Two days later...

Apollo had almost forgotten what it was like to be worshipped. The days of Gods had long since expired among the mortals of the Earth realm, much like the novelty of a Power gracing the Others with their presence in his own homeland. Their celebrity status came and went, fear trumped total adoration and since the reign of the Dark King, there was still an unease, a wariness among those he had ruled over.

Tonight, all of that had changed.

News of the Empress taking her seat beside the God-Killer Queen had spread like wildfire and the second he had entered his usual drinking spot, the excitement of this had been extended to include all of the Powers. If only they knew the truth, beyond the lies and smoky mirrors his kind worked behind.

Any other time, Apollo may have resented the attention, and objected to the obsessive way they turned a myth into a greater legend if not for the only reason it involved, her. Tonight, he sat surrounded by beautiful women, the drink was never lacking and the feast he had been treated to was one of the greatest in recent memory. A nymph sucked on his earlobe, another tossed aside the Other who had been keeping his lap warm and eager hands soon found flesh as his shirt was opened. For tonight, life was good.

"Other dependent Nymphs? I expected more from you, Golden Boy." Circe's sharp tongue snapped through the drunken haze, and Apollo found himself trapped by an icy glare as the little witch sat herself on his table. "Shoo, pests."

Apollo groaned as the nymphs did as they were told and even the Others around them took a cautious step back. They didn't know Circe, and while she didn't possess the same aura as the Powers it was clear she was one of them on some level so it was best not to interfere.

"What do you want, Circe? Am I not entitled to a little fun, after all, are we all destined to die soon?"

"With that attitude, I don't doubt it." She looked around curiously, helping herself to the fruit. The strawberry was plump and juicy and as she took a bite, it was the trickle of juices that ran down her chin that drew Apollo's complete attention. "Mmm."

"That isn't an answer." He managed to snap, never mind the way he licked his own lips and subtly checked to see exactly where his fan girls had disappeared too.

Circe was tempting, but so was a poisoned apple if you got hungry enough.

"Artemis is having a bitch fit because you left without permission and something seems to be hiding you from her. Wouldn't have anything to do with that pretty little jewel around your neck?" Circe took another bite, the sound of pure pleasure as she ate, drawing in more than Apollo's eyes.

"Of all the sisters."

"I agree," Circe smirked, winking at the man Apollo vaguely remembered beating at an earlier game of cards. He wasn't back for another round, at least not with Apollo. "I do wonder what she'll say when I tell her where you are, who you are with and, is that smell you or that one?"

Cautiously Apollo lowered his chin slightly and sniffed; not him.

"Please Circe, do not tell her." Apollo would beg if he had to. He had enough to drink to make that a true possibility.

The other power made the motion of zipping up her lips and tucking the imaginary key between her breasts. "Wouldn't dream of it. I should also say our Empress was concerned when Artemis began her tirade, more than once sister dearest made it clear she was certain you'd met a terrible end at the hand of the Furies already."

"Elise wouldn't believe that." But did she still care? Would she be helping Artemis find him?

"No, that girl has a brain and why do you think I am here?" Circe smiled, holding her hands above her head which caused the slip of fabric she called dress to reveal even more skin and her curvy silhouette. "She said not to worry about Artemis, and have a drink or two for her."

"How did she know I was here?"

"Ah, Empress? She knows every-fucking-thing, Golden Boy. Kinda hot when you think about it, all that power, brains, beauty. I really envy your brother." Circe raised an eyebrow, watching for a reaction.

"Don't we all."

"From what I hear-"

"You can go, Circe. You did your duty, now leave me to mine." Apollo growled, motioning for two of the Others he'd been with earlier back over.

"Do you like the way they make you feel powerful? Remind you that you are so much better than them?" She asked instead, standing as she walked across the table to then slide onto his lap. "I really did expect more from you."

Maybe it was the amount he had to drink, or the suffocating heaviness of the floral perfume she wore, but Apollo didn't even flinch as her eyes seemed to sparkle with desire right before she kissed him. Circe tasted like strawberries, the flavour still fresh as his tongue explored her mouth earning a moan of approval from the creature in his lap before she stood up as smoothly and quickly as she had gone to him.

"Well, thankfully that wasn't terrible, but I still expected more from you." Circe laughed, blew him a kiss and began to walk away. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

All eyes were on the nymph as she whispered something to two of the men by the door; the three left in a hurry as a bitter taste of rejection hit Apollo next. His fans appeared, but it did little to bring him the same level of comfort as they had earlier. The drink was harder to swallow, the food lost its taste.

"Are you alright?" A soft, gentle voice asked from behind Apollo, causing him to turn around.

The woman he now faced did not match the speaker. She looked cold, almost lifeless with pale skin and shadows around her eyes that made him wonder when she last slept. Her lips were chapped, pale thin lines that showed none of the warmth of her voice. Even her hair was limp, straggly and while he could sense she was a Power, a much lesser one; her attire was just as worn and tired as the rest of her.

"No," Apollo answered, the more he looked at her, the more he realised she looked exactly as he felt.

Miserable.

They just stood there, looking at each other as a deep, sinking feeling of despair and misery washed over him.

"You poor creature."

"Yes," he agreed.

"Tell me about it," she held out boney fingers that he took; the subtle glow of his skin dimming as they appeared out in the street.

The few street lights nearby seemed to move away from the darkness rather than chase it away. None of the buildings had any light in their windows and on the breeze, the night was filled with soft sobs and wailing of pure sorrow. It was a sound that Apollo felt to his core, in his bones and beyond which only intensified as the figure that loomed above them became clearer.

The God Killer.

The flowers around the base of the statue were wilted and dead, the misery and loneliness of the night intensifying around them as the woman pulled out a dagger.

"For your pain. Let the misery that flows within your veins be free."

Something about the dagger seemed so right, yet so wrong and as he held it in his hands, he looked at it before looking back at the woman.

"Who are you?"

"I am your grief. Your despair. Your greatest misery. I am Oizys, and I have come to remove the light from her world." Oizys purred, her grip tightening on Apollo's wrists.

The next wave of pain felt different, older, which gave Apollo the ability to focus on it more. It felt, done with. Over. Like it shouldn't be back here now and it shouldn't have him sobbing on his knees in the street with this monster who had the dagger hovering by his throat.

Opening his eyes, Apollo saw Elise. She was laughing, smiling; showing off with Zane at the Academy with that golden sword she'd fought hard to claim. When she saw him, her smile grew and waved him over, Apollo moved to her yet it wasn't just Elise and Zane. Cain stood with them, watching her as he did. Smiling with her, as he did. She laughed because of what he said and as Apollo's jealousy prepared to let itself be known, Elise was wrapped around him.

Her kiss was for him.

That light in her eyes was for him.

"I missed you. No more missions with my brother, or I'm going to start thinking you're with the wrong Bunting." She teased, kissing him again for no other reason than she wanted to. "Logan?"

Victorious, he glared at his brother yet while Cain did stare back at him, it wasn't a look of loathing or envy, it was just - sad.

It was also how Cain had looked at him outside the cave in the Crossroads. Jealousy won that time, Elise wasn't there to distract or diffuse the situation.

"If we had turned, we would never have ended up here. Nothing good is in that cave." Cain muttered impatiently. "Let us go before anything more comes of this."

"Because Cain said so. I am sick to fucking death of you and your attempts at controlling me. Remember your place, little brother. You have taken enough from me and-" Apollo snapped.

"I took nothing from you!" Cain growled. "All you have lost is your own doing, big brother. I am not Artemis. I will not pander to your moods and ego. I am not a child for you to bully into submission, and I am quite sure that is not a reminder you would like me to repeat!"

"Are you threatening me?"

"My patience wears thin. If not for her then you would either be dead or banished, for real this time. It is almost impressive that over the years you've managed to remain the same, insufferable, selfish asshole I remember so well."

"How dare you!" Apollo growled, his fists curling.

"How dare I what? Speak the truth? A strange concept to one such as yourself," Cain taunted, eager for this moment, this fight.

"As if you can speak! All you've done since the second you arrived into this forsaken land is lie, cheat, steal. You think I am selfish? It must be a family fucking trait then, once you have perfected. First you destroyed our mother, and now you only do the same with Elise. She deserves better than you."

"Do you not think I know that? I am not worthy, but I also know neither are you." Cain reigned in his temper, his teeth grinding with the effort it took to stop there, yet the look on Apollo's face broke his restraint. "And yet, it is my flaws, the parts I wish to hide, that she wants the most. She came to me, she chose me, despite all of it. Our mother walked her own path, made her own decisions and lived a life that was hers."

"She was exiled and forced to hide in this hell. Your creation was a death sentence." Apollo spat.

"But it was her choice, and the life she left behind was not exactly a fucking fairytale." The fact he didn't respond right away, told Cain enough and he was set on ending this once and for all. "Maybe, she and Elise are alike in some ways. To simplify it, they both rejected what you had to offer, and it ends with me."

Apollo's fist was fast and sure, the glow of it like a lightning flash as it struck Cain in the jaw. Blood coated his tongue, before his own healing ability kicked in and quick to rise from the dirt, Cain smiled red as his eyes turned black.

"I was hoping you'd do that."

"Fuck. You." Apollo huffed, the pair circling each other. "You do not deserve any of this. You should have made her kill you, and because she decided to be weak, just like our mother, I will do what both of them should have done."

It was the last thing Apollo said as Cain didn't hold back. He made sure his sibling felt every inch of the pain and darkness he'd lived with his whole life. Each hit from Zeus, the torture from Hera, the snide remarks and cheap hits and kicks each time he was down from his own brother. There was a rage that had been building for centuries unleashed and Apollo never stood a chance. Especially when from deep within the darkness, an inhuman roar sounded out. The scratch of nails on stone followed, and the smell was enough to turn even Cain's stomach. Despite the swelling of his eyes and the bare minimum of consciousness Apollo managed to retain, the pair of brothers looked at each other.

Both had their own burdens to carry, pain and regret. It was this load of emotion Apollo felt again and just like then he felt for one single second, a flicker of clarity and understanding. He was an asshole. For all of Artemis' flaws, it was she who would stop Hera before she could start her games with Cain as often as she could. She'd bargain with Zeus, to spare both of her siblings further misery. How many times had she screamed at him to help heal the boy when everyone else had gone too far?

Apollo sobbed, his heart breaking all over again as Oizys released her hold on his wrist.

"I'm sorry."

"As am I." Cain sighed.

The monster appeared as Cain helped Apollo stand; the tingles of healing fused with his own powers as the worst of the bleeding and cuts were removed until something changed. Their powers weakened, eased to the point of non-existence. There were no weapons to summon, no powers to hold it back. Just to men against a demon.

"Run, get help and I'll distract it." Apollo decided.

"What? I'm not going to leave." Cain snapped. "You run."

"I'm not the one about to become a father. She needs you." Cain hesitated as Apollo made a point.

"I'm still the better fighter. You have no powers."

"Neither do you."

"I didn't need them a second ago, did I?"

"You're a fucking asshole." Apollo huffed as Cain suddenly did run, but not away as expected.

He reappeared with two long sticks. "Might work?"

"Here I was, thinking it would be each other I saved you from." The woman's voice triggered something in the back of their minds. Memories lost to time put back together while the creature emerging was forgotten as they turned to see the woman. "Hello, my sons."

A new sense of loss and despair threatened to rip Apollo apart as he recalled the moment he finally saw his mother again. Wave after wave of pure agony hit him and now the dagger was seen with new eyes.

Pain.

Misery.

Loneliness.

Despair.

This would be a way to end it all. He had nothing to offer anyone here, if anything without him, they would all be better off. Oizys nodded, her eyes wide in anticipation as she watched him hold the dagger at his throat.

"Apollo, no!" Elise screamed.

Yet as the world came into focus, and strong hands removed the blade from his, it was Cain he saw first. 

Had he imagined her voice? 

Was he still in the Crossroads?

"Of all that is, what the fuck are you doing?" Cain looked shaken, surprising Apollo more than anything. "Are you alright?"

Was he?

The god of light was not feeling like himself. Wherever he looked, the darkness had crept in and another sob left him as he fell back against the base of the statue. He barely registered the screaming, yet he felt the cloud that sat over his head begin to clear. The pressure slowly eased as Apollo felt his heart beating, strong and steady rather than the broken pieces of earlier.

"Apollo?" Cain called, snapping his fingers in front of his face. A rush of tingles went through him. "He's not hurt."

Apollo looked beyond Cain, catching sight of the God-Killer Queen who shouted something he couldn't quite hear at Hades. The figure on the ground between them was even more broken than the one he had just met, and a wall of purple skirt suddenly blocked his view before Elise was wrapped around him.

He held her back just as tightly, daring to push his face into her hair as she felt so warm, real and alive. The pain began to ease. Apollo didn't feel so alone or miserable. Breathing became easier.

"You're here?" He finally said, as she knelt in front of him.

"Of course, I was so worried." Elise looked over her shoulder. "Circe told me she saw you, but said something felt off in town. I decided to come and check it out for myself. I had a feeling I needed to check on you and I am so glad I did."

"Who even is that?" Apollo slowly stood, helping Elise to her feet.

Cain lingered beside them, focusing on the dead power. "I'm not sure."

"Doesn't matter. She's dead now. Oh, Apollo. I got here and I saw you with that knife," Elise wiped her eyes, yet the tears kept coming as she hugged him again. "I can't lose you."

"Oizys. Her name was Oizys, and she told me she had come to remove the light from your world." Apollo let Elise go. 

His mind became clearer with each passing second as he glared at the corpse before Hades vanished with it. Kara disappeared a second later, and with a shiver, Apollo felt much more like himself. Whatever spell she had cast, it was over.

"I've heard of her, and like the Furies, more of a myth than an actual being. She has the power of bringing out your greatest pain, causing depression, complete misery. It can drive you mad or, worse." Deimos explained, startling all three of them as he stepped out of the shadows. "I would have enjoyed meeting her. Were you infected?"

The question was directed at Elise, and she shook her head. "No. It was over before she could even try."

"I for one did not enjoy meeting her," Apollo sighed, feeling exhausted.

"Perhaps interested is a better term." The coldness of his words sent a shudder through Apollo and it made him almost curious as to what Deimos had in mind for the dead power. "I am glad you are unharmed."

Deimos disappeared so it was just the three of them. Very slowly, lights began to turn on inside the homes around them, the sadness and despair that had filled the village eased and it no longer felt as cold or lonely as he had a moment ago.

"Let us leave." Cain decided, holding his hand out to Elise but she wasn't paying attention.

"What's wrong?" Apollo asked, glancing at his brother who wore a similar concerned look on his face. "Bunny?"

"I think I got it wrong." She frowned, closing her eyes in concentration as her hands rested on her stomach. "Seek the light and reignite the sun. To survive this, you all need to burn as one."

"Hecate's riddle?" Cain frowned.

"What if she meant now, and not before? Apollo, if Horsey, succeeded," the rest of her sentence never came as she threw herself at him again. "Why do you smell like Circe?"

"Oizys." Apollo corrected, coughing awkwardly as if to clear his throat. "I saw her earlier, that's all. We got close."

"What were you thinking? Artemis is going to kill her!" Elise slapped his shoulder her earlier relief disappearing. "Of all the women in the world, you choose your sister's nemesis? Great, I'm going to have to save your dumb ass twice in one night and hers!"

"Nothing happened. A hug. That's all. We had one hug. You just hugged me, we do all the time. It's fine." He hesitated.

"A hug?" Elise poked him in the chest now. "No, a hug doesn't give off these kinds of vibes. You're lying, don't forget how well I know you."

"She kissed me."

Cain laughed, stopping as Elise glared at him. "I'll see you at home then?"

Elise switched back to Apollo, looking a little calmer yet not quite finished with him just yet.

"I'm not the best person for this, and I have no right to even say it, but as far as Circe is concerned, please, please for the love of all that is my sanity, keep it in your pants. And also, avoid psycho depressed powers out to kill you too. I love you Apollo, I always will, and I want you to be happy. Just Artemis and Circe go together like well, things that don't go together and we don't need to be divided right now. Once this is all over, do whatever you like, just not now."

"I'm not doing anything with Circe. Cross my heart. I'll even go straight to Art now and assure her I'm okay." Apollo promised, opening his arms for Elise to step back into.

Thankfully he wasn't disappointed as she took the step back towards him. Apollo waited for that twinge of nostalgia, the ache of loss and the desire to just hold her for a second longer as she smiled up at him. Yes it felt familiar, it felt nice and after tonight it was exactly what he needed but something had changed. She didn't feel how she normally did, none of this felt how it usually did. It was still familiar and easy, but where he had once felt she was made for him, it wasn't quite the right fit anymore. Yes, he still loved Elise, but he wasn't in love with her. Not like he had been before.

"Bunny, I- something came up. I think I remember some of what happened in the Crossroads. With Cain." He said slowly.

"That's not for me to know, Apollo. I think we all had our lessons to learn in there, and that's between you and him." Apollo nodded, smiling as her hand cupped the side of his face and her thumb wiped away new tears as they fell. "I'm so glad you're okay. You really are the light. For all of us. Even Deimos apparently."

Her hand rested on his chest, and a curious look was given at sight of the necklace.

"How did you find me?" Apollo asked. "This is meant to keep everyone away. You sent Circe here too."

"Didn't you tell me where you were going?" She frowned.

"No."

"I don't know then, I just, I just knew, when I thought of you, I could see the bar as you went into it. I saw the statue."

"Really?"

"I don't know, I've always been intuitive I guess?" Elise yawned, stepping back from him. "Are you really seeing Art tonight or should I go with you to make sure you get home safely?"

"I'm not going to live this down for a while am I?" He rolled his eyes. "You gonna tuck me in, sing me a lullaby? Actually, please don't. I've heard you sing."

"If I have to, jerk. This, tonight, wasn't okay. I have a feeling they don't know I've returned. Your death is supposed to lure me back."

"For what purpose?"

"War."

"Then they failed." He pointed out.

"But I won't."

They said goodnight and went their separate ways; yet as he returned to his quarters, Apollo knew he wasn't alone. Sure enough, Cain appeared a second later.

"Do you remember too?" Apollo asked, skipping any awkward small talk that his sibling looked intent on doing.

Cain nodded. "Are you really okay, Deimos told me some things about that creature. She rarely fails once she has a target."

"Elise got there in time. I'm good."

"Did you sense anything different about her? Elise that is." Cain asked softly, cautiously; looking around them as if expected this conversation was being listened to.

"Yes. I wasn't sure at first, it's more than this new name isn't it?" Apollo sighed, before walking over to his sibling and hugging him. "I'm sorry, for everything, just as much as I was in the Crossroads."

"As am I." Cain repeated, patting Apollo on the back twice before stepping away. "Something happened, a couple of nights ago when we were. You know. Mother said, she told us. She said."

"Soul mates." Apollo said what he couldn't.

"I don't, I didn't believe in it. I don't want to. We first met years before she even actually existed, but even then I knew her. Beyond Portia's visions. I felt it, just how special she would be, but not like this. Mother was right, I was focused on the wrong things and now look at the mess we're in."

"Our mother was a ghost, in a witches realm where nothing is as it appears. They are no better than the Fates, and look how little they truly control. Hecate is no different. Unfortunately it is as mother said, play the game and we might all come out alive."

Apollo had never seen his sibling look so, defeated; except for one time as they sat in front of a sealed portal and drank themselves to sleep. "And after?"

"You know what it's like to argue with Elise, good luck to them. Are you going to tell her?" Cain didn't answer, and Apollo rolled his eyes as the wall reappeared between them. "You're a dumb bastard if you don't. Secrets and lies are not the way to handle this, and I speak from experience."

"I'm aware."

"I will tell her, if you don't." It wasn't said as a threat; it was a promise.

The pair squared off against each other, the tension unmissable and it was this scene that Artemis arrived to and dramatically throwing herself at Apollo hugged him tight.

"Where have you been? Everyone is talking about an attack, and what's happening right now?" She looked between the pair. "I thought you were friends now?"

"We are." Apollo answered, glancing at Cain who only shrugged.

"What were you talking about?" She pushed.

"Nothing." They said in unison.

"Forget it, Art. It was nothing, Cain was just leaving." Apollo tried to smile, but failed and Cain left them. "I was attacked, it was terrible. Blah blah, Elise saved me. Here we are."

"What? No one mentioned that. Apollo, start talking. How can you say it was nothing? You nearly died again, didn't you?"

It was not nothing which is something they'd all find out soon enough, but for now he simply smiled and let her fuss over him, the last of Oizys poison leaving him as he didn't feel so alone anymore. 

"It's over." He assured her, once he was done filling her in on most of the evenings events.

To bad it was only the beginning. 

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Hope this chapter made some kind of sense.

Few little threads to follow on with in the next story as well as wrap up the rest of the series....

Thank you for reading. You have no idea how much I appreciate you all  xo