41 HELP THE BOY

In a dark and empty room where there was no visible light source,the Protectors stood. They were all huddled around Zeus,the eldest and strongest of them all and the one who usually made decisions for them.

"What is going on Zeus?, What is this place?" Poseidon asked the question on everyone's mind. He had awoken in this dark place not too long ago with his last memory being a horrendous pain in his chest as his brother,Hades had run him through with that cursed sword. He had thought that would be the end,but that had obviously been wrong since he was here now. He needed answers.

"I don't know. I am just as confused as you all." Zeus revealed to everyone's unhappiness. If Zeus didn't know,then who would?

"What do you mean you don't know?, Weren't you the one who asked us to lock our powers into the 'eye of the gods'?. Obviously we've been locked along with it and placed in the head of a child!!" Ares shouted. "All our Powers in the hands of a mere brat! I'll kill that fool if we ever cross paths.!" Ares was fuming in rage.

"Zeus,why are we here?. Shouldn't we be dead? Or at least trapped for all eternity by the 'Bane of the gods'?" Athena asked the silent Protector. " Do you think our presence here has anything to do with us locking our powers away in your pendent?"

"You have to say something Zeus. Your silence is helping no one. Any explanation would be better than no explanation." Hera advised. The other Protectors nodded their heads in support. Obviously they being alive was a good thing. But didn't they deserve to know just how that was possible?, Especially after their lives had been cut short by a legendary weapon meant to keep them dead. Any explanation sounded better than nothing as Hera had said.

"Thing is,I'm not sure we're all here. I don't mean our numbers. I mean our souls. We are not here fully. I can feel it." Zeus confessed. He had been feeling strange ever since he got here. It was as if another part of himself was calling out to him over a long distance. It was also why he had been silent for so long and had apparently ignored whoever was in possession of their Powers.now though,he believed he had an answer. Or at least,a theory.

"What do you mean? " Several people asked Zeus. What was Zeus talking about. They felt normal. They could talk, see,reason and move, wasn't that the mark of a living being? They wondered.

"I think I get what our king is saying. You mean our deaths by the 'Bane of the gods',right?" Hephaestus asked Zeus who nodded. Hephaestus was beginning to understand just what was happening here.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?', Athena asked both Zeus and Hephaestus who just nodded with solemn looks.

"Will you share whatever theory you've come upon with the rest of us?" An annoyed voice demanded. Artemis was tired of those three whispering and sharing knowing looks whiles everyone else just watched. They all deserved to know what was going on.

"If you'll shut up for a second and concentrate. You'll find out that you're not whole. I believe only a tiny portion of ourselves has been transported here." Athena stated,annoyed as well.

"Or more like locked here by our own hands when we transferred our Powers into the 'eye of the gods' " Hephaestus informed the now silent crowd.

"I believe when Zeus asked us to pour our essence and to think of our battle memories when we were transferring our Powers, it caused a tiny portion of our souls and consciousness to latch unto the accessory. This is what we believe has landed us here." Athena articulated.

Everyone was now looking at Zeus. Was this a good thing or a bad one? They couldn't tell. They didn't understand everything fully but this was a start.

"So you're saying,this is only a small part of ourselves and that the larger part of ourselves is..is.." Demeter started but was unable to bring her self to say the last part.

"Yes...that part of us is dead. Or at least, trapped from what I can feel." Zeus affirmed. "You'll come to feel your other parts soon just like I am doing currently. I am more in time with my soul than the rest of you since I used to meditate all the time. Mind you, it's a horrible feeling. Its the same feeling as a mother losing her baby and imagining the cries of her child everywhere she turned. I feel...lost..and helpless." Zeus concluded with a hint of sorrow.

"So you mean we can't get out of here?" Dionysus,who wanted out so that he could pay Hades back asked.

"No, Dionysus. The parts of us here are stuck here. This portion of our souls won't be able to occupy a body. It's just too small. We could all pull our souls together and occupy a body but the question remains; what body?, Also, if we all occupied a single body, assuming it has no owner. The body will be that of a single person with twelve personalities. That will cause great trouble in future. Besides,we will be weaker than we even were before we got killed." Athena pointed out.

"Then that brings us to the question; what about this boy who's head we're occupying?" Apollo,the shy and silent Protector asked.

"The boy is no longer ordinary. Our Powers have already started strengthening him. He would be able to house us all. Besides, all our souls and consciousness combined is even less than that of a mortal. And an average mortal can have two or even three split personalities and we are not even one. The boy is in no danger at all." Zeus declared.

Everyone started nodding. This had been an unexpected outcome for them but they blamed no one. Indeed,they preferred things this way to being absolutely dead. At least,now this portion of themselves could now watch things unfold in the mortal realm. This was better than nothing.

"So what do you suggest we do now? Seat and just watch the boy fool around with our Powers?" Ares leered. "I tell you, he'll get killed before the month ends." He told the other Protectors who didn't seem too worried. What could they do now?, They were dead people after all.

"Actually,yes. I think sitting and guiding the boy will be for the best. That way we can help him grow." Zeus suggested to murmurs of agreement.

"I agree with the king. Our lives may have ended but our memories are somewhat with us. With it comes our experience. Hermes may have chosen only a child,but I believe he had his decision. Also,I personally think a child is the best choice since he'll be easier to mold and shape than an adult. If we all put in our effort,this child should be the perfect gift and the perfect protector for this realm. Athena stated full of conviction.

"Well said Athena.", "That's right. Let's all build the perfect protector.", "Let's show save this realm", "let's show that bastard, Hades!", "I agree fully"...all the Protectors showed their support.

"Fine!!...I'll go along with this plan as well. I still think it's madness but what do I care. I'll help", Ares gave his opinion on the matter to laughs and smiles from the others as they teased him.

Zeus took in a long breath and spoke, "very well..we shall help train and guide the boy to the best of our abilities. Hades will get one hell of a surprise when this boy is ready." Zeus promised to cheers from the rest of the Protectors,or the portion of themselves in Ethan's head.

Outside, Ethan had heard the whole conversation and was repeating everything to Hermes. When Zeus finished his last speech, Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Something was telling him that his life from henceforth wasn't going to be so simple anymore. 'God help me', he thought with a gulp.