Rhea flew from the black marble palace, resembling a cyclone’s eye, the ones she rarely sees, only when Oceanus or more likely Tethys got temperamental, just continuous circles of rage and anger, the perfect description of her now. She flew and flew, so far from Kronos’ terrifying, but seducing eyes, so far from Themis’ tight embraces, so far she thought that not even Phoebe could find her.

But as she landed on a barren hill, she could hear the echoes of her mother, the earth around her reforming in different shapes, realizing that it would swallow her alive far too late.

She woke up on pitch black soil, far to rigid to be fertile, the Titaness looked up at the sky, but there was no sun or moon or even stars. Though she could see some sparkling points above her, Rhea knew they weren't stars, they didn't emanate the breeze-like powers of Asteria or Astraios, they were darker, somber.

“You like Hecate’s creations don't you?”

Rhea was startled less by Gaia’'s sharp echoes, but rather by the name she just said, a name that she couldn't find in her family, maybe a third or fourth generation — or maybe not even from Gaia's lineage at all — then it hit her — that Hecate.

Hecate, she who works her will — the daughter of the young Asteria and Perses — was born looking slightly different, only now Rhea realized the resemblance between her and her own children, she was smaller than a Titan baby, her structure more perfect that Selene's herself and her eyes deep with knowledge with her eyeballs pitch black and white irises. Neither Asteria or Perses got to say a thing before Eurybia, Perses’ mother, opened her mouth and announcement about how much disgrace this strange child would bring. That's when Gaia stepped up and said “Then let her in the hands of my siblings and I”. That's all Mother Earth  said, all she had to say to make everybody obey. So they took Hecate — Eurybia seemed pleased while Asteria and Perses didn't dare to meet the Primordial Deities’ eyes — and no-one has heard about her since them, some said that Nyx and Erebus took her to the core of the Earth, raising her along their children, nobody backed an eye to them, it wasn't like it was the first time Nyx asked for the children of other Deities.

Some may say the truth because as Rhea turned to see the ancient face of her mother, with only her bust raising from the dark dirt, but dwarfing in size the teenage girl beside her in — Hecate, she thought without looking at her twice, it was obvious, same white as milk skin and silky, black hair and those unforgettable reversed eyes, surely Hecate.

“Yes, they are beautiful— so you created them?” Rhea answered, then turning a question to the girl, who nodded and said :

“Well no— not really, these are gemstones, they belong and always had to Mother Earth after all” Hecate answered, her voice like a breeze, sounding nearly nervous.

“Yes, but this magnificent Goddess here cultivated them, expending their beauty and making them be seen by every Deity of the Underworld”

“Goddess?” Rhea asked surprised by the strange rank of the girl, of course she should have also ask about the Underworld, but she has her priorities. Unfortunately, Gaia doesn't really care about others people’s priorities so she just chuckled amused. Brushing of her daughter's question, she added :

“Now listen child, what Kronos had do—”

“Was horrible, heartless and he is a monster as much as a Lae—”

“Rhea, you may stop and listen now”

The voice of Gaia was stern and calculated, it nearly made the Titaness obey. Nearly. And maybe she would've listen, only if she wouldn't have went through the pain of losing five children, just because she kept her mouth shut and eyes blind.

“No, mother, you will be the one to listen, it wasn't you who cried countless days, it wasn't you who felt the pain I've had, it wasn't you the one who was called ‘mad’ on your wedding day and now it turns out they were all right!”

Rhea cried, her broken voice echoing through the land of darkness that Gaia named ‘Underworld’. To her surprise, it was Hecate that walked up to her, crossing the space between them until she could nearly feel her breath over her chest. Her chest, because that was where the  ‘Goddess’ end, Maybe she is just short, Rhea thought but she knew that it was a big lie. But now, that they were closer, the Titaness could see how ill Hecate actually looked — the waist-length hair she called ‘silky’ a moment ago now was thin and oily, there were dark circles under the girl's strange eyes and her pale, dry skin was full of golden cuts and blossomed wounds like she have been attacked by a full battle army. The strange Deity was wearing a black robe, decorated with bronze symbols with a iridescent cloak covering her shoulder. The top half of her hair was set in a tight bun with a greek gemstones braided into it, accentuating her sharp cheek-bones while the rest was simply laying down her shoulder.

“I understand your anger, Queen of Othrys” the Goddess spoke, her voice as earlier, if not even more anxious. “That's why I am here to help, Kronos had tried to defy the rules of Chaos and he shall pay for all of it fully”.

“So for the end of my children”

It took a moment for Hecate to think this time.

“...Yes”

“But you have misunderstood something about this all charade, my dear” It was now Gaia's turn to speak, standing in the place from where she haven't move by now. “Kronos may have hidden them, blocking their evolution and powers, but they are Gods, more beautiful and stronger than the Titans, Primordial Blood flows through their veins, they can't be ended that easy.”

End, was the word they used as Titans didn't know death, only finding out about the strange concept only when Prometheus’ creations suddenly started to turn to dirt. Weaklings, Rhea heard Krius joking alongside Atlas. Mortals, Mnemosyne noted them as in her many writings.

Primordial Blood, Rhea thought like and echo. That was the golden core of Primordial Deities, unlike Titans’ like her, which was as pink as Phoebe's eyes, or Prometheus’ mortal toys, who have red nectar keeping them alive. Would it be possible for Gods — for her children, for the girl who is standing before her right now — to have their hearts drowned in golden blood?

“So you're trying to say that they aren't lost”

Lost, that's the only thing they have close to death. Deities stripped by their powers, forbidden from their dominion, banished, lost.

“I do. Now, I have to leave, my dear, Hecate will tell you everything else you need to know” Gaia let out a pleased chuckle and vanished in the ground like she wasn't even there in the first place, before Rhea even got the chance to open her mouth.

A tense silence spread upon the two remaining women until the Goddess finally said like a murmur, offering Rhea a pale, bruised hand “Come with me then”.

The green eyed woman didn't reply, just took the younger one's hand and let her take the lead. As they passed through the Underworld, the landscape began to change, still remaining as cold and dark as the first stage of it, but starting to look like some kind of kingdom, a very poor and ill one, but still a kingdom. Rhea remembered seeing a purple haired woman, standing in a river the same shade as her locks, she felt dizzy around her and Hecate only reply about that was “Stay away from the rivers”. She also saw two men, both winged and horned, resembling everything but tones — one being all pale and blue, like a sweet dream, while the other black as the cruel end — though neither of them seemed sweet or cruel, only worry was staining their faces, they also had little amount of gold braided into their hair, giving them a more royal style, perhaps they were some kind of rulers over there, Rhea thought.

Finally, they arrived at a small cottage somewhere more closeted than the rest of the Underworld town. It was made of broken, coloured glass and pillars of bronze carved with strange symbols, all enlightened by small torches here and there. Hecate pointed to a doorway closed only by dark purple curtains, inviting her to come in. Rhea did so, entered the cottage, but finding herself in a room even greater and more divine than the throne room of Othrys will ever be with enchanting architecture and splendid weaved tapestries, that would make Theia green of jealousy.

The Titaness looked back at her companion, this time watching her with admiration and maybe even fear — she knew well that both beauty and misery could come out of the same hands. Finally, she opened her mouth and asked;

“Truthfully, who are you?”

The girl didn't even hesitate.

“I am Hecate, she who works her will, Goddess of magic, crossroads, necromancy and ghosts, third-in-line commander of the Underworld and as nearly everyone's of here, my heart is pounding in golden ichor.”

Rhea didn't even know from where to start analysing all the information. First, it was Hecate's strange dominion, that somehow didn’t contrasted that much from the Underworld, then it was her “third-in-line commander” rank, a real mess. She anticipated that Nyx and Erebus were the supposedly rulers of this land, but as Gaia, they were Primordial Deities, always busy with all of their affairs to much to rule a whole kingdom, but that mean that Hecate was only a rank inferior to the real leaders and that just didn't click, why would someone appoint a young outsider to play such an important role?

But as she watched Hecate’s cottage — or rather, her small castle — the Titaness started to realize the reasons of it, seeing the white marble floor, bronze pillars, sparkling mosaics, tapestries weaved from gold and shining statues— of probably Gods, she guess — all harmonized with precious metals and gemstones.

Hecate simply walked through all of them, like there weren't any breath-taking beauties anywhere. She stopped behind one of the statues, she recognized her as Nyx, the mother of dark herself, and signed for Rhea to follow her and so she did. She opened a trapdoor from behind the statues and started to walk down the stairs of it, only looking back to glance at Rhea, who was just behind her.

The space between the stairs and the walls was thigh, the black, unpolished marble walls being cold and rough to touch, resembling the castle on top of Mount Othrys. Finally, they reached a door made of ebony wood, with small, silver accents here and there on it, which Hecate opened without hesitation.

Before them opened a small room, seeming to have the intimacy of a bedroom, having silk-coated stools, all settled around a round, ground table, a small bed being cast-off in a corner of the room.

“Please take a seat” Hecate said with her small voice, crossing the space to the stools.

“It seems like you were busy” The Queen of Titans replied, seating herself on one of the stools, still looking around.

“Yes indeed— but this is not why we're here. Mother Earth commanded me to inform you about the er— fates of your children and the plans for the New Age”

“New Age?”

“Uh- yes, as Gaia said, Kronos will have to be overthrown by one of his children eventually—”

“Well all of his children are in his bastard of a stomach, so this is highly unlikely!” Rhea snapped, she hadn't meant to give the Goddess such a hard time, but it was too difficult to keep everything inside for more time.

It took Hecate a couple of seconds to reply this time. “Queen of Titans, please listen. As your mother said, your children are still alive, Kronos just kept them locked, but he couldn't strip them of their Primordial powers, we just need to get them out”

Rhea chuckled, seeming nearly amused.

“Well that would be a nice plan, only if we could actually find a way to do it” she said, a dark sarcasm in her tone.

“We'll nedd help, that's for sure, maybe Phanes, Eleos, Lethe too—”

“Wait” the Titaness said before pausing “How many of you are even there?”

It was Hecate's time to chuckle.

“Many, you wouldn't even believe how many Gods already exist, even up there are numerous one, they just disguised them, even Thaumas’ twins themselves are Godesses too”

“Arke and Iris? It can't be—”

“True, but it is and you, Titans need to accept it, sooner or later Kronos will fall and together with him will go his followers, that if the Heir is merciful, of course”

“The Heir?” Rhea asked, confused this time.

“Yes right, Mother Earth didn't tell any of you the full prophecy…”

The Titaness’ eyes darkened, was all a game to Gaia? One that she could joyfully watch from afar and laugh when the Titans will crumble to dirt?

“Mother Earth didn't tell any of us of any prophecy”

“No, she must have tell Kronos, even a small part of it, otherwise he wouldn't have act against it”

“Well, what a good job she had done, not telling anyone about the prophecy that will change the way of our world, but the one who will be overthrown over it!” Rhea said bitter, not caring anymore about the words that came out of her mouth.

“It may not have been the best plan but—”

Hecate was interrupted by a large bang, like someone had just hit a metal armor. That made the Goddess look down at the table from the middle of the run, where several circles with numbers were glowing with a violet light. She then looked up at the other woman and said :

“It's time for the meal” She said dryly then whispering nearly bitter “Finally”.

Hecate then walked to the door, not looking back this time, probably already expecting for the Titaness to follow her, so she did without a word, They climbed again the dark marble stairs, exiting through the trap door and finding themselves once again besides the empowering statue of Nyx.

“I don't know what Titans eat, but we're already low on Ambrosia so you're probably going to pass for now, I'm sorry.” Hecate said as they were walking out of her cottage.

“What do you mean?”

“Well er— us, Gods need Ambrosia flowers to stay in power, without it we get lost.”

“Really?” The Queen of Titans was puzzled, her kind never needed a source of food to remain alive, they only eat to get more energy, to recover or simply for their own pleasure. “We.. don't need to consume anything to survive, just if we're wounded”

Something resembling a mug appeared on Hecate's pale face. “Lucky you” was all she replied, while continuing to walk to what look like the center of the Underworld town.

“I’m sorry.. is it hard for you to obtain it?” Rhea asked pitiful this time.

“Look around you!” the Goddess groaned. “The soil is so rough you can get bruise only by touching it! That's why we're trying to get Kronos to grant us at least a patch of the above land for Chaos knows how much time!”

“You what? I’ve never heard Kronos saying anything about it!” Rhea exclaimed, then got embarrassed by the loud tone of her voice.

“I don't think that many other Titans know, the only ones I see with him when we're debating are Atlas, Krius, Theia and the Gods Arke and Nemesis” Hecate replied, this time significantly calmer, but the Titaness was sure that she had heard her growling “prodótis” — traitor under her breath.

“Sly snake..” was all the Titaness got to mumble before she was interrupted by a calm and silvery voice.

“Queen of Titans, it's a pleasure.” Rhea turned to see one of the winged men she saw earlier. He was seemed young with dark skin, resembling hers, and shoulders-length, black hair, braided with gold. He’s mighty, black wings and horns nearly made him seem intimidating, but the dark circles under his eyes, the over showing ribs and overall worried appearance made him only look like a tired ruler.

The Titaness couldn't help but pity the Deity, as much as Hecate had told her, they weren't doing so good. She sighed before saying :

“It's a pleasure to meet you too…”

“Thanatos“ Death God he replied with a dry chuckle and drew his calloused hand. Rhea shook it and couldn't help but smile, noticing a poppy-like, bronze ring on his index finger.

“The meal will begin in a moment—”

“And you will eat, Thanatos” Hecate scolded him with a gravelly voice. “You already gave up the last two ones, you'll have to keep this one.” She continued, accentuating every word with a hiss.

Thanatos rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Perhaps you’re right” was all he replied.

Without another word, the God led them to black marble pavilion where low tables and chairs were sat, dozens of baskets of fruits and vegetables divided between the tables. Rhea already spotted four figures chatting at a table — the other winged man, resembling Thanatos and three more winged, horned women.

One of the women seemed to also spot them approaching as she rose up and cheered. “There you are” she took a small pause to examine Rhea before continuing. “And together with the Queen herself” her tone was somewhere between greed and amusement, her thin lips parted in a grin.

“Rhea this are my siblings.” Thanatos said, gesturing firstly to the woman before them “Alecto, Tisiphone and Megaera, they are the Erinyes”. He then pointed to his look-alike “And my twin, Hypnos.”

The Erinyes were as different as they were as similar. They all had white, sharp teeth, thunderous eyes, pitch black bat wings, horns and shawls covering their heads, but this was where the similarities ended.

Alecto, the implacable, was extremely short — even for a Goddess — only reaching up to Hecate's collarbone. She had peach toned skin with freckles splashed here and there on her lithe figure. Her eyes — the harsher of all of them — were electric blue, lightnings breaking in them every moment. She was wearing a simple, grey tunic and a heavy, gold necklace covered her thin neck.

Tisiphone, the avenger of murder, on the other side, was as tall as Thanatos, all muscle and strength covered in sickly looking olive skin, resembling Hecate's pale one. Her eyes — although not as killer as her sister's — were just two hollow circles on her face, not displaying any emotion. She was dressed in a cyan chiton, coated by a black cloak, only a silver circled decorating her broad forehead.

Megaera, the jealous one, was a tall and willowy woman, her black skin as her brother's hidden under layers of dark cloth, only her hands and face being displayed to the Rhea. Her eyes weren't harsh as Alecto's or hollow as Tisiphone's, hers were just two grief-bringing, green pools to look at. Hanging by her neck was a heavy necklace with big jewels wrapped on the bronze of it.

Hypnos, God of Sleep, twin of Thanatos, wasn't any lesser than his brother, being the same in structure, but having a soft brown tone instead of Death's dark one. His eyes were crystal blue, and his wings a melted grey with silver feathers growing here and there. He was wearing a pale blue chiton, his curly, shorter hair being braided with delicate, golden threads.

Everybody took seat as the pavilion began to fill with Deities, Rhea being honorable seated between Hecate and Alecto. From there, she watched the strangeness of every Deity before her, meeting their gazes when they would stare at her like they have never seen a Titan before. When everybody finally arrived, the Ambrosia was parted between the Deities by the river Gods — yes, the same ones Hecate had told her to stay away from.

As he promised, Thanatos didn't gave up his meal this time and neither did Hecate, Megaera and Tisiphone, they only watched as Hypnos and Alecto refused the divine food, giving them pitiful looks. Hecate later explained to her that they had so little Ambrosia that it wasn’t enough for all of them to eat every meal, so some of them had to pass each time.

As they delighted from the divine flower, Rhea started to notice how Hecate's wounds started to fade, Tisiphone's and Thanatos’ skin started to fill and brighten, looking way healthier now. And so did the whole pavilion, which was now filled with laughter, songs and loud chats. One of the younger God's lap was now filled by the purple haired river Goddess — Lethe, Rhea remembered, the one she felt dizzy around — while an amber eyed God — Dolos, Megaera whispered to her with a chuckle — was now rubbing Thanatos’ tight, the God of Death completely leaned into him by now.

Rhea was laughing too, she couldn't remember the last time she was even half amused as now, at the moment she let herself forget about Koronos and Gaia and the pain caused by all of them. Later — when Tisiphone finally convinced Hemera to sing — Hypnos and Alecto invited her to dance, the Goddess later disappearing with some Lampades, and the Titaness having a good laugh when Hypnos told her that they were meant to be Hecate's servants, the reason why she was now rolling her eyes, both amused and irritated at the same time.

After their little party ended, Rhea followed Hecate back to her cottage right after saluting Hypnos and Thanatos — who was still busy with Dolos — their sisters already nowhere to be seen. This time, not being as quiet as earlier, she began to ask the Goddess about the Underworld, questions she answered indirectly or not. She have learned about everybody’s ranks, how Nyx and Erebus were the official rulers, but rarely seen so the whole leading was done by Thanatos and Hypnos, then comes her, unusually placed in such a high rank, then the river Gods — who were all children of Oceanus and Tethys, Oceanides and Potamoi — rest of Nyx's children and other Gods and Goddesses. She learned that they had the meal every ten days — growling about how Thanatos didn't eat anything in the last thirty days — and that they had to work for Gaia to obtain the little Ambrosia they had, noting that Eris and Moros where in such a mission as they spoke. It wasn’t until they arrived to Hecate's secluded room that Rhea finally asked it :

“What was the prophecy about the Heir?”

Hecate looked back at her and sigh and reluctantly sat down at the table from the middle of the room, probably expecting that the Titaness will do the same. She waited until Rhea also sat down and then opened her mouth :

“It have been delivered a long time ago, before you even fall pregnant the first time.”

She made a small pause, watching the small candle in front of her melt against the fire's raw power.

“It said that where Kronos have faulted, the sixth born child of the two of you, the Heir, will rescue their brothers and sisters and bring back the equilibrium of our world”

“So they can be brought back”

“Yes, Rhea, but you don't understand. It is only the Heir that can help them, if anybody else will try to do it they will bring as much anger to Chaos as Kronos did”

Hecate's tone was calm and calculated, her words carefully chosen, not wanting to upset the Queen even more. She refused to meet Rhea's eyes, looking nearly ashamed as she watched the melting candle.

“I'm sorry” she finally told Rhea, her voice hoarse and quiet this timetime.

“You’ve already done more good than any of the ones from up there, you know that, right?” Rhea finally replied, her voice bright and melodic as she held Hecate's chin up.

“What?”

“Kronos lied, Gaia lied, even my dear Themis lied, you finally told the truth and for that I thank you.”

The Goddess didn't reply, just exhaled against Rhea's hand and finally met her eyes, strange, reversed irises meeting the Titaness’ beautiful ones.

“We should go to bed, we're supposed to rest after the meal”

Hecate told her, raising up, but keeping Rhea's hand into hers.

— rose