7Summary: Takes place in Ancient Greece. On the day he was born, Will Solace was cursed by Demeter in a fit of rage and now his fate is bound to Persephone's. In fear of his son being trapped in the Underworld without living his life, Apollo keeps Will on Mt Olympus, where he's content with life until he sees what he's missing from the mortal world. 16 years ago, Nico Di Angelo was killed by Demeter as revenge for Hades taking Persephone. For years he has been trapped in the Underworld, a lost soul looking for answers. The two lead very different lives, but they share a common goal; to learn what it's like to really live.
A/N I know I still have Unmatched to finish, but truth is I've had a huge case of writer's block for the past year. Every time I've tried to write, the words just don't come out right. And then this story popped into my head and I think my writing juices have finally returned. Plus, with summer almost here, it means more time to write.
Anyways, this is still kind of rough and will probably be edited to make more sense later. But for now, I leave this prologue with you. Please let me know what you think and tell me your opinions because they honestly help!
As always, read and enjoy.
Beneath the Inferno
Prologue
The son of Apollo was born ten days after Persephone was kidnapped.
"Apollo, please tell me you've seen my daughter," Demeter cried to the Sun god.
Apollo shook his head and carefully adjusted the new born baby that lay sleeping in his arms. "I'm sorry Demeter, but I had no idea your daughter was even missing."
Demeter threw her arms out in outrage and the vibrant flowers that stood high and healthy in the pots that lined the walls of Olympus instantly wilted and turned brown at the loss of life.
"You're the Sun god! You must've seen something!" Demeter cried out.
Apollo sighed. "I've been busy lately. And this isn't a good time Demeter."
"I can help," a voice called from behind the goddess. Apollo watched as Demeter whipped around and grabbed onto the shoulders of the witch goddess Hecate.
"Please, whatever you know, please tell me," Demeter begged.
Hecate gave Demeter a gentle smile. She lightly took the distraught goddess's hands from her shoulders and lead her over to the glass windows that overlooked the mortal world.
"Do you see those fields way out there, in the plains that lie between here and Mount Oeta?" Hecate asked.
Demeter nodded. "I do. But what does that have to do with my daughter?"
Hecate grinned. "Those plains have everything to do with your daughter. Ten days ago, you and your daughter were in those plains as you relaxed and she and her friends picked flowers. And then all of a sudden, she vanished. You haven't been able to find her since"
"Yes, I know this Hecate. Now, do you actually information or are you trying to waste my time!" Demeter exclaimed.
Hecate held back a smirk and even Apollo grew irritated at how long this was taking. He wished to be able to return his son to the care of his mother, a simple mortal by the name of Thea.
"Your daughter was abducted. By who, I do not know. But Helios would," Hecate said.
Demeter turned around and stared at Apollo, her eyes wide and full of fury.
"Apollo, bring me Helios," she demanded.
"You know I can't. Helios is a free spirit who takes orders from no one. He lives in the sky and roams the Earth. He's impossible to track, and even if I found him he wouldn't help you. Helios lives for mischief," Apollo answered.
"He'll listen to you!" Demeter screamed. "This is my daughter, Apollo!"
"I can't-," Apollo started saying but was interrupted as Demeter, as quick as lightning, ripped the amulet that hung from Hecate's neck, and placed it over the son of Apollo's head.
"Desmevoun eis seafton," Demeter chanted. Apollo ripped his son away from the goddess and Demeter handed the amulet back to a horrified Hecate.
Apollo looked at Hecate with wide eyes. "What did she just do?"
Hecate glanced at the broken amulet in her hand and the crazed goddess beside her. Then she looked up and stated into the eyes of the worried father that stood with his son cradled to his chest.
"She bound your son's fate to that of Persephone. Whatever happens to her, will happen to him," Hecate answered.
"That's right. So you better pray that my daughter is okay. If you're not going to help me, then I'll find someone who will. And I will find Helios," Demeter said. She turned to Hecate. "Are you going to help me or not?"
Hecate nodded. "I will help you, but you must promise never to use my magic again. That was a dangerous curse you just cast, and it cannot be undone." She turned to Apollo who was preoccupied with checking his son for injuries. "I'm so sorry Apollo."
"I'm not," Demeter said. "Let's go."
"I'll catch up in just one moment. In the meantime, go grab some juniper leaves. We'll use them to track Helios," Hecate told Demeter. The other goddess nodded then left.
Apollo stopped fussing over his son and looked up at the witch goddess. "What did that curse really do?"
Hecate placed one of her hands on Apollo's right shoulder. "Like I said, it binded the fate of Persephone to your son. But that doesn't just mean whatever harm happens to her will happen to him. It means that whatever fate she has, will be his also. Their lives, their destinies, will become identical and intertwined. It means a lifetime of making sure that Persephone stays safe and happy in order for your son to be safe and happy."
Apollo stared at his sleeping son who was way too young to have a burden like this placed on him.
"You have to find Helios. I cannot leave my son at a time like this," Apollo pleaded.
"I will, for Will," Hecate responded with a smile.
"What?" Apollo asked in bewilderment.
Hecate nodded her head at the newborn baby. "Will. That should be his name. He will survive this, and he will lead a long, happy life. Will."
"Will," Apollo muttered. "Will Solace. My son."
Hecate gave Apollo the most comforting smile she could muster. "Keep him here on Olympus with you. He will be safe here under your care. Demeter is in an outrage and she will stop at nothing to get her daughter back, just like you will stop at nothing to protect this baby boy."
Apollo nodded. "I will. He'll grow up here, on Mount Olympus. Thank you, Hecate."
Hecate gave Apollo one last smile before turning and walking away. The instant she was out of the room, her smile dropped and she looked at the broken amulet that was still clutched in her hand.
"Let's get this over with," she whispered to herself.
It only took about an hour to locate Helios and to find out who kidnapped Persephone. He was surprisingly in a calm, happy mood and as soon as he saw Demeter and Hecate, he told them it was Hades who had kidnapped Demeter's daughter and then the two goddesses were on their way back to Mount Olympus.
"My father knows. He has to," Demeter said to herself. Waves of uncontrollable anger were rolling through her body and she wished to find Hades right then and there and rip his head off. And possibly her father's. "Zeus, he knew Hades took Persephone and he didn't tell me!"
"What are you going to do?" Hecate asked.
"I'm not going back to Olympus. My father, all of them, they knew. They knew Hades took Persephone and they didn't tell me! No, I am not going back there. I have something else I must do first. Follow me."
Hecate grew even more worried.
"Why are we in Athens?" Hecate asked a while later when her and Demeter finally reached their destination.
"I used those juniper leaves of yours for a trick of my own," Demeter responded. Hecate opened her mouth to reprimand the goddess but Demeter kept talking. "Hades currently has two living children, Nico and Bianca. I hear he favors the boy more. He hopes that one day he will rule alongside him in the Underworld. Might as well give him his wish now."
Hecate's heart started speeding up as she realized what Demeter was going to do. "Demeter, please don't go through with this. We will get your daughter back. Please, just listen to me!"
Demeter was too far gone in grief and misery to listen to Hecate's pleads. Instead, she watched on as an adolescent boy walked out of his modest cottage and began tending to his family's tiny garden. A girl, about a year or two older, followed him out the door and helped him.
Demeter grinned and pulled out a small knife she always kept hidden in her robes and strode towards the boy. Hecate watched on in horrified panic as Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, the one who brought life to the mortals, drove the knife right through the boy's heart.
And on the day the son of Apollo was born, the son of Hades died.
A/N Tell me what you think! Your opinions matter more than you know.