Sea Love (on hold)

Chapter 2

Gasping, Seraphina opened her eyes. Brilliant light filtered in down onto her, warming her frozen bones. Merlenna and Syrah circled around her, their thoughts frantic. She reached up gently, and stroked her two friends.

We are sorry about that, we didn't know that the portal would effect you in that way they cried, nuzzling her hands.

"Shhhhh, it's okay darlings, I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose."she calmed them with soft pats. Standing up' she heard a cough from behind her. Whirling, Seraphina stared at the god-like man standing behind her. He was tall, with tan skin and muscular arms. His hair, light brown, shaded his eyes. She gasped when they saw them. A green-blue color, that shifted in rhythm with the waves above him.He was a majestic creature, wearing suprisingly modernsurf shorts that gave her a view of the finely muscled plains of his chest and abdomen. He chuckled lightly.

"Like what you see?" he asked teasingly.

Blushing, Seraphina replied quietly, "You startled me."

The man blinked, as if in suprise, then gave her a warm smile. "Forgive me, my dear. I am Posiden, Lord of the Seas. Seraphina was shocked. What in the world was going on? Laughing again the man began to explain. " In the beginning there was only chaos. Then out of the void appeared Erebus, the unknowable place where death dwells, and Night. All else was empty, silent, endless, darkness. Then somehow Love was born, bringing a start of order. From Love came Light and Day. Once there was Light and Day, Gaea, the earth appeared. Gaea alone gave birth to Uranus, the heavens. Uranus became Gaea's mate, covering her on all sides. Together they produced the three Cyclopes, the three Hecatoncheires, and twelve Titans. However, Uranus was a bad father and husband. He hated the Hecatoncheires. He imprisoned them by pushing them into the hidden places of the earth, Gaea's womb. This angered Gaea and she plotted against Uranus. She made a flint sickle and tried to get her children to attack Uranus. All were too afraid except, the youngest Titan, Cronus. Gaea and Cronus set up an ambush of Uranus as he lay with Gaea at night. Cronus grabbed his father and castrated him, with the stone sickle, throwing the severed genitals into the ocean, thus killing him. As he died he promised that Cronus and the Titans would be punished. From his spilt blood came the Giants, the Ash Tree Nymphs, and the Erinnyes. From the sea foam where his genitals fell came Aphrodite. Cronus became the next ruler. He imprisoned the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires in Tartarus. He married his sister Rhea. Under his rule the Titans had many offspring. He ruled for many ages. However, Gaea and Uranus both had prophesied that he would be overthrown by a son. To avoid this, Cronus swallowed each of his children as they were born. Rhea was angry at the treatment of the children and plotted against Cronus. When it came time to give birth to her sixth child, Rhea hid herself, and then she left the child to be raised by nymphs. To conceal her act she wrapped a stone in swaddling cloths and passed it off as the baby to Cronus, who swallowed it. This child was Zeus. He grew into a handsome youth on Crete. With the help of Metis, he defeated Cronus by giving him a drink for designed to make him vomit up the other children. Rhea convinced Cronus to accept his son and Zeus was allowed to return to Mount Olympus as Cronus's cupbearer. This gave Zeus the opportunity to slip Cronus the specially prepared drink. This worked as planned and the other five children were vomited up. Being gods they were unharmed. They were thankful to Zeus and made him their leader. Cronus was yet to be defeated. He and the Titans, except Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Oceanus, fought to retain their power. Atlas became their leader in battle and it looked for some time as though they would win and put the young gods down. However, Zeus was cunning. He went down to Tartarus and freed the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires. Prometheus joined Zeus as well. He returned to battle with his new allies. The Cyclopes provided Zeus with lightning bolts for weapons. The Hecatoncheires he set in ambush armed with boulders. With the time right, Zeus retreated drawing the Titans into the Hecatoncheires's ambush. The Hecatoncheires rained down hundreds of boulders with such a fury the Titans thought the mountains were falling on them. They broke and ran giving Zeus victory. Zeus exiled the Titans who had fought against him into Tartarus. Except for Atlas, who was singled out for the special punishment of holding the world on his shoulders. However, even after this victory Zeus was not safe. Gaea, angry that her children had been imprisoned, gave birth to a last offspring, Typhoeus. Typhoeus was so fearsome that most of the gods fled. However, Zeus faced the monster and flinging his lightning bolts was able to kill it. Typhoeus was buried under Mount Etna in Sicily. Much later, a final challenge to Zeus rule was made by the Giants. They went so far as to attempt to invade Mount Olympus, piling mountain upon mountain in an effort to reach the top. But, the gods had grown strong and with the help of Heracles the Giants were subdued or killed. After everything had settled down, we drew lots to see what each of us would control. I got the ocean, Zeus the skies, and Hades the Underworld. So here you find me.”

Seraphina sat down suddenly.

"Are you okay?" Posiden asked.

She smiled weakly up at him. "Yes, I am. Just trying to digest everything."

He nodded understandingly. As he began to walk away, she called out to him.

"Why am I here?"

He turned again. "That, my dear, is something you should ask your friends." He then left her to her thoughts.