No one uttered a word as The Fates took the floor. All eyes remained on the time-old women as they stood in front of Zeus, their eye burning with hate. 

"Hyacinthus will be avenged," they declared all three voices speaking in harmony. My heart stopped beating. "His life was cut short but it was not our decision. His life was taken even from us and we won't allow it. Gods do not interfere with mortal lives!"

"I didn't mean to hurt him," I begged but they didn't look at me. 

"Oh mighty Zeus," they sneered in nothing but hate. "Do you allow your gods to do as they please? Do you not rule them with an iron fist?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then how could you allow Zephyrus, god of the west wind, to get away with his actions! He has killed a mortal and interfered with his life without permission and Hyacinthus will be avenged!"

Rage filled my chest as my godly form took over without a second thought. I could feel the heat coming off my glowing body as my hands shook in anger.

"He was murdered," I seethed in pure hatred.

"I'll send a quest at once," Zeus assured. 

"What do you want us to do," Hades asked doubtfully. "He's dead nonetheless. No one leaves the gates of the underworld. It will only be more godly interference if I allowed him to walk free."

"Try to get in my way old man," I dared as I started at my uncle. "I'll gladly be the first person to kill a few gods."

"Do not think we've forgotten about Orpheus so soon young Hades," The Fates said with a meaningful glare. "If the boy would have been wise not one but two mortals would have come from the underworld alive." Hades shrunk back into the throne like a scolded child. "Nonetheless, the mortal is not in the underworld." 

"Where is he," I asked before I realized I was speaking. My heart lurched in my chest as hope began to flow through my body. "Is he safe? How is his body dead and his soul not in the underworld."

"That is unfortunately all we can say," The Fates said, their heads hung low in shame. "This is where the quest must begin."

"Have Hermes spread the word," Zeus announced, his voice booming around the room. "Demigods around the world have been offered a quest. First one to bring the mortal back to his body will receive a blessing."

"Save the children, I'll go on the quest myself." I've always been loud-spoken and it has never served me well. I will never forget the first time Zeus' pure rage was unleashed on me and while it had happened several times since then, I have never been able to get used to it. 

"Absolutely not. We have children for a reason. It would be an honor to serve the gods."

"I'm not sending my children to die because you failed at your job of ruling the gods."

"I won't send mine either," Aphrodite agreed as she straightened herself against the throne, steeling herself for the backlash. 

"Do get me started on you," Zeus seethed. "All the gods and nymphs in the world to choose from and you give him a mortal? You took the weakest of us all and made him weaker!"

"Weakest of you," I asked, my light glowing brighter but the second.

"Watch your tongue," Athena advised softly but her words barely registered. 

"You say I'm weak yet look at all of you! You lay here day after day doing nothing but rotting! Sending your children to die on quests you could easily do yourself! I may not be the strongest but at least I'm not a coward."

Artemis grimaces while ever Ares seems uncomfortable with the war settling in the air.

"You will not go on this quest. I forbid it. You still have a job to do." The sky clapped and the room shook, the sky itself finalizing his words, leaving the room in a deafening silence. 

"A mortal," the Fates said, their voices unpleasantly holding a teasing tone. "That would work just perfectly. No godly intervention, no favorable strength, no past connections to try and cheap the quest. A mortal it must be."

"Even The Fates agree," Zeus reasoned as he surveyed the room full of angry gods. 

Athena, true to her godly power, looked at me with understanding the second the thought crossed my mind.

"Apollo don't," she said firmly. "There's no guarantee you'll get it back. Let the children go, I'm sure they'll do a fine job."

"I love Hyacinthus more than anything. If becoming mortal means saving him I'll do it a thousand times, even if it means never retaining my godship."

Aphrodite looked ready to swoon while Zeus only turned his blazing eyes to The Fates. 

"If Apollo has no duties to attend and he is a demigod just like the rest, you will have no reason to keep him away," The Fates almost teased. "Besides, what do you care what a hothead child of Zeus does? Did you forget you have your own problems to deal with? Zephyrus will not accept his punishment with ease."

Zeus' jaw clenched before he turned to look at me, rage filling his grey eyes before they softened ever so softly as he sighed. It was times like these I was forced to remember he wasn't just my king but also my father and I was forcing him into a difficult situation. 

"Is this what you really want? Athena's right; just because you complete your quest does not mean you or he will become gods."

"A life without him isn't worth living. If dying a mortal means I get one more day with him I'll gladly take it." A sigh fell from his lips as he turned his gaze to The Fates. 

"How do you wish to proceed," he asked before staring down at the marble floor. 

A wicked grin cover all three of their faces as they took a step toward the king of gods. 

"No news of the quest must be said," they began. "This is his quest alone and if others hear what happened an uproar could occur, not only of Apollo's position being open but also of others who think their loved ones were stolen away. This would help no one and would only make the quest harder to accomplish. If Zephyrus knows a quest has been planned he will up his defenses. Anyone who utters a word about this quest to anyone not in this room will have committed treason, this will be your only warning." A thick fog of uneasiness filled the room as the threat hung in the air. "If that is understood then the quest can begin."

The second the last word left her mouth I walked up to my father and proudly kneeled before him, my eyes burning holes into his. Yet another sigh escaped him as the palm of his hand brushed over my forehead almost lovingly. 

"Because you are my son, I will ask again-"

"Strip me of my power," I demand before he even had the chance to finish his sentence. "Make me mortal and send me on my quest." His eyes softened as his hand gripped my temples, his palm covering my eyes. 

"Be strong my son. Save the mortal I failed then come home. I'll be waiting for you."

He didn't wait for me to respond before his power drained me of mine. Little by little my goody formed faded. The light I was giving off dimmed and my heat disappeared. The power in my chest feels like it's being ripped out while my magic becomes nothing more than a flicker of light. 

When my father takes his hand away I nearly fall if it weren't for his hands bracing me, saving me from the humiliation of falling on my face in front of gods while I am nothing but a mortal. 

"How do you feel," Zeus asked when I finally looked up at him. 

A hole formed in my chest where my power used to lie, my body was cold without my heat, the process was the most draining experience I had ever felt in my life, and my family was seconds away from turning their backs on me. 

"Short," I said as I stood on shaky legs. The man I used to stand eye to eye with now all but towered above me as I came up to his chest. 

"Well you did just lose a few inches," Artemis snorted as she stood to stand beside me, the two of us now looking each other in the eye; something we hadn't been able to do since we were teens before I hit my growth spurt. "I could get used to being taller than you again." She smirked as her arms wrapped around mine to pull us into a strong hug. "I admit I don't understand your love for this man," she whispered in my ear, "but I wish you well on this quest. I will fight for you brother. You will be godly again. We will be infinitely divine together." Her words rang like a prophecy but I only smiled weakly into her shoulder. 

"Not without him." 

I don't let her speak another word as I push her back gently and turn to face The Fates.

"Young Apollo, a quest has been sent to you," they said, grim smiles on all of their faces. "Retrieve Hyacinthus' soul from those who have him in chains and bring him back to Olympus. Do this for the gods and you will be rewarded. Do you wish to accept this quest?"

"Yes."

There was no lightning in the sky nor a cloud covering the stars but thunder shook the room that my father didn't cause. 

The Fates didn't waste another second to disappear, leaving the rest of us in a tense room with nothing left to discuss. 

"I'll be off then," I sighed.

"Where will you go," Demeter asked, heartache clear on her face. 

"All great quests need two things before they are started. A blessing from The Fates and a prophecy. I doubt I can give myself one anymore so I'll find someone who can."

"I assume you know where to start," Zeus asked sternly but I could see the grief on his face. 

"Father please, my oracles may be scattered throughout the world but being stripped of my godly powers won't make me forget where I placed them."

"Have you already chosen one?" A smirk worked its way on my face as I walked across the throne room floor in strides; well on my way to begin my quest. 

"Only the best will do."

I'm coming my love and gods help the man who tries to stand in my way.