The ship slowly made it out of the cave. The scylla sinks back down, watching from afar "We are the same, you and I, I..." she tilts her head before disappearing. Odysseus frowns looking down.

Luckily, Nefeli was treated by the entire crew, but her arm was lost...Polydeuces stared from afar, his soon to be wife...his friend for life...his only will to live...torned appart like a ragdoll. His head slowly turns to Odysseus glaring deeply at him.

"Odysseus...." Polydeuces slowly walked to him, rage going through his whole body "Tell me you did not know that would happen...Say you didn't know how that would end...Look me in the eyes and tell me, Captain...That you did not just sacrifice six men?!" The poor warrior was so filled with rage that his eyes started glowing purely red "Use your wits to try and say I'm crazy and mad...That this is all some trick the gods have sent! Tell me you did not miss home so painfully bad...That you gave up the lives of six of our friends? Nearly 7!!! Nefeli lost her damn arm!!" He walks closer, the crew avoiding to look at Odysseus but also feeling the grief and pain of his choises "When we fought the cyclops, you were quick to hatch a plan...And when we fought with Circe, it was you who left behind no man! But when we fought this monster, we didn't take a stand...We just ran! SAY SOMETHING!!" He yells at his face. Odysseus frowns and turns around, his face filled with coldness...not the friend he used to love and admire "I CAN'T!!!" Odysseus yells in rage. Polydeuces looks down gripping the handle of his axe and sighs "Then you have forced our hand..."

Eurylochus pulls out his sword, with Polydeuces...they stalked closer to odysseus "Eurylochus...Polydeuces...Lower your weapon" he orders as he backs away "No can do..." po scoffs "You miss your wife so bad, you trade the lives of your own crew..." eurylochus frowns "Don't make me fight you, brothers!! you know you'd have done the same..." Odysseus gets ready for a fight "If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame!!" Polydeuces eyes glew red as he jumps odysseus. It wasn't a fair fight, even if they were two against one...Odysseus knew them since they were young, he knew all their strategies, their fighting styles..everything.

The crew watched in shocked, waiting to see who would come on top. Nefeli picked herself up as she saw the two started to lose, taking slashes after slashes...when Polydeuces fell to his knees, odysseus towered over him "I am not letting you get in my way!!! Agh-" He looks down at his bleeding side, nefeli stood behind him...her spear pircing his side "My brothers, why?..." he mumbles in disbelief, his best friend for life...stabbed him in the back "How are we supposed to trust you now? Now your time has come, your luck's run out..." nefeli frowns with all the pain in her heart as she threw him to the sail "Now, the time has come to shut you down....You relied on wit and then we died on it..." the crew said, Polydeuces raised the butt of his axe and knocked Odysseus out.

~~~~~~

The bright light of the sun hits his face, nearly blinding him when he opened his eyes. Odysseus tried to move, but he saw himself tied up "Agh, my head....Where are we?" He asked looking around, his arms tied up to a golden statue. Nefeli perks up looking at him, she sighs "Some island, the first one we found....It's bursting with cows just roaming around..." she mumbles "be thankful we brought you with so you could eat...i would have thrown you overboard" po glares at him. Nefeli sighs and pats his shoulder "this cows are basicly begging us to eat, so much meat...enough for all of us...and hunger is so heavy..." she looks at eurylochus who was about to kill a cow.

The sight of glowing cows made odysseus shrink in fear "Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you'll do..." he frowns looking back at nefeli, she sighs "Ody, we're never gonna get to make it home...You know it's true..." she looks away from him in shame, poly pats her shoulder and side hugs her. Odysseus stares in fear, struggling against his restrains "This is the home of the Sun God!!" He yells "we are starving my friend..." she mumbles as she nods at eurylochus "But if you kill his cattle, who knows what he'll send?!" He yells, soon realization came over nefeli "This is the home of the Sun God..." she mumbles "eurylochus stop!!" She runs to him "I'm tired, my friend" he whispers "But we're so close to home, this can't be where it ends..." nefeli tried her best to convince him, this was life or death and she knew very well what could happen if she was discovered by the god king "How much longer must I suffer now?" He didn't face her...he raised his blade "Please don't do this..." she begs lowly. Polydeuces sneaks behind odysseus and freed him "you better not be right about this..." he trembles "How much longer must I push through doubt?" Eurylochus sighs "we need to get home.." nefeli steps closer "How much longer must I go about...my life like this, when people die like this?" He slowly turns to her "eurylochus....please reconsider..." she begs yet again...hoping her friend would come to his senses.

But hunger became to much to bare, the crew became more desperate...more distant...eurylochus frowns and turns to the cow "I'm just a man..." he mumbles as he strucked the cow down "Eurylochus, no!!" She yells, but it was too late...the cow fell dead, a sickening splat followed...when the blood was sheed, a storm formed above them, thunders roaring and drowning the sky in terrible screams of lightning and drum like roars. Odysseus grabs the neck of eurylochus robs and shakes him "You've doomed us...You've doomed us all, Eurylochus!!" He yells as he storms off "Captain?" Realization hit eurylochus like a tidal wave "We need to get away from this island now!!" Odysseus orders.
The entire crew run back to the ship, "Grab an oar with all the strength your arms allow!!" Nefeli orders as the crew did as said "These cows were immortal, they were the Sun God's friends!! And now that we've pissed them off, who do you think he'll send?!" Polydeuces frowns.

Everyone started rowing for their lives, as fast as their arms could. But the storm got closer and closer...nefeli could have sworn she saw the clouds form into an eagle "d-don't tell me..." she mumbles in shock and fear...the eagle that has been tormenting her life for years...was zeus himself "n-no.." she fell to her knees "nefeli...nefeli!! Come on! Help us row!" Polydeuces shakes her and tried to get a reaction "w-we are doomed..."
Odysseus frowns "faster!! Go faster!!" He yells at the crew...but it was no use...the clouds surronded the ship and thunder stricking down as a warning...gave them enough clue to stop "We're too late.." nefeli mumbles.

Lighting crashes overhead, again and again within the gathered storm clouds. Everyone looks upon the darkening skies in horror, a single bolt of lightning clashes onto their ship. Cursing it to tip slightly as a figure stands before them. "Pride is a damsel in distress... hiding away ware only i can undress her.." The figure smirks at the lowly Ithicans before him; easily towering over them all in an instant. Nefeli looks up at the all father, completely shaken while Odysseus shields himself in terror. "Try as she might not to confess... In the end, it's all the same once I all... the.. Pressure." Zeus continues to smirk darkly as he morphs with the very clouds around them. Becoming one in the same with his element as he, uses only an extended hand to cause electric bolts to scatter around the lone ship.

Everyone else was forced to disperse and take cover from the surges of energy. Po ducts down a bit, refusing to leave Nefeli's side as he covers her with his body like a shield. "W-we have to do something. We can't just stand here.... Ne?" Po continues trying to knock her out of Nefeli from her trembling state. "Ne!" Nefeli just stares blankly ahead; unable to hear much less move. All those years of being terrified of a bird... of storms.. The fear and guilt paralyzed her.

"Thunder bring her... through the ringer! Show her I'm the judgment call. The one who makes her kingdom fall. Lightning wield her, use and yield her! Show her what she can't conceal. Her true nature will be revealed!" Zeus alters his form once more, floating around like a dark cloud; surrounding Odysseus. "So tell me, Odysseus... If I were to make you choose. The lives of your men and crew, or your own. Why do I think they'd lose?" Odyseuss clings to himself, watching the cloud swarm him before it turns back into a more normal form behind him. He peeks back at the god with glooming defeat in his eyes. Zeus harshly grabs his face; looking upon him with cold intent. "Tell me, king of Ithaca... Since hunger was far too great. I wonder who'd take the weight of the damned, and suffer a gruesome fate."

Zeus lets Odyseuss go, swiftly moving toward Nefeli. Polydeuces barely had time to take out his axe, in a frugal attempt to continue protecting Nefeli. The god king laughs at such a display, hitting the mortal away with ease. The effect sent him crumbling into some boxes nearby; visible shocks and flashes emanating from his body as he curled up painfully. "A-Ahh!!"

"P- Po!" Nefeli cries as she shakes, unable to help, unable to do anything as Zeus chuckles. The laugher and his voice echoing around her, " child of thunder... you disappoint me. Tsk , such a waste..." Zeus envelopes the area with clouds; transforming into the dreaded eagle as their world becomes darker. The clouds shift and reform into figures and places. "Need I remind you, you're a killer.. You murdered an innocent." He smirks as the clouds show Nefeli a copy of Odyseuss dropping the infant off Troy's walls, the death of the child turning into Polyphemus and the cave. "Instead of paying attention to your surroundings. Or better yet, simply not listening to a bunch of lotus eaters.. Your poor friend, and those other men wouldn't be dead now..." A form of Polities lays at her feet, struggling for his last breath as he reaches up to her. Tears streamed down her face, as she was made to re-watch the life dim from his eyes.

All the while, Zeus continues to smirk; watching the young warriors resolve; her hope, her fight... Diminishing. "I wonder what he'd say now, if he saw the type of person you've turned into now.. The very "friend" he sacrificed his own life for." Zeus chuckles as the clouds become like the sea; only, filled with the haunting remains of ships and floating bodies. "556 men... all who died.. Including your three brothers.. Now.. If only just one of you stayed awake long enough to protect the wind bag.. Or, you could've just killed the cyclops.. Then, Poseidon wouldn't have started that storm to begin with.. But no.. you had to try playing the hero.. A hero with a big fat mouth." Nefelis own angered word play on repeat around them, "And I am Nefeli Targaryen of Ithaca!!"

Nefeli holds her head, all the mistakes; the guilt, the regret and pain from every choice.... The child, Polities, Her brothers... her mother... the sirens.. Her hands were caked in blood, overflowing.. She was a monster, a killer.. Everyone she dared get close to dies... "That's rigghhhtt.. Your true nature has been revealed. You're better off dead.. Otherwise.. Your precious captain and lover.. Will suffer the same fate as allll the others.. here , why don't I give you something to help ease that pain?" He sores over her; dropping a single feather that transforms into a bolt of lightning into her hands. "I'll give you a choice.. just as I did with odysseus.. You can either give your life for theirs... or you can use that to destroy them.."

Zeus leaves her to her own downfalling thoughts, chuckling menacingly behind her. Nefeli shakes as she looks upon the rest of the crew... at Odysseus, who seemed to be wrestling with his own choice. " P..please don't make me do this.." She quietly begs to the all father. Shakingly holding the bolt of lightning, maybe this was the only way. They deserved to go home.. She had nothing to go back to, no family.. Eurylochus was a coward, and Odysseus is as bad as she... and Polydeuces.. He deserves someone better than her. They all deserve better... Nefeli closes her eyes, her own electricity coursing down; adding onto the bolt; it'd be better if she was just..

A sudden yell snaps her from her dark thoughts, looking up to see Polydeuces strike at Zeus with his Axe. His movements, blazingly quick as he glares at the god with ghost wight eyes. "Go back to Olympus you pompous asshole!" Surges of energy emanated off of Polydeuces's scars as the impact sent Zeus hurling off the ship. Po pants heavily as he looks at Nefeli, hand outstretched to her. "Get up Nefeli, our fight is far from over here."

Nefeli just stares at his hand with despair, "but.. I'm a monster.. A killer.. Everyone dies around me.. You'll die too..so this is the only way." Polydeuces kneels before her, "if you die now.. Then all their sacrifices will have meant nothing.. You'd be throwing it all away.." He places his hand on top of hers, making her look back at him instead of the bolt. "you'd be throwing away the possibilities of something better.. Please Ne.. there's another way to win this..but.. There'lll still be a cost.." Po frowns as their eyes meet, golds and blues conveying silently. "P-po.. I can't.. They'll all die.. We'll be the only ones left.."

"I know..." Specks of white flash through his eyes, "but it's the only way..." Polydeuces looks towards Odysseus, saddened to see their friend and captain become so unattached and obsessed with returning home. " There's nothing we can do about his choice... So.. When Zeus strikes, that'll be our only chance.." He peers back at Nefeli, her shoulders shake from trying to hold in her tears. "O..okay.." She whispers as Polydeuces helps her to her feet.

The storm around them had turned rageful, furious. Zeus areas in the sky with his thundering clouds, "you mere mortals think you can best me??!" He scoffs and glares "NO ONE BETS ME!!" Clouds encircle the ship, thunder and lightning collide against the wooden surfaces as everyone holds onto whatever they could. "Thunder bring her, through the wringer! Here to ring your ears, until your depth with fear. And spear you while your death is near. Lightning wield her, here to yield your!! Time, for you have passed your prime. Sublime you for your act of crime." Zeus looms over Odysseus expectantly, "choose..."

"Choose?" Odysseus gazes upon the god and the storm that surrounds them.

"Someones gatta die today, and you have got the final say... Choose.. You... or your crew.." Odysseus looked upon his crew, his family.. His friends.. Nefeli, Polydeuces, Eurylochus... The very people who betrayed him, the ones he fought alongside.. Cared for, laughed with and cried with.. "Please don't make me do this, don't make me do this." He turns to the god pleadingly, only to be met with an image of Penelope in the clouds; floating toward him "I can take the suffering from you... Let me take the suffering from-" Just as the image of her was about to embrace him, she disappears into the heavy rains.

Polydeuces and Nefeli watch with disheartened hurt and pain, taking a step back in preparation for their plan. All the while, Eyrlocus looks upon Odysseus with such hurt. "Captain?"

"I have to see her..." Odysseus doesn't turn to face them, unable to look upon the crew he led into war.. The little band of all that was left out of 600 men.. "But we'll die.."

"I know..." Odyseuss's voice breaks as he only stares down at the ship solemnly, Zeus smiles with a dark chuckle as he sores above them. The crew, fed up with all the death and lies; quickly, they pick up their weapons to attack Odyseuss. Eurylochus stays back, frozen to his spot in realization, closing his eyes to accept his fate. "Thunder, bring her.. through the wringer. Show her I'm the judgment call. The one who makes her kingdom fall. Lightning wield her, use, and yield her! Show her what she can't counsel, her true nature will be revealed!!"

Polydeuces holds up his shield; covering both him and Nefeli as Zeus gathers a ball of pure energy in his hands, "get ready!" Nefeli nods shakingly as she holds up the bolt of lightning. Her own hair mixed with the clouds around them as she allowed the same energy to flow through her. It coursed through her body as it added to the intensity of the bolt. "Now!!" Polydeuces orders as the ball of energy was thrown at the ship.

Nefeli yells as she chucks the bolt of lightning; it zips through the ball to hit Zeus as both electrical currents clash into a loud roaring sound. Polydeuces held onto Nefeli as the remnants of the ball struck the ship. She holds him back tightly as they both close their eyes.

The recks of the ship floating...and their bodies sinking...

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Longest chapter so far!! Sorry for taking so long! (Word count: 3023!)