Last Seed 1.docx

Last Seed 1.docx

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LastSeed1

Pleaseenjoythiscompanionpieceto"HadesandPersephone（ReceiverofMany）".ThisstorystarsAphroditeandAres,astheyappearedinReceiverofMany,meetingeachotherforthefirsttimeonthelastdayoftheGigantomachy.Alittletreatforstickingwithmeandreadingmystoryforgoingontwoyearsnow... 

~s 

*** 

"Mimas!

" 

Thecreaturecametoahalt,dustdriftingaroundhisscaledfeet. 

"Turnaround,youdog!

"TheGodofWarfelttheearthshakeasthegiantspunonhisheels.SweatbeadedunderAres'helm,stinginghiseyes.Thesunbeatdownonhisredcloak,stiflinghim. 

"WhodarestocallthelastsonofOuranosadog?

!

"Thegiant'sbellowingshooktheveryair. 

Pompousidiot,Aresthought.TheGiganteswere certainly not thelastsonsofOuranos;thatinfamoushonorbelongedtotheTitans,defeatedbyhisfatheraeonsago.ThesebeastlycreatureswriggledoutoftheearthlongafterCronusspilthisfather'sblooduponit.Abominations,thelotofthem.Theyhadplaguedhisfamilyandtheirworshippers,butGigantescouldbekilled.ThewaragainstthemhadragedforsevenyearsfromOlympusitselftoThraceandPhlegra,andAreshadchasedthelastoftheirkindacrosstheburninghotmountainsandvalleysofAsia.Todayhewouldendthem,buttheGodofWarwasnotsofoolishastounderestimatehisopponent.Heclenchedhisteeth,spearinhand,ontheballsofhisfeet.Hestayedsilent.Hewaited. 

Mimaspacedaroundhimandleaneddown,facetofacewithAres."Youmustbehardofhearing,speck,"Spittlelandedonhisarmor."WhochallengesthelasttruescionoftheHeavens?

!

" 

"ThesonofAlmightyZeus!

"Thewarriorliftedhishelmandthegiantuprighted.SunlighthitAres,temporarilyblindinghim.Thegianthadpositionedhimselffacingeast.Clever. 

Mimaslaughed."Gohomelittlegod,Iknowwhoyouare.You'rethecoward!

"Heraisedhisclubagain."Andliketherestyou'reeasilydefeated." 

Ashadowrose,blockingthesun,andAresrealizedthatitwasthecreature'sgreatclub,whittledfromawholeoaktree,rippedfromtheearth.Heleaptoutofthewayandthebaredrootscrashedtotheearthnexttohim,sprayinganothercloudofhotdust,blindinghimfurther.Thosewerehisfather'strees.Aresgothisbearingsandplantedhisfeetintotheearth,hisspearreadyathisside. 

"Easily?

!

"Aressnorted."Youaretheonlyoneremaining!

Haveyounotheard?

Wedestroyedtherestofyourkin." 

Mimas'eyesnarrowedforonlyamoment.Hesmirked."YouthinkIcarethatthoseweaklingsaredead?

Isurvived,Iremain,Iwouldhavekilledthem myself oncewewerefinishedwithyou.YouOlympiansdidmeafavor.Andeveryoneknowsyouareacoward,Ares!

Nowdowhatyoudobest.Runandhide!

"Theclubswungoverhishead,blockingoutthesunagain. 

TheGodofWartoreoffhiscloakandhelmandrolledleft,leavinghisshieldbehind.Theclubshooktheearthandcoveredhimindustandgrit.Hecouldtasteitonhisteeth,feelitcakehisarmsandlegs.Hepickeduphisswordandspear,runningunderthecoverofdust.Mimaswaitedforittoclear,revealingaredmassofcloth,andtheredcrestofAres'helm.Herifledthroughthediscardedpiecestoseeifthegodhidunderneath. 

Mimasguffawed."Alreadyrunbacktoyourwhoremother,didyou?

Justlikealltheotherbastardsspawnedbyyour AlmightyZeus." 

"Ithinknot,"AresgrowledfrombehindthehulkingGiant. 

MimasturnedtowardthesoundofAres'voicetoolate.Hisspearsailedthroughtheairandintothebackofthegiant'sknee,thetipburrowingthroughfleshandboneuntilitpokedouttheotherside.Mimashowled,droppinghisclub.Hishandreachedbacktopullouttheprojectile,buthisarmwentlimp,thetendonsinhiselbowcutwiththeswingofasword.Hisanklegaveout,slicedthroughasmethodicallyashisarm.Mimascursed.Aresleaptandplungedhisbladeintothegiant'sthigh.Heclimbed,thenlodgedhisswordbetweenMimas'ribsandscampereduphisback.Themonsterswattingfruitlesslyashecollapsedtooneknee.AresfelthisheartclenchasMimas'scaledfingersslappedhaphazardlynexttohishead,threateningtocrushhim.Hefroze. 

IamDeathless...nonecanharmme...IamDeathless...nonecanharmme... hechantedtohimself,tryingtokeephisheartfromracing,tryingtokeepthatloathsomeweaknessfromcreepinguphisthroat.Heconcentratedandpulledthroughthefear,justasEnyohadtaughthim.Aresplungedhisswordintothecreature'sshoulderblade.Mimasscreamed.TheGodofWarclimbedhighenoughtoreachhisneck. 

"AndI'mnobastard."Aresgrowledintohisear.Heslicedtheveinjustunderit,andwascoatedwithaspurtofblood,hotandthickonhisskin,mixingwiththedustandsandoftheearth,anointinghimtriumphant.MimasstaggeredandfellandAresfellwithhim,hisswordraisedoverhead,hisfacecontortedbyawild-eyedcryofbloodlustandpurejoy. Neverturnyourbackunlessyouknowthey'redead,thevoiceofEnyoechoedinhismind. Aninjuredanimalisthemostdangerouskind. Thegiantlandedonhisside,seizingandthrashingashislifeblooddrainedontothesand. Killthemasecondtimeifyoumust. 

AresplungedhisswordintoMimas'windpipe,anchoringhisfeetasthedyinggiantfloppedontohisback."MymotherisHeratheQueenofHeaven!

IamthetrueheirtoOlympusandanywhoopposemyfathershallperish!

"Hehackedatthecreature'sthroat,determinedtotakehisheadoff.AgiftforFatherZeustoshowhimthathealonehaddefeatedthelastoftheirretreatingenemies—thathewasworthy.Mimaslaystill. Youfoughtnobly,hethought,hackingintohisneck. Butyou'redeadallthesame. 

Hecaughtsightofthegiant'slifelesseyesandstopped.Whatdidthoseorbssee?

WhathorrificvisionfixedthegazeofanymanorcreatureonceThanatoshadreapeditssoul?

Aresswallowedandbackedaway.Perhapsaheadwastoomuchwork.Hewouldhavetolugtheheavythingbehindhim.HewageredthatMimas'fangedjawboneweighedmorethanhedid.Areshoppedoffthegiant'scarcassandsaunteredtothesideofhishead,thenslicedatthebaseofthecreature'sear,sawingbackandforth. 

Dishonorablebutcher,hecouldhearAthenacastigatinghim,eventhoughshewastwohundredleaguesaway,safeinherownlittletownbythesea.Heshookhishead.Strategyanddiplomacyhadn'tendedtheGigantes—bloodshedhad.Useless,judgmentalAthena.Anotherbastard. Thebastardthatbaresyourfather'saegis,hisownvoiceremindedhim.Heclenchedhisteethandcontinuedcarvinguntiltheearcameloose—apieceofMimasthesizeofAres'shield.Hewipedhisfacecleanontheedgeofhiscloak,thenfastenedtheclothtohisbronzecuirass. 

Aresheavedtheearontohisshieldanddraggeditthroughtherockydesert,leavingMimasandhisvacanteyesfarbehindhim.Hesighed,frustrated.CouldheevenbringsomethinglikethiswithhimthroughtheetherandbacktoOlympus?

Theairwashot.Thelanditselftauntedhim,waveringinmirage,mimickingcoolwater.Awomangiggled. 

Aresuprightedandwhippedaround,spearheldattheready,circling,searchingforthesoundofthevoice.Aglintofgoldlitthemirageofhotearth,wavering.Shewasaboutahundredpacesaway,hewagered,thoughintheheatitwashardtotell.Herhairwasblack—orwasitreddish?

—andherskinshoneinthesun.Herhairwaslacedwithgold,andadiademwithgoldenhornswasperchedonherforehead.Shelookedforeign—fromthefareasternlands. 

"WhatinTartarus..."Hewalkedtowardherbutcouldgetnocloser. 

Herperfectpearlyteethglistenedwhenshesmiledathim.Thewomanswirledherskirtsofgoldabouther. 

"Hey!

"HeletgoofMimas'earandjoggedinherdirection,tryingtocatchupwithher,butthefasterhewentthefurthershefaded."Wait!

" 

ThewomaningoldvanishedandAresstoppedinhistracks,bewildered. 

"DoyouknowwhoIam?

!

Showyourselftome!

" 

Hefeltacoolingseabreezestrikehisskin,makingitprickle. OfcourseIdo,awoman'svoicewhispered. 

"Areyouoneofthem?

"Areshatedthelumpinhisthroat,hatedhearinghisvoicecatchwhenheaskedit. 

IamolderthantheGigantes. 

Aresfelthisbloodfreeze.Ifshewasn'tofhiskindoroneoftheGigantes,thenwhatwasshe?

 OlderthantheGigantes. Godsabove,hethought,shemightbeaTitan...anenemythatwouldmaketheGigantomachylooklikeapracticeskirmish.Hisheartpoundedandheheldhisbreath.Thecoolingbreezewhippedacrosshisskinagain,caressinghim. 

Worrynot,myAres,hervoicesaidonthewind. Iwillseeyousoon. 

Thebreezevanishedandhefeltthehotsunonhisshoulders.Aresshookhishead.Itwastoohotoutside.He'dtrackedMimastoolong.Whenwasthelasttimehe'dtastedambrosiaornectar?

Hetriednottothinkabouthowmadnessraninhisfamilyorthetalesabouthowithasconsumedhisgrandfather...drivenhimtoeathisyoung...toswallowhismother...Arestrudgedbacktotheseveredear,fliesalreadystartingtocollectoncongealedblood.Hisstomachturned. 

"Oh,toHadeswiththis,"hemumbledandleftMimas'earinthedust. 

*** 

Thracewasariotofcelebrationanddrumming,criesandshoutsgoinguparoundthetempleofAresEnyalios.Firesblazedintothenight,celebratingtheendoftheGigantomachy,andthetriumphandfavoroftheirpatron. 

AreslikedThrace.Helikedtheirwarriorswiththeirartfulskin.Theirmenenduredgreatpainwhentheneedlestappedameandrosofhorsesandsunsintotheirfleshtoshowtheworldthattheywerenolongerboys—thattheywereproudwarriormenoftheirtribe.Helikedtheirwomenwiththeirredhairandflamingtemperamen