I have stood in the Devourer and lived. I don't know how many scions can claim that, and I don't want to tempt Fate by ever doing that again. The pure destruction wrought by the ultimate expression of fire left me both horrified and amazed. I have always known what it was I was becoming, a goddess of magic and fire for my pantheon. One who is passionate and understanding and yet will not hesitate, or lack the means, to punish my enemies. For the first time ever I found myself questioning my path.
I should explain how we got here.
We just fled Artemis' hunters which apparently included Ka, erm Ehekatoyaatl. We made our way to the garden where we defeated Ladon, the hydra dragon who was set to guard it. Rhia asked his corpse about trying to trick Atlas' daughters and he mentioned two beings were playing chess inside as well. Fate revealed it to be Mars and Bellona. This gave us pause and we decided instead to simply walk in and try to speak with them. While my amazing husband saw to a chess game with Mars, Rhia and Wu saw to keeping Bellona distracted. Benji won the game soundly and Mars was forced to take us on a tour. During the tour Kelly and Vana managed to plant the seeds we were given that would steal the tree's power...or so we thought. Just as Rhia counted to ten for Wu and I to 'race to the gate', which would also activate the seeds, the ring Loki gave us transformed to reveal Loki.
Loki took on the Void and we were unable to act as a song played forcing us all into sleep. As the fires of my own anger raged at the betrayal and my own failings I forced myself to stay awake and lept into action as he took on the Devourer. I raced in to grab my friends and brought them to safety, knowing full many of them could never stand the fires that were raging through the garden. Once they were clear of the flames I turned on my heel and charged back in. The seeds were in there...if the trees burned and we didn't have the seeds all would be lost. I shoved my hand into the ground as Kelly's directions flitted into my mind but found nothing...I cast my seeking magic only to have my fears confirmed...Loki illusioned us into thinking we had planted them...they were still with Vana. As I passed Mars, who was charging to face Loki, I bolstered him and sent an apology into his mind...I really need to speak with him again...
As I sent the information to Rhia and rushed back to them, she and Vana hurried to a tree that wasn't yet dying and planted the seeds. Wuyi lept to help protect Rhia and eventually had they had to leave the searing flames. With my ichor thundering through my veins and sped to Vana's side and feverantly willed the flames to leave her alone while she tried to count to ten. When her voice hit ten we heard Loki shout 'No!' and then the fires got worse. Mars' avatar was burnt to a crisp and Loki's attention was fully on us now. Vana dug up the seeds and we fled from the horrible wreckage that was the Garden of Hesperides. As I ran with Vana in my arms she pulled out the golden key that got us in here and opened the door letting us all out, with a leap from my arms she quickly locked the mad god in the burning garden. It wasn't till we were out that we realized Kelly was still locked within.
I cannot begin to describe fully how I feel right now. I have failed in so many ways...we trusted Loki. Who had been working with Prometheus because Prometheus predicted we would not wish to destroy the garden permanently. I should have known better, but I was so desperate to get things moving. All of us were. We all have concerns outside of these blasted Greeks..and none of them can be confronted until we get those cowards back in the war. But that doesn't excuse us making poor choices. And while we salvaged this mess at the last moment I can't help but wonder, at what price? Kelly is trapped, the garden's destruction will surely fall on our heads...I'm so lost right now, but I can't let the others see it. I'll speak to Ben of it later, for now we need to focus on getting Kelly out, while keeping Loki in.
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