Chapter Text
Hellish Lover, Heavenly Beloved 001 (Greek Mythology AU)
Before mortals walked upon the soil, there were those that quite literally shook the lands with every step that they took. Titans once inhabited the spaces the humans now called their home. After years of tempestuous battles between the Titans and Olympians, the former fell before the might of Zeus and his brothers and sisters. Time came when the victorious figures of divinity ascended into the endless expanse of the sky, where Mount Olympus came to existence. There the Almighty beings sat on their thrones and ruled over the realm they fought in and for.
One of the children of the Titans, Prometheus, was given a task by the God of Gods himself to create those that we now know as ourselves. Humans. Mortals. People that became devoted worshippers of the Olympian Gods.
Some shared the tiniest resemblance of the other celestial beings, while others barely showed any similarities with any of them. Every single mortal was unique in their own accord. There were those occasional exceptions, of course. Twins, triplets, siblings that were born on the same date, molded with the same face, yet usually presented distinct personalities.
As creatures, mortal they may be, modeled from the Gods themselves, it wasn’t all too surprising when wars blossomed even before man’s evolution could reach its very peak. Everything below the celestials was like a show to enjoy. A live simulation they amused themselves in. Boasted about, even.
Whenever one of their followers would best another mortal that worshipped a different God, they would take pleasure in gloating about it to the other deities.
Each of them was impressed one by one as time went on and showed them prospects that they later decided to ascend as potential heirs to their rightful thrones. They couldn’t bring themselves to decide among the children they’ve sired, both with mortals and immortals. They were too righteous for their taste. Too confident in receiving what they thought was rightfully theirs just because of their blood.
And so, they were chosen among the mortals. Those appointed by the almighties above became their earth-walking descendants, tethered to them by an unbreakable bond. Ones responsible for their godlike power. Ones that were called Radiants.
Gods were truly among the mortals the moment they ascended, each and every one of them descending back to the mortal realm in different ways.
The first mortal to ascend was Zeus’ chosen one. No one dared to make their choice first before the God of Gods. The almighty selected a hoplite that fought tooth and nail just to protect one of the shrines dedicated to worship Zeus from violent desecrators.
A man once named Liam was turned into a Radiant that mortals came to know as Brimstone, for he was resurrected from the very spot he perished on by a powerful strike of lightning. The dirt crumbled and turned into shards of brimstone, where he then emerged before the awed mortals.
That was the day the name Liam was forgotten by the people, and the once mortal now immortal hoplite took up the title given to him by the worshippers of Zeus.
Brimstone.
From then on, one Radiant after another came to ascend. Gods and Goddesses wasted no time making their choice. Some chose with their heart, some with their mind, some with both said facets.
Devoted to the Olympian Gods above, worshippers began constructing a loose replica of Mount Olympus, which was later named Empyrean Haven and was located atop Mount Ida. One by one, thrones were constructed and added for those that were honoured by the favour of a celestial from above. Grand royal seats were occupied as time passed until Brimstone found himself leading and overseeing a new generation of Olympian Radiants.
Among all those that ascended, only Hestia’s scion chose to mingle with mortals from all around the lands, which left one grand throne always vacant, regardless if there was an official assembly or not.
With all of them coming from distinct parts of the mortal realm and being bound to different Gods, it came as no surprise that they shared handfuls of traits with the celestials. Regardless, they still had their own quirks and appeals that made them extraordinary on their own.
Hades’ chosen one, who’s the second to the newest member of their realm’s council, was a ruthless and cutthroat bounty hunter named Hazal. The woman was betrayed by a fellow hunter of her own, all thanks to what their target offered the traitor. Power, riches, a superior position in the polis they lurked in. The ruler of the Underworld saw himself in the woman’s place, which served as the sole reason how Fade, the Aspect of Hades, earned her place in the Empyrean Haven.
Inevitably, she was mostly seen as a bit of a distant Radiant. She didn’t interact willingly with the others. Some refused to directly associate themselves with her, only because she was Hades’ ascendant. Despite the treatment, Fade remained civilized with those who consorted with her on their own volition.
Unlike the others, she rarely received visitors. Worshippers that would climb the high mountain where the Empyrean Haven was built would make the long and tiring journey just to make an offering and pray before a designated Aspect to pass their orisons to whichever Olympian they devoted themselves to.
Of course, why would anyone pray to Hades?
Stories, myths, the truth. It was all distorted by time and the word of mouth. No one believed that Hades wasn’t the very figure of the word evil. Practically all mortals presume that he was not an ideal God to become faithful to. They all assumed doing so would only anger the other Gods and would in turn bring forth misfortune and many other cursed things.
Days, weeks, months, years. Fade remained seated on her throne, fingers loosely clenching around the end of the stone armrests as she watched the other Radiants be praised, gifted, revered. They truly embodied the Gods they represented, and maybe even fostered their ego behind it all.
Fade found that today was not a day that she would have enough patience to watch such a detestable sight. Standing up from her seat, some of the mortals praying around the intricate floor clock at the center seemed to jump at her sudden movement, each of them eyeing Fade with caution and fear. The reaction merely made her shake her head.
The midnight blue chlamys flew along with the motion as Fade stood and spun to make her exit, one hand catching the fabric and pulling it back to cover most of the front of her black chiton, silver brooch clasping the cloak close glinting against the light.
“Fade.” echoed Brimstone’s voice across the high ceiling of their dwelling. It was a predictable call, but Fade made no move to address it. She only granted Brimstone the honour of a glance and gave the other Radiants nothing before she made her way to a wide open hallway behind their elevated thrones.
How long had she remained seated on that damned chair of hers? Walking almost felt like a luxury now that she left and set her sandal-covered feet on the grass outside.
Fade closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them again and finally moving to wherever her legs would take her. Despite not frequenting the surrounding area, Fade was still aware of some of the spaces she was not welcomed in.
It wasn’t because there was some sort of curse or seal that prevented her from setting foot in any designated space. No, it was more about the fact that as Radiants, they respected each other’s territories. All around Mount Ida, from top to bottom, people have gone and built many buildings ranging from tall and short to wide and narrow.
There were gardens, temples, small districts dedicated or claimed by one of the ascendants. Fade made sure to steer clear from a few of them. Athena’s chosen, Cypher, was not keen in having his territory trespassed by those that pleaded their faith to a God other than Athena. So was Nemesis’ descendant, Viper, to her own spaces.
The people of Plutus’ appointed one, Chamber, was too arrogant for Fade’s liking, mainly because they were usually blessed with wealth and many other riches. Other places were more welcoming and more open for Fade to set foot in, but still, she remained aloof for the most part.
The people that happily attempted receiving her were followers of Aphrodite’s chosen, Sage. As worshippers of love and beauty, they seemed more unafraid of catering to Hades’ descendant. But then again, Fade wasn’t keen on involving herself with any of them.
With so many territories, Fade couldn’t remember how she even ended up at one of the largest claimed expanses in the mountain. It was one dedicated to Demeter and her selected Radiant, Reyna. Out of all places, this was probably not the best part to linger and mingle in.
The history between Demeter and Hades was something everyone was well aware of. Even when countless years passed, Demeter would never forgive Hades for taking Persephone from her. In the eyes of the latter’s mother, Hades was this sly devil that thieved her daughter from her for his own selfish motives. But from Aphrodite’s perspective, Persephone fell in love with Hades and orchestrated the entire thing to escape her mother and live with the love of her life.
Fade could still recall how many times Reyna and Sage would debate about the topic, especially since the people that prayed to them were often linked with one another. Needless to say, Brimstone usually intervened before the discussion became too heated.
Regardless of all the bad history and conflict between Demeter and Hades, Fade still couldn’t bring herself to turn around and make her way elsewhere. Something seemed to beckon her to stay and maybe even further take herself into the territory under the Goddess of Harvest’s name.
Fade had long heard of these kinds of feelings. Tales about how it held meanings behind them. Others believed that someone up above was compelling them to take a path they had written and carved for them, while there were some that believed that it was merely their instincts convincing them.
They couldn’t be her instincts. Fade could feel it telling her to turn around and take her leave before Reyna saw her wandering around her space, yet she still continued. She traversed farther than she should, passing many working young men and women Reyna had adopted under Demeter’s name and care.
Walking, moving, wordlessly encouraging herself to explore farther, Fade wondered if this would bring forth her own version of a conflict with Reyna. She scoffed at the thought. As much as she was similar to Hades like how Reyna was to Demeter, Fade certainly preferred not to create any discord between her and another Radiant.
But everything seemed to vanish in both her mind and her surroundings.
Heterochromatic eyes, one representing the blues of the damned souls in the Underworld and the other serving as a reminder of the scorching hellfire awaiting beneath the earth, fell upon a young woman.
A fair maiden with skin kissed by the enlivening rays of the sun, a body seemingly sculpted meticulously by Prometheus himself, brown eyes as tender and delicate as the touch of a Goddess, and hair as blue as the beautiful sky above and as majestically yellow as precious gold.
Fade always believed her heart had long stopped beating. Even when she heard the thumps within her chest, she always believed they were hollow. They pounded without purpose. They merely beat because they just do. But now, Fade felt it skip more than once. Quicken and nearly staggering upon the descent of a breathtaking cause.
They were nowhere near the sea, which made Fade begin to wonder if sirens had started to reside on land now. She refused to believe that the woman a fair distance away from her was a mere mortal. A trifling human destined to walk among others without capturing their hearts.
“Fade!”
The sudden call of her name caused the blue-haired woman to turn to her direction, and when Fade’s eyes met hers from afar, she was overcome with a feeling that she never thought she’d experience after her ascension.
Unworthy.
Fade quickly spun herself around, her cloak once again flying behind her as she faced whoever it was that saved and damned her at the same time. Unsurprisingly, it was Jett, Hermes’ scion. The latter was rarely seen walking on the ground ever since she was given her own Talaria. She often reasoned it was faster to fly rather than walk, so no one bothered telling her otherwise.
Despite already expecting Jett, Fade realized she had become too skittish after that fleeting eye contact she had with the damsel from earlier. She briefly stilled and caused a short expulsion of hellfire from her shoulders, causing said eternally damning flames to spread all over her cloak and envelop said fabric with a flaming layer.
Jett immediately kept her distance from Fade, knowing the dangers of being burned by fire from the Underworld. She raised her hands as a silent message to Fade that she meant no harm by her abrupt call before continuing with, “Brimstone is calling for you.”
Upon hearing what apparently was a summon by Zeus’ chosen, Fade couldn’t stop herself from sighing in exasperation and grabbing her chlamys and fiercely tugging on it. The flames were dispelled in another much shorter burst, leaving the clothing untouched and unburnt. “I heard his summon. I chose to omit it.”
The messenger shook her head. “He dismissed the worshippers. He wants to speak with us. All of us.”
Even as Radiants, it was still Zeus’ will and demands that needed to be met. Fade nodded and ushered for Jett to depart. Once she was left alone again, Fade felt far too conscious from all the eyes that were on her now. She couldn’t blame them. They were surrounded by nature and many other natural earth life that Fade could easily obliterate with hellfire.
Shaking her head, Fade let out another displeased sigh before taking the same path she had gone down on earlier. Upon reaching the beginning once again, Fade chanced a look over her shoulder with hopes of gracing her eyes with the sight of the enchanting woman one more time.
The beauty was gone, and so was the unfaltering beating of Fade’s heart.
Unlike the feeling of time when she left, the walk back to Empyrean Haven seemed too quick for Fade. She tried delaying her pace without looking foolish, yet she still reached her destination far too faster than she hoped. Her mind was also not given the chance to wander towards the crystal clear memory of the woman she beheld the beauty of, for the chatter of the Aspects reached her ears even before she walked into their shared abode.
Predictably, her path to her throne was relatively blocked by gifts and offerings hurriedly left by the mortals from earlier. If only it wouldn’t offend the other Radiants or possibly anger the Gods, Fade would’ve kicked them aside in a heartbeat. She knew Hades would be proud of her if she did such.
Rather than starting unnecessary trouble for herself, Fade just sighed and made the effort to carefully step around them, which earned her a smile of thanks from Sage, who was the one with the most received offerings, and a smirk and proud nod from Eros’ chosen, Yoru. The latter’s gifts came close to being on par with the offerings for Brimstone, Sage and Reyna. And though he never verbally bragged, his usual and said to be charming smirks were more than enough to speak for him.
Once Fade finally reached her chair and settled down, Brimstone cleared his throat and hushed the others’ ongoing conversations into silence. Fade only leaned back and wore her naturally unfazed expression as some of the Radiants lingered their stares at her, which was all she needed to see to know she would likely be one of the discussed subjects for today’s unexpected summit.
“Radiants,” Brimstone started, causing some to shift their positions on their thrones. “we all sit on our thrones not just to embody and represent the Gods and Goddesses that bestowed us our immortality and power. We are here as well to do their bidding, and to heed their warnings when they provide it.”
At the mention of the last part, everyone seemed to shuffle on their thrones.
All of them were on the same level of strength and power, other than Brimstone, of course. He was at least one or two levels stronger and far mightier than the rest. It’s considered an advantage Zeus himself granted him to make certain he would keep all the others in line, regardless of the unspoken fact that a Radiant cannot kill a fellow aspect.
But what made them truly differ from one another were their links with their respective Olympian God or Goddess, which granted them the honour of being the sole recipients and doers of their decrees.
“Zeus has warned me of a conceivable grave dissension among us.”
“I’m clarifying the matters now.” Raze, Eris’ descendant, was quick to make her disclaiming statement. “Whatever this is, it won’t be coming from me or Breach.”
Ares’ chosen, Breach, huffed out a laugh, shaking his head and slapping a hand over one of his armrests. “Believe me, it will be much, much apparent if it was.”
“It’s not foreseen to come from the both of you.” Brimstone supported their dissociation. “It’ll arise from two other Radiants.”
“A contention that neither involves the divine emissaries of both War and Discord?” Viper murmured, leaning back and raising an eyebrow. “That’s certainly more intriguing rather than unsettling. Do tell.”
“Zeus foresees a repeat of history.”
The ones who exchanged glances were quite obvious.
Cypher and Poseidon’s chosen, Harbor, immediately met each other’s gaze, both of them thinking of the rivalry between the God and Goddess responsible for their ascension. It’s one of the tales that were always told in the mortal realm.
Sage met Brimstone’s gaze, simultaneously recalling how Zeus had become furious and blamed Aphrodite for causing Gods like him to fall in love with humans. They certainly wouldn’t put that issue to a pass so easily.
There was also the added conflict Zeus had with Hera, which was caused by the continuous infidelity he had committed to her. This prompted Brimstone to trail his gaze to the throne at his right, where Kaeyo, Hera’s descendant, was settled.
And since Yoru represented the God of Love, Eros, such could be considered a feasible reason to start a disagreement with Sage as well. Maybe their egos, who they all know have relatively, if not immensely, inflated, would be the cause of such.
With Breach and Raze so swiftly out of blame’s reach, it left Fade to briefly acknowledge the sharp and scrutinizing gaze of Reyna. The devilish emissary sighed and shook her head to herself, lowering her head in one of her hands as the others began mentioning one past strife after another.
Fade was just about to make a disclaimer of her own when she fell rigid on her throne, her eyes snapping open under the cover of her palm. Her mind replayed the memory. A mental souvenir she was able to obtain just by the act of gazing.
The lady from the fields of terra firma under Demeter’s divine name.
The mortal that made Fade feel the touch of eternal and ethereal love Sage had always spoke about whenever Aphrodite’s worshippers prayed to her.
Fade could feel the flames of hell licking her under her skin, coursing through her veins and forming a coil that seemed to be on the brink of breaking and unleashing once again a burst of fire of damnation.
“Did the Almighty Zeus say?” Apollo’s ascended, Sova, queried, resting his forearms on his knees and loosely intertwining his fingers with one another.
“He did.” Brimstone didn't bother concealing the frown that morphed his expression, nodding before he glanced between Reyna and Fade. “And that I am not the only one aware of the forthcoming disharmony.”
Once he said the last statement, nearly all the Aspects jumped in surprise at the abrupt motion of Reyna, who stood up and menacingly glared at Fade across the room. The latter had already shifted again on her throne, sitting more upright and looking undaunted by whatever was about to be verbally thrown at her.
“You stay away from my people, you wretched swine.”
“Quite truculent of you to issue threats so flagrantly.”
“Hades has already stolen Demeter’s child from her.” Reyna uttered in a near snarl. “Do not think, even for a single moment, that I would allow you to replicate his impiousness.”
“Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned.”
Reyna growled and made a move to cross the great room and advance towards Fade, only to be stopped and blocked by both Sage and Helios’ scion, Phoenix. The others also seemed to be on the edge of their seats, prepared to intervene if Reyna were to push the first two aside.
“Compose yourself, Reyna.” Brimstone cut in, voice louder and more imposing than before. “We are not mortals anymore. We do not resort to insignificant affrays. Do you truly think Demeter would approve of your behaviour?”
Judging on the gleam in Reyna’s eyes when she directed her gaze to Brimstone, she clearly wanted to say yes and to defend her belief when it came to keeping the worshippers she adopted under Demeter’s name away from Hades’ descendant. But she did none of that. Instead, she took retreating steps and begrudgingly decided on replacing herself back on her own throne.
“Apologies.” came the half-hearted, gritted penitent from said ascendant. It was far from being considered genuine, but they all knew that was the best that they would be able to get from the woman.
“The last thing we desire is for us to destroy ourselves.” Brimstone reminded, pointedly looking at Reyna and Fade. “No good could ever come from chaos and discord between us.”
At the last line, Breach and Raze exchanged looks and shook their heads, grinning to themselves and keeping their laughter mute as they both thought about begging to differ. Brimstone may have a much longer patience compared to Zeus, but he certainly had the God’s temper and fury.
“Whatever concern you might be disconcerted with, we will discuss it civilly. No war, no slander, no attempts of slaughter.” Brimstone made sure to emphasize the part about murder, which indirectly told the others that fighting would not be a solution. At the most, it would only end up with their people’s blood in their hands. “Everything will be discussed on this very floor.”
Everyone remained quiet. But based on the not too subtle glances they flicked towards the direction of both Fade and Reyna, it became clearer and clearer who they all suspected would break those given rules.
“Any cavils?”
No one spoke for a moment before they all gave their own versions of dismissal.
“Adjourned.”
Brimstone stood up and made his way around his throne, leaving through the same open hall Fade went through earlier. One by one, the Radiants copied Brimstone’s actions and took their own departure. A few handfuls stayed, sifting through the offerings they received and conversing among themselves about those that stood out.
Fade was one of the last ones to leave and much to her expectation, her path was blocked by one particular Radiant that she knew had already built up a mountain’s worth of resent towards her. Out of habit, she tugged on the edge of her chlamys, keeping her gaze focused elsewhere while Reyna’s amethyst eyes fiercely glowed and glared at her. Maybe if Reyna was Zeus’ scion, then maybe veins of lightning would already be crackling to life upon her hands.
“Reyna, must we do this?”
“I merely want to elucidate.” Reyna replied, her tone already telling Fade she should not dare to even make a single sarcastic response. “Those under the mantle of Demeter shall remain untouched and unbothered by your damned hands. You will not look. You will not speak.”
“Would you rather that I gouge my eyes out and sever my vocal cords?”
“Torment yourself for all I care. I simply demand that you keep your distance from my acolytes.”
“I’ll make a promise to you, Reyna.” Fade started, stepping towards the woman and offering a faux smile of assurance. “An eternal promise that will remain resistant from being broken.”
“Choose your words carefully.”
Fade’s feigned smile threatened to twitch wider as she said, “I give you my word that I will never from this point onward look at your acolytes, nor speak with any of them.”
Reyna took a subtle yet deep breath, already anticipating a continuation to the vow that she was certain she would not favour.
“Unless, of course, they ask me to.”
With how Reyna moved, Fade foresaw the possibility of being tackled off her feet and be subjected to sequential strikes that would be rained on her by Demeter’s ascendant. But such was prevented by the hand that Viper clasped on Reyna’s shoulder.
“Maybe on another day I would encourage this.” Viper spoke in that naturally husky voice of hers, emerald eyes narrowing at the two of them. “But today is not the day for revenge, Reyna. Colossal consequences will befall you. Think of your dear neonate.”
At the mention of what seemed to be a child, Reyna’s provoked state lessened to a much calmer and more restrained level. The glow of her eyes dwindled and the tension in her shoulders diminished.
“Best not forget your promise.” was the line Reyna chose as her last say before finally making herself scarce from the throne hall.
Once Reyna was gone, Fade redirected her attention to Viper, who she nodded to and said, “My thanks for your interference.”
“I didn’t do it for you, nor for her.” Viper responded dismissively, continuing down the hall as she added, “It’s for my own merit. Revenge is much sweeter when a scarred heart is involved.”
Upon being left alone, Fade ultimately left the great hall.
There was the idea of seeking for the woman that had come to occupy her thoughts recently. Yet said notion was expelled the moment Fade recalled the space where she would pursue the metaphorical tracks of the human Goddess inhabiting her mind.
“They call her Neon.”
If she were human, maybe this would be the time she would suffer whatever injury a heart would undergo once caught off-guard by some turn of event or simply the speech or doing of another person. Fortunately, she was far from being considered human anymore. But the drastic shift of her nature didn’t save her from being alarmed by the soft and tender voice of Aphrodite’s celestial attaché.
Turning to face Sage, Fade raised an eyebrow at the smiling woman, whose hazelnut eyes exhibited nothing but honesty and what Fade assumed was encouragement. The sight prompted her to furrow her eyebrows in skepticism and confusion.
“Neon?”
“The neonate Viper mentioned.” Sage spoke with a nod in the direction Viper went off to. “Around two decades ago, a newborn was abandoned outside the Empyrean Haven during a storm. Lightning likely would have struck the child if Reyna hadn’t found her in time and took her in. Reyna had deemed her as the youngest acolyte in the entirety of not only those under Demeter’s name, but also of Mount Ida. She was a mere neonate.”
“Is that where the name came from?”
Sage nodded. “Time passed yet the term stayed until it merely became Neon. Others call her as such, but Reyna? She gave her a name. A name only she herself could call Neon.”
“How does this concern me?” Confusion refused to abandon Fade. She still couldn’t understand why Sage was telling her this little tale of some newborn Reyna had apparently taken in and raised decades ago. At the time, Fade was probably a child herself. Probably could barely run straight, too.
“As Aphrodite’s chosen emissary, I know what the heart yearns for. What a person’s mind is plagued with. But only if it concerns even the slightest ounce of love.”
Fade was going to further question what Sage meant when realization finally struck her like Zeus’ lightning bolt. Her form became completely still in a mere heartbeat before she shifted on her feet and once again did that habit of fixing the drape of her chlamys over her shoulders.
“Do you know of her name?”
“I told you, have I not?”
“No, not just that. Her true name.”
Sage’s expression shifted into a wordless display of an apology. “Regrettably, Fade, it is not my place to say.”
Fade thought about attempting to convince Sage otherwise, but she was swiftly stopped by her trait of cynicism. Viper had intervened earlier for the sake of a much sweeter revenge, as she said, and now Sage? It was not too unpredictable for her to ask, “Why are you doing this, Sage? What do you hope to gain from this?”
What Fade received was the same delicate smile, followed with, “Because Aphrodite believes you deserve a chance to finally be loved.”
Fade remained where she stood for more than just a while even when Sage returned to the throne hall, leaving her in the corridor with her mind turning its gears to comprehend what she was told. Sage was long gone by the time she spun around and gazed to where the former walked off to.
The inevitable strife between her and Reyna seemed closer than ever all of a sudden. With the recent conversation she had with Sage now accompanying the memory her mind was continuously playing in her head, Fade was left to ask herself if it was fate for the Radiants to become divided eventually.
Chances of such being permanent were nonexistent, but Fade knew Reyna wouldn’t let this go so easily.
Flames of discord were beginning to spark alive, and Fade’s anticipated plans would only fan them into a blazing affair that would topple the little foundation between her and Demeter’s scion.
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