Counting Stars

Counting Stars

(Inspired by: OneRepublic- "Counting Stars")

Lately, the loss of sleep has become a problem. No drifting off on star-crossed missions, as per usual, no daydreaming whilst organising constellations and no fantasies to spark motivation. It was becoming quite an issue for him, one which was a definite priority. With loss of sleep, comes loss of focus and without focus comes laziness and if it's one thing he doesn't want, it's to end up like Aergia, the insufferable, pathetic and ominous goddess of sloth. She did nothing for him or anyone in particular. But he was capable of bringing his own heat to situations, he needed no help. The only help he could get was if he pleaded to his brother Coeus. That's right. He was the fiery, lethal and cunning Titan of the Stars, Titan of the South Cosmic Pillar.

He walked through the black mist, the atramentous marble floor thudded whilst he stepped through the halls of Phoebe and Coeus' Temple on Blanca Peak in the Rockies. The mist swirled at his feet. It began to take shape into visions of specific parts of the future. Anything concerning himself,  Krios would swipe away. He pounded down the corridor and came to a set of massive, Onyx encrusted, Walnut doors. The Titan waved his hand the the doors crea ked open, allowing him to pass through. He kept to his mortal size, going into his regular size too k too much out of him. He has been on the run ever since  Kronos managed to get himself neutralized by none other than a Demigod! The running took it's toll on the Titan. He began to age at an alarming rate, his powers were not what they used to be and he had hardly anyone left to sort him out. His only allies left were Coeus, Phoebe, Mnemosyne and Rhea, who was hanging by a thread with everyone due to her husband's slaughter.

"My Dear brother, what has become of you?" Phoebe said, concern eminating from her voice.

"You don't loo k so bad either, Phoebe" the ram-helmeted Titan said jo kingly. The Titaness was sitting in her throne. It basically pure, raw light. She was dressed in a white gown, little balls of light were dangling from her ears and her nec k. In  Krios' opinion, she put Aphrodite to shame as the Goddess of Beauty. She sat bac k with a pool in front of her. Phoebe also held fragments of the Oracle of Delphi. With what she maintained, she had the exceptional ability to pool-gaze, a method of divination.

"So cruel, even to your own  kind,  Krios. What can we do for you?" Coeus chuc kled loudly.

"I need assistance, brother. I am a target in the war in which our brother was, again, murdered. I have since been under attac k from the remaining forces of your granddaughter, the Goddess of the Moon and an army in which I have not seen before, Romans." Krios said with a sadistic and also fearful expression upon his face.

Phoebe gazed into the pool, her eyes turned crystal white. Coeus pondered the thought of a second army of half-bloods.

"Brother. I have also been at loss of rest. No dreams are appearing, no fantasies and no visions at all. My powers are wea kening." the ram titan said to his brother.

"I can see that. This is something our sister, Rhea will have to try and figure out. She can understand and comprehend the flow of time and the way generations wor k" Coeus said. And on the final note, Phoebe grabbed his arm. Her eyes still crystal white.

"Brother. You are at the utmost danger. I have forseen your demise... at the hand of Grace" Phoebe said and fell out of the trance.

"Grace... you mean, the Graces?" the star Titan said worried "They represent slendor and mirth. What have they to do with my demise?" he finished.

"Not Graces, Grace. A Roman. He will ta ke your very breath, brother. I have no exact time or date. But be wary" Phoebe added and loo ked curiously at the pool.

"See k our sister, get her to explain why you are aging and we shall try and rally some of our children as a defence." Coeus said and waved him away just as a cupbearer entered the room with a tray of nectar.

 Krios used his "dashing" power, which matches the speed of a shooting star. He dashed to the Dris kill Mountains in Louisiana. Once he stopped he fell to his  knee and clutched his side, in pain. This was definitely a strain on his abilities. He went inside a cavern, laced with different symbols and images. Fertility Symbols were magical to Rhea, she was the matriarch of the Fertility deities. She stayed in Louisiana for the comfort and ease of the state. She never caused any arguments or got involved in wars, but  kept in tune with the news. The only time she ever "Flipped Out" was what they call "The Rampage". Just after her husband was severed and sent to the pits of Hades. She fell into an almighty, violent and lethal rage. She wiped out entire nations. She destroyed entire landmasses including the continent that was between South America and China, leaving only sovereign islands in remains. Demeter, Hestia and Hera calmed her down and let her go without retribution to pay.

"Rhea, hello? It is I, your brother"  Krios said, shuffling deeper into the cavern.

"Down here" said a voice, it was powerful but detained. She was afraid of even her own voice.

Krios thudded down towards the voice. There she was, her hair tightly slung in a ponytail which hung over her shoulder. She lay by an in-cavern la ke.

"What is it you need?" she as ked, loo ked over her shoulder and screamed. "You've... aged!" she shuddered.

"It's from stressful happenings. We've been at war with half-bloods, my lady. Which is why I need your help to teach me how I can refrain from aging anymore" the Titan said to the Queen of the Titans.

"Come over to me. I shall do so. But first I need information about what is happening in the world" Rhea said and  Krios made his way down to the Titaness.

They sat and  Krios informed her of what has been happening in the last five years of the mortal world. Trying to dance around  Kronos' return. She loo ked happy to be hearing stories from the mortal world. She then proceeded to relay what she has experienced from her powers, how age wor ks and how it will effect generations and how time itself is slowed for the mortals, but being immortal means time is extra slow. She conjured a spell to her hand and read it to  Krios, and said that every mortal hour he regains his youth to how it previously was.

"Before you dash off, brother. I must warn you" Rhea said and too k  Krios' hands in her own. "If you have not sensed it already, I must be the one to say. Myself, Themis and Oceanus can feel her awa kening again. It will mean that our enemies, the "Rampants" will be coming bac k, if she gets her way. Father is still on the mend, but she is awa kening. Whispers are being heard, mountains are stirring and even Nyx is starting to ready herself. If she fully arises, we won't be safe." Rhea said, worry in her voice.

"How can this be? It has not yet been a millenium, has it not? What can we do?" Krios said aloud, himself getting worried.

"Wait it out. From what I see, you have more pressing issues to worry about" Rhea said and waved away her brother who was full of questions.

He fished out a drachma out of his sleeve threw it over a steam drain. And as ked for Phoebe. The Titaness appeared, her earrings were glowing brighter than what he had seen earlier.

"What is it, brother?" she as ked, leaving her goblet beside her.

"I've spo ken with Rhea. She has... pressing news. The earth... she is stirring" He said and Phoebe's eyes widened.

"How can this-" she began but the Titan cut her off "I said the same, Rhea can't understand it. Where is our brother?" He as ked.

"He has sent the troops forward to the Romans. Demititans for hire, per say" she said and waved through the Iris Message.

Krios was preparing to dash off. Going to Mount Orthys to see his brother, Atlas. The years had dropped off him, he appeared increasingly younger. Just as he lifted his foot off the ground. He felt a prod in his bac k. He turned to see a golden sword pointed at his chest. A boy was pointing it at him, alongside him was a girl with two metallic dogs, a girl with a spatha and curly hair and an asian boy holding a bow and arrow.

"You must be Grace"  Krios said and gulped, trying to plan an idea.

"And you are  Krios. Welcome to our world. Let's parry, shall we?" Grace said.

"Jason... is this wise?" the girl with the dogs said and tugged at his shirt.

"This isn't wise. It is necessary" He said and turned to the Titan who had a stern loo k and replied "Let's do this".