Chapter Text
So the Lethe was alive now, huh… An unexpected turn of events.
Hypnos hummed as he entered his realm once again. He was in a garden of poppies by a river. A special river that had in fact existed in his realm for as long as said realm. The Lethe. It ran through the physical realm as well as the unconscious realm. The Lethe had always existed here beside him. He fished memories from it often to weave into the dreams of mortals and paint beautiful scenes. Perhaps there was another way to interact with them where they did not have to go to its physical location? He had always felt connected by the river, and had never been affected by it. Perhaps because of its origins? The fact that the river had gained sentience was fascinating, for he was supposed to be god of the Lethe. Though, it wasn’t rare for gods to be born in strange ways. He himself had no father. Nyx had created them with parts of her essence, pulling them from the stars in her sky. Aphrodite was born when Ouranus was castrated and his bits fell into the ocean. Athena burst from Zeus' head, and another child of Zeus appeared when part of his thigh was cut off. Hera once gave birth because of a cabbage. His own sons had been born without the need of a mother. Though, he supposed he gained the title of Mother after all that torture he went through. He had a theory on Lethe's sudden sentience.
“Phantasos, Morpheus, Icelos. Come hither.” At once, the ground rumbled as he summoned his three children. Within the minute Morpheus, his eldest son, materialised before him, kneeling. The boy was nearly teen sized now. It was strange because his son was much younger than that. Perhaps he wanted to seem more adult and mature. Ah well. His children could pick their forms in this realm. He wasn't worried. They could look older than Geras or younger than Hebe and he’d love them the same.
"Father. It is just me today. Phantasos and Icelos find themselves occupied. I apologise."
Hypnos grinned and sat on the bench behind him. "That is alright, Morphy. Come forward. I have a project for you and your siblings. Will you relay this to them?"
"What sort of project, sir." Morpheus stood up and walked over to Hypnos before the sleepy god suddenly jumped from his seat and captured him in a warm hug. "D-dad. Can you not-"
"Sleep is inescapable, and my embrace is one of the most desired things among mortals. No need to be so formal, kiddo.” He kissed the top of his son’s head.
Morpheus struggled and escaped Hypnos’ grip. “Was the project having to do with you suffocating us with hugs?”
Hypnos chuckled. “Hah! No. It’s about a new sibling for you.”
“A new sibling? What do you mean? But you don’t seem… Father, did you try to steal someone’s child again?” Morpheus sat on the floor at Hypnos’ feet. “Explain.”
Hypnos hummed and leaned further back into his seat. “It’s more interesting than that. A long time before you were born, before I even learned how to craft my first dream, I ran away from my Mother to a desolate place in the underworld. It was dark and rocky. The ceiling was my only source of light.” The world around the two gods started to shift into dark caverns stretching on seemingly endlessly. The ceiling was made of reflective stones that glittered like gems on the dead earth. The ground around them shifted further, until they stood on dry dirt plateaus.
“It’s such a… sad place.” The words echoed through the silent cavern.
“It was my home. Elysium.”
Morpheus’ eyes widened in awe. “This is what Elysium used to look like?”
“One day, something happened that caused me to create the Lethe and then I left and returned to your grandmother Nyx. When I returned much later, Elysium was how you see it now, granted, there were not as many souls wandering there yet.” The area around them shifted as more of the Lethe poured through the room and into the basins of the plateaus, showing the transition from desolate lands to beautiful island glades filled with light. Underworld flowers blossomed and blue grass spread across the dirt. Red poppies sprouted in patches.
In truth, the Lethe had been created of his own tears. He had cried for days and left a puddle on the ground before Nyx eventually found him and carried him home. There was no was that he would burden a child with such information. They were still a godling. At the time Hypnos had no idea what he had created until much later when he realised his tears had the same effect as the Lethe, erasing memories. Nyx had once mentioned that the tears probably developed like that due to an intense want to forget something. What an irony that he was the only one immune to its abilities.
Morpheus’ jaw dropped, “So you ACCIDENTALLY created Elysium?”
“Yes, but that's besides the point, Morphy.” Hypnos floated over to the phantom of the Lethe. “The Lethe that I created so long ago has gained consciousness recently.” He looked over at Morpheus. “Do you understand what this means?”
Morpheus huffed. “Does it mean I’m not the eldest anymore?”
Hypnos laughed and messed up Morpheus’ hair. “You will always be my firstborn child. Would you like to hear your assignment now?” Morpheus nodded and waited for Hypnos to continue. “I want you and your brothers to each create a dream form for the Lethe. Something reminiscent of their being. I am certain you will not fail to impress me. They are to be completed by the next full moon. Whichever the Lethe picks, I will create the form in the physical realm for them to access. Perhaps visit the Lethe in the waking world and see for yourselves."
"You'll bring our creation into the waking realm If we do well?" Morpheus' usually stern eyes glinted with a more childlike look. "You can do that?"
Hypnos booped him on the nose. "I did that for you too, long ago when your soul split from mine.” Morpheus could pretend all he wanted with that makeshift teen form, but Hypnos knew that the godling was only about 8 mortal years old at heart. Really, his eldest was so much like Thanatos it sometimes scared him. His son tried so hard to be mature and in control.
“Is there anything else I can do to help?” His eyes sparkled. “As your eldest, I’m certain I can do more than just come up with a form.”
“I may require your assistance later, but don’t you worry about that for now.” The realm shuddered around Hypnos. “Ah, I’m being summoned. Please do as I ask and tell your brothers before I return. Remember that I love you all very much.”
______
After receiving some very insightful and useful tips from Hypnos (not), Zagreus found himself back in Elysium, this time not accompanied by blinding fog. He usually took the most direct path through the layer of hell, but today he was feeling particularly curious about the Lethe. He had tried to ask Nyx, but her answer had been something around the lines of ‘I’m sure you can find someone else to entertain you’. Than was gone on an assignment, and he didn’t think Meg would have the answers he needed. The only ones left he felt he could ask about the Lethe without some roundabout answer were Patroclus and Achilles. As he stumbled upon Patroclus’ glade, he wondered if the fates had allowed him to find the small room so easily. Well, the realm did sometimes bend to his will, despite what his father assumed. Zagreus was prince of the Underworld, after all. He was more powerful here than on the surface.
He stepped through the gate and walked over to Patroclus. The shade was sitting, facing the swirling white waters, mumbling to himself. As he approached, Patroclus took one glance at the prince’s face and sighed. “Just ask already, stranger.”
“Huh? Am I that obvious?” Zagreus scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry, sir, I just have a lot on my mind today.”
“Sit down by me so I don’t have to crane my neck looking up at you.”
Zagreus complied and plopped near Patroclus, both of them facing the Lethe as they spoke. “What do you know about the Lethe?”
“Why do you ask? Surely you could ask its master instead.”
“Its master?” he furrowed his eyebrows, no one coming to mind. “Charon?” he guessed.
“I believe it is the Hypnos. He is the god of the Lethe according to the myths I heard when I was alive. Apparently it runs through the Land of Dreams.”
“He seemed pretty tight lipped last I asked him about it. Now that you mention it, he did indeed call it his river. Could you tell me what else you know?”
Patroclus looked out at the mist hovering slightly above the river’s rolling waves. “The Lethe is the river of oblivion. One sip of its misty waters, and your memories are washed away for good. I’m sure you know this. When gods sip from it, they lose singular memories instead of all of them. Pardon my bluntness, but you could technically drown a god in the stuff and have the same result.”
“I suppose you could.” Zagreus leaned dangerously over the water. “The river of Oblivion, huh?”
Patroclus pulled the prince back from the edge. “You never told me why you are suddenly curious.”
“Ah, don’t worry! I don’t plan on jumping in. I’m just curious because the river has been acting up recently and well, Hypnos said he’d taken care of it, but-”
A winged figure in the distance caught his eye. The being, most likely a god by the looks of it, was dressed in robes and was wading into the Lethe, hands cupped together. Without thinking he stood up and rushed over. “Don’t drink it!!”
Patroclus stood up and ran after Zagreus, trying to keep up with the god’s immense speed.
Zagreus stood on the edge of the river and repeated his warning. “Don’t drink it! It’s dangerous!”
The god was startled and jumped at the noise, turning to look at him. The god had several wings and four arms. They stumbled into the water before pushing themselves back up, shaking the fog out of their feathers. The water was shallow enough for the small god to sit in. “Uh I…I wasn’t! Just um… uh… I…. visiting?”
The god stayed where he was and his face shifted to a separate, more stern face with dark eyes. “Dad said not to talk to strangers!”
It shifted again to a third more tired, whiny sounding voice. “But it’s Zagreus! I wanna talk to him! Dad talks about them allll the time! I wanna know what’s up!”
“No. We have our orders. Check the river and leave.”
“Boo. It’ll only be a minute!”
“I’m scared… we’re making a scene.”
“Shut up Phantatos. Go turn back into a chair!”
“Stop fighting!”
Zagreus stood there as the god seemed to fight with themselves. He wasn’t sure what to do or say in this sort of situation. Should he… call Hades? For once he had an actual security breach to report but wanted to see how this would play out. His job could wait in the name of curiosity. The arguing figure before him shifted violently and exploded into three beings, three boys splashing apart in the water.
“Now look at what you’ve done! We’re going to fade from the waking world in less than an hour. You know we have to stay combined to last out here!”
“Stop shouting…” The youngest of the little boys started crying and marbles fell from their eyes. “Daddy said no fighting.”
“Ugh, and now he’s crying. What am I supposed to tell mom now. I’m gonna get in so much trouble because of you two.”
Patroclus stood by Zagreus as they watched the three children fight in the shallow water of the Lethe. He cleared his throat and looked at the warrior for advice, but the shade simply shook his head. The three were brothers, that he was sure of. The eldest looked vaguely familiar.
“I’mma talk to him. You can’t stop me!” The second youngest child clambered clumsily from the water and over to Zagreus. “You’re Zagreus, right?”
The eldest of the three suddenly jumped on the second, sitting on their wings as they kept him under water. “No talking to strangers. Mom raised you better than that, Icelos.”
Zagreus suddenly recalled the eldest godling from a long time ago when Hypnos had introduced them. No one had believed him, and eventually he had convinced himself it was all a dream. “Morpheus?” He called out hesitantly.
“Ah shit. We’re out.”
The eldest grabbed both siblings by the coat, the one who had half drowned coughing up the Lethe. “Dad said to LOOK at the water, not make me drink it, idiot!”
The crying child sobbed harder, more marbles rolling everywhere as they fell from his eyes.
The eldest, Morpheus, he thought, sighed and slung both brothers over his shoulders. “Goodbye, blind prince of Hades.”
Zagreus blinked and suddenly, the tree gods were gone. He caught a stray white feather between his fingers. It reminded him of when Hypnos had- “Hey… Patroclus? I have another question.”
The man sighed. “Yes, that was strange. No, I do not know who they are. Yes, I have seen that god before. I did not… know that they could split up like that. I have had enough events for one day. I suggest asking the god Hypnos for advice. Goodbye.”
With that, Zagreus was left on his own to process what just happened.