02x04 - Funeral Games

[bunniefuu]

Why have you been...

...avoiding...

...us?

It was something my brother said.

"The gods are flawed."

We may be,

but our providence is not.

It comes from something greater
than even us.

We are but its vessel.

And there's something you must know.

You are not long...

...for this world.

You are not...

...dreaming.

But you are in a nightmare.

During the w*r for Olympus,
our temple was att*cked.

And someone slipped inside...

...and cut your thread.

What? How can that be?

That remains a mystery.
One even we cannot see.

But the fate that now awaits you
is the most unenviable of ones.

For when we cut a thread, the end comes
at the exact moment we intended it to.

But yours has been cut by one
without our deft touch.

Meaning what?

The death before you cannot be stopped.

It crawls forward,
like sand falling from a glass,

gaining momentum each and every day.

By the quarter moon
of the winter solstice,

you will leave this world.

If you act swiftly...

...there is a small chance

you may be able to turn this nightmare...

...into a blessing.

How?

That is for you to discover.

But remember this.
A man often meets his destiny...

...on the road he took to avoid it.

I've always preferred
the bident over the sword.

It's faster than the wind,

sharper than any blade,

and more aggressive than fire.

But the best part is,

it's an extension of your will.

The greater the will,
the greater the strike.

Here.

So that you may go unnoticed.

You still have your demonic strength.

And can call upon it.
Just picture it in your mind's eye.

And you'll become Seraphim again.

There is another exit from the Underworld.

One less traveled,
with fewer eyes upon it.

BLOOD OF ZEUS

He knows.

If he's the one that's been prophesized,
and his lifeline has been cut...

We're all in danger.

Do you think it was Hades?

I don't know.

But I think...

Don't... move.

What gave me away?

The petals behind you aren't swaying.

Well, then. Carry on, sister.

I'm sure you have your suspicions.

Is it true?
Did Poseidon order a truce?

He had me deliver word far and wide,

so that all immortals
may pay their respects to the fallen.

It's too soon.

Ares is already rallying the others
to his cause,

telling them that he should take
Zeus's place atop the throne.

Leave Ares to me.
There's a bigger thr*at at play.

Something we're not seeing,
beyond even Hades.

Are you all right?

What is going on?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

I'm going to pay my respects,
and then I'm leaving, once and for all.

Do you want us to come with you?

Are we even welcome?

My people believe
life is a great surprise.

I do not see why death should not be
an even greater one.

I got an idea.

Remind us of that when we're dying.

I will pray to Medr and Zat-Badar for him.

And you.

It's not often we lose one of our own.

When a god leaves this world,
we celebrate with games

to honor their life and bury our grief.

Come. Let me show you.

The most deserving participant
will be awarded a prize.

The ring of our father.

It bears a secret.

One that brings the ring bearer
a step closer to the throne.

That is, if the ring bearer
is clever enough to figure it out.

It'll look good on your finger.

I didn't come here to compete.

Good luck, sister.

I can't decide who I hate more,

Heron's whore mother
or his mongrel brother, Seraphim.

Why are you still here?
You'll never be one of us, half-blood.

Don't fool yourself, Heron.

You'll always have mortal blood
running through your veins.

The others will always look down at you,
whether they admit it or not.

I at least have the decency
to tell it to your face.

If it wasn't for Heron,
none of you would be standing here.

You're lucky I'm fond of your father
and the wars he's waged.

For his sake,
I'll allow you to speak out of turn.

But watch your tongue, Amazonian.

You are amongst gods.

And you're right.

If it wasn't for Heron's whore mother...

we wouldn't be here.

My father would still be alive.

Don't ever speak of my mother again.

Zeus is dead
because Hera unleashed the giants,

and fools like you followed her.

Don't.

Blood means nothing.

Will is everything.

I'll see you in the games.

You know the rules.

No weapons.

It's not for you, dear uncle.

It's for our friends.

We need to remind them of who we are.

Is that all he's got?

In no world will you ever be my equal.

Our friend has agreed to our proposal.

He's on his way as we speak.

When she's here, she's with me.

Please, Mother.

It's only fair.

The Underworld is fair.

Is it not?

Indeed, it is.

Well, we're fair here too.

For your little ploys to draw my ire,
I have to respect you.

And there's only one place
respect is earned.

The Pygmachia Arena.

Don't let your anger cloud your judgment.
This is madness. He's not worth it.

No, he's not.

Doesn't matter. I'm a dead man already.

Don't do this. Please, brother.

I'm going
to make a mockery out of you, bastard.

Beg for mercy, and I'll end it quickly.

Say the words. "I submit."

Look at them.

They know you can't win,

yet they're all
on the edge of their seats.

They want to see me
pummel you into submission.

That's the mob.
They value strength above all,

and love to see a hero fall.

Say the words!

Say the words!

Never.

This is how you show the world
who you really are.

Stop!

This ends now.

The games are meant to honor the dead.

Not add to the pile.

How dare you show your face here.

We ought to strike you down.

You can try,

but it won't ease your pain
or diminish your anger.

Why don't we try
and find out for ourselves?

I am still
the Queen of the Heavens, Apollo.

By law, I have every right to be here.

I know your wounds are still fresh,

but my demise won't bring back
those who have fallen.

If it could,
I would gladly give my life for theirs.

All I can do now
is try to make amends for what I've done.

I will banish myself for a thousand years,

and during that time,
I will not step foot in Olympus.

But first,
I will pay my respects to the fallen.

You lost that right
when you waged w*r on us.

Who are you to speak for Olympus?

You're just a bastard.

As are we.

I will not let bastards
determine our fate.

My mother has always been just.

Only when Zeus strayed
would her temper betray her.

What fault did she bear in that?

She will do as we say.

You misunderstood me, sister.

I'm not asking for permission.

Enough.

This honors the unworthy.

Let's go.

No.

You heard her. Run along.

What did you say?

Go. Now. Or you'll regret it.

Don't.

Enough!

Stop this foolishness.

Gaia, mother of titans
and the great Earth giants.

I see her, and I hear her voice.

What?

She speaks to me in my dreams.

Hera is here under a banner of truce.

She will be allowed to pay her respects,

but then she must
stay true to her word and go.

You must all remember.

While death destroys some of us,
the idea of it saves us all.

We will mourn Zeus and the fallen
for three days.

During that time,

no god will take up arms
against the other.

But after three days,

a challenge will be offered,

whose instructions will be forthcoming.

All are welcome to vie for the crown,

so that the most worthy
will be awarded the Eleusinian Stone.

And thus, merit will decide
the next ruler of the heavens.

This is the will of Zeus and I,

and thus, it shall be.

Now, honor the dead,

and give them their due.

Let us begin.

There's no need for tears.

Steadfast Hermes.

Brave Apollo

and Hephaestus.

Loyal to the end.

Thank you, my sons.

Wise Hestia,

valiant Athena,

and my cunning Artemis.

I knew I could count on you.

For that, we are all in your debt.

Anything worthwhile must be earned, Ares.

Don't allow your talents to be squandered.

Heron.

I'm very proud of you.

You've done more
than I could have ever imagined.

You should be the one...

to bear my ring.

I can't accept it.

It should go to someone who wants to rule.

This isn't about the throne.

It's about accepting who you are.

You are my son.

You bear my blood.

This will help
lead you down the path you must go.

We are all flawed in our own way.

Myself most of all.

But there are ideals that are pure.

And in the moments we strive for them,

so are we.

Honor me by ending this conflict

and then live not as I lived,

but as I d*ed.

Striving for something
greater than myself.

It's time.

There's something you need to know.

Gaia told me to find the sword...

and to save Seraphim.

Seraphim?

Somehow, they're connected.

I don't know how. I don't know why.

How can I save someone who's already dead?

But I have to help him.

Of all the souls
in this world and the next,

why Seraphim?