Chapter 3

Several years had passed, and boredom was hanging around us like a plague, well some of us. Poseidon though looked more excited than ever, his arms waving dramatically as he described an enormous wave he supposedly rode. Demeter sat nearby, her face buried in her hands, muttering about how ridiculous his stories were. Hestia offered a small smile, and Hera looked on with a mixture of disdain and thinly veiled amusement. I sat on the stomach floor, absentmindedly molding this little shadow doll.

A sudden rush of sound interrupted our monotony. It was a familiar sound—the gurgling of liquid pouring into the stomach. None of us moved at first. This was nothing new; our father had a penchant for drinking to excess. I barely glanced up, though I caught a faint whiff of something I hadn't smelt in a very long time, though it had a sharp and almost "spicy" smell, almost like-.

Mustard.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. I shot to my feet, the shadows dissipating from my hands. "Everyone, get close. Now."

The urgency in my voice made them pause. Poseidon raised an eyebrow. "What's the rush? It's just nectar, like always."

Hera crossed her arms. "He's right. Father's drinking again. Nothing to worry about."

"No," I said sharply, cutting through their complacency. "There's something different this time. Just trust me and get over here."

The floor beneath us began to quake violently, and the acidic pool around us started to churn. Their skepticism vanished as the rumbling grew, and the air filled with the pungent smell of bile and alcohol.

"Hurry!" I snapped. "And shrink down!"

They scrambled toward me as we all shrunk, as I raised my hands, the shadows responding to my command. They swirled around us, forming a protective sphere that solidified into an obsidian-like shell about the size of a marble. Just as the barrier closed, a massive wave of acid and nectar crashed into us, sending us tumbling through the stomach's cavernous expanse.

The ride was chaotic. The sphere was tossed and turned as though we were caught in a stormy sea. I tried so hard to look cool and stay on my feet but did not have any luck as we all were thrown around. Poseidon, however, seemed to be having the time of his life. 

"This is incredible!" he shouted, laughing as we were hurled in every direction. "We are going to have to do this again!"

Hestia clung to Demeter, her eyes shut tight, while Hera shrieked about how undignified it all was. The sound of Kronos vomiting reached our ears as we tumbled across a hard surface, rolling to a stop. I enlarged the sphere as we returned to our normal heights. 

"Well," Poseidon said, brushing himself off. "That was a ride."

"Yeah, would make quite the roller coaster." I chuckled as I lowered the shadows as they dissipated. 

"What is a-" Hestia started to ask before I told her not to worry about it as I lowered the shadows to reveal that we were in some marble courtroom, surrounded by unconscious Titans everywhere.

Someone cleared their throat and we turned toward its source to see this muscular young man approaching. He had golden-blonde hair and piercing white eyes, and his expression was one of amusement. 

 "Hello, it is great to finally meet you guys. You can call my Zeus," he continued, his grin widening. "Mother has told me alot about you guys, told me to save you and bring you back to Mount Ida."

Hera recovered first, brushing dust from her chiton and glaring at him. "You took your time, didn't you?"

Zeus shrugged, as he winked at her. "Good things come to those who wait."

Poseidon smirked, stepping forward to clap Zeus on the shoulder. "Haha, you are an interesting guy, Zeus. Alright, you know what, when I am crowned the new King, I won't forget to reward you for saving us."

Zeus didn't seem too happy about that little comment but chuckled as he swatted Poseidon's arm away. "I doubt that you will be our King, brother, the crown will go to the one who earns it."

"Alright, if you say so," Poseidon shrugged. "Shall we get going?"

"We should leave before the Titans start waking up, knowing father, he will send the Titans to look for us." Zeus spoke as he started stretching. "I shall teach you guys how to transform into a bird so we can get out of here."

"You guys go ahead," I finally spoke as I looked down on my siblings. "I'll catch up later."

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "Something more important than meeting our mother?"

I shook my head, a faint smirk on my lips. "Not really. Just want to check something out first. I'll be right behind you."

Without waiting for a response, I melted into the shadows allowing it to consume me. This was my first time trying this, hopefully everything went well. 

<-------------------------->

I emerged from the shadows and found myself standing at the edge of a lush, untouched forest. The mid-afternoon sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled patterns of gold and green across the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of pine and wildflowers, a fragrance so pure it almost seemed unreal. Soft whispers of wind moved through the leaves, carrying with them the quiet rustle of nature's pulse.

I took a step forward, and then another, my movements slow and deliberate. My fingers brushed gently against the petals of a cluster of roses that seemed to glow under the sun's warm touch. 

The forest stretched endlessly before me, an expanse of green as far as the eye could see, teeming with the quiet hum of life. A distant stream wound its way through the woods, its water sparkling as it caught the light. The sound of it, gentle and steady, blended perfectly with the rustling leaves and the occasional call of birds hidden within the trees.

I inhaled deeply, the clean, crisp air filling my lungs, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to truly relax. The weight of everything—of the years spent trapped, of the endless years dealing with my siblings… and their unique personalities.

I really needed this, a moment to simply relax without them bugging me every couple minutes. Now that I am finally free there is so much that I can't wait to do. God, I can finally have some actual food for once. 

As I walked, a cluster of purple flowers caught my eye. I crouched down to get a better look, a smile tugging at my lips. "Wow, is that an Orchid?" I whispered to myself.

But just as the words left my mouth, all the excitement drained from my body. My mother loved Orchids. I could see her now, a soft smile on her face as my father would bring her a fresh bouquet after each work trip. The thought hit me like a wave, overwhelming in its simplicity. Gods, I had been so caught up in the thrill of living as a god that I'd forgotten all about my old life.

It has been nearly a century. I had spent an entire human lifetime trapped in my father's stomach. The realization hit me like a blow to the chest, and I staggered back, my hand falling away from the flower.

My parents. My old life. They are gone now. They'd likely mourned my death, as any parent would—no one wants to outlive their child. What a gift I had given them. I ran a hand through my hair, gripping it tightly as the reality hit me. I would live for centuries. If I allowed myself to get too close to any mortal, I'd only watch them fade away while I remained. 

The emotions swirled within me—grief, guilt, frustration—until I could no longer contain them. Without thinking, I released my wings. Six massive, black-feathered wings erupted from my back, stretching wide as the air around me seemed to vibrate with their power.

I leapt into the air, the force of my wings propelling me upward. The forest fell away beneath me as I climbed higher and higher, the wind tearing at my clothes and hair. The world below became a patchwork of green and gold, unmarred by the scars of civilization. Greece was pristine, its only structure the marble castle atop Mount Othrys where the Titans had ruled.

At nearly 30,000 feet, I stopped, hovering in the thin air. The view was breathtaking, but it only deepened my sorrow. This land was beautiful, yes, but it wasn't mine. My world was gone, and I was a stranger here.

"You've left everything behind," I whispered to myself. "Your parents, your life, her…" My voice broke, and I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. But they wouldn't leave. The guilt and grief pressed down on me, a weight I couldn't shake.

With a roar of frustration, I dove toward the earth, my wings folding close to my body. The air grew hotter around me as I plummeted, the sound barrier breaking with a deafening boom. The ground rushed up to meet me, and I didn't stop.

I crashed into the side of a mountain, the impact shaking the earth and leaving a massive crater in my wake. Dust and debris filled the air, and I lay there for a moment, staring up at the sky through the settling haze. My chest heaved as I gasped for air, the adrenaline coursing through my veins barely masking the ache in my heart. The ground beneath me was warm, solid, and real—unlike the fleeting memories that haunted me.

My parents' faces swam before my eyes. My mother's gentle smile as she watered her beloved orchids in the kitchen window. My father's boisterous laugh as he recounted tales of his work trips over dinner. They were so vivid, so alive in my mind, that it was almost unbearable to remember they were gone.

I closed my eyes, but that only made it worse. I could see the scene play out as if it were yesterday: my mother's teary-eyed relief whenever my father returned home, the way he'd pull her into his arms and kiss her forehead. The bouquet of orchids he always brought her, no matter how tired he was from traveling. 

My wings folded around me like a cocoon, shielding me from the world. The pain was still there, a dull ache in my chest, but it felt... like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder. 

"At least I saved her," I murmured as my thoughts went to the girl I had met before I had died, a small, bittersweet smile tugging at my lips. "Could've been worse. She's probably out there living her best life."

The thought brought some comfort, though it didn't completely dull the ache. I sighed, letting the memory fade as I looked out over the landscape. Greece was wild and untamed, a canvas of green hills and jagged peaks stretching into the distance. And here I was, living as one of the gods I'd spent my entire life studying.

That realization struck like a lightning bolt, jolting me out of my brooding. "I spent years working and studying to be a mythologist," I muttered. "And now I am living mythology." My chest tightened—not with grief this time, but with excitement. I wasn't just reading about history; I was part of it. I had the knowledge, the perspective, and now the opportunity to change things, to make them better.

The weight of sorrow began to lift as a new sense of purpose took its place. My old life had been full of limitations, but this life? It was wide open, full of potential. I could prepare for what was coming, use what I knew to shape a better future—not just for myself but for this world.

With renewed energy, I stood and stretched, shaking off the dust of the past. My wings unfolded, powerful and majestic, and with a few strong flaps, I sent a cloud of dirt and debris into the air. "No more moping," I said firmly. "Time to move forward."

I turned my gaze toward Mount Ida, its peak piercing the sky like a promise. Rhea was waiting, and my journey was just beginning. With a final glance at the crater I'd left behind, I launched into the air, the wind rushing past as I soared toward the mountain, toward my new family.