Chapter Text
Salty, icy cold waves cracked against the sides of his haphazardly constructed raft, tossing it, and him, wildly from wave to wave. Roaring and rapidly strengthening gales tore violently against his sail, threatening to tear it clean from its bindings to the mast. His teeth gritted tightly against each other as he attempted to battle against the strength of the brewing storm, his palms burning as the rope he'd used to steer the sail tried to writhe its way free from his grasp. The hair on Odysseus's head whipped around with the erratic nature of the wind, obscuring his already strained vision as he attempted to maintain control over the raft.
Looming into the eye of the storm, towering far above the ocean surface, a wicked gaze glinted briefly in the flashes of lightning. Pure malice and rage directed solely towards Odysseus in that moment. The god's soaking wet, charcoal black hair shifted to the side, unaffected by the raging winds as he raised his trident to the sky, the three intricately designed prongs of his signiture weapon breaking through the blanket of thick, grey storm clouds. Poseidon's expression contorted into a deep frown as his voice boomed out like thunder across the sea.
"Ruthlessness is-"
Odysseus's eyes widened, his breath catching in his lungs as his heart rattling against his chest like a caged bird as the waves became higher and higher, swirling around the malevolent sea god like a reversed whirl pool.
"Mercy upon-"
Pure godly energy crackled and fizzed around Poseidon, baring his teeth like a beast as he spoke with burning hatred to Ithaca's king.
"Ourselves!"
Odysseus braced himself, attempting one last chance to swing the sail to avoid imminent attack but to no use against the unrelenting gales.
"DIE!"
Poseidon roared, swinging down his beloved trident towards the helpless mortal, small puffs of clouds catching on the trident's prongs as it cut swiftly through the air. The soft glint of its quickly approaching ornate golden staff caught his eye as he continued to struggle against the wind, but one moment of distraction was all that it took for all of the ocean god's wrath to all come crashing down upon him. At first, Odysseus didn't even register what had happened, and then the sound of crashing waves and shattering wood filled his ears. The feeling of one of the metal prongs snagging against his side and crushing, freezing water enveloped him forced a gasp of shock from his mouth. Sea water gushed into his mouth and throat, his fingers frantically clawing and scratching against the golden blade as he attempted to free himself from peril. Instinctually, violent coughs erupted from the depths of his chest as he continued to try and fight for freedom.
Odysseus thrashed and struggled, shattered wood scraping against the exposed parts of his skin. His lungs began to burn as his body instinctively tried to cough out the water that constantly forced its way into his body. His clothing became waterlogged, dragging down his already weakening limbs. He felt his heart thundering in his ears as his energy wained and he continued to sink. He was going to die.
Eventually, Poseidon's trident dislodged itself from Odysseus, dark, murky blood trailing behind it as it lifted away. Everything hurt so, so much, and his body was too disgustingly weak and tired to try and swim back to the surface. By the gods, what would his crew, Athena, and… Penelope think of him now? He'd sacrificed so much and gotten so close to his family...his home and all for what? Deeper and deeper he felt himself sink, inky black tendrils slowly engulfing his vision.
"You can relax, my friend" A soft, familiar voice called out to him. Polites..? A sudden feeling of serenity washed over him as he felt his lost friends hands gently grasp his shoulders, his sore, aching shoulders "I can tell you're getting nervous," he commented. Odysseus could imagine the man’s warm smile as he spoke. "Look at all we've lost and all we've learned." Eurylochus's voice chimed in, one of his hands slowly clutching Odysseus's bleeding wound. "I'll stay in your heart." The sweet voice of his mother spoke to him, gently cupping his head in her hands. Steadily but surely the harmony of the voices of his long dead crew rang out as he was slowly but surely overcome by warmth and darkness.
Suddenly, Odysseus lurched awake, his breath ragged and coming out in pants as he instinctively clutched where his wound had been, but... nothing was there. Confusion and bewilderment dawned his face as the only remaining evidince of the injury was the faint, watery blood stains on his clothing. Frantically he began glancing around only to be met with nothing but the vast, pitch black void. Where were his crew? His friends? His mother? All of whom he could've sworn he had just been with moments prior. Thoughts and questions swirled in his mind, quietly flicking through each of them searching for one that could even remotely be plausible, but the only one that seemed to fit the box was one he'd come to before. 'I'm dead'. No, he didn't want to accept it. Death would've meant his failure. Failure to his family, to Telemachus... to his dearest Penelope.
"Oh, Ody..." A gentle golden glow emanated from the corners of his vision. Odysseus whipped around, freezing up when he was met with the face of Hermes. "I had such high hopes that you'd survive." Hermes gave an uncharacteristically weary smile and what felt like a disappointed sigh. Embarrassment flared in Odysseus's stomach at the god's statement of him. "I-" He tried to defend himself, but Hermes put a finger to his lips to hush him. "Shh, darling, don't bother arguing. I've come to guide you to Hades." He winked playfully, his normal grin returning to his face. Pain, guilt and embarrassment churned in his stomach like a dagger.
"Please, Hermes!" Odysseus blurted out. "Hm?" The god quirked an eyebrow at him. "I-I can't go to Hades... Penelope is waiting for me! I need to get back home... My family is waiting." His voice was drenched in desperation as he pleaded with Hermes. "I dunno…" Hermes put his finger to his chin mock-thoughtfully. "Please, I beg of you! I'll do anything!" He felt ashamed of himself for having to grovel like this, but what else could he do? He was pleading for his life and his entire future with a god. "Anything?" A sly smile spread across Hermes's face and regret was starting to set inside of Odysseus's mind "Well, in that case..." Hermes crossed his arms over her chest "There is one way" he held out a single finger in front of him. Hope glittered in Odysseus's eyes as Hermes spoke. "Buuuuut... There's a catch" Hermes smirked, watching Odysseus's hopeful expression falter. "Do you take the offer?" the god held out his hand, and in something that must have been blind desperation, with a hesitant nod, he took Hermes’ hand in his. "I-I do."