Hallo's P. O. V

At first, I thought we were again in the chambers. Then a bright light blinded me, making me take a step back. Though when I opened them again, I wasn't much better.

I stood in a grand hall. A mosaic floor glinted by sun- and firelight. Greek style pillars rose into the sky, the ceiling not in view. Doors that led nowhere stood between each pillars.

Obviously, it wasn't nighttime anymore but still. The sky seemed more like a paradise than the chaotic night one we had left behind. At the end of the hall sat a giant golden throne.

Suddenly a door opened and a voice filled the great hall.

"I told you I don't want to!" A woman screamed. " I'm not ready."

Then she appeared and my jaw hit the floor. The woman was beyond beautiful. She had golden hair, kaleidoscope eyes of all colors, skin a deep bronze that glowed. She wore a black leather jacket and a silk white gown. A weird mixture but it somehow worked.

If nothing else, she was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

Her eyes settled on Jake and her face contorted into a look of anger. Suddenly, it felt like I was carrying a few bags of potatoes. The weight surprised me so that my knees buckled.

"Using your power like this is a bit rash, don't you think?" Jake said, still standing up straight.

"My power is enough to bring people to their knees so why are you not down?" She asked, stalking towards Jake.

Jake cocked his head and however bad the weight I felt before, tripled. The woman fell to her knees, shock clear on her face.

"I'm just here to talk. As soon as you hear me out, I'll reign my power back in." Jake promised/warned. I realized that what I felt before was the woman's power and what I felt now was Jake's.

No words could describe it.

After what felt like hours, the pressure let up. Both of us females stood up, the woman eyeing Jake. She dusted her leather jacket and turned, walking to her throne. Jake followed so I had no choice but to do the same.

As we walked, people streamed out the many doors in the hall. They kept their distance, preparing to see a spectacle.

The woman rested rather gracefully into her throne. "I wonder why your here. If your here to gloat over your defeat of my son then be warned. When I swear vengeance I will get it one way or another."

Her son? I looked at the wounded god over Jake's shoulder.

Thankfully, Jake connected the dots. "Hallo, this is Eros' mother, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty."

I didn't know whether to bow or not. "Why are we here, Jake?"

Aphrodite nodded. "Yes why are you here, Thales?"

She spat his name out with so much hatred, it was hard to look at Jake the same way. It seemed she had some effect on my emotions. Jake wasn't affected though.

"I'm here to apologize. First," Jake dropped Eros off his shoulder and propped his arm over his shoulder. ", I figured I owed you at least to bring your son back."

Aphrodite had a perfect poker face, not showing how angry or confused she was. She beckoned one of the servants forward. The servent took Eros from Jake and brought the god closer to his mother for her to inspect him.

" Settle him in his room and see that his comfortable. Call Apollo immediately to heal him." She ordered. The servant disappeared with the god.

Aphrodite eyes settled on Jake. She took in his form, openly checking him out. Her eyes settled on his face.

"You have grown stronger, Jake." She finally commented. "No wonder you beat my son."

"I had a lot of people helping me." He admitted but from what I saw, Jake had done it alone.

Aphrodite shook her head. " You did not. You haven't realized it but during your fight, somehow, someway, you've become a god."

My eyes widened. I looked at Jake and just couldn't see it. How was Jake a god?

But even as I thought this, the changes were there. Some physical, like he grew into his weight, and some emotional, the atmosphere around him indescribable.

" I'm not a god." Jake stuttered, his cool figure falling away.

"You are, Thales. You know who's eye that is?" She asked to which he nodded. She then turned to me. "Hallo, that eye that your boyfriend is sporting is the eye of Ouranus, the god of the sky."

"He gave it to me, remember?" Jake's voice cut through. "'An eye for an eye?' This was it."

Aphrodite nodded. "This is true. My best bet, with all that power lying within you being put to use and the old man's gift..."

She paused before sporting a small smile. "...it's no surprise that you are a god. Too much power for a mortal."

"You can sense it, can't you?" Jake suddenly asked. " You were Ouranus last child, the oldest Olympian so you could sense his power."

Aphrodite nodded once more before straightening. "It was something seeing you again, Thales, but I'm afraid this visit is over. As a token of my gratitude I've given you this information but we are still enemies."

"Wait." Jake cut her off. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "I've come bearing a gift. Though Hades at the time, I was still apart of battle and I'm sorry. Please accept my peace offering."

He held his hands out and at first nothing happened. Then light began to shimmer and a small rose appeared in his hand. The rose seemed to perfect, made of glass, fragmenting into all colors. Two thorns was all that littered its stem. A clump of dirt and roots hung on the bottom.

Aphrodite gasped, her hands covering her mouth. Jake gave a sheepish smile.

"I figured that you deserved nothing less than perfection for what I've done for you and Rose is your symbol. It is only right." Jake explained. The rose floated out of his hands and into Aphrodite's, her eyes welling with tears.

"I accept your apology, Jake," She finally used his name. " It was an honor meeting you. Perhaps I will even grant you some peace in your love world, hey?"

She said the last part while looking at me.