Chapter Text
"DIE!"
First, thunderous voice of the god of the seas. Then there was water all around him after he was forcefully pushed into it. And finally, sharp pain.
That was what Odysseus had felt in a span of mere moments. He should've known better than trying to reason with Poseidon. Of course that didn't work.
Getting stabbed by a trident was similar to getting stabbed by a trojan spear but three times worse.
"You can relax my friend…"
Except this time there wasn't a goddess of wisdom to redirect the weapon and prevent it from hitting his vitals. The trident was ripped out of the man's body. Blood flowed into the water, forming a dark cloud. Odysseus involuntarily coughed out the blood that filled his mouth, adding to the amount. He suspected his lung was punctured.
"Look at all we've lost and all we've found…"
This time there wasn't a king of Sparta to drag him out of the battlefield back to safety.
"I'll stay in your heart…"
This time there wasn't a son of Asclepius to treat his wounds and put him back on his feet.
"Waiting… Waiting…"
Actually, scratch that. Getting stabbed by a trident was ten times worse because of the saltwater irritating exposed flesh. It hurt, it hurt so much.
And yet still Odysseus tried to gather the strength that was quickly leaving him, tried to stay awake. He had to return, Ithaca was in arm's reach, his wife and son so close, he couldn't give up now. But his struggle was only proving to be futile. He just sank deeper and deeper.
Odysseus jerked the rope that kept the windbag closed, so that he could… could what? Fly away on it? Then what? And what about the storm inside? Not to mention the gaping holes in his chest and stomach.
Meanwhile the pain was getting unbearable with every passing moment. His chest felt like it was trying to collapse on itself, water was getting into his nose and ears, stung his eyes. The miniscule amount of air left in his lungs was not enough to keep him alive. Consciousness was fading away rapidly.
Soon Odysseus ran out of strength to even flounder. He wanted to cry. Maybe he did, it was hard to tell. It was unfair. Why now, when he has just regained the will to live, why did he have to die now? With his homeland so close, almost mocking him. Odysseus didn't even get to apologize to Penelope and Telemachus for abandoning them like this. Everything he went through, every sacrifice - all for naught.
What a way to die. To bleed out and drown, filled with regret.
"A hero's path is paved with pain and sorrow. My son, be a king, a husband, a father, but please, don't be a hero."
I'm sorry, dad, I've let you down. I failed in all those roles. Couldn't even go out heroically.
Everything went black, his vision finally giving out. The windbag's rope slipped out of his numb fingers.
Through the fog Odysseus' mind registered what had to be a hallucination: arms that grabbed his head, shoved some soft lump in his mouth, shut his jaw tight and pressed on his throat to make him swallow. And then there was nothing. Odysseus expected to open his eyes and see the bank of Styx.
Except instead of turning into an incorporeal shade he exploded.
Odysseus didn't know how else to describe the sudden burst of heat and pain. The water around him did nothing to cool it off. It was like all of his internal organs were set on fire. Some kind of power was burning the man from the inside. He began clawing at his skin frantically, as if it would've helped to stop the heat from spreading. He wanted to scream, yet only gurgle and bubbles came out of his throat.
Soon flames swallowed him whole. All senses were lost - vision, hearing, smell, Odysseus couldn't even feel his own limbs anymore. There was only excruciating pain and unbearable heat. Until the pain was gone too, and there was nothing left but heat. Odysseus just existed, a consciousness dissolved in a bright burning void.
And then suddenly the heat vanished and all of his senses were back. The feeling was akin to be jerked awake. Odysseus was a physical being again. A being, still submerged in the water. The man started thrashing around in panic, completely disoriented, struggling to comprehend which way was up and which was down. He instinctively tried to take a breath, but only filled his lungs with more water. His body spasmed, trying to keep him alive. His sides itched horribly. At least the pain from his wounds was gone as well as the wounds themselves.
At one point Odysseus noticed a blurry image of some object floating nearby, its cyan swirl pattern glowing slightly.
The windbag.
Odysseus reached out to it, but to no avail. It was too far away, and he couldn't swim properly in his current condition.
Almost got it, just a little bit closer, please, just a little bit.
As if responding to his silent plea, the windbag flowed into his hand, the current brought it to him. Odysseus practically tore it open. And finally the water around him was gone, the released wind so strong it threw the man out of the sea and on the nearby rocks. Ignoring the pain from rough landing, Odysseus began coughing, basically vomiting out the water he didn't realize he swallowed so much of. His throat hurt like he ate a bunch of broken clay shards, but it didn't matter, he could breeze fully again, now gasping hungrily for air.
That moment of burning underwater felt like eternity, but in reality it seemed like time had barely passed, for Poseidon was still there. The water colossus turned around, its attention caught by the storm, and looked at the tiny figure beneath it. Odysseus glared back at it in defiance. He didn't feel fear anymore. No, now he was consumed by pure frustration and rage.
"I will get back to them," he stood up, straightening his back without breaking eye contact with the god. "I will get back to my son and wife!"
Odysseus yelled out the last phrase, ignoring his sore throat, and ran. All of his belongings were at the bottom of the sea - including his raft, or what remained of it, and his sword. No time for trying to find and retrieve them now - he already had a new possible weapon in mind.
The giant tried to hit Odysseus with its fist, but missed.
"He's strong, but he's slow," his own voice echoed in his ears.
He kept flickering in front of it, dodging the attacks, when the giant hit the rock formation particularly strongly, crashing it. Stone pieces flew everywhere. Odysseus managed to catch one before it fell into the water and sank. The shard looked like a spear head, its tip and edges quite sharp. Perfect.
Now, to deal with his opponent. Odysseus charged at the giant, he didn't stop to ponder what was it that he was running on. Poseidon began sending waves at him with clear intention to drown him after all. Their force was knocking Odysseus off his feet, but each time he rose up again, determination burning in his eyes.
The waves faltered, almost like the ithacan sea was at loss. It was choosing between two masters. One was older, more powerful, more experienced. But right now he was also confused, unsure of what was happening. The sea wouldn't stand for indecisiveness.
And the waves pledged their alliance to the one with more resolve.
Instead of hindering Odysseus, the tide now was propelling him forward, closer to the colossus. This caused a momentary befuddlement in Poseidon, but he quickly recomposed himself, deciding to attack with his trident instead. He hurled the weapon at Odysseus. Oh no, he was not getting pierced by that thing the second time that day. The man let the water swallow him, the trident stopping right where he's just been. It hanged in the air for a brief moment before flying back into its owner's hand.
Odysseus flapped his arms once, and the sea easily pushed him out above the water surface. He was running again. Poseidon threw the trident once more, but this time Odysseus dashed to the side, while a small wave shot in the air, because he wanted it to, hitting the trident and changing its trajectory. Then it was back with Poseidon again. The giant growled, ripples going all over its body. The god hidden in its center was clearly pissed. He made two more attempts, but each time Odysseus dodged, the sea assisting him, because it was his home, his domain.
Yet another attempt. Odysseus sank again. And was met with the trident mere inches away from his face. That was close. But there wasn't time to panic, with the weapon now underwater, a plan formed in his head. Odysseus grabbed the trident and, with great difficulty, turned the prongs away from him, so they were facing the surface. He needed the sea to keep it in place. He didn't know how, but the element listened to him, and when the trident jerked to fly back, it couldn't. The sea didn't let it go. However, it was obviously struggling, judging how the weapon vibrated. Odysseus didn't have much time. He jumped out of the water. The was still distance to cover between him and the giant. The latter roared. Because the god's weapon wouldn't return to him. Because the small ithacan sea dared to defy him. The colossus slammed his hand into the water, apparently trying to simply rip the trident back out.
That was his chance.
Odysseus stabbed it with the rock with all of his might. The giant cried out, accompanied by Poseidon's screech. So this wasn't a simple battle armor after all. The colossus yanked its hand away, Odysseus stuck to it. He had to put his improvised dagger between his teeth, because he needed to clutch to an enormous limb with both of his hands, he wasn't thinking how in Tartarus was he holding onto the literal liquid, not to get shaken off.
Odysseus began crawling higher up the arm. Not the easiest task, especially considering the raging storm all around and the wind that would blow him away if he made a smallest mistake. Poseidon slammed him with his second hand, as if the king of Ithaca was some pesky bug. The force of it punched the air out of Odysseus' lungs. He almost dropped the rock, and didn't unclench his fingers by some miracle and out of pure spite. Still he kept going, now near the elbow.
Seeing how that didn't work, Poseidon then covered Odysseus with his palm and pressed hard, the water completely enveloping him.
"I will drown you one way or another," this gesture meant to say.
Odysseus expected the tightness in his chest to return, panic creeping back into his bones. Except there was nothing. He was fully submerged in the water, but for some strange reason he didn't have any trouble breathing. His main problem was the weight pushing down on him and restraining his movement. But the mass under him wasn't truly solid. Odysseus, moving his arm with great effort, took the rock and cut the surface underneath him. The colossus hissed again, indicating the god's pain. All the while Odysseus submitted to the feeling of sinking, quite familiar one at this point. Now he was inside the giant's arm like in some water tube. The man quickly swam all the way to the shoulder.
He got out of the water and sliced the giant's neck multiple times. Without giving it time to compose itself, he stabbed it in the middle of the neck and let go, allowing gravity do most of the job, as he slid down, cutting the giant's chest open in the process.
Now, to put the riskiest part of his plan at work. Odysseus used his legs to stop himself. He was right in front of Poseidon, snarling at him, a rather thin wall of water separating them. The god looked angry, but also confused for some reason? He was staring at the king of Ithaca like he saw him for the first time. Nevermind that. The time was up, Odysseus heard the sea, his sea, calling out to him. He turned his head and told the waves to let go of the grip, they didn't need to hear his voice, only his thoughts.
The following events transpired in mere seconds. The trident burst out of the water, like an arrow that was held for too long. Odysseus unclenched his fingers, dropping into the sea below. Poseidon cried out in pain, hit by his own weapon he didn't manage to catch on time, it being turned wrong way and Odysseus blocking the view.
The colossus fell apart, all of the water mass falling down, leaving Poseidon in the open. The sea roared. Odysseus felt similar on the inside. Meanwhile Poseidon managed to dislodge the trident out of his body. He glared at his foe, breathing heavily and pressing his hand to his wound. Well, now they were even.
It seemed like the Earthshaker wasn't ready to back down yet, gripping his weapon tighter. And Odysseus was unarmed.
But was he really?
There was a tingling in his fingers and a voice of waves in his head.
Use our strength, Master. You know how to.
Actually, he did, didn't he?
Odysseus extended his arm sharply in Poseidon's direction. Simultaneously with that action a water string flew at the god, leaving a thin golden line where it hit him on his cheek. Poseidon touched it, looking flabbergasted. Odysseus couldn't help but sneer for a brief moment. Interesting. Who would've thought that with enough speed water could turn sharp as a dagger?
Odysseus didn't hesitate after that, unleashing dozens of water needles on Poseidon.
"For every son of Ithaca who didn't reach homeland. All six hundred of them!" he yelled. The hum of the waves and wind got deafeningly loud, almost sounding like human battle cry.
Finally Poseidon collapsed on the remaining rocks, not being able to handle rapid onslaught, his body covered in deep cuts and holes, his trident falling nearby with a clink.
"Congratulations, you won this fight," he spat sarcastically. "Now what? That storm you've released is still mine. You blocked your only way home!"
The god smirked at the last sentence. He leaned back on a rock nonchalantly.
"Then you're going to be the one to call this storm off," Odysseus walked closer to him. He was just so goddamn tired already, the wind and rain preventing him from reaching his home irritating him.
"Or what? It's not like you can kill me," Poseidon didn't even bother to look at him.
"Precisely the point," Odysseus picked the trident up. That caught the older god's attention.
"What are you- Wait, WAIT-" Odysseus didn't let him finish, stabbing him with all of his strength.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" the man hissed. "How does it feel to be helpless?!"
He kept stabbing again and again, the trident ringing in his hands. Poseidon screamed something about stopping, but it only made him more mad.
"Did you stop when my men begged you to?! Didn't you ignore them and kill them?! Even the ones who never set foot in that blasted cave?!"
Odysseus was hitting the god in front of him like a maniac. "Ten years! I could've got home ten years ago, with all of my crew!"
The trident was brought down repeatedly, gold splashing everywhere.
"I've lost so much, because of you!"
Who was he truly lashing out at in that moment? Who could tell.
"You wanted me to close my heart, to be a monster, well then, I've become one! Are you satisfied?! Didn't you say that ruthlessness is mercy-"
"Alright! Fine!" Poseidon yelled out. That finally broke Odysseus out of his haze. He paused, taking a better look at a result of his rage. Poseidon's ribcage was torn open, ribs broken, chunks of flesh missing, gaping wounds all over the rest of his body, half of his right cheek gone revealing teeth and gums, gold, gold, so much gold.
Odysseus dropped the trident on the ground. He felt no joy, no satisfaction, even the fury dissipated, leaving only exhaustion.
"After all the things that you've done, how will you sleep at night?" Poseidon croaked.
"Next to my wife," Odysseus hissed, turning away to leave. There was a short weird noise behind him, like someone sneezed.
And suddenly Poseidon started laughing, making king of Ithaca halt in his steps. He turned back, wondering if he misinterpreted the sound. But no, even mixed with wheezing and coughing, it was undeniably a laughter.
"What's so funny?" he growled.
"That I should maybe try out this mentoring stuff for myself, since clearly I'm way better at getting my teachings through than Athena," Poseidon pulled his trident back to himself. "Just look at you! None of this "let's hug it out, make each other flower crowns and go frolicking in the fields" nonsense I've been hearing from you before!"
Odysseus pressed his lips together, not saying anything.
"Ah, shit, that would take a while to heal," Poseidon muttered, standing up with grunts, using his trident as a walking stick. He stood there for a moment, staring at the other.
"Although, I hate to admit it, but I still can't figure out how in the world did you ascend?" he asked, squinting in what seemed like genuine curiosity.
Wait, what?
"Actually, nevermind, I'm sure everyone on Olympus would know soon, no way Hermes won't stick his nose into it," Poseidon coughed again.
"What are you talking about?" Odysseus tensed up.
"Are you seriously going to look me in the eye and tell me you didn't notice anything new about yourself?" the god of the seas raised an eyebrow.
Odysseus stared at the ground before him. He did, didn't he? Just didn't pay enough attention. But now that the battle was over, he could tell there was a sweet aftertaste on his tongue, hidden behind salt, blood and bile.
Ambrosia.
The way the sea listened to his orders.
Odysseus' eyes widened in realization.
"Oh good, you aren't hopeless after all, got me worried for a moment my student got brain damage there," Poseidon chuckled.
"I'm not your student!" Odysseus snapped.
"Uh-huh, whatever. Well then, I'll take my leave from here," Poseidon went into the water. Then he stopped and bowed in a way that it was hard to tell, whether he was mocking or serious:
"The seas welcome you, God of Ithaca."
The wave covered him whole, and he was gone. The storm died down.
Odysseus sighed heavily, dragging his hand across his face. That was a lot to digest. He turned to his island.
And froze in place.
Because Penelope was standing right there.
Oh gods, how long has she been here? How much has she seen? Her expression was neutral, unreadable.
And Odysseus was all covered in ichor. A different type of fear overtook him.
"I…" he began weakly. What could he say in his defense? He could never lie to her.
A pause stretched out. Penelope was waiting silently.
"I'm not the man you fell in love with all those years ago, not anymore," he started carefully. "Your kind and gentle husband is long gone."
Odysseus made one small step towards his wife. Strange, he had gone through so much to return to her, yet this step was the hardest one in the whole journey.
"I can only hope that you would fall in love with me again, even if you knew about everything I've done that can't be changed," he continued.
"Tell me then, what did you do," Penelope said, her tone neutral as well.
He couldn't hide it, not from her. So words spilled out of Odysseus' mouth like waterfall.
"I've ruined so many lives, I've hurt innocents," a vision of a squirming blanket in his hands appeared briefly. "I've treated my closest friends as tools to reach my own goals."
Thirty six men, Eurylochus in front of them, looking at him, thunder roaring around them.
"What you undoubtedly saw me doing just now," Odysseus spread his arms, pointing at the pool of ichor. "But I swear, all of that was to bring me back to you, to our boy!"
He made another cautious step. Penelope's face was still an emotionless mask.
"My goddess, I pray you would accept me again, but if you don't want to, say one word, and I will be out of your sight forever," Odysseus' voice was trembling. He didn't know where he would go if she rejected him. Probably would throw himself into Tartarus.
"If what you said is true," Penelope finally said slowly, turning her head away, "then I suppose I have no need for the wedding bed anymore. Could you take it far away with you?"
Odysseus' breathing quickened. He was ready to accept rejection, yes, but did she have to be so unnecessary cruel about it?
"How can you possibly ask me this?" he couldn't believe his ears. "I have built this bed with my own two hands, carved it into the olive tree where we first met."
Not only that. Their first nights as lovers and as official spouses were spent in that bed. Their son came into the world in it. So many memories related to it, and she was ready to throw them all away so easily?!
"This is a symbol of our love, do you realize what your request means?! The only way to move that bed is to cut it from its roots!" the waves raged around him. He probably had no right to, but he couldn't help but feel anger and pain.
"Well damn, only my husband could know these things, so that has to be you then!" Penelope suddenly shouted, turning back to him, tears in her eyes, pupils narrow as slits, her hair waving in the air in various directions like tentacles of an angry octopus.
And all of Odysseus' anger vanished, the sea calming down instantly.
"Penelope…" he choked out.
"You are a cruel man, Odysseus Laertiades," the oceanid crossed the distance between them and cupped his face. "You showed me such love like no one did before, then you disappeared for twenty years, and when you finally come back, you have the nerve to assume I've ever stopped loving you!"
Odysseus automatically placed his fingers on her forearms.
"But I-" he didn't get to finish.
"You are my husband and father of my child, who refused to cut down our olive tree and did what he had to survive, that's it, that's all I need," Penelope stated firmly.
Tears were flowing down her cheeks. His own face must be wet too.
"Khaos, I've been searching for you," she sniffed, her pupils widening and hair falling on her back again. "When I stopped receiving sacrifices from you, indicating you're alive, when Nereus told me you were trapped on an island called Ogygia, I've been searching for you, every night, but I couldn't find you!"
Odysseus felt nauseous. His smart, beautiful, incredible wife was looking for him, while he… while he was…
Oh no, she shouldn't have learned about this, not so soon.
He stumbled back from her and tried to hide his wrists under his armpits, now suddenly conscious about dark scars that encircled them.
"There is one more thing. I'm not as devout of a worshipper as you remember me to be," he said, his voice almost a whisper.
"What do you mean?" and Penelope sounded so worried about him too.
"I was claimed by another goddess," he blurted out.
"What?" now there was confusion on her face.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry," his body was shaking with sobs, guilt burning him on the inside almost with the same intensity ambrosia did.
"Odysseus, breathe, and tell me what actually happened," Penelope sounded concerned but not angry.
"That island, it is a home to a goddess Calypso. She never had any visitors before me, so when I was washed on her shores, she decided destiny sent her to me, and I… She…" words stuck in his throat. Odysseus swallowed heavily.
"And I couldn't stop her, not once. So I betrayed you, for seven years I betrayed you and our vows, but I swear, I didn't want this, my heart, my mind, my soul, they are still fully yours. Would you be able to forgive me?" the waves were creating small whirlpools now.
Penelope's next words felt like a stab:
"I won't forgive you."
However, before Odysseus managed to say or do anything, she gripped his shoulders and looked him dead in the eye:
"I won't forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive. It wasn't your fault."
"Aren't you angry?" she should be, shouldn't she?
"For what? That bitch taking advantage of you?"
"For not trying hard enough to escape, Hermes had to bail me out," Odysseus tugged his hair, his emotions overwhelming him. "For not trying hard enough to resist her? What difference does it make that I didn't want it, we laid together!"
Penelope breathed in loudly through her nose.
"Answer me this then, Wily Odysseus," she said, narrowing her eyes a little, strengthening her hold on his shoulders so he would pay attention. "What if Telemachus was trapped on an island with a goddess who forced herself on him repeatedly, would you blame him for what happened?"
"What, of course not!" Odysseus nearly shouted, jerking forward to her.
"Then how is your situation any different?"
"It's…" and just like that, his wife left him at loss for words yet again.
"It's… not?" he finally said meekly, logic struggling against feelings.
"It's not," Penelope repeated softly. "I will tell you that as many times as it needs for you to believe that yourself."
How else could Odysseus react except break down in tears and wrap his arms around her? Penelope did the same. The two of them stood on the rocks for a while, crying and hugging each other tightly, clutching clothes, not wishing to ever let go.
The sea calmed down completely eventually, waves drifting lazily back and forth.
"Funny, I never thought before twenty years could be so long," Penelope loosened the embrace, looking at her husband's face. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks wet from tears. He definitely didn't look any better.
"You can't imagine how long these years felt for me," Odysseus pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you."
"I love you too."
How he longed to hear those words.
"Even if I'm now an ugly old ruin?" Odysseus chuckled slightly.
Penelope poked him on the nose.
"Alright, first, don't be ridiculous, you've never been ugly. Second, if it only the looks that mattered to me, I would've chosen one of the imbeciles that have infested our house a long time ago."
That last part caught Odysseus' attention.
"What imbeciles?" he asked, harshness in his voice.
"I'll explain everything in our grotto," Penelope reached her hand out. "Let's restore your rightful rule, my king."