Zane: The Atlantean Prince

CHAPTER 19: THE PROPHECY

OLYMPUS

"Don't you think it's a nice day to have a great talk with the Moirai?" Zeus asked his wife, Hera. "I feel good today. Also, it's been a while since I asked them about the future of Olympus and the entire world."

"You can talk to them anytime you want. You are the only one who can command them," Hera said sarcastically. " You basically can command them to change the fate of a specific person."

"Are you still mad at me because of my infidelity?" Zeus asked. "I already stopped womanizing for you, my queen."

"Really?" Hera replied, showing her disbelief. "I hope to see that for real."

Zeus chuckled. He just instructed one of his messengers to call Moirai. He wanted to know the destiny of Olympus and humankind. He normally seeks guidance from the Fates and asks them for advice. The other Olympians were present, except for Hestia and Hephaestus.

The three elderly women wearing white robes, bore stern looks on their faces, arrived in front of the king of Olympus.

"You called us, Zeus," Clotho said. Carrying her spindle, she is continuously spinning the thread in her hand. Her eyes are emotionless.

He cleared his throat. "I want to know what the future lies for mankind and Olympus."

"Is that all you want?" Lachesis asked. She always carries a staff wherever she goes.

"You can tell me anything you see that will directly affect the gods and the humans." Zeus patiently waited until they began. These Fates are independent, but they follow him nonetheless. They fought alongside Zeus during the War of the Giants.

Although he has the power to save those whose fates were being seized,

"Fate has turned its table," Atropos, holding a pair of scales and scissors, started.

"The mighty one will fall," Clotho continued while still spinning the thread in her hand.

"A young man has been ordained," Lachesis immediately followed.

"To end the king of gods one day," the three of them finished it.

Zeus repeated what the three said. "Fate has turned its tables, The mighty one will fall, A young man has been ordained To end the king of gods one day... is someone destined to kill me? Who is he?"

"The Fates' eyes are clouded, the young man is protected." Atropos cut the thread of Clotho.

"Why is that? It is rare for Fates not to see the future of anyone. The thread of life of every being starts from the day they were born." Zeus could not believe that Moirai was clueless about the identity of the young man in the prophecy.

"Eileithyia was not there when the child was born," Clotho said. "I was not able to spin the thread of life. The child is the master of his fate." Eileithyia is the goddess of childbirth.

They worked together because the fates needed to know when a new person was being born so that they could spin the thread of life for the child.

"Then how do you know this young man is destined to kill me?" Zeus' forehead wrinkled.

"We saw it," the Fates said simultaneously.

"It could be the mastermind of the kakodaimons' attacks in the human world,'' Artemis said. "They have been bugging us for years. This may be a long-term plan."

"No doubt about that," Athena agreed. "We should find him."

"We will find out and kill whoever this young man is." He called one of the palace's soldiers. "Call Eurus and Aera, now."

The soldier bowed and quickly left. A few minutes passed by before the two arrived in the palace.

"Zeus." They both bowed to the king of gods.

"I am assigning Aera to investigate the young man mentioned in the prophecy, the one who is destined to kill me." He looked around and waited for any violent reaction, but everyone was silent. "Go back to the mortal world and blend in, exterminate kakodaimonos, find their leader, and kill the one in the prophecy. They could be just one person. Plan with Eurus on how you could blend in with humans."

"I go back to the mortal world?" She is so happy to hear her first task from Zeus. She can visit her mother and live a normal life. She missed all the fun in the human world.

"Yes. Do not forget your mission," Zeus reminded her.

"Yes, Zeus. I won't." She controlled her facial expression, but she could feel her heart jumping, and her body was excited to pack up and move back to the city.

"We will leave now, Zeus." Her father stood up first and made a gesture to follow him. She immediately got up and followed her father.

***

"Why did you act like that in front of Zeus?" his father asked her. His forehead is wrinkled and sweat formed on his nose. He is usually like that every time he is worried.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was just happy I could now go back to our house and be with Mom. We only communicate through email and it has been two years since her last email to me. You won't even allow me to visit her. I thought I was not a prisoner here, but I am." She pouted. Her mood changed when she recalled the boy on the bus before leaving the mortal world. Her smile went wider. "I can now see that kid before. He was funny. I wonder how he is now."

"You are not going back to our old house." He stood up to avoid the topic. "It was sold five years ago."

"What? But why?" she protested. "I want to live with Mom. Where is she?"

"Your Mom has a new family now. It's been two years since she got married again." He avoided her eyes. "I'm sorry for not telling you. Besides, she is not your real mother."

"What? Why am I knowing all these just now?" She can't believe his father kept it for a long time. "Who is my real mother then, Dad? You said you will tell me everything." They are keeping secrets from her and she hates it, but how can she complain to the king of Olympus?

"You will know in time, Aera. We need to keep it to ourselves for her safety. Get your things ready. I will enrol you in the Royal Park Institute." His father left her standing with too many questions in mind.

"Safety from what? Dad!" Her father did not look back. "How could I understand everything if you will not explain it to me?"

Eurus continued walking until he disappeared. Aera stomped her feet out of frustration. She was dying to know about her past, yet his father kept his silence until now. "When will I meet my real mother? Where is she?"

She had no choice but to follow Zeus and his father—who had been avoiding her questions since she was ten years old.

She went to her room and packed her things. She sighed heavily as she loaded her clothes into her bag one by one. "I need to adapt to the new changes in my life again. What kind of life is this, Aera?"