Olympnomachi Book 10: The Chained God & The Cowardly One

“Bring my daughter, to these halls, lest ye wish to face the fullness, of my wroth o fallen gods, who rebel against my brother’s throne.” Called out Hades, from his dank halls from the world of Nifle, his words reaching far, far into the realm of Jotun, where they resided at that moment.

Unsure of what to do, the rebels turned thence to Vé who in all his sagely wisdom, responded to the wraith who was the messenger from Erebus. “Nay, for only the dead may cross into Erebus, and it is that very fate that we seek to avoid, for thy much loved daughter, o lord of man’s greatest gift.”

Pondering his words deeply, Hades sent once more for them, though this time he advised that they should meet, with his mother, wife and son near Mt-Ila, near where Ilion lays. His words far gentler this time, with only Vé being reluctant to meet with him. For he still clung, to his old grudges and desires to liberate his children, regardless how little others thought of them, he was only persuaded by Meili’s silken tongue. Heeding his nephew, as much out of affection as due to the eloquence, of the far-traveled god, who led them to Ila to save his sickly bride.

Thereon, they met with the goddesses; Rheia came from above the mountain, accompanied by child-gods she had taken into her care (of which, Ullr, and more than a dozen other children were counted amongst their numbers). Whereas Persephone came from fields afar from the great mount, and Orcus, of course was to leave with his father’s permission. For only he knew, how to prevent death from claiming, his sister or so it was believed, for they were twins and he was wiser in the healing lore, of all the worlds than any other saving perhaps Eir. Lo! His sister had spent countless years, learning the arts of death and arms, he had spent it listening to the greatest of wise-men, of Miðgarðr, after they entered Erebus. And to all the great underworld gods, including even Hecate who was herself, moved by his goodness.

His was the greatest ‘jewel’ to have ever graced Erebus, so kind and brave that, all who came near him wished to have him near, and to love him. He had thus, learnt all that one could, from countless dead souls, and with his innate ability to heal all wounds, both of the spirit and the body, he was best-loved amongst all the sons of creation.

He was however naive and trusting, and believed in the good of all men, with his father cautioning him to be cautious, lest he fall into enemy hands. It was this advice in mind that, the son set out from across the sea, entering into the mortal realm for the first time. So brightly did he shine, so great was his white-light and coming that, it was as though the world had a third sun. So that mortals from afar came thither from all corners, to bear witness to his ascension to the mortal realm. All who beheld him loved him at once. The god soon gathered a great following, before he had set foot upon the land to the north of Ilion, as people from all across Pangaea came to him, for healing, forgiveness and simply to behold him. His light was such that, Zeus envied him, Freyja thought back to her son Balðr and Amun-Re bemusedly sent him, one of his feathers.

With every footstep he made, an isle or great sea of flowers grew; flowers of such beauty that his grandmother was later to praise them. Betrayed shortly after his arrival, by one of his followers, who was tricked by Zeus to point out where he slept in the night. As the god had taken to sleeping in secret caverns, as advised by his beloved father, who had known the light of his son, was only slightly dimmed at night. The great storm-god for his part, sent Ares and Athene from Olympos, to seize Orcus, which they did after the goddess had tricked, a follower of the good-god. So full of shame and guilt did this follower Charilaos feel in the aftermath that he went to take his life once he saw his god seized.

Full of pity, the light-lord broke free from the grips of the two gods of war, to hold him fast to his breast, crying out as he did so, “Nay sir! Do not do harm to thyself, if thou hold any love for me!”

“But I betrayed thee, o lord!” Cried out this betrayer, weeping and falling at the feet of the son of Hades, who weeping raised him up, by the hand letting him go, to tweak his ear as though, he were little more than an infant.

“If not thou, another would have come here, to do the deed,” His lord remarked, as he kissed his brow, “I forgive and release thee from thy burden, hereafter go wither to recount to all what thou hast beheld. Tell all, that Olympos hast fallen and Ila risen.”

Angered by these words, the two gods seized him, and ordered all of the followers present to hunt Charilaos down, telling them that it was he, who had betrayed their lord. Charilaos for his part fled across the sea, swimming as far as the isle of Creiayos. Where he was welcomed, by the Nereid Klae, who helped him to build a boat, to transport to Tirreinia knowledge, of the faith of Orcus, and there he met her sister, the Nereid Arreneia, and with her fathered a son, Grigoris. Grigoris in time, embarked for Doria, with his father, where they carried, with them the knowledge of the new gods and their ways, where they helped to throw down the faith of Olympos.

When they saw how Orcus, had been seized by Olympos, Persephone and Rheia wept bitterly, with both of them loving him best, of all the children of the gods. They grieved for him, thinking him now deceased for all knew how envious, Zeus was of those who shined, brighter than he. The boy’s mother turned now to her grandmother, desperate for assistance, as she inquired as to how to give her daughter the strength, to overcome the great poison, running in her veins.

Rheia thought at some length, over how to assist and consulted with wise Vé, whereon they determined that Astrild had but days left to live, if she were not given a goddess’s life and spirit. Whereupon, Persephone determined at once, to do so, against the wishes of Rheia, who pleaded with her not to do so.

Unaware of what she had in her mind, Hades during this time set out for his brother’s halls, to request his son be returned to him. He was to be refused, and in great wroth bared his steel, against his brother, and did battle for some time with his brother, who slew him with his thunderbolts.

When news was carried down to Miðgarðr, to the goddess by Hermes, who sought to daunt them into giving themselves, and the goddess Macaria, to his father, Persephone lost her will to live.  Hermes was principally sent to demand, the goddess in question be handed over to Zeus, as in ancient times. But the goddess refused, to hand over her only remaining daughter, as she laid herself down next to her daughter, and did against the wishes of all, all she could to save her daughter. Breathing out her own spirit, her own divineness into the mouth and being of her precious daughter, so that she disappeared to never be seen again.

Astrild breathed once more, opening her eyes when dusk fell once again, to request where her mother was, when she failed to find her.

Still hardly beautiful, she had become as her mother. Something of Persephone lived heretofore to the end of days, in her. No longer simply Macaria-Astrild, nor the Kora of Persephone, she thus grew to at last devour the last of the poison, and mastered it. Her change in nature, awed her friends, none more than Meili though, who embraced her and attempted to sooth her pain.

For a time she heeded his words, too weary to defy him, however in time the loss of her kin caught up to her, as did the knowledge of Orcus’s capture so that she fled, from those she held above, all others.

Long did she flee into the night, and longer did she weep for her kin, with but Hermes to follow after her, wishing to taunt her. It was near to Vallyntium, where east met west that, she at last hid from him, for a time. She abandoned there, the raiment of her divinity, and took up the flesh of mortality for a time, calling herself as she did so Ogralia, ‘Ogre-friend’. For in time, she came to admire the strength of those people, and for a time held them above all other peoples, of the world.

*****

Though he did not know where she had fled to, Meili and Zisa followed after her, determined to take her back to Erebus, to recover for a time. One because he was her husband, and the other her sister in all but blood, the two in time determined that they had to search in different directions, in order to find her. One left for the north, and the other the east, where the Elves and Dwarves were.

As to Vé, he departed in great bitterness, once more to dwell in Jötunheimr, believing the oaths sworn by Macaria broken. Rheia accompanied him, if only to soften him and ensure he did not fall, from the path that Prometheus had wished him to follow.

Later in that age, as she became less and less wretched, in nature, Macaria journeyed indeed east; keen to escape from those realms under the sway of Olympos. As she recalled her first love Dvalin, she sought him out in order to be close to him. The Dwarf for his part when he saw her welcomed her warmly and gladly.

He crafted for her great gauntlets of strength that she might, match Thor in might, and knitted together with his new wife, the Dwarf Brundryn, a great cloak. This cloak was said to shine, like the stars and was dubbed the ‘Star-cloak’, it was the finest cloak after those worn by Amaterasu and Freyja, ever woven. Dark was she by nature, as by raiment and countenance, his gifts though were a comfort to her, as she like most women, loved cloth and jewels.

It was thence that she noticed the absence of the Stjárgamen an absence that deeply troubled her, with Dvalin keen to not inform her, of the particulars of that jewel. He well-knew the passion, which she held for it; a passion shared by all those who beheld, the great pendant.

Long did she stay, with her oldest of friends, before she departed for the west, for she was always pulled there, for she believed it to be more beautiful and fuller, than the eastern lands. Cloaked in the shadow-cloak that shone in the dark, she nonetheless escaped the sight, of all those in the west. For when she wore it, she reflected the beauty and light of all the stars, rather than exposed herself to the sight of those, not already aware that she held the cloak.

There in the west, she discovered other spirits and gods, and from them she learnt the power of song, the means by which they- the other children of Gaea had sung forth the green isles of Ériu and Bretwealda, amongst many other isles. They of the truest west, they who called themselves by the moniker of the Tuatha Dé Danann, it was thence that she received a new name; Badb the War-Bringer. Or Badb the Crow, for she became part of the Morrigan goddesses, joining in sisterhood with those goddesses, to bring war and vengeance upon all who opposed her.

They taught her much of their ways, and she learnt much in preparation for her vengeance, they in turn learnt much of the ways, of the Olympians. Aware for some time, of Zeus and Olympos’ sinful nature, they had been hesitant to begin war, with many of their numbers Dagda and Lugh far, far more cautious than some such as Cernunnos who wished for war.

War did not come, until Meili had appeared amongst them, having searched far and widely for her, he had been advised to venture west for her by Dvalin. His arrival was poorly received by some, and well-received by others, for many dreaded what Macaria’s arrival into their realms might well mean for them. Where those who received him poorly, such as Cernunnos the hunter despised his appearance, for it was he principally who had taken to Badb, as he knew her. Fancying her, he challenged the Far-Traveler to a contest of strength, for the hand of Hades’ daughter.

Declining at first, not from fear, but from a lack of desire for blood, between him and these war-like gods, Meili was however pressed against his wishes. Long did he wrestle and block the spear-thrusts, of the horned-god. Who vastly surpassed him in might of arms, and in strength though not in cunning, nor was he as widely traveled as the son of Oðin. It was the son of the Alffather who at last triumphed and defeated him, by virtue of distraction, when he led the battle to a cliff. He thereon thrust down with his spear to damage the rock, only to feign being beaten, until Cernunnos came to stand upon the cliff. Unaware of what his foe schemed, Cernunnos was defeated when the ground collapsed beneath him, only to be assisted back onto firm-land he was thus humiliated.

It was also in this manner, the god of travel earned for himself, the love of his wife. Who before then bore no special or great respect for him, yet hereafter she adored him, forever after. Though, their marriage was still fraught, if only because of the natural disagreeableness that continued to haunt Badb.

*****

Whereas his sister had sought out the Tuatha Dé Danann, in the wilderness of Pangaea, Orcus settled into life as a prisoner on Olympos. To the dismay of Zeus, and a number of others who remained most faithful, to him, his grandson soon disarmed the suspicion and disdain, of many of the Olympians. None more so though, than the goddesses who came to desire him, above all other men, so majestic and bright seemed he, in comparison to all other gods. Most of those, there had never seen Balðr, or even Horus the Elder so that they were wholly unprepared, for the sight of him.

For a time, he was kept properly chained until at last, even Zeus felt marginally disarmed, so that he released him under the watch, of several of his guards, into the service of Hephaestus. Whom fascinated the son of Hades most of all, for he loved the gems and stones that were so plentiful, in his father’s halls. The smith-god, pleased to at last have an assistant, at first took him on somewhat reluctantly yet whence he saw the talent, the younger god had, he welcomed him more warmly. The two for a time worked quietly together, with Hephaestus crafting great weapons and armours with the other god working the bellows, and helping to beat the metal into shape on his orders.

The only thorn between them, being the keen interest Aphrodite took, into the handsome son of Hades, who rebuffed her advances. Indignant, she attempted again the next day, laying herself provocatively before him, when he entered the home of his teacher. Unmoved he covered her, with the fur that lay beneath her, on the bed of Hephaestus, scolding her as he did so.

Even more indignant, than before she attempted to ensnare him with her magic-girdle that enhanced her beauty so that none on Olympos had ever rejected her. Still he was unmoved. This rejection angered her, and she departed to complain bitterly to her father, who ordered Orcus be beaten, asking of his nephew, “Hath ye done this? Humiliated my daughter, and abused her trust by attempting to take her without regard, for her station?”

Orcus did not deny it. For which he was savagely beaten, by Ares, who took considerable delight, for to his mind Aphrodite was his property.

For a time Orcus wandered through Olympos with a limp, yet tolerated none of his admirers or those awed by him, to speak ill of Aphrodite. “I displeased the lady; there is no room for the complaints, of a child. Not when, forgiveness may be achieved.”

His words moved a great many, Hebe included who complained bitterly to her father, who scolded her in turn. Undaunted, the cup-bearer warned Hephaestus to keep an eye, upon his bride, to which the smith assented. Still though, he was soon distracted by a request made by Aphrodite, who had decided that her girdle did not sufficiently enhance her beauty. She needed something forged in the great light, of Orcus that it might shine no less brightly than he.

This in mind, she requested of both he and her husband, “Why hath neither of ye, crafted me any gems as of late? Once O husband, you crafted me great marvels, now thou hast not crafted anything for thy wife for many moons.”

To which the smith god reprimanded her, having no great love for her, for she had long humiliated him for his ugly appearance and lame leg. However, his great friend had a kind heart, and suggested, “Mayhap a gem is in order, Master Hephaestus, along with kindlier words to thy wife.”

“Have ye forgotten her cruel trick upon thee?” The black-smith growled incredulously, not understanding the desire for peace between them that, the light-god wished for.

Aphrodite expected harsh words to follow, but rather the opposite flowed from the lips of the son of Hades, who replied, “She is love itself, and the bride of my great friend. One of the only two I hath hereupon Olympos, with Hebe, therefore she is due all forgiveness.”

The firmness, of his words moved even Hephaestus who assented at last to forge something for Aphrodite, who emboldened demanded, it be crafted with the great light of Orcus. At first this was refused, by her husband. Once again though, his cousin simply shrugged and agreed, seeing no reason to refuse.

Wherefore they set to work, for forty days and forty nights, crafting the Orvandirian Gem. A gemstone that as with the Stjárgamen, made the hideous beauteous, such was the brightness of it, that the first instinct of Hephaestus, was to keep it for himself. The gem being named, after Orcus, notably his Dwarvish name; Orvand, and given its name by the great-smith, himself.

Orcus disapproved, and remonstrated with his friend regarding the purpose of the jewel, which he had agreed to help craft, in order to make peace with Aphrodite. At which time, the son of Hera complained, “Why give it to her? This reflects but weakness, on thy part!”

To which, the white-god replied gently, “Is it weakness to seek peace? To keep one’s oath to a lady? Aye, she bears no love for me, if one seeks blood it is all that one shalt find and begat.”

Amazed by this display of good and forgiveness, Hephaestus gave away the gem to him, saying to put it away from his sight lest he be tempted once more by it. He praised at that moment, the manly strength of Orcus, who embraced him as a brother, and turned away to offer the gem which he put into a diadem, to offer it to the scarlet-haired goddess.

Pleased by the gift, and how it shone with such light, it is said that the goddess was never more beautiful, than when she bore the diadem with the Orvandirian Gem in it, on her temple. Mournful, when he bore witness to the vanity, she demonstrated, when she bore the diadem, Orcus turned away unmoved by her beauty.

Wounded and angered, Aphrodite complained once more to Zeus, complaining loudly that, he had sought to steal her husband’s gift, to her. Angered, as much by the gift out of envy towards Hephaestus, Ares argued for Orcus’s death. Irritated yet charmed, by the goddess of love and her diadem, the King of the gods might very well, have executed him. Were it not for Hebe, who had espied all that had happened, exposed her lies.

Angered, Zeus turned upon Aphrodite and came close to ordering her violated or whipped, were it not for Orcus who interceded for the fearful goddess. “Nay, I did not steal the gem, yet nonetheless sought to deny it to her. Lo! Thou may whip my person herewith, in her place.”

In spite of Hera’s glory’s attempts to intercede once more in his favour, it was agreed that, the goddess was not to be beaten. Moved, by his actions, when the great son of Persephone lay broken at the foot of Mt-Olympos, Aphrodite came thence to him, where he lay. It was she who cleaned his wounds, wiped the rain from them and patched bandages o’er his whip-lashed back.

Uncomprehending his reasons, she once more attempted to seduce him and was refused, this made her demand of him; “Why dost thou refuse me? Why dost thou continue, to hate me?”

To which he replied hoarsely, if with all the tenderness of a lover, “How could any man hate thee, dear lady? Why dost thou think I endured these blows?”

“Then why refuse me?”

“Such acts are for a man, and wife. Not to be given as one gives, salutations to any and all men, or ladies.” Orcus corrected her, keen to bring peace between she and her groom this in spite, of the great love he bore for her himself. She did not understand his love, for she had never before been loved in such a manner, so that she wept all the more bitterly, and she demanded what love was to him. “Selfless, unenvious, faithful and giving at all times, o sweet lady.”

Moved, she left him at which time Hebe came to him, with her mother in accompaniment, the two marvelled to see the daughter of Dione in such a state. Wherefore, she departed to consult with her mother, for the first time in millennia.

Pleased to have moved her heart, and made peace with her, Orcus carried on with his tasks under Hephaestus. Who informed by Hermes, of what had passed between his cousin and bride, grew increasingly agitated towards him. Part of him still longing, for Aphrodite’s approval drove him to demand of his prisoner, to never speak to her again, which won him little more than, a pitying glance from the man in question. Shrugging, it was in this manner that he temporarily, earned for himself the enmity of Hephaestus, who was envious of him.

This sentiment did not preclude him, from requesting for the days to come, the assistance of the light-god, or from, seeking him out, on odd occasions to seek out his friendship. Orcus for his own part, thought nothing more of the brief conflict between them, for he was of a kindly nature. In turn, he was soon distracted, by the arrival of his grandmother in Olympos’s heavenly realms, with the old goddess stunned to find the heir of Hades present, in her kinsmen’s halls.

This disgusted her initially, with the harvest-goddess complaining bitterly to Zeus, then to her sister Hera, before she at last attempted to chase away, the younger god. Warned by Hermes that, her King would not tolerate, such behaviour a second time, she was made to cease her efforts, to punish Orcus, for his father’s ‘sins’.

Once again he bore, no ill-will, as was his wont. And in this, he reminded Demeter so utterly, of her daughter that, she began to make peace with him, and sought out his company. So that in time, after years had passed, she came to complain that his place, was by her side. She was naturally denied, and soon complained to her grandson that, he had to assist her, in his escape. To which, he inquired as to why, he might do so.

“Do you wish, to remain your grandfather’s prisoner?” She asked impatiently of him, treating as one might a fool too much the lummox, to properly care for oneself.

“Nay, however it is not time yet,” He replied wise to the ways of Olympos now, and hardly trusting the grandmother, who had once tormented him. Thereupon, Demeter Season-Mother demanded of him, why he did not trust her, in response he stated baldly. “Does the hare trust its safety, to the wolf? Only a small number, do me any kindnesses here; and what of my sister of olde, Melinoë?”

It was at this moment that, the repentant goddess knew the depth, of her own sin and burst into tears, unable to cease from mourning for how she had, failed not only he, but her daughter and granddaughters. Troubled for many days, she sought from Hepheastus, for him to craft for her a great cloak, to hide oneself in.

Suspicious as to the reason why, as he had just finished forging newer, finer arms for Ares, who wished to test the said arms, upon Orcus, he assented at once. Hephaestus advised her falsely that, only the Helm of Darkness, the precious treasure of Hades could properly help Orcus. Playing at being her friend, for he had never before had discord with her, he encouraged her to speak with Hera, to claim the Helm.

They laid claim to it, though Hera later denied it to her husband, who had considered it a great-war prize, and thus noticed its absence at once. The Helm was duly delivered, to Orcus who gave it to the lesser goddess Amphictyonis, one of Demeter’s handmaids, who gladly bore it away for him, down to his sister whence the time came.

Exposed, for the theft by Hephaestus, Demeter panicked and attempted to shift the blame elsewhere, unto Hephaestus and Ares. No fool, the storm-god ordered her imprisoned and Orcus chained to Mt-Olympos as Hera had once been, millennia prior. Worried for him, Demeter pleaded with all who might listen, to look to her grandson’s safety, with none save Aphrodite agreeing to assist him.

Hephaestus attempted to stop her, with it only thence that he saw, the wrongness of his actions. Remorseful and kindly once again, he saw at once wherefore his envy had taken him, he crafted a new pair of keys for the manacles. She took up the keys, and departed with him to free Orcus, who refused their aid for he, had no desire to place them in danger. They cared not to listen, to him thence, with the goddesses Hera and Artemis the only ones aware, of their efforts. For they had espied the two, the forest-goddess newly returned, from one of her many hunts.

Gleeful, to at last be able to surpass her half-sister, for she had long desired the diadem forged, for her sister this in spite of her having no real need, for it. In spite of the hatred, that lay between her and the queen of the gods, they worked together to trap the two friends of Orcus.

Made aware by Aphrodite, of the coming arrival of others, Orcus was made to flee against his wishes, and advised to hide in the home, of her mother Dione. He was still too weak though, to walk on his own and was thus sent off with the god Fufluns, who was a good friend of Demeter. Genial and easily bemused, he gladly took away the son of Hades, who was thus borne away just as Artemis arrived, to humiliate the two gods.

However, when the time came for trial, it was Demeter who claimed responsibility, so that it was she who was punished, for she would brook no other to suffer, for her grandson. Many of the lesser gods, were moved by her brave example, and marvelled at her love for her kin. Nonetheless though, the Orvandirian Gem was taken from Aphrodite, in spite of her desperate pleas, and given over to Artemis. Whereupon it ceased to shine, for it would only do so, for Aphrodite and no other.

And thence, was it known to all in existence that, Orcus had truly loved her, above all others. For his gem, which shared its light with him, would only shine and glow, for the goddess whom had captured his heart so. Many marvelled, with many envious of her, whereas she wept of joy, for the love she bore now for Orcus, whom she believed had no love for her, she realised only then had truly, held her above all other women. It was also at that moment that, Demeter and Aphrodite made peace, for both were made gentler now, thanks to Orcus’s great goodness.

*****

It was too late for the Tuatha Dé Danann though, as before long, they were attacked by the full might of Olympos, with Zeus himself entering battle, for the first time since the battle with Melinoë. With him, came in their full raiment of battle, his sons and daughters, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Athene and many hundred other lesser gods. With his brother Poseidon, likewise joining himself to their ranks, telling himself he did so as an ally, and not as a vassal, but no others believed his pitiful lie.

The Tuatha Dé Danann fought nobly, with some such as Lugh proving themselves, more than a match for a great many of the Olympians. However, none could match the great majesty, and thunderbolts of Zeus, so that they were soon deceased. The battle, ended with but a small number, of the Tuatha Dé Danann still alive. Cernunnos still lived, though with vengeance against Badb in his heart, for he blamed she. There was Morrigan, who went about her work doing as before, having no greater interest in revenge quite yet. Though that, was to come, given her envy of Dagu this was, more than most expected. Where Cernunnos sought vengeance, and Morrigan to consolidate what was, Lugh slain in the terrible combat, was renewed. This was most fortuitous for them for it meant that many escaped, and the Pantheon was not wholly defeated as Zeus first thought.