Chapter One

Her bare feet slapped against the marble floor, she could hear the sounds of the fighting behind her. The clang of swords and shields, grunts of gods and goddesses fighting. She shouldn't be running, she should be fighting but someone had to get away, someone had to survive. Athena had all but shoved her out of her nephew's throne room.

"You and I both know why Ares is doing this, you need to get out of here and somewhere safe. If he gets his way he will rule Olympus and force you to be by his side," her grey eyes looked sadly at her, and her dark hair had pieces falling around her face, Hekate had never seen Athena look so disheveled before she could protest she slammed the door in her face. Hekate had stood there for a second, this was all her fault, if she had just given Ares what he wanted, if she had just allowed him to be with her maiden self he never would have finally been brave enough to stand up to his father.

She slid to a stop at the portal to her realm the stone columns stood high above her, granite dogs and snakes twisted up it, she looked about her before she slipped through the mist and into her realm. The dirt slid between her toes and a few small garden snakes slithered across her feet. She glanced about her looking for her beloved wolves, Eleni a pure white female, and Aithan her midnight black baby boy. After a moment they came bounding up to her but instead of their usual tail wags and good-natured nips they circled her and began to herd her towards her home. They could sense something was wrong and they wanted her to be somewhere they thought was safe. But safe wasn't possible now, if Ares won there was nowhere she could go that he would not find her.

She allowed the wolves to guide her home though as she thought up a plan, it wouldn't stop Ares, she feared nothing would, but it might slow him down and give her a chance to come up with a way to finally destroy the God of War.

As soon as she walked into her home she went straight for her witch's bench, she began gathering the herbs and liquids she would need. She pointed a small, long finger at the hearth and it immediately caught ablaze. She gestured again and the pot hanging on the hook swung swiftly to sit above it and began to simmer softly. She quickly tied her long black hair back, took a deep breath, and allowed the Crone to take control. Her hair grew frail and grey, her skin wrinkled and age spots appeared on her hands. It would take her a bit longer to move around but the Crone had the most knowledge of potions of her three faces so it made the most sense to allow her to take the lead.

"You should have let her take the lead the first time Ares appeared before you, maybe then he would have left you alone," she chided herself, her voice coming out with a croak. She began adding her herbs and liquids to the simmering pot. Once everything was added and stirred it needed to sit for a few minutes before it could be consumed.

Abruptly she felt a tug come from inside her, Ares was at her crossroads and he was trying to get in. Her gates would hold for a while longer, all she needed was for them to hold on long enough to finish her work. Looking at her potion she knelt and prayed to her mother, "Gaia please help me, I beg you send a cool breeze to aid your daughter." Suddenly a cold breeze blew past her and surrounded the pot, almost instantly it cooled. "Thank you, Mother." She grabbed a ladle and quickly put it to her lips drinking in the potion in three large pulls. Just as she set the ladle back in the pot she felt him break through, the rush of sadness she felt made her feel as though her body might crumble beneath her. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. Her wolves growled and stood between her and the door but she knelt between them, "Shh my loves, I have to leave but know I will be back someday and I need someone to stay and watch over my realm while I am away," she looked at Eleni who had tear streaks down her snout, "Take care of your brother, keep him out of trouble." She pulled them both to her inhaling their wonderful earthy smell, her eyes filled with tears as she stood and looked at them once more before walking out the door. She could feel the potion starting to affect her and she needed to get to Ares before it was too late.

She stood in front of her home watching the path that led up to her, she would have known he was there even if she hadn't felt him rip through her gates. Any time Ares came here the sky would turn deep crimson shades of red, the air would smell of fire and smoke and everything was quiet. She finally spotted his tall frame heading straight for her. He was large, even by god's standards, he stood several feet above her and she was not short by any means. His arms were always clad in golden armor ready for a battle at any moment. His blonde hair was cropped against his head to keep it away from his eyes, eyes that were steel gray. At that moment they were locked on her, and a sneer formed on his lips, he thought he had won and he was going to claim his prize. Then he realized she was in her Crone form, and unless she wanted to there was nothing that he could do to force her Maiden to come out.

"I have won Hekate, now show me your Maiden face and become my Queen." He stopped a few feet from her a look of disgust on his face. Yes, she really should have let the Crone out first, he was clearly disgusted with her.

"You may have won this battle Ares but you will not win this war and you will never have me," Hekate said her voice booming, this was her realm, she controlled what happened in it. Suddenly she was hit with a wave of weakness and swayed on her feet, she only needed to stay up for a bit longer. She steadied herself and raised her hands, the willow trees that surrounded the pathway reached out for Ares, for his part he put up a good fight, his sword slashed and hacked but he couldn't stop the branches from eventually crawling up him wrapping him tightly. Hekate smiled as he snarled and looked at her.

"What is this?" his voice was filled with such malice it may have scared anyone else but Hekate didn't have time for fear, she knew she would be gone soon, this had to be done quickly. She raised her other hand and rain and freezing wind surrounded him as he struggled she watched his cacoon turn into a large lump of ice. She then knelt and put both her hands on the ground, a deep circle appeared and she slowly lowered him into it. The entire time he struggled and snarled all the nasty things he would do to her once he was released from this prison. She ignored him and turned towards her crossroads, raising both hands she added large bricks to the entrance, "Until I return no one may roam freely in my lands," she turned her attention back to him, "You will be free eventually Ares, but know this when you are you will have to search the entire earth to find me." Finally, she was done, and just in time as she felt the potion fly through her body. She fell to her knees, she laid herself on her back and looked up at the sky, her father was up there, he was watching all of this happen and yet he did nothing, it wasn't his place anymore he liked to remind her. But she was his daughter, she thought he would care enough to keep her safe. A patch of soft grass grew beneath her, and she smiled. At least her mother was there, holding her the best she could.

She felt herself rise from her immortal body, she stopped to look at the Crone's face, though it was old and lined with age she could still see the beauty there. Fingering the pendant she wore around her neck she allowed herself to blow away, into the mortal realm and hopefully into a strong mortal body.