Work Text:
It had been a normal day. Hyacine had just left lessons to head back to Okhema, and Anaxa had another debate lined up. Even despite being the Sage of Nousporist, those ideas were not his most popular. No, of course they were the theories about Gods beyond the Sky. Lady Aglaea had even approached him about them, in no uncertain words threatening him to stop investigating it. Which he did not heed, of course. A scholar was not beholden to anyone except Cerces, and Aglaea was not Cerces’ heir. Even with Mnestia’s close relationship, she had no control over him.
He closed the door behind him, walking to the debate stage while contemplating. The world was always loud in the Grove, people debating freely on the corners as Cerces had intended, the one good intention Titans ever had. People stared, as normal, because he was hardly a social figure. Though, they seemed to stop debating when he walked past. His theories about beyond the Sky were held under his arm, evidence for the public debate that would be held.
In hindsight, perhaps he should have taken the quiet stares instead of loud arguing as a sign before it all went dark.
Was it the end? Anaxa’s whole body felt too heavy to move, including his eyes. He felt… cushioned by something, almost like water. Had they thrown his body into the river, preventing his soul from settling? It would make sense given that everything sounded… muffled. Like his head was underwater. He would be mad if they had thrown him into the river. He was not a believer in the Titans, but death rites were sacred. Thanatos never liked when souls weren’t buried.
“—oh, he’s waking!” A weight was upon his chest, and Anaxa forced his body awake with a gasp. It was… a chimera? One with a similar color scheme to his clothes. If it was on top of him, then he had a physical body, right? That had to be true. Something dripped down his face, simultaneously affirming and confusing him. A hand reached up to check. “Ah, don’t. And… maybe keep your eyes shut. For now.” His wrist was held by some…one else. He tried to speak, but only vague noises that he could best describe as ‘drowning noises’ escaped. “Yep. You need to calm down a bit, alright? Let Blossom, the Chimera by the way, just sit on you.” His hand was placed on top of the chimera’s head, and he just sighed and started to pet her.
Other voices filtered through, but he didn’t really focus on them. Time seemed to not flow based on the shadows of his eyelids. “Okay, now you can open your eyes. Don’t freak out though.” He took a breath… and only one eye opened. His eyesight was blurry, as if he had been crying. “Oh, shit. Um, okay don’t— don’t freak out!” Anaxa was barely listening, shakily reaching a hand up to his left eye. It came back wet with something… golden.
“Great job, Parmenides!” A lighter voice chastised before he came into view, forcing his hand down. “Now, he’s freaking out! Okay. My name is Melissus, you are Anaxagorus. You’re Cerces’ new Chrysos Heir.” No. No way. But the person speaking kept going without allowing him to process. “Uh, so were we. See, Cerces grants their Heirs a special ability. Welcome to it. You’re able to enter this special little place and talk with the former Chrysos Heirs. We’re all dead except for you.” So that’s why he was here.
Wait. “I have heard from Hyacine that all the Chrysos Heirs’ abilities come with downsides.” It was one of the things that made the other sages reject teaching her, because they didn’t want to work around it. “What is the downside to this?” Parmenides and Melissus looked between each other before the former answered, “Well, you’re going to learn a lot of knowledge, which may or may not be useful because it’s all based on what we know. Plus, you can’t access this at will. We can bring you in though! Accidentally or on purpose!”
Kill him. Genuinely. He stood up, luckily Blossom landed on her feet, glaring up at the former heirs. And the ones behind those two, because of course there were more. “Is there a way to say hell no to this?! I don’t want this or to be brought into here, I have a life! I am the Sage of Nousporist!”
“Yeah, and the youngest. Plus, you managed to make a theory that directly improved on mine, something no one has done.” Oh, so Parmenides was that Parmenides. Oh. “And, well.. Aquila has not struck people down for years. Ever since they closed their eye, actually.” Wait what? Was that… why his eye… “Yes, that’s why your left eye is closed and bleeding. Thank god for your apprentice, she managed to save your life. Though— oh, Aglaea’s there!” As Parmenides spouted off knowledge he… really wished he didn’t know about Aglaea, he stared at himself. Apparently, this was a metaphysical world his soul was stuck in. He could see Chrysos Heirs attempting to save him.
“How do I…” His question was answered with how everyone seemed to be fading and he was involuntarily stepping closer to his physical body. Melissus smiled, speaking without moving his mouth, “Wake up Anaxagorus and enjoy the privilege Cerces has granted you.”