Chapter Text
The ocean was a mirror of dark, troubled waters, a reflection of Poseidon’s torment.
His merman form, once powerful and invincible, now floated weakly on the surface, his long, jagged tail sluggish in the ripples.
Blood stained the water, swirling in the depths like a gold tide, marking the price of the battle.
His wounds were severe, the strikes from the 600 cutting deep, the jagged edges of his injuries more than skin-deep.
Even gods had their limits.
Hades had felt it—a tug in the underworld, a shift in the balance, a ripple in the sea of souls.
Without a second thought, he had left his kingdom, crossed the blackened rivers, and emerged through the cracks in the earth to reach his brother.
There he was, drifting in the cold waters, his face pale, his breathing shallow and labored.
Poseidon’s once-formidable presence was diminished to a sliver of its former self.
The lord of the sea, wounded and vulnerable, floating aimlessly as the blood of the battle tainted the waters around him.
Hades, his usual cool composure rattled, knelt beside him, his fingers lightly brushing the blue-tinted skin of Poseidon’s face.
"Brother," Hades whispered, the word heavy, his voice betraying the fear that he rarely allowed to surface.
"What have they done to you?"
Poseidon’s eyes fluttered open, his gaze blurry, pained.
"Hades…" His voice was weak, but the old fire was still there, flickering behind the pain.
"Don’t worry about me."
"Don’t worry about you?" Hades’s tone cracked like thunder, filled with both frustration and deep concern.
"You’re bleeding in the damn ocean, Poseidon. You think I’m not going to worry?"
Poseidon gave a weak chuckle, the effort too much for his battered body.
"It’s nothing… Athena and her little pet."
Before Hades could respond, a loud crash echoed through the sky above them, a brilliant flash of lightning followed by an ear-splitting thunderclap. The sound reverberated through the heavens.
Zeus.
Hades looked up, the storm thickening above them.
The rage of Zeus was palpable in the atmosphere, and Hades knew without looking that his little brother was fuming.
Then, Poseidon’s head lolled to the side, and Hades saw the bloodstains, the visible wounds, the tears in his brother's once-mighty form.
This wasn’t just a scratch from a fight.
This was something more.
Zeus had crossed a line this time for letting this happen.
With a sharp movement, Hades raised Poseidon, his skeletal hands strong despite the shock he felt.
"Hold on, brother," Hades murmured as he started to carry him out of the ocean, the blood staining the water around them.
Far above, on Mount Olympus, the gods were stirring.
Zeus had only just returned to his throne after the chaos of the last battle, only to be confronted by the sight of his older brother’s near-death.
He stared down at the scene of Poseidon, bloodied and broken, being carried by Hades.
The air was thick with tension, and the storm clouds swirling above Ithaca only worsened.
Zeus knew there was no denying the severity of the situation anymore.
"That was no joke, was it?" Zeus’s voice was low, his eyes finally widening in realization.
His thunderbolt clutched in his hand, he sent a powerful strike down to the mortal land of Ithaca as a warning—a thunderstorm so fierce it rattled the very foundations of the island, as if sending a message to Odysseus: You are on thin ice.
Beside him, Athena stood nervously, wringing her hands, clearly shaken by the turn of events.
"Athena," Zeus said, his voice booming, "You’ve gone too far this time. Sure helping mortals that are cute and all is absolutely adorable but look at my brother!"
Athena’s face paled, guilt creeping in as she met her father’s gaze.
"Father, I—"
"No," Zeus interrupted, his eyes narrowed.
"No more excuses."
His anger had reached its peak.
"You will be grounded, Athena. You will not leave the palace until further notice."
Athena flinched, her head bowing as she tried to hold back the emotions welling up inside her.
Zeus’s fury was more than just a warning; it was a consequence.
Meanwhile, Apollo, ever the healer, was already kneeling beside Poseidon.
The god of healing carefully began to tend to the merman’s wounds, his hands glowing with a soft golden light as he bandaged Poseidon's battered body.
Poseidon winced but didn’t protest, too weak to do anything but trust the gentle ministrations.
Hades watched the exchange with a solemn gaze.
"I’ll make sure he’s safe," he said quietly, his voice devoid of the usual sharpness.
"I’ll keep him in the underworld until he’s healed. No one touches him again."
Zeus didn’t answer.
He simply stood, his eyes fixed on the storm he had created, letting his anger settle as the first rumbles of thunder began to fade.
"I'm..... I'm sorry, Poseidon...."