are better, my pet?" she asks, affecting tenderness.

You force a cringe and grovel, beating back your hatred one more time. "Yes, Mistress."