42 PRIDE

An Apple of Immortality.

A fucking apple of Immortality.

Were these gods and goddesses off their rockers? It started with Nereus asking him to find a Heart of a Titan and now Demeter was asking him for an Apple of Immortality. Sure, this wasn't as impossible as some may put it, for his dad had done it before, but even he struggled. It was one of the unique quests that Herakles had done where his strength, his biggest advantage, was useless.

The Apples of Immortality are golden apples that grow in the garden of Hesperides, that was gifted to Hera, the Queen of Olympus, by Gaea. It was guarded by Ladon, the hundred-headed dragon, the monstrous son of Typhon and Echidna, whose gigantic size struck fear into even the most courageous of heroes.

Of course, there was many a story that spoke of Herakles' quest for the apples, which was also his eleventh labour. His father casually slaying Ladon with a bow and arrow while making it away with the apples was most commonly believed, but it was not such an easy fight. In actuality, it was not a fight at all! Herakles was given Anaklusmos by one of the Hesperides and being young, brash and stupid, decided to face the dragon head-on, only to get his ass handed to him. After the humiliating defeat, he had to resort to trickery to complete his labour.

"Why the apples?", Athos asked. This sudden change in attitude from mystical and ethereal to anxious and tense, confused him. Why was Demeter acting this way?

The goddess looked him dead in the eye before taking a step forward. That step seemed to cover far more distance than it showed as she now stood in front of him, her redolent fragrance slamming into his face. He gulped slightly. He'd forgotten how short he was, especially compared to the Olympians, and Demeter reminded him the hard way. She stood at 6'2 which made her intentionally or unintentionally tower over his 5'8 height.

"Do you know what it is to become a God Athos?", she whispered, ignoring his question for the second time.

"To have divinity and immortality?", Athos answered.

"Divinity and Immortality. Is that all? Is that all you fight for? I could make you a God right now. Would you take me up on my offer?"

Athos was taken aback. An Olympian was offering him immortality? So casually at that? An offer that would reduce her own strength?

"Wha...I...no....I have to refuse", he stammered. Demeter's offer shook him up so much that he almost got whiplash.

"Why? Is that not what you want?", She retorted.

"I'm sorry, but becoming a God now would cut off my path to becoming stronger. There are troubled times ahead. I need to be prepared"

"You would attempt to do the impossible for survival, yet forgo the possible for pride?", She countered.

"I would", Athos confirmed. It sounded stupid and it probably was, but he didn't care. He preferred suffering the pain of failure to suffering the pain of regret. He knew what hurt more.

Demeter's eyes gleamed at his reply, "Only time will tell whether it is confidence or pride, but currently, it is mere stupidity. No matter. You have a better chance at it than all those who tried before you, and I have a feeling my test shall help you in furthering your goals"

Athos frowned. How would getting the apple of Immortality to help him in any way? The apple, unlike what many may believe, didn't grant mortals immortality. Ironically, it gave them a slow, painful death akin to rotting from the inside out. Only immortals could eat that heavenly fruit.

But then it struck him and his heart skipped a beat.

'....Heart of a Titan...Blood of a Demigod...Fated one....'

He grinned and a fabulous idea struck him, his best one yet. Even he was surprised at how well his plan fit together. It was as though the information he had were jigsaw pieces that had finally clicked the moment Demeter mentioned the apples.

"I'll do it!", He said his mind planning out the next few months. They were going to be eventful indeed.

"Good. I wish you good luck and Godspeed, Fatebreaker", she grinned while Arion trotted back over to him. Her emotions were really all over the place.

***

As the wind rushed past his face, he felt a sense of freedom that he'd never experienced before. Or perhaps it was the feeling of having a solid plan before him. At least he hoped it was solid. If all went well, he could achieve a Divine body far faster, and much easier than he'd previously thought.

Hilariously, the hardest thing to acquire was the Blood of a Demigod. After all, the only clue Nereus gave him was that it should be of the 'Fated one'. The moment he'd heard that his brain had immediately jumped to Perseus Jackson. Who could better fit the bill of being chosen by fate than the Protagonist? But after a few hours of deliberating, he'd changed his mind. Sure, Percy was the main character and was coated with plot armour from head to toe, but was he really who he was looking for?

He didn't think so, the reason being the presence of another demigod.

Percy's rival, former mentor and arch-nemesis.

Luke Castellan.

He was the most significant antagonist in the books only beaten by Kronos himself, and even served as the host for the said Titan. But the reason why he was the fated one was a sentence Athos vividly remembered reading.

"..You are not the hero.."

A sentence that Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the oracle, told Percy before the climactic battle. It was referencing the line in the Great Prophecy,

"...The hero's soul cursed blade shall reap..."

Percy was not the hero. Luke Castellan was, for he was the one who killed Kronos by killing himself. His life was already destined to be snuffed out as Percy had seen the Fates snip his thread when he was twelve years old, but now his blood would be the catalyst for Athos' partial ascension. It was somewhat poetic.

The Fatebreaker slays the Fated one.

Athos chuckled as Arion zoomed toward Long island, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He was temporarily free from the threads of the Fates, and he had to make the best use of the time he had.

"I once had strings but now I'm free...but now, there are no strings on me!", he muttered as he made his way toward Camp Half-Blood.

***

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